Magic at the Movies
Episodes
106: Stories From the Booth—36 Years in Film Projection
06 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Contact the Show!Mike sits down with Alan Gilbertson, who joined Classic Cinemas 36 years ago after already establishing himself as a projectionist in...
105: The THX Documentary
29 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Contact the Show!This week on MATM, Mike and Jim dive headfirst into the world of cinematic sound, THX trailers that rattled your ribcage, and the sur...
104: A Wrap on CinemaCon 2026
22 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Contact the Show!CinemaCon 2026 brought out the stars—Mike was there (along with Jim) to witness the glory of modern Hollywood. From the latest pack...
103: A Cinemacon Pause...
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Contact the Show!While we’re in Las Vegas taking in everything CinemaCon has to offer, we’re getting a front-row seat to the movies, stars, and ci...
102: A 90th Anniversary for our Lake Theatre!
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Contact the Show!Mike returns with a look at April anniversaries, highlighted by a major milestone: the 90th anniversary of Classic Cinemas’ Lake Th...
101: Mike's Back! Movie Posters!
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us Fan MailWe welcome Mike back to the driver’s seat 🎬After a few months off—plus a new baby and his first move in 17 years—Mike is sett...
100: The 100th Episode Celebration
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us Fan MailHip hip hooray—100 episodes! 🎉To celebrate, guest host Mark Mazrimas and CEO Chris Johnson welcome back Mike Schindler from pater...
99: Our Director of Operational Excellence!
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textJust one episode away from the big 100th episode (and the long-awaited return of Mike Schindler), Mark sits down with Classic Cinemas’ ne...
98: Red Carpet Memoirs
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textWith Mike Schindler (still) on paternity leave, Mark welcomes Special Ops Director Randy Pollock to the mic for a stroll down memory lane a...
97: GMs: From the Booth to the Box Office
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textToday on the podcast, Mark, still holding down the fort for Mike, sits down with one of our long-tenured General Managers, Bob Parella of C...
96: Location: Chicago! – The Movies Shot in Our City
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textMark is still in the host chair and welcomes longtime friend and film industry insider Dave Sikich for a love letter to one of Hollywood’...
95: Soon to Be a Major Motion Picture
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textWith Mike still out on paternity leave, Mark once again steps up to the mic, joined by his favorite librarian and resident literary brain, ...
94: Be My Galentine
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textWith Mike still on baby duty, Mark Mazrimas steps into the host chair this week, joined by our resident office Galentines and rom-com autho...
93: Director Sam Raimi
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWith Mike out on baby duty (still), Mark Mazrimas steps in this week as we dig into the critically acclaimed Send Help, a darkly comic s...
EP 92: Oscar Predicitions
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWith Mike still out on baby duty, Mark makes a call to LA LA Land to catch up with dear friend, author, and film expert Mike McClellan. ...
91: 2026 | Movie Anniversaries
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWith Mike Schindler still on baby duty (and sleep being but a distant memory), Mark and Randy seize control of the microphones and celeb...
EP 90: The Best of 2025
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMark sits down with podcast producer and certified movie nut Jim Toth to break down the very best of 2025 at the movies — from the fil...
89: Will 2026 Be a $10B Box Office Year?
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWith Mike still out, Mark takes the mic and sits down with Classic Cinemas CEO/CPE (Chief Popcorn Eater,) Chris Johnson, to talk about h...
88: Remembering Rob Reiner
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMany of us grew up with Rob Reiner’s films. In light of his passing, we wanted to take time to revisit what he gave us, the stories, t...
87: A Kubrick Kind of Christmas
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textJust in time for the holidays, we’re unwrapping a previously recorded episode we’ve been saving for something a little… different....
86: The Variety Avatar Pin
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMark (once again bravely filling in for Mike) welcomes Angelique Barthel from Variety of Illinois Children’s Charity to share details ...
EP 85: A Holiday Movie Battle Royale
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAfter last week’s internet-melting controversy — Mike’s scorched-earth campaign to include Contagion in the canon of holiday movie...
Untitled Episode
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike is back and joins Mark for an in-depth exploration of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, Quentin Tarantino’s ambitious attempt t...
83: Thankful for Zootopia 2
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week on the show, Classic's Head Chief, Chris Johnson joins Mark Mazrimas (guest-hosting for Mike!) to talk all things Thanksg...
