Illinois native Shea VanLaningham tried to crack the indie horror market with DEAD BODIES EVERYWHERE some 10 years ago. We thought it had been long buried. We were dead wrong.
Posted in Alums Done Good, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Streaming Cinema | 
Comments Off on Lost IL indie flays DEAD BODIES
Where have all the good times gone? That is one of several major understatements for today. Do your civic duty, C-Uvians, and then consider whether our film culture can rebuild after the drought.
Posted in Area Festivals, C-U Confidential Shows, JP Confidential, MICRO-FILM du C-U, Ones That Got Away?, Public Events, Sad Places, The Old School | Comments Off on NAFF still a no-show for October
Ye Ed is rooting for the film culture of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, to rebound from the turbulence of recent years. Not everything will survive, such as the theaters he recently photographed.
Posted in Business Matters, Images du C-U, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Sad Places, The Old School, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on August and everything NAFFter
In a restructuring effort by new ownership, the Goodrich Quality Theaters chain has decided to let go of the Savoy 16 IMAX in Savoy, IL. It could reopen if another tenant-operator fills the void.
Posted in Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Sad Places, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on It’s ‘The End’ for GQT at Savoy 16
Nationwide consensus is that small businesses and organizations will get raked over the coals before the pandemic is over. We look at how a first-run, mixed-use, and former movie theater are doing.
Posted in Business Matters, Education/Classes, How You Can Help, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Public Events, Sad Places, The Old School, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on Virus fells Orpheum, shorts Avon
Self-restriction has been lifted as your humble editor rockets out the gate with fresh words on important topics and miscellany as well as dear old Dad. He might mention a few filmy things on top of that.
Posted in C-U Confidential, How You Can Help, JP Confidential, Ones That Got Away?, The Old School | Comments Off on Don’t ever let the dust settle, C-U
Once upon a time, next to no one in our society knew how to make movies. Traveling impresarios of a century ago made sure to tease the average citizen with the possibilities in programs like ‘Making Movies.’
Posted in Advertising du C-U, Education/Classes, Gone Hollywood, Images du C-U, Ones That Got Away?, Print Matter du C-U, Public Events, The Old School, Theatres & Venues, VHS is Best | Comments Off on Let’s all go to the ‘Movies,’ C-U
The unused Lincoln Square Theatre in downtown Decatur, Illinois, is showing signs of disrepair on its exterior. Residents and officials may be at a tipping point in deciding the fate of the venue.
Posted in Images du C-U, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Sad Places, Theatres & Venues, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on Odds sinking for Lincoln survival
Once again, the archives at MFHQ trigger your humble editor into remembering times of a different creative energy. Herein we have evidence of his stab at fashioning attire for a lost short film project.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Images du C-U, JP Confidential, Ones That Got Away?, The Old School | Comments Off on Cicadas fashioned to fit allegory
The scenes from a film culture that we have been watching mostly from afar fill us with mild disenchantment instead of wonder. And then we were ordered to self-shelter and keep personal spaces to ourselves. Joy.
Posted in Area Festivals, Article du C-U, Business Matters, Education/Classes, JP Confidential, Local Meetings, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Public Events, Roger Ebert, Sad Places, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on C-U cinema hits a slippery slope
We’re not sure what to tell you. Chances are good our reel life will give way to real life. It may mean the end, a new beginning, a suspended animation, a salvage mission. Choosing your own misadventure sucks.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, JP Confidential, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Secret MFHQ | Comments Off on Our resolution will be CUBlogged
There’s really not much more to say on behalf of the New Art Film Festival. We need a short break from it publicly, starting now, even though we won’t get a break from it privately until further notice.
Posted in Area Festivals, Bittersweet Places, C-U Confidential Shows, JP Confidential, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Public Events | Comments Off on Alas, no NAFF 2019 show for you
All systems are go for several cool film events coming to the area! Learn about them and postulate what might become of the orphaned New Art Film Festival now that the Art Theater is a cinematic sitting duck.
Posted in Area Festivals, C-U Confidential Shows, Ones That Got Away?, Public Events, Roger Ebert, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on C-U cinema tumbles hard into fall
Espresso Royale on Daniel Street in Champaign, IL, will be closed and torn down, but we’ll always have our memories and film evidence of the coffee spot. What film evidence, you say? It’s minor, but, it exists!
Posted in Images du C-U, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Sad Places, Student Film, The Old School | Comments Off on One less haunt remains in the C-U
And now, for student filmmaking that is completely different! Vinegar Syndrome recruits the forgotten UI action opus SHOT for another tour of duty on Blu-ray disc beginning August 28, 2018. This is our verdict…
Posted in Critique du C-U, Home Videos du C-U, Images du C-U, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Student Film, The Old School, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on SHOT BD provides thud-filled rush