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Our movie and media Calendar appears every Friday\/Saturday on <\/em>C-U Blogfidential<\/span><\/strong> and caters to the downstate region anchored by Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!<\/strong><\/p>\n 12\/27: Matthew Gladney (co-host, Mashley at the Movies<\/span> podcast, Champaign-Urbana, IL) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed<\/strong><\/p>\n 12\/26\/22: Patricia Ann Pellow, 78 (matron saint to our arts, C-U Confidential<\/span>, Champaign, IL)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said<\/strong><\/p>\n Is it too late to mull over Christmas<\/strong> movies, dearest revelers? This peculiar genre of seasonal television programming that is designed to besiege basic cable packages in the months of November and December with manufactured warm fuzzies and cheer is finally infiltrating the movies of Champaign, Urbana<\/strong>, and the cities beyond. If the A- and B-list likes of Kristin Chenoweth, Bruce Campbell, Teri Hatcher, Christopher Lloyd<\/strong>, and Fred Olen Ray<\/strong> can go there, then so can we. If we have to. We guess.<\/p>\n On a higher budget level and very peripherally related is the new Disney<\/strong> streaming release DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW<\/strong>, directed by Tim Story<\/strong> (THE BLACKENING<\/strong>), which stars Chicago<\/strong> native Lil Rel Howrey<\/strong> as Santa Claus and Champaign native Ludacris<\/strong> as a social worker<\/a><\/span> who resists enjoying the spirit of the season. On pocket change in comparison and much closer to home, we have the as-yet-unconfirmed feature \u2013 was anybody<\/em> as highly amused as us by this WCIA-TV<\/strong> report<\/a><\/span> that couldn\u2019t bother (or, weren\u2019t allowed) to identify the producer they interviewed and called the film I\u2019LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS<\/strong>, a title as over-used and subject to change as it comes<\/a><\/span>? \u2013 filmed on location in Champaign County<\/strong> between March and May of this year; sites chosen to help tell the tale, about a snowstorm that forces a holiday layover for the main characters, include the UI Willard Airport<\/strong> of Savoy<\/strong> and Church Street<\/strong> in downtown Champaign with, sigh<\/em>, the dormant Art Theater<\/strong> as a backdrop. Presumably, this action was brought to the C-U by locally-based Shatterglass Films<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, the Champaign County Film Office<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, or both.<\/p>\n And then we have A FARGO CHRISTMAS STORY<\/strong>, the latest from Dreamscape Cinema<\/strong> of Champaign, which received an online bow back on Friday, December 1<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, through a YouTube<\/strong> channel billed as \u201cEmpress Movies<\/strong>.\u201d Directed by company head Robin Christian,<\/strong> the drama stars Cynthia Strahan<\/strong> (THE OFFER<\/strong>) as an assistant in a development firm from Minnesota<\/strong> who is sent to the eponymous North Dakota<\/strong> city to oversee a construction project and is met with very mixed reactions from the townsfolk, never mind the shady overtures from the mayor, played by Robert Donovan<\/strong>, and her boss, played by Douglas Wilson<\/strong>. Complications of all sorts threaten her return home for Christmas with her family and, you betcha, it takes a community who grows to care for her to aid in setting things right.<\/p>\n Filmed in early 2020 on location in the aforementioned states as well as at Geschenk Coffee, Caf\u00e9, & Gifts<\/span><\/strong> of St. Joseph<\/strong>, located 10 miles east of the C-U<\/span><\/a>, FARGO<\/strong> also features Sadie Katz<\/strong> (BLOOD FEAST<\/strong>), Nico Zahniser<\/strong> (THE RELIANT<\/strong>), Richard Riehle<\/strong> (BARRY<\/strong>), Maxwell Caulfield<\/strong> (GREASE 2<\/strong>), and Gary Houston<\/strong>, who appeared in both the FARGO<\/strong> show on FX<\/strong> and the classic Coen Brothers<\/strong> film from 1996. Wilson and Donovan previously acted for Dreamscape in the studio\u2019s C.O.R.N.<\/strong> horror trilogy, the second and third entries of which are still unavailable to see, and the late great Edward Asner<\/strong>, who appeared in Dreamscape\u2019s first commercial release SHEEBA<\/strong>, cameos as a dispenser of sage small-town advice named \u201cPopcorn Bud.\u201d Upcoming features that filmmaker Christian will be pitching to potential financiers and distributors include his own pet projects like JOY TO THE WORLD<\/strong>, about young people who attend Woodstock<\/strong>, and THE LEACH OF LIVERPOOL<\/strong>, about an early manager of The Beatles<\/strong>. A spinoff of Christian’s multimedia firm Dreamscape Design<\/strong>, the company marked its 25th anniversary in 2022<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n A FARGO CHRISTMAS STORY<\/strong> is a Dreamscape Cinema (Champaign-Urbana\/St. Joseph, IL-Fargo, ND-Moorehead, MN<\/strong>) production that is written, produced, and directed by Robin Christian with cinematography by Daniel Clarke<\/strong>, art direction by Jiovanie Velazquez<\/strong>, editing by Skye Marc\u00eda<\/strong>, sound design by Jim Parker<\/strong>, makeup and costume design by Krystal Depew<\/strong>, and visual effects by Jacob Kuhne<\/strong>. First assistant director is Alison Lecouris<\/strong>, gaffer is Tommy Garrett<\/strong>, key grip is Sean Nielsen<\/strong>, sound recordists are Scott Murphy<\/strong> and Matt Wheeler<\/strong>, and music composer is David Stahl<\/strong>. Executive producer is James Lenz<\/strong>, associate producer is Jeff Trainer<\/strong>, and the film stars Cynthia Strahan, Nico Zahniser, Sadie Katz, Maxwell Caulfield, Richard Riehle, Robert Donovan, Gary Houston, Douglas Wilson, and Edward Asner. It is a 2023 release via Empress Movies on YouTube and runs 97 minutes.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area<\/strong><\/p>\n @ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL<\/strong> @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong> @ Redbox (streaming), Champaign-Urbana, IL<\/strong> @ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL<\/strong> Events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Additional \u201cNow Playing\u201d and \u201cComing Soon\u201d listings appear after the jump!<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n <\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | The Cities Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n @ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL<\/strong> @ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL<\/strong> @ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL<\/strong>
\n12\/30: Paul Benson (grip, FINAL SUMMER, Front 76 Films\/The Line Film Co., Champaign\/Chicago, IL)
\n12\/30: Jason Pankoke (editor\/publisher, C-U Blogfidential<\/span>, Champaign-by-way-of-Mendota, IL)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nTHE BOYS IN THE BOAT, THE COLOR PURPLE, FERRARI, ANYONE BUT YOU, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM, THE BOY AND THE HERON (anim\u00e9) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), GODZILLA MINUS ONE (in Japanese with English sub), THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, THE IRON CLAW, MIGRATION, POOR THINGS, SALAAR PART 1: CEASEFIRE (in Hindi or Telugu with English sub), TROLLS BAND TOGETHER* (animation), WONKA (12\/29 on), AMC \u201cScreen Unseen\u201d (mystery movie) (1\/3, 7 p.m.), NIGHT SWIM, SHINING FOR ONE THING (in Mandarin with English sub) (1\/4 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nTHE BOYS IN THE BOAT, THE COLOR PURPLE, FERRARI, ANYONE BUT YOU, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM, THE BOY AND THE HERON (anim\u00e9) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), GODZILLA MINUS ONE (in Japanese with English sub), THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, THE IRON CLAW, MIGRATION, NAPOLEON*, POOR THINGS, SALTBURN*, TROLLS BAND TOGETHER* (animation), WISH (animation), WONKA (12\/29 on), NIGHT SWIM (1\/4 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nFollow the link to view seasonal favorites and the hottest new releases! (12\/26 on) Online rentals<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\nNo movies this week!<\/p>\n
\nAQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM, MIGRATION, WONKA (12\/28-1\/1)<\/p>\n
\nTHE GOONIES (1\/1, 2 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nPrivate parties and events<\/p>\n