About

What is Popcorn Reef?

Popcorn Reef can mean many different things. To us, it’s about knowing that no matter how many random new films pop up at any given time, or how many more generic superhero movies are made, there will always be a place for the magic and the spectacle of cinema, even if it’s relegated to a little reef in the middle of the ocean.

We aim to create bold cinema events that showcase our favorite “popcorn” movies of the past, as well as new films that continue to keep the tradition of motion pictures alive in today’s emotionally-challenged movie world. And since we’re from San Diego, we’ve added a bit of a beach flair to the whole experience, with an extra nod to our culture here in Southern California that is so deeply tied to the history of the film business.

Who started this, and why did they do it?

Eddie Gurrola is the founder of Popcorn Reef, and is pretty close to being able to call himself a professional movie watcher.

A San Diego native, Eddie served from 2020-2023 as the Marketing Manager for Cinematic Void in Los Angeles, which hosts some of the most epic cult film screenings in the world. Locally, Eddie was editor-in-chief of the popular SD craft beer magazine Craft County from 2015-2017, and got his start hosting events as Senior Music Editor for Dubcnn.com and co-founder of ChronicVacation.com. There, he had countless adventures in the "other" epicenter of SoCal culture, West Coast hip-hop, including giving Kendrick Lamar his first ever media coverage during his own first night working as a journalist, sitting in on studio sessions for the mythical, never-released Dr. Dre album “Detox,” and being blessed with the honor of co-authoring his childhood idol, Power 106 executive Damion “Damizza” Young’s, memoir Guilty by Association.

He started Popcorn Reef as a platform to connect with the spirit of cinema, and to celebrate the essence of Southern California. From his perspective, it's impossible to differentiate between the two.