Calendar: August 12-18, 2022
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!
8/18: Jeff Brandt (owner, Exile on Main Street, Champaign, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
This Report is for the comrades who get dirt under their fingernails as citizens of the C-U where they work and play hard. As many of us know, we’ve lost a pair of friends in the counter-and behind-the-counter culture while expecting to bid a transcendent farewell to a third in the near future, all of whom rate highly in the overused “one of a kind” category that few persons are fated to achieve. Social activities have been scheduled to shine a light on them, and our main purpose here is to share the details so we can join in with good company to mourn and heal. I am going to hold on my own reflections of them for now.
A gathering for Stephen A. Swords, a professor emeritus in English at Eastern Illinois University who was a ubiquitous presence at the java shops and rock shows of our fair Twin Cities, will take place on Wednesday, August 17, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Flying Machine Avionics. The coffee house is located at 202 S. First Street in Champaign. Grab a hot brew and engage in conversation with one another as would Swords in a heartbeat, although you might want to put down that hardcover for the occasion. Thanks to his children Faith and Shannon for sharing via Facebook; Dr. Swords passed on July 19 at age 67.
Two hoedowns will go down in memory of Aaron Davidson, a hardy service worker at many a fine establishment who was also a loyal friend to the scene. The Rose Bowl Tavern at 106 N. Race Street in downtown Urbana will host a celebration of A-Rock on Saturday, August 27, from 1 to 5 p.m., and one month later we’ll have “Skid Fest” at Skid’s ultimate place of employment, The Brass Rail, 15 E. University Avenue in downtown Champaign, starting at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 25. The line-up for this free show is Kayla Brown, The Falbonauts, Dave Pride & The East Side Five, and The Dirty Feathers, according to Facebook. Share his lust for life at the former and groove mightily at the latter, just like he would famously do at the drop of the proverbial hat. Davidson left us on July 22 at age 48.
Finally, the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center at 202 S. Broadway Ave. in downtown Urbana will open an exhibit this Sunday, August 14, at 2 p.m. called “Monk in Retrospect.” It presents a set of “silkscreens, photographs, and memorabilia” that relates to the lifelong work of David Monk, a Midwest prairie preservationist and activist who is still with us at age 90 and resting comfortably in hospice at a local hospital. Sunday’s event will also feature live performances by Night Groove, Ther’Up.Y, Dorothy Martirano & All-Star Friends, and The Prairie Dogs. “Retrospect” can be viewed by the public from 2 to 5 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through August 28, and you can learn more about Monk’s conservation efforts through his Heartland Pathways website. A loving overview written by Glen and Kathy Martin, which gives insight into his curious and generous character, was published recently by the News-Gazette.
These are the faces, minds, and souls of Champaign-Urbana that I miss encountering on a regular basis. While many of us will go on to enliven and impact those college towns in positive ways, it is always sad to reckon with the loss of fellow residents who did the same. Misters Monk and Swords only had tangential relationships with the cinema, although A-Rock harbored a bounty of concepts and dreams in that fertile head of his that will most likely never go before camera. Alas, it’s time to change the reel again.
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Savor Cinema, St. Lauderdale, FL
Popcorn Frights Film Festival presents FINAL SUMMER* world premiere (8/13, 11 p.m.)
@ Champaign County History Museum, Champaign, IL
“History Talk” series feat. “Virginia Sale – Urbana’s Hollywood Starlet” hosted by Perry C. Morris (8/18, 7 p.m.)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
BODIES BODIES BODIES, EMILY THE CRIMINAL, LAAL SINGH CHADDHA (in Hindi), RAKSHA BANDHAN (in Hindi), SUMMERING, BULLET TRAIN, DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, EASTER SUNDAY, NOPE, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (8/12 on), BEAST, DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO (animé) (8/18 on)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
BODIES BODIES BODIES, E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (2-D IMAX), INU-OH (animé), MACK & RITA, THE BLACK PHONE, BULLET TRAIN, DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, EASTER SUNDAY, ELVIS, MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU, MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, NOPE, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (8/12 on), DIRTY DANCING 35th anniversary (8/14, 3 & 7 p.m.; 8/17, 7 p.m.), SUPERMAN THE MOVIE (8/14, 3 & 7 p.m.; 8/17, 7 p.m.), CORALINE (8/15, 3 & 7 p.m.), Rifftrax Live!” feat. THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING (8/18, 7 p.m.), BEAST, DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO (animé) (8/18 on)
@ Main Quad, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Summer Films on the Quad” feat. DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (8/18, 9 p.m., free)
@ Redbox, Champaign-Urbana, IL
CODE NAME BANSHEE, GONE IN THE NIGHT, HOT SEAT, LAST SEEN ALIVE, MEN, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2, more! (8/9 on) Online rentals
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Illini Radio Group presents “Mix 94.5 Animation Vacation Movie Series” feat. “Saturday Morning Cartoons” (8/13, 9:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.), New Season! “The Arthouse Experience Film Series” feat. THE HOURS (8/17, 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
BULLET TRAIN, DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, EASTER SUNDAY, MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (8/12 on)
@ AMC Peru Mall 8, Peru, IL
BULLET TRAIN, DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, EASTER SUNDAY, MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU, NOPE, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (8/12 on)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
VENGEANCE, DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS (8/11-8/14)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
Danville Library Foundation and the Fischer present BLUE HAWAII (8/13, 2 p.m.)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
TOP GUN: MAVERICK (Screen 1), BULLET TRAIN (Screen 2) (8/12-8/13)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
Private parties this week.