82: The Pope Says: Go to the Movies!
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMark (sitting in for Mike again) joins Randy Pollock for a deep dive into Wicked: For Good, sharing early reactions and what audiences c...
81: Christmas at the Tivoli
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textGuest host Mark Mazrimas sits down with Mike Balsamo — the voice and spirit behind Christmas at the Tivoli — to talk about the magi...
80: Predator Badlands & the Origin of Monster Movies
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike kicks things off with Classic Cinemas’ own Mark Mazrimas to talk Predator: Badlands and the legacy of sci-fi’s deadliest hunter...
79: The Evolution of the Music Biopic
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFilling in for Mike, Mark Mazrimas welcomes Classic Cinemas CEO/CPE Chris Johnson for a lively conversation about Springsteen: Deliver M...
78: The History of Movie Trailers
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMark and Randy take over the mic for a deep dive into the evolution of movie trailers — from the shocking suspense of Psycho to the bl...
77: Celebrating Diane Keaton
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textJoin Mike and special guest hosts Randy Pollock and Mark Mazrimas as they revisit the extraordinary career of Diane Keaton—actress, di...
76: The History of the Jump Scare!
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike 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 Movi...
75: 23 Screams Before Halloween
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textClassic monsters, cult favorites, and fresh frights — this year’s Halloween lineup at Classic Cinemas has it all. With Fright Night,...
74: The Redford Retrospective
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFilm lover Mark Mazrimas joins Mike to reflect on Robert Redford’s remarkable contributions to cinema. From iconic performances to the...
73: Are These TDs or Fumbles?!
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWith fall in the air in Chicagoland—and that unmistakable combo of pigskin and melted cheese—our movie crew dives into the best foot...
72: Fan Mail and Fanboying
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week, Mike cracks open a listener letter from Nigel and somehow spins it into a full-blown PT Anderson appreciation hour. From Magn...
71: Top 10 Wedding Movies
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textRandy and Mike are back together again, and this time they’re tackling the pop culture earthquake of the moment: Taylor Swift and Trav...
70: Jaws is Back!
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOn the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, Mike sits down with longtime theatre enthusiast and Classic Cinemas’ own Directo...
69: The Reel Educators of Freeport Illinois
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week, Mike sits down with Ed Finch and Alan Wenzel—two retired educators from Stephenson County who’ve devoted every waking hou...
68: BRING IT ON... MAGNOLIA!
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike 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...
67: Weapons – The Explosive End to Summer Movies
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike’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… s...
66: Look Ahead: Avatar, Look Back: Boogie Nights
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week, Mike breaks down the newly released trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron’s long-awaited return to Pandora—debu...
65: Together and Hard Eight
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWith Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another on the horizon, Mike kicks off a weekly retrospective covering each PTA film lead...
64: Mike's "Man on the Street" Interviews
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textInspired by Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane, Mike grabs the field recorder and hits the hallways of Classic Cinemas’ Home Office!With press-...
63: The 100 Greatest Films of All Time
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike and self-proclaimed film buff “Movie” Mark Mazrimus take on the New York Times’ Top 100 Films of All Time—one cinematic bat...
62: A Dino-Sized Classified Cinema
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike and Jim talk about the 'dinosaur in the auditorium' as Jurassic World: Rebirth stomped into eight of our locations early—...
61: Blade and other Comic Book Movie Nostalgia
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this week’s episode, Mike takes a fun and nostalgic look back at the 1998 cult favorite Blade, ahead of Saturday’s Smash Cut Cine...
60: Materialists & Batman Begins: Bachelorhood in the Big City
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat do a brooding billionaire vigilante and a charming, commitment-phobic romantic lead have in common? More than you’d expect. In th...
59: Dogma at 25: Faith, Fury & Film
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Mike revisits Dogma, Kevin Smith’s bold and controversial 1999 religious satire, in honor of its 25th anniversary re-...
58: Mission: Reviewable – Ranking the Impossible
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week on Magic at the Movies, Mike is joined by Tyler Patterson, CEO of the new Blast Movies app, for a high-octane deep dive into t...
57: As, if...CLUELESS!
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week on Magic at the Movies, Mike takes a solo stroll down memory lane to revisit one of the most quotable and stylish teen comedie...
56: It Must Be Summer...2025
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Mike and Jim break down the full summer movie lineup—what's coming, what we're hyped for, and what could do...
55: "Buckle up...it's Fight or Flight"
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAs one of our wise guests tweeted (is it still called tweeting?) upon the reveal of our title at our latest Classified Cinema screening…...
54: The Master of Suspense...in 3D!
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWith Dial M for Murder in a rare 3D screening (May 7) at the Lindo Theatre and Vertigo showing at the La Grange (May 21), we’re steppi...
53: Revenge of the Sith
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSith Happens (and So Do Mission Briefings)This week, Mike takes us back to 2005 and his brush with cinematic destiny during the theatric...
52: Seeing the Account 2 with a REAL accountant
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textBen Affleck is back in The Accountant 2—and CEO Chris Johnson saw it early... with his actual accountant. He joins us to share the hil...
51: CinemaCon 2025 Recap
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week, Mike and Jim return from CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas with fresh takes, sore feet, and a few surprises from the biggest movie ...
50: A Chosen Superfan & A Special Celebration
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this milestone 50th episode of Magic at the Movies, Mike sits down with Randy Pollock (Director of Special Projects) to talk about th...
49: Warfare, Penguins, and Poisoned Apples
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week on Magic at the Movies, Mike unpacks the high-stakes intensity of Warfare, a gripping new thriller that’s got audiences on t...
48: Steven Soderbergh
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this week's episode, Mike delves into Steven Soderbergh's illustrious career, sharing personal anecdotes from his time as a...
47: Classified Cinema (Part Deux)
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Mike chats with fellow colleague, Classic Cinemas Technical Services Expert, Mike Balsamo. Together, they dive into the...
46: Classified Cinema
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Mike sits down with Jim Toth, Director of Marketing for Classic Cinemas, to unveil an exciting new film series: Classif...
45: The Monkey
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike delves into fan mail and discusses Osgood Perkins' upcoming horror-comedy hybrid, The Monkey. Based on Stephen King's sho...
44: The Mt. Rushmore of Cinema
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMark Mazrimas joins Mike to tackle our one and only piece of fan mail: "Who would be on your Mt. Rushmore of movie directors, and w...
43: The Real Top 10: What the Academy Got Wrong!
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHollywood awards season drama continues as Mike and Mark Mazrimas debate what the top ten Oscar-nominated films should have been. While ...
42: OSCAR PICKS - BEST PICTURE
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike welcomes film guru and all-around good guy Mark Mazrimas to dive into the ten 'Best Picture' nominations and share how yo...
41: CRITIC'S CLASSICS ERIK CHILDRESS
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis week on Magic at the Movies, Mike is joined by Chicago film critic Erik Childress for a lively, laugh-filled conversation about the...
40: The Brutalist
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike dives into our special opportunity to host early screenings of The Brutalist at Classic Cinemas Lake XQ Theatre in Oak Park. In thi...
39: 30th Anniversary of SEVEN
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSo...it's been 30 years since Seven changed the landscape of psychological thrillers with its chilling atmosphere, unforgettable pe...
38: Innovation under construction!
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHere at Classic Cinemas, innovation is under construction! Mike sits down with Ed Dobbs, our build-out and construction guru, to talk ab...
37: Popcorn, Reviews and Holiday fun!
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike grabs some time with Classic Cinemas CEO (and self-proclaimed Chief Popcorn Eater) to dive into the reviews that made us smile in 2...
36. The Concession Session
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWe call it, "the Concession Session!" Join Mike and his fellow snack enthusiast, Randy Pollock, as they dive into the ultimate...
35. The Holiday Lineup
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike invites Mark Mazrimas back for a sleigh ride deep into the North Pole of movie selections! Together, they explore the holiday films...
34. Glicked and the Star Wars Trilogy
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textExcitement is in the air this week with the release of Gladiator II and Wicked, but Mike and Jim can't resist taking a moment to di...
33. Variety Children's Charity & Wicked
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Mike is joined by Angelique Barthel from the Variety Children’s Charity of Illinois to discuss an exciting initiative...
32. Holidays at the Tivoli
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis episode of Magic at the Movies explores Mike’s take on our extraordinary holiday lineup at the iconic Tivoli Theatre in Downers G...
31. Here and The Tivoli Holiday Lineup
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textJoin us as Mike uncovers Robert Zemeckis's vision in the new release Here, where the legendary director reunites with Tom Hanks, Ro...
30. Conclave
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike and Jim break down Conclave, the Vatican thriller based on Robert Harris’s 2016 novel. This high-stakes drama takes moviegoers in...
29. Fight Club / Film Projection
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn anticipation of the 25th anniversary screening of David Fincher’s Fight Club, Mike takes a deep dive into the film's realistic...
28. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike chats with LA-based author Michael McClellan about his co-authored book with Stephen Farber, Cinema '62: The Greatest Year at ...
27. Halloween 2024
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEpisode 27 - Mike sits down with long-time Classic Cinemas pal, Mark Mazrimas, to discuss the jam-packed slate of current and specialty ...
25. Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike is beyond excited about his screening of Coppola's 25-years-in-the-making, soon-to-be-classic, epic science-fiction adventure ...
24. Transformers ONE & The Substance
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike dives deep, exploring how the Transformers franchise has shifted his perspective on filmmaking. He also delves into the upcoming ar...
24. Early Access Screenings, Book Signings and more...
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike dives into a packed week at the theatres, featuring a rare "unicorn" screening of Shoot the Moon (1982), an exclusive sne...
23. What the *&%$ is XQ?" Part 2
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike sits down with our resident technical guru and Master Booth Technician, Alan Gilbertson, to discuss what makes our XQ Premium Prese...
22. The York Theatre turns 100"
28 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike and Jim discuss the York Theatre's 100th anniversary and the exciting film programming that will celebrate a century of cinema...
21. Comic Book Film Adaptations - Part 3
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWell, this "wild ride" of comic book-to-film adaptations officially concludes with this episode. In Part Three, we take an in-...
20. Comic Book Adaptations Part 2
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAfter last week’s comic book-style cliffhanger in part one, Mike swoops in to continue his comic book-to-movie adaptation anthology, c...
19. Comic Book Film Adaptations - Part 1
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike wraps up the summer of cinema by kicking off the first episode of his three-part series exploring the history of comic books and th...
18. It Ends With Us
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike talks with Beth (from our Marketing department) about her and her book club's experience with the Colleen Hoover novel "I...
17. Deadpool & Wolverine
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Mike reassures Tori (our Facilities Manager) that she doesn't need an extensive knowledge of the Marvel universe t...
16. Critic's Classics 2024 with Erik Childress
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike and Erik Childress (Chicago Film Critics Association, Rotten Tomatoes) talk throwback/classic films that are scheduled through the ...
15. Fly Me to the Moon / More of Summer 2024
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike sits down with Chris Johnson to chat about the mid-summer 2024 movie slate. Mike continues to mine excitement for "the scaries...
14. MaXXXine and Long Legs
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike and Jim discuss the wonderful continuation of summer studio releases with a deeper focus on some scary selections: including their ...
13. A Quiet Place Day One & Horizon: An American Saga
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike has an in-depth discussion with cinephile Kyle Johnson about his preview screenings of ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ and Kevin Costn...
12. The Bikeriders
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike & Jim discuss Jim’s preview screening of the new film ‘The Bikeriders’, a Jeff Nichols written and directed project which...
11. Inside Out 2
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWith the premiere of Disney•Pixar's "Inside Out 2" just days away... Mike does a deep dive with some new pals, Jim and ...
10. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
05 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike shares the airwaves with fellow podcaster, movie reviewer, Michael Bay enthusiast, and general RIDE OR DIE companion, Diego Crespo ...
9. What the **** is XQ?!
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike sits down with Chris Johnson (CEO, CPE) to discuss our premium large format theatre auditoriums and what makes our XQ PLFs so speci...
8. FURIOSA: A Mad Max Saga
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike sits down to discuss the latest George Miller masterpiece and gets into some serious behind the scenes motivation for the creative ...
7. The Star Trek Genesis Trilogy
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEpisode 7, "The Star Trek Series," needs a bit of a disclaimer — this is a HARD CORE Star Trek nerd-out sesh, in the best wa...