CineClub Cafe
A community movie club for discovering films together — on the web and iOS.
What is CineClub Cafe?
CineClub Cafe is a community movie club — 4 curated films each month, one per genre — where everyone watches and discusses together. It runs on synchronized web and iOS apps with real-time Firebase sync.
The experience is built around a monthly ritual — submit, reveal, watch, discuss — with RSVPs, leaderboards, badges, and a film diary on iOS to keep the community engaged between screenings.
Meet the Creator
Hi, I'm Joey Rattana—a product-minded engineer who loves marrying clean interfaces with performant, modern stacks. I work primarily in React, Next.js, SwiftUI, Firebase, and design systems that feel tactile and inviting.
CineClub Cafe blends everything I enjoy: curating movies for friends, building thoughtful UI, and experimenting with Firebase features. The club continues to evolve alongside the community that fuels it.
What You'll Find Here
Monthly Selections
Four films every month — Action, Drama, Comedy, Thriller — with artwork, watch progress, and live screening details that sync across devices.
Board & Announcements
Real-time bulletin board for organizers to post updates, with notifications mirrored on the home screen and the iOS app.
Calendar & Events
An interactive calendar highlighting screening days, locations, and reminders, powered by Firestore and optimized for both desktop and mobile.
Profile & Badges
Personalized dashboards that merge legacy nicknames with Firebase auth, track submissions, watched progress, and award animated badges for streaks.
Under the Hood
The Movie Club runs on React 18 + Next.js for the web and SwiftUI for iOS, both backed by Firebase Auth, Firestore, and Storage. React Query handles caching, while Firestore's persistence keeps the experience smooth offline.
UI is built with Material-UI v6 and custom Emotion styling to achieve a frosted glass, lantern-lit look. From animated calendar badges to submission syncing, every interaction is tuned for fast feedback and cozy vibes.
Join the Club
CineClub Cafe is built around a finite monthly slate — 4 films, one per genre. Curators pick from the pool; members watch, discuss, and RSVP for screenings. Members keep one pick in each permanent genre pool, refilling a slot whenever their movie makes the slate — a ritual, not an endless backlog.
Follow along on social, keep an eye on the announcements badge, and drop into the Movie Club board to say hello. See you at the next screening!