Calendar: September 11-17, 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
A quarter of a century ago was one of the longest days of my professional life, working for a news outlet albeit a locally-based one. We at The Octopus went through the motions to finish the current issue as we also began to hash out how our alternative weekly was going to handle covering the disaster – we couldn’t not address it, despite the primary events happening in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia – as well as what it meant to the security and safety of our country’s residents and the political ramifications of our standing on the world stage. Heavy intellectual lifting would be had in the many days to come.
As production manager, the job was the only one I’ve had in my working life where I could walk to and from the office. At home, the original Secret MICRO-FILM Headquarters, I cleaned up and left like usual. I had internet but no inclination to check online. I was still many years removed from having a cell phone stuck in my back pocket. And, to this day, I can’t shake how there was something quite off as I entered downtown Champaign that morning. A pall hung over the terrain from West Side Park to the Lincoln Building. Wasn’t buzzing. Wasn’t crackling. We were just there, a neighborhood and a city with its citizens and guests, collectively awaiting any news or clarification about the acts of terrorism enacted on our soil. It impressed on me harshly enough, despite being far removed from the immediate rubble and pain, that I recounted all that washed over me in an issue of my friend Aj Michel’s zine, low hug, a few months later.
America needs to always remember the fallen and respect the living who got into harm’s way, including those who’ve been harmed ever since with sickness and early mortality, to help and rescue where they could, as well as the family, friends, and communities of all these folks whose realities were shaken by this horrific fate. Americans also need to be wary of how our current administration might spin this in grotesque and patronizing fashion as they tend to do about nearly everything of gravity, whether it occurred well in the past or affects our nation and its populace in the present. That includes today.
The local film culture news is piling up, we’re aware. (That’s us in the banner for this week’s Calendar. Can’t you tell? We’ll stave off the kaboom with all our might…) Because we have a pair of bonus features in the works for next week on CUBlog, and especially since Mr. JaPan is now in a mood upon serious reflection, we’re foregoing a ticker proper for one more week. Our movies will still be here. We apologize.
You can also lean on Chambana Film Society to keep you propped up with doings in the C-U via their online events calendar as well as monthly e-newsletter. Nat Dykeman has our scene covered like a glove, and you should thank him for his efforts by attending CFS show #100 in two weeks. See below. Cheers.
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ The Literary, Champaign, IL
Film-Fanatic.Club* presents “Film Fanatic Movie Nights” feat. DONNIE DARKO “director’s cut,” moderated by Sanford Hess (9/12, 10:30 p.m.) Information
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society presents a special 100th CFS show feat. MORRIS FROM AMERICA and filmmaker Chad Hartigan via Zoom (Thurs., 9/23, 7 p.m., free w/ticket reservation)
@ WEFT 90.1 FM, Champaign, IL
“Frame Noise” film music program hosted by Przemek (9/16, 7-8 p.m.) Streaming | Archive
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
THE FIX, HOPE (in Korean with English sub), OASIS: DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER (music documentary), PRACTICAL MAGIC 2, RUNNER, SARDAR 2* (in Tamil with English sub) THE UPRISING, AKIRA* (animé re-release) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), BY ANY MEANS, BUDDY, CARS 20th anniversary* (animation re-release), COYOTE VS. ACME, INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER, SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (9/11 on), THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (faith film) (9/11-9/17, 7 p.m.), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (9/13-9/14, 7 p.m.), “MST3K: The RiffTrax Experiments” feat. STING OF DEATH (9/13, 4:30 p.m.), RESIDENT EVIL, THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 40th anniversary (animation) (9/17 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
THE FIX, HOPE (in Korean with English sub), OASIS: DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER (music documentary), PRACTICAL MAGIC 2, RUNNER, BY ANY MEANS, BUDDY, CARS 20th anniversary (animation re-release), COYOTE VS. ACME, THE END OF OAK STREET, FALL 2: DEADPOINT, INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER, THE ODYSSEY, ONSLAUGHT*, PAW PATROL: THE DINO MOVIE (animation), SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY, TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (9/11 on), THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (faith film) (9/11-9/17, 7 p.m.), TOM AND JERRY: THE FORBIDDEN COMPASS* (animation) (9/11-9/14), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS (extended) (9/12-9/13, 9/16, 3 & 7 p.m.), .“MST3K: The RiffTrax Experiments” feat. STING OF DEATH (9/13, 3 p.m.), JUAN GABRIEL: MI PREMIER BELLAS ARTES (concert film) (9/15-9/15, 7 p.m., in Spanish with English sub), RESIDENT EVIL, THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 40th anniversary (animation) (9/17 on) *single screenings daily
@ Courtyard Café, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2026 Weekend Films” feat. CARS (animation) (9/12-9/13, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
@ Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
UI Center for East Asian & Pacific Studies presents “AsiaLENS” feat. OUR MR. MATSURA w/filmmaker Beth Harrington (9/14, 5:30 p.m., free)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Rewind 92.5 and Mix 94.5 present CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND “director’s cut” with a taped introduction by Bob Odenkirk and Sarah Edwards of the upcoming stage show premiere, “We Interrupt This Program” (9/12, 7:30 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 Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 (Screen 1), “Grease is the Word” fan event feat. GREASE screening, actors from the film, more (Screen 2) (9/11-9/12)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 (9/11-9/13)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (9/11, 7 & 10 p.m.; 9/12, 10 p.m.; 9/13, 7 p.m.), LUPIN III THE FIRST (animation) (9/12, 7 p.m.), POST AMERIKAN: THE NEWSPAPER THAT WOULDN’T DIE* w/filmmaker Gary Fritz (9/17, 7 p.m., free)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
PAW PATROL: THE DINO MOVIE (animation) (9/11-9/13)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2, THE END OF OAK STREET (Screen 1), COYOTE VS. ACME, BY ANY MEANS (Screen 2) (9/11-9/12)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema + Chicago Filmmakers + Music Box Theatre, Chicago, IL
Chicago Filmmakers presents the 44th Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival (9/17-9/27) Information
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
9/19
DARK SOUL RIVER* feature film “workprint premiere” w/discussion
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7:30 p.m.
