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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. ~~~~~<\/p>\n MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!<\/strong><\/p>\n 5\/9: Chuck Russell (director, WITCHBOARD, Gala Films\/Gala Games, Jackson, WY\/actor, SHOT, Cinemaguild, UIUC, Urbana, IL)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said<\/strong><\/p>\n Today\u2019s Report<\/strong> should really<\/em> be a full-blown post like we\u2019ve run in the past but, horror of horrors, we\u2019re going to condense this update on the locally-made terror films that have all decided to burst forth at the same time like yesterday\u2019s cicadas. To be accurate, we\u2019re talking about previews<\/em> for said films and not the real deals, but at least it\u2019s a definite sign these productions are on the way to weird us out of our wits!<\/p>\n On April 17<\/strong>, HorrorFix Films<\/strong> of Springfield<\/strong> unleashed the official trailer for the anthology feature<\/a><\/span> F\u2019D: TALES FROM THE END TIMES<\/strong> we\u2019ve told you about previously, and it looks to be a mix of found footage affects and lo-fi gruesomeness for those in the mood for edgy mayhem. Project coordinator Ash Hamilton<\/strong> shares on Facebook<\/strong><\/a><\/span> that F\u2019D<\/strong> has begun playing festivals and earning laurels, such as the \u201cBest Ensemble\u201d and \u201cBest Sci-Fi\u201d nods from the Miami International Gold Awards<\/strong> a week ago.<\/p>\n On April 20<\/strong>, Predestined Arts & Entertainment<\/strong> of Springfield provided their Facebook followers a first look<\/a><\/span> at LIPSTICK<\/strong>, the long-in-the-works feature follow-up to BEFORE \u2018I DO\u2019<\/strong> from writer\/director Kimberly D. Conner<\/strong>. Starring Camille Winbush<\/strong> (THE BERNIE MAC SHOW<\/strong>) as a criminal defense attorney who moonlights as a self-described \u201cLady Justice,\u201d operating on the streets and outside the law, LIPSTICK<\/strong> was filmed in 2022 in Los Angeles<\/strong> and just selected to play the Roxbury International Film Festival<\/strong> in Boston<\/strong> this June. Both the new trailer<\/a><\/span> and a previous teaser<\/a><\/span> can be watched on YouTube<\/strong>.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n On April 23<\/strong>, Acrostar Productions<\/strong> of Chicago<\/strong> launched yet another fundraising and perks (a-hem) campaign<\/a><\/span> for the full-length version of their campy \u201csisters vs. witches\u201d tale, NIGHT OF THE DEAD SORORITY BABES<\/strong>, which includes a 50-second teaser with new footage from the crew\u2019s return<\/a><\/span> to the lake house setting in Decatur<\/strong>. The S. J. Herman<\/strong> production features much of the cast from the proof-of-concept edition we talked about previously \u2013 director Angel Bradford<\/strong>, producer Ann Myrna<\/strong>, cult icon Lynn Lowry, Mia Katz, Kelsey Livengood, Ashleigh Amberlynn, Jessa Flux, Samantha Hupp<\/strong> \u2013 and two new faces, Anna Clary<\/strong> (THE WOODMEN<\/strong>) and Mel Heflin<\/strong> (TALES FROM THE GRAVEYARD<\/strong>). Acrostar promises to have both BABES<\/strong> and the tense psychodrama DISREMEMBERED<\/strong> out later in the summer.<\/p>\n On April 24<\/strong>, Swede Films<\/strong> of Champaign-Urbana<\/strong> shared on Facebook a specially-made teaser for their sequel<\/a><\/span> FINAL SUMMER PART II<\/strong>, now subtitled PROWLER<\/strong> as a nod to the vintage 1981 slasher film directed by Joseph Zito<\/strong>; this time, the killer (whomever they are, given how the original ended) is literally out of the woods and hitting town to wreak havoc during the fall of 1993 as a bunch of grunge rockers bop the night away. Directed and produced by John Isberg<\/strong>, PART II<\/strong> will go into production soon.<\/p>\n Also on April 24<\/strong>, Heroic Age Studios<\/strong> of Mt. Zion<\/strong> revealed that, at long last, a preview for their fantasy-horror biker bar opus<\/a><\/span> TRICK AND TREATS<\/strong> had been added to the project\u2019s Internet Movie Database<\/strong> profile; a heartfelt update from Heroic duo Eric Hector<\/strong> and Tim Lynn<\/strong> appeared on Facebook to thank everyone for their efforts and patience<\/a><\/span> \u2013 principal photography was done in 2018 \u2013 as well as confirm that several distributors have been taking interest in their reinvention of the \u201cPeter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater\u201d nursery rhyme. Given Hector\u2019s background, it is visually drenched in comic book hues and design.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n On May 3<\/strong>, co-writer and star Bishop Stevens<\/strong> announced on his Facebook profile on behalf of<\/a><\/span> Meet Me at the Movies Productions<\/strong> that the filming of THE BATON ROUGE SERIAL KILLER: DERRICK TODD LEE<\/strong> had wrapped it the Decatur<\/strong> area. He also shared that all footage had been turned over to Heroic Age\u2019s Lynn to begin post-production. A previous teaser made up of material shot during last year\u2019s visit to the Soy Capital, originally posted with a now-closed Indiegogo<\/strong> campaign, can still be viewed here to give you an idea of their docudrama aims<\/a><\/span>; it will likely be replaced soon with a more complete look at the film.<\/p>\n We probably should<\/em> call back to the other recent genre films made in our neck of the woods (and cornfields, and college towns, and\u2026) that are now playing near you. BLACK MOLD<\/strong>, an unofficial \u201ctest run feature\u201d made in what was recently christened the Flyover Film Studios<\/strong> of Rantoul<\/strong>, has been showing exclusively on Tubi<\/strong> since December 7<\/strong>. PROJECT DOROTHY<\/strong>, the \u201clost\u201d AI thriller that was filmed at the Rivian<\/strong> plant in Normal<\/strong> by Los Angeles filmmakers a few years ago, began its VOD run on January 16<\/strong>. AFTERLIFE<\/strong>, from Ben Harl<\/strong> and Silver Compass Studios<\/strong> of Decatur, has been available to rent on several services since February 27<\/strong>. HUNTING FOR THE HAG<\/strong>, from Paul A. Brooks<\/strong> and Into the Night Motion Pictures<\/strong> of Normal, began streaming on multiple platforms on April 2<\/strong>. And, let\u2019s congratulate Chase & Shep<\/strong> on their big-screen debut as part of the Chicago Horror Film Festival<\/strong> on May 5<\/strong>, where THE EXORCISM OF CHASE & SHEP<\/strong> was included in a closing night block. Whew<\/em>. Got all that?<\/p>\n This compounding of creepy is surely a coincidence, and we can bet the movies of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond will branch back out into more breadth as we move along into the future. Even if grue isn\u2019t your game, try to give our movie creatives support when you get a chance to check out their wares or step into a role on either side of the camera. Who knows? They might even be watching you<\/em>. Wait a sec \u2026 is that<\/em> \u2026 that damned yellow raincoat<\/a><\/span>? Passing by, again<\/em>? Get off our MFHQ<\/strong> lawn!<\/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>
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\nKINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, NOT ANOTHER CHURCH MOVIE, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS, ABIGAIL*, CHALLENGERS, CIVIL WAR, THE FALL GUY, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, KUNG FU PANDA 4 (animation), THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE, STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE (re-release), TAROT, UNSUNG HERO (faith film) (5\/10 on), AMC \u201cScreen Unseen\u201d (mystery movie) (5\/13, 7 p.m.), \u201cTransformers 40th Anniversary Event\u201d feat. TRANSFORMERS S1 Ep. 1-4 (5\/15, 7 p.m.), BACK TO BLACK, IF, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 (5\/16 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nKINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, NOT ANOTHER CHURCH MOVIE, ABIGAIL, CHALLENGERS, CIVIL WAR, DUNE: PART TWO, THE FALL GUY, GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, KUNG FU PANDA 4 (animation), THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE, STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE (re-release), TAROT, UNSUNG HERO (faith film) (5\/10 on), The Metropolitan Opera: Madama Butterfly<\/span> (5\/11, 11:55 a.m., simulcast; 5\/15, 1 & 6:30 p.m., recorded), THE WIZARD OF OZ (5\/11, 7 p.m.; 5\/12, 3 & 7 p.m.; 5\/15, 7 p.m.), BACK TO BLACK, IF, THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 (5\/16 on)<\/p>\n