Magic at the Movies

108: My First Star Wars Movie Moment!

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] We know a thing or two about first movies. We’re lucky enough to see them happen every day. 🍿 And when a Star Wars movie arrives in theatres, it creates a whole new generation of “FSWM” moments… First Star Wars Movie. On the latest Magic at the Movies podcast, Mike gathers the available (and opinionated) Classic Cinemas home office staff to answer one of the great moviegoing questions: “What was your first Star Wars movie in the theatre?” The answers are nostalgic, funny, and maybe a little foreshadowing for the young fans about to discover the galaxy far, far away through The Mandalorian and Grogu. Playing this weekend at ALL Classic Cinemas locations. 🌌

107: A Paul Anderson Double Feature

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] Mike takes the show on the road to Elk Grove Village to sit down with Smash Cut Cinema and F This Movie host Patrick Bromley to talk double features… and this one’s a brain-bender. Two films. Same year (1997). Two completely different Paul Andersons. 🎬 Boogie Nights (Paul Thomas Anderson) 🚀 Event Horizon (Paul W.S. Anderson) Yes. This is real. Yes. It’s happening. Smash Cut Cinema’s latest double feature lands May 16 at 7PM, and if this pairing (and the rest of the discussion on this podcast) tells you anything, it’s that the next ones might get even more unhinged. Love movies? You’ll love this episode. 🎟️ Get tickets before 5/16:  https://classiccinemas.com/f/smash-cut-double-feature-boogie-nights-event-horizon/2315 [https://classiccinemas.com/f/smash-cut-double-feature-boogie-nights-event-horizon/2315] 🎧 Check out Patrick’s F This Movie: https://www.fthismovie.com/ [https://www.fthismovie.com/]

106: Stories From the Booth—36 Years in Film Projection

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] Mike sits down with Alan Gilbertson, who joined Classic Cinemas 36 years ago after already establishing himself as a projectionist in the industry. Now, on the verge of retirement, Alan looks back at a career that spans one of the most transformative eras in cinema exhibition. From carbon arcs and hand-threading 35mm film… to today’s high-contrast laser projection and object-based sound, the evolution didn’t arrive all at once. It unfolded steadily, reshaping the moviegoing experience—and helping bring Classic Cinemas to the standard it represents today. Sit back, listen, and take a journey through where we’ve been, the experience we deliver now, and what the future of cinema may hold.

105: The THX Documentary

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] This week on MATM, Mike and Jim dive headfirst into the world of cinematic sound, THX trailers that rattled your ribcage, and the surprisingly tangled hyperspace lanes connecting Lucasfilm, Star Wars, film edits, and somehow... Seth Rogen. In conjunction with the Downers Grove Historical Society, Jim is premiering a new documentary exploring the life and contributions of Tomlinson Holman, the legendary audio pioneer behind THX. As part of Lucasfilm, THX became the gold standard for theatrical and home audio throughout the 1990s, permanently reshaping how audiences experience movies both in theatres and at home. If you’ve ever felt your seat tremble before a movie even started, you’ve already met Tomlinson Holman’s legacy. The documentary premieres Tuesday, 4/29 at 7PM CST at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. Join us for the podcast, then experience the documentary on the big screen if you can. Some stories deserve to be heard properly.

104: A Wrap on CinemaCon 2026

Contact the Show! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335474/fan_mail/new] CinemaCon 2026 brought out the stars—Mike was there (along with Jim) to witness the glory of modern Hollywood. From the latest packed studio slates to unforgettable stage moments featuring celebrity royalty like Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Robert Downey Jr., Nicole Kidman, Christopher Nolan...even Snoop Dogg, this episode dives into everything coming soon to Classic Cinemas via our big annual industry event. Plus, a few stories you won’t find in any press releases—including a run-in with James Cameron and a near-miss sprint to catch a flight home.