Just added: the Jurassic Park Motorpool will be parking two of their Jurassic Jeeps in front of the cinema before the 7:30PM screening on Monday, September 21st!
An adventure 65 million years in the making.
Our Spielberg Summer series is taking a trip to Jurassic Park, the groundbreaking blockbuster that made audiences believe…and then run for their lives.
When a billionaire philanthropist unveils a revolutionary theme park filled with genetically resurrected dinosaurs, a small group of experts is invited to preview the island before opening day. But when the park’s security systems fail, paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), along with mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), are forced to survive a prehistoric nightmare unleashed by the follies of human ambition.
A landmark in visual effects and suspense filmmaking, Jurassic Park remains one of cinema’s great “how did they do that?” experiences. Spielberg blends awe and terror in perfect balance, expanding his horizons to new themes that he would explore even more more in the second half of his career.
Enhanced Accessibility: this film has Closed Captioning and Audio Description capability!
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He is afraid. He is totally alone. He is 3,000,000 light years from home.
Our Spielberg Summer series phones home with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, one of the most beloved family films ever made and a landmark of modern American cinema.
When a lonely young boy named Elliott discovers a stranded alien hiding near his home, the two form an unlikely friendship that changes both of their lives. As E.T. becomes part of Elliott’s family, the children must help their otherworldly companion evade government authorities and find a way back home before it’s too late.
Few films capture the wonder of childhood as beautifully as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Spielberg transforms a simple story of friendship into something genuinely magical. Decades after audiences first watched that bicycle lift off against the moonlit sky, the film, like so many others from Spielberg, continues to inspire awe from audiences across the globe.
Enhanced Accessibility: this film has Closed Captioning, Assisted Listening, and Audio Description capability!
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We are not alone.
We’ve added some Spielberg Summer encores of the Director’s Cut of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the director’s epically intimate Sci-Fi masterpiece!
After an inexplicable encounter with a mysterious object in the night sky, ordinary family man Roy Neary begins experiencing strange visions that consume his life and lead him toward a destiny he cannot understand. As reports of unexplained phenomena spread across the globe, Roy joins a growing search for answers that culminates in one of the most unforgettable finales in movie history.
Where many Sci Fi films imagine alien contact as a threat, Close Encounters of the Third Kind dares to imagine it as a miracle. Spielberg’s knack for groundbreaking visual effects with a deeply human sense of curiosity shine brightly here, paired, of course, with a brilliant score from the one and only John Williams. It’s a reminder of why we go to the movies in the first place.
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Dun dun dun dun dun. Dun dun dun dun dun. James Cameron’s block-busting Sci Fi/Action masterpiece, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, is headed to The Frida Cinema with a brand new 4K restoration just in time for July 4th!
A cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent into the past to protect Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and her teen son John (Edward Furlong) from a new advanced model cyborg T-1000 (Robert Patrick) in a bid to stop a future war between humans and the intelligent machine SkyNet.
Hailed as one of the greatest sequels ever made, Terminator 2: Judgment Day remains the gold standard for action spectacle over 35 years after its initial release due to its cutting-edge visual effects and jaw-dropping stunts. But its that special James Cameron emotional punch that takes truly makes it next-level. Don’t miss it on the big screen!
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Play It By Fear is continuing their June Gloom programming as they present a Sunday Scaries screening of the black-and-white version of Frank Darabont and Stephen King’s The Mist!
After a violent storm, a dense cloud of mist envelops a small Maine town, trapping David Drayton and his five-year-old son in a local grocery store with other local residents. They soon discover that the mist conceals deadly horrors that threaten their lives, and worse, their sanity.
What can we say about The Mist that won’t spoil one of cinema’s best endings ever? It combines pulpy monster-movie thrills with a savage critique of fear-driven groupthink, and also features a career-defining turn from Marcia Gay Harden as the terrifyingly self-righteous Mrs. Carmody. Come see the version that Darabont always wanted audiences to see, as the black-and-white version proves superior for many fans!
