Calendar: October 11-17, 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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FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
No surprise at all, there has been even more movement on locally-photographed and produced movies that we wish to Report, dearest readers! To start with the seasonally creepy one, Into the Night Motion Pictures of Normal shared a week ago that HUNTING FOR THE HAG, their outdoors thriller mentioned in our previous Report, is now available to watch on the ad-supported sites Tubi and Plex as well as through Fandango at Home and Amazon Prime. Since completing HAG and securing their distribution deal, the studio has embarked on investigations anew for their GHOST GIRLS paranormal reality series and filmed a pair of new episodes in the fall of 2023 that should finally be arriving in the coming months; the pilot has been haunting Tubi since 2021 at this very spot, cold with alleged activity and hot with hot tub action.
Joining GIRLS and HAG in the catalog of the popular service as of last week is HOLIDAY HOLD-UP, the comedic heist romp we told you about earlier in the summer. We know nothing else about the distribution plans for the project, which is the latest collaboration between The Line Film Co. of Chicago and Shatterglass Films of Champaign to see commercial release, but their hands are otherwise full. Shatterglass’ Luke Boyce is overseeing production with Aaron B. Koontz in the New Brunswick province of Canada on the first season of the Syfy program REVIVAL, which was ordered to series a few months back and has been in the works for some time, while the rest of their team shores up the Flyover Film Studios location in Rantoul as they seek outside investments to the tune of $3.5 million total on top of the $1.1 million “soundstage grant” awarded to them by the state of Illinois back in February.
Finally, we learned the other indie production apart from HOLIDAY that made its presence known in and around Champaign County in the late winter and spring of 2023 with an assist from Shatterglass/Line Co., ALBANY ROAD, is set to receive a limited theatrical release through the AMC Theaters and Malco Theatres chains beginning on Friday, November 15. According to this article by The Hollywood Reporter, an agreement was made directly with filmmaker Christine Swanson and her company, Faith Filmworks. It is unclear if ALBANY will appear at all AMC locations including the ones near us, although the C-U populace had their opportunity to watch the movie at Roger Ebert’s Film Festival in April, and home video prospects for practically everything we’ve title-dropped today is anybody’s guess. No surprise, there.
IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen
The Ghost Girls and the Hag-Hunting Ladies wanted to say “hi” and remind you to savor the spooky season! (Note: MFHQ Deux is a spoopy-free zone, kthanxbai.) The paranormal investigators are, from left, Sarah Nicklin, Sierra Renfro, Ashley Troub, and Karaleigh Antoinette; the urban legend debunkers are, from left, Alexa Maris, Jasmine Williams, and Renfro pulling double duty. We still don’t know who or what the Hag actually is. (One might ask Nathan Brandon Gaik if one feels brave enough to discover the truth.) All will be revealed to a degree when you watch their respective adventures and, as hinted during Brooks and Renfro’s appearance on the Horror Pop After Midnight podcast in May, more strangeness is afoot once the new GHOST GIRLS episodes drop. What could it possibly be? Stay tuned, as they say!
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CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
110 Years Ago … Monday, October 19, 1914: Owners of the brand-new New Orpheum Theatre in downtown Champaign open for business according to the Urbana Courier-Herald; entertainment scheduled for 7:30 and 9 p.m. shows includes “five high-class vaudeville acts,” an “enlarged orchestra,” and “special exclusive photo plays” per a news item and advertisement in that day’s edition. Designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Rapp & Rapp after the Royal Opera theater within the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France, the building now houses the “destination venue” Orpheum Champaign. [R] [Rev. 10/11/24]
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
THE APPRENTICE, MY HERO ACADEMIA: YOU’RE NEXT (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (animation) (re-release), PIECE BY PIECE, SATURDAY NIGHT, SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY (documentary), TERRIFIER 3, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, JOKER: FOILE À DEUX, MY OLD ASS*, SPEAK NO EVIL, TRANSFORMERS ONE (animation), THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (10/4 on), COCO* (animation) (10/11-10/15), JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL (concert documentary “party edition”) (10/11-10/13, 1 p.m.; in Korean with English sub), AVERAGE JOE (faith film) (10/13-10/14), AX Cinema Nights presents “Gundam Fest” feat. MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM II: SOLDIERS OF SORROW (animé) (10/16, 7:30 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), SMILE 2 (10/17 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
THE APPRENTICE, AVERAGE JOE* (faith film), MY HERO ACADEMIA: YOU’RE NEXT (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (animation) (re-release), PIECE BY PIECE, SATURDAY NIGHT, SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY (documentary), TERRIFIER 3, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, JOKER: FOILE À DEUX, THE SUBSTANCE, TRANSFORMERS ONE (animation), WHITE BIRD, THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (10/4 on), MONSTER SUMMER* (10/11-10/12, 10/14-10/17), THE LOST BOYS (10/13, 3 & 7 p.m.; 10/16, 7 p.m.), SMILE 2 (10/17 on) *single screenings daily
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* presents “Kartemquin’s Labor Films: Stories of Working in America” screening (10/17, 7 p.m.) and “Documentaries on the Frontline of Democracy: How Kartemquin’s Storytelling Works for Stronger Publics” lecture (10/18, 2 p.m.)
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents LONGLEGS (10/11-10/12, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series” feat. FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980) (10/17, 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
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, JOKER: FOILE À DEUX, THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (10/11-10/13), THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW w/shadow cast (10/11-10/12, Midnight)
@ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL
MY OLD ASS, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (animation) (re-release), BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, JOKER: FOILE À DEUX, THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (10/11 on)
@ Crescent Cinemas, Pontiac, IL
JOKER: FOILE À DEUX, THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (10/11 on)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (animation) (re-release) (10/12, 2 p.m.), Danville Public Library presents “A Novel Idea…” feat. SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK (10/17, 7 p.m.)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
GREASE w/cast meet-and-greet (Screen 1 & 2) (10/11), MONSTER HOUSE (animation), CORALINE (animation) (Screen 1), BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (Screen 2) (10/12)
@ Marcus Bloomington Cinema + IMAX, Bloomington, IL
THE APPRENTICE, AVERAGE JOE* (faith film), MY HERO ACADEMIA: YOU’RE NEXT (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (animation) (re-release), PIECE BY PIECE, SATURDAY NIGHT, SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY (documentary), TERRIFIER 3, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, JOKER: FOILE À DEUX, SPEAK NO EVIL, TRANSFORMERS ONE (animation), WHITE BIRD, THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (10/4 on), Indian cinema: JANAKA AITHE GANAKA* (10/11-10/16, Telugu w/English sub), VICKY VIDYA KA WOH WALA VIDEO* (10/11-10/12, 10/14-10/16, Hindi w/English sub), JIGRA* (10/11, 10/13-10/16, Hindi w/English sub), MA NANNA SUPERHERO* (10/11-10/16, Telugu w/English sub), and VETTAIYAN (10/11-10/16, Telugu or Tamil w/English sub), JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL* (concert documentary “party edition”) (10/11-10/13; in Korean with English sub), A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 40th anniversary (10/11-10/12, 9:30 p.m.), SLEEPY HOLLOW 25th anniversary (10/13, 10/16, 7:30 p.m.), HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (10/13, 4 p.m.; 10/14, 6 p.m.), TAEYONG: TY TRACK (concert documentary) (10/16, 7 p.m.; in Korean with English sub), BLINK (documentary), SMILE 2 (10/17 on) *single screenings daily
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984), WES CRAVEN’S NEW NIGHTMARE (10/11), THE BLACK CAULDRON (animation), HOCUS POCUS, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA (10/12), THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (animation), PSYCHO (1960), HOUSE (in Japanese with English sub) (10/13), “Politics and Media Machines Series” feat. THE CANDIDATE (10/14), PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (10/15), AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (10/16), THE FLY (1986) (10/17)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
Closed until November.
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
BLINK TWICE (10/11-10/13)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
THE WILD ROBOT (animation), BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (Screen 1), TERRIFIER 3, JOKER: FOILE À DEUX (Screen 2) (10/11-10/12)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
THE SILENT HOUR*, TERRIFIER 3, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, FAITH OF ANGELS (faith film), JOKER: FOILE À DEUX, REAGAN, SPEAK NO EVIL, TRANSFORMERS ONE (animation), THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (10/11 on) *single screenings daily
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Living Room Theaters/Kan-Kan Cinema and Restaurant, etc., Indianapolis/Noblesville, IN
33rd Heartland International Film Festival (10/10-10/20)
@ AMC Newcity 14/Music Box Theatre, etc., Chicago, IL
60th Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago, IL (10/16-10/27)
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
11/1-11/2
23rd Route 66 Film Festival*
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
11/7-11/17
33rd St. Louis International Film Festival
@ The Hi-Pointe Theatre, St. Louis, MO
2/15/25
3rd annual CU International Film Festival*
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
3/27-3/29/25
2025 Big Muddy Film Festival*
@ The Varsity Center, Carbondale, 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* screening series
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 4 p.m.
10/27: HAUNT SEASON; 11/17: THE PROBLEM OF THE HERO; 11/24: THE HOBBY; 12/29: documentary shorts incl. FACING THE FALLS
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
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
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.
10/18: TO LESLIE; 11/22: RUSHMORE
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
10/19: REAR WINDOW; 11/30: THE WIZARD OF OZ; 12/7: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* event series
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
11/14: ALIEN: ROMULUS screening; 12/5: GREMLINS screening
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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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