Calendar: August 8-14, 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!
8/12: Ann Myrna (producer, RETURN OF THE CORN ZOMBIES, Acrostar Productions, Chicago, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
The hits keep trickling in to the Secret MICRO-FILM Headquarters, so we’re strategically placing the buckets to capture everything that’s fit to print! This week, we’ll take “Coming soon from the C-U” for $500, Mayim … Keenan Dailey of Visage Entertainment has announced a series of showcases for his completed debut feature, BRIM, which was filmed in Champaign County and debuted here as part of the inaugural Savoy Lumierè in May; the next dates to see the stylistic drama about Black inequality and resilience in 20th century America will be Sunday, August 17, during the Black August Film Festival in Pasadena, CA, and again on Sunday, August 31, during the Urban Film Festival in Miami, FL, and Friday, September 15, at the Lake County Film Festival in Grayslake, IL. More information can be found on the Visage website and an in-depth conversation between BRIM co-creators Trude Namara and Dailey with the hosts of The Filmographers Podcast, Keir Graff and Michael Moreci, can be listened to on YouTube.
Also revealing initial bookings for their newest work is filmmaker Kimberly Conner, who has finished the twisty procedural thriller LIPSTICK and is doing-it-herself in introducing it to audiences; regional dates include its debut on Wednesday, October 1, 7 p.m., at the Classic Cinemas Lake Theatre XQ in Oak Park and a showing on Saturday, October 25, 7 p.m., at Brookens Auditorium on the University of Illinois campus in Springfield, along with events in Los Angeles (October 10), Dallas (October 18), and Brooklyn, New York (October 31). Recently on Facebook, Conner shared that July 31 marked the twentieth anniversary of her production company, Predestined Arts & Entertainment of Springfield, a remarkable feat for the fiercely driven creator who has consistently driven home the worth of women in the industry with her self-promotion and featured Black talent front and center as well as behind the camera in all her work. LIPSTICK, which stars Camille Winbush, was shot in southern California by the Champaign native.
In another screening announcement, this one from fellow Champaign native and LA-friendly producer Peter McDowell, the acclaimed documentary about the mysteries coloring the life and death of his 24-year-old brother, JIMMY IN SAIGON, will receive its first official Chicago screenings at the Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse Cinema on Friday, August 22, 7 p.m., and Sunday, August 24, 6 p.m., with McDowell in attendance to discuss the project and its backstory, involving themes such as generational conflict and LGBTQ+ acceptance. Dark Star Pictures has released JIMMY on multiple streaming platforms and home media in 2025 after it enjoyed a lengthy and awards-heavy festival run.
Finally, Champaign-Urbana transplant Vijay M Rajan, the writer/director behind the unorthodox serial killer chamber drama DARK SOUL RIVER, has unveiled a teaser trailer for the film today, Friday, August 8; the co-production between Kartography Films and Siren Cinema is one of the first independent narrative features to take advantage of Champaign County and the facilities at Flyover Film Studios in Rantoul for almost all its primary filming needs. Rajan hopes to have RIVER “in front of audiences by 2026,” as pledged on his Facebook account, and seems absolutely pleased with how the project has been progressing; in it, Saarathi (Kharti Bargav), a practicing Muslim from India and the brother of a woman victimized by a prolific murderer named Nathaniel Ambrose (Jonathan Thompson), agrees to sit down with the accused at an American prison in the hopes of securing a confession and the hidden location of the bodies before the latter’s execution the following day. Michelle Girolami and Leigha Sinnott also star.
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
FREAKIER FRIDAY, SKETCH, WEAPONS, THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation), F1 THE MOVIE*, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER*, JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, THE NAKED GUN, SMURFS* (animation), SUPERMAN, TOGETHER (8/8 on), Studio Ghibli Fest: GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (animé) (8/10, 4 & 7 p.m., 8/11-8/12, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (8/11, 7 p.m.), SHIN GODZILLA (in Japanese with English sub) (8/13 on), WAR 2 (in Hindi with English sub) (8/13 on), NOBODY 2 (8/14 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
FREAKIER FRIDAY, MAHAVATAR NARSIMHA* (animation) (in Hindi with English sub), SKETCH, STRANGE HARVEST, WEAPONS, THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation), F1 THE MOVIE, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, SUPERMAN THE NAKED GUN, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, SUPERMAN, TOGETHER (8/8 on), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS (8/9, 2 & 7 p.m.; 8/10, 3 & 7 p.m.; 8/13, 7 p.m.), Studio Ghibli Fest: GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (animé) (8/10, 4 & 7 p.m., 8/11-8/12, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), The Metropolitan Opera Encore: Rigoletto (8/3, 1 & 6:30 p.m., recorded), “RiffTrax Live!” presents TIMECOP (8/14, 7 p.m., simulcast), NOBODY 2 (8/14 on) *single screenings daily
@ Main Quad, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Summer Films on the Quad” feat. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING (8/14, 9 p.m., free)
@ Prairie Farm/Centennial Park, Champaign, IL
Champaign Park District presents “Moo-vie Nights at Prairie Farm” feat. CHARLOTTE’S WEB (2006)
(8/8, 8 p.m., free)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
The News-Gazette Film Series and Central Illinois Young Farmers Coalition present THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM special event (8/9, 2 p.m. screening, 3-5 p.m. Park Avenue farmer’s market)
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
FREAKIER FRIDAY, WEAPONS, THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation), THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, THE NAKED GUN (8/8 on)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
FREAKIER FRIDAY (Screen 1), THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation) (Screen 2) (8/7-8/9), Make-a-Wish Foundation fundraiser feat. MUNSTERS, GO HOME and actor Butch Patrick (8/10, 6:30 p.m. gates, 8:30 p.m. film)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
FREAKIER FRIDAY (8/7-8/10)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
“The Summer of Bond” series feat. DIE ANOTHER DAY (8/8-8/10) and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (8/9-8/10), INNERSPACE (8/14)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation) (8/8-8/10)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
SMURFS (animation) (8/8-8/10)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation), JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (Screen 1), FREAKIER FRIDAY, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (Screen 2) (8/8-8/10, 8/13-8/14)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
FREAKIER FRIDAY, STRANGE HARVEST*, WEAPONS, THE BAD GUYS 2 (animation), THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, THE NAKED GUN, SUPERMAN (8/8 on)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse Cinema, Chicago, IL
Chicago Filmmakers presents Group 312 Films “2025 Annual Report” showcase (8/9, 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, Screen Magazine, and the Chicago Reader.
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
8/16
Pens to Lens Gala 2025*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 3 p.m.
8/16-8/17
“FischerFest”* celebrating Gene Hackman
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
NEW! 8/22 & 8/24
JIMMY IN SAIGON* screening w/filmmaker Peter McDowell
@ Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse Cinema, Chicago, IL, 7 p.m. (8/22) & 6 p.m. (8/24)
9/17-9/21
32nd Chicago Underground Film Festival
@ ACX Harper Theater – Hyde Park, Chicago, IL
9/19-9/28
43rd Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
@ Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema + Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL
9/20-9/22
Champaign Film Society presents
the first CineSonic* music film festival
@ TBA, Champaign-Urbana, IL
10/15-10/26
61st Chicago International Film Festival
@ Music Box Theatre, etc., Chicago, IL
NEW! 11/6-11/16
34th Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival
@ The Hi-Pointe Theatre, St. Louis, MO
11/7-11/8
24th Route 66 International Film Festival*
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
11/8-11/9
Dark History & Horror Con* 2025
feat. Screaming Mad Film Festival
@ The Orpheum Theatre, Champaign, IL
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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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