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Mark Jenkin (Bait, Enys Men) is back with his latest mind-trip, Rose of Nevada, starring Callum Turner and George MacKay!
A mysterious boat returns to a village 30 years after vanishing. Two men join its crew hoping for better fortune. After one voyage, they find themselves transported back in time, mistaken for the original crew.
One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary UK art cinema, Mark Jenkin has made quite the name for himself for his handmade aesthetic, and Rose of Nevada looks to be more of that strange, melancholy folk-horror hybrid that we continue to be fascinated by.
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Power, space, time and a visitor.
We’re presenting a 4K restoration of the European Cut of Nicolas Roeg and David Bowie’s hypnotic masterwork The Man Who Fell to Earth, now celebrating 50 years since its initial release!
Thomas Jerome Newton is an alien who has come to Earth in search of water to save his home planet. Aided by lawyer Oliver Farnsworth, Thomas uses his knowledge of advanced technology to create profitable inventions. While developing a method to transport water, Thomas meets Mary-Lou, a quiet hotel clerk, and begins to fall in love with her. Just as he is ready to leave Earth, Thomas is intercepted by the U.S. government, and his entire plan is threatened.
Fans of dreamlike, visually intoxicating cinema will find a lot to love in The Man Who Fell to Earth, which remains one of the cornerstones of 70s cult classic cinema.
Restoration: The restoration is based on a 4K scan of the original camera negative, followed by a full 4K workflow, with the approval of cinematographer Anthony Richmond.
Please note: we are screening the 139 minute European Cut of the film, also known as the Director’s Cut or Uncut version of the film!
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It’s not like they didn’t warn us.
Our first Volunteer of the Month pick for June comes courtesy of Jasmine, who has picked legendary filmmaker M Night Shyamalan’s 2002 nerve-shredding Sci Fi thriller Signs!
Set on an isolated Pennsylvania farm, the film follows former minister Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) as he and his family begin discovering enormous crop circles appearing in their fields. As strange lights, unsettling broadcasts, and inexplicable encounters begin mounting across the globe, Graham, his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix), and his children are forced to confront the terrifying possibility that something is watching them from the darkness beyond the cornfields.
Mixing an alien invasion spectacle movie with an intimate story about grief, Signs is as masterfully tense as it is emotional. There’s nothing quite like seeing an M Night movie on the big screen.
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You’ve been asking for it, so we’re doing it! The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act is coming to The Frida Cinema! The viral internet sensation is reaching its long-awaited conclusion in a feature-length theatrical release! This “Last Act” combines episode 8 with the all new, hour long episode 9!
With Caine gone and the circus dark, the cast are left with only the mistakes and traumas of their pasts to keep them company. As the prospect of eternity closes in around them, they discover the truth about the Digital Circus and its history. Will they come to terms with what they uncover, or will they make…the other choice? Also, presumably at some point someone says something funny, because this ending can’t be THAT depressing, can it?
Watch the finale of the viral internet phenomenon the best way possible: on the big screen!
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How could we do an Art House for Families series without a classic Godzilla film!? It’s time for 1965’s Invasion of Astro-Monster, the fierce battle between Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah!
Aliens from Planet X make an irresistible offer to the people of Earth: let them borrow Godzilla and Rodan to help defeat King Ghidorah, and in return they will provide a cure for all known human disease. But the aliens’ duplicity is soon revealed, as they deploy all three monsters in their quest to conquer Earth.
This retro romp, featuring American star Nick Adams, stands as a high point in the Showa Godzilla series.
This film will be dubbed in English as to be more accessible for younger viewers.
Our Art House for Families series celebrates the magic of moviegoing across generations all summer long. From silent comedy and international classics to science fiction and fantasy adventures, the series invites longtime cinephiles and first-time art house audiences of all ages to discover some of cinema’s most enduring films together on the big screen. This event is sponsored in part by the City of Santa Ana.
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