Calendar: February 16-22, 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!
2/21: Eric Benson (co-host, Damian Duffy Hates Everything podcast, DD Media Empire, Champaign, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
Is anyone down for some local film news and pertinent dates? If so, we sure do have local film news and pertinent dates! First, let’s go over when projects are scheduled to make their streaming debut. You will be able to watch the Silver Compass Studios documentary AFTERLIFE, which we talked about here, starting on Tuesday, February 27, at IndiePix Unlimited and other services that carry titles from BayView Entertainment; you can join in on HUNTING FOR THE HAG with Into the Night Motion Pictures, which we talked about here, starting on Tuesday, April 2, on services to be announced; and, you shall make nice with Acrostar Productions’ SORORITY BABES, which we talked about here, in a short film that is a prelude to their upcoming feature to be unveiled on Thursday, March 7. And then, as we suspected, the concept teaser trailer and corresponding fundraising campaign for Front 76 Films’ FINAL SUMMER PART II arrives on Sunday, March 24; take a peek at the feedback-laden clip posted to Facebook by the filmmakers for their fans this past Valentine’s Day. Finally, for those who want to get involved on the set, we have casting prompts and submission deadlines for two indie productions. UIUC graduate Keenan Dailey, whose provocative film efforts we’ve discussed before, is hiring for the second entry in a three-part series that dramatizes “racial tension surrounding the 1994 crime bill;” visit their Facebook page and find the February 14 post with character breakdowns and contact information for HEAR NO EVIL if you’re interested. And, Peoria-based actor Steve Christopher shared on the socials that extras are being sought to populate scenes for the Warr Brothers’ period film AMERICAN CRIMINALS, both this coming Thursday and Friday, February 22-23, in Peoria as well as on Saturday and Sunday, February 24-25, in Joliet according to the official Facebook page; your best bet is to write them for details on all their upcoming talent needs. We thereby end scene on the film scene du C-U and beyond for another week!
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* 48 hr film contest (2/16, 7 p.m., through 2/18, 7 p.m.)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* presents 48 hr film festival (2/19, 7 p.m.)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE, THE CHOSEN: S4, Ep. 4-6 (faith programming), LAND OF BAD, MADAME WEB, THE TASTE OF THINGS, ANYONE BUT YOU, ARGYLLE, THE BEEKEEPER, THE COLOR PURPLE, LISA FRANKENSTEIN, OUT OF DARKNESS (with English sub)*, PEGASUS 2 (in Mandarin with English sub), TURNING RED (animation) (first US release), WONKA, THE ZONE OF INTEREST (in German with English sub) (2/16 on), DUNE (1984) 40th anniversary (2/18, 4 & 8 p.m.; 2/19, 7:30 p.m.), ORIGIN (2/18, 2 p.m.), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (2/19, 7 p.m.), AMERICAN FICTION (2/20, 2 & 8 p.m.), DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA – TO THE HASHIRA TRAINING (animé), DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS, ORDINARY ANGELS (2/22 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE, THE CHOSEN: S4, Ep. 4-6 (faith programming), LAND OF BAD, MADAME WEB, AMERICAN FICTION, ANYONE BUT YOU, ARGYLLE, THE BEEKEEPER, THE BOY AND THE HERON (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), THE BOYS IN THE BOAT, LISA FRANKENSTEIN, MEAN GIRLS, MIGRATION (animation), NIGHT SWIM*, POOR THINGS, WONKA (2/16 on), UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topurvia, more (mixed martial arts) (2/17, 9 p.m., simulcast), DUNE (1984) 40th anniversary (2/18, 4 & 7 p.m.; 2/19, 7 p.m.), HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (2/18, 3 & 7 p.m.; 2/21, 7 p.m.), FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN COMPLETE (CGI animé) (2/21, 7 p.m., English dub; 2/22, in Japanese with English sub), DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA – TO THE HASHIRA TRAINING (animé), ORDINARY ANGELS (2/22 on) *single screenings daily
@ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Spring 2024 Weekend Films” feat. THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, Pine Lounge, 1st floor (2/16-2/17, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
@ Redbox (streaming), Champaign-Urbana, IL
THE WEDDING CONTRACT, more! (2/13 on) Online rentals
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies, College of Media, presents POOR THINGS (2/22, 7 p.m., Knight Auditorium)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Illinois Public Media and Illinois Soul 101.0 FM present “The Arthouse Experience Film Series” GOSPEL: WHERE SONG AND SERMON MEET excerpt w/discussion (2/16, 7 p.m., free), The News-Gazette Film Series presents SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (2/17, 1 & 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. PAST LIVES (2/18, 1 & 4 p.m.; 2/20, 7 p.m.)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
ARGYLLE, LISA FRANKENSTEIN (2/17-2/18)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
BLACK PANTHER (2/16-2/17, 7 p.m.)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
THE PRINCESS BRIDE (2/16, 2/18), THE NOTEBOOK (2/17-2/18), CASABLANCA (2/18), Illinois State University presents “Can You Dig It? Exploring Race, Representation, and Culture in Blaxploitation Films” feat. MACKED, HAMMERED, SLAUGHTERED & SHAFTED documentary and discussion w/filmmaker David F. Walker (2/22, 7 p.m.)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
ARGYLLE (2/16-2/18)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
ANYONE BUT YOU (2/16-2/18)
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
2/24
EGSA presents the 41st annual Insect Fear Film Festival* feat. “Ant-Men” theme
@ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 5:30 p.m.
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
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
NEW! 4/5
“Friday Forum” feat. Prof. Jay Rosenstein about IN WHOSE HONOR?
@ University YMCA, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 12 p.m.
4/17-4/20
24th Roger Ebert’s Film Festival* (25th anniversary edition)
@ 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
UPDATE! Illinois Public Media presents “The Arthouse Experience Film Series”
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
3/8: PAST LIVES; 4/26: AMÉLIE; 5/24: FREE SOLO; 7/5: 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
2/23-2/24: 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
UPDATE! The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
3/9: THE SOUND OF MUSIC “sing-a-long” edition; 4/13: THE THIRD MAN
NEW! Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies events
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. (unless noted otherwise)
2/22: POOR THINGS screening; 2/29: TRAIN TO BUSAN screening; 3/21: OVARIAN PSYCOS documentary screening; 3/22: “Women Make Movies” discussion of OVARIAN PSYCOS @ UI Women’s Resources Center, Champaign, 3 p.m.; 4/4: PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE screening curated by Ebert Fellows; 4/16-4/17: Roger Ebert Symposium, “Representations and Their Critics”
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
2/25, 2/27: THE INNOCENT; 3/3, 3/5: REVOIR PARIS
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
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