Calendar: February 23-29, 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!
2/25: Josh Schafer (publisher, Lunchmeat VHS fanzine and label, Elmer, NJ)
2/26: Troy Michael (editor & publisher, Innocent Words website, Oakwood, IL)
2/29: Julia Megan Sullivan (actor, MONTH TO MONTH, Owko Films, Los Angeles, CA)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
Is anyone down for even more C-U film news and pertinent dates? Well, then, we shall provide! To start, our buds Chase & Shep at Earth-217 Studios have shared over on the Champaign Movie Makers group that a new joint is heating up, the anthology program CAMPFIRE STORIES, and they are looking for filmmakers who might fill out episodes with their own segments including of the found footage variety; this will most likely debut in October, when the fellas love to unleash seasonal horror in legion, at their YouTube channel. Best bet is to contact them through Facebook since the C&S website is AWOL for the moment. Speaking of found footage, Joshua Brucker and Horror Dadz Productions are casting a handful of roles for a new project called UNTITLED FOOTAGE and looking for “local talent only” from “central Illinois” according to a notice on the director’s personal Facebook account, so presumably the action will be staged in a town or rural area near us. Actors can send in materials or questions to grayskypictures [at] gmail [dot] com if interested; FOOTAGE apparently serves as a sequel to “The Illinois Valley Murder Tapes” half of SPLIT SCREEN, one of several urban legend and Fortean titles the Horror Dadz have fathered in the last few years. Others include THE WOODMEN, released last month, and TAHOE JOE.
A few steps up on the budget scale, the renamed visitor’s bureau of Champaign County, Experience Champaign-Urbana, is taking renewed steps to endear their newly-dubbed film office, Film Champaign-Urbana, to the community at large and encourage its participation with visiting and C-U-based producers. This includes lending one’s property as a set, to be discussed next Tuesday, February 28, starting at 5 p.m. in the “A” room of the Robeson Pavilion in the Champaign Public Library. Members of Shatterglass Films and Chicago’s The Line Film Company will help present “So You Want to Be a Film Location?” with the office’s director, Mark Brown, and attendees are asked to visit the Experience C-U site and reserve their seats due to limited space; the News-Gazette reports this is the first of a series of informational events. And, even though next week’s Report is shaping up to be a “kids and education” outing, we need to plug Pens to Lens this week since their deadline for accepting child- and teen-written screenplays in their competition is next Thursday, February 29. Visit the revived program’s website for documentation and encourage the budding creatives in your life to write now like there’s no tomorrow!
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
18 Years Ago … Saturday, February 25, 2006: After the seventh issue of the Champaign film journal MICRO-FILM is published, Opteryx Press adapts its “C-U Confidential” local-zine section into a new internet variation, C-U Blogfidential. The first entry written by editor and publisher Jason Pankoke, dated 8:57 p.m., describes an intention of “[making] a minor splash creating a community history through cinema, one that we can definitely call our own,” with CUBlog as its potential epicenter. Topics to be covered in the following months include the Danville fantasy-comedy SHOW; Dreamscape Cinema’s first features, CRAB ORCHARD and DISCONNECTED; the fan- and convention-favorite spoof of video game tropes, PRESS START, from Dark Maze Studios of Champaign; the second episodes of BrainSmart Productions’ WEREWOLF CEMETERY and THE ADVENTURES OF THE SCREAMING APE, directed by Jason Butler; the infamous UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS VS. A MUMMY and lesser-known ROBOTMAN, made by the UIUC students of Illini Film & Video and directed by Chris Lukeman; a video adaptation of Antigone by the Creative Dramatics Workshop and its director, Robert Picklesimer; an empowering documentary called AN UPHILL CLIMB from Callan Films of Effingham; Blue Bassoon Pictures’ darkly funny crime spoof MERRY CHRISTMAS!; visits from UI alumni working in professional media like Fred Rubin and Michael Wiese; and numerous community and campus screenings such as a run of MICRO-FILM Movie Shows at the beloved bar Mike ‘n Molly’s in downtown Champaign. As of January 2024, CUBlog has published content keyed in to the movies of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond in every single month since its launch over more than 1,600 postings. [REV]
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Arlee Theater, Mason City, IL
2024 Short Film Fest* w/awards presentation (2/23, 7 p.m., admission w/ donation)
@ Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL
Champaign County Film Office*, Shatterglass Films*, and The Line Film Co. present “So You Want to Be a Film Location?” w/discussion (2/28, 5-6 p.m., Robeson Room A)
@ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 5:30 p.m.
EGSA presents the 41st annual Insect Fear Film Festival* feat. THE ANT BULLY, ANT-MAN (2/24, 5:30 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. films)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
ARTICLE 20 (in Mandarin with English sub), DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA – TO THE HASHIRA TRAINING (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS, ORDINARY ANGELS, STOPMOTION, ARGYLLE, THE BEEKEEPER, BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE, THE CHOSEN: S4, Ep. 4-6 (faith programming), LAND OF BAD, LISA FRANKENSTEIN, MADAME WEB, PEGASUS 2 (in Mandarin with English sub), SOUL (animation) (first US release) (2/23 on), ORIGIN with Ava DuVernay interview (2/28, 7 p.m.), DUNE: PART TWO (2/29 on)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA – TO THE HASHIRA TRAINING (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS, ORDINARY ANGELS, AMERICAN FICTION, ANYONE BUT YOU, ARGYLLE, BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE, THE BOY AND THE HERON (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), THE CHOSEN: S4, Ep. 4-6 (faith programming), LAND OF BAD*, MADAME WEB, MEAN GIRLS, MIGRATION (animation), POOR THINGS, WONKA (2/23 on), DUNE: PART TWO preview screening (2/25, 7 p.m., IMAX), TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (2/28, 7 p.m.), THE CHOSEN: S4, Ep. 7-8 (faith programming), DUNE: PART TWO (2/29 on) *single screenings daily
@ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Spring 2024 Weekend Films” feat. THE MARVELS, Pine Lounge, 1st floor (2/23-2/24, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
@ Redbox (streaming), Champaign-Urbana, IL
Follow the link to view the hottest new releases! (2/20 on) Online rentals
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies, College of Media, presents TRAIN TO BUSAN (2/29, 7 p.m., Knight Auditorium)
@ 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 Classic 12, Springfield, IL
Springfield Art Association presents Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series feat. THE INNOCENT (2/25, 1 & 4 p.m.; 2/27, 7 p.m.)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS, ARGYLLE, WONKA (2/23-2/25)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
No movies this week!
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING (2/23-2/25), THE MUPPETS (2/26)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
ARGYLLE (2/23-2/25)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
MEAN GIRLS (2/23-2/25)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Gene Siskel Film Center, Art Institute, Chicago, IL
Midwest Film Festival presents BEYOND THEIR YEARS documentary about Herb Carnegie and Buck O’Neil (2/26, 6:30 p.m. doors, 7:50 p.m. presentation)
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
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
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
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
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.
3/9: THE SOUND OF MUSIC “sing-a-long” edition; 4/13: THE THIRD MAN
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies events
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. (unless noted otherwise)
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
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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