Join us on Tuesday, April 15th at 7:30PM, as we once again partner with the nationwide Science on Screen® program to present The Devil’s Backbone, Guillermo Del Toro’s chilling ghost story from 2001. And make sure to stick around after the screening for a pre-recorded 21 minute presentation on the Neurobiology of Horror Movies by Dr. Lauri Nummenmaa!
ABOUT THE FILM
Spain, 1939. In the last days of the Spanish Civil War, the young Carlos arrives at the Santa Lucía orphanage, where he will make friends and enemies as he follows the quiet footsteps of a mysterious presence eager for revenge.
ABOUT DR. LAURI NUMMENMAA AND THE PRESENTATION
Ever wondered what happens in your brain when you watch a horror movie? Dr. Lauri Nummenmaa will explore the neurobiology of fear, explaining how filmmakers use techniques like vicarious simulation and unpredictability to create a chilling experience. We’ll uncover the scientific reasons behind our paradoxical love of horror and how it allows us to explore dangerous situations from the comfort of a movie theater.
Dr. Lauri Nummenmaa leads the Human Emotion Systems laboratory at the Turku PET Centre and Department of Psychology, University of Turku in Finland. He earned his PhD in neurocognitive mechanisms of social attention from the University of Turku and conducted postdoctoral research at the MRC CBU in Cambridge, UK. Dr. Nummenmaa has published over 150 scientific articles on the brain basis of emotions and social cognition and his research focuses on the neural mechanisms of human emotions and social interaction using various neuroimaging and behavioral techniques.
ABOUT SCIENCE ON SCREEN
Science on Screen® is an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and their grant initiative brings science to cinemas nationwide. The Coolidge Corner Theatre’s series has enhanced film and scientific literacy with this popular program, which launched at the Coolidge in 2005 in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and its pioneering nationwide film program. Since 2011, Sloan has awarded the Coolidge over $4 million to develop and administer Science on Screen programs around the US through partnerships with other nonprofits. The Coolidge has in turn awarded 393 grants totaling over $2.5 million to 121 film and science-focused organizations in 44 states (plus Washington, DC) across the country. Learn more at scienceonscreen.org.
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Celebrate the thrilling tension of Crimson Tide on its 30th anniversary, screening at The Frida Cinema as part of our Gene Hackman tribute! And as an added bonus, there will be an introduction and post-screening book signing by Jason Bailey, author of the new biography Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend out on 4/29 via Abrams Press!
The film takes place aboard the USS Alabama, a nuclear submarine during a tense international crisis. When the captain (Gene Hackman) and his executive officer (Denzel Washington) clash over the proper response to a potentially catastrophic situation, the battle for control of the ship escalates into a gripping psychological duel. With the fate of the world at stake, each decision becomes a matter of life or death. This high-stakes submarine drama, directed by the amazing Tony Scott, remains one of the most riveting military thrillers of all time.
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Celebrate the endlessly quotable Clue as it marks its 40th anniversary with a special three night limited engagement at The Frida Cinema!
Based on the classic board game, Clue follows six colorful characters—each with their own dark secrets—who gather at the eerie mansion of Mr. Boddy. When he turns up dead, it’s up to the guests (and the audience) to figure out who did it, with what weapon, and in which room. Directed by Jonathan Lynn and starring an all-star cast including Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, and Michael McKean, Clue combines slapstick humor, clever dialogue, and a plethora of twists and turns that keep audiences guessing and laughing from start to finish.
Though initially a box office disappointment, Clue has since become a cult classic, praised for its rapid-fire comedy, outrageous performances, and multiple endings that let viewers experience the mystery from different angles. Which ending will you get?
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A young mother, contending with a rare brain condition and desperate to save money for her daughter’s future, takes a risky job from a mysterious woman with a dark past, and gets entangled in a web of revenge, deceit, and murder. Shot in magnificent 16mm and co-written with the magnetic lead actress, Ariella Mastroianni, Gazer gazes fondly back on the masters of the 70s paranoid thriller while keeping itself grounded firmly in the cutting-edge of today’s independent filmmaking.
From Cannes Film Festival to Fantastic Fest, this indie noir is a potent reminder of how exciting American independent filmmaking can be!
“Critic’s Pick! Marrying the manic paranoia of ‘After Hours’ with a ‘Memento’-esque unreliable protagonist and touches of flesh-bending body horror that could be ripped straight from ‘Videodrome,’ ‘Gazer’ is the kind of debut that should restore your lost faith in independent cinema.” -Indiewire
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IFC Films presents the thrilling true story of an audacious game show gambit with The Luckiest Man in America, a gripping drama that delves into the life of Michael Larson, who in 1984 exploited the patterns of CBS’s “Press Your Luck” to win a fortune. Starring Paul Walter Hauser as Michael Larson, the film portrays Larson’s transformation from an unemployed ice cream truck driver to a national sensation.
