Calendar du C-U: May 13-19
Our unique movie and media Calendar appears every Friday on C-U Blogfidential and caters to the discerning tastes of citizens in the downstate region anchored by Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.
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PLAYING THIS WEEK
5/13/16-5/19/16
MILESTONES
Happy Birthday to … Thursday, May 19: Lissa Massa (actress/producer, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO HELL), Gerry Kissell (writer/artist, Vindicated, Inc.) … celebrate!
20 Years Ago … Friday, May 10, 1996: Warner Bros. releases the action film TWISTER, directed by Jan de Bont and starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, which becomes the second highest grossing release of that year in the United States and Canada after INDEPENDENCE DAY. Many communities across the nation probably did not feel so enthusiastic about the movie because, less than a month before on the evening of Friday, April 19, an extremely volatile storm system produced dozens of tornadoes in the central Midwest and the South. More than 30 funnel clouds were reported in Illinois alone and two of the strongest, rated at the “F3” category, caused serious damage in southwest Urbana and nearly destroyed the small town of Ogden. Amazingly, the only person killed in those Champaign County incidents was a Missouri woman traveling on I-74 near Ogden, according to a CNN report at the time. A chronological chart of the unfolding weather disaster from that night can be found on Wikipedia, an illustrated analysis of why the storm behaved as it did can be reviewed in this report filed by the UIUC Department of Atmospheric Sciences, a compilation of police and storm chaser video that depicts the tornadoes and aftermath can be viewed at The News-Gazette, and storm-by-storm information can be studied at The Tornado History Project, an on-line database of confirmed sightings in the United States that is designed and maintained by Joshua Lietz of Urbana. In the present, dearest readers should refresh themselves on tornado safety every spring by consulting the National Weather Service and other trusted agencies; informed protocol will help save lives way more readily than quoting dialogue from TWISTER while on the run, we imagine.
FLICKER OF THE WEEK
Whereas the above item recalls the tendencies of Mother Nature to randomly tear down our walls, we rebound with a “FOW” championing the human desire to build back up those singular architectural marvels we hold near and dear. The Save the Lorraine Foundation, named after the Lorraine Theatre in downtown Hoopeston, has worked hard the past few years to raise funding for the movie palace’s restoration and re-opening as a vibrant community hub; we recently learned they would love to share the “Lorraine of old” one final time with customers past and future before the serious clean-up efforts begin! The Foundation will host a “Last Call” open house at the Lorraine tomorrow, Sat., May 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., during which attendees can view the auditorium and lobby in their long-standing 1937 art deco glory. Members will also talk about their partnership with the specialists of FreeSky Studios in Springfield, who have been mapping the interior in recent weeks and will help the Foundation achieve their goals of removing the vintage decoration, cleaning and sealing the building, and installing a mix of old and new adornments. If the movie-going environments of early 20th century theaters interest you at all, it might be worth a trek to Hoopeston where you can pay respects to one of the few remaining venues of its kind in downstate Illinois before the facelift is applied. For whatever reason, the Foundation is not also running a movie at their Little Lorraine storefront space located a short walk from the Lorraine proper, as it might have provided hometown and out-of-town visitors alike with a nice all-day experience. Then again, maybe a community relations bullet has been knowingly dodged since DEADPOOL is their next scheduled flick…
NOW PLAYING
@ The Art Theater Co-op, Champaign, IL: SING STREET (5/13 on), The Ecuadorian Association at UIUC presents Ecuador disaster benefit feat. ECUADOR THE ROYAL TOUR, HOW MUCH FURTHER? (5/16, 7 p.m., $10 suggested donation), Annual Art Co-op Member Screening: PARIS TEXAS (5/17, 7 p.m.), HIGH-RISE (5/13-5/14, 5/17-5/19, 10 p.m.)
@ WILL-TV, Campbell Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL: Champaign Movie Makers meeting, “Musician Mixer” (5/17, 7 p.m., free)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL: A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (3-D & 2-D) (5/13 on)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL: HIS GIRL FRIDAY (5/13, 5/17, 7 p.m.), SIXTEEN CANDLES (5/13, 10:30 p.m.), FRANCOFONIA (5/14, 7 p.m.), GASLIGHT (5/17, 7 p.m.), Beyond Normal Films presents INGRID BERGMAN: IN HER OWN WORDS (5/18, 7 p.m.), WBNQ presents FINDING NEMO (5/19, 7 p.m.)
@ Route 66 Twin Drive-In, Springfield, IL: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (Screen 1), THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT, CRIMINAL (Screen 2) (5/13-5/14)
@ The Lincoln Grand 8, Lincoln, IL: MONEY MONSTER, A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (3-D & 2-D), THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR, THE JUNGLE BOOK, MOTHER’S DAY (5/13 on), RATCHET & CLANK (5/14-5/15, 2:40 p.m.), NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING (5/19, 7:20 p.m.)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (5/13 on)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL: THE JUNGLE BOOK (5/13-5/15), NORM OF THE NORTH (5/14, 11 a.m., free)
@ Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In, Gibson City, IL: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, THE JUNGLE BOOK (5/13-5/15)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL: Save the Lorraine Foundation presents “Last Call” open house prior to beginning of renovations (5/14, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.)
@ Carmike 13, Champaign, IL: THE DARKNESS, GREEN ROOM, MONEY MONSTER, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (3-D & 2-D), THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR, THE JUNGLE BOOK (3-D & 2-D), KEANU, MOTHER’S DAY, ZOOTOPIA (5/13 on), NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING, THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE (both 5/19, 7 & 9:30 p.m.)
@ Goodrich Savoy 16, Savoy, IL: THE DARKNESS, A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING, MONEY MONSTER, BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT, THE BOSS, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (IMAX 3-D, IMAX, 3-D & 2-D), THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR, THE JUNGLE BOOK, KEANU, MOTHER’S DAY, ZOOTOPIA (5/13 on), Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies, and Paramount Pictures present FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (5/15, 2 p.m.; 5/18, 7 p.m.), Goodrich presents “Flashback Cinema” feat. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (5/15, 5/18, 2 & 7 p.m.), Fathom Events and FletChet Entertainment present THE ABOLITIONISTS (5/16, 7:30 p.m.), Fathom Events and RiffTrax.com present RiffTrax Live! TIME CHASERS (5/17, 7:30 p.m., encore presentation), Fathom Events, And Sons Magazine, and Ransomed Heart present A STORY WORTH LIVING (5/19, 7:30 p.m.)
@ AMC Village Mall 6, Danville, IL: MONEY MONSTER, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (3-D & 2-D), THE JUNGLE BOOK, MOTHER’S DAY, RATCHET & CLANK (5/13 on)
@ Family Video, Champaign-Urbana, IL: DEADPOOL, THE BOY, WHERE TO INVADE NEXT, REGRESSION, SYNCHRONICITY, MANSON’S LOST GIRLS, JACK OF THE RED HEARTS, SALEM (s2), SCREAM (s1), WAR & PEACE (cs), more! (5/10 on)
@ Centerbrook Drive-In, Martinsville, IN: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR (5/13-5/14)
@ 2nd Floor, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL: Lake FX Summit + Expo presents “Fest of Chicago Film Fests” screenings and fair (5/15, 12-4 p.m., free)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL: Closed for the weekend!
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Locally produced movies and events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Also find out what is “Coming Soon” by hitting the jump below. Go see ‘em, C-U!
COMING SOON
6/1-6/5: 23rd annual Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
10/21-10/23: 2nd annual Dark History & Horror Convention
@ Fluid Event Center, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY FILM SERIES
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
5/21: THE GRADUATE; 6/25: Reader’s Choice TBA; 7/16: THE AWFUL TRUTH; 8/6: WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
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If you have items that you would like us to list in the Calendar, please send relevant dates, start/end times, locations, event descriptions, and ticket prices to cuconfidential [at] gmail [dot] com.
Compiled by Jason Pankoke
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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2016 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential.