<\/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 7\/7: Keenan Dailey (director\/producer, BRIM, Visage Entertainment, Champaign-Urbana, IL\/Atlanta, GA) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said<\/strong><\/p>\n Many moons ago, I was having a drink in downtown Normal<\/strong> at The Coffeehouse & Deli<\/strong> with a graduate of Illinois State University<\/strong> named Peter James Zielinski<\/strong>. He had formed a troupe called Dependent Films<\/strong> with his friend Christopher Denham<\/strong>, who attended the University of Illinois<\/strong> at the same time he was at ISU, to make their own digital video projects apart from class. When I asked him about the name, given the separate-from-Hollywood<\/strong> mystique that had been built up around the concept of \u201cindependent film\u201d through the Nineties, Zielinski told me, and I\u2019m paraphrasing his point a quarter of a century later, that almost no<\/em> film is independently created because it takes a team to make it happen. The logic stands to reason, even if we consider a handful of friends with a camera and a pocket change budget getting together on a random weekend; they all have<\/em> a part to play in the common effort to tell their story. When working on a larger scale with more at stake, production groups from the amateur to the A-list rely on their own devices as well as assistance from outside their ranks, and that often includes financial help.<\/p>\n The only Dependent Film that I remember seeing is the one I included in the first independent film show I organized in Champaign-Urbana<\/strong>, hosted at the spot formerly known as The Highdive<\/strong> (now The Venue CU<\/strong>) and featured during the springtime event formerly known as The Octopus<\/span> Gallery Walk<\/strong> (now the Boneyard Arts Festival<\/strong>), a spoof of the SURVIVOR<\/strong> reality television show called S.U.R.V.I.V.O.R.<\/strong> I\u2019m hard pressed to recall what the acronym stood for, but I think a dance-off on the beach figured into the silliness and its \u201ccontestants\u201d were all, tra la<\/em>, dependent on one other in the outcome. Despite the current status of MFHQ Deux<\/strong> as an outlier in our film culture du C-U, I still take to heart the truism posed by Zielinski, who went on to become a photographer and retouch artist<\/a><\/span> for Getty Images<\/strong> and Paramount Television<\/strong>, and on behalf of Denham, who became a playwright in New York City<\/strong> as well as an actor<\/a><\/span> in features like OPPENHEIMER<\/strong> and BEING THE RICARDOS<\/strong>. Every profession that we\u2019ve mentioned just now is dependent on collaboration and skill between peers to make the creativity click and artistry soar.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n On this Independence Day<\/strong>, we\u2019ll suggest to our dearest philanthropists a handful of options where their money might go to good use in the service of local creators and groups who depend on peripheral support. This can include a pledge, with or without perks, towards the post-production campaign of Horror Dadz Productions<\/span><\/strong>\u2019 THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY FOUR<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, directed by Josh Bruckner<\/strong> of Watseka<\/strong>. or Acrostar Productions<\/strong>\u2019 PERFECT SOUL<\/strong>, directed by the Chicagoan S. J. Hermann<\/strong> and staged incognito in the Princeton<\/strong>\u00a0area with more filming to go. (Apparently, their \u201clate innings\u201d crowdfunding push is not yet live; watch this space for an announcement.<\/a><\/span>) This can also be a donation towards the initial production budget of Swede Films<\/strong>\u2019 BIG MUDDY<\/strong>, for which an Indiegogo<\/strong> campaign will be launched shortly<\/a><\/span>. This can even involve a gift to one or more nonprofit entities that bring quality culture and unique experience to our communities such as the Virginia Theatre<\/strong>, an outlet of the Champaign Park District<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, and the Pens to Lens<\/strong> screenwriting competition, a program of the 40 North 88 West<\/strong> arts council in Champaign County<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. Look closely and listen carefully to what is happening around us for opportunities to chip in, friends and neighbors, and remember the value you add does not necessarily have to add up to a dollar amount.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen<\/strong><\/p>\n In recent weeks, we\u2019ve shared updates about Acrostar Productions<\/strong>\u2019 current run of fantasy\/horror pictures \u2013 PERFECT SOUL, RETURN OF THE CORN ZOMBIES, NIGHT OF THE DEAD SORORITY BABES<\/strong> \u2013 including in the last three Images of the Week<\/strong> entries, so, what else<\/em> can we share about the Chicagoland micro-studio<\/a><\/span>? Filming has been taking place for new episodes of their web series, SPLINTERED LOVE<\/strong>, in which the company\u2019s actress and make-up effects artist Beth Metcalf<\/strong> stars as \u201cCupidity,\u201d a spinner of dark relationship stories with TALES FROM THE CRYPT<\/strong>-style endings of moral comeuppance. The second season finale, \u201cLeap of Faith<\/strong>,\u201d is about to go into production and will feature Leonard Peterson III, Joanne Ferbrache<\/strong>, and Steve Morris<\/strong> in a story of lost loves and prices paid; the previous outings of SPLINTERED LOVE<\/strong>, many with familiar Acro-stars in their casts, can be viewed up on YouTube<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n Acrostar producers S. J. Hermann<\/strong> and Ann Myrna<\/strong>, when the former is not writing fiction and screenplays and the latter auditioning for and acting in indie productions from other creative teams, are busy cutting together footage for PERFECT SOUL<\/strong> and fulfilling their distribution commitments with BayView Entertainment<\/strong>. SORORITY BABES<\/strong> is now streaming online and available in print thanks to this arrangement, which we discussed in last week\u2019s Calendar<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, and CORN ZOMBIES 2<\/strong> is expected to follow in the coming months. Previously introduced to online platforms by BayView were ATTACK OF THE CORN ZOMBIES<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, the Sixties-set origin story of the groovy and starchy undead, and THEY CAME BACK FROM SOMEWHERE<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, a charming retro sci-fi sequel to the studio\u2019s first full-length venture, IT CAME FROM SOMEWHERE<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. This movie has inspired today\u2019s key visual, given the holiday at hand and its permanent association with the UFO invasion epic INDEPENDENCE DAY<\/strong>, a smash hit back in 1996.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n When watching CAME BACK<\/strong> for the first time earlier this year, Ye Ed<\/strong> couldn\u2019t help but notice a funny anomaly in an early scene where thrift shop owner Miss Withers (Michele Hefner<\/strong>) encounters the lovelorn alien warrior Luma (Jake Yanko<\/strong>), returned to Earth<\/strong> and seeking his human soul mate Patty (Magdalena Conway<\/strong>). Behind Withers on the wall, one can clearly see the structure closest in nature to a UFO in all of downstate Illinois<\/strong> \u2013 the State Farm Center<\/strong> on the University of Illinois<\/strong> campus \u2013 and the movie never<\/em> takes advantage of it for a clever aside or joke! \u201cAaaaaauuuugh<\/em>,\u201d blurted Charlie Brown. In time, he realized it would have been a distraction in the storytelling and possibly called undue attention to an anachronism; SOMEWHERE 1<\/strong> and 2<\/strong> ostensibly take place in the 1950s while the sports and concert arena, originally called Assembly Hall<\/strong>, did not open until the spring of 1963. We decided to muzzle our inner Art Bell<\/strong> and refrain from manufacturing a conspiracy out of it, since we\u2019re simply happy to see it \u2026 hovering<\/em> there.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers<\/strong><\/p>\n @ Champaign Public Library, 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> @ Main Quad, 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 @ Clintonia Eagle Theater, Clinton, IL<\/strong> @ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL<\/strong> @ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, 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> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | Midwest<\/strong><\/p>\n For detailed and curated listings of Chicago-area film presentations and related events, please visit the fine folks at<\/em> Cine-File<\/strong> and subscribe to their definitive \u201cCine-List\u201d weekly blast<\/a><\/span>. And for northern Illinois industry news, be sure to read<\/em> Reel Chicago<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span> and<\/em> Screen Magazine<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n COMING SOON | Area-wide Events<\/strong><\/p>\n 8\/16<\/strong> NEW! 9\/17-9\/21<\/strong> 9\/20-9\/22<\/strong> UPDATE! 11\/8-11\/9<\/strong> 4\/23-4\/26, 2026<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area<\/strong><\/p>\n Champaign Park District presents \u201cMoo-vie Nights at Prairie Farm\u201d<\/strong> Illini Union Board presents \u201cSummer Films on the Quad\u201d<\/strong> ~~~~~<\/p>\n Compiled by Jason Pankoke.<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n \u201cCalendar du C-U\u201d Select movie listings for July 4-10, 2025 in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond! Don\u2019t forget to peruse this week\u2019s Field Report! And, did you take a peek at the Images of the week? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,374,869,2011,2093,19,10,2264],"tags":[2749,3007,157,870,1341,1751,1055,2854,3023,3024,2855,564,2630],"class_list":["post-16586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alums-done-good","category-business-matters","category-calendar-du-c-u","category-crowdsourcing-du-c-u","category-how-you-can-help","category-images-du-cu","category-production-updates","category-streaming-cinema","tag-acrostar-productions","tag-big-muddy","tag-christopher-denham","tag-cinema-calendar","tag-film-production","tag-independent-cinema","tag-pens-to-lens-screenwriting-competition","tag-perfect-soul","tag-peter-james-zielinski","tag-splintered-love","tag-the-fairfield-county-four","tag-the-virginia-theater","tag-they-came-back-from-somewhere"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16586"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16586\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16593,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16586\/revisions\/16593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n7\/9: Jessie Seitz (special effects make-up, SURVIVOR GIRLS, Half Fool Motion Pictures, Birmingham, AL)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nChampaign Movie Makers* presents \u201cCrash Course: Lenses\u201d (7\/7, 7 p.m., Robeson Pavilion Room C)<\/p>\n
\nJURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, MALICE (in Mandarin with English sub), 28 YEARS LATER, BALLERINA, ELIO (animation), F1 THE MOVIE, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, LILO & STITCH, ME3AN 2.0, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE \u2013 THE FINAL RECKONING (7\/4 on), AMC \u201cScreen Unseen\u201d (mystery movie) (7\/7, 7 p.m.), ABRAHAM\u2019S BOYS: A DRACULA STORY, SKILLHOUSE, SUPERMAN (7\/10 on)<\/p>\n
\nJURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, 28 YEARS LATER, ELIO (animation), F1 THE MOVIE, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, LILO & STITCH, MATERIALISTS, ME3AN 2.0, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE \u2013 THE FINAL RECKONING, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, SINNERS (7\/4 on), THIS IS SPINAL TAP 41st anniversary (7\/5, 4 p.m.; 7\/6, 4 & 7 p.m.; 7\/7, 7 p.m.), DIRTY DANCING (7\/6, 3 & 7 p.m.; 7\/9, 7 p.m.), SUPERMAN sneak preview (7\/8, 7 p.m., IMAX), SKILLHOUSE, SUPERMAN (7\/10 on)<\/p>\n
\nIllini Union Board presents \u201cSummer Films on the Quad\u201d feat. THE WOMAN IN THE YARD (7\/10, 9 p.m., free)<\/p>\n
\nThe News-Gazette<\/span> Film Series and D-BAT Champaign present THE SANDLOT special event (7\/5, 12 p.m. Park Avenue outdoor activities, 2 p.m. screening)<\/p>\n
\nJURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, ELIO (animation), F1 THE MOVIE, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, ME3AN 2.0 (7\/4 on), SING (animation) (7\/8-7\/9, 10 a.m., free)<\/p>\n
\nClosed July 4<\/em>; JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (Screen 1), ELIO (animation), LILO & STITCH (Screen 2) (7\/5-7\/6), JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (Screen 1), ELIO (animation) (Screen 2) (7\/7-7\/9), JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (Screen 1), SUPERMAN (Screen 2) (7\/10 on)<\/p>\n
\nJURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (7\/4-7\/6, 7\/10)<\/p>\n
\nJURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, 28 YEARS LATER, BALLERINA*, ELIO (animation), F1 THE MOVIE, ME3AN 2.0, FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES*, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, LILO & STITCH, MATERIALISTS*, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE \u2013 THE FINAL RECKONING (7\/4 on), Indian cinema: THAMMUDU (Telugu w\/Eng sub; 7\/4-7\/9), THIS IS SPINAL TAP 41st anniversary (7\/5, 3 p.m.; 7\/6, 6 p.m.; 7\/7, 7 p.m.),THE GARFIELD MOVIE* (animation) (7\/6-7\/10), SKILLHOUSE, SUPERMAN (7\/10 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nClosed July 4<\/em>; MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, NATIONAL TREASURE (7\/5-7\/6), MATILDA (7\/7, 7\/9), \u201cThe Summer of Bond\u201d series feat. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (7\/10)<\/p>\n
\nJURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (7\/4-7\/6)<\/p>\n
\nClosed July 4<\/em>; HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (7\/5-7\/6)<\/p>\n
\nJURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, ME3AN 2.0 (Screen 1), HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, LILO & STITCH (Screen 2) (7\/4-7\/6, 7\/9-7\/10)<\/p>\n
\nJURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, 28 YEARS LATER, ELIO (animation), F1 THE MOVIE, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, LILO & STITCH, ME3AN 2.0 (7\/4 on), KUNG FU PANDA 4 (animation) (7\/8-7\/10, 10 a.m.), SUPERMAN (7\/10 on)<\/p>\n
\nPens to Lens Gala 2025*
\n@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 3 p.m.<\/p>\n
\n32nd Chicago Underground Film Festival
\n@ ACX Harper Theater \u2013 Hyde Park, Chicago, IL<\/p>\n
\nChampaign Film Society presents
\nthe first CineSonic* music film festival
\n@ TBA, Champaign-Urbana, IL<\/p>\n
\nDark History & Horror Con 2025
\nfeat. Screaming Mad Film Festival
\n@ The Orpheum Theatre, Champaign, IL<\/p>\n
\nRoger Ebert\u2019s Film Festival*
\n@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL<\/p>\n
\n@ Prairie Farm\/Centennial Park, Champaign, IL, 8 p.m., free<\/strong>
\n7\/11: BABE; 7\/25: HOME ON THE RANGE; 8\/8: CHARLOTTE\u2019S WEB (2006)<\/p>\n
\n@ Main Quad, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 9 p.m. Thursdays, free<\/strong>
\n7\/17: THE LEGEND OF OCHI; 7\/24: DROP; 7\/31: THUNDERBOLTS*; 8\/7: LILO & STITCH; 8\/14: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE \u2013 THE FINAL RECKONING<\/p>\n
\n\u00a9 2025 Jason Pankoke\/C-U Blogfidential<\/span>
\n[T \u2212111]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"