Calendar: November 17-23, 2023
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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
Seems that a small-scale snafu occurred at the Avon Theatre in downtown Decatur last weekend and caused the premiere of AFTERLIFE from Silver Compass Studios to be rescheduled for this Saturday, November 18, with a 7 p.m. showtime. As tickets had sold out in advance of the first attempt to screen Ben Harl’s documentary, you already know at this late date if you’ll be among the first to see it and we expect the second time will be the charm. Now, we move on to the evening’s other local movie debut.
Whereas AFTERLIFE was several years in the making and its existence common knowledge within our circle du C-U, IRRESPONSIBULL charged onto the film culture radar a few scant weeks ago and we’re still trying to process the basics, dearest completists. Its producer, the athlete and talent management firm NorthEnd Empire LLC that seems to have roots in many corners of central Illinois, landed the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign for their own red-carpet premiere at the very same time, tomorrow at 7 p.m. The comedy features Danville stand-up comedians Chris Hightower and DeAndre’ Burns as a pair of men who don’t quite have their lives together and are destined to meet on a collision course, which involves the pickup of a mystery bag and brings the niece and nephew of Hightower’s character, played by Na’Vaiya Lewis and Levi Conerly, along for the ride. Also starring the singer and vlogger Jaraiyia Alize’ from Champaign and actor and professional bodyguard Keith Campen from Peoria, IRRESPONSIBULL is an exercise in low-budget misadventures and laughs with a stress on family ties, a nice contrast to the dramatic and horror-laden stories our friends and neighbors in film have been coming up with lately. As seen in the trailer that was only released two weeks ago, scenes were filmed at West Side Park in Champaign, Urbana’s Lincoln Square Mall, and other regional locations including Chicago.
Presumably, we’ll get to learn more about the folks behind IRRESPONSIBULL in the future as, similar to AFTERLIFE, there is very little press and press material to look through online. Burns, a barber by trade, and Hightower, a home interventionist on staff at North Ridge Middle School in Danville, appeared on “The Stevie Jay Show” at ESPN 93.5 FM last week (start at the 11:30-minute mark) to talk with early morning hosts Stevie Jay and Diane Ducey about making their first movie, while Hightower returned to the station today with his whip-smart son Holden, who played a background role and liked it (start at the 32:00-minute mark). Dad described IRRESPONSIBULL as being a family-friendly watch and part of a “movement” to make their kind of entertainment with performers and technical pros living in our communities. Good luck to them on growing the media arm of their brewing Empire.
Tickets are $20 and VIP passes are $50 for the show; click here to reserve them.
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IRRESPONSIBULL is a NorthEnd Empire LLC (Peoria/Champaign-Urbana/Chicago, IL) production that is written, directed, photographed, and executive produced by Nate Morris (Map Productions) with editing by Hana Mitchell and Christopher Adams (Impakt Studio) and wardrobe by Reesha’s Boutique. Associate producer is Brian Yarbrough, and the film stars Chris Hightower, DeAndre’ Burns, Na’Vaiya Lewis, Levi Conerly, Jaraiyia Alize’, and Keith Campen.
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
10 Years Ago … Tuesday, November 12, 2013: Local historian Perry C. Morris of Urbana unveils his long-in-the-works book, The Art Theater: Playing Movies for 100 Years, during the centennial celebration of the title venue in downtown Champaign, Illinois. Researched and co-authored with Joseph Muskin and Audrey Wells, the softcover volume is the first to be released under Morris’ Champaign-Urbana Theater History imprint and one of the only publications of its kind devoted to the legacy and cultural impact of a single movie house in the region. It traces the origin of the Art from before its first day of business as the Park Theatre on November 12, 1913, to its current iteration as a cooperative funded by community members. C-U Blogfidential editor Jason Pankoke served as the layout designer for the book through his position at Adept Content Solutions in Urbana and contributed an afterword. As reported on 11/12/13, 11/15/13 at CUBlog. [R] [Rev. 11/17/23]
110 Years Ago … Wednesday, November 12, 1913: Two comedy shorts, one Civil War drama, and an educational piece on milk production enthrall the standing-room-only crowds on opening day of the Park Theatre, the first dedicated movie house constructed in Champaign, Illinois, as chronicled in The Art Theater: Playing Movies for 100 Years by Perry Morris, et al. A natural progression from the nickelodeons and opera houses that had first introduced films to the residents of Champaign and neighboring Urbana, this business venture between B.H. Cooper and Isaac Kuhn complements its showmanship with modern amenities and crucial safety features to provide its audience with the best viewing experience. That includes contributions from Chicago professionals such as projectionist John Meyer and architect Lewis E. Russell, the latter of whom drew up plans based on ideas by Cooper himself. Earlier this year, the trade magazine The Movie Picture World reported on the specifications for the space: “The contract for the new theater in Champaign, which will be operated by [Cooper], has been let. The building of which it will form a part will cost $40,000. The front will be of rough mat brick trimmed with cream-colored terra cotta. Steel and concrete will be used in the construction of the theater, which has a round space of 44 x 132 [feet]. It will seat 600 persons. For the ventilating system, two-horsepower fans will force air from the rear of the theater, down through ducts that pass under the aisles. At each row of seats, steel six-inch tubes branch from these concrete ducts and open under the seats. This air will be cooled in the summer and heated in the winter. The decoration will consist of seven handsome panels on each side of the auditorium.” (Vol. 17 No. 5, August 2, 1913, p.541) Additional flourishes that would debut at the theater in 1914 include a pipe organ and console by the screen and an impressive light fixture spelling out “Park” to hang from the façade over the sidewalk on Church Street. Management also would secure the Champaign County rights to show movies from Paramount Pictures, home to silent stars like Mary Pickford, in the new year. [R]
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
IRRESPONSIBULL* comedy world premiere w/filmmakers (11/18, 7 p.m.)
