Imbibe Cinema

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team A great psychological thriller makes you lean forward in your seat. For our Halloween pick, we pour a themed cocktail and dig into "What Lies Beneath," the 2000 thriller that proves Robert Zemeckis can build dread with the same confidence he brings to all his blockbusters from romance to science fiction. We talk through what makes the film feel like a H...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team We rewatch Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic and find the real secret: disciplined storytelling, selective reveals, and practical craftsmanship that creates fear before a single dinosaur hits the frame. We’re joined by animation and visual effects executive Mike Schmueck to dig into what actually makes the film’s dinosaurs feel real. We break down the balance of an...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team Hosts Jon and Tricia dig into the 2009 improv documentary “Trust Us, This Is All Made Up,” a film that also takes us straight back to the early days of the Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival , when we screened it as an opening night feature and learned how programming choices shape an audience. Jon's "Yes, And..." drink may have been a tranquil...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team You can feel it in your gut when a movie is telling the truth. Hosts Jonathan C. Legat and Tricia Legat sit down with their special guest Nick Cardiff to unpack why this dark comedy about television news now plays like a warning label for corporate media, the 24-hour news cycle, and algorithm-fueled outrage. The wild part is not that it’s cynical; it’s that it’s...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team We pour a Scarlet Heart cocktail and unpack why Brett Haley's "Hearts Beat Loud" hits so hard as a music-driven father-daughter story. We talk about how the score, the songs, and the quiet visual choices carry grief, hope, and the pressure of reinvention. Enjoy this remastered rerun from our first season with improved audio quality. We'll be b...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team A perfect teen comedy is rare. One that’s actually witty, surprisingly tender, and built on real character writing is even rarer, which is why we can't stop talking about Olivia Wilde’s "Booksmart." We break down how this graduation-eve scramble turns into a high-stakes night that plays like a buddy-cop chase, except the “crime” is wasted time and...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team What if the cleanest breakup was a medical procedure and the worst side effect was becoming a stranger to yourself? We pour a “Meet Me in Montauk” cocktail and revisit "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with our guest Marc Muszynski, bringing a sharp storyteller’s eye to how this movie works. Watching it now, we can’t unsee what younger us used to...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team At face value, "Interstellar" looks like a typical space epic until you look closer and realize it’s built entirely on real science. Hosts Jonathan C. Legat and Tricia Legat are joined by returning guest Pete Guither to talk about why Christopher Nolan’s film still hits so hard. We dig into Kip Thorne’s behind the scenes impact and how the movie visuali...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team We get into the improv and ensemble chemistry that makes this indie comedy-drama so rewatchable. Hosts Jonathan C. Legat and Tricia Legat are joined by Andrea Mear and Nick Mear to discuss it all – from the awkward dinner conversations to the party scenes that feel a little too real. We break down performances that subvert expectations, especially Sam Rockwell as...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team Kevin Smith’s 1999 film "Dogma" proves a movie can be blasphemous and thoughtful at the same time. Following a rewatch, co-hosts Jonathan C. Legat and Tricia Legat are joined by guest Mary Shields to pull on the threads that make this comedy feel sharper than people remember while imbibing a Mr. Dogma cocktail. Remember to imbibe responsibly! If you hav...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team We take a fresh look at David Fincher’s 1997 suspense thriller "The Game" and why it still keeps us tense even when the twist is no longer a mystery. Along the way we trade our favorite movie plot twists, debate whether CRS could exist in real life, and ask what a modern remake would look like in an AI and social media world. Co-hosts Jonathan C. Legat...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team "Predestination" is the kind of time travel movie that doesn’t “twist” so much as it tightens a knot around your brain. We break down the bootstrap paradox in plain terms and compare it to other time travel stories. Jon, Tricia and Michael pour an Old Underwear Old Fashioned and sit down with returning guest Pete Guither to unpack why this 2014 time tra...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team With mugs in hand filled with a hot toddy to imbibe, we unpack Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation and why its reverse-act structure invites multitudes of interpretations. Along with our special guest Erik Childress, we start with Act Three and the film’s eerie, end-of-everything energy, then wrestle with the core question: are we seeing the universe collapse...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team One sip in and we’re already arguing about which drink is which, then we point our glasses straight at "Project Hail Mary," the big, bright, surprisingly emotional sci-fi crowd pleaser that just dared to make hope feel cool again. We’re joined by Cinema Sugar co-founders Chad Comello and Kevin Prchal to talk through why this Andy Weir adaptation works,...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team Listen for new episodes of the Imbibe Cinema podcast every Wednesday beginning July 1, 2026! Want to be featured on the show this season? You can now send us voicemails with your thoughts on a particular film we've discussed, share recommendations for future episodes, or just let us know how much you like the show. Films we will be discussing this season wil...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team A comet passes, the lights go out with a bang, and a cozy dinner turns into a roulette wheel of realities. We pour The Comet cocktail and dive headlong into "Coherence," a microbudget marvel that proves you can bend minds with nothing more than sharp craft, fearless improv, and a series of slightly altered realities. If you love character-driven science...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team A group of friends at a dinner party and yet somehow everything feels wrong. We dig into why "The Invitation" crawls under our skin: not with jump scares, but with social tension, grief, and a chilling belief system dressed up as healing. With our guest Matt Lewis, we unpack how the film turns etiquette into a trap, lets ambiguity do the scaring, and de...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team "Galaxy Quest" stands as a masterful example of how comedy can transcend mere parody to become something genuinely heartfelt and meaningful. What begins as a clever parody of Star Trek and sci-fi fandom evolves into a love letter to the franchise that celebrates the profound impact fictional stories can have on real lives. Our conversation delves into t...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team When directing duo Jason & Blue initially met Chelli Look at her studio showcasing her latest handbag collection, they expected to create a simple maker documentary. What they discovered instead was a profound story of resilience, as Chelli channeled her grief into artistic expression while donating portions of her proceeds and time to a domestic violence she...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team The line between debate and theater has never been thinner than in the explosive 1968 televised confrontations between Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr. This pivotal moment in American media history forever changed how we consume political discourse, transforming substantive argument into entertainment. Join us as we explore this fascinating time capsule thro...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team Have you ever considered the profound wisdom that might come from the tiniest perspective? Marcel the Shell with Shoes On transforms a simple premise into a deeply moving meditation on existence, loss, and the beauty found in life's smallest moments. Whether you're feeling small in a big world or simply need a reminder of life's simple joys, Marcel...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team Superman has returned to theaters and James Gunn's fresh vision delivers exactly what the Man of Steel deserves — a film that understands what makes this character special after nearly a century in popular culture. In this episode, co-hosts Jonathan C. Legat and Tricia Legat, and producer Michael Noens discuss how the film embraces Superman's fundamenta...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team Imagine a world where Scrooge and Marley navigate the corporate afterlife, armed with holiday cheer and comedic flair. Our cinematic journey through 2024's festive film, "Spirited," has us captivated by Octavia Spencer's fresh take on Bob Cratchit and her balancing act of work and life. We stir up the perfect seasonal cocktail, the Bob Cratchi...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team The Imbibe Cinema crew discuss Jan de Bont's Speed (1994), which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024 and features performances by Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper, Joe Morton, Jeff Daniels, Alan Ruck, Beth Grant, Hawthorne James, and more. The featured cocktail for this post-screening discussion is called High Speed. Jack Traven, an LAPD c...

Text or Voicemail the Podcast Team The Imbibe Cinema crew discuss Alan Parker's The Commitments (1991), which features performances by Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Glen Hansard, Félim Gormley, Johnny Murphy, Dick Massey, Andrew Strong, Ken McCluskey, Colm Meaney, and more. The featured cocktail for this post-screening dis...