111: A Critics’ Roundtable

117: Disney's Infinity Vision

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] 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. Fortunately, disaster was avoided, and everyone lived to thread another reel. Meanwhile, Mike shares an up-to-the-minute update on Disney's new Premium Large Format classification, Infinity Vision, just as tickets for Avengers: Doomsday go on sale. You'll learn a little about film projection, a little about the future of premium moviegoing, and quite a lot about why Jim shouldn't be left alone with fragile equipment.

116: 35mm Film

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] 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 the simple wonder of light passing through film to create pure movie magic.

115: Remakes!

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] 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) world of remakes. From BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE THING to THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR and many more, these three brave souls attempt to unpack what makes a remake work, what makes one stumble, and why Hollywood keeps coming back to familiar stories. So join us for a trip down memory (loss) lane as three movie lovers fumble their way through decades of reimagined classics to bring you… what some people still call Magic at the Movies.

114: A Minions Retrospecitve

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] 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. Joining Mark are fellow Minion enthusiast Jim Toth and a special cameo from Classic Cinemas CEO Chris Johnson. Bello!

113: The Variety Pin: Minions and Monsters

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] 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 why this partnership continues to make a difference throughout our communities. Find out more about Variety of Illinois Children's Charity and how you can get involved here  [https://varietyofillinois.org/].