Calendar: September 3-9, 2021
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!
9/5: Anthony E. Cabral (second assistant director, KILLING ELEANOR, 1091 Pictures, New York, NY)
PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed
8/29: Edward Asner, 91 (actor, SHEEBA and A FARGO CHRISTMAS STORY, Dreamscape Cinema, Champaign, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
At the risk of sounding like nails on a classroom chalkboard, here is this week’s reminder that everyone needs to mask up and, if eligible, get vaccinated as soon as possible for the sake of our communities and especially our children who still can’t be given the shot. Please don’t continue to fool yourselves into thinking your body can’t potentially contribute to the spread, such as the current mess of the COVID delta variant as it charges through schools all over the state of Illinois.
Now, we’ll continue our business from last week’s Report as far as alerting you to relevant happenings in the name of film and education. Illinois Public Media announced yesterday a new AMERICAN PORTRAIT | CENTRAL ILLINOIS series, SHAVONNE’S YEAR, that will debut on Sunday, September 12, at 6 p.m. on WILL Channel 12 and be broadcast weekly for 10 episodes; the pandemic-altered 2020 academic year is illustrated with the cell phone movies taken by Shavonne Cole, now a senior in Media and Cinema Studies (MACS) in the College of Media at the University of Illinois, as she was “living and working on campus while attending classes virtually.” Also reflecting the still-not-normal state of our world is Pens to Lens, which will retain its 2020 format for the virtual gala scheduled to stream on Sunday, September 12, at 3 p.m. on Facebook as per an announcement issued earlier today; P2L once again is essentially a local student “takeover” since all 18 selections are creations of the students themselves, who range in age from 2nd to 11th grade. Separately, MACS revealed earlier this week a new campus initiative to be led by associate professor Angela Aguayo, previously on the faculty of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, to “create inclusive environments while exploring the relationship between social justice and today’s media landscape.” Given that Aguayo’s areas of expertise involve the study and production of documentaries, expect them to figure in the events still to be announced as part of this series. We trust in her choices to be illuminating.
Going to end on a bummer note, we are, but presumably all will be resolved by the spring when Roger Ebert’s Film Festival is set to return after yet another delay, thanks to pandemic concerns. Not really addressed in the statements by Chaz Ebert and the UI is if the works made by the winners of the No Malice Film Contest will also sit dormant until late April; introduced in depth by Ebert in a ‘blog post two weeks ago, the young people highlighted in the empathy-minded program were to have their films premiered at “Ebertfest” as part of the prize. (Originally, the public debut was to have been hosted in July by a co-sponsor, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, with “Ebertfest” as follow-up exposure, but there is no apparent evidence of it.) We know that waiting seven months is an eternity when you’re in a certain age bracket, so we hope the organizers and guest mentors behind this worthwhile exploration of the meaning of racial healing can find constructive ways to appease these kids and budding adults. They should be understanding of the circumstances, one hopes.
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ online YouTube
LAST DAY* short film virtual premiere: 9/3, 8 p.m., Nationwide via YouTube/Silver Compass Studios, Decatur, IL
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, CANDYMAN, DON’T BREATHE 2, FREE GUY, JUNGLE CRUISE, THE NIGHT HOUSE, PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE, THE PROTÉGÉ, RESPECT, THE SUICIDE SQUAD (9/3 on), SHOW ME THE FATHER (documentary, 9/9, 7 p.m.)
@ Busey Bank parking lot, Urbana, IL
The Urbana Free Library and Urbana Arts and Culture Program present “Cinema & Sound” event feat. SOUL, live performance by Ther’Up.Y (9/8, 6:30 p.m., parking lot)
@ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2021 Weekend Films” feat. MULAN, Pine Lounge, 1st floor (9/3-9/4, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, BLACK WIDOW, CANDYMAN, DON’T BREATHE 2, FREE GUY, JUNGLE CRUISE, PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE, THE PROTÉGÉ, REMINISCENCE, RESPECT, STILLWATER, THE SUICIDE SQUAD (9/3 on), BACKDRAFT 30th anniversary (9/5, 3 & 7 p.m.; 9/8, 7 p.m.), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (9/5, 2 & 7 p.m.; 9/8, 7 p.m.), THE ALPINIST (documentary, 9/7, 7 p.m.), TIME IS UP (9/9, 7 p.m.)
@ Redbox, Champaign-Urbana, IL
12 MIGHTY ORPHANS, IN THE HEIGHTS, SPIRIT UNTAMED, TED BUNDY: AMERICAN BOOGEYMAN, ZONE 414, more! (8/31 on) Online rentals
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
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, CANDYMAN, DON’T BREATHE 2, FREE GUY, JUNGLE CRUISE, PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (9/3 on)
@ AMC Peru Mall 8, Peru, IL
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, CANDYMAN, FREE GUY, JUNGLE CRUISE, PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (9/3 on)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
THE NIGHT HOUSE, FREE GUY, PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (9/3-9/5), RESPECT (9/4-9/5, 1 p.m.)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
No movies this week!
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, JUNGLE CRUISE (Screen 1), CANDYMAN, DON’T BREATHE 2 (Screen 2) (9/3-9/5), “Gibson City Community Flood Relief Fundraiser Night” feat. JUNGLE CRUISE (Screen 1), TWO PENNIES (Screen 2) (9/6, free admission for children)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
Private rentals for the week.
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
PIG (9/3-9/5), DON’T GO GENTLE: A FILM ABOUT IDLES (9/9)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
BLACK WIDOW (9/3-9/5)
@ Route 34 Drive-in, Earlville, IL
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, JUNGLE CRUISE (9/3-9/5)
@ Route 66 Twin Drive-in, Springfield, IL
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (Screen 1), OLD, CANDYMAN (Screen 2) (9/3-9/5)
@ Roxy Cinemas, Ottawa, IL
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, CANDYMAN, DON’T BREATHE 2, FREE GUY, JUNGLE CRUISE, PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE, SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY (9/3 on)
@ Streator Eagle 6, Streator, IL
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, CANDYMAN, FREE GUY, JUNGLE CRUISE, PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (9/3 on)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Music Box Theater, Chicago, IL
Pitchfork and White Claw present the Pitchfork Music Film Series feat. 20 FEET FROM STARDOM (9/6, 7 p.m.), I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART* (9/7, 7 p.m.), JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS (9/8, 7 p.m.) Information
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
NEW! 9/23-10/7
Reeling: The 39th Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
@ Music Box Theater/Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema + virtual, Chicago, IL
10/22-10/23
Dark History and Horror Convention’s Screaming Mad Film Festival 2.1
@ I Hotel and Conference Center, UIUC, Champaign, IL
11/5-11/15
20th Route 66 Film Festival
@ Springfield, IL (virtual event)
11/5-11/7
28th Chicago Underground Film Festival
@ The Logan Theatre, Chicago, IL
4/20-4/23, 2022
22nd Roger Ebert’s Film Festival
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
NEW! “The Arthouse Experience Film Series” curated by Sanford Hess
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
9/29: THE ARTIST; 10/6: EMMA.; 11/3: MOONLIGHT; 12/6: COLD WAR; 1/19/22: WILD TALES; 2/23/22: ADAPTATION; 3/23/22: THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS; 4/6/22: BIG NIGHT; 5/25/22: EIGHTH GRADE; 6/1/22: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2021 Weekend Films”
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat, free w/i-card
9/3-9/4: MULAN; 9/10-9/11: MORTAL KOMBAT; 9/17-9/18: THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD; 9/24-9/25: IN THE HEIGHTS; 10/1-10/2: A QUIET PLACE PART II; 10/8-10/9: THE FOREVER PURGE; 10/15-10/16: MONSTER HUNTER; 10/22-10/23: ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS; 10/29-10/30: THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT; 11/5-11/6: SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY; 11/12-11/13: BLACK WIDOW; 11/19-11/20: THE SUICIDE SQUAD; 12/3-12/4: JUNGLE CRUISE
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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