Magic at the Movies
Mike Schindler, Film Programmer at Classic Cinemas (US), movie enthusiast and all-around good guy discusses current movie releases at Classic Cinemas in this short and fun podcast.
Episodes
86 episodes
86: The Variety Avatar Pin
Mark (once again bravely filling in for Mike) welcomes Angelique Barthel from Variety of Illinois Children’s Charity to share details on this year’s meaningful fundraiser. The conversation spotlights the Avatar: Fire and Ash collectibl...
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Season 1
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Episode 86
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33:41
85: A Holiday Movie Battle Royale
After last week’s internet-melting controversy — Mike’s scorched-earth campaign to include Contagion in the canon of holiday movies — the guys return to restore order and festive cheer.With Mike still on the bench, Mar...
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Season 1
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Episode 85
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39:52
84: Kill Bill: TWBA
Mike is back and joins Mark for an in-depth exploration of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, Quentin Tarantino’s ambitious attempt to stitch Volumes 1 and 2 into a single, uninterrupted cinematic experience. In this episode, they dive ...
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Season 1
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Episode 84
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31:57
83: Thankful for Zootopia 2
This week on the show, Classic's Head Chief, Chris Johnson joins Mark Mazrimas (guest-hosting for Mike!) to talk all things Thanksgiving, including his best pick... Zootopia 2 — the family holiday hit galloping into theatres this ...
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Season 1
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Episode 83
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18:57
82: The Pope Says: Go to the Movies!
Mark (sitting in for Mike again) joins Randy Pollock for a deep dive into Wicked: For Good, sharing early reactions and what audiences can expect. The duo also unpacks Pope Leo’s recent call for everyone to return to the movies — plus ...
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Season 1
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Episode 82
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28:24
81: Christmas at the Tivoli
Guest host Mark Mazrimas sits down with Mike Balsamo — the voice and spirit behind Christmas at the Tivoli — to talk about the magic of th...
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Season 1
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Episode 81
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27:36
80: Predator Badlands & the Origin of Monster Movies
Mike kicks things off with Classic Cinemas’ own Mark Mazrimas to talk Predator: Badlands and the legacy of sci-fi’s deadliest hunters. Then, vintage monster expert Mike Balsamo joins the conversation to trace the origins and evolution ...
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Season 1
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Episode 80
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23:45
79: The Evolution of the Music Biopic
Filling in for Mike, Mark Mazrimas welcomes Classic Cinemas CEO/CPE Chris Johnson for a lively conversation about Springsteen: Deliver Me to Nowhere and the decades of music biopics that paved the way. From the lip-syncing legends of t...
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Season 1
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Episode 79
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33:04
78: The History of Movie Trailers
Mark and Randy take over the mic for a deep dive into the evolution of movie trailers — from the shocking suspense of Psycho to the blockbuster buzz of Jaws and Alien. They rewind all the way to Citizen K...
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Season 1
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Episode 78
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35:07
77: Celebrating Diane Keaton
Join Mike and special guest hosts Randy Pollock and Mark Mazrimas as they revisit the extraordinary career of Diane Keaton—actress, director, and trailblazer. From the neurotic charm of Annie Hall to the fearless authenticity of...
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Season 1
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Episode 77
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36:46
76: The History of the Jump Scare!
Mike may be out this week, but we’ve got a killer duo stepping in! Mark Mazrimas and his daughter Sara Frandsen join Magic at the Movies to celebrate Halloween — and spotlight some of the creepy programming Mike lined up for the season...
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Season 1
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Episode 76
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32:56
75: 23 Screams Before Halloween
Classic monsters, cult favorites, and fresh frights — this year’s Halloween lineup at Classic Cinemas has it all. With Fright Night, Carrie, and John Carpenter’s Halloween side by side with modern chills like Shau...
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Season 1
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Episode 75
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22:03
74: The Redford Retrospective
Film lover Mark Mazrimas joins Mike to reflect on Robert Redford’s remarkable contributions to cinema. From iconic performances to the founding of Sundance, Redford’s influence runs deep. Mark also shares a personal memory from his early days a...
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Season 1
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Episode 74
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31:14
73: Are These TDs or Fumbles?!
With fall in the air in Chicagoland—and that unmistakable combo of pigskin and melted cheese—our movie crew dives into the best football films across the generations. Will you be celebrating with an end zone dance, or throwing a challenge flag?...
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Season 1
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Episode 73
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25:55
72: Fan Mail and Fanboying
This week, Mike cracks open a listener letter from Nigel and somehow spins it into a full-blown PT Anderson appreciation hour. From Magnolia to Punch-Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood to The Master, Mike gushes...
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Season 1
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Episode 72
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19:05
71: Top 10 Wedding Movies
Randy and Mike are back together again, and this time they’re tackling the pop culture earthquake of the moment: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s surprise engagement announcement. Naturally, they celebrate the news the only way they know how—by ...
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Season 1
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Episode 71
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28:01
70: Jaws is Back!
On the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, Mike sits down with longtime theatre enthusiast and Classic Cinemas’ own Director of Special Operations, Randy Pollock. Randy takes us back to 1975, when he first experienced Jaws...
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Season 1
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Episode 70
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20:00
69: The Reel Educators of Freeport Illinois
This week, Mike sits down with Ed Finch and Alan Wenzel—two retired educators from Stephenson County who’ve devoted every waking hour to their lifelong passion: movies. For nearly 20 years, they’ve hosted beloved film series at Classic Cinemas ...
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Season 1
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Episode 69
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34:25
68: BRING IT ON... MAGNOLIA!
Mike kicks off this week’s show with a spirited look at the brand-new 4K re-release of the Kirsten Dunst cheerleading classic Bring It On — complete with personal stories from his first viewing and a rallying cry for w...
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Season 1
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Episode 68
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18:21
67: Weapons – The Explosive End to Summer Movies
Mike’s calling it now—Weapons is the ultimate way to send summer out with a bang, and (in his words) the best movie of the year… so far. From the first scene, it had him hooked, blending nail-biting suspense with moments that made him ju...
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Season 1
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Episode 67
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9:30
66: Look Ahead: Avatar, Look Back: Boogie Nights
This week, Mike breaks down the newly released trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron’s long-awaited return to Pandora—debuting in front of Fantastic Four this week at theatres. Then it’s time to crank up the disco an...
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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15:24
65: Together and Hard Eight
With Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another on the horizon, Mike kicks off a weekly retrospective covering each PTA film leading up to its release. First up: Hard Eight—a deep dive into Anderson’s understated debut, t...
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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14:01
64: Mike's "Man on the Street" Interviews
Inspired by Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane, Mike grabs the field recorder and hits the hallways of Classic Cinemas’ Home Office!With press-pass energy and a nose for news, he checks in with the corporate team to find out what they’ve...
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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11:00
63: The 100 Greatest Films of All Time
Mike and self-proclaimed film buff “Movie” Mark Mazrimus take on the New York Times’ Top 100 Films of All Time—one cinematic battle at a time. Some picks you’ll cheer, others you’ll boo, but either way, you’ll find yourself righ...
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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39:29
62: A Dino-Sized Classified Cinema
Mike and Jim talk about the 'dinosaur in the auditorium' as Jurassic World: Rebirth stomped into eight of our locations early—thanks to our popular Monday mystery movie series, Classified Cinema. Hear what audiences thought of this ear...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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19:18