Calendar: July 24-30, 2020
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!
7/24: Colin Gabriel Price (author, Red Light and Other Tales, Page Publishing, New York, NY)
MFHQ MEMO | From Chambana Charleston with Love Levity
Next week, you will notice the placeholder listing for the Savoy 16 will be absent from the Calendar. It is a formality given our report yesterday where we confirmed that Goodrich Quality Theaters is not continuing their lease with EPR Properties at the multiplex location in Savoy. That said, we received a brief follow-up message from Matt McSperin, vice president of administration and finance at “New GQT,” who let us know “[I]t is my understanding that another theater company plans to reopen it and take over the lease.” We’ll have to wait for the word to come from EPR and their prospective tenant on what could be in store; neither may be ready to rush in and play Savoy superhero without anticipated new releases from the major studios or clearance from the Illinois government to resume showing movies. “We will miss our customers in central Illinois, particularly since I grew up 45 minutes from there,’ offered McSparin, “but we do wish the Champaign area well.” I appreciated that Matt and his brother Jake responded right away to my query and hope that taking on Goodrich, along with their other sites under the VIP Cinemas brand, will be a worthwhile venture for them once we make it past these dark days for public entertainment. It is yet another instance where we must acknowledge the economic ramifications of that business we call show.
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
15 Years Ago … Friday, July 22, 2005: On “Collector’s Day,” That’s Rentertainment launched the arduous task of purging approximately 16,000 VHS cassettes from their library to make way for DVD replacements and fresh stock. After dropping prices daily through that weekend, the sale racks would linger for another two years until the remainders vanished. Approximately 100 tapes remain in a token VHS section … but not for long. [R]
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
Closed for the week.
@ Family Video, Champaign-Urbana, IL
SCOOB!, CAPONE, DEADTECTIVES, SURVIVE THE NIGHT, NOBODY DIES, THE ROOM (2019), ATTRACTION 2: INVASION, A KILLER NEXT DOOR, CASTLE ROCK (s2), more! (7/21 on)
@ Goodrich Savoy 16, Savoy, IL
Closed.
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Closed for the week. “Virtual Virginia Theatre” screenings: HEAVEN CAN WAIT (1943), AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (1945), THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR “House Guest” episode (1962) free on YouTube, BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE for Purchase (7/24 on)
@ online streaming
Roger Ebert’s Film Festival presents A MOST BEAUTIFUL THING (REFF 2020 selection) (7/27-7/29) Information
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
Closed for the week.
@ AMC Peru Mall 8, Peru, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
THE BLUES BROTHERS, THE GOONIES, TROLLS WORLD TOUR (7/24-7/26)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
Weekend of Horror: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) (Screen 1), THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986) (Screen 1), EVIL DEAD (1983), ARMY OF DARKNESS (Screen 2) (7/24, 7/26), “Encore Drive-in Nights concert: Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani & Trace Adkins feat. Parmalee” (Screen 1 & 2) (7/25, 9 p.m. (sold out)), THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (Screen 1) (7/25, 11:50 p.m.), THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) (Screen 2) (11:59 p.m.), THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (Screen 1), LABYRINTH (Screen 2) (7/27-7/30)
@ The Lincoln Family Theater & Community Center, Lincoln, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
Closed for the week. “Living Room Film Festival” virtual screenings: Black Lives Matter picks: ELLA FITZGERALD: JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS, JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE, THE LEARNING TREE (through 7/30), ALL I CAN SAY, WE ARE LITTLE ZOMBIES (7/24-8/6) Purchase
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
Closed for the week.
@ Route 34 Drive-in, Earlville, IL
BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II, BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III (7/24-7/26)
@ Route 66 Twin Drive-in, Springfield, IL
THE NEVERENDING STORY, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (Screen 1), GREASE, FOOTLOOSE (1984) (Screen 2) (7/24, 7/26-7/30), “Encore Drive-in Nights concert: Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani & Trace Adkins feat. Parmalee” (Screen 1 & 2) (7/25, 9 p.m.)
@ Roxy Cinemas, Ottawa, IL
GHOSTBUSTERS (1984), JAWS, JURASSIC PARK, THE RENTAL, RELIC (7/24 on), THE GOONIES, THE KARATE KID (1984), TROLLS WORLD TOUR (7/25 on)
@ Streator Eagle 6, Streator, IL
AMULET, BLAZING SADDLES, JURASSIC PARK, THE KARATE KID (1984), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2, SCHOOL OF ROCK (7/24-7/26, 7/29-7/30), “Drive-In Week” outdoor screenings: PRETTY IN PINK (7/24-7/26)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
For detailed and curated listings of Chicago-area film presentations and related events, as well as cancellations and postponements due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, please visit the fine folks at Cine-File and subscribe to their definitive “Cine-List” weekly blast.
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
10/4
Cancelled: Dead in Decatur presents “The Art of Fear”
@ Heroic Age Art Center, Mt. Zion, IL, 4 p.m.-12 a.m.
11/6-11/7
19th annual Route 66 Film Festival
@ State House Inn, Springfield, IL
11/28
SAFETY LAST feat. BIG BUSINESS w/live organ accompaniment by Steven Ball
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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