Calendar: April 25-May 1, 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!
4/25: Marty McKee (writer, Johnny LaRue’s Crane Shot, Champaign-Urbana, IL)
4/28: John Isberg (cinematographer/co-producer, HAUNTED HOUSE OF PANCAKES, Haunted House of Pancakes LLC, Fort Thomas, KY)
4/29: Sophie McMahan Berkley (artist, Sophie McMahan, Urbana, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
The Report is on hiatus until May. Thank you for your readership, CUvians and Agents! You should pay attention to Smile Politely, The Daily Illini, Champaign Movie Makers, and Chambana Film Festival for breaking news and updates in our scene. CUBlog will also keep in step with our friends and share to Facebook when we come across things you would like. Keep reading!
IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing My Old Scene on Your Screen
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Since we’ve been spending extra time writing about the special-event slate in Champaign-Urbana and elsewhere for this week and next, we’ll need to play it modest for one more Calendar and sneak you a few peeks at the artifacts, collectibles, and tchotchkes we have on hand to share. Above and below, you will see most of the goodies sitting about in MFHQ Deux, awaiting their fifteen minutes (or, more likely, fifteen seconds) of CUBlog fame. If we can keep up with the photography and anecdotes, this series will run weekly into the summer; some will be an image and a paragraph, while others will take a few of both to explain how they reflect or represent part of the whole that is our film culture. You might pick out a few distinct things in our first candid, while the second hints that dear Dora Hall, whose recording we found at a local music storehouse a few weeks ago, will be along for the ride and not solely because her LP is a TV soundtrack. Squint closely and Google precisely if you want to guess in advance the significance of the spiral booklet with “Richard Greenberg” on its cover. For reasons, the Freaky Film Festival entry is the first one we’re setting up even though it will not be the first one we’ll run. And, the one-of-a-kind boards in the Barnes & Noble tote are not a purchase from that chain, but lucky discoveries at a seminal bookshop du C-U that Ye Ed adopted some twenty-five years ago. These mysteries and more will soon unfold!
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CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
20 Years Ago … Friday, April 22, 2005: Chris Folkens, an ambitious University of Illinois senior in LAS-Speech Communication and member of Illini Film & Video, premiered his second narrative featurette TOXIN during two shows at Armory 101 inside the Armory Building concurrent with that year’s Roger Ebert’s Film Festival. Rumored to be in attendance was Hollywood producer Roy Lee (THE RING, THE GRUDGE), otherwise visiting campus to speak at the East Asian Languages and Cultures department. Folkens’ action-drama starred then-UI students Aaron Golden (FALLING OVERNIGHT) and Karla Strum (TERRI, LITTLE ACCIDENTS) along with genre film veteran Robert Nolan Clark (RHINELAND). [R]
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Decatur, IL
“Special movie and memorabilia sale” in memory of Skip Huston and the Avon Theatre* (4/26, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., click here for more information and location)
@ Gregory Hall, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* presents “48 Hours” film challenge (4/25, 7 p.m.-4/27, 7 p.m., Room 215)
@ Lincoln Hall, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting w/“48 Hours” film challenge screening (4/28, 7 p.m., Room 1090)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* screening series presents SLICE OF LIFE (documentary) w/shorts (4/27, 4 p.m.)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
THE ACCOUNTANT 2, THE LEGEND OF OCHI, ON SWIFT HORSES, THE SHROUDS, STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH (re-release), UNTIL DAWN, THE AMATEUR, THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND*, DROP*, THE KING OF KINGS (faith animation), A MINECRAFT MOVIE, SINNERS, THE WEDDING BANQUET (4/25 on), ROADMAP TO REALITY: CARLO ACUTIS AND THE DIGITAL AGE (religious documentary) (4/27, 4 p.m.; 4/28-4/29, 7 p.m.), Blumhouse 15th anniversary “Halfway to Halloween” feat. M3GAN (4/30, 7 & 9 p.m.), THE SURFER sneak preview w/Nicolas Cage livestream interview (4/30, 7 p.m.), THE SURFER, RAID 2 (in Hindi with English sub) (5/1 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
THE ACCOUNTANT 2, CHEECH & CHONG’S LAST MOVIE (documentary), THE LEGEND OF OCHI, ON SWIFT HORSES, STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH (re-release), UNTIL DAWN, THE AMATEUR, DROP*, THE KING OF KINGS (faith animation), A MINECRAFT MOVIE, SINNERS, SNEAKS* (animation), WARFARE, THE WEDDING BANQUET* (4/25 on), THE WOMAN IN THE YARD*, A WORKING MAN* (4/25-4/26), MICKEY 17* (4/25-4/26, 4/28-4/29, 5/1), The Metropolitan Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro (4/26, 12 p.m., simulcast; 4/30, 1 & 6:30 p.m., recorded), HAPPY GILMORE (4/27, 3 & 7 p.m.; 4/30, 7 p.m.), ROADMAP TO REALITY: CARLO ACUTIS AND THE DIGITAL AGE (religious documentary) (4/27-5/1), THUNDERBOLTS* (5/1 on) *single screenings daily
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents THE WILD ROBOT (animation) (4/25-4/26, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
The College of Media at Illinois presents the 25th Roger Ebert’s Film Festival* (through 4/26) Schedule
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
@ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL
THE ACCOUNTANT 2, UNTIL DAWN, THE KING OF KINGS (faith animation), A MINECRAFT MOVIE, SINNERS (4/25 on)
@ Crescent Cinemas, Pontiac, IL
THE KING OF KINGS (faith animation), A MINECRAFT MOVIE (4/25 on)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser: STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH (re-release), SPACEBALLS (Screen 1), MISS CONGENIALITY (re-release), THE ACCOUNTANT 2 (Screen 2) (4/25-4/26)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH (re-release) (4/25-4/27), THUNDERBOLTS* (5/1 on)
@ Marcus Bloomington Cinema + IMAX, Bloomington, IL
THE ACCOUNTANT 2, CHEECH & CHONG’S LAST MOVIE (documentary), THE LEGEND OF OCHI, ON SWIFT HORSES, STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH (re-release), UNTIL DAWN, THE AMATEUR, DROP, THE KING OF KINGS (faith animation), A MINECRAFT MOVIE, SINNERS, SNEAKS* (animation), WARFARE (4/25 on), Indian cinema: SARANGAPANI JATHAKAM* (Telugu w/Eng sub, 4/25-4/30) and HIT: THE THIRD CASE (Telugu w/Eng sub, 4/30), The Metropolitan Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro (4/26, 12 p.m., simulcast), HAPPY GILMORE (4/27, 1:30 & 6:30 p.m.; 4/30, 4 & 6:30 p.m.), PINK FLOYD AT POMPEII: MCMLXXII (music documentary) (4/27, 3 p.m.), INTERSTELLAR (4/27, 7 p.m.; 4/28, 7:20 p.m.), ROADMAP TO REALITY: CARLO ACUTIS AND THE DIGITAL AGE (religious documentary) (4/27, 4 p.m.; 4/28-4/29, 7 p.m.; 4/30, 4:15 p.m.; 5/1, 4 p.m.), Marcus “Mystery Movie” (4/28, 7:30 p.m.), THE SURFER sneak preview w/Nicolas Cage livestream interview (4/30, 7 p.m.), THE SURFER, THUNDERBOLTS* (5/1 on) *single screenings daily
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
Foxtail Film Festival 2025* (4/24-4/26, Schedule), THE GREASY STRANGLER (5/1)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
THE KING OF KINGS (faith animation) (4/25-4/27)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
A MINECRAFT MOVIE (4/25-4/27)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
THE ACCOUNTANT 2, A WORKING MAN (Screen 1), A MINECRAFT MOVIE, DROP (Screen 2) (4/25-4/26)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
THE ACCOUNTANT 2, UNTIL DAWN, THE AMATEUR, THE KING OF KINGS (faith animation), A MINECRAFT MOVIE, SINNERS (4/25 on), ROADMAP TO REALITY: CARLO ACUTIS AND THE DIGITAL AGE (religious documentary) (4/27, 4 p.m.; 4/28-4/29, 7 p.m.)
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
5/2
Illinois Student Film Festival*
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.
5/29-6/2
Champaign Film Society presents
the first Savoy Lumierè* film festival
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
6/25
“Jay & Silent Bob Aural Sects Tour” starring Kevin Smith & Jay Mewes
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7:30 p.m.
9/21
Champaign Film Society presents
the first CineSonic* music film festival
@ TBA, Champaign-Urbana, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
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
5/2-5/3: CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD; 5/4: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
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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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