C-U Blogfidential

Articles in Decatur daily Herald & Review about the impending location shooting of Steven Soderbergh’s next studio picture, THE INFORMANT, in Decatur, IL, this April and May. Also, your editor scolds a well-meaning group for taking initiative on something that wasn’t theirs to begin with.

A preview in The Hollywood Reporter covers the upcoming 10th edition of Roger Ebert’s Film Festival in Champaign, IL, revealing that the opening night attraction is a 70mm print of HAMLET (1996), directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Several articles report on the passing of this former Champaign-Urbana student and photographer, who was involved in the rise of Ron Epple’s Expanded Cinema.

On three consecutive freelance jobs that cut in during the current C-U Confidential dance, your editor demonstrates the three basics of print media: writin’, illustratin’, and designin’.

Oft-ignored corners of the C-U Blogfidential universe finally get their due. In this episode, three truant Pages finally catch up to the pack and complete the inner circle.

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about the Lincoln FilmFest, planned by former Ebertfest executive director Nancy Casey and C-U historian Dannel McCollum, to take place March 13-15, 2009, at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign. Also, your editor ruminates about a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

C-U Blogfidential starts off Year 3 with growing confidence and occasional hints of annoyance.

The BNFilmFest is accepting submissions through Friday, May 2, for its annual event, which will take place May 13-14, 2008, at the Normal Theater in Normal, IL.

Dark Maze Studios of Champaign, Illinois, has embarked on an itinerary of labyrinthine proportions now that their first feature, PRESS START, has been completed.

It’s moments like these when the words and actions of other “movie people” in the area simply get your editor’s goat. Therefore, your editor bitches.

Your editor doesn’t have much to add regarding the NIU shootings except for the obvious – we feel for the victims.

Coming Soon: SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES @ Normal Theater, Normal, IL (2/16/08), Springfield and Central Illinois Film Commission meeting @ Kicks, Springfield, IL (2/21/08), African Film Festival @ Beverly Cinemas, Champaign, IL (2/22-28/08), Insect Fear Film Festival @ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL (2/23/08), Dead of Winter Film Festival @ Lincoln Theatre, Decatur, IL (3/1/08), and Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour @ Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL (3/6/08).

Article in Champaign daily The News-Gazette about Carl Deal, who won the Grand Jury Prize for documentary filmmaking at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for the feature, TROUBLE THE WATER, along with Tia Lessin. Also, your editor bitches about bad reporting by others that indirectly thwarts the C-U Blogfidential mission.

Review of THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS VS. A MUMMY from Champaign-Urbana, IL.

Coming Soon: CHINA BLUE @ Armory Building, UIUC, Champaign, IL (1/23/08), CITIZEN KANE @ Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL (1/12/08), and [in time time] installation @ Tarble Arts Center, EIU, Charleston, IL (now-2/24/08).