Category > EbertfestPreviews
Ebertfest is unlike your ordinary old trip to see a movie. There’s a buzz in the air. Maybe it’s just Ebert’s name, or the stars that come out to be a part of the experience. My thought is that it’s something more though. We’re fortunate to have an annual event like Ebertfest, on top of all of the day-to-day great film happenings around town. Ebertfest turns things up a notch though because of its grandeur. There’s something so perfect about …
There is no such thing as a free lunch, but there is such thing as a free movie — or two or three. The third annual New Art Film Festival kicks off on Friday, April 20 from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. at the Art Theater in downtown Champaign. NAFF is an annual festival showcasing independent cinema produced by area filmmakers in Urbana-Champaign and downstate Illinois. The event is free of charge and open to the public. NAFF is presented …
Amelia Gray | Carr Reading Series | April 18, 4:30 pm | Illini Union Bookstore | FREE Illinois' Carr Reading Series is a hidden gem in C-U's diverse cultural landscape. Tucked away in the Author's Corner at the Illini Union Bookstore, Carr has played host to an incredibly diverse cross section of literary voices, from Lucie Brock-Broido to Natasha Tretheway to Dave Eggers. In fact, this semester's lineup is a testement to how diverse the reading series is becoming. Toi …
Stories & Beer | Saturday, April 14 | 3 p.m. | The Iron Post | FREE Mark Neely belongs to an ever-growing group of writers who have grown up in Champaign and gone on to find success in the literary world. Though Neely is just embarking on a very promising career as a professor and a poet, his early success has been impressive to say the least. His chapbook, Four of a Kind, won the 2010 Concrete Wolf contest and …
Crispin Hellion Glover has starred in a variety of films over the years, including: Back to the Future, Rivers' Edge, Wild at Heart, The Doors, Charlie's Angels, Willard, and Hot Tub Time Machine to name a few. You could call him a character actor but that seems too specific for him. Glover seems to break the typical mold of any sort of label, resulting in wacky, eccentric characters and unique, dare-we-say, mind-boggling projects. Some say he's weird, but weird is …
In the evermore visible world of independent standup, Rob Delaney has emerged as a poster child for the brand of comedy that has quickly begun to define his generation: sophomorically enlightened, engaged but disaffected, authentically ironic. Perhaps best known for his Twitter account, Delaney adopts nuanced tones ranging from genuine earnestness to full-on derision, though he is probably at his funniest when he adopts a faux-obtuseness that lets him get away with tweets like these. Delaney, who will be performing …
Documentary Film Festival, March 30–April 10 The Art Theater documentary festival last September brought a variety good films to choose from that normally wouldn’t get exposure in a small market such as ours. The upcoming installment looks like it could even top that. The lineup this time around includes festival opener All In: The Poker Movie (a film that we hope to see and have a review to offer in a few days), a new Herzog film, some Sigur Rós, …
I wasn’t always a Sondheim fan. Until recently, I had only seen a couple of productions of Stephen Sondheim musicals, and wasn’t extremely impressed with either one. This led me to conclude that Sondheim musicals were pretentious and boring, not knowing that I hadn’t seen one of his shows done well. That changed after enjoying a production of Follies in Chicago — which I now count as among the greatest shows I’ve ever seen. It may have taken a while, …
On January 5th at the Station Theater in downtown Urbana is the premier of the play Gruesome Playground Injuries, by Rajiv Joseph. The play had its world premier in October 2009 at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas, then was performed at the Second Stage Theatre in New York City in January 2011, and finally it's made its way to Urbana-Champaign to start out the new year. I had an opportunity to speak with director Mathew Green. Here’s what he …
The good news ― a new live talk show is coming to C-U. It’s called Two Beers with Dylan Heath and will debut on Thursday, December 22nd at the Iron Post at 9:00 p.m. The guests for the first show are Sanford Hess of the Art Theater, comedian Andrew Voris, and musician Ryan Groff. The bad news ― unlike on Oprah in the past, the host, Dylan Heath, won’t be giving away cars to audience members. “One day we might give away …
Most Recent Arts Comments
Local, I forgot to offer you a piece of sage advice. Don’t bag on 39 south because they represent your potential collector pool. Even though I haven’t lived in Champaign since 1997, 39 south is still the only arts entity that has promoted my work as an…
Lest 39 South feels picked on: Check this from the Urbana City Public Arts Program: “Calling all Champaign County Artists! We’re pleased to announce a Call for Entries for a new initiative called Murals on Glass, which will feature artwork reproduced in adhesive vinyl displayed on the…
You forgot Jonathon Fineberg was also personal pals with the Christo’s. I’ll agree that Dr. Fineberg has done a tremendous job communicating to undergrads why this stuff is important, but I won’t kiss the ring because he also contributed to the dismantling of crafts at the U…
And boom goes the dynamite.
I think the best and most exciting arts programming in Champaign-Urbana is at the Krannert Art Museum. The depth and quality of the museum’s permanent collection speaks highly to the intelligence of the art history faculty at the University. I have to say taking Art History with…
Another mystifying thing is 39 South touts the fact that when you consider all things that are considered “art”, i.e. music, exhibits, movies, performances, craft fairs, circuses, ect; art in Champaign County apparently generates $60 million dollars of “economic activity” every year, so says 39 South. And…
I have to agree, I’m a bit confused as to the purpose of 40 North, although I am aware that the organization is in a period of restructuring and re-examination. And yes, the “staff of 1” does work tirelessly to keep the operations afloat, but the fact…
“Making art accessible to everyone and cultivating the art and artists in Champaign County is 40 North’s main mission.” FACT: When the Urbana City Council proposed to form a new public arts council of its own in 2008, 39 South actually sent letters from board members Cody…
On behalf of the New Art Film Festival, I’d like to thank you for highlighting our event in this article. It is our pleasure to put together this showcase for the community and the recognition is highly appreciated by all of us involved in the NAFF. Also,…
Most Popular Arts Articles (60 days)
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Most Recent Comments
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
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Thanks for the sage advice Mary Anna, but I’m long done with the sucking up and being thankful for the scraps. The most important thing an artist can do to live with yourself is tell the emperor he’s got no clothes, and spray paint something on his…