Cinebuds

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A tribute to Milwaukee filmmaker Michael Schultz Sep 10, 2025

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The only way to describe this episode is "super special" considering the person in the spotlight: Milwaukee-born director Michael Schultz!

Milwaukee Film introduced a new annual award named in his honor that recognizes luminary Black directors who have profoundly impacted culture and the film industry. Schultz himself will be the first recipient and, very deservedly, will get a full weekend of programming at the Oriental Theatre on Sept. 12 and 13.

Dori and Kpolly delve into Schultz on this episode with a discussion about his prolific career directing for the stage and screen, his groundbreaking moment as the first Black director nominated at the Cannes Film Festival, and a look at some of his outstanding work, including The Last Dragon.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co. and our wonderful Radio Milwaukee members.

'The Donn of Tiki' Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

Dori is flying solo for this episode, but she made sure to keep the pod well-populated by inviting filmmakers Alex Lamb and Max Well to chat about their new documentary, The Donn of Tiki.

This is a story that demanded to be told: A man living a life that makes it nearly impossible to separate fact from fiction while inadvertently creating the tiki subculture. The entire tale of Donn Beach is a wild one and extends all the way back to his birth, the location of which remains up in the air. He was a bootlegger and rum-cocktail inventor with mob ties who used his authentic love for Polynesian culture to become "the founding father of tiki.”

Alex and Max share how they discovered old tapes with Donn's actual voice, used perfectly suited stop-motion animation to bring him to life, and wound up with enough material for an early cut that was three hours long. They also talk about how they whittled down that runtime and came up with a narrative approach for an unreliable narrator — something you can see for yourself at a screening of The Donn of Tiki this Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Oriental Theatre, followed immediately by a Q&A with the filmmakers.

*****

Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.

MKE Film Series: Cinematic Sisterhood Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

When Milwaukee Film rolls out one of their carefully curated series, it gives Dori and Kpolly a chance to do two things:

Highlight a bunch of great movies around a particular theme.
Rest their voices by bringing in a guest host.

For the organization's monthly "Cinematic Sisterhood" run of films, they decided to go straight to the top. That's right, Milwaukee Film Executive Director Susan Kerns steps into the studio to give a very authoritative (but friendly!) perspective of the series made possible by a grant from the Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee.

Our trio of cinephiles talks about the programming that celebrates films directed by women, including the one coming up Aug. 23: The Queen of My Dreams from Fawzia Mirza, who took a creatively kinetic approach to telling a tale of mothers and daughters trying to connect. All three hosts already got their eyes on the 2023 movie and applied their respective seals of approval for the grounded story that finds a way to seamlessly stir in a heavy dose of fantasy.

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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.

'Cloud' Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

This episode sees our cinematic duo turning their attention to Kiyoshi Kurosawa's new Japanese thriller, Cloud. This film, a hit at the spring film festivals and an Academy Award nominee, explores themes of capitalism through a young man reselling goods online. While some might expect a horror film based on Kurosawa's past work, Cloud is decidedly a thriller that keeps you guessing who to root for.

Get ready for tonal shifts as the film evolves from a quiet drama to an absurd, action-packed thriller with characters who are — as our humble hosts remark — "an inch away from losing it." Dori and Kpolly also praise the unexpected character arcs of Yoshi's assistant, O, and his girlfriend, before moving on to their other recommendations: the 1980s-set, Pedro Pascal-starring Freaky Tales; and Bob Odenkirk's unexpected action turn in Nobody.

Revisiting award-winning documentary 'Cycle' Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

Earlier this year, we invited the filmmakers behind Cycle to the podcast for a deeper look at their document about police violence in America. In the months since, Cycle won Best Feature Documentary at the Brooklyn Film Festival and is now gearing up for more screenings and more film festivals around Wisconsin and beyond. So it seemed like a good time to revisit our conversation with directors Laura Dyan Kezman and William Howell. Enjoy.

*****

On this episode, Dori welcomes some very special guests to talk about a very important film: Cycle.
More than five years in the making, Cycle takes an unflinching look at the patterns behind police violence in America through the story of Ty’rese West, an 18-year-old from Racine who was shot and killed by Mount Pleasant police officer Eric Giese in 2019 after being stopped for riding a bicycle without a headlight.
Joining the podcast to talk about their film — and their deep connections to it — are directors Laura Dyan Kezman and William Howell, both of whom are from Racine. Uniquely Milwaukee host Kim Shine also sits in for this one as the quartet talk about:

Howell's personal connection to West's family and the Racine community, which helped build trust for the deeply personal footage in the film.
The challenging process of obtaining public information from authorities.
How the death of George Floyd in 2020 reframed their work.
Who holds power in the criminal justice system, particularly the District Attorney.
The challenges of and potential for filmmaking in Wisconsin.
The hope that Cycle serves as a catalyst and inspires viewers to push social justice forward.

*****

Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.

'The Phoenician Scheme' Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

Director Wes Anderson has done something just about every person in his trade dreams to do: establish an instantly recognizable and virtually inimitable visual style.
He’s reached a point in his career at which a member of the moviegoing public could jump in halfway through a trailer with no prompts whatsoever and go, “Huh, Wes Anderson’s got a new film coming out.” On this episode of Cinebuds, we ask the question: Has he reached a point in his career at which that’s not necessarily a good thing?
Prompting that discussion is Anderson’s latest release, The Phoenician Scheme, which plays his greatest hits. Symmetrical shots? Yep. Scenes that could easily double as paintings? Sure. Flat, deadpan delivery? Bingo.
As our hosts discuss, that final quality might be starting to catch up with Anderson, at least in this one. The Phoenician Scheme sports the top-notch writing and story beats we’ve also come to expect from Anderson. Yet, despite a cast with the ability to match that high level of scripting, they don’t get a chance to create a character.
Perhaps you know the adage, “Show, don’t tell.” Based on our hosts’ experience, The Phoenician Scheme could’ve used a little more of that. But was that enough to sink the whole ship or just tip it slightly from side to side?
Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.

'Superman' Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

With all the enthusiasm and boundless energy of a certain super-canine, we jump all over the new Superman movie that director James Gunn controversially decided to call ... Superman.
We try not to give away too much in these descriptions, but it's kind of hard to avoid the fact that our hosts do a lot of gushing in this particular episode. In that way, they took in this film the same way a lot of people did: with appreciation for quite possibly the most human Superman ever seen on the big screen.
Then there's the brilliant Nicholas Hoult's turn as Lex Luthor, deep-cut heroes like bowl-cutted Green Lantern Guy Gardner and the even-keeled Mr. Terrific, so many Easter eggs and cameos, and (of course) Krypto the Superdog. Basically, it's an episode-long reminder that breaking down a film critically is equally possible with one you love as it is for one you revile.
Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.

The 50th anniversary of 'Jaws' Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

Are you ready for a deep dive into cinema history?
That's certainly not the last acquatic pun you'll get from us as we hunt down one of cinema's most impactful movies: Jaws! The big-mouthed killing machine (literally ... the many breakdowns the "shark" experienced on set are legendary at this point) turns 50 this year and is as relevant as ever a half-century after essentially creating the concept of a summer blockbuster.
Dori and Kpolly fire up the engines and chug out into the waters off the coast of Amity to get their hooks into why Jaws remains a must-see movie. Our hosts dig into all of the ingredients that give the film its staying power, from memorable one-liners to sneaky pop-culture references to brilliant casting (particularly the scene-stealing Robert Shaw).
They also explore the enduring horror of a shark attack, the iconic John Williams score, and the indelible impression of seeing Jaws on the big screen. Plus, you'll hear what else they've been watching, including The Shark Whisperer and Paddington in Peru.
Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.

aCinema: The experimental film series at Woodland Pattern Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

Get ready for a local cinema deep dive as Dori chats with Michael Wendt from Woodland Pattern and Takahiro Suzuki from the aCinema series.
Our guests demystify experimental film, explaining why its non-linear, poetic style isn't intimidating as you think and just might unlock new viewpoints you never would've seen otherwise. They share insights into the upcoming aCinema screening series, now in its ninth season, running July 18-20 at Woodland Pattern. This year features 41 international works across six programs that explore themes like identity, home and the environment, with some even utilizing AI.
You'll hear all about the series, how Woodland Pattern became a vital home for poets and artists over the last 46 years, and how even the name "aCinema" is wonderfully unique in its own right.
Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.

Films for the Fourth of July! Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

Get ready for fireworks and film!
On this special Fourth of July episode of Cinebuds, Dori and Kpolly are talking movies that scream independence. From iconic historical musicals like Hamilton and Yankee Doodle Dandy to all-American sports flicks like A League of Their Own and The Sandlot, they've got a fun list of blockbusters and hidden gems. Whether you're cheering for heroes in Captain America movies, reliving childhood memories with An American Tale or even facing terrifying sharks in Jaws, discover the perfect film for your patriotic celebrations.
Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.

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