Calendar: February 8-14, 2019

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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PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed

1/23: Jonas Mekas, 96 (co-founder, Film Culture/founder, Anthology Film Archives)

 

CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History

25 Years AgoSaturday, October 16, 1993: A former Champaign resident who carved out a unique twin career of university teaching and film promotion, Ron Epple, is found deceased at age 51 in his Chicago home. The obituary by Melissa Merli that would appear in the October 20 edition of the News-Gazette tells of a much-respected man whose efforts in propagating the arts had enriched Champaign-Urbana for more than two decades. During his collegiate studies up north at Elmhurst College and Roosevelt University in the 1960s, Epple wrote for underground student magazines such as Aardvark that gleefully bucked the status quo and attracted the ire of academic superiors. He continued to be productive with his side projects after moving downstate and enrolling at the University of Illinois to pursue a doctorate in English, becoming ubiquitous with cinema in the community. Ventures during schooling included Aardvark Films, a booking entity, Champaign-Urbana Film Group, a filmmaking club, and The Depot, a performance space in downtown Urbana that hosted original stage productions and local film premieres. Epple graduated and remained in Champaign, operating a pair of companies out of his West John Street residence that doubled as an office and private screening room: Expanded Cinema Group, an agency launched with the photographer Scott Mutter that presented non-mainstream and foreign films on campus, and Picture Start, a short film distributor specializing in animation and women-directed pieces that booked non-theatrical showings of prints across the United States. He also served as an adjunct professor at UI to teach English and film, wrote for myriad journals and newsletters, and participated in film festivals outside the area such as the first Big Muddy Film Festival at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1979. Even though UI audiences dwindled for his fare in the late 1970s and 1980s due to lacking interest in the esoteric and the rise of home video, Epple played a role in reviving Champaign’s Art Theater when it opened anew in early 1987 as the New Art Theatre and continued Picture Start into the early 1990s. Above all, he was a mentor and inspiration to many dozens of UI students and C-U citizens, some of whom went on to work in the industry like Warrior FilmsFrederick Marx. Per the News-Gazette, Epple sold his stake in Picture Start to his business partner, Jeff Hellyer, after returning to Chicago and was operating a similar distributor called Short Form Releasing at the time of his death. The Picture Start inventory was acquired by Chicago Filmmakers in 1991 and eventually formed the core of their Film Distribution Project, a collection of key and rare short subjects on 16mm and 35mm.

 

LOCAL FILMS, ETC. | Support Your Media Storytellers

@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* meeting, Room 1022 (2/11, 7 p.m.)

 

NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area

@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL
THE FAVOURITE (2/8-2/10, 2/12), The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2019: Live Action (2/8-2/9, 2/13), Animation (2/9-2/10), and Documentary (2/10), IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (2/9-2/10), HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U (2/11, 8 p.m., free), MASS INCARCERATION: AN ANIMATED SERIES w/discussion (2/12, 7 p.m., free), THELMA & LOUISE (2/13, 7:30 p.m.), BURNING (2/14, 4 p.m.), CASABLANCA (2/14, 7:30 p.m.), Late Night: GROUNDHOG DAY (2/8, 2/9, 9:30 p.m.)

@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
COLD PURSUIT, THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, PEGASUS, THE PRODIGY, WANDERING EARTH, WHAT MEN WANT, AQUAMAN, ESCAPE ROOM, GLASS, GREEN BOOK, MISS BALA, THE UPSIDE (2/8 on), BTS WORLD TOUR: “LOVE YOURSELF” IN SEOUL (2/9, 11 a.m.), INTEGRITY (2/10-2/12, 6:30 p.m.), ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2/13 on)

@ Family Video, Champaign-Urbana, IL
THE GRINCH, WIDOWS, THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB, THE SISTERS BROTHERS, THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX, MY DINNER WITH HERVÉ, POINT MAN, more! (2/5 on)

@ Goodrich Savoy 16, Savoy, IL
COLD PURSUIT, INTEGRITY, THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, PEPPA CELEBRATES CHINESE NEW YEAR, THE PRODIGY, THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD, WHAT MEN WANT, AQUAMAN, A DOG’S WAY HOME, ESCAPE ROOM, GLASS, THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING, MARY POPPINS RETURNS, MISS BALA, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, A STAR IS BORN, THE UPSIDE, VICE (2/8 on), BTS WORLD TOUR: “LOVE YOURSELF” IN SEOUL (2/9, 11 a.m.), CASABLANCA (2/10, 2/13), “Experience ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL Early 3-D Fan Event” (2/12, 7 p.m., IMAX)

@ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Weekend Films at the Union” feat. A STAR IS BORN, Pine Lounge (2/8-2/9, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)

@ Spurlock Museum, UIUC, Urbana, IL
AEMS presents AsiaLENS Documentary/Film Series feat. THE SILK ROAD OF POP (2/12, 7 p.m., free)

@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
The News-Gazette Film Series: TOP HAT (2/9, 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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NOW PLAYING | The Cities Beyond

@ AMC Classic Village Mall 6, Danville, IL
COLD PURSUIT, THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, WHAT MEN WANT, A DOG’S WAY HOME, GLASS, THE UPSIDE (2/8 on)

@ AMC Parkway Pointe 8, Springfield, IL
Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series
A TAXI DRIVER (2/10, 2/12)

@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD (2/8 on), ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2/14 on), “More Americana at the Movies” classes with Skip Huston (Thursdays, 1/31-3/21, 6:30 p.m., enroll @ Avon)

@ The Lincoln Family Theater & Community Center, Lincoln, IL
THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, THE PRODIGY, STAN & OLLIE, WHAT MEN WANT (2/8 on), THE UPSIDE (2/8-2/11), GREEN BOOK (2/8-2/12), A QUESTION OF FAITH (2/8-2/14, daily show, free), Guys Only Night: THE BOONDOCK SAINTS (2/9, 9 p.m., BYOB, 21+), HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2/13 on), ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL (2/14 on)

@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
TOY STORY (2/8, 7 p.m.), TOY STORY 2 (2/9, 7 p.m.), TOY STORY 3 (2/10, 3 p.m.)

@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2019: Live Action (2/8), Animation (2/9), and Documentary (2/10), THE ROOM (2/8), CASABLANCA (2/9), HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U (2/11, 9 p.m., free), RISING FROM ASHES (2/13), THE PRINCESS BRIDE (2/14)

@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (2/8-2/10, 2/13)

@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
A DOG’S WAY HOME (2/8-2/10), NORM OF THE NORTH (2/9, 11 a.m., free)

 

COMING SOON | Area-wide Events

NEW! 2/15-2/17
Champaign Movie Makers 48 Hour Film Competition
@ Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. (start time only)

2/18-2/24
41st Big Muddy Film Festival, Carbondale, IL

2/19
Champaign Movie Makers* meeting
@ Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m., free

2/23
36th Insect Fear Film Festival feat. ALIEN APOCALPYSE
@ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7:30 p.m., free

2/24
BORDERLINE silent film w/live score by Chicago Modern Orchestra Project
@ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 3 p.m., free

2/28-3/3
15th True/False Film Fest, Columbia, MO

3/21-3/24
29th Onion City Experimental Film and Video Festival, Chicago, IL

4/4-4/7
4th Twisted Dreams Film Festival, Milwaukee, WI

4/4-4/11
21st Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI

4/10-4/13
21st Roger Ebert’s Film Festival
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL

4/10-4/14
23rd Kansas City FilmFest International, Kansas City, MO

4/25-4/28
6th Milwaukee Underground Film Festival, Milwaukee, WI

5/2-5/12
16th Indy Film Festival, Indianapolis, IN

6/5-6/9
26th Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL

NEW! 6/29
Laugh and Slash Film Festival
@ Garden Hotel, Urbana, IL

8/1-8/4
11th Gen Con Film Festival @ Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN

UPDATE! 10/26
Dark History & Horror Con’s Screaming Mad Film Festival
@ The City Center, Champaign, IL, 1:30 p.m.

NEW! 10/26-10/27
Dark History & Horror Con 2019
@ The City Center, Champaign, IL

11/1-11/2
18th annual Route 66 Film Festival
@ Capital City Bar & Grill, Springfield, IL

11/1-11/2
3rd Dead in Decatur Film Festival
@ Decatur Area Arts Council, Decatur, IL

TBD
10th New Art Film Festival, Champaign, IL

 

COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area

AEMS presents AsiaLENS Documentary/Film Series
@ Spurlock Museum, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m., free
2/12: THE SILK ROAD OF POP; 3/12: THE SONG COLLECTOR; 4/9: FINDING KUKAN

Illini Union Board Presents “Weekend Films at the Union”
@ Pine Lounge, Main Level, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri., 7 & 10 p.m. Sat., free w/i-card
2/8, 2/9: A STAR IS BORN; 2/15, 2/16: GREEN BOOK; 2/22, 2/23: CREED II; 3/1, 3/2: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE; 3/8, 3/9: RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET; 3/15, 3/16: BUMBLEBEE; 3/22, 3/23: ESCAPE ROOM; 3/29, 3/30: AQUAMAN; 4/5, 4/6: MARY POPPINS RETURNS; 4/12, 4/13: HOLMES & WATSON; 4/19, 4/20: WHAT MEN WANT; 4/26, 4/27: THE LEGO MOVIE 2

The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
2/9: TOP HAT; 3/9: GASLIGHT; 4/6: METROPOLIS; 5/25: THE THIN MAN; 6/22: ON THE WATERFRONT; 7/13: STAGE DOOR

Springfield Art Association presents
The Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series 2019
@ AMC Parkway 8 Theatre, Springfield, IL, 1 & 4 p.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Tuesdays
2/10, 2/12: A TAXI DRIVER; 2/17, 2/19: IN THE FADE; 2/24, 2/26: THE SQUARE; 3/3, 3/5: THE GUILTY

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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.

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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2019 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential

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