Calendar: August 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!
8/23: Luke Boyce (editor, HAPPILY NEVER AFTER, The Line Film Co., Chicago, IL/MarVista Entertainment, Los Angeles, CA)
8/23: Shannon Beranek (copy editor, Bachelor Pad Magazine, Champaign, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
We suppose it’s time to report back to work at MFHQ Deux and resume walking our (virtual) beat on the streets of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond, although we’ll need to keep things brief for a few weeks as we sharpen all our No. 2s and straighten up every last news desk. Pens to Lens 2024 had its homecoming at the Virginia Theatre of Champaign a week ago and their newest six-pack of film shorts has been added to YouTube for your enjoyment; on a side note, writer Amy Penne of Smile Politely is emerging as a friend of cinema at the C-U culture site, so our scene would do good by keeping her in the know. Also on YouTube, our local friend Colin Price has resumed his genre film vlog reviews at the Priceless B Movies channel after a several-year hiatus; his first analysis back is of 2001 MANIACS with Robert Englund and Lin Shaye, and we’re certain he has a big off-screen list of what he’d like to pontificate over next. To conclude, those in the job market for something higher-profile and metropolitan might take a good look at the just-opened position of Executive Director at the Midwest Film Festival based in Chicago; naturally, the application deadline is at the end of the month, so if you seriously want to consider a gig like this – part-time, decent pay, film culture concentrated – your moment is nigh.
IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen
In March 1999, we fired off our original ‘zine, MICRO-FILM: The Warning Shot. In August 1999, we went “Extra, extra!” with the first issue of our local film culture ‘zine in newsletter form, MICRO-Scope, the front of which is pictured below and the history of which Ye Ed wrote up here. 25 years ago, we were also in the throes of concocting what would become the debut issue of MICRO-FILM, which we unleashed upon the world in October 1999. And now, with MF effectively dormant for more than a decade, there’s not much else for us to say or do about it on its impending anniversary. We think. We’ll see. A timely and creative rebirth for your humble editor and friends would not be unwelcome, within reason. Caw, caw!
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CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
25 Years Ago … Friday, August 6, 1999: MICRO-Scope #1, our first original print publication after MICRO-FILM: The Warning Shot, is placed in Champaign-Urbana businesses for free not unlike our current C-U Confidential digest. Each two-sided newsletter featured as many locally-oriented news items as we could cram onto that color paper stock in our pre-Internet era! [R]
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Festival* presents THE WINGWALKER (8/25, 4 p.m.)
@ Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL
Champaign County Film Office and Shatterglass Films present “So You Want to be a Film Artist?” informational meeting (8/29, 5:30 p.m., free)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
BETWEEN THE TEMPLES, BLINK TWICE, THE CROW, DECODED (in Mandarin with English sub), THE FORGE (faith film), STRANGE DARLING, ALIEN: ROMULUS, BORDERLANDS*, CORALINE (animation; re-release), DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, DESPICABLE ME 4 (animation), IT ENDS WITH US, TWISTERS (8/23 on), Studio Ghibli Fest: WHISPER OF THE HEART (animé) (8/25, 3 & 7 p.m., English dub; 8/27, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub) and THE CAT RETURNS (animé) (8/26, 7 p.m., English dub; 8/28, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (8/26, 7 p.m.), AFRAID, REAGAN (8/29 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
BLINK TWICE, THE CROW, THE FORGE (faith film), STRANGE DARLING, ALIEN: ROMULUS, CORALINE (animation; re-release), DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, DESPICABLE ME 4 (animation), INSIDE OUT 2 (animation), IT ENDS WITH US, MY PENGUIN FRIEND, RYAN’S WORLD THE MOVIE* (live action/animation), TWISTERS (8/23 on), CLOSE TO YOU* (8/23-8/27, 8/29), LONGLEGS (8/23-8/24, 8/26-8/27, 8/29), TRAP (8/23-8/24, 8/26-8/29), BORDERLANDS (8/23-8/24, 8/29), REAR WINDOW (8/25, 8/28, 1 & 7 p.m.), Studio Ghibli Fest: WHISPER OF THE HEART (animé) (8/25, 3 & 7 p.m., English dub; 8/26, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub) and THE CAT RETURNS (animé) (8/28, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (8/25, 3 & 7 p.m.; 8/28, 7 p.m.) *single screenings daily
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE (8/24, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
The News-Gazette Film Series presents IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (8/24, 1 & 7 p.m.), Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series” feat. BACK TO THE FUTURE (8/29, 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
