C-U Blogfidential

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 (producer/actor, CHASE AND SHEP SUE KEVIN SMITH, Earth-217 Studios, Villa Grove/Savoy, IL)
11/28: Robert Patrick Stern (cinematographer, GOLDEN MEADOW, PWM Films, Chicago, IL)
11/28: Ryan Mitchelle (editor, A ROYAL CHRISTMAS TAIL, Hybrid LLC, Woodland Hills, CA)
12/3: Bryan Wendorf (programmer/artistic director, Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL)
12/3: Greg Woods (publisher, The Eclectic Screening Room, Toronto, Canada)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

We trust that you were able to enjoy the holiday with the right people and, now, it’s time for the rest of the weekend. Some of us have to go back to work. Some of us have a shit-ton to do that doesn’t involve leisure. Some of us just want to sneak to a movie house for a spell between all the other things…

Instead of going through and analyzing the Calendar listings – it’s Disney and WICKED and a Chambana Film Society show on Sunday afternoon and the annual Normal Theater seasonal marathon and newer Christmas perennials, we just figured out, instead of a Robert Redford tribute today at the Fischer Theatre – we’ll be catching up on the news impacting our area venues. First, a former AMC Showcase location in Mattoon that closed down earlier this year has been revived by the VIP Cinemas chain as reported last month by WAND-TV; you can head over today if you live in the area as they are up and running with the current first-run crowdpleasers. That said, VIP customers should watch their local schedules for once-a-day showings of fare that is put out by smaller distributors, such as the heist-and-gangsters action flick WILDCAT with Kate Beckinsale, Charles Dance, and Alice Krige that is opening today at Mattoon.

Also in October, the volunteers who are working on a restoration and fundraising plan to reopen the Heart Theatre in downtown Effingham put in a little extra love to create a charming Heart float for the city’s annual Halloween parade; you can see the result, complete with Beauty and the Beast, on Facebook.

Now with the Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in back open in Gibson City for their annual “Hot Chocolate & Holiday Movies” schedule, it’s a good time to bring up a recent article about the precarious position of their industry. Run by Smile Politely in early October as the Harvest Moon’s regular season was winding down and written by Max Pociask, it is not the usual feel-good piece on the miracle of an operating drive-in within a reasonable driving distance from Champaign-Urbana. This one lauds the overall communal experience in terms of spending a night at the Harvest Moon while punching the gut a bit with a reality check – at risk is the health of many an American small town and business, including the remaining hardtops, due to the consolidation of agricultural production by corporations and the continual shafting of the needs of rural farmers whose livelihood affects everyone and everything around them.

On a more positive note, the Golden Ticket Cinemas chain has arrived in Illinois and set up shop in a former multiplex building on the east side of Bloomington, opening their “Ale House” concept to the public on Friday, October 17. An article by WGLT lists the amenities that would be available to customers including bottomless popcorn and a “self-pour beer wall;” movie fare is the expected as you can see below in the Calendar, although they do manage to get Netflix releases such as KNIVES OUT 3 and JAY KELLY unlike our other exhibitors, so the personal luxury (and upcharge?) is the main distinction here.

Back to the Fischer for a moment, we’re glad to see the movies make a comeback in their scheduling even if the Redford fête did not pan out. Recently, they’ve hosted the teen-produced film CROSSMARK, made plans to celebrate the one hundredth birthday of Dick Van Dyke with a program next weekend, and agreed to another indie screening at the end of 2025 that we’ll talk about on CUBlog in a couple of weeks. Don’t just attend our venues for kicks, dearest viewers, make good use of them like the Fischer. Cheers.

IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen

Had your fill yet? Apparently, neither have we at MFHQ Deux. Talking turkey about weird movies with our dinner guest, Confidential agent Don of the D/L, we landed on the topic of a new Dracula love triangle feature from France that was directed by Luc Besson (THE FIFTH ELEMENT) and also the new Romania-lensed farce based on the legend of Vlad the Impaler from director Radu Jude. Then, Ye Ed remembered that a Killer Tomatoes sequel was set in France. (Indeed, we’re still not sure how it transpired in that head of his.) So, he found a clip online to prove its existence to Don, which turned out to be the opening scene in KILLER TOMATOES EAT FRANCE! from the vintage of 1992, and said clip happens to cut off after this aerial shot of our villains, including the great John Astin, getting away in…

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Are. You. Kidding. And yet, does it not make perfect sense in the nonsensical scheme of a Killer Tomato movie? Miraculously, EAT FRANCE was the fourth (but still the last) release in an improbable franchise (although a brand-new fifth entry is sprouting as we speak) and, sure enough, “Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan” is listed in a thank-you block during the end credits crawl. We’d love to know how this came about, even if it was just the producers of the movie buying the rights to stock footage that Garcia’s owners Ralph Senn and Joe Ream previously had shot for them to promote their business. It’s too bad the chain has been consolidated to a single store in west Champaign off of Mattis Avenue, but it’s apparently the scale that Senn and Ream want to work with after more than fifty years of being “The Flying Tomato Brothers.”

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Here is an article with vintage photographs from 2021 when the News-Gazette interviewed the partners and University of Illinois alumni about their long history as restaurateurs, and a more recent YouTube vignette with Senn where he describes how they make their trademark pizza slices. Many of us will always have memories of stopping at a Garcia’s, in particular the labyrinthine wonder that resided in the shadow of Watterson Towers near the Illinois State University campus in Normal and the similar location that used to be on Green Street in Campustown, as well as looking up while out and about during a weekend in the C-U to see the Garcia’s balloon quietly pass overhead. It was always a treat and we knew exactly who it was advertising. Hopefully, they will hold the Killer Tomatoes on our next order…

p.s. The Garcia’s balloon appears for a few brief shots in the movie, while a jovial Astin and his rubber ghoulies are snacking on a pizza pie that is clearly not from our beloved Brothers. We found an online rip and skimmed through it to be sure; seems that KILLER TOMATOES EAT FRANCE! and its predecessor, KILLER TOMATOES STRIKE BACK!, have not made an official jump to streaming even if you can enjoy a bushel of clips on the official “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” channel. Dang it, a Gutbuster and a movie does sound good on this Tomato Red Friday … but which movie should we pick? Decisions, decisions!

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LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents “The Savoy Arthouse” feat. THE LADDER w/filmmaker Q&A (11/30, 3 p.m.)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
ETERNITY, TERE ISHK MEIN* (in Hindi with English sub), ZOOTOPIA 2 (animation), NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, RENTAL FAMILY, THE RUNNING MAN, SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE, WICKED: FOR GOOD (11/28 on), ), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (12/1, 7 p.m.), FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2, JUJUTSU KAISEN: EXECUTION (animé) (12/4 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
ETERNITY, ZOOTOPIA 2 (animation), NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T, NUREMBERG, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, REGRETTING YOU, RENTAL FAMILY, THE RUNNING MAN, SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE, WICKED: FOR GOOD (11/28 on), Indian cinema: REVOLVER RITA (in Tamil with English sub; 11/28, 2 p.m.), TERE ISHK MEIN (in Hindi with English sub; 11/28-11/29), and ANDHRA KING TALUKA (in Telugu with English sub; 11/28-12/3), “WWE Survivor Series: WarGames” (11/29, 6 p.m., simulcast), ANOTHER SWEET CHRISTMAS (faith film) (11/30, 4 p.m.; 12/1, 7 p.m.), THE HOLIDAY (11/30, 3 & 7 p.m.; 12/3, 7 p.m.), The Metropolitan Opera: Arabella (12/3, 12 & 5:30 p.m., recorded), WEDDING CRASHERS (12/4, 4 & 7 p.m.), AKHANDA 2: THAANDAVAM (in Telugu with English sub), FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2 (12/4 on)

@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Mix 94.5 and Rewind 92.5 present ELF (11/29, 1 & 7:30 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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Read the rest of this entry »

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

Before you pass the dishes and offer your thanks next week, should you participate in festivities with your family members or at a friendsgiving, we’re bringing over a few topical treats from MFHQ Deux to share with our dearest gobblers who can’t get enough of the movies of Champaign, Urbana, and the cites beyond!

For our lede in today’s Report, we’re high-fiving from afar the stewards of Flyover Film Studios in Rantoul, ever-growing with their accomplishments and influence in the area. Always up to the task of breaking local media-maker news, Amy Penne of Smile Politely shared a concise history of how Flyover came together as pretext to their latest milestone, being awarded “Business of the Year” last week by the Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce. Who knows what their activity up north on the grounds of the former Octave Chanute Air Force Base has actually translated to numerically in terms of business for themselves, tax revenue for Rantoul and the county, a spending influx at other local businesses by their own staff and visiting clients, and freelance and full-time jobs created to aid the production of movies, television, and commercials at the facility and on location nearby, but hopefully it adds up to sustainability and growth in the years to come. Flyover clearly is encouraging the development of a trained work force based here as well as a connection between folks who offer services and resources that lend themselves to production, so we need to watch for those overtures; to wit, they are hosting an instructional session this Saturday, November 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. where participants will get a taste of what roles in different departments can entail, and they also have a combination holiday gathering, swap meet, and live auction event on tap for Saturday, December 6, from 12 to 6 p.m. Go inquire, and with good cheer!

Can we relate “the Flyover effect” to various recent goings-on in the movie world du C-U? Maybe! The most obvious is in cases like the independent feature MOSES THE BLACK, filmed partly in Chicagoland and partly in Rantoul and adjacent municipalities, which is currently in post-production after wrapping in late September at Flyover. Surprisingly, the trade website Deadline reported on Wednesday that Fathom Entertainment has already negotiated theatrical rights for the piece, an urban gang drama with religious and repentance leanings that stars Omar Epps, Wiz Khalifa, and Chukwudi Iwuji and is directed by Yelena Popovic (MAN OF GOD), and will release it to its network of partner theaters in North America on Friday, January 30. It’s possible to get it shaped up in time, we suppose. Unlike with all the candids floating about the socials earlier this year, taken by area townsfolk with the cast and locations of the John Goodman fast-food satire CHILI FINGER, very little has appeared to give us a covert look at MOSES.

Clues on the development of projects can also be gleaned from those on the inside who elect to share their doings with the outside world in the moment. Our friend Niccole Powers, who now applies her stage-honed art and costume design talents to the film sets at Flyover and elsewhere, shared a few behind-the-scenes photos from a show called OPEN ME UP. A slate shows the director is Andrew Laudone, the Chicago-based owner of Consumer Grade Film Company and a creator of distinctly designed long-form shorts that have played in festivals such as the dark high-society farce CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY and the science fiction-tinged dramas DEEP LEARNING and SWEET DREAMING. It looks like Powers may have been on a pick-up shoot in October, for we see that frequent C-U film collaborator Kevin Lau had previously reported from the set via Facebook back in July. The result should be interesting, as always.

And, for one more trimming in our banquet of regional film flavor, we turn to our friend John Isberg of Swede Films who is using an apparent low tide in the schedules for his features BIG MUDDY and FINAL SUMMER 2 to revise and finish a different project. Isberg has recently been sharing some cool vintage photographs on Facebook and Instagram from indie rock shows and venues of Champaign-Urbana’s past and asking for more contributions like them to put towards his scene documentary, WHERE IT BEGINS: 1977-2000, which we first mentioned on CUBlog almost a full decade ago. Considering the art of succinctly telling an expansive story of stories in a feature film run time and doing it as an independent creator unlike, say, a well-funded Ken Burns, we have to understand the labor-of-love aspect in Isberg’s endeavor and applaud that he’s still committed to the cause while making bread elsewhere and taking care of his family and friends. He just finished working on the crew of MOSES THE BLACK, for instance, so let’s encourage him to roll past the finish line of WHERE IT BEGINS and help along where we can, including the lending of precious ephemera and memories to a C-U music epic writ large. We should also acknowledge that Isberg’s foresight helped point the path forward for Flyover, in particular this blue-hued music video for the Night Dreamer song “The Taste” staged in a vacant Octave Chanute hanger. Fin.

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting & game night (11/21, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents “The Found Footage Festival – Volume 11” (11/21, 7 p.m.)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
120 BAHADUR* (in Hindi with English sub), RENTAL FAMILY, SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE, WICKED: FOR GOOD, BUGONIA*, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), KEEPER*, NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, REGRETTING YOU, THE RUNNING MAN (11/21 on), ETERNITY, ZOOTOPIA 2 (animation) (11/25 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
RENTAL FAMILY, SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE, WICKED: FOR GOOD, BLACK PHONE 2, BUGONIA, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), KEEPER, NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T, NUREMBERG, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, REGRETTING YOU, THE RUNNING MAN, SARAH’S OIL* (faith film) (11/21 on), Indian cinema: 120 BAHADUR* (in Hindi with English sub; 11/21-11/25), PREMANTE* (in Telugu with English sub; 11/21), RAJU WEDS RAMBAI* (in Telugu with English sub; 11/21), MASTIII 4* (in Hindi with English sub; 11/21-11/25), EKO* (in Malayalam with English sub; 11/22-11/25), and MIDDLE CLASS* (in Tamil with English sub; 11/22, 11/24-11/25), WICKED/WICKED: FOR GOOD double feature (11/21-11/22, 11 a.m.), The Metropolitan Opera: Arabella (11/22, 12 p.m., simulcast), THE POLAR EXPRESS (animation) (11/23, 3 & 7 p.m.; 11/26, 7 p.m.), ETERNITY, ZOOTOPIA 2 (animation) (11/25 on) *single screenings daily

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents HIM (11/21-11/22, 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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Read the rest of this entry »

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!

11/14: Ross Snyder (co-owner, Saturn’s Core Audio & Video, Bloomingdale, NJ)
11/15: Brian Hagy (filmmaker, THE KING’S CHALLENGE, Pens to Lens 2025, Champaign-Urbana, IL)
11/16: Kymberly Harris (founder/producer, Firsthand Films, Los Angeles, CA)
11/17: Eric Stanze (director/co-writer/executive producer, ANXIETY, Wicked Pixel Cinema, St. Louis, MO)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

That felt good last week, right? Shaking off a little dust and extending those muscles a bit? Let’s see how much reps we have for you this week, including a handful of tidbits that can be shared in advance of the respective happenings and not after the fact. Still need to keep our coverage compact and to the point so we can touch a bunch of bases by the time that glittery ball drops on New Year’s Eve. Also, we’ve decided to theme our Images department for the duration with, for the lack of a better moniker, shorts stories. It’s the vibe – short, shorter, and shortest in our long-distance dedication to the cinema du C-U.

To that end, our self-made short subjects take over the Report! Cribbing pages from the “arcane pop culture gathering” manual followed by the recent Dark History & Horror Con is a new event, Mr. Willy’s Dark Arts & Oddities Con, which is scheduled for this weekend on the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb. They have couched an Indie Horror Film Festival in their programing on Sunday, November 16, and the selections include AN AFFAIR AT THE END OF TIME, starring Myles Valentine and Katherine Bokenkamp and produced in Champaign County by Chase Todd and Phillip Hazen. And, on the evening of Thursday, November 20, yet another brand-new short will be unveiled and toasted at Analog Wine Bar in downtown Urbana; this time, QUIET TONIGHT involves a pair played by Kimmy Schofield and Mathew Green who take pains to not upset whomever occupies the next room in a tense drama co-written by Green with director Thomas Nicol. The presentation is at 7 p.m. and, certainly, the doors will be open earlier for those who want to sup a little vino in advance of taking in a little QUIET, which was discussed last week by Amy Penne at Smile Politely. The latter will be submitted to festivals after Analog, per Penne in the article, and AFFAIR had its public debut at the Savoy Lumierè back in the spring.

During the coincidental “shorts release weekend” that was October 16-19, Shea Kelly of Thousand Yard Stare Productions in Decatur posted to YouTube a private teaser for their newest short, A MAN OF CHARACTER, made in conjunction with Trone Photo Works, Shark Fins, and Lamplighter Productions. Partly in black-and-white and partly in color, it’s a psychological thriller of sorts that stars Nathan Scott and Greg Trumbold. We won’t describe it any further, but you can sneak a peek if you want to have a clearer idea of what’s in store or go in blind by attending the Big Picture Peoria Film Festival this Saturday, November 22, where CHARACTER will close the event at the end of the 6 p.m. block. Follow this link to view all the selections of Big Picture, which runs November 20-22 at the Giant Screen Theater of the Peoria Riverfront Museum, and click here to see older Thousand Stare creations on YouTube.

Finally, we’ll bring up the Chambana Film Society even though their signature fall/winter event, the return of the Found Footage Festival to our community on Friday, November 21, 7 p.m., at the Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, is probably sold out as of this writing. (It’s not a shorts program, per se, but a good-natured ribbing of segments of vintage and lost media by its hosts, so that still fits here, yes?) We do have the awareness, if not yet a corresponding schedule, from Chambana mastermind Nat Dykeman that a weekly itinerary is planned out from now until the spring. We also know that Dykeman is always looking for short subjects to play in front of features or compile for their own event, such as the documentary grouping that is scheduled for Sunday, December 28, at the Savoy. Watch their website for dates, details, and more!

IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen

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Last week, we took a brief look at a new short subject, THE FAWN, produced by the Chicago suburban label Ten Wing Media and filmed on location in the rural woodlands of Pontiac with some help from downstate collaborators. The mystical horror piece is being submitted to festivals as we speak. Further along in its initial lifespan is MARA, the latest genre short by the folks at Silver Compass Studios in Decatur, which has been bedazzled with laurels, public screenings, and awards during the last few months and was given a YouTube live stream debut on Friday, October 17. You can watch it right here.

Silver Compass owner Ben Harl and his team filmed MARA locally in the fall of 2024. It is a moody exercise in revelation, heavy with shadows and bathed in cathode ray greens, depicting what happens across several days when Jake, played by Peoria-based actor Seth Boyer, is given an edict by the psychiatrist Dr. Howell, performed by C-U stage talent Mindy Smith, to wean himself off medicines he has been taking since his release from institutionalization. Jake suffers confusion and memory blackouts at the outset, leading to the shocking realization that an imaginary love named Mara, embodied by the actress and musician Katherine Bokenkamp, has returned. And yet, Howell seems to be taking her patient’s distress a little too much in stride for Jake’s liking. Is the young man starting to suffer another mental break, or is Mara more than a figment who has her fingers clenched tight around his reality?

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MARA is nicely made and demonstrates how Harl is on sure footing as a narrative storyteller after producing a series of provocative shorts over the last decade. Overall, the visual aesthetic of the film complements its pacing and performances – steady, not flashy, building towards a conclusion that seems to be a sad inevitability for Jake. Recently, local audiences have discovered MARA at both the Dark History & Horror Con and the Route 66 International Film Festival, while Silver Compass has their hands full with developing a Lovecraft-inspired feature titled THE DARK ONES. Follow along with their adventures in film on Facebook or Instagram and check out their prior productions on YouTube.

MARA is directed and edited by Ben Harl and produced by Laura Richter. Justin Taylor shot and color-corrected the film, while Genna Roth was first assistant camera. Editing was done by Tim Lynn. Music was scored and performed by Eric Watkins and Ceci Ellis. Thomas Nicol handled sound, Heather Harlow provided make-up and hair, and Dayton Emery was the gaffer and grip. Leanne Unland and Arwen Baker were the production assistants, while Unland also arranged for the catering. In addition to Seth Boyer, Mindy Smith, and Katherine Bokenkamp, it stars Lesley Harl and Rick Jensen. 2025, color, 18 minutes.

A quick aside, Boyer appears in a second Halloween-time online release with Myles Valentine, THE MIDNIGHT MAN, premiered by director Kal Kociss through his Coaches Film Company channel on YouTube back on Thursday, October 30. Two would-be thieves enter an elderly man’s garage late one night in the hopes of stealing valuable goods and, wouldn’t you know it, a local legend interferes…

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LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Analog Wine Bar, Urbana, IL
QUIET TONIGHT* short film screening (11/20, 7 p.m.)

@ Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* meeting (11/17, 7 p.m.)

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting & tour of Illinois Public Media (11/14, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents “The Found Footage Festival – Volume 11” (11/21, 7 p.m.)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
THE CARPENER’S SON*, KEEPER, KING IVORY*, MUZZLE: CITY OF WOLVES*, NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T, THE RUNNING MAN, WICKED (re-release), BLACK PHONE 2, BUGONIA, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DIE MY LOVE*, NUREMBERG*, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, REGRETTING YOU, SARAH’S OIL (faith film) (11/14 on), Studio Ghibli Fest: THE BOY AND THE HERON (animé) (11/15, 4 p.m., 11/16, 4 & 7 p.m., 11/19, 7 p.m., English dub; 11/17-11/18, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (11/17, 7 p.m.), WICKED: FOR GOOD sneak preview (11/19, 6, 6:30 & 9:15 p.m.), WICKED/WICKED: FOR GOOD double feature (11/20, 11 a.m.), RENTAL FAMILY, SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE, WICKED: FOR GOOD (11/20 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
DE DE PYAAR DE 2 (in Hindi with English sub), KEEPER, KING IVORY*, NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T, THE RUNNING MAN, TRAP HOUSE*, BLACK PHONE 2, BUGONIA, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), CHRISTY*, NUREMBERG, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, REGRETTING YOU, ROOFMAN, SARAH’S OIL (faith film), SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, STITCH HEAD* (animation) (11/14 on), GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE* (animation) (11/14-11/15, 11 a.m.), Studio Ghibli Fest: THE BOY AND THE HERON (animé) (11/15, 3 p.m., 11/16, 3 & 7 p.m., 11/19, 7 p.m., English dub; 11/17-11/18, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), UFC 322: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev, more (mixed martial arts) (11/15, 9 p.m., simulcast), THE SOUND OF MUSIC 60th anniversary (11/16, 3 & 7 p.m.; 11/19, 7 p.m.), WICKED: FOR GOOD sneak preview (11/19, 6 p.m.), WICKED/WICKED: FOR GOOD double feature (11/20, 11 a.m. & 5 p.m.), WICKED: FOR GOOD (11/20 on) *single screenings daily

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE (11/14-11/15, 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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Read the rest of this entry »

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!

11/5: Nora McKirdie (actress, THE FAWN, Ten Wing Media, Chicago, IL)
11/10: Andrew Stengele (filmmaker, MISSING, Pens to Lens 2025, Champaign-Urbana, IL)
11/10: Andrew Nygard (filmmaker, THE MAN IN THE MOON, Pens to Lens 2025, Champaign-Urbana, IL)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

Dang. Well. Drop the Report-ing ball for a month, and the tidbits and headlines pile up in regards to the movies of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond. Luckily, we’ve been saving notes and article links to much of what has been announced, revealed, and staged as of late that is relevant, so all we can do right now is pick away at sharing our film culture news with our dearest readers in the language of CUBlog as best and abbreviated as we can over the next month or so. When we hit the late December holiday skids, we do plan to pause on the highlights for January and February because … because.

So, to ramp up on catching up, we’ll start with items connected to people, places, and happenings already present in today’s Calendar, which will appear weekly through the winter in a spartan format. The birthday week of The Andrews – local storyteller and photographer Andrew Nygard and Champaign Movie Makers and Tabletop Central steward Andrew Stengele – always brings thoughts of the mirth and gentle mayhem of Pens to Lens, the screenplay workshop and short film clinic that they and other local creatives have brought back to prominence in the C-U. Recently, the newest batch of films based on the ideas and words of our local youth and premiered at the Virginia Theatre in August were uploaded to YouTube in this playlist, and Stengele just announced the program is already accepting submissions for 2026.

And, in special event news, we’re about as stacked as we can get in our neck of the now-shorn cornfields. Hit the links below for more information about the Route 66 International Film Festival, the Champaign Urbana International Film Festival, and the Screaming Mad Film Festival of the Dark History & Horror Con, all of which happen to coincide this year. University of Illinois students are also at it with their self-contained 48-hour competition over the weekend, resulting in a semi-private campus showing on Monday, November 10. It could be a good thing the ramped-back-up Chambana Film Society is on a short hiatus in this moment, for we wouldn’t want our heads to explode (or get too big) about all this cultural cinema coagulating at the same time! Chaz Ebert even announced today via the News-Gazette that “Ebertfest” may get a one-time reprieve in 2026 if the interest and funding is there. Never say…

IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen

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Maybe the most unique thing to transpire while we were looking but not journaling was the consecutive debuts of a half-dozen locally-connected films during the weekend of October 16-19 that involved old friends like Matt HarsH and Shea Kelly and newer friends like Jill Greenlee and Chase & Shep. We’ll begin recounting the eruption of media goodness in the next Calendar but, for today, we’re giving the floor to yet another short subject, in the works for the last year-plus, that has finally received its private and public unveiling – THE FAWN, a folk/rustic horror piece from Ten Wing Media and creator Jason Huls.

Filmed in the fall of 2024 on private property near Pontiac, THE FAWN involves a young woman played by Chicago actress Nora McKirdie who wanders an eerie burnt-orange forest and encounters strange objects and forces that hint at something way beyond human comprehension. Plot is nascent and the viewer can rationalize what they will from the combination of discreet special effects, uncanny color palettes, odd camera framing, and a creative sound track that set an unnerving tone. Erin Huls, who collaborates with her husband on the Ten Wings films and podcasts, appears on-screen as a hooded purveyor of decidedly dark arts; intercut with the woman’s trek, her ceremony influences what is brewing even though the characters never share a scene. The earthly Fawn is fated to be caught in cosmic headlights.

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A modest effort compared to past film outings, THE FAWN still prances in the realm of its director’s interests of high fantasy, dark horror, and the Lovecraftian unexplainable, which he has also expressed through short story writing that has appeared in several anthologies and online publications. Those interested can learn about Huls’ work at his Substack account where he has also talked about this film and the preceding production from Ten Wing, THAT DAMNED YELLOW RAINCOAT. THE FAWN was premiered for subscribers to his Substack the week of October 20 and will have its first festival screening this Sunday, November 9, in the Screaming Mad Film Festival sideline of the Dark History & Horror Con to be held at the Orpheum Champaign. Enjoy it in the 2:30 p.m. block and then watch for future dates, when the short can be seen at other festivals or online, by visiting Huls’ social media accounts.

THE FAWN is directed, edited, and written by Jason Huls, who also rendered the visual effects. Huls produced with Paul A. Brooks. The cinematography was handled by Paul G. Lyzun, and Ryan Aldrich contributed the sound design, music score, and voice work. Along with Nora McKirdie, who also acted in Brooks’ feature HUNTING FOR THE HAG, and Erin Huls, THE FAWN stars Chris Hutson, the gruff and reluctant hero of the studio’s original adventure from twenty (!) years ago, LATE AFTERNOON OF THE LIVING DEAD. 2025, color, 9 minutes.

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LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
24th Route 66 International Film Festival* (11/7-118) Information

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* 48 Hour challenge (11/7, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* ‘48 Hours Award Ceremony and Film Screening’ (11/10, 7 p.m., Room 1002)

@ The Orpheum Theatre, Champaign, IL
Dark History & Horror Con* 2025 feat. Screaming Mad Film Festival* (11/8-11/9) Information

@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
4th Champaign Urbana International Film Festival* (11/8, 6:30 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show) Information

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
CHRISTY, DIE MY LOVE, GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE* (animation), NUREMBERG, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, SARAH’S OIL (faith film), BACK TO THE FUTURE 40th anniversary (re-release), BLACK PHONE 2, BUGONIA, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), REGRETTING YOU, SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE*, TRON: ARES (11/7 on), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (11/10, 7 p.m.), KEEPER, NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T, THE RUNNING MAN (11/13 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
THE CHRISTMAS RING (faith film), CHRISTY, GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE* (animation), NUREMBERG, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, SARAH’S OIL (faith film), ANNIVERSARY*, BLACK PHONE 2, BUGONIA, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), REGRETTING YOU, ROOFMAN, STITCH HEAD (animation), SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, TRON: ARES, VIOLENT ENDS* (11/7 on), Indian cinema: THE GIRLFRIEND (in Telugu with English sub; 11/7-11/12), THE GREAT PRE-WEDDING SHOW* (in Telugu with English sub; 11/7-11/9), and JADATHARA* (in Telugu with English sub; 11/7-11/12), The Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème (11/8, 12 p.m., simulcast; 11/12, 12 & 5:30 p.m., recorded), HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS (11/9, 3 & 7 p.m.; 11/12, 7 p.m.), VIRGIN PUNK: CLOCKWORK GIRL (animé) (11/11, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub; 11/13, 7 p.m., English dub), THE RUNNING MAN (11/13 on) *single screenings daily

@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* presents HEREDITARY screening (11/13, 7 p.m., free)

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents FREAKIER FRIDAY (11/7-11/8, 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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Read the rest of this entry »

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!

10/29: Julie Staley (producer/director, FIELDS OF GOLD, Spencer Films, Springfield, IL)
11/1: Amy Lynn Best (co-owner, Happy Cloud Media, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA)
11/3: Wes Melton (actor, PERFECT SOUL, Acrostar Productions, Chicago, IL)

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
CROSSMARK* feature film premiere w/director Zack Bolden (11/3, 6 p.m. doors, 6:30 p.m. red carpet walk, 7 p.m. film, 8:20 p.m. after party)

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting (10/31, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents “The Savoy Arthouse” feat. WEEKEND AT THE END OF THE WORLD (11/2, 3 p.m.)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
ANNIVERSARY, BACK TO THE FUTURE 40th anniversary (re-release), BUGONIA, STITCH HEAD (animation), VINCENT MUST DIE/HALLOW ROAD double feature*, VIOLENT ENDS*, BLACK PHONE 2, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), GOOD FORTUNE, REGRETTING YOU, SHELBY OAKS*, SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, TRON: ARES (10/31 on), KPOP DEMON HUNTERS (animation) (“sing-a-long” re-release) (10/31-11/2), DIE MY LOVE preview with simulcast Q&A feat. Jennifer Lawrence (11/6, 7 p.m.), CHRISTY, DIE MY LOVE, NUREMBERG, PREDATOR: BADLANDS, SARAH’S OIL (faith film) (11/6 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
ANNIVERSARY, BACK TO THE FUTURE 40th anniversary (re-release), BUGONIA, MASS JATHARA (in Telugu with English sub), SINNERS (IMAX re-release), STITCH HEAD (animation), VIOLENT ENDS*, BLACK PHONE 2, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), THE CONJURING: LAST RITES*, GOOD FORTUNE, REGRETTING YOU, ROOFMAN*, SHELBY OAKS, SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, TRON: ARES (10/31 on), KPOP DEMON HUNTERS (animation) (“sing-a-long” re-release) (10/31-11/2), Indian cinema: BAHUBALI THE EPIC* (in Telugu with English sub; 11/1-11/2), IKK KUDI* (in Punjabi with English sub; 11/2-11/3), and THE TAJ STORY* (in Hindi with English sub; 11/1-11/2), HALLOWEEN (1978) (10/31, 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m.), THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE (10/31, 1, 4 & 7 p.m.),THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1 (11/1, 1, 4 & 7 p.m.), THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1 (11/2, 1, 4 & 7 p.m.), ORACLES OF GOD: THE STORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT (religious docudrama) (11/2, 4 & 7 p.m.; 11/3, 11/5, 7 p.m.), THE CHRISTMAS RING (faith film), PREDATOR: BADLANDS (11/6 on) *single screenings daily

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents THE CONJURING: LAST RITES (10/31-11/1, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)

@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Illinois Public Media presents COCO (animation) (11/1, 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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Read the rest of this entry »

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!

10/25: Becca Whitaker (staff cartoonist, Bachelor Pad Magazine, Champaign, IL)
10/26: Joseph F. Alexandre (filmmaker, BACK HOME YEARS AGO: THE REAL ‘CASINO’, JFA Films, Los Angeles, CA)

CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History

20 Years Ago … Week of Monday, October 24, 2005: Opteryx Press of Champaign begins shipping and store placement of MICRO-FILM 7, the imprint’s flagship journal. Articles cover the Lars von Trier “challenge” documentary THE FIVE OBSTRUCTIONS, the Ron Santo biographical film THIS OLD CUB, current productions from Haxan Films (THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT), regional indies such as FIVE YEARS and QUALITY OF LIFE, the passing of Sarah Jacobson (MARY JANE’S NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE), and more. This 64-page issue is the last print edition of MF to date. [R]

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Brookens Auditorium, University of Illinois, Springfield, IL
LIPSTICK* downstate Illinois premiere w/filmmaker Kimberly D. Conner (10/25, 7 p.m.)

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting (10/25, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

@ The Lincoln Square Theater, Decatur, IL
TRICK AND TREATS* limited run (10/24, 10/29, 10/30, 7 p.m.)

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents “The Savoy Arthouse” feat. STRANGE JOURNEY: THE STORY OF ROCKY HORROR (10/26, 3 p.m., documentary)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
BLUE MOON, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DREAM EATER*, REGRETTING YOU, SHELBY OAKS, SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, AFTER THE HUNT, BLACK PHONE 2, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES*, GOOD FORTUNE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER*, ROOFMAN, SOUL ON FIRE (faith film), TRON: ARES, TRUTH & TREASON (10/24 on), THAMMA* (in Hindi with English sub) (10/24-10/26), PARANORMAN (animation) (10/25-10/26, 4:15 & 7 p.m., 10/27-10/28, 7 p.m.; 3-D), STITCH HEAD sneak preview (animation) (10/26, 2 p.m.), NUREMBERG sneak preview w/Russel Crowe livestream Q&A (10/27, 6:30 p.m.), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (10/27, 7 p.m.), ANNIVERSARY, STITCH HEAD (animation) (10/29 on), VINCENT MUST DIE/HALLOW ROAD double feature (10/30, 7 p.m.), BACK TO THE FUTURE 40th anniversary (10/30 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), EK DEEWANE KI DEEWANIYAT (in Hindi with English sub), REGRETTING YOU, SHELBY OAKS, SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, THAMMA* (in Hindi with English sub), BLACK PHONE 2, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, GOOD FORTUNE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, ROOFMAN, TRON: ARES, TRUTH & TREASON (10/24 on), PARANORMAN (animation) (10/25-10/28; 2-D & 3-D), STITCH HEAD sneak preview (animation) (10/26, 2 p.m.), HALLOWEEN (1978) (10/26, 3 & 7 p.m.; 10/29, 7 p.m.), TWILIGHT (10/29, 1, 4 & 7 p.m.), ANNIVERSARY, STITCH HEAD (animation) (10/29 on), THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON (10/30, 1, 4 & 7 p.m.), TRIUMPH OVER EVIL: BATTLE OF THE EXORCISTS (religious docudrama) (10/30, 7 p.m.)

@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Fall lecture by UC Santa Cruz professor Yiman Wang on the career of Anna May Wong (10/24, 2 p.m., free)

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (10/24-10/25, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)

@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Mix 94.5 and Rewind 92.5 present THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW 50th anniversary with shadow cast (10/25, 7 p.m., sold out)

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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Read the rest of this entry »

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!

10/16: Chaz Ebert (founder, Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies, College of Media, UIUC, Champaign, IL)
10/18: Mike Everleth (publisher, Underground Film Journal, Los Angeles, CA)
10/20: Lana Wildman (volunteer, Route 66 International Film Festival, Springfield, IL)

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* meeting (10/20, 7 p.m.)