@ The Avon Theatre, Decatur, IL
AFTERLIFE* local premiere w/filmmakers (documentary) (11/18, 7 p.m.)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
THE HOLDOVERS, THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, NEXT GOAL WINS, THANKSGIVING, TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (animation), THE MARVELS (11/17 on), FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S, JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM (faith film), KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, PRISCILLA (11/17-11/21), TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR (concert film) (11/17-11/19), NAPOLEON, SALTBURN, WISH (animation) (11/21 on)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, NEXT GOAL WINS, THANKSGIVING, TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (animation), THE MARVELS (11/17 on), FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S, THE HOLDOVERS, IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE *, JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM (faith film), KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE (animation), PRISCILLA (11/17-11.21), TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR (concert film) (11/10-11/12), The Metropolitan Opera: X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X (11/18, 11:55 a.m., simulcast), SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (11/19, 3 & 7 p.m.; 11/20, 7 p.m.), THE POLAR EXPRESS (animation) (11/19, 3 & 7 p.m.; 11/22, 7 p.m.), NAPOLEON, WISH (animation) (11/21 on) *single screenings daily
@ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2023 Weekend Films” feat. BLUE BEETLE, Pine Lounge, 1st floor (11/17-11/18, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
@ Redbox (streaming), Champaign-Urbana, IL
THE DIRTY SOUTH, I HEARD THE BELLS (kiosk), ON FIRE, ONYX THE FORTUITOUS AND THE TALISMAN OF SOULS, YOU’RE ALL GONNA DIE, more! (11/14 on) Online rentals
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
IRRESPONSIBULL* comedy world premiere w/filmmakers (11/18, 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
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
THE HOLDOVERS, TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (animation), THE MARVELS (11/16-11/19), AFTERLIFE* documentary local premiere w/filmmakers (11/18, 7 p.m.)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
BARBIE (11/17, 7 p.m.; 11/18, 2 & 7 p.m.), NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (11/23, 3 p.m.)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
“Hot Chocolate & Holiday Movies” feat. THE GRINCH (animation) (Screen 1), ELF (Screen 2) (11/17-11/18)
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
Private parties and events
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
JOAN BAEZ: I AM A NOISE (music documentary) (11/17-11/19), STOP MAKING SENSE (concert film) (11/18-11/19), PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (11/21-11/22)
BACK OPEN! @ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
WISH (animation) (11/22-11/26)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (11/17-11/19)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Hi-Pointe Theatre, etc., St. Louis, MO
32nd Whitaker St Louis International Film Festival (through 11/19)
For detailed and curated listings of Chicago-area film presentations and related events, please visit the fine folks at Cine-File and subscribe to their definitive “Cine-List” weekly blast.
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
12/2
Krampusnacht Freeky Film Festival*
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
3/2/24
CU International Film Festival*
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
4/17-4/20/24
24th Roger Ebert’s Film Festival*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Movie Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
12/21: DIE HARD
Illinois Public Media presents “The Arthouse Experience Film Series”
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
12/1: SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK; 12/15: THE BLACK CHURCH: THIS IS OUR STORY, THIS IS OUR SONG excerpt w/discussion
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2023 Weekend Films”
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat, free w/i-card
12/1-12/2: THE EQUALIZER 3
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
11/25: NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION; 12/2: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2023 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential