Calendar: Nov. 29-Dec. 5, 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!
11/22: Chase Todd (cohost, Phil & Chase Watch Everything podcast, Earth-217 Studios, Villa Grove/Savoy, IL)
12/3: Greg Woods (publisher, The Eclectic Screening Room, Toronto, Canada)
12/3: Bryan Wendorf (programmer/artistic director, Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
Mere hours after filing last week’s Report, Ye Ed was taking a late-night break at MFHQ Deux and scrolling through Google headlines on his phone. Algorithm powers of persuasion aside, it surprised him to find several stories within a sixty- or seventy-count assortment that were relevant to the Confidential methodology, considering all the publishing that is done online every day. These are those stories…
In one, Bloody Disgusting reported that Nicolas Elert and John Pata, the respective music score composer and director-writer of the filmed-in-Rantoul horror tale BLACK MOLD, were collaborating on releasing a limited-run vinyl soundtrack as well as the expected digital downloads through Elert’s Bandcamp profile. In another, Variety broke that WWE wrestling star CM Punk had been cast in the upcoming Syfy original series REVIVAL that is currently being filmed in Canada under the watch of Aaron B. Koonz and Luke Boyce, the latter of Shatterglass Studios and Flyover Film Studios in Champaign/Rantoul. In yet another, the Collider entertainment site elected to cite the late Roger Ebert and his love for CHOP SHOP, the low-budget “realist” drama from filmmaker Ramin Bahrani set on the streets of the Queens neighborhood in New York City; it was barely released to theaters in 2008 by Koch Lorber Films but found a large and receptive audience at Champaign’s Virginia Theatre the next year during the eleventh Roger Ebert’s Film Festival.
And in one more, Bloody Disgusting paid tribute to another creative and native son from Illinois, Ray Bradbury, with a glowing review of a new “Treehouse of Horror” episode on THE SIMPSONS entitled “Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes;” the Fox Network aired it last Sunday, November 24. Apparently, the final segment of the anthology special takes its cues from Fahrenheit 451, which was previously adapted for HBO a few years ago with Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon in the leads and Bahrani in the director’s chair. For our finishing move this bout, we have a colorful piece from Cageside Seats about the kinds of television that inspired a young Champaign-Urbana boy named Tony Khan, well before he took the reins at several professional sports operations and founded the popular All Elite Wrestling; G. I. JOE, THE A-TEAM, and World Wrestling Federation broadcasts were all favorites. Go figure, brother.
We will probably play a little fast, loose, and brief with Reports over the next few weeks since it’s the end of the year. There are further local film developments that we’re asked to not write about yet – “ugh” to la vida C-U and movie business confidentiality, grumbles Mr. JaPan – but those breaking announcements and a nostalgic flashback track will be shared before 2025 chimes in. Stay tuned!
IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen
In the meantime, we’ll happily plug once again the world premiere of THE L.A.F. KIDS from NorthEnd Empire LLC and their label, NorthEnd Empire Films, which is set for 6 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, November 30, at the restored Fischer Theater in downtown Danville. Below is their show poster, which you can enlarge with a click so the QR codes can be scanned; they will direct you to last year’s IRRESPONSIBULL feature and the more recent SCAREBUSTERS. Also be sure to skim the NorthEnd Facebook account for more details, images, trailers, and appearances in central Illinois media. The Peoria-based group is clearly going to town at the grassroots level and loving it. More power to them!
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THE L.A.F. KIDS is a NorthEnd Empire LLC (Peoria/Champaign-Urbana/Chicago, IL) production that is written and directed by Nate L. Morris and edited by Sylvio Fleurimond. The film stars Brian Yabrough, Chuck Gibson, Marissa Curry, Holden Hightower, Na’Vaiya Lewis, Adila Taylor, Naijier Morris, Williams “Big Bill” Dixon, Reesha Morris, and Amanda Allhands.
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
NorthEnd Empire LLC presents THE L.A.F. KIDS* red carpet world premiere (11/30, 6 p.m.)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
MOANA 2 (animation), THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (faith film), BONHOEFFER (faith film), GLADIATOR II, HERETIC, RED ONE, VENOM: THE LAST DANCE, WICKED, THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (11/29 on), FLOW (animation), “For King + Country: A Drummer Boy Christmas Live” (faith concert recording), RM: RIGHT PEOPLE, WRONG PLACE (music documentary; in Korean with English sub), SOLO LEVELING: REAWAKENING (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), WEREWOLVES, Y2K (12/5 on)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
MOANA 2 (animation), THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (faith film), BONHOEFFER (faith film), CONCLAVE, GLADIATOR II, A REAL PAIN*, RED ONE, VENOM: THE LAST DANCE, WICKED, THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (11/29 on), NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (12/1, 3 & 7 p.m.; 12/4, 7 p.m.), The Metropolitan Opera: Tosca (12/4, 1 & 6:30 p.m., recorded), “For King + Country: A Drummer Boy Christmas Live” (faith concert recording) (12/5 on) *single screenings daily
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (11/22-11/23, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)
@ Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* presents GREMLINS (12/5, 7 p.m., Knight Auditorium, free)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
The News-Gazette Film Series presents THE WIZARD OF OZ (11/30, 1 & 7 p.m.), Illini Radio Group presents “Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays” feat. FRIDAY (12/5, 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
MOANA 2 (animation), WICKED (11/28-12/1), GLADIATOR II (11/29, 7 p.m.)
@ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL
MOANA 2 (animation), THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (faith film), BONHOEFFER (faith film), GLADIATOR II, RED ONE, WICKED (11/29 on)
@ Crescent Cinemas, Pontiac, IL
MOANA 2 (animation), WICKED (11/29 on)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (11/28, 7 p.m.)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
“Hot Chocolate & Holiday Movies” feat. ELF (Screen 1), IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Screen 2) (11/29-11/30)
@ Marcus Bloomington Cinema + IMAX, Bloomington, IL
MOANA 2 (animation), THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (faith film), BONHOEFFER (faith film), GLADIATOR II, RED ONE, VENOM: THE LAST DANCE*, WICKED (11/29 on), Marcus “Mystery Movie” (12/2, 7 p.m.), PUSHPA 2: THE RULE (12/4, 12:30, 4:30 & 8:30 p.m., IMAX, in Telugu with English sub), “For King + Country: A Drummer Boy Christmas Live” (faith concert recording), RM: RIGHT PEOPLE, WRONG PLACE (music documentary; in Korean with English sub), SOLO LEVELING: REAWAKENING (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), Y2K (12/5 on) *single screenings daily
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION, DIE HARD (11/29), A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE POLAR EXPRESS (animation), HOME ALONE, ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE (11/30), MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1994), THE GRINCH (animation) (12/1), ELF (12/2), LOVE ACTUALLY (12/3), KILLER RACCOONS 2: DARK CHRISTMAS IN THE DARK (12/4), THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (12/5)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
MOANA 2 (animation) (11/28-12/1)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (faith film) (11/27-12/1)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
MOANA 2 (animation), THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (faith film), GLADIATOR II, RED ONE, WICKED (11/29 on)
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. And for northern Illinois industry news, be sure to read Reel Chicago and Screen Magazine.
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
12/14
Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin “Ultimate Anthology” tour (film music of Argento, Romero, etc.)
@ The Canopy Club, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show
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
4/3-4/13/25
35th Onion City Experimental Film Festival, Chicago, IL
NEW! 4/3-4/10/25
27th annual Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI
4/23/-4/25/25
25th Roger Ebert’s Film Festival*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
5/29-6/2/25
The Chambana Film Festival
@ TBA, Champaign-Urbana, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Chambana Film Festival* screening series
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 4 p.m.
12/29: documentary shorts incl. FACING THE FALLS
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
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.
12/14: ROBOT DREAMS (animation)
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
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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