Cinebuds

By Radio Milwaukee

Every week, Radio Milwaukee's Dori Zori and Milwaukee Film’s Kristopher Pollard talk about movies in theaters, streaming at home or wherever they might be, as well as Milwaukee's film scene.

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· TV & Film

4.4

2424 ratings

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FAQs about Cinebuds:

How many episodes does Cinebuds have?

The podcast currently has 427 episodes available.

Cinebuds episodes:

August 20, 2025MKE Film Series: Cinematic Sisterhood
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.
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31min
August 13, 2025 'Cloud'
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.
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22min
August 06, 2025Revisiting award-winning documentary 'Cycle'
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.
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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.
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Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.
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38min
July 30, 2025 'The Phoenician Scheme'
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.
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29min
July 23, 2025 'Superman'
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.
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32min
July 16, 2025 The 50th anniversary of 'Jaws'
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.
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33min
July 09, 2025 aCinema: The experimental film series at Woodland Pattern
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.
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33min
July 02, 2025 Films for the Fourth of July!
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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25min
June 18, 2025 Kenosha director Danny Villanueva Jr. on the state of film in Wisconsin
In the 40+ years of box-office tracking, the numbers for North America are pretty easy to summarize: up.

Almost without exception, the total gross and the number of releases that found their way into theaters rose steadily every year, hitting their peak in 2018 with 993 releases grossing nearly $11.9 billion. The next year saw a slight dip to 910 releases and nearly $11.4 billion — and we know what happened after that.

The movie industry, like many others, hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels and may never get there. In 2024, 675 releases hit screens across North America and tallied just shy of $8.6 billion. While those totals are well behind the previous pace, that doesn’t necessarily mean the cinema is worse off — perhaps just different.

One of the people navigating the new environment is director Danny Villanueva Jr., a Chicago native whose move northward greatly influenced his second feature-length film, What Happened to Dorothy Bell? Since premiering in 2024, the horror movie has been met with positive reviews from audiences, including the ones at this year’s Milwaukee Film Festival, where it made its Wisconsin debut.

Technically a found-footage paranormal film, What Happened to Dorothy Bell? is also described by its director as “a story about generational trauma and self-discovery.” On top of that, it’s a story about Kenosha — or at least starring Kenosha. The city’s 125-year-old Gilbert M. Simmons Library, and the ghost tours found therein, stoked Villanueva Jr.’s creative fires and ultimately became the filming location.

On this episode of Cinebuds, he joins us to talk about how he gravitated to the horror genre, his path to becoming a “micro-budget” filmmaker and the part our state — and events like the Milwaukee Film Festival — has to play in the wider world of moviemaking.
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35min
June 11, 2025 'Friendship'
For a podcast called Cinebuds, reviewing a film called Friendship sounds like a match made in celluloidic heaven. As you’ll hear, that depends on your vision of the afterlife.

Just to get this out of the way, your beloved hosts Dori and Kpolly have a wonderful bond that would make a … let’s say questionably entertaining movie. Fortunately, the duo in Friendship — Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd — are less focused on a seamless relationship and more focused on making a film people actually want to watch.

On that last point, how into the movie you are depends greatly on how much you get down with cringey humor that occasionally jumps over the line into downright dark. Also, how you feel about drug-trip fantasies involving a certain nationwide sandwich shop.

Check out the full episode to hear everything Dori and Kpolly had to say about Friendship, as well as their top three movies about male friendship (spoiler: one of them features Pee-Wee Herman).
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32min

FAQs about Cinebuds:

How many episodes does Cinebuds have?

The podcast currently has 427 episodes available.