9/23-9/27
33rd Chicago Underground Film Festival
@ ACX Harper Theater – Hyde Park, etc., Chicago, IL
9/23
Danville Library Foundation, etc., present
“How to Sell Out a Haunted Theater: An Evening with Grady Hendrix”
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL, 6 p.m. doors, 6:30 p.m. show, free
9/24
UI Center for East Asian & Pacific Studies and
Ui Mortenson Center for International Library Programs present
“AsiaLENS”/Mortenson screening feat. ONE BIG HAPA FAMILY w/filmmaker Jeff Chiba Stearns
@ School of Information Sciences, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 5:45-8:15 p.m.
9/25
Film-Fanatic.Club* presents
THE IRON GIANT moderated by Chuck Koplinski
@ Anita Purves Nature Center, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m., outdoors
10/3
9 TO 5
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
10/8-10/18
35th Heartland Film Festival
@ various venues, Indianapolis, IN
10/16-10/17
Show and Tell presents
“We Interrupt This Program” feat. Bob Odenkirk
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7:30 p.m.
10/23
“Behind the ‘Scream’: A Live Conversation with David Arquette”
feat. 30th anniversary screening of SCREAM (1996)
@ Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Bloomington, IL, 7 p.m.
10/27
An evening with ‘Partially Devoured’ author Daniel Kraus
feat. screening of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
10/31
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW w/shadow cast
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, doors 7:30 p.m., event 8:30 p.m.
11/5-11/15
Cinema St. Louis presents
35th Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival
@ The Hi-Pointe Theatre, St. Louis, MO
NEW! 11/8
Film-Fanatic.Club* presents
SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS moderated by Sam Veremchuk
@ Pizzeria Antica, Champaign, IL, time TBA
11/13
Inter-Pygmalion presents
David Cross
@ The City Center, Champaign, IL, 8 p.m.
11/20-11/22
25th anniversary Route 66 Film Festival*
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
4/8-4/11, 2027
37th Onion City Experimental Film Festival
@ Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse, Chicago, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
UPDATE! Chambana Film Society presents “2026 Doctoberfest”
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
HANGING BY A WIRE (10/2, 7 p.m.), THE LAST MOVIE CRITIC* (10/8, 7 p.m.), ALL SKATE (10/9, 7 p.m.), COOKIE QUEENS (10/10, 1:30 p.m.), JOYBUBBLES (10/10, 3:30 p.m.), THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS (10/10, 6 p.m.), PINBALL: BEYOND THE BUMPERS (10/10, 8 p.m.), SILVER SCREAMERS (10/11, 12 p.m.), A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHASING STORMS (10/11, 2 p.m.), “CatVideoFest 2026” (10/11, 4 p.m.), THE HISTORY OF CONCRETE (10/12, 7 p.m.), THE LORRAINE (10/17, 2 p.m.), ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM (10/17, 4 p.m.), TIME WARP (11/1, 4 p.m.) | Information
NEW! Film-Fanatic.Club, etc., present “Shocktober Horror Film Festival”
@ various locations & times, Champaign-Urbana, IL
10/8: THE BLACK CAT (1934) @ The Scratching Post, U.; 10/17: SANTA SANGRE @ Cloud Mountain Kombucha, U.; 10/20: THE HUNGER @ Amy’s Place, C.; 10/24: THE FLY (1986) @ Analog Wine Library, U.; 10/27: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) @ The Virginia Theatre, C.; 10/31: THE WITCH @ The Literary, C. | Information
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2026 Weekend Films”
@ Courtyard Café, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Sat. & Sun., free w/i-card
9/19-9/20: SUPERGIRL; 9/26-9/27: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU; 10/3-10/4: OBSESSION; 10/10-10/11: MINIONS & MONSTERS; 10/17-10/18: HOCUS POCUS; 10/24-10/25: THE SHEEP DETECTIVES; 10/31-11/1: COCO; 11/7-11/8: THE END OF OAK STREET; 11/14-11/15: SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY; 11/21-11/22: TOY STORY 5; 12/5-12/6: THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
Pygmalion 2026 x Chambana Film Society collab
@ Old Tiernan Hall, Urbana, IL, free to the public (unless otherwise noted)
STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE! feat. filmmaker Carl Deal via Zoom (9/25, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $10 + fees advance, $15 door, Knight Auditorium, UI Spurlock Museum, Urbana, IL), THE GREEN MILL: A REAL CHICAGO JOINT feat. filmmaker Paul L. Carr in person (9/26, 6 p.m.), “Animation After Dark” (9/26, 8 p.m.), DEATH OF A ROCKSTAR (9/26, 10 p.m.), “Shorts: Jewish-American” (9/27, 4 p.m.), “Shorts: Homegrown” (9/27, 6 p.m.), SLOUCHING TOWARDS BRANSON (9/27, 8:30 p.m.) Information
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* event series
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m., free to the public (unless otherwise noted)
10/29: “DCP inauguration” screening feat. SUSPIRIA (1977)
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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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