Cinebuds

Cultural festivals are a major part of Milwaukee’s DNA, although we usually think of them in the context of summer celebrations at Henry Maier Festival Park. This category of events extends well beyond the lakefront, however, including the ones that take place in southeastern Wisconsin’s movie houses.Getting the spotlight in this episode is the Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival, which returns for its 11th installment from Oct. 1-4 at the Oriental Theatre. But this isn’t just four days of movies. After the credits roll, the conversation continues with post-screening talkbacks featuring filmmakers and guest speakers.Taking us behind the curtain of this year’s event is Janan Najeeb from the Muslim Women's Coalition, which is once again partnering with Milwaukee Film to put on the festival. She shares her own must-see movies, led by opening-night documentary American Doctor, which includes one of those insightful talkbacks right after the screening.Najeeb also dives into a “get to know you” chat that reveals her strict refusal to rewatch movies — despite her husband’s affinity for a certain dino-driven blockbuster. #####Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Doors.

In this episode, Dori and Kpolly dive into Time Warp, a moving new documentary featured at the Dialogues Documentary Festival.The film spotlights a passionate community group in a small Wyoming town, led by the delightfully optimistic Kenny Starling, as they put together a shadow cast production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. What starts as an ambitious theatrical experiment unfolds into a heartwarming story about breaking down assumptions, finding community,and celebrating queer joy.Along the way, Dory and Kpolly pay tribute to the legendary Tim Curry and his iconic roles in Rocky Horror, Clue and Legend. They also highlight the documentary's star-studded producer lineup — featuring Josh Gad, Billy Porter and John Cameron Mitchell — before sharing their thoughts on what else they've been watching lately (like Supergirl and Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride).Grab your community and tune in for a friendly chat full of heart, laughs and pure movie magic.#####Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Doors.

Strange but true. Funny but true. Deeply emotionally moving … but true.Those feelings — and many others — are the foundation for Milwaukee Film’s Dialogues Documentary Film Festival, which returns to the Oriental and Downer Theatres from Sept. 24-27.The key aspect of the event, however, is truth. The features screening across the four days are the real experiences of real people, from community activists right here in Milwaukee to cowgirls defying gender roles in Wyoming to astronauts leaving the confines of our atmosphere.The festival is a favorite around the Radio Milwaukee offices, and Dori and Kpolly are more than happy to serve as our proxies as they discuss eight highlights with two very knowledgeable guests: Milwaukee Film artistic director Cara Ogburn and programmer Abbie Esterline. They talk about what audiences can look forward to, how they build the festival lineup and how important the “dialogues” part of the title is.#####Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Doors.

There isn’t a single formula for becoming a global superstar. But there are a lot of different ingredients that could potentially go into it. While Dolly Parton’s particular mixture went heavy on music, her time on screen took her to a level only a select few reach.When news of her death started to spread, Dori and Kpolly didn’t hesitate to upend their schedule for a chance to dive into the more visual aspect of Parton’s remarkable life: the television appearances and movie stardom that helped her achieve icon status.Reportedly, her first time on screen was The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour on local TV in Knoxville at the age of 10. Our discussion doesn’t go back quite that far, focusing instead on Parton’s time in the national spotlight that started on The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967 and eventually extended to appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, as well as big-screen triumphs like 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias.In Dori and Kpolly’s conversation, you’ll hear how the iconic 9 to 5 theme song started with literal fingernail-tapping, how she found so many ways to make a positive impact on people’s lives, and even how she played a role in bringing Kpolly and his wife together.#####Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Doors.

Many years ago, in a “you got chocolate in my peanut butter” type of moment, a wonderfully innovative mind looked at the disparate genres of horror and comedy and decided those two great things would, indeed, go great together.And so we got Evil Dead II and Shaun of the Dead and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil and — as of a few weeks ago — Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. The latest film from writer/director Jane Schoenbrun that uses horror wrapping paper around a gift that’s about more than jump scares and blood-streaked faces.To help uncover those deeper themes, Dori and Kpolly called in the assistance of Hannah Einbinder enthusiast and Radio Milwaukee social-media chief Zoey Knox, whose wide-ranging cinematic interests swing from satiric slasher to mid-2000s princess movies (more on that at the end of the episode), often in the same weekend.Together, our film-loving trio brave the dangers of Camp Miasma in their non-spoilery review that covers everything from the subtle messages communicated by sour candy to the unexpected role Counting Crows play in the movie’s campy climax. #####Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Garage Doors.