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
ALIEN: ROMULUS, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, THELMA (8/23-8/25)
@ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL
BLINK TWICE, ALIEN: ROMULUS, IT ENDS WITH US, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, TWISTERS (8/23 on)
@ Crescent Cinemas, Pontiac, IL
IT ENDS WITH US, MY PENGUIN FRIEND (8/23 on)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
SHREK (animation) (8/25, 2 p.m., free)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
TWISTER, TWISTERS (Screen 1), THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, ALIEN: ROMULUS (Screen 2) (8/23-8/24)
@ Marcus Bloomington Cinema + IMAX, Bloomington, IL
BLINK TWICE, THE CROW, THE FORGE (faith film), STRANGE DARLING, ALIEN: ROMULUS, BORDERLANDS*, CORALINE (animation; re-release), DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, DESPICABLE ME 4 (animation), IT ENDS WITH US, MY PENGUIN FRIEND, TWISTERS (8/23 on), Indian cinema: VAAZHAI* (8/23-8/24, 8/26-8/28, in Tamil with English sub), MARUTHI NAGAR SUBRAMANYAM* (8/23-8/28, in Telugu with English sub), and STREE 2* (8/23-8/24, 8/26-8/28, in Hindi with English sub), SING 2* (animation) (8/24-8/29), SEVENTEEN TOUR ‘FOLLOW’ AGAIN TO SEOUL (concert film) (8/224, 12:55 p.m., in Korean with English sub), REAR WINDOW (8/25, 1 & 7 p.m.; 8/28, 7 p.m.), Studio Ghibli Fest: WHISPER OF THE HEART (animé) (8/25, 3:05 & 7 p.m., English dub; 8/27, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub) and THE CAT RETURNS (animé) (8/26, 7 p.m., English dub; 8/28, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), THE EXORCIST “extended director’s cut” (8/23, 9:10 p.m.; 8/27, 6:50 p.m.), EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (8/28, 7 p.m., IMAX), AFRAID, REAGAN (8/29 on) *single screenings daily
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (8/23-8/25), KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE (8/23-8/24), THE CIRCUS (1928) (8/25), CHILDREN OF MEN (8/27)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
TWISTERS (8/23-8/25)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
IT ENDS WITH US, ALIEN: ROMULUS (Screen 1), DESPICABLE ME 4 (animation), TWISTERS (Screen 2) (8/23-8/24)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
ALIEN: ROMULUS, CORALINE* (animation; re-release), BORDERLANDS, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, DESPICABLE ME 4 (animation), INSIDE OUT 2 (animation), IT ENDS WITH US, TWISTERS (8/23 on), RUNNING ON EMPTY* (8/23-8/25) *single screenings daily
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Gene Siskel Film Center, SAIC, Chicago, IL
Midwest Film Festival presents ‘Emerging Filmmakers Night’ (8/26, 6:30 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. program)
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
8/31-9/1
10th anniversary Dark History & Horror Con*
@ Orpheum Champaign (The Orpheum Theater), Champaign, IL
NEW! 9/19-10/6
42nd REELING: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
10/16-10/27
60th Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
11/1-11/2
23rd Route 66 Film Festival*
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
2/15/25
3rd annual CU International Film Festival*
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
4/23/-4/25/25
25th Roger Ebert’s Film Festival*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Chambana Film Festival* – Summer 2024 screening series
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 4 p.m.
9/29: A TIME APART
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
9/26: OFFICE SPACE*, 10/17: FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980); 11/20: THE BOY AND THE HERON (animé); 12/5: FRIDAY*
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2024 Weekend Films”
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat, free w/i-card
8/30-8/31: THE GARFIELD MOVIE (animation); 9/6-9/7: INSIDE OUT 2 (animation); 9/13-9/14: BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE; 9/20-9/21: MEAN GIRLS (2004); 9/27-9/28: TWISTERS; 10/4-10/5: BORDERLANDS; 10/11-10/12: LONGLEGS; 10/18-10/19: DESPICABLE ME 4 (animation); HOCUS POCUS (10/25-10/26); 11/1-11/2: FLY ME TO THE MOON; 11/8-11/9: IT ENDS WITH US; 11/15-11/16: SCREAM (1996); 11/22-11/23: BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE; 12/6-12/7: HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
Illinois Public Media presents “The Arthouse Experience Film Series”
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
9/6: HOOP DREAMS* (documentary); 10/4: MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON (animation); 10/18: TO LESLIE; 11/22: RUSHMORE
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
9/21: THE LONG GOODBYE; 10/19: REAR WINDOW; 11/30: THE WIZARD OF OZ; 12/7: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2024 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential
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