C-U Biz-en-scène: 08.26.2011
“C-U Biz-en-scène” appears every Thursday/Friday on C-U Blogfidential to give our readers a succinct snapshot of the cinema activity in and near Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA. Please support the artists and their work, attend screenings and events, and otherwise become active in our esoteric little world!
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MFHQ & YOU:
It’s Time for CUBiz: The Short Form!
So, the self-imposed “taking time off” initiative didn’t quite work out this week. We already know this non-slacking trend will continue into next week when we’ll post the official press release for our upcoming special issue, C-U Confidential ’99! This title will begin the process of not only recounting the history of film in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond from a retrospective angle, but also attempting to explain what it all means. Are you ready for them apples, dearest readers?
ITEMS OF THE WEEK
The Yahoo! Group of Champaign Movie Makers is a good place to glean production information and conversation that does not normally appear in other local or social media, such as Kimberly Conner’s call for a cinematographer to shoot her feature film project in Springfield, IL, next March; inquire further at kimberosby [at] yahoo [dot] com or kim [at] predestinedartsandentertainment [dot] com … Also from CMM, Jason Lindsey Photography is looking for a studio to rent in either Springfield or Decatur for a video shoot as well as a set builder in either location or Champaign-Urbana; contact Talia at talia [at] jasonlindsey [dot] com for more information … Urbana native Michael Wiese has launched an on-line film school to be taught by industry veterans and authors from his Michael Wiese Productions publishing stable; a free one-hour introduction to the school will be streamed on Saturday, September 3, 9:30 a.m., Pacific time … Former downstate filmmaker Alaric Rocha announced via Facebook that his recent short WINTER, made with a C-U/Decatur/Chicago crew near Decatur in early 2010, will play the 47th annual Chicago International Film Festival in October; day(s) and time(s) are TBA … Our friend Mike White of Detroit’s ultra-awesome movie magazine, Cashiers du Cinemart, has finally released issue 16 after a short hiatus. The “Revenge of Print” anchored by Atomic Books of Baltimore marches forth in 2011!
LINKS OF THE WEEK
“Potpourri” is the name of the game today, gang! First, the IMC Public I notes the premiere of a new local documentary, THIS IS MY JOURNEY by University of Illinois alum and former UI-7 station manager Kate Brickman, on Tuesday, September 6 at the Art Theater; it talks of the struggles faced by three transgender citizens in central Illinois. The Pantagraph reports that movie and television actor LeVar Burton and controversial columnist and pundit Dan Savage will appear during a fall lecture series at the Bone Student Center of Illinois State University in Normal. Park Street in downtown Champaign will be partly closed for the first half of next week through Wednesday, August 31, to accommodate installation of the new “old style” Virginia Theater marquee, according to the News-Gazette. To close, Caryn James of the “James on Screens” Weblog at IndieWIRE names THE INFORMANT! as one of “Five Great Whistleblower Movies” in a new post.
PLEASE. WRITE. NOW.
Time is ticking away, dearest readers! Treat us to your tales of cinematic wonder experienced as academic or permanent residents of MICRO-FILM Country, and in turn we’ll share it with all your fellow readers as those “five significant movie milestones” become part of CUBlog lore! Check out this earlier post which roughly describes what we’re looking for and then exercise those typing fingers by drafting anecdotes that illustrate how you live la vida cinema in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond. Submission deadline is Friday, September 30, 2011!
PLAYING THIS WEEK
@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL: ANOTHER EARTH (8/26 on), BRIDESMAIDS (8/26, 8/27, 9/1, 10 p.m.)
@ Market at the Square, Urbana, IL: Kill Vampire Lincoln Productions merch table* (8/27, 7 a.m.-12 p.m.)
@ Savoy 16 Theater, Savoy, IL/Stadium 14 Theater, Normal, IL: SCARFACE (1983) “special event” (8/31, 7:30 p.m.)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL: DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, THE HELP (8/26 on), FRIGHT NIGHT (8/26-8/30), THE DEBT (8/31 on)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL: WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (8/25-8/26, 7 p.m.), SUNSET BOULEVARD (8/27-8/28, 7 p.m.)
@ Gemini Cinemas, Villa Grove, IL: COWBOYS & ALIENS, MONTE CARLO (8/26 on)
@ Princess Theatre, LeRoy, IL: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 (8/26-8/28)
@ Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In, Gibson City, IL: THE SMURFS, SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD (8/26-8/28)
@ Route 66 Twin Drive-In, Springfield, IL: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, THE SMURFS, ZOOKEEPER (8/26-8/27)
@ That’s Rentertainment, Champaign, IL: THE BEAVER, THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD, WIN WIN, BLITZ, ROAD TO NOWHERE, POETRY, TROLL HUNTER, COLD FISH, more! (8/23 on)
@ Centerbrook Drive-In, Martinsville, IN: CARS 2, SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD (8/26-8/28)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL: Closed for Hoopeston Sweet Corn Festival week!
