Calendar: December 16-22, 2016
Our movie and media Calendar appears every Friday/Saturday on C-U Blogfidential and caters to the downstate region anchored by Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.
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MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!
12/22: AJ Christensen (director, BANANAS AND MR. SNAKE’S BIG ADVENTURE, Pens to Lens 2016)
12/22: Erin Barkley (acquisitions, Go Retro)
FLICKER OF THE WEEK | Suggestions in Full-Motion Arts
Even if ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY truly earns every last cent it will otherwise vacuum out of our pockets and bank accounts this winter, we would rather bet our bottom dollar on a few alternate attractions in this week’s Calendar that are quite capable of besting that CGI wizardry with old-fashioned movie magic. The Normal Theater returns to Tim Burton territory with the maligned stylist’s 1990 masterpiece, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (20th Century Fox), later tonight, Fri., 12/16, 10:30 p.m.; Johnny Depp sweetly portrays the creation of a scientist (Vincent Price) who is all buckles, leather, blade hands, and Robert Smith rat’s nest, an inspired screen protagonist partly brought to gothic-romantic life by Ve Neill and Stan Winston’s make-up artistry and Colleen Atwood’s costume design. The Normal and the Art Theater Co-op also revisit what seems to be the preferred Muppet movie from the immediate area following Jim Henson’s passing, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL (Walt Disney Pictures), a wry and heartfelt 1992 rendition of Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of redemption. Brian Henson ably stepped in for his father to direct the great Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge alongside the well-loved menagerie of felt-and-plastic-and-mechanical creatures (and their invisible human puppeteers) in amazing soundstage sets depicting 19th century London; it plays on Sat., 12/17, and Sun., 12/18, at both venues, 11:30 a.m. at the Art and 1 p.m. at the Normal. On a more adults-only plane, the Art brings back George Miller’s triumphant post-apocalyptic encore, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (Warner Bros.), in his fabled monochrome print that should do nothing to diminish its incredible physical effects and stunt work created on location in Nambia, Africa; you can relive the adventures of Max (Tom Hardy), Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), and their road-weary allies and adversaries at 10 p.m. on Weds., 12/21, and Thurs., 12/22, as well as during tonight’s allegedly cathartic 10 p.m. event “Fuck You 2016!” when “30 minutes of specially-selected clips” will be shown prior to the feature. Finally, that most elusive and sublime cinematic technique of all – great performance – will be on display in the new family drama, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA (Roadside Attractions/Amazon Studios), directed by Kenneth Lonergan and starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, and Lucas Hedges; the awards frontrunner starts today at the Art and the Goodrich Savoy 16 in open runs. “FOW” is hereby fin.
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ The Art Theater Co-op, Champaign, IL
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA (12/16 on), MAD MAX: FURY ROAD “Black & Chrome Edition” (12/16, 12/21-12/22), THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL (12/17-12/18)
@ Carmike 13, Champaign, IL
COLLATERAL BEAUTY, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, ALLIED, ARRIVAL, DOCTOR STRANGE, FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, MISS SLOANE, MOANA, OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY, TROLLS (12/16 on),
@ Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers meeting, “Secret Santa Critiques,” Robeson Pavilion Room C (12/20, 7 p.m., free)
@ Family Video, Champaign-Urbana, IL
SUICIDE SQUAD, MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN, FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS, BEN-HUR, MORGAN, BRIDGET JONES’S BABY, SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD (s2), more! (12/13 on)
@ Goodrich Savoy 16, Savoy, IL
COLLATERAL BEAUTY, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, ALLIED, ARRIVAL, DOCTOR STRANGE, FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, HACKSAW RIDGE, MISS SLOANE, MOANA, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY, TROLLS (12/16 on), IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (12/18, 12/21), SING (12/20 on), Metropolitan Opera performs L’Amour de Loin (12/21, recorded),
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Reel Deals presents “Best Christmas Movies Ever” feat. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947; 12/16), IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (12/17)
Events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Additional “Now Playing” and “Coming Soon” listings appear after the jump!
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NOW PLAYING | The Cities Beyond
@ AMC Village Mall 6, Danville, IL
COLLATERAL BEAUTY, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, MOANA, OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY, TROLLS (12/16 on)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (12/16 on), SING (12/20 on)
@ The Lincoln Grand 8, Lincoln, IL
COLLATERAL BEAUTY, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, MOANA, OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY (12/16 on)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
“Deck the Halls” holiday cabaret (12/17, 5 & 7 p.m.)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
WHITE CHRISTMAS (12/16, 12/18, 12/22), EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (12/16), THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL (12/17-12/18), IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (12/17, 12/21), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1938; 12/20)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (12/15-12/18, 12/21)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM (12/16-12/18)
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
2/21/17-2/26/17
39th annual Big Muddy Film Festival
@ Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
3/30/17-4/6/17
19th annual Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI
4/19/17-4/23/17
19th annual Roger Ebert’s Film Festival
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
12/16-12/17: “The Best Christmas Movies Ever!” feat. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE; 1/21/17: DRACULA; 2/4/17: SWING TIME; 3/25/17: THE GENERAL; 4/15/17: DUCK SOUP; 5/27/17: CITIZEN KANE; 6/24/17: HIGH NOON; 7/22/17: THE GOLD RUSH; 8/26/17: THE WIZARD OF OZ
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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