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting (10/18, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents “The Savoy Arthouse” feat. PERFECT DAYS selected by Sanford Hess (10/19, 3 p.m., documentary)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
AFTER THE HUNT, BLACK PHONE 2, EXORCISM CHRONICLES: THE BEGINNING* (animation), GOOD FORTUNE, GROW, TRUTH & TREASON, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, ROOFMAN, SOUL ON FIRE (faith film), TRON: ARES (10/17 on), Studio Ghibli Fest: SPIRITED AWAY (animé) (10/18, 4 p.m., 10/19, 4 & 7 p.m., English dub; 10/20-10/21, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), AMC “Scream Unseen” (mystery movie) (10/20, 7 p.m.), THAMMA (in Hindi with English sub) (10/21-10/22, 7:30 p.m.), THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (animation) (10/22, 6 p.m., 3-D), BLUE MOON, CHAINSAW MAN THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (animé), REGRETTING YOU, SHELBY OAKS, SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE (10/23 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
BLACK PHONE 2, GOOD FORTUNE, GROW, SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE*, TRUTH & TREASON, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, GOOD BOY, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN*, THE LONG WALK, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, ROOFMAN, TRON: ARES (10/17 on), Indian cinema: BISON: KAALAMAADAN* (10/17-10/18, in Tamil with English sub), DUDE (10/17-10/20, in Tamil or Telugu with English sub), K-RAMP* (10/17-10/19, in Telugu with English sub), TELUSU KADI* (10/17-10/20, in Telugu with English sub),and MITHRA MANDALI (10/18-10/19, in Telugu with English sub), The Metropolitan Opera: La Sonnambula (10/18, 12 p.m., simulcast; 10/22, 12 & 5:30 p.m., recorded), Studio Ghibli Fest: SPIRITED AWAY (animé) (10/18, 2 p.m., 10/19, 4 & 7 p.m., 10/22, 7 p.m., English dub; 10/20-10/21, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (2004) (10/19, 3 & 7 p.m.; 10/22, 7 p.m.), OFF SCHOOL PROPERTY (religious documentary) (10/23, 7 p.m.), REGRETTING YOU, SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE (10/23 on) *single screenings daily

@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* presents screening of PICCADILLY starring Anna May Wong (10/23, 7 p.m., free)

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation) (10/17-10/18, 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!

~~~~~

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

~~~~~

MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!

10/12: Christopher Folkens (producer/director, CATALYST, 4Digital Media, Gerrards Cross, UK)
10/13: Alaric Rocha (producer, LOVE, BLOOD & AZTEC DEMONS, Leomark Studios, Los Angeles, CA)

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting (10/10, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents “The Savoy Arthouse” feat. 25 CATS FROM QATAR (10/12, 3 p.m., documentary) and MY OMAHA presented by the IRL Movie Club (10/12, 5:30 p.m., documentary)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, ROOFMAN, SOUL ON FIRE (faith film), TRON: ARES, ANEMONE, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, PERFECT BLUE* (animé re-release) (in Japanese with English sub), THE SMASHING MACHINE, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2* (10/10 on), THE DARK CRYSTAL (8/12, 4 & 7 p.m.; 8/13, 7 p.m.), 100 METERS (animé) (10/12, 4 p.m., 10/14, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub; 10/13, 7 p.m., English dub), BATTLE ROYALE 25th anniversary (in Japanese with English sub) (10/12-10/15, 7:30 p.m.), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (10/13, 7 p.m.), AFTER THE HUNT sneak preview (10/15, 7 p.m.), WISDOM OF HAPPINESS sneak preview w/Richard Gere livestream (14th Dalai Lama documentary) (10/16, 6 p.m.), BLACK PHONE 2, GOOD FORTUNE (10/16 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, ROOFMAN, TRON: ARES, ANEMONE*, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, ELEANOR THE GREAT, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, GOOD BOY, HIM, KANTARA: A LEGEND – CHAPTER 1 (in Kannada or Telugu with English sub), THE LONG WALK, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE SMASHING MACHINE (10/10 on), CORPSE BRIDE 20th anniversary (animation) (10/11, 3 & 7 p.m.; 10/12, 3, 5 & 7 p.m.; 10/15, 7 p.m., “WWE Crown Jewel – Perth” (entertainment wrestling) (10/11, 2 p.m., simulcast), THE DARK CRYSTAL (8/12, 4 & 7 p.m.; 8/13, 7 p.m.), TRICK ‘R TREAT (10/14, 10/16, 7 & 9:15 p.m.), “‘Critical Role’ Live” (role-playing game competition) (10/15, 6 p.m., simulcast from New York, NY), THE FAMILY MCMULLEN (10/15, 4 & 7 p.m.), BLACK PHONE 2 (10/16 on) *single screenings daily

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents THE NAKED GUN (10/10-10/11, 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!

~~~~~

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

~~~~~

MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!

10/4: Jason Christ (actor/executive producer, ANXIETY, Wicked Pixel Cinema, St. Louis, MO)
10/6: Niccole Powers (art director, SWEET DREAMING, Consumer Grade Film Co., Chicago, IL)

PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed

8/31: Karl Bauer, 53 (co-creator, ONE ROACH FOR SEAMUS, Champaign-Urbana, IL)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

So, we’re forced offline for a spell and a wave of news blows up in the meantime. Because of course it would. We’ll try to hit all the highlights (and not-so-highlights) with brevity over the next few Calendars. The days of mega-Reports are likely over after this run and we are putting the Images of the Week department back on the shelf for a rest. Today, we’ll be talking events that are and aren’t upcoming…

First, our man Nat Dykeman and his Chambana Film Society are taking a big step towards prominence in alternative programming here in Champaign County beginning this Sunday, October 5, when they renew their residency at the Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX in Savoy. Shows will now be weekly instead of monthly, many of them presented under a new “Savoy Arthouse” banner and with participation from the former Art Theater owner Sanford Hess, and the event kicking off this run at 3 p.m. is a collection of contemporary animated shorts called the “Animation Mixtape,” presented by the legendary Don Hertzfeldt (REJECTED).

Then, Mt. Zion filmmaker Eric Hector of Heroic Age Studios called up Ye Ed and graciously invited him to attend the world premiere of their feature TRICK AND TREATS at the Lincoln Square Theater last month on Saturday, September 20; he couldn’t go, but they had a very packed house to soak in the creepy and TRICK has been awarded more play dates in Decatur throughout October. Also, a friend of the Paris Theater in Paris wrote CUBlog to let us know about Halloween classics playing their venue weekly ‘til the end of the month; Wes Craven’s seminal hit SCREAM from 1996 will scare ‘em for free tonight and tomorrow night at 9 p.m., to be followed by other originals: A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, FRIDAY THE 13TH, and HALLOWEENs from 1978, 1981, and 1982.

Local teen sensation Max Libman, who is currently attending film school at the University of Southern California and has been making appearances at tony A-list events all over the world, has announced that his fourth Champaign Urbana International Film Festival will return for the second time in 2025; the UI Spurlock Museum will again host the SRO short film showcase on Saturday, November 8. And sadly, Chaz Ebert revealed that Roger Ebert’s Film Festival as we’ve known it at the Virginia Theatre for twenty-six star-studded affairs is no more; her and Nate Kohn’s future plans for translating the late Roger Ebert’s love of film into advocacy for the art form are now uncertain, apart from the Ebert Center itinerary held each semester at Spurlock on the University of Illinois campus. “Ebertfest” proper had an enviable run.

IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scenes on the Small Screen

That leads us to today’s Image. Eric Hector told yours truly in advance of sharing it with the audience at his TRICK AND TREATS shindig that Gravitas Ventures had secured the US distribution rights to the horror-fantasy and Apple TV+ would begin streaming it as of next Tuesday, October 7, for those who are curious to check it out and are unable to visit the Lincoln Square Theater on October 11, 12, 24, 29, or 30. We also confirmed last night that Gravitas is offering MOD Blu-ray and DVD editions of the movie as well, available to order on the same date through online merchants like Deep Discount. Hector was one of the very first local creatives who we interviewed for our coverage, regarding a separate project that never came to fruition, so we know that he must be feeling pretty darn good right now. Below is a product shot, and soon a copy will enter the Confidential film library. One day, that will be yours to enjoy as well, C-U.

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LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* event, “Shooting on Film in 2025” (10/6, 7 p.m., Robeson Pavilion Room C)

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* guest speaker, local producer Kevin Lau (10/3, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society presents “The Savoy Arthouse” feat. “Animation Mixtape” presented by Don Hertzfeld (10/5, 3 p.m.)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
ANEMONE, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (re-release), BONE LAKE, CASPER 30th anniversary (re-release), GOOD BOY, PERFECT BLUE (animé re-release) (in Japanese with English sub), THE SMASHING MACHINE, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, HIM*, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 (10/3 on), “Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” (album promotion) (10/3-10/5), SPIDER-MAN (2002) (10/3, 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 2.1 (2004) (10/4, 4 & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007) (10/5, 4 & 7 p.m.), “BTS 2019 Live: ‘Love Yourself Speak Yourself: London’” (concert film re-release) (10/5, 2 p.m.), “BTS 2021 Live: ‘Muster Sowoozoo” (concert film re-release) (10/5, 5 p.m.), AFTERBURN, DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE (10/6-10/8), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (10/6, 7 p.m.), KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, ROOFMAN, TRON: ARES (10/9 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
ANEMONE, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (re-release), COYOTES*, GOOD BOY, KANTARA: A LEGEND – CHAPTER 1 (in Kannada or Telugu with English sub), THE SMASHING MACHINE, A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY*, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, DUDE PERFECT: THE HERO TOUR* (performance/documentary), ELEANOR THE GREAT, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), HIM, THE LONG WALK, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 (10/3 on), “Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” (album promotion) (10/3-10/5), SPIDER-MAN (2002) (10/3, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 2.1 (2004) (10/4, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007) (10/5, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), IDLY KADAI (in Tamil with English sub) (10/4-10/5), UFC 320: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira, more (mixed martial arts) (10/4, 9 p.m., simulcast), THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (10/6, 10/8, 7 p.m.), BROKEN MARY: THE KEVIN MATTHEWS STORY (faith documentary) (10/7, 7 p.m.), ROOFMAN, TRON: ARES (10/9 on) *single screenings daily

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents F1 THE MOVIE (10/3-10/4, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)

@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Illinois Public Media in partnership with the UI Beckman Institute present OBSERVER (Beckman “STEM Crawl” in downtown Champaign, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., show 3 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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Read the rest of this entry »

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!

9/27: Robert Hubbard (contributor, 366 Weird Movies, Louisville, KY)
10/1: Jason Croft (editor/publisher, Bachelor Pad Magazine, Champaign, IL)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

Our Calendar special features are going on hiatus as we spend the time to sort out issues behind-the-scenes with our service provider and hosting. We will resume our regular posting of Calendars and other features at CUBlog as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding. [Note: If you’re reading this at the website, we’ve clearly gotten past the hump. ~ Ed.]

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* workshop, “Camera Movement” (9/26, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
DEAD OF WINTER, DUDE PERFECT: THE HERO TOUR (performance/documentary), ELEANOR THE GREAT*, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2, THEY CALL HIM OG* (in Telugu with English sub), A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY*, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, HIM, THE LONG WALK, THE SENIOR* (9/26 on), SPIDER-MAN (2002) (9/26, 4 & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 2.1 (2004) (9/27, 4 & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007) (9/28, 4 & 7 p.m.), “BTS 2016 Live: ‘The Most Beautiful Moment in Life on Stage’” (concert film re-release) (9/28, 2 p.m.), “BTS 2017: ‘The Wings Tour the Final’” (concert film re-release) (9/28, 5 p.m.), AMC “Scream Unseen” (mystery movie) (9/29, 7 p.m.), “BTS 2019 Live: ‘Love Yourself Speak Yourself: London’” (concert film re-release) (10/1, 7:30 p.m.), “BTS 2021 Live: ‘Muster Sowoozoo” (concert film re-release) (10/2, 7 p.m.), ANEMONE, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (re-release), THE SMASHING MACHINE (10/2 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
DUDE PERFECT: THE HERO TOUR (performance/documentary), ELEANOR THE GREAT, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2, THEY CALL HIM OG (in Telugu with English sub), AFTERBURN*, A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, HIM, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), THE LONG WALK, THE SENIOR, WEAPONS (9/26 on), SPIDER-MAN (2002) (9/26, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 2.1 (2004) (9/27, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007) (9/28, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), Bernadette of Lourdes (faith musical) (9/28, 3 p.m., 9/29, 7 p.m.; recorded), YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (9/28, 3 & 7 p.m.; 10/1, 7 p.m.), SATISFIED (Renée Elise Goldsberry documentary) (9/30-10/2, 7 p.m.), *single screenings daily

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents 28 YEARS LATER (9/26-9/27, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)

@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Mix 94.5 and Rewind 92.5 present TWILIGHT w/ImpactLife blood drive (9/27, 2 & 7 p.m.)

Events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Additional “Now Playing” and “Coming Soon” listings appear after the jump!

~~~~~

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

~~~~~

MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!

9/21: Lisa Cerezo (co-owner, Neon Moth, Champaign, IL)
9/22: Sue Trippiedi (actress, DOGS IN QUICKSAND, Shut Up and Do It Productions, Champaign, IL)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

Our Calendar special features are going on hiatus as we spend the time to sort out issues behind-the-scenes with our service provider and hosting. We will resume our regular posting of Calendars and other features at CUBlog as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding. [Note: If you’re reading this at the website, we’ve clearly gotten past the hump. ~ Ed.]

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ The Lincoln Square Theater, Decatur, IL
Heroic Age Studios presents TRICK AND TREATS* red carpet premiere w/filmmakers (9/20, 5 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. event)

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society presents the first CineSonic Film Festival* (9/21-9/22) feat. WHERE ARE YOU, JAY BENNETT?, more

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
AFTERBURN, A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY, HIM, THE HISTORY OF SOUND, THE SENIOR, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), THE LONG WALK, SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES, TOY STORY 30th anniversary (animation re-release), WEAPONS* (9/19 on), Studio Ghibli Fest: HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (animé) (9/20, 4 p.m., 9/21, 4 & 7 p.m., 9/24, 7 p.m., English sub; 9/22-9/23, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub or English dub), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (9/22, 7 p.m.), “BTS 2016 Live: ‘The Most Beautiful Moment in Life on Stage’” (concert film re-release) (9/24, 7:30 p.m.), “BTS 2017: ‘The Wings Tour the Final’” (concert film re-release) (9/25, 7:30 p.m.), DEAD OF WINTER, ELEANOR THE GREAT, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 (9/25 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
AFTERBURN, A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY, HIM, THE SENIOR, SHAKTHI THIRUMAGAN (in Tamil or Telugu with English sub), THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), THE LONG WALK, MIRAI* (in Telugu with English sub), THE ROSES, SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES, TOY STORY 30th anniversary (animation re-release), WEAPONS (9/19 on), Studio Ghibli Fest: HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (animé) (9/20, 4 p.m., 9/21, 4 & 7 p.m., 9/24, 7 p.m., English sub; 9/22-9/23, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub or English dub), Sight & Sound Theatres and Fathom present Noah (filmed faith stage presentation) (9/22-9/24, 7 p.m.), THEY CALL HIM OG (in Telugu with English sub) (9/24 on), HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (9/24, 7 p.m.), GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 (9/25 on) *single screenings daily

@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
UI College of Media presents THE ISLAND OF THE SHARK: GUARDIANS OF MALPELO documentary screening with filmmaker Annie Crawley (9/24, 4:30 p.m.)

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents SUPERMAN (9/19-9/20, 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!

~~~~~

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

~~~~~

MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!

9/14: Jason Huls (filmmaker, THE FAWN, Ten Wing Media, Chicago, IL)
9/14: Tim Cain (entertainment reporter, Decatur Herald & Review/Lee Enterprises, Decatur, IL)
9/14: Kimberly Conner (filmmaker, LIPSTICK, Predestined Arts & Entertainment, Springfield, IL/Los Angeles, CA)
9/16: Jay Rosenstein (producer, Jay Rosenstein Productions, Champaign-Urbana, IL/New York, NY)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

Our Calendar special features are going on hiatus as we spend the time to sort out issues behind-the-scenes with our service provider and hosting. We will resume our regular posting of Calendars and other features at CUBlog as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding. [Note: If you’re reading this at the website, we’ve clearly gotten past the hump. ~ Ed.]

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* meeting (9/15, 7 p.m.)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
THE BALTIMORONS*, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, ELLI AND HER MONSTER TEAM* (animation), THE LONG WALK, MIRAI* (in Telugu with English sub), SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES, TOY STORY 30th anniversary (animation re-release), THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS*, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), LIGHT OF THE WORLD (faith animation), WEAPONS (9/12 on), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (9/15, 7 p.m.), A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY, HIM, THE SENIOR (9/18 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, KISHKINDHAPURI* (in Telugu with English sub), LITTLE HEARTS (in Telugu with English sub), THE LONG WALK, MIRAI (in Telugu with English sub), SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES, TOY STORY 30th anniversary (animation re-release), THE BAD GUYS 2* (animation), CAUGHT STEALING*, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, FREAKIER FRIDAY, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), JAWS 50th anniversary* (re-release), THE NAKED GUN, THE ROSES, SPLITSVILLE*, SUPERMAN, WEAPONS (9/12 on), INCEPTION (9/13-9/14, 3 & 7 p.m.; 9/17, 7 p.m.), THE JESTER 2 (9/15-9/16, 7 p.m.), Sight & Sound Theatres and Fathom present Noah (filmed faith stage presentation) (9/18, 7 p.m.), A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY, HIM (9/18 on) *single screenings daily

@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies presents 2025-26 welcome event and SINNERS screening (9/18, 7 p.m.)

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (9/12-9/13, 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!

~~~~~

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

~~~~~

MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!

9/5: Anthony E. Cabral (first assistant director, ALBANY ROAD, Faith Filmworks, Los Angeles, CA)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
BAAGHI 4* (in Hindi with English sub), THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), LIGHT OF THE WORLD (faith animation), LURKER*, SPLITSVILLE, CAUGHT STEALING, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, FREAKIER FRIDAY, JAWS 50th anniversary (re-release), LILO & STITCH*, THE ROSES, THE TOXIC AVENGER*, WEAPONS (9/5 on), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE sneak preview (9/10, 7 p.m.), DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, THE LONG WALK, SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES (9/11 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
BAAGHI 4* (in Hindi with English sub), THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, GHAATI (in Telugu with English sub), HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), SPLITSVILLE, THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation), CAUGHT STEALING, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, FREAKIER FRIDAY, JAWS 50th anniversary (re-release), LILO & STITCH, THE NAKED GUN, NOBODY 2, THE ROSES, SUPERMAN, WEAPONS (9/5 on), MADHARASI* (in Tamil with English sub) (9/5-9/6), GUNS & MOSES (9/7-9/11, 7 p.m.), THE BREAKFAST CLUB 40th anniversary (9/7, 3 & 7 p.m.; 9/10, 7 p.m.), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE sneak preview (9/10, 7 p.m.), DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, THE LONG WALK, MIRAI (in Telugu with English sub) (9/11 on) *single screenings daily

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents KARATE KID LEGENDS (9/5-9/6, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)

@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
The News-Gazette Film Series presents THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) with Wurlitzer accompaniment by Dr. Steven Ball (9/6, 1 & 7 p.m.)

Events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Additional “Now Playing” and “Coming Soon” listings appear after the jump!

~~~~~

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

~~~~~

MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!

8/30: John Oak Dalton (director, SMART HOUSE, ITN Distribution, Beverly Hills, CA)
9/1: Morgan Wiley (designer/cartoonist, Morgan Wiley Art, Champaign-Urbana, IL)
9/2: Matt Harsh (videographer/multimedia artist, HarshPro, Champaign-Urbana, IL)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

The days are getting shorter, the Calendars are getting longer, and we want to get outside more while it’s pleasant since we need to neaten up around MFHQ Deux. So, this week, we’re going to stress quick hits and direct you to a set of stories published elsewhere that have caught our eye. A few of them are from a while ago and got a bit lost in the latest crunch of Report-ing, but you can still read and glean from them. Keeping up with the C-Uvians often means neatening up our virtual workspace from time to time.

So, dearest readers and gleaners, have you heard the ones about:

Eastern Illinois University announcing their television service is going to drop its association with PBS due to a major loss in federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting? This is the sort of shortfall that will hamper the American people’s ability to access art, performance, history, and news that is unencumbered by the compromises of commercial networks and politically-leaning avenues, yet it will also force institutions like EIU to find other materials to air as well as methods to afford the education and training they can offer undergraduates in broadcasting and journalism, such as at the WEIU-TV studio.

Veteran film critic and “Ebertfest” associate Michael Phillips revealing he was agreeing to a buyout of his contract at the Chicago Tribune, effectively terminating his role at the newspaper, and declining to be reassigned to another department in the newsroom? Following a similar agreement between the Chicago Sun-Times and the former Roger Ebert television co-host Richard Roeper that took place earlier this year, it leaves the dailies of a major American city without chief movie reviewers for the first time in several decades. Across our nation, the devaluing across media forms of critical voices in the arts is striking.

The News-Gazette reporting in late June that a pair of Danville High School students, David Moore and Simone Modest, were writing and singing a song for a music video being made with other area youth during a “Say It With Music” summer camp, facilitated by Project Success of Vermilion County and taught by instructors and professional filmmakers and music engineers through Her Records, Inc., of Atlanta? The theme of the song and video, stopping violence in the community, had personal meaning for Modest whose cousin, Aniyah Davis, was killed by gunfire in Danville right before they began the camp, which is designed to foster creativity and confidence as well as incorporate concepts in STEM and the arts.

Area businessman George Papametro purchasing and beginning the fix-up process of the former Home Theatre in downtown Rantoul, as written about by the News-Gazette in April, with no intent to restore the space as a cinema due to its deterioration and the fickle state of exhibition? A property owner with several locations as well as owner of AG Electric of Thomasboro, Papametro believed that other kinds of groups or businesses could make due with renting space in the Home once his upgrade work is done and didn’t rule out the possibility of live theater being staged in the location. No online update can be found.

WJBC radio confirming the Normal Police Department was incorporated in a throwaway gag on a recent episode of the Netflix series WEDNESDAY, in which a mock-up photo of an arrested “Thing” is shown? The Town of Normal had known about the cameo and kept it under wraps until the episode aired. A spokesperson surmises the inclusion most likely had to do with using “Normal” as easy wordplay against the altogether ooky world of the Addams Family. We at CUBlog absolutely approve of this move.

News-Gazette columnist Bob Asmussen musing on the potential for showing college sports movies on the UI Memorial Stadium scoreboard, which will get its first real-time workout of the season tonight at 6:30 p.m. when Illinois plays Western Illinois to kick off the football season? Apparently, REMEMBER THE TITANS was enjoyed a couple of weeks ago on the screen and family-friendly outings have been hosted there in recent times with Disney and Marvel favorites. Sure, it’s a plausible idea, weather permitting, and could become the athletic equivalent of the weekly Illini Union movies shown every semester. Rah rah!

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Champaign County Historical Museum, Champaign, IL
“Downtown Champaign Historic Theater Tour” (8/30, 1 p.m.) Tickets

@ Golden Corral, Springfield, IL
Central Illinois Film Commission* meeting (9/4, 7 p.m.)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
CAUGHT STEALING, JAWS 50th anniversary (re-release), LOKAH CHAPTER ONE: CHANDRA* (in Malayam with English sub), PARAM SUNDARI* (in Hindi with English sub), THE ROSES, RUN*, SUNDARAKANDA* (in Telugu with English sub), THE TOXIC AVENGER, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, FREAKIER FRIDAY, HONEY DON’T, LILO & STITCH, NOBODY 2, RELAY*, SUPERMAN, WEAPONS (8/29 on), SHIN GODZILLA ORTHOCHROMATIC (8/31, 6:15 p.m.) (in Japanese with English sub), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (9/1, 7 p.m.), THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), LIGHT OF THE WORLD (faith animation) (9/4 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
CAUGHT STEALING, JAWS 50th anniversary (re-release), PARAM SUNDARI* (in Hindi with English sub), THE ROSES, RUN*, THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation), THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, FREAKIER FRIDAY, HONEY DON’T, LILO & STITCH, THE NAKED GUN, NE ZHA II* (animation; English dub), NOBODY 2, RELAY, SUPERMAN, WEAPONS (8/29 on), SUNDARAKANDA* (in Telugu with English sub) (8/29, 6:35 p.m.), THE BLIND (8/31, 4 & 7 p.m.; 9/1-9/4, 7 p.m.), MADHARASI (in Tamil or Telugu) (9/4 on) *single screenings daily

@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents MATERIALISTS (8/29-8/30, 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!

~~~~~

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

~~~~~

MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!

8/23: Shannon Beranek (copy editor, Bachelor Pad Magazine, Champaign, IL)
8/23: Luke Boyce (series co-creator and co-executive producer, REVIVAL, Blue Ice Pictures, Toronto, Canada/Syfy, New York, NY)

FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said

It’s an indie film week through and through at MFHQ Deux and we’re manifesting it on the quick and cheap. Might want to fasten those proverbial buckles … if our sub-Cormanesque budget allows!

The Normal Theater in Normal has a few things to offer in this arena. First is a downstate Illinois premiere that is set for next Tuesday, August 26, of a lo-fi feature called SPLIT PERSONALITIES ALTERNATE DIMENSIONS, created by the Chicago filmmaker Johnny Lange who hails from the B-N. Taking a premise of asking its protagonists to “tell us about your dreams” and going gonzo with it across four “terrifying twisted tales,” SPAD (a cheeky acronym possibly preferred by Lange as it is used in previous coverage, like this curious interview with Hollywood Chicago’s Patrick McDonald) apparently took five years to make, beginning as a shorter project mounted with the Windy City’s Group 312 Films. Other than lucking upon a VHS-as-retrofit-art-object release of this opus, taped over recordings on older cassettes and dropped in myriad locations that are revealed on Lange’s Instagram account, the primary way that one can submit one’s senses to SPAD is publicly like at the Normal, where the event will begin at 8 p.m. and be free entry for all. Several teasers exist on YouTube and we think this one might be closest to expressing what can be found in SPAD, starting with performers Christina Wollerman, Elyse Dawson, and Terry Holt giving it all they’ve got for art’s sake. It’s not normal fare at the Normal and we’re down with it.

Speaking of not normal Normal, tra la, the programmers at the Art Deco single-screen house located in the “Uptown” district adjacent to Illinois State University will turn right around and welcome another indie filmmaker, Addison Binek, to 209 North Street on Saturday, September 6, for a 7 p.m. screening of his lively trash-horror-comedy duo, PSYCHO APE! and PSYCHO APE!! PART II: THE WRATH OF KONG. Produced largely in Binek’s home town of Detroit with asides recorded in New York City and Los Angeles, the movies star Psycho Ape (himself?) who escapes the zoo and goes on a murderous rampage in PART I while being brought to justice in PART II; acting alongside the big link are Kansas Bowling as “Nancy Banana” and Bill Weeden as “Dr. Zoomis.” Not unlike with SPAD, PA! and PA!! II may test the fortitude of some in the audience but, if you’re willing to be adventurous and forgive the rough spots in favor of enjoying the offbeat nature of what’s up on the silver screen, then this colorful counter-programming will hopefully hit a heretofore unknown sweet spot. According to a slightly older interview with The Metropolitan online magazine, Binek reveals the first PA! cost $7,000 and was shot using VHS gear; today, glorious banana-yellow VHS editions of both can be bought from Lunchmeat VHS. Yum!

Much higher-budgeted compared to SPLIT PERSONALITIES and the PSYCHO APEs, yet still modest in comparison to the top-line Hollywood productions of its era, is the grande dame of audience participation cinema, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, which turns 50 years old. That will put an extra spin on the Normal’s traditional presentation of the 1975 cult classic during their annual Halloween movie marathon, and they are looking for performers to join the Shadow Cast up on stage in October! Mark the casting call dates on your own calendars right now – Saturday, September 6, and Sunday, September 7, with both sessions lasting from 12 to 3 p.m. Visit this Normal event page for more information!

Finally, right after we made rare reference to the Lincoln Square Theatre of Decatur in last week’s Calendar, they hit everyone with a surprise announcement that Heroic Age Studios’ long-in-the-making fantasy-horror flick, TRICK AND TREATS, will finally see the light of day and a cinema projector during a local premiere to he held on Saturday, September 20. We’re not sure how many seats are now in the auditorium of the venue after all the hard restoration work done over the past several years, but it might be smart to plan ahead and purchase those tickets in advance right here; the evening is certainly priced at a premium and is scheduled to incorporate a red carpet walk and mingle starting at 5 p.m., an introduction and premiere of the feature at 7 p.m., and a question-and-answer opportunity at approximately 8:45 p.m. Conceived by the Heroic Age team of Eric Hector (director/writer/co-producer) and Tim Lynn (editor/cinematographer) as the first feature to be made through a fan-funding initiative, Frightful 5000 Films, it was mostly produced on location in Decatur and Macon County as well as on sets at their Heroic Age Art Center complex in neighboring Mt. Zion before the pandemic struck. The premise fleshes out the eighteenth century “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater” ditty and finds a demonic jack-o-lantern, voiced by Malcolm McDowell, wreaking havoc in the present at a biker bar called the Lucky Lady Tavern. You can look up the cast and crew at IMDb, a fair amount of behind-the-scenes material on Facebook, and a revised trailer also on Facebook.

With that, we have the most MICRO-FILM-y thing that we’ve committed to words in a while. Maybe it’s one part dormant reflex, for PSYCHO APE! and SPLIT PERSONALITIES ALTERNATE DIMENSIONS remind us of the kind of out-of-left-field pet projects that we’d receive in our long-gone post office box with little to no warning, mostly in what was the dominant screener format of VHS, as something to be covered or reviewed. Maybe it’s one part flashback, for it’s been 25 years since we visited Heroic Age and discussed with Hector what was going to be the studio’s first stab at an indie feature, JOHNNY VIOLENCE. Maybe it’s beginning to feel a little like Halloween and it hits the spot. Maybe it’s just … MFing wishful thinking. Erg.

IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scenes on the Small Screen

Looks as if today’s Images department will be a two-month follow-up to our previous home video cover gallery, which itself is a two-month follow-up to a cover gallery before that, and it all goes to show you the movies of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond never sit still if the makers behind them have the drive and connections! Without further ado, here is our preview of a few new home videos that can be added to your collections right now. Conversation starters du C-U, they are!

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Last time, our first item was NIGHT OF THE DEAD SORORITY BABES from Acrostar Productions and BayView Entertainment, so we’ll follow suit and kick off our parade with the new one from them, a combo release of ATTACK OF THE CORN ZOMBIES and RETURN OF THE CORN ZOMBIES, which will be available to purchase in the BD-R format as of next Tuesday, August 26! We don’t have it in hand yet so we’re uncertain if the set comes with anything other than the corn flicks themselves, homegrown right here in east central Illinois by the Chicago micro-studio; ATTACK is an outbreak yarn and RETURN a tale of roving survivors in the aftermath. Both ZOMBIES have also been popping up on streaming services like Vudu, Hoopla, Plex, and Fawesome. While there is no word yet about a third entry, the team is busy planning an original fright fest, THE LEGEND OF TINKER HELL starring Acrostar MVP Beth Metcalf and to be the directing debut of actress Lynn Lowry, and gearing up for more PERFECT SOUL filming next month. Oh, did we mention the brand-new CD of Edward Grant’s score for SORORITY from Klaatu Records?

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Also, beginning to ship from OCN Distribution as we speak is Shudder’s late-in-coming Blu-ray release of REVEALER, the neon-soaked end times horror-fantasy filmed throughout Champaign-Urbana on the downlow and during the pandemic by director Luke Boyce (REVIVAL) and the Shatterglass Films/Line Film Co./Paper Street Pictures tandem. Available exclusively on the Vinegar Syndrome website for the moment in both a standard edition, dressed with the familiar Shudder artwork from the 2022 streaming and DVD releases, and a sleeved edition, sporting funky and squirmy artwork by Trevor Henderson, the REVEALER disc finally gives us an HD copy of the battle of wills between a bible-thumper (Shaina Schrooten) and pole dancer (Caito Aase) who must team up to survive a satanic event in Reagan-era Chicago. Extras are legion on this edition, with most of them carried over from the DVD, and they include commentaries, interviews, a documentary, a visual essay, and more.

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As we touched on recently, Peter McDowell’s documentary on the shortened and unusual lifetime of his older brother Jimmy as well as its ripple effect on his family, JIMMY IN SAIGON, has been issued on DVD by Dark Star Pictures as of Tuesday, July 22, and features the “distribution cut” of the film that is to be shown tonight, Friday, August 22, and on Sunday, August 24, at the Chicago Filmmakers headquarters in Chicago. The video includes a handful of insightful bonus materials, such as a director’s commentary by McDowell, deleted and extended scenes from the film, a featurette on the animated passages in the film, and a bonus short subject. JIMMY is partly set in Champaign-Urbana due to the filmmaker’s local ties.

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And finally, we were going to report that a wide-release edition of Chicago filmmaker John Borowski’s comprehensive series, THE JOHN WAYNE GACY MURDERS: LIFE AND DEATH IN CHICAGO, would be issued on Blu-ray and DVD by MVD Visual on Tuesday, September 16, but we just checked and the product page that we first looked at a while ago is gone. (We’ll offer an update after we learn more.) Running eight episodes and about four hours total, GACY MURDERS turns over every rock it can to dissect the crimes, police investigation, and aftermath of the accused murderer and sex offender who masqueraded as a children’s entertainer. Thoughtful histories about individuals like Gacy are valuable and the career of Borowski is a singular experience in unearthing their stories, including his prior works on Albert Fish, H. H. Holmes, and Carl Panzram. You might still be able to purchase his own limited-run BD-Rs of GACY MURDERS or you can seek out the streaming versions at Amazon Prime and YouTube. The Dark History & Horror Con set for November 8-9 at the Orpheum Champaign will be steeped in this milieu.

LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse Cinema, Chicago, IL
JIMMY IN SAIGON* screening w/filmmaker Peter McDowell (8/22, 7 p.m.; 8/24, 6 p.m.)

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
HONEY DON’T, NE ZHA II (animation; English dub), RELAY, THE SHADOW’S EDGE* (in Mandarin with English dub), THE BAD GUYS 2* (animation), THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, FREAKIER FRIDAY, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON*, JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH*, THE NAKED GUN*, NOBODY 2, SHIN GODZILLA* (in Japanese with English sub), SUPERMAN, WEAPONS (8/22 on), THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN 20th anniversary (8/22, 3 p.m.; 8/25-8/26, 4 p.m.), TRAINWRECK 10th anniversary (8/22-8/23, 6:15 p.m.), Studio Ghibli Fest: PONYO (animé) (8/23, 4 p.m., 8/24, 4 & 7 p.m., 8/27, 7 p.m., English dub; 8/25-8/26, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), CAUGHT STEALING, JAWS 50th anniversary (re-release), THE ROSES, THE TOXIC AVENGER (8/28 on) *single screenings daily

@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
HONEY DON’T, NE ZHA II (animation; English dub), PARADHA (in Telugu with English sub), PRIMITIVE WAR, RELAY, THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation), COOLIE* (in Tamil with English sub), DEAD TO RIGHTS* (in Mandarin with English and Chinese sub), F1 THE MOVIE, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, FREAKIER FRIDAY, THE NAKED GUN, NOBODY 2, SKETCH*, SUPERMAN, WAR 2* (in Hindi with English sub), WEAPONS (8/22 on), AMERICANA* (8/22-8/24), KPOP DEMON HUNTERS “sing-a-long” edition (animation) (8/23-8/24), Studio Ghibli Fest: PONYO (animé) (8/23, 2 p.m., 8/24, 4 & 7 p.m., 8/27, 7 p.m., English dub; 8/25-8/26, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (8/23, 2 & 7 p.m.; 8/24, 3 & 7 p.m.), EAST OF WALL* (8/25-8/27), JAWS 50th anniversary (re-release) *single screenings daily

@ Main Quad, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Welcome Back Film on the Quad” feat. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (8/24, 9 p.m., free)

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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