Calendar: February 7-13, 2025
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!
2/8: Robin Christian (producer/director, C.O.R.N. II: MIND HARVEST, Dreamscape Cinema, Champaign, IL)
2/12: Gela Rediger (producer/designer, Camp Nostalgic Studios, Champaign-Urbana, IL)
2/13: Steven Bentz (director, The Virginia Theatre, Champaign Park District, Champaign, IL)
PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed
1/28: Kay Bohannon Holley, 71 (actress, WELCOME TO TOLONO, Me Me Productions, Los Angeles, CA)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
We suppose a fresh Report on timely filmy things wouldn’t hurt anyone this week, but we swear that we’re keeping this one short. And by that, we mean shorts! First, it sounds like a few entrants as well as past projects were screened by Champaign Movie Makers at the Phoenix Savoy 16 this past Tuesday, February 4, to mark the conclusion of another 48-hour filmmaking contest; the winner for this outing is a gooey lark titled THE BLUE OOZE BROTHERS from Andrew Nygard and company, which can be viewed right here at YouTube. Also on the ‘tube is a teaser for AN AFFAIR AT THE END OF TIME, the first “official” short subject from Earth-217 Studios, which features local talent Myles Valentine and Katherine Bokenkamp in the lead roles; producer Phillip Hazen and director/writer Chase Todd are submitting the piece to film festivals as we write. And then, we’d love to tell you that free tickets are still available via the CU International Film Festival website for their February 15 event at the UI Spurlock Center of World Cultures, but, not so fast; skip to this page instead, since all the tickets have apparently been claimed, and add yourself to the wait list by February 12 in case any seating opens up. Good luck!
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Back in Savoy, the Chambana Film Festival invites you to cavort about the Savoy 16 en route to the auditorium where they will be presenting all of this year’s Academy Award-nominated short subjects over the next three weekends with the following schedule: “Live Action” category on Sunday, February 16, 4 p.m., followed by the “Animation” category at 6 p.m.; “Documentary” category on Sunday, February 23, 4 p.m.; and, an “Animation” reprise on Sunday, March 2, 4 p.m., which should conclude before the televised Oscar ceremony gets underway. You can also feel free to hit the Savoy 16 on Saturday, February 22, 6 p.m., when, as was probably expected, the folks behind the locally-made documentary THE EVOLUTION OF THE BARBER will host an encore after all the tickets to their first screening were snapped up in advance through specific channels – hint, Beard Culture Barbershop & Gallery of Urbana, hint – as with the CU International fest in the last week. Pens to Lens is still accepting student-crafted screenplays for short films through Friday, February 28, to be reviewed and possibly produced by local film pros. And, Scott Murphy of Neon Street Productions in Danville shared with CMM on Facebook that his film, SHUTEYE, was completed and finally released to YouTube as of January 16; the 22-minute mystery, shot at locations in Vermilion and Douglas counties, stars Aereol Murphy, Pamela Adam, and Makiah Payne.
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We’ll tack on a mention of the following project that was recently introduced on CMM FB since the indie features are what we really like to see taking root in Champaign-Urbana. Despite the deadline of January 31 to apply for both crew positions as stated in the following graphic – you can click it to enlarge – and in this online notice at Backstage for acting positions, we encourage you to contact the producers of DARK SOUL RIVER by writing darksoulriverfilm [at] gmail [dot] com to show interest in case they still need help in certain departments. There is not much that is freely available about this film at the moment; writer-director Vijay M. Rajan, who is a recent transplant from California to central Illinois based on what we have found online, talks about the cross-cultural concept behind his psychological thriller in the materials he has posted on a fiscal sponsorship platform called Filmmakers Collab. He has at least ten narrative films under his belt, as noted on the Internet Movie Database, and also directed for the stage, produced industrial and online content, and taught courses and seminars at colleges and community organizations as well as through his own virtual studio, The Hive SJ. Rajan is clearly an enterprising fellow and that’s pretty key in getting any substantial movie off the ground, especially in our neck of the cornfields, so feel free to welcome him aboard to the C-U and also tell him CUBlog sent you if you decide to check in!
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IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen
In the course of digging up this’s and that’s for today’s Report that we didn’t know a week ago we’d be writing, we came across evidence that the first of two sequels to Dreamscape Cinema’s horror yarn C.O.R.N. is finally being primed for release. Below we share with you the one-sheet design that is now on the Internet Movie Database page for C.O.R.N.II: MIND HARVEST and, if you hit this link, you can watch the trailer for it over at the Vimeo account of Playa Media Group. The series is a “taxidermists of death in the cornfields” concept and in this outing, per the description available at the official Dreamscape website, “The C.O.R.N. people want to perform taxidermy on 13-year-old Summer after she took down their leader, her father known as the ‘Doctor.’ Summer soon realizes her scarred face will prevent her from ever blending in. She befriends Maggie, a criminal psychologist, who becomes her replacement mother. But when Maggie decides to bring the law after the C.O.R.N. cult, she might have guaranteed her and Summer will become C.O.R.N.’s next stuffed art display.” Clearly, a dark sense of humor nourishes this variety of C.O.R.N., which, by the way, stands for “Collective Order of Recreational Necrophilanthropists.”
