Calendar: June 13-19, 2025
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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MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!
6/18: Perry C. Morris (vice president, board of trustees, Champaign County Historical Museum, Champaign, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
Just some quick hits for this Report because Mr. JaPan is running on fumes and nervous anticipation. (We’ll explain the happier aspects of that in a future filing.) First, Champaign Movie Makers is meeting on Monday, June 16, 7 p.m., at their home away from home and film sets, the Esquire Lounge in downtown Champaign, where you’ll be guaranteed to hear all about Pens to Lens movies in the works. Second, our friend Bob Zimmerman of R.A.Z. Films has been on the scene this last week videotaping the practice sessions and sightseeing of the returning members of REO Speedwagon, just like seemingly every other media outlet in the C-U, leading up to the band’s charity concert at the UI State Farm Center tomorrow night, Saturday, June 14; we’ll eventually learn what REO and R.A.Z.’s plans for the footage will be. Third, the Illinois Film Office has announced the annual Shortcuts short film competition for Illinois-based students and young people age 22 and under with a submission deadline of August 31. Unlike in the past where the end goal for entrants was to be selected and possibly awarded at a Shortcuts screening, the current iteration is promising the overall Shortcuts winner will play (and a few other Shortcuts films might play) at an event scheduled for November in Rockford that is called 815HORTS and is casting its own net for content worldwide; you can read more about that at the website of what we take is the promotions and marketing firm behind 815HORTS, Plus Seven Company. Fourth and finally, Acrostar Productions has announced the horror-adventure they filmed covertly in the Champaign County outskirts the summer of last year, RETURN OF THE CORN ZOMBIES, is completed and the assets delivered to their distributor, BayView Entertainment, which will soon offer the film on streaming sites and BD-R media. Corntastic!
IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen
What, we never shared the supremely moody poster for RETURN OF THE CORN ZOMBIES with you? Let’s remedy that right now! Co-directed by Mia Katz, who has contributed to several Acrostar sets in various capacities and acted in the predecessor now available to view on Tubi and elsewhere, ATTACK OF THE CORN ZOMBIES, and S. J. Hermann, the Acrostar founder and horror-crime novelist whose writings have formed the basis for most of the company’s films to date, RETURN is set in the Seventies and follows an all-new cast of characters as they navigate the heartland of America invaded by the corn-fed undead. In a previous Calendar, we shared some early stills from the various scenes filmed by the cast and crew of RETURN when they were working in east central Illinois last September. Your humble editor, who visited the set during that active time, is about to do it again as less a wallflower and more a direct participant on Acrostar’s newest feature, PERFECT SOUL, which began production this week and continues for at least one more week on location before a hiatus. He’ll tell you how it went in due time.
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LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* meeting (6/16, 7 p.m.)
@ Illini Union Ballroom, UIUC, Urbana, IL
The African Kinship Reunion (TAKiR) present BOUND: AFRICANS VS. AFRICAN-AMERICANS documentary screening w/filmmaker Peres Owino (6/14, 5 p.m., free w/reservation) Tickets
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, MATERIALISTS, THE UNHOLY TRINITY, BALLERINA, BRING HER BACK, DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES, KARATE KID: LEGENDS, LILO & STITCH, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME (6/13 on), DOGMA 25th anniversary (re-release) (6/13-6/15), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (6/16, 7 p.m.), SINNERS (6/19, 7 p.m.), 28 YEARS LATER, ELIO (animation) (6/19 on)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, THE LIFE OF CHUCK, MATERIALISTS, THE UNHOLY THREE, BALLERINA, BRING HER BACK, DANGEROUS ANIMALS*, FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES, FRIENDSHIP*, KARATE KID: LEGENDS, THE LAST RODEO*, LILO & STITCH, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, THE RITUAL*, SINNERS, THUNDERBOLTS* (6/13 on), RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (6/14, 2:30 p.m.; 6/15, 3 & 7 p.m.; 6/18, 7 p.m.), FINDING FAITH (faith film) (6/16-6/17, 7 p.m.), “‘Critical Role’ Live” (role-playing game competition) (6/19, 7 p.m., simulcast from Sydney, Australia), 28 YEARS LATER, ELIO (animation) (6/19 on) *single screenings daily except for THUNDERBOLTS*
@ Main Quad, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Summer Films on the Quad” feat. SNOW WHITE (6/19, 9 p.m., free)
@ Prairie Farm/Centennial Park, Champaign, IL
Champaign Park District presents “Moo-vie Nights at Prairie Farm” feat. CHICKEN LITTLE (6/13, 8 p.m., free)
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
@ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, MATERIALISTS, BALLERINA, LILO & STITCH, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING (6/13 on), UFC 316: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley, more (mixed martial arts) (6/7, 9 p.m., simulcast), THE GARFIELD MOVIE (animation) (6/17-6/18, 10 a.m., free)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (Screen 1), LILO & STITCH (Screen 2) (6/13-6/18), HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (Screen 1), 28 YEARS LATER (Screen 3) (6/19)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (6/13-6/15, 6/19)
@ Marcus Bloomington Cinema + IMAX, Bloomington, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, MATERIALISTS, BALLERINA, DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES, KARATE KID: LEGENDS, LILO & STITCH, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, SINNERS*, THUNDERBOLTS* (6/13 on), Indian cinema: ANDALA RAKSHASI* (Telugu w/Eng sub; 6/13-6/18), INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (6/14-6/15, 3:30 p.m.), HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON* (6/15-6/17), FINDING FAITH (faith film) (6/16, 7 p.m.), ELIO sneak preview (6/18, 2, 4:40 (3-D), & 7 p.m.), “‘Critical Role’ Live” (role-playing game competition) (6/19, 7 p.m., simulcast from Sydney, Australia), 28 YEARS LATER, BRIDE HARD, ELIO (animation) (6/19 on) *single screenings daily except for THUNDERBOLTS*
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
FRIENDSHIP (6/13-6/15), THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE (animation) (6/16, 6/18)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (6/13-6/15)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
LILO & STITCH (6/13-6/15)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, KARATE KID: LEGENDS (Screen 1), LILO & STITCH, THE LAST RODEO (Screen 2) (6/13-6/15, 6/17-6/18)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, BALLERINA, FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES*, KARATE KID: LEGENDS, THE LAST RODEO, LILO & STITCH, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING (6/13 on), INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (6/14-6/15, 6/18), THE GARFIELD MOVIE (animation) (6/18-6/19, 10 a.m.), ELIO (animation) (6/19 on)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse Cinema, Chicago, IL
Chicago Filmmakers and Goethe Institut Chicago present CHRISTIANE F. (6/13, 7 p.m.)
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. And for northern Illinois industry news, be sure to read Reel Chicago and Screen Magazine.
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
6/25
“Jay & Silent Bob Aural Sects Tour” starring Kevin Smith & Jay Mewes
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7:30 p.m.
9/20-9/22
Champaign Film Society presents
the first CineSonic* music film festival
@ TBA, Champaign-Urbana, IL
11/8-11/9
Dark History & Horror Con 2025
@ The Orpheum Theatre, Champaign, IL
4/23-4/26, 2026
Roger Ebert’s Film Festival*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Champaign Park District presents “Moo-vie Nights at Prairie Farm”
@ Prairie Farm/Centennial Park, Champaign, IL, 8 p.m., free
6/27: OPEN SEASON; 7/11: BABE; 7/25: HOME ON THE RANGE; 8/8: CHARLOTTE’S WEB (2006)
Illini Union Board presents “Summer Films on the Quad”
@ Main Quad, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 9 p.m. Thursdays, free
6/26: A MINECRAFT MOVIE; 7/3: THE PATRIOT; 7/10: THE WOMAN IN THE YARD; 7/17: THE LEGEND OF OCHI; 7/24: DROP; 7/31: THUNDERBOLTS*; 8/7: LILO & STITCH; 8/14: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2025 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential
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