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON (8/12-8/14, 8/17), INU-OH (animé) (8/18)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (8/12-8/14)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (8/12-8/14)
@ Route 34 Drive-in, Earlville, IL
DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, TWISTER (8/12-8/14)
@ Route 66 Twin Drive-in, Springfield, IL
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, BULLET TRAIN (Screen 1) MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU, TOP GUN: MAVERICK (Screen 2) (8/12-8/13)
@ Streator Eagle 6, Streator, IL
MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, BULLET TRAIN, DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, EASTER SUNDAY, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (8/12 on)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
MACK & RITA, BULLET TRAIN, DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, EASTER SUNDAY, MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (8/12 on), DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO (animé) (8/18 on)
@ VIP Roxy Cinemas, Ottawa, IL
MACK & RITA, BULLET TRAIN, DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, EASTER SUNDAY, MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (8/12 on), DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO (animé) (8/18 on)
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
8/19-8/20
Dark History and Horror Convention feat. Screaming Mad Film Festival
@ I Hotel and Conference Center, UIUC, Champaign, IL
NEW! 8/19-8/20
“Blues Brothers Con” feat. Dan Aykroyd and James Belushi
@ Joliet Correctional Center, Joliet, IL
NEW! 8/20
Batcave Treasures & Toys presents 2nd annual “Smallville Comic-con”
@ Plano Depot, Plano, IL
NEW! 8/27
Department of Dance at Illinois presents the Flatlands Dance Film Festival
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7-10 p.m.
9/10
“Meet Me at the Movies” fundraiser hosted by Bishop Stevens
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL, Noon-10 p.m.
9/10
WHERE ARE YOU, JAY BENNETT?* screening and tribute concert
@ The Venue, Aurora, IL, 7:30 p.m.
9/22-10/2
40th Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
10/6-10/16
31st Heartland International Film Festival, Indianapolis, IN
10/22
CU International Film Festival
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
11/3-11/13
31st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival, St. Louis, MO
11/4-11/14
21st Route 66 Film Festival, Springfield, IL
4/19-4/22, 2023
23nd 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.
8/17: THE HOURS; 9/21: JOJO RABBIT; 10/19: QUEEN AND SLIM; 11/9: THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD; 12/14: THE BAND’S VISIT; 1/25/23: THE FRENCH DISPATCH; 2/8/23: MY OCTOPUS TEACHER; 3/8/23: HOMECOMING; 4/26/23: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN; 5/31/23: THE TWO POPES; 6/14/23: MULHOLLAND DRIVE; 7/12/23: BARAKA
Illini Radio Group presents “Mix 94.5 Animation Vacation Movie Series”
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
8/20: SLEEPING BEAUTY (2 & 6:30 p.m.)
NEW! Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Film Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
8/11: CADDYSHACK; 9/1: PRETTY WOMAN*; 10/20: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW; 11/10: SCREAM (1996)*; 12/8: HOME ALONE*; 1/19/23: SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE*; 2/2/23: TITANIC*; 3/16/23: DIRTY DANCING; 4/27/23: GHOSTBUSTERS (1984); 5/18/23: BEETLEJUICE; 6/29/23: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK; 7/27/23: TOP GUN
~~~~~
Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
~~~~~
“Calendar du C-U”
© 2022 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential