<\/p>\n
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 9\/14: Kimberly Conner (filmmaker, LIPSTICK, Predestined Arts & Entertainment, Springfield, IL\/Los Angeles, CA) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said<\/strong><\/p>\n This was a week for breaking news in the C-U, as you probably have seen by now, so we\u2019ll just herald the obvious in today\u2019s Report<\/strong>. The not-obvious will be reserved for next week, Ye Ed<\/strong> guesses.<\/p>\n BREAKING!<\/strong><\/em> The Save the Lorraine Foundation<\/strong>, a non-profit group that has been working for a long time to restore the Lorraine Theatre<\/strong> in Hoopeston<\/strong><\/a><\/span> to its previous grandeur, has announced they may be in a position to book theatrical movies again by early next year, according to the News-Gazette<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span>. A hefty sum of a little more than $40,000, awarded to them in August by the T-Mobile Hometown Grant<\/strong>, will complete the group\u2019s $120,000 fundraising goal and allow for the purchase and installation of a complete DCP projection and Dolby Atmos<\/strong> sound system. The constant stream of live and community events at the Lorraine and the black-box Little Lorraine<\/strong>,<\/a><\/span> which sadly will be closed and converted into office space in light of this development, has helped towards reaching the foundation\u2019s goal over the last dozen years. The Lorraine would then become the only operational first-run house in Vermilion County<\/strong>. Good on them.<\/p>\n BREAKING!!<\/strong><\/em> Faculty in the Theatre Arts<\/strong> program at Parkland College<\/strong><\/a><\/span> in Champaign<\/strong> are collaborating with the operating group at Flyover Film Studios<\/strong> in Rantoul<\/strong> to design classes that will teach students craft, construction, and performance skills and how to apply them in real working productions on site, as reported by Smile Politely<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span>. The \u201cpipeline\u201d is intended to fill below-the-line positions with interns, providing valuable experience for those individuals and Flyover with a growing and local work force that can meet the needs of visiting film productions. Located in one of the former hangars of the long-closed Octave Chanute Air Force Base<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, Flyover is the brainchild of the filmmakers behind Shatterglass Films<\/strong> and The Line Film Co.<\/strong> along with other business leaders; they received a $1.1 million grant in February<\/a><\/span> from Governor J.B. Pritzker<\/strong> and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity<\/strong> through the Illinois Soundstage Program<\/strong> to establish and equip their location with the dedicated space, personnel, materials, and gear that could be as attractive to out-of-the-area producers and distributors as the Illinois<\/strong> film tax credit. Fly by, please!<\/p>\n BREAKING!!!<\/strong> <\/em>Variety<\/span><\/strong> shared today the reveal of a new partnership<\/a><\/span> between the popular boutique label Severin Films<\/strong><\/a><\/span> and the trust of the late film director Russ Meyer<\/strong>, which holds the rights to all of the work he distributed independently under the RM Film International<\/strong> and \u201cBosomania<\/strong>\u201d banners. It will result in the long-delayed restoration and re-release of a catalog that has been out of circulation for years. The first titles, which will go on sale in December via the Severin website and in UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD formats, are Meyer\u2019s so-called \u201cvixen trilogy\u201d: VIXEN<\/strong>, the 1968 hit that led to Meyer\u2019s studio deal with 20th Century Fox<\/strong> and the incredible BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS<\/strong> (available elsewhere in the Criterion Collection<\/strong><\/a><\/span>) co-written by Roger Ebert<\/strong>, SUPERVIXENS<\/strong>, a 1975 opus in which Farmer City<\/strong> native and Illinois Wesleyan University<\/strong> alumna Shari Eubank<\/strong> played dual roles, and BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE ULTRA-VIXENS<\/strong>, his last completed feature from 1979 that starred the club entertainer and former University of Illinois<\/strong> student, Ann Marie<\/strong>, and was co-written by Ebert behind a pseudonym, \u201cR. Hyde.\u201d Naughty!<\/p>\n These are all great and\/or fun, and these all still have their caveats. From the bottom up, the Meyer revival will not<\/em> be widely shared in other C-U media, despite our lede and the unlikely and long-lasting friendship between him and Urbana<\/strong> native Ebert<\/a><\/span>, as the reasons fall under the \u201carguably outdated mores\u201d blanket. Craft talents on a film set are vital and necessary roles that can earn you money to live, but those choosing to enter the \u201cParkland pipeline\u201d should not mistake it as an automatic in-route to \u201cdirecting\/producing\/writing some day\u201d at Flyover. And the Lorraine may bill itself as \u201cThe Best Place for Movies,\u201d but they have a long road to build up a new repertoire and consistent (and visiting-from-a-distance) clientele as they are not in \u201cthe best placement for movie-going\u201d in terms of geography and a still-recovering theatrical climate. There have to be realistic and financially-sound components to make the film fantasy work. We also cross our fingers for them all.<\/p>\n Keep filming, et cetera<\/em>, the purveyors of the movies of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond! May the spirit of Matt Damon<\/strong>-as-Mark Whitacre<\/strong> smile upon everyone\u2019s efforts and dreams.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen<\/strong><\/p>\n No. Really.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n Designed by Kellerhouse, Inc.<\/strong>, as was last week\u2019s SEVEN SAMURAI<\/strong> promotional piece for Janus Films<\/strong>\/Criterion, coincidentally. Also coincidental is our Almanac<\/strong> entry for today, which is a nagging reminder that it has been more than 15 years since a Hollywood<\/strong> production has visited the immediate region with a substantial presence. Maybe the Flyover Fates will deliver an end to this peculiar drought if all goes well.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History<\/strong><\/p>\n 15 Years Ago<\/strong> \u2026 Friday, September 18, 2009:<\/em> Warner Bros.<\/strong> releases the corporate intrigue drama THE INFORMANT!<\/strong> in more than 2,500 theaters across the United States<\/strong> a year and a half after much of it was filmed in the Decatur, IL<\/strong>, area. Unfortunately, the studio has attempted to market the picture as a snappy comedy along the lines of director Steven Soderbergh<\/strong> and star Matt Damon<\/strong>\u2019s OCEAN\u2019S ELEVEN<\/strong> franchise, blowing out of proportion the sly touch applied to the stranger-than-fiction story of real-life whistleblower Mark Whitacre<\/strong> and his double-crossing of both the agricultural giant Archer Daniels Midland<\/strong> and the Central Intelligence Agency<\/strong>. THE INFORMANT!<\/strong> would finish in second place for the weekend, well below the animated hit CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS<\/strong>, and concluded its run with a modest $33 million earned. As reported on 9\/18\/09<\/span><\/a>, 9\/26\/09<\/a><\/span>, 10\/9\/09<\/a><\/span> at <\/em>CUBlog<\/span><\/strong>. Box Office Mojo<\/a><\/span> [R]<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers<\/strong><\/p>\n @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong> @ Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL<\/strong> @ English Building, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong> @ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong> @ Gallery Art Bar, Urbana, 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> @ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, 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> @ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL<\/strong> @ Crescent Cinemas, Pontiac, IL<\/strong> @ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL<\/strong> @ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL<\/strong> @ Marcus Bloomington Cinema + IMAX, Bloomington, IL<\/strong> @ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL<\/strong> @ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL<\/strong> @ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL<\/strong> @ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL<\/strong> @ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL<\/strong>
\n9\/14: Jason Huls (filmmaker, THAT DAMNED YELLOW RAINCOAT, Ten Wing Media, Chicago, IL)
\n9\/14: Tim Cain (entertainment reporter, Decatur Herald & Review<\/span>\/Lee Enterprises, Decatur, IL)
\n9\/16: Jay Rosenstein (producer, Jay Rosenstein Productions, Champaign-Urbana, IL\/New York, NY)
\n9\/19: Paul A. Brooks (director, HUNTING FOR THE HAG, Into the Night Motion Pictures, Normal, IL)
\n9\/19: Eric Pankoke (webmaster, C-U Blogfidential<\/span>, Champaign\/Mendota, IL)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nChambana Film Festival* and the IRL Movie Club present JOIN OR DIE! (9\/15, 4 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nChampaign Movie Makers* meeting (9\/16, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nIllini Film & Video* introductory meeting (9\/16, 7 p.m., Room 108)<\/p>\n
\nRoger Ebert Center for Film Studies* presents PAN\u2019S LABYRINTH (9\/19, 7 p.m., Knight Auditorium, free)<\/p>\n
\nHalf House Studios presents 217 Film Festival* (9\/19, 9-11 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nAJAYANTE RANDAM MOSHANAM (in Malayam with English sub), AM I RACIST? (op-ed\/documentary), THE CRITIC*, THE KILLER\u2019S GAME, SPEAK NO EVIL, UNTOUCHABLE (in Mandarin with English sub), ALIEN: ROMULUS, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, DESPICABLE ME 4 (animation), ENCANTO* (animation), THE FORGE (faith film), THE FRONT ROOM*, THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME (in Tamil with English sub), INSIDE OUT 2 (animation), IT ENDS WITH US (9\/13 on), USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS (concert film) (9\/13-9\/15, 12 & 7 p.m.), GOD\u2019S NOT DEAD: IN GOD WE TRUST (faith film) (9\/13, 5 p.m.), DAN DA DAN: FIRST ENCOUNTER Episodes 1-3 (anim\u00e9) (9\/13, 7 p.m.; 9\/14-9\/15, 4 & 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub), JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL (concert documentary) (9\/18-9\/19, 7:30 p.m., in Korean with English sub), NEVER LET GO, THE SUBSTANCE, TRANSFORMERS ONE (animation), WHIPLASH (re-release) (9\/19 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nAM I RACIST? (op-ed\/documentary), GOD\u2019S NOT DEAD: IN GOD WE TRUST* (faith film), THE KILLER\u2019S GAME, SPEAK NO EVIL, ALIEN: ROMULUS, BEETLEJUICE, BLINK TWICE*, CORALINE (animation) (re-release), DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, DESPICABLE ME 4 (animation), THE FORGE (faith film), INSIDE OUT 2* (animation), IT ENDS WITH US, REAGAN (9\/13 on), THE FRONT ROOM* (9\/13, 9:30 p.m.; 9\/14, 9:45 p.m.), PBC \u201cFight Night\u201d: Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga, more (boxing) (9\/14, 7 p.m., simulcast), UFC 306: Sean O\u2019Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili, more (mixed martial arts) (9\/14, 7 p.m., simulcast), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (9\/14-9\/15, 9\/18, 3 & 7 p.m.), BLAZING SADDLES 50th anniversary (9\/15, 4 & 7 p.m.; 9\/18, 7 p.m.), THE MATRIX 25th anniversary (9\/19, 7 p.m.), TRANSFORMERS ONE (animation) (9\/19 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nIllini Union Board presents BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE (9\/13-9\/14, 7 p.m., free w\/i-card)<\/p>\n
\nNo movies this week!<\/p>\n
\nSPEAK NO EVIL, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, REAGAN (9\/13-9\/15)<\/p>\n
\nTHE FORGE, SPEAK NO EVIL, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, REAGAN (9\/13 on)<\/p>\n
\nBEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, REAGAN (9\/13 on)<\/p>\n
\nPUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH (animation) (9\/15, 2 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nBEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) (Screen 1), BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980) (Screen 2) (9\/13-9\/14)<\/p>\n
\nTHE 4:30 MOVIE, AM I RACIST? (op-ed\/documentary), THE KILLER\u2019S GAME, SPEAK NO EVIL, ALIEN: ROMULUS, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, BLINK TWICE*, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, THE FORGE (faith film), IT ENDS WITH US, REAGAN, TWISTERS* (9\/13 on), Indian cinema: MATHU VADALARA 2* (9\/13-9\/18, Telugu w\/Eng sub), KALINGA* (9\/13-9\/17, Telugu w\/Eng sub), THE BUCKINGHAM MURDERS* (9\/13-9\/18, Hindu w\/Eng sub), and AJAYANTE RANDAM MOSHANAM* (9\/13-9\/18, Malayam w\/Eng sub), \u2018Riize Fan-Con Tour \u2018Riizing Day\u2019 Finale\u2019 concert (9\/13, 7 p.m., simulcast), GOD\u2019S NOT DEAD: IN GOD WE TRUST* (faith film) (9\/13-9\/15, 9\/17), USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS (concert film) (9\/13-9\/14, 7 p.m.), FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER 40th anniversary (9\/13-9\/14, 9:40 p.m.), BLAZING SADDLES 50th anniversary (9\/15, 4 & 7 p.m.; 9\/18, 7 p.m.), HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR\u2019S STONE (9\/15, 4 p.m.; 9\/16, 6 p.m.) JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL (concert documentary) (9\/18, 6:20 p.m., 9\/19, 6:40 p.m., in Korean with English sub), THE MATRIX 25th anniversary (9\/19, 7 p.m.), NEVER LET GO, TRANSFORMERS ONE (animation) (9\/19 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nSEVEN SAMURAI (9\/13, 9\/15), A BUG\u2019S LIFE (animation), THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) (9\/14), The IRL Movie Club presents JOIN OR DIE! (documentary) (9\/15, 7 p.m.), SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM w\/discussion (9\/19, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nBEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (9\/13-9\/15)<\/p>\n
\nIT ENDS WITH US (9\/13-9\/15)<\/p>\n
\nBEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, TRAP (Screen 1), THE GOONIES, GREMLINS (Screen 2) (9\/13-9\/14)<\/p>\n
\nTHE KILLER\u2019S GAME, SPEAK NO EVIL, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, THE FORGE (faith film), REAGAN (9\/13 on)<\/p>\n