C-U Biz-en-scène: 09.23.2011

“C-U Biz-en-scène” appears every Thursday/Friday on C-U Blogfidential to give our readers a succinct snapshot of the cinema activity in and near Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA. Please support the artists and their work, attend screenings and events, and otherwise become active in our esoteric little world!

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MFHQ & YOU:
Stayin’ Alive, Part 1: Friday Night Buttah!

Things are happening. Things are changing. Things are the same as they ever were.

We have much on our minds here at the Secret MICRO-FILM Headquarters. This will become apparent during the next several CUBiz columns as your humble editor breaks it down and describes the slow shift happening in our Champaign-Urbana movie lives as well as a handful of ornery little things which simply bite. Everything will be covered in due time. If we happen to skip it once every few weeks before we’re through, you’ll live.

Speaking of, we’re elated to learn Avon Theater main man Skip Huston is recovering nicely (and quickly!) after a health scare sent downtown Decatur’s number one fan to the hospital last week. The Head Honcho was nice enough to write CUBlog and assure us he’s back in action, so we’re passing along the good news to you, dearest readers. Go Skip!


PLEASE. WRITE. NOW. PLEASE!

Time is almost up, dearest readers! Treat us to your tales of cinematic wonder experienced as academic or permanent residents of MICRO-FILM Country, and in turn we’ll share it with all your fellow readers as those “five significant movie milestones” become part of CUBlog lore! Check out this earlier post which roughly describes what we’re looking for and then exercise those typing fingers by drafting anecdotes that illustrate how you live la vida cinema in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond. SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2011!


ITEMS OF THE WEEK

Finally surfacing on YouTube is the Illini Film & Video parody WHO KILLED PAC-MAN? directed by club pal and University of Illinois programmer Michael Bach, who also plays a gumshoe attempting to solve the eponymous crime. Appearing amongst the superimposed sprites and live action suspects are Anne Lukeman, Andrew Stengele, and Andrew Nygard, all graduated IFV officers … Lost in last weekend’s film festival shuffle was a screening Friday, September 16, on the UIUC campus of a new documentary revisiting the state’s underappreciated native son, THE DAY CARL SANDBURG DIED. Champaign Movie Makers member Michael Fuerst posted that he attended this “wonderful film” about the multifaceted writer and performer, introduced in person by filmmaker Paul Bonesteel who confirmed the project will air on PBS next year as an episode of AMERICAN MASTERSSasan Shabrou of Sidney was cited by SpidVid.com as having their “Hot Project of the Month” in September for his humanitarian video to help solicit donations for the Kijiji Orphanage in Kenya. He currently is looking for a narrator and script doctor …We received word from Champaign costume and party supply wonderland Dallas & Company that their 23rd annual “Magic Weekend” will take place this Saturday, September 24, and Sunday, September 25, filling their aisles with free fun for all ages including magic demonstrations, face painting, carnival games, and balloon animals. Although the event is a bit off our beaten path, we can’t imagine a C-U performing arts life without Dallas & Co. at our disposal on University Avenue and First Street!


LINKS OF THE WEEK

We looked. We learned. We linked just for you! At the top, IndieWIRE reports the Chicago International Film Festival has announced its feature film selections in competition; the event takes place October 6-20. Then, a Pantagraph story from last week recounts location filming in Normal for three commercial spots promoting electric cars to be manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors North America in the city; one on-screen participant is Amreen Khan, editor of Bloomington arts publication Studio Magazine. Another artist will make her debut on Urbana Public Television (UPTV) at 8 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, September 24, when Nina Paley’s animated SITA SINGS THE BLUES airs according to SmilePolitely. Coincidentally, IndieWIRE highlighted Paley’s merchandising efforts to help pay for those infamous SITA music licensing fees in an article posted yesterday that encourages filmmakers to maximize the salability of their work. (Even more coincidentally, the 40 North 88 West sponsored ACE Awards named her father Hiram Paley as winner of their “Volunteer ACE” on Wednesday for his contributions to fostering local arts; a formal presentation for all recipients will take place Tuesday, October 4, 5:30 p.m., at the Canopy Club in Urbana.) In reference to last week’s clickable debauchery, The Hollywood Reporter issued a lengthy feature on Hugh Hefner which pictures an aging iconoclast comfortably going with the modern flow; be sure to search the Reporter for multiple sidebars to this story. Finally, we’ll blow your mind with an older New York Press piece we forgot to include in the prior Biz, an interview with filmmaker Sophie Fiennes in which she discusses working with Slavoj Žižek on THE PERVERT’S GUIDE TO CINEMA. You’re welcome.