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL: Closed for remodeling!
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Locally produced movies and events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Go see ‘em!
COMING SOON
9/2: THE ST. FRANCISVILLE EXPERIMENT w/Troy Taylor
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL, time TBA, free
9/2-9/4, 9/8: THE ROOM
@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL, times TBA
9/3: OUR DECATUR – 1955*
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL, 11 a.m., free
NEW! 9/6: THIS IS MY JOURNEY*
@ The Art Theater, 5:30 p.m., w/filmmaker and subjects
9/9: COPS and THE KID w/live accompaniment
@ Ellnora: the Guitar Festival, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 6:30 p.m.
9/10: THE GREAT FLOOD w/live accompaniment
@ Ellnora: the Guitar Festival, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 1:30 p.m.
9/13: DVD release: LEADING LADIES*
+ Wolfe Video, New Almaden, CA
9/15-9/17: IMC Film Festival*
@ Independent Media Center, Urbana, IL
9/16-9/18: Route 66 International Film Festival*
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
NEW! 9/20: BAG IT: IS YOUR LIFE TOO PLASTIC?
@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
9/22: GREEN FIRE: ALDO LEOPOLD AND A LAND ETHIC FOR OUR TIME
@ The Virginia Theater, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
9/23-9/25: Chicago Horror Film Festival, Chicago, IL
9/23-9/25: B Movie Celebration, Franklin, IN
10/6-10/20: Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
NEW! 10/7: THIS IS MY JOURNEY* local broadcast
@ WILL-TV 12, Urbana, IL, 8 p.m.
10/13-10/22: Heartland Film Festival, Indianapolis, IN
10/21-10/22: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL, time TBA
10/21-10/23: CHICAGO 8: Small Gauge Film Festival, Chicago, IL
10/21-10/23: Dark Carnival Film Festival, Bloomington, IN
10/28-10/30: Freeky Creek Short Film Festival
@ Sleepy Creek Vineyards, Fairmount, IL
11/3-11/12: Reeling Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
11/4-11/5: Drunken Zombie Film Festival
@ Peoria Theater, Peoria, IL
11/10-11/12: Embarras Valley Film Festival
@ EIU campus/Will Rogers Theater/etc., Charleston, IL
11/11-11/13: HorrorHound Weekend (Horror culture), Cincinnati, OH
11/10-11/20: St. Louis International Film Festival, St. Louis, MO
4/15, 2012: Buttered Corn on the Cob Film Festival
@ 88 Broadway, Urbana, IL
4/18-4/22, 2012: Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI
4/25-4/29, 2012: Roger Ebert’s Film Festival
@ The Virginia Theater, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY FILM SERIES
Horror Films
@ The “Haunted” Avon Theater, Decatur, IL, 10:30 p.m., free
10/7: THIR13EN GHOSTS (2001); 10/8: DOG SOLDIERS; 10/14: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968); 10/15: DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004); 10/28: JEEPERS CREEPERS; 10/29: TRICK ‘R TREAT
The New Classics: Great Books to Great Films from the Past 50 Years
@ Danville Public Library, Danville, IL, 6:30 p.m.
9/12: TRUE GRIT (2010); 10/10: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS; 11/14: ORDINARY PEOPLE; 12/12: FAIL SAFE (1964); 1/9/12: NEVER CRY WOLF; 2/13/12: AWAKENINGS; 3/12/12: ADAPTATION; 4/9/12: UP IN THE AIR
The News-Gazette Film Series 2011
@ The Virginia Theater, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
9/10: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT; 10/8: THE EXORCIST; 11/5: THE GODFATHER; 12/3: THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
UNIVERSITY FILM SERIES
NEW! AsiaLENS: AEMS Documentary/Film Series
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.
9/6: THOUGH I AM GONE; 10/4: BHUTAN: TAKING THE MIDDLE PATH TO HAPPINESS; 11/8: WHO KILLED CHEA VICHEA?
Global Lens 2011: International Films
@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL
9/15: THE TENANTS, Brazil; 10/20: A USEFUL LIFE, Uruguay; 11/17: WHITE MEADOWS, Iran
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That’s it for the “business of our scene” this week!
If you have relevant news, opportunities, dates, or promotions that you would like included in CUBiz, please forward the who, what, where, when, and how much to cuconfidential [at] gmail [dot] com.
Compiled by Jason Pankoke
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We welcome your virtual presence in the Confidential scheme!
309 awesome (but way too few) peeps dig our Facebook page, while 22 astounding (yet way way way too few) comrades keep a watchful eye on our YouTube channel, the C-U Confidential Revue! We’d place our bets in a heartbeat that many more would enjoy our social/video outreach if they knew about us! Have you joined us on-line? Will you be ambassadors for our indie film cause and send your recruits in our direction? The more attention we receive, the better we can serve the interests of local artists and the movies of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond!
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“C-U Biz-en-scène” no.57 © 2011 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential.