The Frida Cinema

Great nonprofit movie theater. Very small but quaint. Love the variety of movies that you do not get with a typical theater. Very friendly and those who attend are passionate about film.

Went to the Frida and had a great time drinking beer and watching Embrace of the Serpent can’t wait to go back again.

What a great non-​profit theater! I love the weekend matinees. Stuff like Labyrinth, Mary Popins, etc. fun movies for the family that were meant to be seen on the big screen.
My favorite tho, is the Rocky Horror Picture Show with their live shadow cast every month on the second Friday. These performers are FUN. Totally makes the experience. Heh, and they serve booze too! They keep us coming back every show!

Visited the Frida last night for a free screening of Guillermo Del Toro’s «Pans Labryinth.» Great experience and good picture and sound quality. In addition to popcorn and candy they also sell beer and wine ;) Apparently thy do free screenings often, get on their email list to stay updated!

We found this gem during their weekend tribute to David Bowie. We saw an afternoon screening of Labyrinth and the house was packed with all ages. It’s a nonprofit organization committed to creating community through the sharing of classic & thought provoking cinema. The staff (they are volunteers!) are super nice and welcoming. You must check out the Frida!

This is a community-​based theater that exists solely for the love of cinema. It doesn’t get any better than that. The only non-​profit art house in Orange County. Support this place!

Really wanted to see The Prophet and saw it was playing here. Drove down yesterday (Saturday) and there was a street festival happening = could not find parking anywhere! I spoke with the manager Lorena at the Frida Cinema about the situation and she helped me navigate so that I could make parking happen and get to the movie on time. She was friendly, kind and really provided caring customer service. Thank you Lorena for making my movie going experience in a cool theater all that much cooler (touching flick too). :)

Great experience here seeing The Prophet! Will definitely be going back in the future

The Frida is an amazing theatre, the movies they play are perfect and always fits my vibe. Everyone is so welcoming ! They even sell beer to those who are 21+ of course :)

The best venue in the OC for art and local culture. Run by cool people who care. Yes, that’s right. They care.
This place shows The Rocky Horror Picture Show to art house films, to films created by local historians and filmmakers. This is where art and politics collide in the real. I saw Walter Dominguez present his film «Weaving Out the Past» there and it was inspiring.
The staff are friendly and KIND. So different from other places where one can never be «cool enough.» Everyone is welcomed and belongs.
I cannot say enough about how important it is not only to its immediate neighborhood but to Southern California at large. There are so few places that make the shared experience of watching amazing films possible.
A wonderful place!

LOVE this theater.OMG. I’ve been here several times now for different events. I’ve attended 2 of the 3 Scott Pilgrim events thrown by Cinemattack. I was even the lucky winner of the Scott Pilgrim album on vinyl. I don’t have a record player. but may as well be a trophy for me because I never win anything! lol. I also attended «The Last Unicorn» event with Peter S Beagle– the author speaking and answering a Q and A afterwards. This was so awesome. I have always loved loved this movie and it was so great to actually see it on the big screen for the first time. Getting to meet Peter afterwards was a very special moment for me.
The indie movies are great too. I wound up seeing «The Nightmare» on father’s day since I had nothing better to do. «The NIghtmare» was great because it was a documentary on sleep paralysis which I’ve had since high school, and it was so cool to watch other people that deal with this and their story.
I still have yet to see one of my fave midnight activites– Rocky Horror Picture Show here one night. I seem to always have something going on that day but one day I shall go!
Always buy your tickets early for events and arrive early because they do sell out!

Super cute little theatre with only two screens. it’s nicely decorated, and the staff is really nice but it’s not on the nicest part of town. I do love that they cell $ 1 movie posters, and other items. It’s really a gem! The parking structure is directly behind the theatre which is nice and convenient.
Tip: If you bring your ticket stub to the Bratwurst place next door you get a discount.

Seeing the Elliott Smith docu tonight!!!
I already love this theater and I haven’t been there yet… 1 day later… Moving docu. Small intimate theater but nostalgic…
Cheers

I love supporting small, independent cinemas. A friend and I had a couple of hours to kill in DTSA, so we decided to pop in here to see what they were playing. There were two options: White God, a Hungarian movie, and Rude Boy. Went with White God and was pleasantly surprised. The seats are old-​fashioned and maybe not as comfortable as the ones in Fullerton AMC, but the the theatre had a certain nostalgia.

Its hard to describe what they have captured here, the set up is very nice and a very classic feel. The staff are helpful and kind and the event we had at the theatre was really a lot of fun.
I want to come back for «Rocky Horror» and the «Rudeboy OC» movie coming up soon.
Thanks for keeping my childhood alive with this blast to the past.

We went here to see it follows (my wife and I and two friends), which was great. We were alone in the theater except for 2 other guys. They started smoking something in the back corner together. It wasn’t weed. We couldn’t smell anything. Their behavior was odd and the light from the lighter was annoying so I complained. Turns out these guys are friends with the girl who worked there so she didn’t kick them out. At the end of the movie the guys confronted us and said we were lame for complaining and not asking them to stop. Whatever. Meth heads can’t be reasoned with. The whole ordeal was funny because I had initially asked the girl employee if they allowed BYOB to which she said «no… Because, c’mon… Obviously…». Apparently it IS OK for her friends to smoke crack or meth, however.

I’m a big fan of any theaters that specialize in independent films. This theater showed up in a Google search, when I was looking to find such a venue. It’s located in downtown Santa Ana. There is a parking structure right around the corner of the theater and you will need to park there, as the street meter parking won’t be sufficient for watching a movie. The theaters don’t have stadium style seating and are small by most standards. Screen sizes are smaller and the sound system is okay. The seats don’t have cup holders which can be an issue if you purchase concessions. It’s an older venue with a volunteer staff, so it’s not really that surprising. I came to see The Babadook and so it was a pleasant experience overall. Don’t forget your student ID for a discount if you have one.

I read a couple of great reviews of this place after I had already come here, and there was such great insight that I was inspired to write one of my own. One of them briefly discussed gentrification and the negative outcome of displacement– in this instance the displacement of the local Spanish speaking population that utilized the previous cinema– which ran first run movies with Spanish subtitles.
I saw a flier from the city and saw that the Frida sponsors outdoor movies for free with subtitles. I thought that was a nice gesture to the families in the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown. I have a couple of friends who remember the theater in its previous lives with fondness and reverence.
Staff are friendly, popcorn is fresh. Seating was comfortable enough. Bathrooms clean. Theater clearly remodeled with love. Films are quirky and fun. Bonus points for the man who was wearing a GOBLIN t-​shirt.

The Frida Cinema isn’t just a place to see a film, it’s a cinematic cultural center that has only just started to crank out cult classics, huge themed events, and a deeper look into art and the people who create it. From Spanish language features that tap into the rich culture of the Santa Ana community to midnight madness with their very own late-​night Rock Horror Picture Show shadow cast, the Frida has a little something for everyone. The celebration of art and community is something the theater’s namesake would certainly be proud of.

This little theater is pretty legit. Not only do they have indie movies and cult classics, they have themed event nights pretty frequently. And I love any reason to get silly and dress up! I’m so sad I missed the TMNT event!
I attended the Edward Scissorhands «Winter Formal» screening and the place was packed with many beautifully dressed people. There were no issues with sound or picture. All the staff was super friendly. And it looks like a well kept place. I’m definitely keeping this place on my radar!