Directed by Samir Oliveros, The Luckiest Man in America features a stellar ensemble cast, including Walton Goggins, Maisie Williams, Haley Bennett, and Johnny Knoxville.
Critics have lauded the film for its engaging narrative and stellar performances. Christian Zilko of IndieWire commented, “A delightfully sleazy ensemble thriller that goes down easy in 90 minutes—and yet another reminder that Hauser is one of his generation’s most interesting movie stars.”
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Jump straight in to the electrifying world of psychic espionage with Push, our In Denfense Of… pick for April, courtesy of Martin, our Director Of Operations.
After his father, an assassin, is brutally murdered, Nick Gant vows revenge on Division, the covert government agency that dabbles in psychic warfare and experimental drugs. Hiding in Hong Kong’s underworld, Nick assembles a band of rogue psychics dedicated to destroying Division. Together with Cassie, a teenage clairvoyant, Nick goes in search of a missing girl and a stolen suitcase that could be the key to accomplishing their mutual goal.
Critically maligned at the time, has the film held over better over time? Hear Martin’s plea and be the judge for yourself.
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Kicking off our A24orror series, celebrating 10 years of A24 horror since the Sundance premiere of The VVitch, is writer/director Ari Aster’s Hereditary, a film that shocked an entire generation of new horror fans.
This chilling, family-centered nightmare follows Annie (Toni Collette), a mother reeling from the death of her estranged mother, and her family as they begin to unravel dark, supernatural secrets. As tragedy and terror pile on, the Graham family’s dark legacy comes to light in ways that will make your skin crawl.
With Hereditary, Aster doesn’t just bring jump scares—he dives deep into grief, trauma, and generational curses, crafting a horror experience that sticks with you long after the credits roll. Toni Collette gives an iconic, Oscar-worthy performance (snub of the century, anybody?) that’ll leave you shaken up long after the credits roll.
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For the first time in over 5 years, The Frida Cinema is proud to bring back one of greatest films of all time–Jaws! For Memorial Day Weekend only, come celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s industry-changing, pop culture-shifting, era-defining movie right where it belongs to be seen: on the big screen with a packed crowd!
When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town’s chief of police, a young marine biologist, and a grizzled hunter embark on a desperate quest to destroy the beast before it strikes again.
What else can be said about Jaws that hasn’t been said by every film scholar for the past fifty years? Featuring career-best work from its all-star cast of Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary, and Murray Hamilton, the film has kept audiences from ever going back into the ocean (or their pool…or bathtub) for the better part of a century. It’s one of the best examples of man vs man, man vs himself, man vs society, and man vs nature ever put on celluloid.
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The Los Angeles Kurdish Film Festival presents Ayse Polat’s new film In The Blind Spot!
A German crew is filming a documentary in north-eastern Turkey, more precisely in a remote Kurdish village, where they witness an elderly woman performing a recurring ritual to keep the memory of her missing son alive. The German team’s Kurdish translator is also the nanny of Melek, a seven-year-old Turkish girl. Her father, Zafer, works for a sinister organisation, and is caught between loyalty and fear for his family’s well-being when his daughter seems to be pursued by a mysterious force. Three different perspectives that, when intersected, develop a destructive power. In The Blind Spot reveals a complex web of conspiracy, paranoia, and generational trauma. The film develops its own formal language to express the unspeakable, playing with familiar references from horror films and political thrillers.
The Los Angeles Kurdish Film Festival (LAKFF) is a vibrant cultural celebration showcasing the rich diversity of Kurdish stories from Kurdistan and the Kurdish diaspora. Through compelling films, this festival brings to light the complexities of Kurdish identity, history, and the ongoing struggles faced by Kurdish communities worldwide. With a diverse lineup of feature films, documentaries, and short films, LAKFF offers a platform for Kurdish filmmakers to share their voices, fostering dialogue and understanding around universal themes like displacement, resilience, and cultural preservation.
This film will be presented in its original German and Kurdish languages with English subtitles.
This program is a venue rental engagement. Member discounts and Frida Cinema comp passes not valid. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.
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Witness The Rule Of Jenny Pen, the twisted new Horror-Thriller from filmmaker James Ashcroft starring the iconic duo of John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush!
Confined to a secluded rest home and trapped within his stroke-ridden body, a former Judge must stop an elderly psychopath who employs a child’s puppet to abuse the home’s residents with deadly consequences.
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