Calendar: October 3-9, 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!
10/4: Jason Christ (actor/executive producer, ANXIETY, Wicked Pixel Cinema, St. Louis, MO)
10/6: Niccole Powers (art director, SWEET DREAMING, Consumer Grade Film Co., Chicago, IL)
PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed
8/31: Karl Bauer, 53 (co-creator, ONE ROACH FOR SEAMUS, Champaign-Urbana, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
So, we’re forced offline for a spell and a wave of news blows up in the meantime. Because of course it would. We’ll try to hit all the highlights (and not-so-highlights) with brevity over the next few Calendars. The days of mega-Reports are likely over after this run and we are putting the Images of the Week department back on the shelf for a rest. Today, we’ll be talking events that are and aren’t upcoming…
First, our man Nat Dykeman and his Chambana Film Society are taking a big step towards prominence in alternative programming here in Champaign County beginning this Sunday, October 5, when they renew their residency at the Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX in Savoy. Shows will now be weekly instead of monthly, many of them presented under a new “Savoy Arthouse” banner and with participation from the former Art Theater owner Sanford Hess, and the event kicking off this run at 3 p.m. is a collection of contemporary animated shorts called the “Animation Mixtape,” presented by the legendary Don Hertzfeldt (REJECTED).
Then, Mt. Zion filmmaker Eric Hector of Heroic Age Studios called up Ye Ed and graciously invited him to attend the world premiere of their feature TRICK AND TREATS at the Lincoln Square Theater last month on Saturday, September 20; he couldn’t go, but they had a very packed house to soak in the creepy and TRICK has been awarded more play dates in Decatur throughout October. Also, a friend of the Paris Theater in Paris wrote CUBlog to let us know about Halloween classics playing their venue weekly ‘til the end of the month; Wes Craven’s seminal hit SCREAM from 1996 will scare ‘em for free tonight and tomorrow night at 9 p.m., to be followed by other originals: A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, FRIDAY THE 13TH, and HALLOWEENs from 1978, 1981, and 1982.
Local teen sensation Max Libman, who is currently attending film school at the University of Southern California and has been making appearances at tony A-list events all over the world, has announced that his fourth Champaign Urbana International Film Festival will return for the second time in 2025; the UI Spurlock Museum will again host the SRO short film showcase on Saturday, November 8. And sadly, Chaz Ebert revealed that Roger Ebert’s Film Festival as we’ve known it at the Virginia Theatre for twenty-six star-studded affairs is no more; her and Nate Kohn’s future plans for translating the late Roger Ebert’s love of film into advocacy for the art form are now uncertain, apart from the Ebert Center itinerary held each semester at Spurlock on the University of Illinois campus. “Ebertfest” proper had an enviable run.
IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scenes on the Small Screen
That leads us to today’s Image. Eric Hector told yours truly in advance of sharing it with the audience at his TRICK AND TREATS shindig that Gravitas Ventures had secured the US distribution rights to the horror-fantasy and Apple TV+ would begin streaming it as of next Tuesday, October 7, for those who are curious to check it out and are unable to visit the Lincoln Square Theater on October 11, 12, 24, 29, or 30. We also confirmed last night that Gravitas is offering MOD Blu-ray and DVD editions of the movie as well, available to order on the same date through online merchants like Deep Discount. Hector was one of the very first local creatives who we interviewed for our coverage, regarding a separate project that never came to fruition, so we know that he must be feeling pretty darn good right now. Below is a product shot, and soon a copy will enter the Confidential film library. One day, that will be yours to enjoy as well, C-U.
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LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* event, “Shooting on Film in 2025” (10/6, 7 p.m., Robeson Pavilion Room C)
@ Lincoln Hall, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Film & Video* guest speaker, local producer Kevin Lau (10/3, 4:30 p.m., Room 1002)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society presents “The Savoy Arthouse” feat. “Animation Mixtape” presented by Don Hertzfeld (10/5, 3 p.m.)
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
ANEMONE, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (re-release), BONE LAKE, CASPER 30th anniversary (re-release), GOOD BOY, PERFECT BLUE (animé re-release) (in Japanese with English sub), THE SMASHING MACHINE, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, HIM*, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 (10/3 on), “Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” (album promotion) (10/3-10/5), SPIDER-MAN (2002) (10/3, 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 2.1 (2004) (10/4, 4 & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007) (10/5, 4 & 7 p.m.), “BTS 2019 Live: ‘Love Yourself Speak Yourself: London’” (concert film re-release) (10/5, 2 p.m.), “BTS 2021 Live: ‘Muster Sowoozoo” (concert film re-release) (10/5, 5 p.m.), AFTERBURN, DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE (10/6-10/8), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (10/6, 7 p.m.), KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, ROOFMAN, TRON: ARES (10/9 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
ANEMONE, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (re-release), COYOTES*, GOOD BOY, KANTARA: A LEGEND – CHAPTER 1 (in Kannada or Telugu with English sub), THE SMASHING MACHINE, A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY*, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES, DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE (animé) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, DUDE PERFECT: THE HERO TOUR* (performance/documentary), ELEANOR THE GREAT, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, HAMILTON (filmed stage presentation), HIM, THE LONG WALK, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 (10/3 on), “Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” (album promotion) (10/3-10/5), SPIDER-MAN (2002) (10/3, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 2.1 (2004) (10/4, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007) (10/5, 1,4, & 7 p.m.), IDLY KADAI (in Tamil with English sub) (10/4-10/5), UFC 320: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira, more (mixed martial arts) (10/4, 9 p.m., simulcast), THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (10/6, 10/8, 7 p.m.), BROKEN MARY: THE KEVIN MATTHEWS STORY (faith documentary) (10/7, 7 p.m.), ROOFMAN, TRON: ARES (10/9 on) *single screenings daily
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents F1 THE MOVIE (10/3-10/4, 7 p.m., free w/i-card)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Illinois Public Media in partnership with the UI Beckman Institute present OBSERVER (Beckman “STEM Crawl” in downtown Champaign, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., show 3 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
LAST LISTING! @ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL
THE SMASHING MACHINE, GOOD BOY, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (10/3 on), “Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” (album promotion) (10/3-10/5),
Click this link to keep up with the showtimes for the venue above.
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
“Senior Movie Experience” feat. GREASE (10/9, 2 p.m.)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
“Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” (album promotion) (7 p.m., Screen 1), CORPSE BRIDE (animation), BEETLEJUICE (Screen 1), CASPER 30th anniversary, GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE (Screen 2) (10/3-10/4)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE (10/3-10/5), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE (10/8), TRON: ARES (10/9 on)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
HOCUS POCUS, MAD GOD (10/3), ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN, BARBARIAN, HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH (10/4), THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1991), A GIRL WALKS HOME AT NIGHT (10/5), ARMY OF DARKNESS (10/6), PRACTICAL MAGIC (10/7), BRING HER BACK (10/8), SCANNERS (10/9)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
THE ROSES (10/3-10/5)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2, SCREAM (1996) (Screen 1), THE BLUES BROTHERS, SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (Screen 2) (10/3-10/4)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
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
10/15-10/26
61st Chicago International Film Festival
@ Music Box Theatre, etc., Chicago, IL
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
11/8
4th Champaign Urbana International Film Festival*
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
11/21
Chambana Film Society presents
The Found Footage Festival Vol. 11
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 7 p.m.
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Chambana Film Society presents “The Savoy Arthouse”
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 3 p.m. unless noted otherwise
10/12: 25 CATS FROM QATAR (3 p.m.) and MY OMAHA presented by the IRL Movie Club (5:30 p.m.); 10/19: PERFECT DAYS; 10/26: STRANGE JOURNEY: THE STORY OF ROCKY HORROR
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2025 Weekend Films”
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat, free w/i-card
10/10-10/11: THE NAKED GUN; 10/17-10/18: THE BAD GUYS 2; 10/24-10/25: I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER; 10/30-10/31: THE CONJURING: LAST RITES; 11/7-11/8: FREAKIER FRIDAY; 11/14-11/15: DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE; 11/21-11/22: HIM; 12/5-12/6: CAUGHT STEALING
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* event series
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
10/23: PICCADILLY screening; 10/24: Fall lecture by UC Santa Cruz professor Yiman Wang on the career of Anna May Wong; 11/13: HEREDITARY screening
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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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