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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 1\/16: Zoe Southlynn-Savage (special events manager, Champaign Park District, Champaign, IL) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n PASSINGS | You Will Be Missed<\/strong><\/p>\n 1\/11: Dave King, the \u201cDuke of Uke,\u201d 58 (actor, WEREWOLF CEMETERY, Brainsmart Productions, Champaign, IL\/Portland, OR)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said<\/strong><\/p>\n Ye Ed<\/strong> will be writing this Report<\/strong> with his Captain Obvious hat on, cocked at a weird angle that allows enough oxygen to come and go, and finishing it up after a run of days spent almost completely at MFHQ Deux<\/strong> where he\u2019s been badgered by weird and sad dreams. We won\u2019t attempt to analyze the root causes.<\/p>\n That said, we\u2019ll happily spell out for you a mini-splurge of local film activity that will enliven our cities over the next several days. You can find it all listed in the Calendar<\/strong> below, but the convenient confluence provides an introduction to our scene in brief strokes for those not familiar with the C-U and beyond. We have a locally-produced event in the Flatlands Dance Film Festival<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, the newer second-semester leg that is devoted to short films, playing tonight, Friday, January 19, 7 p.m.<\/strong>, at Knight Auditorium<\/strong> inside of the UIUC Spurlock Museum<\/strong> of Urbana<\/strong>. We have a locally-filmed sci-fi spoof, THEY CAME BACK FROM SOMEWHERE<\/strong> from the Chicago<\/strong> suburban crew at Acrostar Films<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, premiering on Sunday, January 21, 7 p.m.<\/strong>, at the Clinton<\/strong> location of Eagle Theaters<\/strong>, a mom-and-pop chain that operates three venues in downstate Illinois<\/strong>. We have local networking during the monthly mixer of Champaign Movie Makers<\/strong><\/a><\/span> at the Esquire Lounge<\/strong> in downtown Champaign<\/strong> on Monday, January 22, 7 p.m.<\/strong> And, we have the physical media premiere of PROJECT DOROTHY<\/strong>, the third and final of the newer \u201cvisiting film crew\u201d projects that we told you about over the summer<\/a><\/span>, seeing commercial release in North America<\/strong> on Tuesday, January 23<\/strong>, one week after it debuted on streaming platforms like Apple+, Vudu<\/strong>, and Amazon Prime<\/strong> on Tuesday, January 16<\/strong>. The super low-budget AI techno-thriller was photographed a few years ago on the grounds of what is now the Rivian<\/strong> electric vehicle manufacturing plant on the far west end of Normal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n Not very far from Rivian is the non-AMC multiplex of the nearby Twin Cities, Marcus Theatres<\/strong>, and it brings us to our postscript. For years, we\u2019ve compiled the weekly itinerary of the Beverly<\/strong> (now AMC<\/strong>) in north Champaign and Goodrich<\/strong> (now Phoenix<\/strong>) in Savoy<\/strong>, considering their fare a good snapshot of what plays at all multiplexes in our immediate region. For those who are not averse to putting a few extra miles on their vehicles to go see a film they really<\/em> want to see, don\u2019t be shy about skimming the listings not incorporated here. For instance, at the aforementioned Marcus Bloomington Galaxy 14<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, they\u2019ve booked Indian cinema that we haven\u2019t seen yet in C-U cinemas \u2013 MISSION: CHAPTER 1, MAIN ATAL HOUN<\/strong> \u2013 as well as the Anthony Hopkins<\/strong> period film FREUD\u2019S LAST SESSION<\/strong>, although the Avon Theater<\/strong> in Decatur<\/strong> has us covered on the latter. FREUD<\/strong> is also playing at the AMC Classic 14<\/strong><\/a><\/span> on the north end of Normal along with yet another modern slasher with a holiday hook, FOUNDER\u2019S DAY<\/strong>, which has yet to take a stab at the C-U following the likes of THANKSGIVING<\/strong> and IT\u2019S A WONDERFUL KNIFE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n You can also enjoy the fruits of local labor at a \u2018plex if you look carefully. The AMC Classic 12<\/strong> of Springfield<\/strong> is home to the annual Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series<\/strong>, the only true \u201cart house film\u201d program of its kind in the area, which will present the Sony Pictures Classics<\/strong> release TURN EVERY PAGE<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, about an aging history author and his equally aging editor as they attempt to finish one last major collaboration, this Sunday, January 21<\/strong>, at 1<\/strong> and 4 p.m.<\/strong>, and Tuesday, January 23<\/strong>, at 7 p.m.<\/strong> Sponsored by the Springfield Art Association<\/strong> and several other Capital City businesses and donors, the weekly screening series continues through March 5<\/strong> and was launched by its namesake, a chef and world traveler who wanted to watch movies like these theatrically in her adopted home of Springfield but had to create her own avenue to do so. You can learn more about Schlich, who passed at age 93 in 2021, from this State Journal-Register<\/span><\/strong> article<\/a><\/span> and read about the upcoming 2024 picks, the ticket sales from which will be donated to help fund the SAA\u2019s Michael Victor II Art Library<\/strong>, by visiting this webpage<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n Local friends in film have also taken up the \u2018plexes to do special events, primarily the Savoy 16 + IMAX<\/strong>, including Thomas Nicol<\/strong>\u2019s recent Krampusnacht Freeky Film Festival<\/strong> and showings of FINAL SUMMER<\/strong> from Front 76 Films<\/strong> and REVEALER<\/strong> from Shatterglass Films<\/strong>. They\u2019re a possible resource to use if the timing and price point jive with everyone’s goals. Watch CUBlog<\/span> to see what comes next in this realm.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers<\/strong><\/p>\n PROJECT DOROTHY* U.S. Blu-ray\/DVD Release:<\/strong> Tuesday, January 23, via Gravitas Ventures, Cleveland, OH\/Taylor & Dodge-Liberty Atlantic Studios-Kinogo Pictures, Los Angeles\/N. Hollywood, CA-Normal, IL<\/p>\n @ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong> @ Clintonia Eagle Theaters, Clinton, IL<\/strong> @ Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL<\/strong> \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> @ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong>
\n1\/18: Michelle Kaffko Ebner (owner, Organic Headshots, Chicago, IL)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nDepartment of Dance, FAA, presents Flatlands Dance Film Festival 2024 shorts competition program (1\/19, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nAcrostar Films presents THEY CAME BACK FROM SOMEWHERE* world premiere (1\/21, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nChampaign Movie Makers* mixer (1\/22, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nALL OF US STRANGERS, I.S.S., MERRY CHRISTMAS (in Telugu with English sub), AMERICAN FICTION, ANYONE BUT YOU, THE BEEKEEPER, THE BOOK OF CLARENCE, GUNTAR KAARAM (in Telugu with English sub) HANU-MAN (in Telugu with English sub), THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES*, MEAN GIRLS, MIGRATION (animation), NIGHT SWIM, SOUL* (animation) (first US theatrical release), SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE* (animation), WONKA (1\/19 on), AX Cinema Nights: COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE (anim\u00e9) (1\/21, 2:30 p.m., 1\/22, 7:30 p.m., English dub; 1\/21, 7:30 p.m., 1\/23, 8 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), GURREN LAGANN THE MOVIE: THE LIGHTS IN THE SKY ARE STARS (anim\u00e9) (1\/23, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub; 1\/24, 7 p.m., English dub), FIGHTER (in Hindi with English sub), GODZILLA MINUS ONE\/MINUS COLOR (in Japanese with English sub) (1\/25 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nI.S.S., QUEEN ROCK MONTREAL (concert film, IMAX), ANYONE BUT YOU, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM, THE BEEKEEPER, THE BOOK OF CLARENCE, THE BOY AND THE HERON (anim\u00e9) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), THE BOYS IN THE BOAT, THE IRON CLAW, MEAN GIRLS, MIGRATION (animation), NIGHT SWIM, OPPENHEIMER* (2-D IMAX), POOR THINGS, SOUL* (animation) (first US theatrical release), SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE* (animation), TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (animation), WONKA (1\/19 on), UFC 297: Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis, more (mixed martial arts) (1\/20, 9 p.m., simulcast), INTERSTELLAR (1\/21, 1\/24, 3 & 7 p.m.), GURREN LAGANN THE MOVIE: THE LIGHTS IN THE SKY ARE STARS (anim\u00e9) (1\/23, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub; 1\/24, 7 p.m., English dub), A CASE FOR LOVE (religious documentary) (1\/23, 4 & 7 p.m.), BEAUTIFUL WEDDING (1\/24-1\/25, 7 p.m.) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nIllini Union Board presents \u201cSpring 2024 Weekend Films\u201d feat. DICKS: THE MUSICAL, Pine Lounge, 1st floor (1\/19-1\/20, 7 p.m.; free w\/i-card)<\/p>\n