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Maggie is played by Jessica Morris, a busy character actress with lots of television and genre work to her credit, while Summer Olshefski and veteran heavy Robert Donovan (who appears briefly in SHUTEYE, talked about in the Report) return from the first adventure as Summer and the Doctor, respectively. Keep an eye out for MIND HARVEST and its follow-up, KISS OF DEATH, to soon sprout among the rows of entertainment viewing options out there along with the original C.O.R.N., which has been available to watch on Tubi and other services since 2021. We also wish a happy birthday to C.O.R.N. series creator and Dreamscape founder Robin Christian, who we presume will be cranking some Beatles music to eleven for the occasion at his home in Monticello this weekend. Upcoming projects for Christian and his Champaign-based studio include a long-in-the-works pair of music culture movies: JOY TO THE WORLD, a period comedy, and THE PRINCE OF MATHEW STREET, a biographical portrait of an early Fab Four manager, Sam Leach. Dreamscape releases that debuted in between parts one and two of C.O.R.N. include A FARGO CHRISTMAS STORY, the feel-good drama starring the late Ed Asner that is available for free on YouTube, and BELOW, a shark thriller that recently premiered on Amazon Prime.
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Danville Public Library, Danville, IL
Danville Library Foundation and DPL present “Filmmaking 101” seminar with Demetrius Witherspoon of DV Entertainment Pictures (2/8, 12:30-1:30 p.m., free, Howard Rutan Meeting Room)
@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting: “Speed Dating” (2/10, 7 p.m., Room 1090)
@ University YMCA, UIUC, Urbana, IL
UI Global Relations, etc., present “Uman Tok: Tailoring Hope, Renewing Futures” discussion and trailer screening of documentary made by students at the University of Illinois-Urbana, Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone, and the University of Birmingham, UK (2/13, 6-7:30 p.m., free, Latzer Hall)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
HEART EYES, I’M STILL HERE (in Portuguese with English sub), LOVE HURTS, COMPANION, CREATION OF THE GODS II: DEMON FORCE (in Mandarin with English sub), DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 1900 (in Mandarin with English sub), DOG MAN (animation), THE FIRE INSIDE*, FLIGHT RISK, THE FORGE* (faith film), MUFASA: THE LION KING, ONE OF THEM DAYS, WICKED*, WOLF MAN* (2/7 on), KRAVEN THE HUNTER (2/8, 1 p.m.), PADDINGTON IN PERU preview (2/8, 1 p.m.), AX Cinema Nights presents COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE (animé) (2/9, 4:30 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), ATTACK ON TITAN: THE LAST ATTACK (animé) (2/10-2/12, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub; 2/10, 8 p.m., 2/11-2/12, 3 p.m., English dub), MEMOIR OF A SNAIL event with filmmaker Q&A (animation) (2/11, 7 p.m.), BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN (music documentary), CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD, NE ZHA 2 (animation) (in Mandarin with English sub), HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (re-release, standard and 3-D), PADDINGTON IN PERU (2/13 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN (music documentary, IMAX), HEART EYES, LOVE HURTS, THE BRUTALIST, COMPANION, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, DOG MAN (animation), MOANA 2 (animation), MUFASA: THE LION KING, NOSFERATU*, ONE OF THEM DAYS, PRESENCE, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3, VALIANT ONE, WICKED (2/7 on), PARASITE (re-release) (2/7-2/8, 9:45 p.m.; 2/10-2:12, 9 p.m.; IMAX). UFC 312: Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland, more (mixed martial arts) (2/8, 9 p.m., simulcast), CASABLANCA (2/9, 3 & 7 p.m.; 2/12, 7 p.m.), CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (re-release, standard and 3-D), PADDINGTON IN PERU (2/13 on) *single screenings daily
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents CONCLAVE (2/7-2/8, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)
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 Springfield 12, Springfield, IL
Springfield Art Association presents the 31st annual Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series feat. THELMA (2/9, 1 & 4 p.m.; 2/11, 7 p.m.)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
DOG MAN (animation) (2/7-2/9) [Reduced showings due to heating issues in the Avon Twins]
@ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL
HEART EYES, BRAVE THE DARK (faith film), COMPANION, DOG MAN (animation), FLIGHT RISK (2/7 on), UFC 312: Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland, more (mixed martial arts) (2/8, 9 p.m., simulcast)
@ Crescent Cinemas, Pontiac, IL
DOG MAN (animation), FLIGHT RISK (2/7 on)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
HARRIET (2/7, 7 p.m.)
BACK OPEN! @ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD (2/13-2/16)
@ Marcus Bloomington Cinema + IMAX, Bloomington, IL
BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN (music documentary, IMAX), HEART EYES, LOVE HURTS, THE BRUTALIST, COMPANION, DOG MAN (animation), FLIGHT RISK, GREEN AND GOLD*, MOANA 2 (animation), MUFASA: THE LION KING, ONE OF THEM DAYS, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3* (2/7 on), Indian Cinema: HARIDASARA DINACHARI (Kannada w/English sub, 2/7-2/12), THANDEL (Telugu w/English sub, 2/7, 2/9-2/12), and VIDAAMUYARCHI (Tamil w/English sub, 2/7-2/12), VALIANT ONE* (2/7, 2/9-2/12), IF* (2/7-2/9), IU: THE WINNING (concert film) (2/8, 3:30 p.m., IMAX), “The Twilight Saga Marathon” (five films) (2/8, 12, 12:30, 1 & 1:15 p.m.), Black History Month: NOPE (2/9, 12 p.m.) and GET OUT (2/9, 1 p.m.), ATTACK ON TITAN: THE LAST ATTACK (animé) (2/10, 6:10 p.m., in Japanese with English sub; 2/10, 8 p.m., English dub), THE MONKEY preview (2/12, 7 p.m.), CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD, PADDINGTON IN PERU (2/13 on) *single screenings daily
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
MEMOIR OF A SNAIL (animation) (2/7-2/9), THE SUBSTANCE (2/7), THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (2/8-2/9), The African American Studies Program at Illinois State University presents I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO (documentary) (2/10, 7 p.m., free), DINNER IN AMERICA (2/12)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (2/7-2/9)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
HEART EYES, LOVE HURTS, COMPANION, DOG MAN (animation), FLIGHT RISK, MOANA 2 (animation), MUFASA: THE LION KING (2/7 on), GREEN AND GOLD* (2/8-2/9)
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
2/15
3rd annual CU International Film Festival*
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
2/22
42nd Insect Fear Film Festival*
@ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 5 p.m., free
NEW! 2/22
THE EVOLUTION OF THE BARBER* documentary showing
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 6 p.m.
NEW! 3/25, 3/27
Rantoul Film Festival*
@ Rantoul Business Center, Rantoul, IL
3/27-3/29
2025 Big Muddy Film Festival*
@ The Varsity Center, Carbondale, IL
4/3-4/13
35th Onion City Experimental Film Festival, Chicago, IL
4/3-4/10
27th annual Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI
4/23/-4/25
25th Roger Ebert’s Film Festival*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
5/29-6/2
The Chambana Film Festival
@ TBA, Champaign-Urbana, IL
NEW! 9/21
The Chambana Music Film Festival (title TBA)
@ TBA, Champaign-Urbana, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
UPDATE! Chambana Film Festival* screening series
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
2/16-3/2: The Oscar Nominated Shorts 2025 – Live Action (2/16, 4 p.m.), Documentary (2/23, 4 p.m.), and Animation (2/16, 6 p.m.; 3/2, 4 p.m.)
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
2/14-2/15: THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (animation); 2/21-2/22: GLADIATOR II: 2/28-3/1: SEPTEMBER 5; 3/7-3/8: WICKED; 3/14-3/15: MUFASA: THE LION KING; 3/21-3/22: THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM (animation); 3/28-3/29: PITCH PERFECT; 4/4-4/5: NOSFERATU; 4/11-4/12: WALL-E (animation); 4/18-4/19: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3; 4/25-4/26: THE WILD ROBOT (animation); 5/2-5/3: CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD; 5/4: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
NEW! Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* event series
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
2/27: DOG DAY AFTERNOON screening; 3/28: “Japanese Paper Print Project: Film and Live Music Event”; 3/31: “Videographic Criticism Talk: Tracing Media Histories Through Videographic Criticism”; 4/22: Ebert Symposium screening: HER; 4/23: Ebert Symposium keynote and roundtables: “Artificial Intelligence Imagined and Realized”
Springfield Art Association presents the 31st annual Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series
@ AMC Classic Springfield 12, Springfield, IL, 1 & 4 p.m. Sunday + 7 p.m. Tuesday
2/16, 2/18: TOUCH; 2/23, 2/25: THE LAST OF THE SEA WOMEN; 3/2, 3/4: THE TASTE OF THINGS
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2025 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential
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