IOW: All that is good and HOLLY

Surprise! We were not expecting that much of a drop in our posting regimen outside the Calendar, dearest readers, but we will now keep ‘em coming through the remaining holiday season! Let’s begin again by addressing a super-timely film topic that is not an answer to the question, “What did you think of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS?” (Hint: We’re not seeing it right away.) It is also not a response to the query, “What did you think of CONSUMED?” (Hint: Just see it already!) Today’s “Image of the Week” will instead offer a few thoughts should any of you be itching to inquire, “What is the movie playing the Art Theater Co-op over the weekend that I haven’t heard about until today?” (Hint: See the above banner?) After viewing the trailer of this most recent shot-in-Champaign-Urbana tale, MacDuff, read on…

Local entrepreneur DeShawn Hill of HD Productions Media, whose projects such as the zombie outbreak opus INFECTION and Webisode comedy DOWNTOWN have appeared previously in this space, returns with his first feature-length effort HOLLY, billed as “an ode to the classic Western THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY” on its Facebook page. The young writer/director’s “fast-paced thriller” about “four men search[ing] high and low for what they deem to be treasure … in rural Virginia” stars Nick Lannan, Kyle A. Thompson, William Rose II, Thomas Polk, Steve Montana, Jace Jamison, and Brian Winfield in a genre medley of misdirection and murder, if we’re reading the ambiguous teaser correctly. Little else has been revealed publicly by HD, other than a steady stream of cryptic Internet-isms and an interview given by Hill to Justin Kincaid of the Film Fervor podcast, so HOLLY will hopefully deliver the indie goods for those attending the premiere. At this point in our history, you should know the C-U Blogfidential position on such matters – for every high-profile title created in or near Champaign County like CONSUMED, there are several micro-budgeted films such as HOLLY to be supported as well. Take that chance and discover what your friendly neighborhood movie-makers have to offer, citizen-cineastes of the C-U!

The mysteries of HOLLY will unfold on Sunday, December 20, 10 p.m., at the Art, 126 W. Church St. in downtown Champaign, with tickets running a modest $5. Preceding the feature will be another debut, the comparably lo-fi preview for RED LIGHT filmed by Colin Price and Lissa Massa of the “Priceless B Movies” vidcast. It serves as a proof-of-concept based on Price’s own screenplay about a reluctant lady of the night and her nightmarish mark; parties interested in the property for future production may contact Price at rustynail72486 [at] gmail [dot] com with serious inquiries only. A final version of the teaser will eventually be shared on YouTube.

~ Jason Pankoke

p.s. HOLLY is apparently rated ‘PG-13’ by the Motion Picture Association of America “for some disturbing thematic material, violence, sexuality, and brief drug use” according to that very same trailer in which probably nothing is what it seems. Huh. Might take that emerald green certificate with a grain of salt, gang.

p.s.2 No, no, nooooooooo, Darth Obvious! “MacDuff” is not an obscure character from the STAR WARS galaxy far, far away. A disappointing lack of CUBlog reading, you have managed…

p.s.3 However, “Lord Macduff” is a key character in the Shakespeare canon and played by Sean Harris in the newest movie version of MACBETH, opening at the Art tonight. Thank you, high school English class!

p.s.4 Here is your bonus visual stimulus of the week! We embed below the CONSUMED trailer released by producers Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones at the beginning of December; head to their Web site for further details as well as action items on the GMO education front!

Consumed Trailer from Daryl Wein on Vimeo.

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