Calendar: May 10-16, 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!
5/9: Chuck Russell (director, WITCHBOARD, Gala Films/Gala Games, Jackson, WY/actor, SHOT, Cinemaguild, UIUC, Urbana, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
Today’s Report should really be a full-blown post like we’ve run in the past but, horror of horrors, we’re going to condense this update on the locally-made terror films that have all decided to burst forth at the same time like yesterday’s cicadas. To be accurate, we’re talking about previews for said films and not the real deals, but at least it’s a definite sign these productions are on the way to weird us out of our wits!
On April 17, HorrorFix Films of Springfield unleashed the official trailer for the anthology feature F’D: TALES FROM THE END TIMES we’ve told you about previously, and it looks to be a mix of found footage affects and lo-fi gruesomeness for those in the mood for edgy mayhem. Project coordinator Ash Hamilton shares on Facebook that F’D has begun playing festivals and earning laurels, such as the “Best Ensemble” and “Best Sci-Fi” nods from the Miami International Gold Awards a week ago.
On April 20, Predestined Arts & Entertainment of Springfield provided their Facebook followers a first look at LIPSTICK, the long-in-the-works feature follow-up to BEFORE ‘I DO’ from writer/director Kimberly D. Conner. Starring Camille Winbush (THE BERNIE MAC SHOW) as a criminal defense attorney who moonlights as a self-described “Lady Justice,” operating on the streets and outside the law, LIPSTICK was filmed in 2022 in Los Angeles and just selected to play the Roxbury International Film Festival in Boston this June. Both the new trailer and a previous teaser can be watched on YouTube.
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On April 23, Acrostar Productions of Chicago launched yet another fundraising and perks (a-hem) campaign for the full-length version of their campy “sisters vs. witches” tale, NIGHT OF THE DEAD SORORITY BABES, which includes a 50-second teaser with new footage from the crew’s return to the lake house setting in Decatur. The S. J. Herman production features much of the cast from the proof-of-concept edition we talked about previously – director Angel Bradford, producer Ann Myrna, cult icon Lynn Lowry, Mia Katz, Kelsey Livengood, Ashleigh Amberlynn, Jessa Flux, Samantha Hupp – and two new faces, Anna Clary (THE WOODMEN) and Mel Heflin (TALES FROM THE GRAVEYARD). Acrostar promises to have both BABES and the tense psychodrama DISREMEMBERED out later in the summer.
On April 24, Swede Films of Champaign-Urbana shared on Facebook a specially-made teaser for their sequel FINAL SUMMER PART II, now subtitled PROWLER as a nod to the vintage 1981 slasher film directed by Joseph Zito; this time, the killer (whomever they are, given how the original ended) is literally out of the woods and hitting town to wreak havoc during the fall of 1993 as a bunch of grunge rockers bop the night away. Directed and produced by John Isberg, PART II will go into production soon.
Also on April 24, Heroic Age Studios of Mt. Zion revealed that, at long last, a preview for their fantasy-horror biker bar opus TRICK AND TREATS had been added to the project’s Internet Movie Database profile; a heartfelt update from Heroic duo Eric Hector and Tim Lynn appeared on Facebook to thank everyone for their efforts and patience – principal photography was done in 2018 – as well as confirm that several distributors have been taking interest in their reinvention of the “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater” nursery rhyme. Given Hector’s background, it is visually drenched in comic book hues and design.
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On May 3, co-writer and star Bishop Stevens announced on his Facebook profile on behalf of Meet Me at the Movies Productions that the filming of THE BATON ROUGE SERIAL KILLER: DERRICK TODD LEE had wrapped it the Decatur area. He also shared that all footage had been turned over to Heroic Age’s Lynn to begin post-production. A previous teaser made up of material shot during last year’s visit to the Soy Capital, originally posted with a now-closed Indiegogo campaign, can still be viewed here to give you an idea of their docudrama aims; it will likely be replaced soon with a more complete look at the film.
We probably should call back to the other recent genre films made in our neck of the woods (and cornfields, and college towns, and…) that are now playing near you. BLACK MOLD, an unofficial “test run feature” made in what was recently christened the Flyover Film Studios of Rantoul, has been showing exclusively on Tubi since December 7. PROJECT DOROTHY, the “lost” AI thriller that was filmed at the Rivian plant in Normal by Los Angeles filmmakers a few years ago, began its VOD run on January 16. AFTERLIFE, from Ben Harl and Silver Compass Studios of Decatur, has been available to rent on several services since February 27. HUNTING FOR THE HAG, from Paul A. Brooks and Into the Night Motion Pictures of Normal, began streaming on multiple platforms on April 2. And, let’s congratulate Chase & Shep on their big-screen debut as part of the Chicago Horror Film Festival on May 5, where THE EXORCISM OF CHASE & SHEP was included in a closing night block. Whew. Got all that?
This compounding of creepy is surely a coincidence, and we can bet the movies of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond will branch back out into more breadth as we move along into the future. Even if grue isn’t your game, try to give our movie creatives support when you get a chance to check out their wares or step into a role on either side of the camera. Who knows? They might even be watching you. Wait a sec … is that … that damned yellow raincoat? Passing by, again? Get off our MFHQ lawn!
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, NOT ANOTHER CHURCH MOVIE, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS, ABIGAIL*, CHALLENGERS, CIVIL WAR, THE FALL GUY, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, KUNG FU PANDA 4 (animation), THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE, STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE (re-release), TAROT, UNSUNG HERO (faith film) (5/10 on), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (5/13, 7 p.m.), “Transformers 40th Anniversary Event” feat. TRANSFORMERS S1 Ep. 1-4 (5/15, 7 p.m.), BACK TO BLACK, IF, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 (5/16 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, NOT ANOTHER CHURCH MOVIE, ABIGAIL, CHALLENGERS, CIVIL WAR, DUNE: PART TWO, THE FALL GUY, GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, KUNG FU PANDA 4 (animation), THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE, STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE (re-release), TAROT, UNSUNG HERO (faith film) (5/10 on), The Metropolitan Opera: Madama Butterfly (5/11, 11:55 a.m., simulcast; 5/15, 1 & 6:30 p.m., recorded), THE WIZARD OF OZ (5/11, 7 p.m.; 5/12, 3 & 7 p.m.; 5/15, 7 p.m.), BACK TO BLACK, IF, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 (5/16 on)
@ Redbox (streaming), Champaign-Urbana, IL
Follow the link to view the hottest new releases! (5/7 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
KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, THE FALL GUY (5/10-5/12)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
THE NOTEBOOK (5/10, 7 p.m.), Danville Public Library, etc., presents “A Novel Idea…” feat. THE LUCKY ONE (4/11, 7 p.m.)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
THE FALL GUY, THE MUMMY (1999, re-release) (Screen 1), KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE (re-release) (Screen 2) (5/10-5/12)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
YOUR FAT FRIEND (documentary) (5/10-5/11), MAMMA MIA! (5/12), REALITY BITES (5/16)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
No movies this week!
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
CHALLENGERS (5/10-5/11)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
MIGRATION (animation), THE FALL GUY (Screen 1), KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, ALIEN (re-release) (Screen 2) (5/10-5/11)
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
NEW! 5/20
Champaign Movie Makers* mixer
@ Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
8/31-9/1
10th anniversary Dark History & Horror Con
@ Orpheum Champaign (The Orpheum Theater), Champaign, IL
11/1-11/2
23rd Route 66 Film Festival*
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Chambana Film Festival – Spring 2024 screening series
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 4 p.m.
5/26: BIKE VESSEL
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
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.
5/24: FREE SOLO; 6/21: WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?; 7/5: STOP MAKING SENSE;
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
5/25: THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1923) with accompaniment by organist Jay Warren; 6/15: HARVEY; 7/13: ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
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