PLAYING THIS WEEK

@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL: “Angels and E.T.s: a 2012 Overview” (9/24, 12:30 p.m.), DOOKUDU (9/25, 12 p.m., Telugu). Latin American Film Festival: EVEN THE RAIN (9/23, 9/25, 9/29, 3 shows), BACKYARD (9/23, 9/25, 9/27, 3 shows), THE POWER OF FOOD (9/24, 9/25, 2 shows), IN THERAPY (9/24, 9/27, 9/29, 3 shows), UNDERTOW (9/24, 9/26, 9/28, 3 shows), BROTHER AND SISTER (9/24, 9/26, 9/28, 3 shows).

@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL: FAST FIVE (9/27, 9/29, 7 p.m.)

@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL: KILLER ELITE, DRIVE, THE HELP (9/23 on)

@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL: EVEN THE RAIN (9/22-9/23, 7 p.m.), THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED (9/24-9/25, 7 p.m.)

@ Route 66 Twin Drive-In, Springfield, IL: THE HELP, FRIGHT NIGHT, SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD, APOLLO 18 (9/23-9/24) Final regular week of 2011 season!

@ Princess Theatre, LeRoy, IL: THE CHANGE-UP (9/23-9/25)

@ Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In, Gibson City, IL: THE HELP, ZOOKEEPER (9/23-9/25) Final week of 2011 season!

@ That’s Rentertainment, Champaign, IL: BRIDESMAIDS, SET UP, CIRCO, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE KENNEDYS, MIKE & MOLLY (s1), HAWAII FIVE-O (s1), more! (9/20 on)

@ Centerbrook Drive-In, Martinsville, IN: THE SMURFS, ZOOKEEPER (9/23-9/24)

@ The Portage Theater, Chicago, IL: Chicago Horror Film Festival (9/23-9/25)

@ The Artcraft Theatre, etc., Franklin, IN: B Movie Celebration (9/23-9/25)

@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL: Closed for back-to-school recess!

@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL: Closed for remodeling!

@ Gemini Cinemas, Villa Grove, IL: Closed for good?

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Locally produced movies and events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Go see ‘em!


COMING SOON

10/1: THE WORLD’S FASTEST INDIAN
@ The Virginia Theater, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.

10/6-10/20: Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago, IL

10/7: THIS IS MY JOURNEY* local broadcast
@ WILL-TV 12, Urbana, IL, 8 p.m.

10/13-10/22: Heartland Film Festival, Indianapolis, IN

10/21-10/22: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL, time TBA

10/21-10/23: CHICAGO 8: Small Gauge Film Festival, Chicago, IL

10/21-10/23: Dark Carnival Film Festival, Bloomington, IN

10/28-10/30: Freeky Creek Short Film Festival
@ Sleepy Creek Vineyards, Fairmount, IL

11/3-11/12: Reeling Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival, Chicago, IL

11/4-11/5: Drunken Zombie Film Festival
@ Peoria Theater, Peoria, IL

11/10-11/12: Embarras Valley Film Festival
@ EIU campus/Will Rogers Theater/etc., Charleston, IL

11/11-11/13: HorrorHound Weekend (Horror culture), Cincinnati, OH

11/10-11/20: St. Louis International Film Festival, St. Louis, MO

4/15, 2012: Buttered Corn on the Cob Film Festival
@ 88 Broadway, Urbana, IL

4/18-4/22, 2012: Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI

4/25-4/29, 2012: Roger Ebert’s Film Festival
@ The Virginia Theater, Champaign, IL


COMMUNITY FILM SERIES

Horror Films
@ The “Haunted” Avon Theater, Decatur, IL, 10:30 p.m., free

10/7: THIR13EN GHOSTS (2001); 10/8: DOG SOLDIERS; 10/14: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968); 10/15: DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004); 10/28: JEEPERS CREEPERS; 10/29: TRICK ‘R TREAT

The New Classics: Great Books to Great Films from the Past 50 Years
@ Danville Public Library, Danville, IL, 6:30 p.m.

10/10: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS; 11/14: ORDINARY PEOPLE; 12/12: FAIL SAFE (1964); 1/9/12: NEVER CRY WOLF; 2/13/12: AWAKENINGS; 3/12/12: ADAPTATION; 4/9/12: UP IN THE AIR

The News-Gazette Film Series 2011
@ The Virginia Theater, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.

10/8: THE EXORCIST; 11/5: THE GODFATHER; 12/3: THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS


UNIVERSITY FILM SERIES

AsiaLENS: AEMS Documentary/Film Series
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.

10/4: BHUTAN: TAKING THE MIDDLE PATH TO HAPPINESS; 11/8: WHO KILLED CHEA VICHEA?

Global Lens 2011: International Films
@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL

10/20: A USEFUL LIFE, Uruguay; 11/17: WHITE MEADOWS, Iran

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That’s it for the “business of our scene” this week!

If you have relevant news, opportunities, dates, or promotions that you would like included in CUBiz, please forward the who, what, where, when, and how much to cuconfidential [at] gmail [dot] com.

Compiled by Jason Pankoke

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“C-U Biz-en-scène” no.61 © 2011 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential.

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