Cinebuds

Latest Episodes:

Winter-themed movies! Feb 11, 2026

Show notes

Brrr, it’s cold out there! ❄️

On this episode, Dori and Kpolly lean into the freezing Wisconsin temperatures by discussing their favorite harsh winter movies. Forget the cozy blankets; for the full experience, the hosts suggest cracking a window while you watch these "could be worse" cinematic picks.

The duo dives into bone-chilling thrillers like A Simple Plan and the iconic horror of The Shining. You’ll hear fun facts about Jack Nicholson’s pre-filming cheese sandwich diet, the 60 doors destroyed for the "Here's Johnny" scene, and the 900 tons of salt used for snow. They also explore the snowy landscapes of Fargo, the alien terror of The Thing, and the unusual quest in Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter.

If the frostbite is getting to be too much, Dori offers a brief reprieve with the quaint charm of The Holiday, while Christopher brings the laughs with the horror-comedy Werewolves Within. From the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back — featuring the Norwegian mountain ski team as extras — to Liam Neeson battling wolves in The Gray, this episode covers it all.

Grab some matzo ball soup, huddle close to your speakers, and join the misery as we celebrate the best of winter cinema!

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Company.

MKE Film presents 'Afrofuturism: Fates Beyond Fiction' Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

Last February, having just inherited the title of Black Lens programmer at Milwaukee Film, Ty Williams absolutely nailed his selections for a series showing off the range of Black stories that have come to the big screen over the years.

Now, he’s putting that UW-Milwaukee film degree to good use once again. This time, however, he pulled in his picks around a particular theme. “Afrofuturism: Fates Beyond Fiction” includes six works — two short films and four full-length features — that jump from comic books to sci-fi horror to just plain weird.

As you’ll hear Williams explain in this episode, what unifies his selections are how they “focus on the concept of dreaming a better future or a different world than the one we live in now.” That comes across in a bunch of different ways during the series, including the bad-assery of Wesley Snipes in Blade, the code-switching absurdity of Sorry to Bother You, and the messianic star turn by music legend and generally far-out dude Sun Ra in Space Is the Place.

You’ll get to hear Williams and our trusty co-hosts talk about how he put together the full lineup, as well as how generally awesome the theater staff are at the Oriental and Downer theaters, and whether the third movie in a trilogy is ever the best one.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Company.

Double Feature: 'Hamnet' & 'No Other Choice' Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

Grab your tissues and your popcorn (but maybe chew quietly) because the Cinebuds are back to talk about some of the season's biggest buzz films.

Dori and Kpolly start with a dive into the beautifully heartbreaking Hamnet from visionary director Chloe Zhao. They explore this historical-fiction tale of William Shakespeare’s family, featuring stunning performances by Jesse Buckley and Paul Mescal, plus a breakout turn by young Jacob Jupe. Be prepared for a symphony of sniffles as the hosts discuss how this film masterfully tackles love, grief and the special sauce that comes from a filmmaker’s personal connection to the material.

Then, it’s time to talk about the Oscars’ biggest oversight: Korean dark comedy No Other Choice. Despite rave reviews and a Golden Globe nomination, this "will he get away with it" thriller starring Lee Byung-hun was surprisingly snubbed by the Academy. Plus, the buds share some deep cuts to add to your queue, including the horror-comedy Dust Bunny and a vintage Lucille Ball thriller, Lured.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Company.

Milwaukee Film's 'In Memoriam' Series Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

The death of a public figure can hit pretty hard because we feel like we know those people. For many of us, the feeling runs deeper with the passing of an artist or creator whose work has embedded itself in our daily lives.

Milwaukee Film’s currently running “In Memoriam” series stirs up those emotions by honoring people from the film world who we lost in 2025 — instantly recognizable figures, like Diane Keaton, Robert Redford and Bob Uecker; as well as those who might be better known by true cinephiles, like Kramer vs. Kramer director Robert Benton and German character actor Udo Kier.

“As we reflect on the year in film, we take a moment to remember luminaries we lost in 2025 and to honor them through viewing films where their creativity is on display,” Milwaukee Film artistic director Cara Ogburn said in a release. “Think of this as an awards montage where you get a bit longer to reflect and honor those we’ve lost in the past year through revisiting or discovering exemplary work from their careers.”

In this episode of Cinebuds, Dori and Kpolly cover the series in depth and share the impact some of these famous names had on their journey to becoming the movie-loving people they are today.

Remembering Will Bush of Immortal Girlfriend Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

In the final days of 2025, the Milwaukee music community --- and the wider world --- lost a truly wonderful human being. Will Bush was half of Immortal Girlfriend, the music project he shared with his brother Kevin. Their collaborations were undeniable, and their love of pop culture in general extended well beyond the songs they created together.

Back in August of 2024, we invited Will and Kevin Bush to join an episode of Cinebuds as part of our Musician Series --- conversations with musically inclined folks that explored the more tuneful side of the movie industry. Our chat checked that box in a big way and ventured into cinema in general and the brothers' affection for professional wrestling.

The Radio Milwaukee family, and the Milwaukee community as a whole, misses Will every day. We're proud to share this episode with you again in his memory.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Company.

'Song Sung Blue' documentary with Jimmy Sammarco Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

We ended 2025 on a high note (or a Hugh note?) with our review of Song Sung Blue, featuring a cameo from multitalented global superstar/song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman. So what better way to start 2026 than by pulling back the curtain on the Milwaukee connections that inspired the recently released biopic?

For that, we called in a special guest: local filmmaker Jimmy Sammarco. He was instrumental (pun very intended) in the original Song Sung Blue documentary that brought the story of musical couple Mike and Claire Sardina — aka Lightning & Thunder — into the spotlight back in 2008. In his role as director of photography, he saw the ins and outs of the whole production, including a bombshell cease-and-desist order from Sony Music and an unlikely savior from one of the godfathers of grunge.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Co.

Our 'Song Sung Blue' review, plus a quick chat with Hugh Jackman! Dec 24, 2025

Show notes

There are so many “firsts” on this episode, we’re honestly not sure what to do with ourselves.

Let’s start by telling you (in case you skipped the headline) that we’re reviewing Song Sung Blue, the based-on-a-true-story of real-life Milwaukee couple Mike and Claire Sardina, also known as Lightning & Thunder. Their Neil Diamond tribute act — with occasional departures into ABBA, Patsy Cline and others — played stages around the area for nearly 20 years, eventually catching the attention of writer/director Craig Brewer.

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson came on board his project to play the lead roles, with Jackman in particular embracing it in a huge way. That brings us to our first “first,” which saw the Oriental Theatre host a premiere for Song Sung Blue (reportedly at Jackman’s request) and give us a chance to attend our very first Hollywood-ish event.

In addition to Dori, Radio Milwaukee social media strategist Zoey Knox elbowed her way to the edge of the red carpet, which was appropriately blue for the occasion. So of course we invited Zoey for her first Cinebuds appearance to share her thoughts on the movie, as well as what it was like for her and Dori to interview (sort of) the one and only Hugh Jackman!!!

You’ll hear that admittedly brief but still wonderful chat in the full episode, which also includes our hosts’ reaction to this very Milwaukee tale. Some quick highlights: Hudson really nails her portrayal of Claire Sardina, she and Jackman clearly have legit singing chops, and the general uplifting-ness of the story make this a perfect release for the holiday season.

Get all of the details in this episode, and make sure you check in with us after the holiday break for another perspective on Song Sung Blue from filmmaker Jimmy Sammarco, whose 2008 documentary of the same name was instrumental to the biopic hitting theaters this Christmas.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Company.

'Scrooged!' (Cinebuds Live) Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

Special episodes happen on the regular around here, but this one is something extra special: our live recording right after a screening of the 1988 holiday classic, Scrooged! We gathered an amazing audience at the Oriental Theatre to watch the movie and have a chat about Bill Murray’s performance as Frank Cross, the youngest network president in television history who’s got a long night ahead of him.

Does this four-decades-old film still hit? We tackled that question, along with some fun facts about Murray's acting hiatus after Ghostbusters and his on-set conflicts with director Richard Donner. You'll also hear us dive into why this is a "very pro-therapy movie" and debate who should play the Frank Cross role if the movie were cast today.

Our audience was eager to share their opinions as well and compete in Bill Murray trivia for truly impressive prizes. including an IBC towel and an autographed (possibly broken) VHS player! Grab some popcorn and enjoy this fun, chaotic celebration of an '80s holiday favorite.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Company.

'Frankenstein' Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

This week, our cinematic buddies tackle Guillermo del Toro's latest masterpiece: the new Frankenstein film currently streaming on Netflix. It's a movie he wanted to make since he was 8 years old, and we explore how this master of dark genre handled the classic Mary Shelley story.

Dori and Kpolly discuss the film's unexpected body-horror elements and how it manages to balance the unsettling effects with a powerful focus on the humanity of the creature. You'll also learn about the creature’s casting evolution — from initial plans for Doug Jones and Benedict Cumberbatch to the final role played by Jacob Elordi — and how del Toro's choices shaped his take on the original story.

Stick around until the end for our hosts' latest recommendations, including Being Eddie, the new documentary about comedy legend Eddie Murphy. And don't forget to join Cinebuds at the Oriental Theatre at 7 p.m. this Thursday, Dec. 11, for a screening of the holiday classic Scrooged followed by a LIVE taping of the podcast!

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Company.

'Wicked: For Good' Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

The divide between people who review things for a living and regular folk has existed since before Robert Green called Shakespeare “an upstart crow” back in 1592. The years since have brought us Mozart (“too many notes”), Psycho (“falls quite flat”) and Taylor Swift’s discography, post-folklore.

It sounds like we can add Wicked: For Good to the list. The second half of the movie based on the Broadway production based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire has put critics on one side of the yellow brick road and fans on the other. Fortunately, we have just the duo to close that gap.

Dori and Kpolly step into this episode relatively fresh from seeing the final chapter of the green-and-pink saga, and play out the internal struggle of critic vs. fan for your listening enjoyment. Despite imbibing Wicked: For Good with a side of critical pans and outright distaste, our duo’s take is a horse of a different color.

Listen to their full report, and make sure you stick around until the end for more recommendations and special details about the Cinebuds Live event coming up Dec. 11. Actually, we’ll just give you that second part now: If you haven’t gotten your ticket for the very exciting screening of Scrooged and live taping of the podcast at the Oriental Theatre, go to the Milwaukee Film websiteand enter the creative code “SCROOGED” at checkout for $3 off.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Door Company.

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