Select movie listings for August 9-15, 2024 in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond! Did you take a peek at the Images of the week? And, have you memorized the Confidential Almanac for today?
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Calendar du C-U, Confidential Almanac, The Old School, Theatres & Venues | 
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Select movie listings for July 26-August 1, 2024 in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond! Did you take a peek at the Images of the week?
Posted in Advertising du C-U, Bittersweet Places, Calendar du C-U, Images du C-U, Ones That Got Away?, The Old School, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on Calendar: July 26-Aug. 1, 2024
At one time, four indie television shows were being worked on simultaneously in downstate Illinois. Only PEORIA has persisted with little interruption. What happened to the rest? These are their stories.
Posted in Article du C-U, Bittersweet Places, Ones That Got Away?, Production Updates, Streaming Cinema | Comments Off on More than PEORIA made for TV
Get outside this summer and enjoy the pleasures of the drive-in theater, whether on National Drive-in Day or any other time they’re showing movies, serving up goodies, and bringing folks together.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Business Matters, Documentary, For the Children, Media Coverage, Mendota an' Movies, Preservation, Public Events, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on Ozoners rev it up for Drive-in Day
Carl W. Pellow, Jr., your humble editor’s stepfather, passed away a year ago at age 74. Here are a few belated words in his memory.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, JP Confidential | Comments Off on Carl W. Pellow, Jr., 1948-2022
Many artists and creators in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond are stepping up post-pandemic. Good for them! Where does that leave C-U Blogfidential, though? We’re not sure, and that’s not good.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, C-U Blogfidential, C-U Confidential, C-U Confidential Shows, JP Confidential | Comments Off on Don’t look NAFF in anger, JaPan
The late musician and Urbana resident Jay Bennett is the subject of new documentary and record releases, WHERE ARE YOU, JAY BENNETT?, now available nationwide through MVD Entertainment Group.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Documentary, Home Videos du C-U, Media Coverage, Music Video, Personalities du C-U, Public Events, Streaming Cinema | Comments Off on MVD gives Jay Bennett RSD love
Burning Bulb Publishing has released Champaign filmmaker Jeff Kacmarynski’s long-unseen first feature, DISSOLUTION. We speak with the writer/director about it and upcoming projects.
Posted in Article du C-U, Bittersweet Places, Cinema Discourse, Home Videos du C-U, Personalities du C-U, Preservation, Streaming Cinema, The Old School | Comments Off on Early Kacmarynski creeps onto BD
Recent life necessities have forced me to sort out a lot of things. At least I get to keep the can.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, JP Confidential, Secret MFHQ, The Old School | Comments Off on If a pic paints a 530-word post…
There might as well be something soothing about this and, surprise, it doesn’t come from the cinema.
Posted in Alums Done Good, Bittersweet Places, JP Confidential, Secret MFHQ, The Old School | Comments Off on One of these days, I’m going to…
What is reasonable give-and-take when a city is attempting to improve its central hub? The student project MAKING A MURAL illustrates the issue with an artistic conundrum in Normal, Illinois.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Business Matters, Documentary, Education/Classes, Media Coverage, Preservation, Student Film, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on Student art doc wins BEA award
Once again, the archives at MFHQ trigger your humble editor into remembering times of a different creative energy. Herein we have evidence of his stab at fashioning attire for a lost short film project.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Images du C-U, JP Confidential, Ones That Got Away?, The Old School | Comments Off on Cicadas fashioned to fit allegory
Our second post today is to field the idea of publishing the next issue of C-U Confidential this year. For the interim, we will need to handle it different since it began in 2007. Are you on board?
Posted in Bittersweet Places, C-U Confidential, Cinema Discourse, Print Matter du C-U | Comments Off on CUBlog open to resuming CUZine
Our first post today is to announce the website for the New Art Film Festival has been retired. What transpires in the future for the NAFF will dictate whether it will be of service to the C-U as before.
Posted in Area Festivals, Bittersweet Places, Business Matters, C-U Confidential Shows | Comments Off on NAFF website indefinitely closed
A pair of documentaries with downstate Illinois ties, WHITE HEAT/BLACK ASHES and WHERE ARE YOU, JAY BENNETT?, are close to completion. If interested and able, why not nudge them along?
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Business Matters, Crowdsourcing du C-U, Documentary, Education/Classes, How You Can Help, Music Video, Sad Places | Comments Off on Help fundraise for riot, rock docs