Calendar: February 22-28, 2019
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.
~~~~~
MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!
2/26: Troy Michael (author, Music: The Common Healer)
2/28: Julia Megan Sullivan (actress, THE DISCOVERY OF THE JACKABOW, Pens to Lens 2018)
PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed
2/13: James Andrews Dahl, 40 (producer, THE END OF THE TOUR)
2/15: Russell Beyer, 47; Vicente Juarez, 54; Clayton Parks, 32, Josh Pinkard, 37; Trevor Wehner, 21 (employees, Henry Pratt Co., Aurora, IL)
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
35 Years Ago … September-October 1983: Extensive filming takes place in the Illinois farming community of Pontiac and other nearby sites for the CBS Theatrical Films production of GRANDVIEW, U.S.A., lasting the better part of two months. As recounted in an article published on October 1 by the Bloomington Pantagraph, the Illinois Film Office encouraged representatives from CBS to consider locations in the state after they failed to find what they needed in Indiana; a drive south of the Chicago suburbs led the scouts inadvertently to Pontiac, which had never been on their list of possibilities. The Livingston County seat now plays host to numerous craftspeople and performers involved in GRANDVIEW, a comedy with musical interludes that is being directed by Randal Kleiser from a screenplay by Ken Hixon. The story centers on a teenager portrayed by C. Thomas Howell who plans to leave his hometown to study oceanography, but not before he makes summertime waves with the town’s demolition derby promoter (Jamie Lee Curtis) much to the chagrin of her star driver (Patrick Swayze). Jennifer Jason Leigh and Troy Donahue also appear in featured roles while hundreds of locals have been hired to play bit parts, walk through backgrounds, and fill out crowds. Exciting scenes depict the destruction of a mobile home, the burning down of the “Cody’s Speedrome” arena, and the pageantry of an agricultural celebration that is captured on the first day of shooting, Sunday, September 4, during the real-life Threshermen’s Reunion Parade. Actors also take some time during the final days of production to participate in a fundraiser to help pay for a local teenager’s mounting medical bills, according to a news item in the October 22 Pantagraph. A follow-up piece eventually ran in the newspaper on August 4, 1985, a year and a day after GRANDVIEW, U.S.A., was released to theaters across the United States by Warner Bros., picturing a citizenry that ultimately viewed its Hollywood encounter as a pleasant experience and not much more; very little would remain of the financial gains and positive upswing felt by Pontiac almost two years prior as its people had turned back to their everyday concerns like crop yields and the correctional center.
LOCAL FILMS, ETC. | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting, Room 1022 (2/25, 7 p.m.)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL
COLD WAR (2/22 on), Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) fundraiser feat. R.A.* w/discussion (2/24, 7 p.m.), Late Night: CANDYMAN (2/22-2/23, 2/28, 9:30 p.m.)
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY, GULLY BOY, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD, RUN THE RACE, ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, COLD PURSUIT, GLASS, GREEN BOOK, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC, THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, THE PRODIGY, THE UPSIDE, WANDERING EARTH, WHAT MEN WANT (2/22 on), Best Picture Showcase 2019 marathon (2/23) featuring VICE (11 a.m.), BLACK PANTHER (1:30 p.m.), A STAR IS BORN (4:15 p.m.), and GREEN BOOK (7:30 p.m.), GRETA, A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (2/28 on)
@ Family Video, Champaign-Urbana, IL
A STAR IS BORN, OVERLORD, ROBIN HOOD, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?, GOSNELL: THE TRIAL OF AMERICA’S BIGGEST SERIAL KILLER, ICEMAN: THE TIME TRAVELER, BACKTRACE, A BOY NAMED SAILBOAT, SUMMER ’03, THE BRAWLER, more! (2/19 on)
@ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL
36th Insect Fear Film Festival: “Termites” feat. ALIEN APOCALPYSE (2/23, 6 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show, free), BORDERLINE silent film w/live score by Chicago Modern Orchestra Project (2/24, 3 p.m., free)
@ Goodrich Savoy 16, Savoy, IL
ARCTIC, FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD, RUN THE RACE, ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, COLD PURSUIT, GLASS, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC, THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, THE PRODIGY, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD, THE UPSIDE, WHAT MEN WANT (2/22 on), FORREST GUMP (2/24, 2/27)
@ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Weekend Films at the Union” feat. CREED II, Pine Lounge (2/22-2/23, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Rewind 92.5 Film Series: FLASH GORDON (1980; 2/25, 7 p.m.), Reel Deals: BLACK PANTHER (2/26-2/27, 7 p.m.)
