Calendar: May 24-30, 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.
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MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!
5/24: Dennis Belogorsky (director of production, Brand New Films, San Francisco, CA)
5/25: David Gracon, Ph.D. (associate professor of communication studies, Eastern Illinois University)
5/26: Lana Hinshaw-Klann (photojournalist, WBBM Channel 2 (CBS), Chicago, IL)
5/27: Kevin DiNovis (filmmaker, SURRENDER DOROTHY)
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
20 Years Ago … May 12, 1999: A tongue-in-cheek look at Greek life as exemplified by the system at the University of Illinois, WHATEVER! IT’S A WONDERFUL SORORITY LIFE, is broadcast on PBS stations across the United States for the first time. This half-hour exposé by first-time filmmaker John Chua emphasizes humor in its attempt to picture how a powerful social organization for young women can seemingly choose at will to be exclusive and secretive. Various interviewees who are identified only by their first names dish about the practices held sacred within sorority walls while an African-American undergraduate, Ajana, goes through the “rush” process to see if she can qualify for a “bid” from one or more houses. The surprise distribution of WHATEVER! to PBS affiliates for non-prime time play, arranged in large part by the NAATA (currently the Center for Asian American Media), follows a handful of regional broadcasts including on Chicago’s WTTW Channel 11 in January 1998 and Urbana’s WILL Channel 12 in the fall of 1997. WHATEVER! is another independent documentary made in recent years like IN WHOSE HONOR? to rile up segments of the UI community by critiquing and criticizing aspects of its campus culture; panel discussions open to the public involving Chua, field producer Edward Burch, faculty members, and the Panhellenic Council debated over the accuracy and merits of what is depicted in the film, such as the implications that sorority sisters might shy away from choosing students of color for their ranks and reflect a character that is more party-centric than philanthropic. Chua’s eclectic career has since involved earning a doctorate in comparative literature from the UI, teaching college courses and citizen journalism practices in several countries, producing much-improved programs with social justice aims like MARION’S TRIUMPH: SURVIVING HISTORY’S NIGHTMARE (2003) and CUT: EXPOSING FGM WORLDWIDE (2017), and earning story credits on a pair of SPACE DOGS animated films made in Russia.
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL
RED JOAN (5/24 on), THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE (5/24-5/28), “Bike Movie Night” fundraiser feat. FILM BY BIKE, R.S.* (5/29, 7 p.m.), Member Screening: LITTLE WOODS (5/30, 7:30 p.m.), Late Night: BRAZIL (5/24-5/25, 9:30 p.m.)
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
ALADDIN, BOOKSMART, BRIGHTBURN, A DOG’S JOURNEY, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, THE HUSTLE, THE INTRUDER JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, LONG SHOT, POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU, POMS, THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR, UGLYDOLLS (5/24 on), GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, MA, ROCKETMAN (5/30 on)
@ Family Video, Champaign-Urbana, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD, THE UPSIDE, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC, BIG BROTHER, TRADING PAINT, DRUNK PARENTS, VALENTINE: THE DARK AVENGER, 13 SEASONS WHY (s2), more! (5/21 on)
@ Goodrich Savoy 16, Savoy, IL
ALADDIN, BOOKSMART, BRIGHTBURN, A DOG’S JOURNEY, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, THE HUSTLE, THE INTRUDER, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, LONG SHOT, POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU, POMS, THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR, TOLKIEN, UGLYDOLLS (5/24 on), GREASE (5/26, 5/29), GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, ROCKETMAN (5/30 on)
@ Main Quad, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board Presents “Summer Quad Cinema Series” feat. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD, Anniversary Plaza (5/30, 9 p.m., free, rain location: Pine Lounge (1st floor), Illini Union)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
The News-Gazette Film Series: THE THIN MAN (5/25, 1 & 7 p.m.)
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 Classic Village Mall 6, Danville, IL
ALADDIN, BOOKSMART, A DOG’S JOURNEY, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU (5/24 on)
@ AMC Peru Mall 8, Peru, IL
ALADDIN, BOOKSMART, BRIGHTBURN, A DOG’S JOURNEY, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, THE INTRUDER, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU (5/24 on)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
ALADDIN, THE HUSTLE, POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU (5/24 on), GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, ROCKETMAN (5/30 on)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
ALADDIN, AVENGERS: ENDGAME (Screen 1), JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, THE HUSTLE (Screen 2) (5/24-5/26)
@ The Lincoln Family Theater & Community Center, Lincoln, IL
ALADDIN, THE MUSTANG, A DOG’S JOURNEY, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU (5/24 on), ONE HIT FROM HOME (daily shows, free), GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, ROCKETMAN (5/30 on)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (5/24-5/26)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
THE CHAPERONE (5/24-5/26, 5/30), HESBURGH (5/25-5/26), Tuesday Night Classic: CALAMITY JANE (5/28)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
ALADDIN (5/24-5/26, 5/29)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
AVENGERS: ENDGAME (5/24-5/26), RANGO (5/25, 11 a.m., free)
@ Route 34 Drive-in, Earlville, IL
ALADDIN, DUMBO (5/24-5/27)
@ Route 66 Twin Drive-in, Springfield, IL
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, LONG SHOT (Screen 1), ALADDIN, CAPTAIN MARVEL (Screen 2) (5/24 on)
@ Roxy Cinemas, Ottawa, IL
ALADDIN, A DOG’S JOURNEY, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, BREAKTHROUGH, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU, POMS (5/24 on)
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
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
8/10
7th annual Pens to Lens Screenwriting Competition + Gala*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
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
UPDATE! 6/11
Issue release: C-U Confidential #10
+ Paper Opteryx, Champaign, IL
TBD
10th New Art Film Festival*, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Illini Union Board Presents “Summer Quad Cinema Series”
@ Anniversary Plaza, Main Quad, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 9 p.m., free
Rain Location: Pine Lounge (1st floor), Illini Union
5/30: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD; 6/6: CAPTAIN MARVEL; 6/13: DUMBO; 6/20: SHAZAM!; 6/27: LITTLE; 7/11: THE BEST OF ENEMIES; 7/25: THE HUSTLE; 8/1: A DOG’S JOURNEY; 8/8: ALADDIN; 8/15: POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU; 8/24: AVENGERS: ENDGAME @ Memorial Stadium
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
5/25: THE THIN MAN; 6/22: ON THE WATERFRONT; 7/13: STAGE DOOR
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2019 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential