Contact the Show! Spider-Man didn't just swing into theatres...he shattered records. With Mike MIA, Jim calls Mark Mazrimas in from the golf course to break down one of the biggest movie weekends in recent memory. Together, they dig into the incredible opening of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, compare it to other modern box office juggernauts, and explore what these numbers say about today's moviegoing audience. For years, many believed younger generations would never fully return to theatres aft...

Contact the Show! Spider-Man swings back onto the big screen, and Mike is here to explain why Spider-Man: Brand New Day is shaping up to be one of the biggest superhero events in years. Take a trip through the winding history of comic book movies as Mike explores the surprising twists, studio deals, and near misses of the early 2000s that almost kept many of Marvel's most beloved heroes from ever reaching the big screen. Along the way, he shares plenty of fascinating Marvel Cinematic Universe...

Contact the Show! Jim takes the recorder across town to catch Mike moonlighting as one of the house projectionists at the Tivoli Theatre, where The Odyssey is hitting the big screen the old-fashioned way: 35mm film, a projector, roughly 247,680 frames of film and a beam of light bright enough to rival the sun. Jim wasn't there long enough to do too much damage...almost. In addition to working up a sweat, he came alarmingly close to breaking the film while it was running through the projector....

Contact the Show! It's Wednesday, which means it's time for another dose of movie magic. This week, Mike is geeking out over one thing: 35mm film. With The Odyssey now playing on film, celluloid is once again passing through the sprockets of the mighty Tivoli Theatre's projector in Downers Grove for the first time in years. When something this epic happens, Mike can't help himself. He dives deep into Christopher Nolan's photochemical filmmaking process, how release prints are duplicated, and ...

Contact the Show! Magic at the Movies takes a questionable detour into the world of remakes! With Mike away once again on official Classic Cinemas business, a few of the Home Office minions saw an opportunity… and seized control of the podcast studio. The result? Another potentially award-winning episode created by a highly unqualified braintrust with access to microphones. In celebration of the live-action remake of MOANA, the team dives into the fascinating (and occasionally frustrating) wo...

Contact the Show! Mike is away at a conference this week, which means only one thing... the Original Gangster Minion of Classic Cinemas, Mark Mazrimas, is back behind the microphone! As we prepare for the arrival of Minions and Monsters on July 1, Mark takes over the podcast for a delightfully bananas deep dive into the history of the Minions, exploring where these lovable yellow agents of chaos came from, why they've become a global phenomenon, and what makes them such enduring movie icons. ...

Contact the Show! This week, Mike welcomes dear friend of the show and dedicated champion for children across Illinois, Angelique Barthel of Variety of Illinois Children's Charity. Angelique stops by the studio to discuss Variety's adaptive activity programs, the life-changing impact they have on local children and families, and the exciting unveiling of the 2026 Variety Summer collectible pin, Minions and Monsters. Learn how a simple movie outing can help support an incredible mission and wh...

Contact the Show! With Disclosure Day now in theatres, host, programmer, cinemaniac, and mad scientist inventor Dr. Mike Schindler unveiled his latest creation: Spielbracket. Assisted by laboratory assistants (and occasional test subjects) Jim and Randy, Mike has devised a single-elimination tournament to determine the greatest Steven Spielberg film of all time. Will Jaws bite its way to the top? Will Raiders of the Lost Ark crack the whip on the competition? Or will a dark (war) horse ...

Contact the Show! Mike sits down with longtime Chicago film critic Nick Digilio for a wide-ranging conversation that clicks along with the easy rhythm of a film projector! Two seasoned movie minds trading ideas, comparisons, and the occasional spirited disagreement. Together they explore the current slate of upcoming releases, revisit horror milestones, and dig into classic films from years past, with a particular focus on the evolving legacy of Michael Bay and what his style has meant...diff...

Contact the Show! Mike sat down with Jim to talk about this week’s out-of-nowhere phenomenon, BACKROOMS. As they dissect their experiences with the film, they also dive into the growing wave of YouTube creators making the leap from phones and home screens to giant cinema auditoriums. Is this the new guard of filmmaking? Join the conversation as they explore the future of creator-driven movies and everything playing at Classic Cinemas this week.