Calendar: July 7-13, 2023
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!
7/7: Keenan Dailey (CEO, Visage Entertainment, Champaign-Urbana, IL)
7/9: Jessie Seitz (director, MONSTER GIRLS, Capricorn Rising, Decatur, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
Time for a spot of fun, dearest merrymakers! The Report has been put through the informational ringer as of late, so I’d like to lighten the load today. First, I finally bore witness to a “Camp Chasenshep” vs. “Camp Silverlake” encounter on Monday’s episode of “Chase & Shep” wherein Chase Todd and Aaron Sheppard interview FINAL SUMMER’s John Isberg about all things filmmaking; it kicks off a five-week run on C&S’s “Mondays for the Mind” in which the dudes will have conversations with all five segment directors of the upcoming anthology F’D: TALES FROM THE END TIMES from Horror-Fix Films of Springfield. Second, the C&S contemporaries at Camp Nostalgic Studios of Champaign have returned with a new series of “Saturday Morning,” a sketch program that plays to the group’s interests in comedy and music; in this episode, creators Dave Rediger and Alex Duquette check in after six months of camping (!?) to taste-test libations with pop culture origins and break for various legitimate and satiric promotions. Appearing briefly are Gela Rediger, Stephanie Gallela, and other talents from their camp. Did I mention, er, “camp?”
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Third, I forget that University of Illinois alumnus and former “Ebertfest” volunteer Blake Stubbs is a movie reviewer on WGN Radio in Chicago; he recently joined the legendary Windy City deejay John Landecker on the weekday prime time show to share his thoughts on INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY and other upcoming Hollywood hits, fulfilling his on-air nickname of “Blockbuster Blake” with authority. (One wonders what criterion he might use to qualify a movie as a “Blakebuster.” Just asking.) Fourth and final, I listened last night to the livestream Web show “Reaper’s Underground,” hosted by the death metal musician and horror aficionado “Reaper” of Omaha, Nebraska, in which he Zoomed with the cast and crew of Acrostar Films’ ATTACK OF THE CORN ZOMBIES for a very pleasant hour of indie film banter. There is a fun fellow underneath the duochrome makeup and I thought he was generous in how he led the Acrostar family through all the expected talking points. Queue up any combination of these programs over the weekend and you’re guaranteed to have a good time.
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
25 Years Ago … July 1998: Columbia College of Chicago student Melissa Schmitt and her crew spend three consecutive weekends at Ned Kelly’s Steakhouse on N. Cunningham Avenue in Urbana to film her thesis project, OPEN TO CLOSE, much of their efforts taking place after business hours in the dead of night. Schmitt, a transplant to the area whose father helps run the restaurant, cast local talent to act in her short, which explores the strained relationship between budding moviemaker Rosie Powe (Gemma Wall) and her manager father Rob (Mark Alan Hudson) as they muscle through a hectic evening shift together. MICRO-FILM editor Jason Pankoke serves as a production assistant and set photographer during the shoot, the first of its kind that he either witnesses or takes part in as a Champaign resident. While her 16mm print most likely hit the closet shelf for good after grading, Schmitt has since built a career in social issue reporting as a journalist and short-form content creator; she currently works as a senior producer for the Washington, D.C., based firm Long Story Short Media and lives in Maryland with her family. [R]
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR, JOY RIDE, SOUND OF FREEDOM (faith film), ELEMENTAL (animation), THE FLASH, INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, NO HARD FEELINGS, PAST LIVES, RUBY GILLMAN – TEENAGE KRAKEN (animation), SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (animation), TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS (7/7 on), ODESZA: THE LAST GOODBYE (concert film) (7/7, 7 p.m.), THE LITTLE MERMAID (7/7-7/10), TROLLS WORLD TOUR (animation) (7/8, 7/12, 10 a.m.), Studio Ghibli Fest: NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (animé) (7/9, 4 p.m., English dub; 7/11, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub) and CASTLE IN THE SKY (animé) (7/10, 7 p.m., English dub; 7/12, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS: THE MOTION PICTURE 50th anniversary (concert film) (7/9-7/10, 2 & 8 p.m.), PSYCHO-PASS: PROVIDENCE (animé) (7/11, 7 p.m., English dub; 7/13, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING, PART ONE (7/11 on)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR, JOY RIDE, SOUND OF FREEDOM (faith film), ASTEROID CITY, ELEMENTAL (animation), GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3, INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, THE LITTLE MERMAID, NO HARD FEELINGS, RUBY GILLMAN – TEENAGE KRAKEN (animation), SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (animation), TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS (7/7 on), THE FLASH (7/7-7/10), THE BOOGEYMAN, THE BLACKENING*, PAST LIVES (7/7-7/11), UFC 290: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez, more (mixed martial arts) (7/8, 9 p.m., simulcast), Studio Ghibli Fest: NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (animé) (7/9, 4 p.m., English dub; 7/11, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub) and CASTLE IN THE SKY (animé) (7/10, 7 p.m., English dub; 7/12, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), GREASE (7/9, 3 & 7 p.m.; 7/12, 7 p.m.), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING, PART ONE (7/11 on) *single shows daily
@ Main Quad, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Summer Films on the Quad” feat. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 (7/13, 9 p.m., free)
@ Redbox, Champaign-Urbana, IL
COME OUT FIGHTING, more! (7/4 on) Online rentals
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Illinois Public Media presents “The Arthouse Experience Film Series” feat. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (7/11, 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
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
ASTEROID CITY, ELEMENTAL (animation), INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (7/6-7/9)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
Danville Public Library presents “A Novel Idea…” feat. THE NATURAL (7/13, 7 p.m.)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (animation), MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU (animation) (Screen 1), INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (Screen 2) (7/7-7/8), INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (Screen 1), “The 50th Anniversary of Lynyrd Skynyrd” concert film (Screen 2) (7/9), INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (Screen 1), THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (animation) (Screen 2) (7/10), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING, PART ONE (Screen 1), INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (Screen 2) (7/11-7/13)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
Private parties and “Family Movie Packs”
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (7/7-7/9), YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (7/8-7/9), THE LEGO MOVIE (animation) (7/10, 7/12), BIOSPHERE (7/13)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (7/7-7/9)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (animation) (7/7-7/9)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR, NO HARD FEELINGS (Screen 1), ELEMENTAL (animation), INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (7/7-7/9, 7/12-7/13)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
For detailed and curated listings of Chicago-area film presentations and related events, please visit the fine folks at Cine-File and subscribe to their definitive “Cine-List” weekly blast.
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
7/23-7/25
Champaign Movie Makers* 48 Hour Film Contest
@ Lincoln Square Mall (starting point), Urbana, IL, Information
7/28
Champaign Movie Makers* 48 Hour Film Fest
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 8:30 p.m.
7/28
DVD/streaming release: YOU’RE OUT!*
+ Gravitas Ventures, Cleveland, OH
8/9
HUNTING FOR THE HAG* screening
@ Music Box Theatre, Chicago, IL, 7 p.m.
NEW! 8/10
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series” feat. FINAL SUMMER*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
8/19
DESPERATE SOULS* downstate premiere
@ The Princess Theater, LeRoy, IL, time TBD
8/19
FIELDS OF GOLD* world premiere
@ Fine Arts Theatre, Beverly Hills, CA, 7 p.m. PST
9/9
Dark History and Horror Convention
@ The Orpheum Theater, Champaign, IL, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
9/13-9/17
30th Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
9/16
FIELDS OF GOLD* Midwest premiere
@ Lincoln Square Theatre, Decatur, IL, 7 p.m.
9/21-10/8
41st Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
9/23
Route 66 Film Festival presents “Get Your Flicks on Route 66” showcase
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., free
9/26
DVD release: GEORGE HARRISON: A BEATLE IN BENTON, ILLINOIS* 60th anniversary edition
+ MVD Visual, Pottstown, PA
10/5-10/15
32nd Heartland International Film Festival, Indianapolis, IN
10/2
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE Live in Concert
@ State Farm Center, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.
10/11-10/22
59th Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
10/28
Small Press Fest 2023
@ Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana, IL, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
11/3-11/3
22nd Route 66 Film Festival, Springfield, IL (virtual)
11/9-11/19
32nd Whitaker St Louis International Film Festival, St. Louis, MO
12/2
Krampusnacht Freeky Film Festival*
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Champaign Park District presents “Thursday Night Flix”
@ various venues, dusk, free admission
8/3: BACK TO THE FUTURE @ Toalson Park; 8/10: TBA @ Champaign Fire Station 3, 702 Bradley Ave.
UPDATE! Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
7/27: TOP GUN; 8/10: FINAL SUMMER*
Illini Union Board presents “Summer Films on the Quad”
@ Main Quad, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 9 p.m. Thursdays, free
7/20: THE SUPER MARIO BROTHERS MOVIE; 7/27: AIR; 8/3: FAST X; 8/10: THE LITTLE MERMAID
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
7/15: I LOVE LUCY: THE MOVIE
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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