Events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Additional “Now Playing” and “Coming Soon” listings appear after the jump!
~~~~~
NOW PLAYING | The Cities Beyond
@ AMC Classic Village Mall 6, Danville, IL
FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD, ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC, THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (2/22 on)
@ AMC Parkway Pointe 8, Springfield, IL
Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series
THE SQUARE (2/24, 2/26)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
GREEN BOOK, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC, THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (2/22 on), ON THE BASIS OF SEX (2/22-2/24, 5 p.m.)
@ The Lincoln Family Theater & Community Center, Lincoln, IL
FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD, RUN THE RACE, ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC, THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, THE UPSIDE (2/22 on), SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME (2/22-2/28, daily show, free)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (2/24, 3 p.m.)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE (2/22, 2/25), The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2019: Animation (2/23) and Documentary (2/24), IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (2/24), Six Week Film School: “Stanley Kubrick” feat. LOLITA (2/27, free)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (2/22-2/24, 2/27)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
GLASS (2/22-2/24), HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (2/23, 11 a.m., free)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ various locations, Columbia, MO
15th True/False Film Fest (2/28-3/3)
@ various locations, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
41st Big Muddy Film Festival (through 2/24)
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
3/21-3/24
29th Onion City Experimental Film and Video Festival, Chicago, IL
4/4-4/7
4th Twisted Dreams Film Festival, Milwaukee, WI
4/4-4/11
21st Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI
4/10-4/13
21st Roger Ebert’s Film Festival
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
4/10-4/14
23rd Kansas City FilmFest International, Kansas City, MO
4/25-4/28
6th Milwaukee Underground Film Festival, Milwaukee, WI
5/2-5/12
16th Indy Film Festival, Indianapolis, IN
6/5-6/9
26th Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
6/29
Laugh and Slash Film Festival
@ Garden Hotel, Urbana, IL
8/1-8/4
11th Gen Con Film Festival @ Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN
9/19-29
37th Reeling LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
10/26
Dark History & Horror Con’s Screaming Mad Film Festival
@ The City Center, Champaign, IL, 1:30 p.m.
11/1-11/2
18th annual Route 66 Film Festival
@ Capital City Bar & Grill, Springfield, IL
11/1-11/2
3rd Dead in Decatur Film Festival
@ Decatur Area Arts Council, Decatur, IL
TBD
10th New Art Film Festival, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
AEMS presents AsiaLENS Documentary/Film Series
@ Spurlock Museum, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m., free
3/12: THE SONG COLLECTOR; 4/9: FINDING KUKAN
Illini Union Board Presents “Weekend Films at the Union”
@ Pine Lounge, Main Level, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri., 7 & 10 p.m. Sat., free w/i-card
2/22, 2/23: CREED II; 3/1, 3/2: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE; 3/8, 3/9: RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET; 3/15, 3/16: BUMBLEBEE; 3/22, 3/23: ESCAPE ROOM; 3/29, 3/30: AQUAMAN; 4/5, 4/6: MARY POPPINS RETURNS; 4/12, 4/13: HOLMES & WATSON; 4/19, 4/20: WHAT MEN WANT; 4/26, 4/27: THE LEGO MOVIE 2
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
3/9: GASLIGHT; 4/6: METROPOLIS; 5/25: THE THIN MAN; 6/22: ON THE WATERFRONT; 7/13: STAGE DOOR
Springfield Art Association presents
The Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series 2019
@ AMC Parkway 8 Theatre, Springfield, IL, 1 & 4 p.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Tuesdays
2/24, 2/26: THE SQUARE; 3/3, 3/5: THE GUILTY
~~~~~
Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
~~~~~
“Calendar du C-U”
© 2019 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential