Calendar: August 18-24, 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!
8/15: Chuck Koplinski (movie journalist, The News-Gazette, Champaign, IL)
8/19: Ken Lee (vice president, Michael Wiese Productions, Studio City, CA)
8/23: Shannon Beranek (copy editor, Bachelor Pad Magazine, Champaign, IL)
8/23: Luke Boyce (director, REVEALER, Shatterglass Films, Champaign, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
Mr. JaPan still isn’t up to speed for writing this week, so we’ll just point out stupid crap for a few and call it a Report. First and foremost, we’re disappointed that WCIA-TV in Champaign has decided, for whatever their reasons, to dismiss the seasoned movie reviewers and reporters Chuck Koplinski and Pamela Powell after a five-year run. You can find plenty of the duo’s discourse via their “Reel Talk” website and watch their awkward on-air goodbye here; Powell is diplomatic and Koplinski can’t quite hold back the tart, understandably. Second, making the umpteenth trivia connection between the University of Illinois and the artificial intelligence implications of the HAL 9000 computer in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY could wait, Illinois Public Media and all of UIUC, given how the potential for unregulated AI use in entertainment production is one of the key issues being fought against by unionized writers and actors in Hollywood. No room to create, grow, and work comfortably in the biz, no chance to innovate ever again as with 2001.
Third, we know full well that back-to-school pomp and circumstance needs to be presented squarely in a family-friendly light, yet it’s still a soul crusher when we read how the annual UI Memorial Stadium movie night is basically programmed to appease the youngest siblings and not the enrolled. According to the News-Gazette, “fan votes” for the August 12 event dictated that THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (videogame adaptation) would be shown over the other finalists: MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU (franchise animation), THE LITTLE MERMAID (Disney live-action remake of beloved animation), and ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA (comic book adaptation). At least the subsequent “Illinois Sights & Sounds” rally at the stadium yesterday, August 17, incorporated a video welcome from none other than the upper echelon filmmaker Ang Lee, a 1980 UI graduate; his messaging presumably fell in the “follow your dreams” and “UI is a great institution” camp as opposed to “watch quality cinema,” and we all know deep down that, in both brouhahas, it was ultimately about the football team. Read the articles, folks.
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
15 Years Ago … Thursday, August 7, 2008: More than two years after launching Shatterglass Studios as a full-service media production company for commercial and industrial work, Brett Hays and Luke Boyce premiere their first narrative movie, PRELUDE, at the cozy Onarga Theater in the village of Onarga, IL. Filmed over two weekends in April at The Bread Company in Urbana and a farmhouse on the outskirts of Champaign, this drama depicts a fateful moment in time when the lives of down-on-his-luck writer Kyle (Micah Boyce) and a mysterious traveler named Casey (Vanessa Prokuski) intersect at a bohemian coffee shop; Big Questions are broached and a sense of the supernatural is invoked. C-U Blogfidential editor Jason Pankoke served as a set photographer during the shoot and receives an assistant producer credit. Written by Boyce from a story created by David Fendley, Michael McCray, and himself, PRELUDE is partly intended as a proof-of-concept for a feature screenplay titled CHADORA and serves as the first release from Shatterglass’ sister label, Essence Films. The latter would soon fold and essentially be revived several years later as Shatterglass Films. As reported on 8/6/08 at CUBlog. [R]
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ The Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* mixer (8/21, 7 p.m.)
@ Fine Arts Theatre, Beverly Hills, CA
Pollack Films and Spencer Films present FIELDS OF GOLD* world premiere (8/19, 7 p.m. PST, sold out)
@ The Princess Theater, LeRoy, IL
Acrostar Films presents DESPERATE SOULS* downstate premiere (8/19, 4 p.m.)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
BACK ON THE STRIP*, BLUE BEETLE, STRAYS, BARBIE, GADAR 2 (in Hindi w/English sub), HAUNTED MANSION, JAILER (in Tamil or Telugu w/English sub), JULES, THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER, MEG 2: THE TRENCH, OPPENHEIMER, SOUND OF FREEDOM, TALK TO ME, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM (animation) (8/18 on), Studio Ghibli Fest: PORCO ROSSO (animé) (English dub: 8/20, 4 p.m.; in Japanese w/English sub: 8/22, 7 p.m.) and THE WIND RISES 10th anniversary (English dub: 8/21, 7 p.m.; in Japanese w/English sub: 8/23, 7 p.m.), GRAN TURISMO sneak preview (8/18, 7 p.m.; 8/19, 3 p.m.), THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (animation) (8/23, 12 p.m.), GRAN TURISMO, THE HILL, RETRIBUTION (8/24 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
BACK ON THE STRIP, BLUE BEETLE, OLDBOY (2003; re-release), STRAYS, BARBIE, ELEMENTAL (animation), HAUNTED MANSION, THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER, MEG 2: THE TRENCH, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING, PART ONE, OPPENHEIMER, TALK TO ME, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM (animation) (8/18 on), GRAN TURISMO sneak preview (8/18, 7 p.m.; 8/19, 3 & 7 p.m.; 8/20, 2 p.m.), UFC 292: Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley, more (mixed martial arts) (8/19, 9 p.m., simulcast), SOUND OF FREEDOM (8/20-8/24), THE NOTEBOOK (8/20, 3 & 7 p.m.; 8/23, 7 p.m.), GOLDA (8/23, 4 & 7 p.m.), GRAN TURISMO (8/24 on)
@ Redbox, Champaign-Urbana, IL
ASTEROID CITY, more! (8/15 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
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
BLUE BEETLE, BARBIE, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM (animation) (8/17-8/20)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (8/18, 7 p.m.; 8/19, 2 & 7 p.m.), THE MUPPET MOVIE (8/20, 2 p.m.), ELVIS (8/24, 7 p.m.)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
BARBIE, MEG 2: THE TRENCH (Screen 1), STRAYS, THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (Screen 2) (8/18-8/19)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
Private parties and “Family Movie Packs”
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
POINT BREAK (1991) (8/18), BEACH PARTY, THE ENDLESS SUMMER (8/19-8/20)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
HAUNTED MANSION (8/18-8/20)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
SOUND OF FREEDOM (8/18-8/20), Acrostar Films presents DESPERATE SOULS* downstate premiere (8/19, 4 p.m.)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
BLUE BEETLE, MEG 2: THE TRENCH (Screen 1), STRAYS, THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (Screen 2) (8/18-8/19)
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
8/26
Theatrical costume and prop sale
@ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
9/9
Dark History and Horror Convention
@ The Orpheum Theater, Champaign, IL, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
9/12
Streaming release: FINAL SUMMER*
+ Cardinal XD, Burbank, CA
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
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
9/28: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY* “sing-a-long” edition; 10/5: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW; 11/16: PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES*, 12/21: DIE HARD
Illinois Public Media presents “The Arthouse Experience Film Series”
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
9/15: GREENER PASTURES; 10/6: ROSENCRANZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD; 12/1: SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
9/16: THE MALTESE FALCON; 10/14: NORTH BY NORTHWEST; 11/25: NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION; 12/2: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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