Calendar: April 17-23, 2026
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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THE BLOGFIDENTIAL TELETYPE | Film News You Can Use, C-U
What we’re seeing on our beat this week … Since the final Roger Ebert’s Film Festival is now upon us and Ye Ed is making the effort to travel long-distance so he can hit the pavement on Park Avenue and walk amongst the faithful one more time, the Teletype needs to be tight for this round …
We’ll remind our dearest C-Uvians of the past – a new exhibit honoring the life and career of the late Dan Fogelberg, who began to come of age as a musician on the stages of the University of Illinois campus in the 1970s, has just opened at the Peoria Riverfront Museum in Peoria and will continue until August 16; a related screening is set for tomorrow, Saturday, April 18, 6:30 p.m., of the performance documentary, DAN FOGELBERG: GREETINGS FROM THE WEST, at the complex’s Giant Screen Theater …
We’ll also point you to the present – a brand-new feature published by Collider this past Wednesday, April 15, covers the rising career of the comedian and actress Janelle James, who talks candidly about her work and character development on the hit show ABBOTT ELEMETARY as well as everything that came before, including her early and “somber” stand-up work that included the stages of Champaign-Urbana …
We’ll even bring you hope for the future – several student film events are about to happen in quick succession, beginning on Tuesday, April 21, at Mr. JaPan’s alma mater Wesleyan, so skim below for the dates, times, and locations of all the programs giving props and guidance to the efforts of undergraduates who are attending Illinois Wesleyan University, Illinois State University, Millikin University, Heartland Community College, and UIUC. Pick at least one, attend with an open mind and big heart, and be encouraging with your very presence as they all, tra la, take the stage. We never know what’s in store for these kids and which ones will go on to fulfill their dreams and do good things in the business that we call show … and that’s what we can reveal for today. Always remember – this is not just movies, it’s our lives.
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
20 Years Ago … Saturday, April 22, 2006: The University of Illinois students of Illini Film & Video premiere their feature length horror-comedy, THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS VS. A MUMMY. Involving dozens of undergraduates and taking the better part of two academic years to finish, MUMMY plays at 7 and 9 p.m. in the lecture auditorium of Noyes Laboratory on the UI Main Quad, with an encore set for the following afternoon at the UI Spurlock Museum a few blocks away. The prerequisite DVD of this project, envisioned by IFV president Chris Lukeman as a way to encourage club members to work together as a team and try out multiple roles on a single production, would debut the next month and become a long-standing ice breaker for incoming freshmen unfamiliar with the group. In recent years, MUMMY has been in permanent late-night rotation on UI-7, the broadcasting service of the university. As reported on 4/15/06, 4/21/06, 5/14/06 at CUBlog. [R]
20 Years Ago … Sunday, April 23, 2006: BrainSmart Productions, a townie collective led by lo-fi filmmakers Jason Butler and Mark Peaslee, unleashes “Episode 2” of their action-filled B-movie WEREWOLF CEMETERY. The program introducing this newest creation also features “Episode 1” of the “gravediggers vs. lycanthropes vs. normal folk from the big city” epic, the first installment of smaller-scale series THE ADVENTURES OF THE SCREAMING APE, and a music video for “Serrated Edge” by The Living Blue, playing both this night and the next at the stroke of midnight in the beer garden of Mike ‘n Molly’s in downtown Champaign. Four segments total of WEREWOLF would eventually be made by Butler and company, although one must be tight with participants to access the full episodes as they have never been formally released on home video or uploaded for on-line streaming. This is about as underground as it gets with the films of Champaign-Urbana! As reported on 4/15/06, 4/22/16 at CUBlog. [R]
25 Years Ago … Friday, April 20, 2001: Downtown Champaign establishments are adorned with the work of local artists for The Octopus Gallery Walk, a precursor to the Boneyard Arts Festival. Hosted by Southlynn Studios in the Octopus office space is a unique exhibit called “Zineophilia,” featuring paintings and mixed media pieces from the pages of The Ides of March as well as a table adorned with dozens of ‘zines for visitors to browse. Homegrown efforts include low hug by A.j. Michel, Silly Little Trouser Monkees by Brad Bugos, the aforementioned Ides by Dann Tincher and Damian Duffy, and our own flagship mag, MICRO-FILM. [R]
25 Years Ago … Saturday, April 21, 2001: Less than 24 hours later at The Highdive, located across Main Street from the Lincoln Building where “Zineophilia” reigned, Mr. JaPan emcees his first-ever film show. Dubbed “MICRO-FILM Vérité,” the “official programme” is comprised of eclectic low-budget cinema from near and far. Local selections include student shorts from the University of Illinois and Illinois State University, the early Mike Trippiedi “slasher in rhyme” BUCKY McSNEAD, and a trailer for Hart D. Fisher’s THE GARBAGE MAN. Filmmakers from across the nation, such as Cory McAbee (THE MAN ON THE MOON), Jim Sikora (STAGEFRIGHT CHAMELEON), Rusty Nails (SANTIAGO VS. WIGFACE), and Mike White (WHO DO YOU THINK YOU’RE FOOLING?), also represent. [R]
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ The Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* meeting (4/20, 7 p.m.)
@ Hansen Student Center, IWU, Bloomington, IL
IWU School of Theatre Arts presents 2026 Phenom Productions Film Festival* (4/21, 7 p.m.) Information
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
ISU School of Communication, etc., presents 2026 Foxtail Film Festival* (4/23-4/25) Information
@ Super Museum, Metropolis, IL
“Superman Day” feat. SUPERMAN (2025) outdoor screening (4/17-4/18) Information
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Century Law Firm presents 26th Roger Ebert’s Film Festival: “The Last Dance”* (4/17-4/18) Information
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
BOOTH BANGLA* (in Hindi with English sub), BUSBOYS, LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY, NORMAL, WHO KILLED THESE WOMEN? THE TINLEY PARK 5 (documentary), THE DRAMA, A GREAT AWAKENING* (faith film), HOPPERS (animation), PROJECT HAIL MARY, THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (animation), YOU ME & TUSCANY (4/17 on), BRIDESMAIDS 15th anniversary (4/18, 4 p.m.; 4/18, 6 p.m.; 4/21, 4 & 7 p.m.), AMC “Scream Unseen” (mystery movie) (4/20, 7 p.m.), MICHAEL sneak preview (4/22, 5 p.m.), FIGHT CLUB (4/22, 6 p.m.), MICHAEL, MOTHER MARY (4/23 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY, NORMAL, BEAST, FACES OF DEATH, GOAT (animation), HOPPERS (animation), YOU ME & TUSCANY, THE DRAMA, PROJECT HAIL MARY, READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME, REMINDERS OF HIM, SCREAM 7, THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (animation), Indian cinema: PALLICHATTAMBI* (in Malayalam with English sub), THIMMARAJUPALLI TV* (in Telugu with English sub), DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE* (in Hindi with English sub), and DACOIT: A LOVE STORY* (in Telugu with English sub) (4/17-4/22), WWE Wrestlemania 38: Night 1 (4/18, 5 p.m., simulcast) and Night 2 (4/19, 5 p.m., simulcast), FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF 40th anniversary (4/19, 3 & 7 p.m.; 4/22, 7 p.m.), KAPODISTRIAS (THE GOVERNOR) (4/22, 3 & 7 p.m., in Greek with English sub), MICHAEL sneak preview (4/22, 6 & 7 p.m.), MICHAEL (4/23 on)
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Spring 2025 Weekend Films” feat. 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE
(4/17-4/18, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
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 Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (animation) (Screen 1), FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF 40th anniversary (Screen 2) (4/17-4/18)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (animation) (4/17-4/19), EPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT (music documentary) (4/23)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
DR. STRANGELOVE, OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (4/17, 4/19, 7 p.m.), Severin Films presents “Jess Franco 101” feat. VAMPYROS LESBOS, audience choice TBD w/discussion (4/18, 7 p.m.), DUCK SOUP (4/19, 3 p.m.), 2026 Foxtail Film Festival: ALL OF THE ABOVE* (documentary) w/filmmaker Allison Walsh, producer Lily Qi (4/23, 6 p.m., free)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (animation) (4/17-4/19)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (animation), GOAT (animation) (Screen 1), PROJECT HAIL MARY, CRIME 101 (Screen 2) (4/17-4/18)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Landmark Century Centre Cinema, Chicago, IL
International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago presents 42nd Chicago Latino Film Festival (through 4/27) Information
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
4/24-4/26
Horror Dadz Productions’ NIGHT TERROR* feature film premiere
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
4/29
Images in Motion Film Festival*
@ Kirkland Fine Arts Center, Millikin University, Decatur, IL, 6 p.m.
4/29-5/5
Chambana Film Society presents
the Savoy Lumierè 2026*
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
5/1
2026 Illinois Student Film Festival*
@ UI Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.
NEW! 5/6-5/7
2026 Heartland Hawk Film Festival*
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL, 6 p.m.
5/14
Vermilion County ROSC presents ROADS TO RECOVERY* docuseries
@ Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL, 5 p.m., free
9/7-9/17
44th Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
@ Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema + Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
UPDATE! Chambana Film Society presents “Savoy Lumierè 2026 pre- and post-screenings”
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
4/24: BRIM* w/filmmakers (7 p.m.), 5/8: “Identities: Jewish American” short film program (7 p.m.), 5/15: “Identities: The Soul of Black Folk” short film program w/discussion (7 p.m.), 5/22: TIGHT & NERDY (documentary) w/burlesque performance, MAYBE IT’S THIS short film preview (7 p.m.)
Illini Union Board presents “Spring 2025 Weekend Films”
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat, free w/i-card
4/17-4/18: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2026 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential
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