Calendar: February 2-8, 2024
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!
2/8: Robin Christian (producer/director, A FARGO CHRISTMAS STORY, Dreamscape Cinema, Champaign, IL)
PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed
1/13: Larry Williams, forever “Lonesome Larry” (co-founder, “The Whip” (WWHP 98.3 FM), Farmer City, IL)
1/20: Sean Michael “Mike” Unland, 50 (owner, Mike Unland Photography and Videography, Springfield, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
Our Report is flush with screening news for you! First comes a press release for the annual Insect Fear Film Festival, which will be put on for its 41st year by the Entomology Graduate Student Association at the University of Illinois on the last Saturday of the month, February 24, at the UI Foellinger Auditorium. With a theme of “Ant-Men” this year, the presentation will couple the animated film, THE ANT BULLY, and the partly-animated-by-CGI hit, Marvel’s ANT-MAN, with the traditional science displays and kids’ activities in the foyer; doors open at 5:30 p.m., the movies will be introduced at 7:30 p.m., and entry is free for all. Then, we’re reminded by implicit hints via Facebook that the Arlee Theater of Mason City, located halfway between Peoria and Springfield and just off of Route 10, is sponsoring the Short Film Fest and accepting entries until February 10 that run 15 minutes or less and are family friendly; visit their website for more details on the event, which is scheduled for Friday, February 23. To close, Confidential agent C-Day let us know there is a film series, curated by the prolific pop culture author Marc Eliot, which is playing every Friday and Sunday between this weekend and March 10 at the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s Giant Screen Theater; starring some of Hollywood’s giants and informed by Eliot’s biographies on them, the showings began today, Friday, February 2, with Dennis Hopper in EASY RIDER and will continue weekly with CARNAL KNOWLEDGE (Jack Nicholson), THE CHINA SYNDROME (Michael Douglas), ROMANCING THE STONE (also Douglas), A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (Clint Eastwood), and UNFORGIVEN (also Eastwood). Billed as the “largest film society screen in the country,” the Giant Screen Theater recently received a $350,000 grant for upgrades to the screen, sound system, and projection capabilities.
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
ANATOMY OF A FALL, ARGYLLE, THE CHOSEN: S4, Ep. 1-3 (faith programming), THE ZONE OF INTEREST (in German with English sub), AMERICAN FICTION, ANYONE BUT YOU, THE BEEKEEPER, THE EQUALIZER 3, FIGHTER (in Hindi with English sub), MEAN GIRLS, MIGRATION (animation), POOR THINGS, WONKA (2/2 on), AMC “Scream Unseen” (mystery horror movie) (2/5, 7 p.m.), AX Cinema Nights: PAPRIKA (animé) (2/7, 7:30 p.m., in Japanese with English sub; 2/8, 7:30 p.m., English dub), LISA FRANKENSTEIN, OUT OF DARKNESS (2/8 on)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
ARGYLLE, THE CHOSEN: S4, Ep. 1-3 (faith programming), AMERICAN FICTION, ANYONE BUT YOU, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM, THE BEEKEEPER, THE BOY AND THE HERON (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), THE BOYS IN THE BOAT, THE IRON CLAW, MEAN GIRLS, MIGRATION (animation), NIGHT SWIM, OPPENHEIMER, POOR THINGS, WONKA (2/2 on), MY FAIR LADY 60th anniversary (2/4, 1 & 7 p.m.; 2/5, 7 p.m.), ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (2/4, 3 & 7 p.m.; 2/7, 7 p.m.), LISA FRANKENSTEIN (2/8 on)
@ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Spring 2024 Weekend Films” feat. WISH, Pine Lounge, 1st floor (2/2-2/3, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
@ Redbox (streaming), Champaign-Urbana, IL
DARK PARASITE, A PICTURE OF HER, THEY CALL HER HEADHUNTER, TROLLS WORLD TOUR, WELCOME TO VALENTINE, more! (1/30 on) Online rentals
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series” feat. THE BLUES BROTHERS (2/8, 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
@ AMC Classic 12, Springfield, IL
Springfield Art Association presents Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series feat. THE OTHER MOUNTAIN (2/4, 1 & 4 p.m.; 2/6, 7 p.m.)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
ARGYLLE, FREUD’S LAST SESSION, MIGRATION (animation) (2/1-2/4)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
The Danville Library Foundation, etc., presents “A Novel Idea…” feat. MARY POPPINS (2/8, 7 p.m.)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
THE PROMISED LAND (2/2-2/4), ISU Department of Physics presents THE BOMB (documentary) w/filmmaker Smriti Keshari in attendance (2/6, 5:15 p.m.)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
THE BEEKEEPER (2/2-2/4)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM (2/2-2/4)
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
2/16
Champaign Movie Makers* 48 hr film contest
@ Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. (start time)
2/19
Champaign Movie Makers* presents 48 hr film festival
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 7 p.m.
NEW! 2/24
EGSA presents the 41st annual Insect Fear Film Festival* feat. “Ant-Men” theme
@ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 5:30 p.m.
NEW! 2/28
Champaign County Film Office, Shatterglass Films, and The Line Film Co. present “So You Want to Be a Film Location?”
@ Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL, 5-6 p.m.
3/2
CU International Film Festival*
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
NEW! 3/7
Central Illinois Film Commission* meeting
@ Golden Corral, Springfield, IL, 7 p.m.
4/4-4/11
26th annual Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI
4/4-4/14
34th Onion City Experimental Film Festival, Chicago, IL
4/17-4/20
24th Roger Ebert’s Film Festival*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, 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.
3/21: E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL; 4/25: PITCH PERFECT*; 5/23: FAME (1980); 6/27: HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE*; 7/11: GREASE “sing-a-long” edition
Illinois Public Media presents “The Arthouse Experience Film Series”
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
2/16: GOSPEL: WHERE SONG AND SERMON MEET excerpt w/discussion; 3/8: PAST LIVES; 5/24: FREE SOLO; 7/19: STOP MAKING SENSE
Illini Union Board presents “Spring 2024 Weekend Films”
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat, free w/i-card
2/9-2/10: FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S; 2/16-2/17: THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES; 2/23-2/24: THE MARVELS; 3/1-3/2: TROLLS BAND TOGETHER; 3/8-3/9: AMERICAN FICTION; 3/15-3/16: AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM; 3/22-3/23: ANYONE BUT YOU; 3/29-3/30: THE COLOR PURPLE; 4/5-4/6: FERRARI; 4/12-4/13: THE BOYS IN THE BOAT; 4/19-4/20: WONKA; 4/26-4/27: THE BOOK OF CLARENCE; 5/3-5/4: THE IRON CLAW
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
2/10: SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN; 4/13: THE THIRD MAN
Springfield Art Association presents the 30th annual Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series
@ AMC Classic Springfield 12, Springfield, IL, 1 & 4 p.m. Sunday + 7 p.m. Tuesday
2/11, 2/13: THE BLUE CAFTAN; 2/18, 2/20: PAST LIVES; 2/25, 2/27: THE INNOCENT; 3/3, 3/5: REVOIR PARIS
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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