Calendar: Dec. 30, ‘22-Jan. 5, ‘23
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!
12/30: Jason Pankoke (editor/publisher, C-U Blogfidential, Mendota, IL)
PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed for All Eternity
12/26: Patricia Ann Pellow, 78 (matron saint to our arts, C-U Confidential, Champaign, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
My heart is snapped in two like the most brittle piece of film. What else do you really want to know this week, dearest readers?
I’ll give you three things to lead with, anyway. One: Love your family and friends. Two: Collaborate, create, and problem solve like there is no tomorrow. Three: Every day can be the start of a New Year if you really, absolutely, unquestionably need it. Be good. Cheers.
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
20 Years Ago … December 17-19, 2002: Hundreds of extras in professional attire populate the background of scenes being filmed at the Illinois State Capitol in downtown Springfield, IL, for the comedy LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE & BLONDE. Director Charles Herman-Wurmfeld and his production team chose the statehouse to stand in for the United States Capitol Building after searching nationwide, a necessary extra step given how Washington, D.C. landmarks are still restricted areas in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks. For their participation, non-speaking talent and bit part players culled from a November casting call receive pay and an opportunity to watch Hollywood filmmakers at work as well as actresses Reese Witherspoon and Sally Field perform in their roles, according to a Daily Illini story published on January 17, 2003. Also starring Regina King, Jennifer Coolidge, Bruce McGill, Luke Wilson, and Bob Newhart, the further pursuits of improbable Harvard University law graduate Elle Woods would be released to more than 3,000 theaters in North America by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures on Wednesday, July 2, 2003. [R]
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
18 PAGES (in Telugu), AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, BABYLON, BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, CIRKUS (in Hindi), THE FABELMANS, I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY, THE MENU*, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH, STRANGE WORLD*, VIOLENT NIGHT (12/30 on), M3GAN (1/5 on) *single shows daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, BABYLON, BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, THE FABELMANS, I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY, THE MENU, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH, STRANGE WORLD, VIOLENT NIGHT (12/30 on), M3GAN (1/5 on)
@ Redbox, Champaign-Urbana, IL
GOLD, HALLOWEEN ENDS, LAMBORGHINI, THE LAIR, more! (12/27 on) Online rentals
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
No movies this week!
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 Peru Mall 8, Peru, IL
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, BABYLON, BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH, VIOLENT NIGHT (12/30 on)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH (12/30-1/2)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
Closed for the week. Box office reopens on January 4.
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
Private parties and “Family Movie Packs” this week.
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1/5)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH (12/30-1/1)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
STRANGE WORLD (12/29-12/30)
@ Streator Eagle 6, Streator, IL
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, BABYLON, THE FABELMANS, I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH (12/30 on)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, BABYLON, I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH, VIOLENT NIGHT (12/30 on)
@ VIP Roxy Cinemas, Ottawa, IL
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, BABYLON, I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH, SPIRITED, VIOLENT NIGHT (12/30 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
3/30-4/2, 2023
33rd Onion City Experimental Film Festival, Chicago, IL
4/13-4/20, 2023
25th annual Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI
4/19-4/22, 2023
23nd Roger Ebert’s Film Festival*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
“The Arthouse Experience Film Series” curated by Sanford Hess and sponsored by Illinois Public Media
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
1/25/23: THE FRENCH DISPATCH; 2/8/23: MY OCTOPUS TEACHER; 3/8/23: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE; 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 “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
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
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
1/21/23: STAGE DOOR; 2/11/23: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS; 3/18/23: A NIGHT AT THE OPERA; 4/29/23: FANTASIA; 5/20/23: TOPPER; 6/17/23: ENTER THE DRAGON; 7/15/23: I LOVE LUCY: THE MOVIE
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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