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Jonathan McNeal

TIFF 2018 – Day #9

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Hello!

Things are certainly winding down here at TIFF.  I screened 3 movies today (which means I have now seen 38 films at the festival) and then I did a little shopping and eventually met some friends out for drinks.

My first film of the day was JEREMIAH TERMINATOR LEROY, directed by Justin Kelly.  First off, I think this is Kelly’s best work to date.  Many critics and industry folks I’ve talked to mention the fact that several projects have been done on this very same subject…and thus they aren’t necessarily interested in seeing the story again.  That said, I haven’t seen any of them, so I was interested.  “In this captivating true story, a young woman (Kristen Stewart) spends years playing the public role of Jeremiah “Terminator” LeRoy, an enigmatic and celebrated literary persona created by her sister-in-law (Laura Dern).”  This story is too bizarre to be true – but it is (and with MILLION LITTLE PIECES screening at this year’s festival, I guess it’s an interesting recurring theme – books that are later discovered to be untrue).  Laura Dern is maniacal and fun to watch, and I ultimately think this is a solid film that could easily find an audience.

THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F DONOVAN, directed by Xavier Dolan, was next on my list.  Critics have been savage regarding this next film from Dolan (the young director who has won awards at Cannes, made several films and still is in his 20s). This film is Dolan’s first English-language effort, and it has quite a cast.  Here’s the mini TIFF synopsis: “Xavier Dolan’s highly anticipated drama about a young man’s calculated reassessment of his infamous, and ultimately disastrous, childhood correspondence with an American television star features an all-star cast, including Kit Harington, Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Thandie Newton, Jacob Tremblay, and Ben Schnetzer.”  This film was hung up in editing for a couple years, and I think I can see why.  It has all the signature Dolan traits – and I have to admit I was entertained – I liked the story.  That said, it seems like some of the actors are in different movies.  Sarandon’s performance is so big and crazy that it doesn’t seem at all like the rest of the film…though Natalie Portman is a bit over-the-top, too.  Kathy Bates is superb, and Michael Gambon’s short scene is lovely.  The movie is currently too long, but I think it will eventually find distribution (at least via a streaming service).

COLD WAR, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, is the follow-up to Pawlikowski’s Oscar-winning film IDA (one of my favorites the year it played TIFF).  “Pawel Pawlikowski’s formidable romantic drama features two musical performers in postwar Eastern Europe whose discontinuous love story is hindered by obstacles of time, space, and politics.”  This film is full of absolutely gorgeous black and white cinematography (like IDA, the camera placement is brilliant), and the music (as well as overall sound design) is incredible.  This was a great film to wind up my last full day of the festival.

I have one more film tomorrow morning before I pack my bags and head to the airport.

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #8

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Hello!

Day #8 had me seeing 4 more films.

ROMA, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, was my first film of the day. “Alfonso Cuarón’s cogent and nuanced semi-autobiographical feature chronicles one year in the life of a middle-class family in 1970s Mexico City.”  This black-and-white feature film is simply sublime.  With themes of class and position in society as well as government/societal upheaval, this film is full of visual metaphors and is incredibly sophisticated.  One might think “not much happens in this film”…but ultimately – EVERYTHING happens.  This film should 100% be viewed on a big screen.  Though Netflix has it set to premiere on their channel, this film deserves a theatrical release.  In a word, it’s Incredible!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp_i7cnOgbQ

HIGH LIFE, directed by Claire Denis, was up next. “Master French filmmaker Claire Denis’s long-anticipated English-language debut and provocative sci-fi drama stars Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Mia Goth, and André Benjamin as a group of criminals sent into deep space.”  This is perhaps one of Denis’ most accessible films (as far as “I’m following what’s happening”) – but it’s also still quite avant garde…and I can imagine customers saying “what the hell?” for most of the film.  The mini description fails to explain that the spaceship (which looks somewhat like a floating hard drive) is essentially being used as a laboratory in which Binoche’s character does sexual experiments on its “recycled scum” inhabitants.  Complete with rape scenes and other bloody violence, this film is a challenging film that will likely have many searching for its rosetta stone.

I attended the next film based on its description.  I had no idea that it was a big studio picture.  THE HATE U GIVE, directed by George Tillman, Jr, simply sounded like an important film that I wanted to support. “A timely commentary in the Black Lives Matter era, George Tillman, Jr.’s adaptation of the novel by Angie Thomas follows Starr, a promising student and cherished daughter whose life is upended, then galvanized, when a friend is senselessly shot dead by police.”  This film is targeted at a young adult audience, and it’s so refreshing that it’s not about vampires or a fish-out-of-water comedy.  This is an urgent tale about a young black student who consciously alters her persona between her school self (which is in a private school full of affluent white kids) and her at home self.  I hope this film finds a wide, diverse audience – but I’m afraid it might only end up preaching to the choir.  The plot takes some unexpected turns and covers a lot of bases, but it’s ultimately a strong film that needs to be seen by a lot of people.

RED JOAN, directed by Trevor Nunn, was my last film before an incredible dinner of Japanese tapas (but that’s a different story).  “Academy Award winner Judi Dench and Sophie Cookson take on the complex persona and legacy of Joan Stanley, the seemingly demure physicist who was also a long-serving British spy for the KGB.”  This film is based on a novel…that is very loosely based on a real woman named Melita Norwood.  The film uses the framing device of Dench’s character being arrested and interrogated while flashing back to WWII era material where she may have been conspiring with the Russians.  Handsomely shot with strong performances, this film will certainly go over well at THE NEON if it finds a US distributor. It contains both great dramatic moments and sequences with wonderful, thrilling tension.  The fact that “nuclear bombs and who has them” continues to be a fear in today’s climate shows how little things have changed.

Things are winding down here at the festival.  Many big players have gone home, and the lines for movies are easier to navigate.  I have one more full day of films and then one Saturday morning screening before flying home.

Thanks for checking in.

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #7

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Hello NEON Fans,

Thanks for checking in again…it’s been another busy day.  I attended a little queer party for TIFF attendees last night, so it was a bit of a struggle to get up this morning.  But I made it to my first screening – FIRST MAN, directed by Damien Chazelle.  Almost every year, I go ahead and see one big film that is too big (too Hollywood) to make it to THE NEON.  This year, I chose Chazelle’s follow-up to LA LA LAND (which is still THE NEON’s highest grossing film).  “The Academy Award–winning team of director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reunites for this biopic on the adventures and life of Neil Armstrong, from his entry into NASA’s astronaut program in 1961 to his epoch-making walk on the moon eight years later.”  This film is beautifully done and best seen via IMAX (ALERT:  If you don’t want a fun aspect of the film ruined, don’t read this parenthetical.  SPOILER: The film plays with aspect ratio that can only be accomplished to full effect on an IMAX screen…this happens upon landing on the moon – and it’s magical.)  The film feels more indie than Hollywood in its use of close-ups and medium shots and its overall quiet approach to its lead character.  It will certainly be a big player in this year’s Award Season.

GIANT LITTLE ONES, a Canadian feature directed by Keith Behrman, was my next film of the day.  “In the latest from Canadian director Keith Behrman, Kyle MacLachlan and Maria Bello star as divorced parents whose teenage son (Josh Wiggins) faces seismic personal upheaval after an unexpected incident at a party.”  This touching (and scary and frustrating and exhilarating) coming-of-age story is truly intended for a teenage audience.  Though not without storytelling flaws (including some major tonal shifts), it’s a good film.  That said, I couldn’t help but think “Who is the intended audience for this film?” during the entire screening.  It wouldn’t work for a theatrical release…thus I think it will mostly find a home on the festival circuit and as a popular streaming film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hfVG2u5Icw

VITA & VIRGINIA, directed by Chanya Button, was my next film.  Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki shine as socialite and author Vita Sackville-West and literary icon Virginia Woolf, respectively, in director Chanya Button’s sumptuous double portrait of two uncompromising women and the unconventional affair behind one of Woolf’s greatest novels.”  This film has a lot of merits…but it ultimately turned me off.  There is a lot of attention to period detail, but the contemporary score pulled me out of the movie at every turn.  It’s not like a stylized use of contemporary music (ala MARIE ANTOINETTE), it’s almost a dance club beat that interrupts the drama.  (There are also a couple moments of strange, fanciful special effects that didn’t work for me…is this a trend – period films with overdone special effects?  They didn’t work in TELL IT TO THE BEES for me either.)  The best thing about this film for me is that it makes me want to pick up and re-read my copy of ORLANDO when I get home.  (there’s no trailer for this film – just the clip below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfwQG7T9X6E

Up next was PAPI CHULO, directed by John Butler (Butler directed HANDSOME DEVIL, the awesome little film we screened last summer for our special PRIDE selection).  “A solitary and alienated television weatherman ‘hires’ a middle-aged Latino migrant worker to be his friend, in this darkly comedic reflection on class, ethnicity, and companionship in contemporary Los Angeles.”  This modest little film is funny/sad and really kind of charming…but takes a darker, sadder, scarier and then pathetic turn in act 3.  Matt Bomer lets loose in this performance, and Alejandro Patiño is hysterically dry.  It’s a sweet little matinee film, but I don’t see much of a life for it theatrically.  (there’s no trailer for this film – just the clip below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr3bSXRnRMI

My final film for the day was EVERYBODY KNOWS, directed by 2-time Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi…but this time he’s moved landscapes from the Middle East to Spain.  “Academy Award winner Asghar Farhadi (A Separation, The Salesman) directs Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem in this layered, psychological drama about a family wedding interrupted by a shocking crime and some long-buried secrets.”  The performances in this film are spectacular, and I could have watched scenes from the wedding for hours – so jovial, so vibrant, so steeped in tradition.  Penelope is radiant in the opening scenes of this film (think VOLVER or BROKEN EMBRACES).  There’s so much to like.  It’s naturalistic, something terrible happens and the stakes are high…but it never seems phony.  Ultimately, I really liked this film – but it lacks the wallop of other Farhadi films.  I wanted more…but I’d also want to trim it down a bit.

I’m now at 31 films in 7 days, and I still have 2.3 days left.  I’m trending for a personal best.

Thanks for stopping by.

More tomorrow,

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #6

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Hi there, Folks!

I saw five films today, and I’m slated for five tomorrow.   (We’ll see if that happens.)

THE LIE, directed by Veena Sud, was my first film of the day.  The premise intrigued me, and then I heard a few people talk it up at a party a couple nights ago.  Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “In this thriller from Toronto-born writer-director Veena Sud, two parents wrestle with the consequences of their teenage daughter’s lethal mistake, proving just how far any parent would go to protect their child.”  This film has won my “most eye rolls per scene” award.  Idiot dialog.  Over-the-top moments complete with lots of furrowed brows and indicating.  It’s a turkey.  This film (ultimately about white privilege) had me wanting to leave within the first half hour.  But because all other screenings were in progress, I decided to stick it out.  I also stayed for smug reasons.  20 minutes into the film, I wrote down my suspicion as to how the film would end.  I wanted to know if I was right…and I hit the nail on the head 100%.  I really hate it when a bad film happens to an actor I like (Peter Sarsgaard).

TELL IT TO THE BEES, directed by Annabel Jankel, was my next film of the day.  “Academy Award winner Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger star in this wrenching drama of a shunned small-town doctor and beekeeper in postwar Britain who befriends a struggling mother and son, helping them discover that love can be found in many forms.” This film is full of lovely period details and lush cinematography, but it’s the central performances that shine (while many other characters aren’t fleshed out).  It’s a slower-paced film that works on some levels, but there are plot points and character attitudes that shift and change without much notice.  In addition, there are special effects regarding swarming bees that are too over-the-top.  There’s a line that comes toward the end of the film via voiceover that says “what I saw and what I thought I saw” – and that would have been helpful at the beginning (but maybe it was there and I really didn’t contextualize it). Ultimately, the message is great – but it’s not a film that will find great commercial success.

THE PUBLIC, directed by Emilio Estevez, was shot and set in downtown Cincinnati.  “A sit-in by patrons at a public library escalates into a police standoff and a media sideshow, in Emilio Estevez’s arresting drama that explores issues surrounding homelessness, mental health, and community. Featuring Estevez, Alec Baldwin, Taylor Schilling, Jeffrey Wright, Jena Malone, Gabrielle Union, Christian Slater, and Michael K. Williams.”  This film has some powerful moments and great messages (regarding homelessness, mental health, substance abuse and public libraries as a democratic pillar), but it attempts to tackle too many storylines in a short amount of time.  The film has clearly been condensed for time, and though the narrative holes can easily be filled in by savvy viewers – it seems too choppy.  This film has a lot of heart, but it still needs some editing help to truly make it sing.

COLETTE, directed by Wash Westmoreland, was my next film.  Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “Keira Knightley stars in this historical drama about the eponymous French novelist, whose provocative debut — falsely credited to her husband — becomes the toast of Paris, triggering a battle for identity, equality, and self-determination at the dawn of the feminist age.”  Here’s my brief response: LOVED IT.  From the performances to the production design to the smart dialog, I really loved this film.  I’m happy to report that we have it booked to open at THE NEON on Oct. 19.  The heartfelt Q&A with this screening was spectacular…particularly Wash Westmoreland (STILL ALICE) talking about dedicating the film to his recently deceased co-director and husband.  Knightley is superb, and the history lesson has me wanting to read even more of Colette’s work (I have only read some short stories and CHERI – now I want more). From the tone and look of the trailer, I suspected I would like this film…but it delivered so much more.

BOY ERASED, directed by Joel Edgerton, was my last film of the day.  “The teenaged son of a Baptist pastor is forced into a gay-conversion program by his parents, in actor-director Joel Edgerton’s emotive drama starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Lucas Hedges.”  This film is meant for mass consumption – and for that reason, I give it a bit of a pass.  The cast does a fine job with the material, and certain scenes even elicited rounds of applause from the audience…but there’s something a little too sterile for me to put the film on the top of the list.  It’s as though the filmmaker was scared to get too close.  And I get it on some level.  At some point, a filmmaker (or distributor) has to ask “who do we want to see this movie?”  If the film pushed the envelope too much, then it would only preach to the choir.  In this instance, perhaps the film can actually be seen by more than the queer community…and possibly save some lives – and for that, I give it my blessing (plus the fact that Kidman is pretty awesome here).  The Q&A with Kidman, Edgerton, and the author of the source material (as well as his mother) was pretty spectacular.

Thanks for checking in,

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #5

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Hello Everyone!

I only got to see three films today.  🙁

8 o’clock this morning was my on-line ticketing window to secure tickets for the second half of the festival.  I got up early (with very little sleep), showered and got ready for the day and logged on right at 8:00…and the system was down.  I stuck around for another 15-20 minutes, hoping it would be back up.  At about 8:30, I decided to pack everything and hustle to the physical box office (which means I missed my first screening of the day).  Luckily, I beat the crowds of people who were also experiencing technical difficulties and I secured all the other tickets I wanted for the next several days.

My first screening was instead at 10:45.  FREE SOLO, directed by E. Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin, was another film that my PR friend highly recommended (I had more faith in this film than I did in CLIMAX as it comes from the directors of MERU – which was wonderful).  Here’s the brief description from TIFF: “The documentarian duo behind 2015’s acclaimed Meru return to high altitudes, this time as renowned rock climber Alex Honnold attempts to do what no climber has done before: ascend free solo — without safety ropes — up the 3,000-foot cliff of El Capitan in California’s Yosemite National Park.”  More than just an outdoor adventure documentary, this film is also a very interesting character study about a man who had to teach himself how to hug (because it’s something people do – but he never had).  I never knew or understood exactly how much planning would go into something like this, and it’s pretty spectacular.  The last 10 minutes become incredibly emotional – for Alex’s girlfriend, the entire camera crew and the viewer.

WILDLIFE, directed by Paul Dano, was my second film of the day.  “In Paul Dano’s evocative and emotional directorial debut, a teenage boy (Ed Oxenbould) in 1960s Montana experiences the breakdown of his parents’ marriage and his mother’s (Carey Mulligan) struggle to keep their lives afloat after his father (Jake Gyllenhaal) leaves.”  This low-key and quietly observed film is about a boy who is caught in the middle of his parents’ discontent.  It’s a slow burn that actually packs quite a punch.  The production design is lovely, the performances are strong, and the “small town America” vibe seems just right.  One issue I had with the film was the teenage boy.  Though playing 14, at times it seemed like he’s pushing 25…he just has a certain look that is hard to nail down an age.  At the end of the day, it’s a really well-made film, and I think Dano will have quite a career as a director (and IFC is going to push for an Oscar nomination for Mulligan).

After the screening, I came back to my apartment and tended to some NEON business before heading to IFC’s WILDLIFE party.  I met a few new folks (cinema operators and a critic) and enjoyed some deliciously crafted cocktails.  Mulligan and Dano were at the party and seemed quite at ease…they know they have a great film on their hands.

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN, directed by David Lowery, was my last film of the day.  With scenes shot partially in Dayton, I was all the more interested to see this film.  And boy was I happily surprised.  Here’s the TIFF synopsis:  “Academy Award winners Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek lead an all-star cast, including Danny Glover, Tom Waits, Elisabeth Moss, and Casey Affleck, in director David Lowery’s true-life dramedy about an unrepentant bank robber and jail-breaker determined to live life by his own rules.”  This is one of the best films I’ve seen so far at TIFF 2018.  It’s tender and funny and laced with (non-sappy) cinematic nostalgia.  I think it’s a gem, and I’m delighted that we are set to open it on Oct. 12.  (Our FilmDayton preview on Oct. 11 has already sold out!)  Take a look at this new trailer.  Dayton (though playing the part of St. Louis in the film) is featured quite a bit!

And now I need to finish up my NEON weekly newsletter. If all goes as planned, I’ll be back to five films tomorrow.

Thanks for checking in!

Jonathan

 

TIFF 2018 – Day #4

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Hello NEON Fans,

Thanks for checking out my Day #4.

My first film of the day was SKIN, directed by Guy Nattiv.  Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “Jamie Bell stars in the true life story of Bryon Widner, a young man raised by skinheads, for whom turning his back on hatred and violence meant undergoing painful and expensive operations to remove the tattoos that signified his terrible past life — a process only possible with the support of a Black activist.”  This powerful story is a grim reminder that hate isn’t just something on TV in a far-away rural landscape (or public office)…it lives right next door.  With opening shots of a white supremacy group in Columbus, Ohio, the film constantly reminded me that Ohio is home to some of the most hate-fulled groups in the nation…and that’s terrifying.  This film is a tense and disturbing look into a cult of white supremacists, and it’s a reminder of how any cult can organize and assemble their followers.  They’re looking for the disenfranchised, the lost and angry, or even just the hungry – and they brainwash these people until they become lackeys.  The images are horrific, the mind-sets are intolerable, and actions  of these groups need to be made more and more public.  That’s one reason I think this film is successful…and this story in particular provides a small ray of hope and will hopefully also serve as a call to action.

THE WEDDING GUEST, directed by Michael Winterbottom, was next on my list. “A mysterious British man (Dev Patel) with a hidden agenda travels to Pakistan to attend a wedding, but things take an unexpected and dangerous turn when his plans begin to unravel.” Patel is quite good in this tight little thriller.  I know that critical response has been mixed, but I was engaged and often on the edge of my seat for this tight storytelling from the director of more recently well-known films like TRISTAM SHANDY, THE TRIP and THE TRIP TO ITALY.

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING, directed by Tom Donahue, was next on my list.  Here’s what TIFF had to say about it: “In this timely follow-up to his documentary Casting By, Tom Donahue explores the insidious and systemic sexism in Hollywood through the voices of marquee celebrities, including Geena Davis, Meryl Streep, Sandra Oh, Jessica Chastain, and many other ambassadors of the #TimesUp movement.”  This film is a powerful exploration (with data collected by an initiative by Geena Davis) of women’s roles in the film industry…and the lack of representation (as well as the boys’ club mentality that keep them from having a place at the table).  There is some very interesting data presented in this film – particularly from the CEO of FX.  Ultimately, the film makes us understand that if we bring more women into the filmmaking fold – we’ll get better content as well as a better and stronger self-image for women and girls on a national and global scale.  The glaring issue I had with this film was the fact that it was directed by a man.  Huh?

The next film was one that I’ve been looking forward to for quite a while. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK – directed by Barry Jenkins. Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “Director Barry Jenkins’ ambitious follow-up to Moonlight adapts James Baldwin’s poignant novel about a woman fighting to free her falsely accused husband from prison before the birth of their child.”  This striking film is about love (as well as an unfair judicial system and the black experience in America).  The production design is sublime and the performances are incredible.  I fell in love with this love story and the strong sense of family.

A friend of mine who works in PR convinced me that I needed to check out CLIMAX, directed by Gasper Noe…so I went to my first midnight screening of the festival.  Here’s what TIFF wrote about the film: “Set in 1996 and inspired by real-life events, the latest from art-house agitator Gaspar Noé (Love, Enter the Void) depicts the malevolent madness that envelops a dance troupe’s post-rehearsal party after a punchbowl of sangria is spiked with LSD.”  The film opens with a high energy dance performance that elicited a round of applause from the audience…then it went into a series of two-shots where people talked as though being interviewed about various life experiences (this went on way too long)…and eventually the party happened (with the aforementioned spiked sangria).  Though I appreciate the craft that goes into creating such an effective nightmare, I absolutely loathed this film.  I wanted to leave multiple times, but I also wanted to make sure I could tell you all about it.  On my way out, I heard one audience member say, “The thing that really depressed me about it [this film] is that I haven’t tripped balls like that in years.”  That response made me think, “I’m happy to be as square as I am.”

Before my last film of the day, I stopped by the Fox Searchlight party – a celebration of their two films in the festival – CAN YOU EVERY FORGIVE ME? and THE OLD MAN & THE GUN.  I met a handful of folks in the industry, caught up with a couple old friends and was within arm’s reach of Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Casey Affleck and Sissy Spacek.  It was a fun little respite (with great appetizers and delicious cocktails), and I always appreciate being invited.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ3Dc3poDJQ

Thanks for reading!  18 films in 4 days.  Let’s see what the next days hold…I’m trending to set a personal record.

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #3

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Hello NEON Fans!

I started off Day #3 with some big star moments.

My first film of the day was GLORIA BELL directed by Sebastian Lelio.  Lelio has remade his film GLORIA (which played at THE NEON 4+ years ago) for an English-speaking audience…this time with Julianne Moore in the lead role.  During the Q&A, Moore admitted that she had been approached to play the role, but she said she’d only do it if Lelio was attached.  (Lelio is most recently know for directing DISOBEDIENCE as well as the Oscar winning film A FANTASTIC WOMAN.)   Folks wondered why he would want to remake his own film, and he told our audience today that musicians shouldn’t be the only artists who get to re-work their art over and over “with a different band.” Here’s the brief TIFF description of the film: “Academy award winner Sebastián Lelio (A Fantastic Woman) directs Academy Award–winning actor Julianne Moore (Still Alice) in this English-language remake of his 2013 film about a free-spirited, middle-aged divorcee hoping to find love on the dance floor.”  I had an interesting response to this film.  I was completely invested, I laughed at times, I felt hurt for our lead at times.  Though engaged from beginning to end, I wasn’t 100% connecting with the material…until the last 10 minutes.  It was the final scene that completely took my emotions by surprise.  I already knew how the film would end, but I suddenly felt a connection with Gloria that made me love the entire film.  I felt a sisterhood with her, and I had a small breakdown in the theater.  This is a film for all the single people who keep putting themselves out there.

Next up was CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? directed by Marielle Heller.  Here is the TIFF description of the film: “A jaded, out-of-work biographer (Melissa McCarthy) resorts to selling forged historical letters on the black market, and grapples with the ethical complications that arise, in Marielle Heller’s charming biopic about bestselling writer Lee Israel.”  Melissa McCarthy is a complete gem in this film…and it is her best work to date.  She’s still able to give us comedy, but it’s so much more human than anything I’ve seen her do before.  This touching movie has you rooting for a criminal, and she’s someone you probably wouldn’t like if you just met her on the street.  This film is polished and endearing, and I think it will find a good audience.  (I’ll attend the Fox Searchlight party for this film as well as OLD MAN AND THE GUN tomorrow night.) In person, Melissa McCarthy is smart, funny and clearly in love with the character she played and created with her co-star Richard E. Grant.  The Q&A after the screening was wonderful.

TEEN SPIRIT, directed by first-time feature director Max Minghella (son of Anthony), was my next film.  Not being a fan of any of the pop-star-creation shows (like The Voice or American Idol), my expectations weren’t terribly high.  But Elle Fanning & Zlatko Buric delivered.  Here’s TIFF’s brief synopsis: “A shy teenager dreams of pop stardom and enters an international singing competition as an escape from her small town and difficult family life, in actor Max Minghella’s (The Handmaid’s Tale) feature debut.”  I was pleasantly surprised by how invested I became in this film.  Though not without a couple eye-rolls and moments where I felt like story arcs shifted too quickly, I was ultimately a fan of this film (though the last 2 minutes left me a little flummoxed).

SPLINTERS, directed by Thom Fitzgerald, was my last film of the day.  In a word, it was terrible.  Here’s the TIFF synopsis: “Two decades after his inspired feature debut The Hanging Garden won best Canadian Feature at TIFF, Thom Fitzgerald again explores interconnections of sexual identity, family, and small-town Nova Scotia life, in this intimate drama about a young woman reassessing her relationship with her mother following the death of her father.” In most circumstances, I would have simply left the screening after 20 minutes.  But when I leave a screening early, I don’t feel like I have the right to write poor criticism.  However, because there weren’t other options for screenings this late at night and because I didn’t have any concrete post-screening plans, I stuck it out and watched the entire film (even though 90% of the audience walked out).  Though there are a couple good scenes (which come really late) and some great agricultural landscapes, this film is full of some really poor, on-the-nose performances with lots of “indicating” and over-the-top body language.  The screenplay was at times quite trite and there were moments when I wish a camera could have been on my face to show my bafflement as to what was happening on screen.  Overall, I can’t imagine this film ever getting picked up for American distribution.

I stopped for a quick beer before coming back to my Airbnb apartment, and I ended up running into a couple industry folks that I knew.  Upon hanging out with them for a few moments, I was then introduced to someone who I have been e-mailing for years.  It was fun to put a face with a name, and we chatted for about an hour before I decided I needed to get back to all of you.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my rundown of Day #3.

More tomorrow!

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #2

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Hello NEON Fans,

I caught four films today.

My first film of the day was DUELLES (MOTHERS’ INSTINCT), directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse.  This domestic, period thriller has made an interesting choice in renaming itself for English speaking audiences.  Whereas the French title actually means “dual,” they’ve gone a different direction by calling it “Mothers’ Instinct” for English speakers. Here’s the short synopsis from TIFF: “When a sudden tragedy uproots the lives of two women and their families, they begin to question the relationships they once held so dear, in this psychological thriller from Olivier Masset-Depasse (Illégal).”  This doesn’t really tell you much of anything…so I’m going to spoil the first 12 minutes.  A little boy is involved in an accident that results in his death, and the neighboring mother who witnessed the accident begins to feel as though the boy’s mother blames her for not saving the day.  As the story progresses, more unfortunate circumstances occur, and the mother in question begins to feel more and more suspicious.  We often wonder “is this maternal instinct at work…or is this just paranoia (bordering on mental illness)?”  Some of the score at the beginning of the film sets up the idea that we might not have the most reliable narrator, so we as audience members have to doubt whether or not we are always shown the truth.  Though the film works on a number of levels, there’s ultimately something missing. I’m glad I saw it, but it’s not a masterpiece.

FIRECRACKERS, a French Canadian film from director Jasmin Mozafarri, borrows a lot of spirit and tone from FISH TANK and AMERICAN HONEY.  Here’s TIFF’s short synopsis: “An intense drama about two young women desperate to escape their repressive small town, whose friendship is challenged after a night of debauchery threatens to undo their grand plans for freedom.”   The yearning to escape their current life is honest, the performances are rich, and the camera is restless.  But I couldn’t help feeling that we’d seen this before (and better) from Andrea Arnold.

And finally…a Masterpiece.  CAPERNAUM, directed by Nadine Labaki, is a film that will clearly be a highlight for me at this year’s festival.  I fell in love with Labaki with her film CARAMEL that played at the festival (and at THE NEON) several years ago.  She’s a gifted director and a talented actress.  Here’s the brief synopsis from TIFF: “Nadine Labaki (2011 TIFF People’s Choice Award winner Where Do We Go Now?) explores the lives of children living on the fringes of Lebanese society, in this political and heartbreaking story of a young boy who sues his parents for bringing him into the world when they couldn’t properly care for him.”  This film is about so many things, and it’s Labaki’s call to action for us to help the disenfranchised children of the world…and for the people who need paperwork to prove their worth.  This film is heartbreakingly honest, and I couldn’t avert my eyes.  The central performance is so strong – among the best child performances ever on screen.  With over 500 hours of material shot for this film, the documentary-like style helps create a realism that is so refreshing in a narrative film.  This movie has been picked up by Sony Classics.  That means THE NEON will almost certainly play it…and I have a feeling it will almost certainly be nominated for “Best Foreign Film” this year.

BEAUTIFUL BOY, directed by Felix van Groningen, was my last film of the day.  Though van Groningen was the only person to introduce the film, the audience was in for a treat when the cast and authors of the source material all came onstage after the screening for a Q&A.  Here is the brief TIFF synopsis: “Based on the bestselling pair of memoirs by father and son David and Nic Sheff, Felix van Groeningen’s film chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years.” Timothée Chalamet gives another Oscar-worthy performance as a boy dealing with drug addiction, and his performance along with Steve Carell’s, are what help to keep this film above water – they are both magnificent.  The repetition of using, recovery, relapsing, recovery is all part of  how recovery from drug addition often works, but it becomes a little exhausting as a narrative device (as I’m certain it does for the families dealing with this very issue).  I think this film could be used as a tool, and I think as the death toll rises annually for drug overdoses, it’s a much-needed topical film about an epidemic that is plaguing us.

I met up with a friend for a couple drinks after my screenings this evening, and it was good to catch up (and realize that he’s even working with more people I know).

Looking forward to a couple even bigger films tomorrow.

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

 

TIFF 2018 – Day #1

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Hello!

Thanks for checking out my daily TIFF blog.  I hit the ground running on the first day of TIFF…I saw 5 films.  4 of the screenings were strictly with press & industry folks, and one was public screening that had all the glitz and glamour of the fest (red carpet, big stars, etc.).

First off was DOGMAN directed by Matteo Garrone.  Here’s the festival’s brief synopsis: “In the latest from Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah), mild-mannered Marcello spends his days grooming dogs, hanging out with his beloved daughter and, like most of his neighbourhood, trying to avoid Simoncino, a former boxer and resident bully with whom Marcello uneasily coexists — until a double-crossing prompts an ugly act of vengeance.”  This was the first of two Italian films I saw today – both shot in rather desolate locations that aren’t the Italy we’ve come to know in classic cinema.  This little film started out with some glimmers of hope, but it got really dark really fast.  I loved the protagonist, and I believed his trajectory, but this film isn’t for everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI2JE_xjAaY

NON-FICTION, directed by Olivier Assayas, was next on my list.  Here’s the festival’s brief synopsis: “French auteur Olivier Assayas probes the promises and pitfalls of art in the age of digital communication, in this comedy about a Parisian publisher (Guillaume Canet) and his successful-actor wife (Juliette Binoche) adapting to the new-media landscape.”  This film covers all the bases in the debate/discussion of whether the digital age is helping or hindering society/artists/publishers/basic human communication.  Though it certainly has some insightful and funny moments, I found it to get tedious after a while.  When it comes to Assayas, I think my favorite is still SUMMER HOURS.

BURNING, directed by Lee Chang-dong, was next on my list.  Here’s TIFF’s brief synopsis: “In this thriller from director Lee Chang-dong, based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, a young man grows suspicious about the motives of a deceptive interloper who is hanging around with his childhood friend–turned–burgeoning love interest.”  This slow burn thriller is heavy on the “slow”…I could easily remove 40 minutes from its 2 Hr 28 Min runtime.  There were certainly some moments that worked, but I looked at my watch one hour in and couldn’t believe we weren’t at the half way point yet.

GRETA was my first public screening of the festival.  Here’s the brief synopsis from TIFF: “Isabelle Huppert teams with writer-director Neil Jordan to play the title role in this psychological thriller about a lonely, mysterious widow whose friendship with a naïve young woman (Chloë Grace Moretz) takes on an increasingly obsessive and sinister air.”  I was delighted that Jordan, Huppert and Moretz were all in attendance…as was Maika Monroe – a supporting star who stole several several scenes while on screen.  (Interestingly, Chloë Grace Moretz is the lead actress in the Opening Night Film of this year’s Dayton LGBT Film Festival – THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST.)  The film is glossy and full of some fun choices…but it’s perhaps the most over-the-top and campy thriller I’ve seen in years.  At one moment, when a major plot point is revealed, the audience burst into laughter and I immediately thought “Is that what Jordan intended – or was that supposed to be a gut-punch?”  Some of the music cues are so big, and some of the decisions are so on-the-nose – I couldn’t decide how I was feeling for most of the film.  But by the end, I was rooting for the protagonist and laughing along with the brilliant Huppert.  (I’ll post a picture I took of the cast on our FACEBOOK page.)

VICE OF HOPE, directed by Edoardo de Angelis, was my last film of the night.  This was the second film of the day set on the bleak seaside of Italy.  Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “To support her family, Maria works as a trafficker of surrogate mothers, transporting them from place to place along a river — but when one disappears, Maria is left with the task of finding her and must enter deeper into a world she wishes to escape.”  This film had more walk-outs than any film I can recently remember.  Granted, it was late at night and there were lots of parties going on, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave.  This was a world I’d never seen before, and Maria, the lead character (played by Pina Turco), was someone I really wanted to see overcome the odds.  Given the subject matter, you can’t escape the overall sad and desperate and humiliating tone of the film…but there were always glimmers of hope – and that’s what kept Maria going (as well as the viewer…well at least for me).

No parties tonight for me.  I’m going to bed early and looking forward to another full day tomorrow (though maybe only 4 films).

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Preparing For The Festival

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Hello NEON Fans,

Thanks for checking in with me as I prepare to immerse myself in new cinema for the next several days.  I’ve toiled over the line-up and come up with a list of about 15 must-see films.  I’ve also got over 40 “possible” titles that I will continue to explore and try to fit into my 30+ films that I’ll cram in between Sept. 5 and Sept. 14.

I’m now in Toronto, I’ve picked up my credentials, and I have secured a handful of tickets that were high on my list…but the next step is to start listening to buzz, check in with friends from the industry and structure my first few days at the festival.

Here are a few trailers for a smattering of films that I’m excited to see:

Check in again soon at www.mostmetro.com/tag/tiff for new entries.  I’ll blog each day so I can try to keep my thoughts straight!

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

 

NEON Opening PUZZLE + Great NEON News!

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Hello Everyone!

We’re moving right along to wrap up one of the best summers on record at THE NEON. If you still need to see THE KING, Thursday will be your last chance to catch it with us. LEAVE NO TRACE and THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS will hold for another week, and we’ll open a new crowdpleaser – PUZZLE.

Synopsis for PUZZLE: “PUZZLE is a closely observed portrait of Agnes, who has reached her early 40s without ever venturing far from home, family or the tight-knit immigrant community in which she was raised by her widowed father. That begins to change in a quietly dramatic fashion when Agnes receives a jigsaw puzzle as a birthday gift and experiences the heady thrill of not only doing something she enjoys, but being very, very good at it. Stepping out of her domestic bubble to pursue her new hobby, Agnes meets Robert, a wealthy, reclusive inventor who immediately recognizes her talent and recruits her as his partner for an upcoming world jigsaw tournament. Each day she spends out in the world, puzzling and conversing with Robert, takes Agnes further along on the road to a new understanding of herself and her strengths.” Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

For all the details about numerous other NEON events and happenings, click this LINK to read our weekly newsletter.

Be sure to pay close attention to this weekend’s schedule – it includes a couple extra screenings on Labor Day!

We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Aug 28 – Thursday, Sept 6:

THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS (PG-13) 1 Hr 36 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 3:10, 7:40
Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon (Aug 31-Sep 3): 12:40, 5:15
Tue-Thu (Sep 4-6): 5:30

LEAVE NO TRACE (PG) 1 Hr 49 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 2:50, 5:20, 7:45
Fri & Sat (Aug 31 & Sep 1): 2:50, 7:30, 9:50
Sun (Sep 2): 7:30
Mon (Sep 3): 2:50, 7:30
Tue-Thu (Sep 4-6): 3:10, 7:45

THE KING (R) 1 Hr 47 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 5:00
FINAL DAY – Aug. 30!

PUZZLE (R) 1 Hr 43 Min
Friday & Saturday (Aug 31 & Sep 1): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday & Monday (Sep 2 & 3): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20
Tuesday – Thursday (Sep 3-6): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

DR. FROM INDIA (NR) 1 Hr 29 Min + Discussion & Meditation
Sunday (Sep 2): 3:00

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
Sept 7 – JULIET, NAKED
Sept 14 – THE WIFE
Sept 21 – FAHRENHEIT 11/9
Sept 21 – LOVE GILDA
Oct 12 – THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN

MISTER ROGERS Off To A Great Start at THE NEON! WHITNEY Houston Doc Opens Next Week!

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Hello Everyone!

We’re trucking right along this summer…and it’s all about well-received, high performing documentaries! From RBG to LIVES WELL LIVED to POPE FRANCIS, we’ve seen a lot of success with well-crafted docs. And there’s no end in sight. WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? celebrated a SOLD OUT preview screening on Thursday, June 28, and numerous screenings are scheduled for the weekend.  This film is a much-needed dose of kindness – a fantastic piece about Fred Rogers and his ground-breaking television show. Next week, we’ll start a strong documentary about Whitney Houston by filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (director of TOUCHING THE VOID and LAST KING OF SCOTLAND). (And we’ll hopefully get to the crowd-pleasing THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS later in the summer.) That said, there’s still room for traditional narratives, and we’re going to sneak in the new, star-studded adaptation of the beloved Chekhov classic for one week only starting today – THE SEAGULL.

Synopsis for WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR: “For over thirty years, Fred Rogers, an unassuming minister, puppeteer, writer and producer was beamed daily into homes across America. In his beloved television program, MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD, Fred and his cast of puppets and friends spoke directly to young children about some of life’s weightiest issues, in a simple, direct fashion. There hadn’t been anything like Mr. Rogers on television before and there hasn’t been since. Though he may be best known today as a soft-spoken, cardigan-wearing children’s television host, in reality, Fred Rogers’ career represents a sustained attempt to present a coherent, beneficent view about how we should best speak to children about important matters and how television could be used as a positive force in our society.” (Focus Features) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for THE SEAGULL: ONE WEEK ONLY! “One summer at a lakeside Russian estate, friends and family gather for a weekend in the countryside. While everyone is caught up in passionately loving someone who loves somebody else, a tragicomedy unfolds about art, fame, human folly, and the eternal desire to live a purposeful life. The estate is owned by Sorin (Brian Dennehy), a retired government employee, and his sister Irina (Annette Bening), a legendary actress of the Moscow stage. Irina is imperious, narcissistic and selfish, and anxious about holding on to her star status and the affections of her younger lover, Boris Trigorin (Corey Stoll), a successful writer of short stories. Irina constantly belittles her aspiring writer son Konstantin (Billy Howle), perhaps because his existence as a grown man reminds her that age is catching up with her. While he adores his mother despite her cruelty, Konstantin acts out his insecurity and anger by rejecting both her style of theatre and Boris’s writing, declaring them old-fashioned and banal. A dreamer, Konstantin declares he will create bold and superior new forms of theatre and literature. Adapted by Tony-winning playwright Stephen Karam (“The Humans”) from Anton Chekhov’s classic play and directed by Tony-winner Michael Mayer (“Spring Awakening”), THE SEAGULL explores, with comedy and melancholy, the obsessive nature of love, the tangled relationships between parents and children, and the transcendent value and psychic toll of art.” (Sony Classics) Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official website.

Tickets for our special 50th Anniversary Screening of YELLOW SUBMARINE (just $8 each) are available at our box office. The film has been gorgeously restored and will screen one time on Sunday, July 8 at 3:00.

Don’t forget that on Sunday, July 1 at 5:15, we will have a special guest who will speak to the audience after the screening of WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? Jim Wiener, who currently works at ThinkTV, worked at WQED in Pittsburgh from 1986 until 1997, and knew Fred Rogers as well as his producer (Margie Whitmer) and director (Paul Lally). He will talk about his experiences in public television and personal recollections about Rogers and his iconic television show. Tickets are now available for all of this weekend’s screenings at our box office during traditional operating hours.

Because of the 4th of July holiday, we will have a couple days next week when we offer earlier shows than usual. Please pay close attention to the schedule below for all of our current attractions…showtimes are different depending on the day.

Next Thursday, we’ll have a special preview screening of WHITNEY. We hope you’ll make plans to see it then! Check out the trailer below!

Thank you for your continued support!
Have a great holiday!
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, June 29 – Thursday, July 5:

AMERICAN ANIMALS (R) 1 Hr 56 Min
Friday & Saturday (June 29 & 30): 9:15
FINAL DAY – June 30!

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? (PG-13) 1 Hr 34 Min
Friday & Saturday (June 29 & 30): 12:45, 2:20, 3:00, 4:30, 5:15, 7:30, 9:40
Sunday (July 1): 12:45, 3:00, 4:30, 5:15, 8:00
Monday (July 2): 3:00, 5:15, 6:00, 7:30
Tuesday & Wednesday (July 3 & 4): 12:45, 1:15, 3:00, 5:15, 6:00, 7:30
Thursday (July 5): 3:00, 5:15, 6:00

THE SEAGULL (PG-13)
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (June 29-July 1): 12:00, 7:00
Monday-Thursday (July 2-5): 3:30, 8:10

WHITNEY (R) 2 Hrs
Thursday (July 5): 7:20 – Preview Screening!

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
July 6 – WHITNEY
July 8 at 3:00 – YELLOW SUBMARINE – Special 50th Anniversary Screening
July 13 – HEARTS BEAT LOUD
July 20 – BOUNDARIES
July 27- DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT
TBD – THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS
Aug 3 – EIGHTH GRADE
Aug 10 – GENERATION WEALTH
Sept 21 – LOVE GILDA

AMERICAN ANIMALS and BEAST Start Friday + MISTER ROGERS News!

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Hello Everyone!

There are so many films to get to, so we need to keep moving. If you still need to see THE RIDER, Thursday will be your last day to catch it at THE NEON. FIRST REFORMED will stick around for a couple shows a day for one more week, and POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD will have three more screenings over the weekend before it disappears. On Friday we’ll open two new films – a new take on the heist film AMERICAN ANIMALS and the chilling UK import BEAST.

Synopsis for BEAST: “Moll is 27 and still living at home, stifled by the small island community around her and too beholden to her family to break away. When she meets Pascal, a free-spirited stranger, a whole new world opens up to her and she begins to feel alive for the first time, falling madly in love. Finally breaking free from her family, Moll moves in with Pascal to start a new life. But when he is arrested as the key suspect in a series of brutal murders, she is left isolated and afraid. Choosing to stand with him against the suspicions of the community, Moll finds herself forced to make choices that will impact her life forever.” (Roadside Attractions) Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for AMERICAN ANIMALS: “AMERICAN ANIMALS is the unbelievable but entirely true story of four young men who attempt to execute one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history. The film centers around two friends from the middle-class suburbs of Lexington, Kentucky. Spencer (Barry Keoghan), is determined to become an artist but feels he lacks the essential ingredient that unites all great artists – suffering. His closest friend, Warren (Evan Peters), has also been raised to believe that his life will be special, and that he will be unique in some way. But as they leave the suburbs for universities in the same town, the realities of adult life begin to dawn on them and with that, the realization that their lives may in fact never be important or special in any way. Determined to live lives that are out of the ordinary, they plan the brazen theft of some of the world’s most valuable books from the special collections room of Spencer’s college Library. Enlisting two more friends, accounting major Eric (Jared Abrahamson) and fitness fanatic Chas (Blake Jenner), and taking their cues from heist movies, the gang meticulously plots the theft and subsequent fence of the stolen artworks. Although some of the group begin to have second thoughts, they discover that the plan has seemingly taken on a life of its own. Unfolding from multiple perspectives, and innovatively incorporating the real-life figures at the heart of the story, writer-director Bart Layton (The Imposter) takes the heist movie into bold new territory.” (The Orchard)  Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Tickets for our special 50th Anniversary Screening of YELLOW SUBMARINE (just $8 each) are available at our box office. The film has been gorgeously restored and will screen one time on Sunday, July 8 at 3:00.

Next Thursday at 7:30, we will have a special preview screening of WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? – the new documentary about Fred Rogers and his television show MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD. The preview will have prizes and give you the first opportunity to see this special film. The movie will then officially open on Friday, June 29 with multiple screenings a day. On Sunday, July 1 at 5:15, we will have a special guest who will speak to the audience after the screening. Jim Wiener, who currently works at ThinkTV, worked at WQED in Pittsburgh from 1986 until 1997, and knew Fred Rogers as well as his producer (Margie Whitmer) and director (Paul Lally). He will talk about his experiences in public television and personal recollections about Rogers and his iconic television show. Tickets are now available for these special screenings at our box office during traditional operating hours.

We’ve added two great new films to our upcoming list. On July 6, we will open the new documentary WHITNEY – a strong documentary about the life of Whitney Houston by Kevin Macdonald (director of TOUCHING THE VOID and THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND). And though we don’t have a firm opening date yet, we will soon get to HEARTS BEAT LOUD – a really special and heartwarming comedy. Stay tuned for the latest!

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, June 19 – Thursday, June 28:

POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD (PG) 1 Hr 36 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (June 19-21): 3:10, 7:40
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (June 22-24): Noon
FINAL DAY – June 24!

THE RIDER (R) 1 Hr 44 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (June 19-21): 5:20
FINAL DAY – June 21!

FIRST REFORMED (R) 1 Hr 53 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (June 19-21): 3:00, 5:20, 7:45
Friday & Saturday (June 22 & 23): 4:50, 9:40
Sunday (June 24): 4:50
Monday-Thursday (June 25-28): 5:10

BEAST (R) 1 Hr 47 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (June 22-24): 2:20, 7:15
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (June 25-27): 2:40, 7:40
Thursday (June 28): 2:40

AMERICAN ANIMALS (R) 1 Hr 56 Min
Friday & Saturday (June 23 & 24): 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:20, 9:45
Sunday (June 25): 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (June 26-29): 2:45, 5:15, 7:45

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? (PG-13) 1 Hr 34 Min
Thursday (June 28): 7:30 – Preview Screening!

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
June 29 – WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
July 6 – WHITNEY
TBD – HEARTS BEAT LOUD
TBD – THE SEAGULL
July 8 at 3:00 – YELLOW SUBMARINE – Special 50th Anniversary Screening
July 27- DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT

LEAN ON PETE Starts Friday + RBG News from THE NEON

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Hello Everyone!

We have to keep moving along at THE NEON! If you still need to see ISLE OF DOGS or YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE, Thursday will be you last chance to catch them with us. On Friday, we will open acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Haigh’s lovely new film – LEAN ON PETE. TULLY will stick around for one more week.

Synopsis for LEAN ON PETE: ONE WEEK ONLY! “From acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Haigh (WEEKEND and 45 YEARS), and based on the beloved novel by Willy Vlautin, comes LEAN ON PETE – a deeply moving story about love, loneliness, family, and friendship, told through the unique prism of one boy’s connection to a very special racehorse. Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) arrives in Portland, Oregon with his single father Ray (Travis Fimmel), both of them eager for a fresh start after a series of hard knocks. While Ray descends into personal turmoil, Charley finds acceptance and camaraderie at a local racetrack where he lands a job caring for an aging Quarter Horse named Lean On Pete. The horse’s gruff owner Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) and his seasoned jockey Bonnie (Chloe Sevigny) help Charley fill the void of his father’s absence – until he discovers that Pete is bound for slaughter, prompting him to take extreme measures to spare his new friend’s life.” Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

The Dayton Jewish Film Festival is down to its last film for this year…and it has already SOLD OUT! But there’s good news if you haven’t purchased your ticket yet. An encore screening of SAMMY DAVIS JR: I’VE GOT TO BE ME has been scheduled for Thursday, May 24 at 7:30. Brochures are available in our lobby, and you can find out more about the films (as well as details about tickets) on the festival’s OFFICIAL SITE.

 

After two successful special screenings, WE’RE DOING FINE is coming back for one more show this Saturday. Audiences loved seeing Dayton all aglow on the big screen, and we’ve had several requests to play the film one more time during the day. So we’ve added a screening – you’ll have one more chance to catch it at THE NEON. We will screen WE’RE DOING FINE on Saturday, May 12 at Noon, and tickets are just $7.50 each. Tickets for this encore screening are only available in-person at THE NEON’s Box Office!

“It’s now official: Big things come in small, un-hyped packages. LIVES WELL LIVED, the inspiring film about women and men aged 75-100 who have more energy, creativity and optimism than any superhero, just rolled over the results for recent Oscar winners in its theatrical premiere. LIVES WELL LIVED celebrates the incredible wit, wisdom and experiences of adults aged 75 to 100. Through their intimate memories and inspiring personal histories encompassing over 3000 years of experience, forty people share their secrets and insights to living a meaningful life. These men and women open the vault on their journey into old age through family histories, personal triumph and tragedies, loves and losses – seeing the best and worst of humanity along the way. Their stories will make you laugh, perhaps cry, but mostly inspire you.” (Shadow Distribution) Director Sky Bergman will be here for this special one-time screening on Sunday, May 13 at 3:00. Tickets, just $7.50, are now available at THE NEON’s box office. Tickets are selling quickly. Get yours early!

“LUNAFEST returns to Dayton for the 9th year, bringing nine new short films by, for and about women from around the world. This year’s unique films range from animation to fictional drama, covering topics such as women’s health, body image, relationships, cultural diversity and breaking barriers. From the comedy of a young Indian-American woman who wants to follow her dreams to the harrowing first-person account of a young girl’s escape from Boko Haram, each story will inspire and enlighten. All proceeds from LUNAFEST will go to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network and to Chicken & Egg Pictures, a nonprofit organization that supports women nonfiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyzes social change. The festival is sponsored locally by Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance. Tickets are $10.00 ($5.00 students) with donations over this amount gratefully accepted. Tickets can be purchased in advance for this popular one-time showing which sold out last year.” (Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance) Tickets available now at THE NEON’s Box Office or via this LINK. LUNAFEST will screen on Sunday, May 20 at 3:00.

On Thursday, May 17 at 7:30, Mike Shea is bringing his latest film to THE NEON. “MONARCH is a neo-noir mystery short about a detective trying to make sense of the drug dealing underworld of a small mid-western city. This film was shot all around Dayton, OH’s legendary Oregon District. The cast is comprised entirely of comedians from the Dayton area starring in almost exclusively dramatic roles. The story itself is based on writer/director Michael Shea’s 2017 docu-drama THE CROSS AT THE GEM. This film was submitted (in a condensed 5-minute cut) to the 2018 Lander University 2WK Film Festival in Greenwood, SC. At this special one-night event, the audience will be treated to an opening performance from some of the cast and crew, a screening of the original 2017 film THE CROSS AT THE GEM as well as the premiere of the full director’s cut version of the film MONARCH. The premiere will close with a Q&A session with the whole cast and crew. Tickets are $5 and are available at THE NEON box office. Fans can also qualify for fun rewards and prizes by supporting the film’s GoFundMe campaign at this official site LINK.”

“On Wednesday May 23, Jewish Family Services of Greater Dayton and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will host a screening of the film NEWTOWN. This documentary chronicles the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history: a shooting that took the lives of 20 elementary children and 6 educators in Newtown, CT on December 14, 2012. Now in the wake of the Parkland shooting and the many others that pass by us in the media, it is critical that we keep the conversation going. For every community – for the Dayton community – how do we keep our children safe? Please join the community on hand to watch the movie, listen to reflections by the film’s director, Kim Snyder, and take part in a panel discussion to explore safety strategies for our communities.” Admission is Free, and tickets will be given on a first come, first served basis the night of the screening.

“The student filmmakers of Wright State University’s award-winning Motion Pictures Program will premiere their new thesis films at the 2018 BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL at THE NEON on May 27. This year’s films dive into a number of contemporary issues and themes, including coming of age stories, cyberbullying, severed familial relationships, racial tensions, aging, conquering fears and more. Short films from Wright State’s Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures have screened at top film festivals, including Sundance, and been Student Academy Award Nominees. This year’s festival will have two scheduled screenings of the films. The first screening starts at 5:30pm and the second will begin at 8pm, both ending with Q&A with the directors of the films.” Tickets are available now for $10 at THE NEON’s box office. For more information about the films, cast and crew, please click on this LINK.

On Wednesday, May 30 at 7:30, we will have a special, customer appreciation screening of a truly special film. BARAKA is a film that played at an older incarnation of THE NEON before I took over management more than 17 years ago. “Featuring no conventional narrative, this film presents footage of people, places and things from around the world. From chaotic cities to barren wilderness, the movie takes viewers around the globe to witness a variety of spectacles in both natural and technological realms.” (google) You won’t want to miss your chance to see this astonishing film on the big screen. Tickets will be free and given on a first come, first served basis. We will begin giving out tickets at 6:30 on May 30 – one ticket per customer.

In the coming weeks, we will have some very special documentaries that I think will be loved by so many of you. First off is RBG – a film about a living legend and icon, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This film is set to open on the evening of May 17 (showtime below). Later in June, we’ll have WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? – a fantastic documentary about PBS’s Mister Rogers – a true humanitarian and American treasure. Because we think you’ll embrace these films so much, we have assembled a bit a merchandise that ties in with each film. These little gift items will be perfect for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, or just to treat yourself. Be sure to check out our display case next time you’re in.

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you this weekend,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Wednesday, May 9 – Thursday, May 17:

ISLE OF DOGS (PG-13) 1 hr 41 Min
Wednesday & Thursday (May 9-10): 5:15
FINAL DAY – May 10!

YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE (R) 1 Hr 29 Min
Wednesday (May 9): 3:10, 7:30
Thursday (May 10): 3:10
FINAL DAY – May 10!

TULLY (R) 1 Hr 36 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (May 7-10): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40
Friday (May 11): 12:30, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45
Saturday (May 12): 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45
Sunday (May 13): 12:30, 5:15, 7:30
Monday-Wednesday (May 14-16): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40
Thursday (May 17): 3:00, 5:20
FINAL DAY – May 17!

LEAN ON PETE (R) 2 Hrs 1 Min
Friday & Saturday (May 11 & 12): 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:30
Sunday (May 13): 1:00, 4:00, 7:00
Monday-Wednesday (May 14-16): 2:45, 5:15, 7:45
Thursday (May 17): 2:45, 5:15
FINAL DAY – May 17!

WE’RE DOING FINE (NR) 1 Hr 26 Min
Saturday (May 12): Noon

LIVES WELL LIVED (NR) 1 Hr 12 Min + Q&A
Sunday (May 13): 3:00

MONARCH (NR) new film, short + pre-show
Thursday (May 17): 7:30

RBG (PG) 1 Hr 37 Min
Thursday (May 17) – Preview Screening – 7:45

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
May 18 – DISOBEDIENCE
June 1 – POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD
June 29 – WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
TBD – FOXTROT
TBD – FINAL PORTRAIT

ISLE OF DOGS, FINDING YOUR FEET, DAYTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL – Busy Times at THE NEON!

By

Hello Everyone!

This past weekend was pretty incredible. From the enthusiastic crowds to the cute pups in the lobby from SICSA, we had an exciting, packed weekend. Thanks to everyone who helped to create such good energy here over the past several days. ISLE OF DOGS will certainly stick around.  If you still need to see THE LEISURE SEEKER, you’ll need to hurry – Today (April 19) will be its last day. On Friday, we will open the new uplifting British comedy starring Imelda Staunton – FINDING YOUR FEET. This new film is only scheduled to play for one week – so don’t delay!

Synopsis for FINDING YOUR FEET: “When ‘Lady’ Sandra Abbott (Academy Award nominee Imelda Staunton – VERA DRAKE, PRIDE, HARRY POTTER) discovers that her husband of forty years is having an affair with her best friend, she seeks refuge in London with her estranged, older sister Bif (Celia Imrie – BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL). The two could not be more different – Sandra is a fish out of water next to her outspoken, serial dating, free-spirited sibling. But different is just what Sandra needs at the moment, and she reluctantly lets Bif drag her along to a community dance class, where gradually she starts finding her feet and romance as she meets her sister’s friends. This colorful, defiant and energetic group start to show Sandra that retirement is in fact only the beginning, and that divorce might just give her a whole new lease on love and life.” (Roadside Attractions) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Last Thursday’s premiere (and its encore screening) of WE’RE DOING FINE was fantastic. Audiences loved seeing Dayton all aglow on the big screen, and we’ve had several requests to play the film one more time during the day. So we’ve added a screening – you’ll have one more chance to catch it at THE NEON. We will screen WE’RE DOING FINE on Saturday, May 12 at Noon, and tickets are just $7.50 each. Tickets for this encore screening are only available in-person at THE NEON’s Box Office!

The Dayton Jewish Film Festival is getting ready to kick off this year’s awesome line-up. Brochures are now available in our lobby, and you can find out more about the films (as well as details about tickets) on their OFFICIAL SITE. Here’s a list of movies that will screen at THE NEON:
Thursday, April 19 at 7:15 – KEEP THE CHANGE
Tuesday, April 24 at 7:15 – BAGELS OVER BERLIN
Thursday, April 26 at 7:15 – THE INVISIBLES
Sunday, April 29 at 5:15 – SHELTER
Monday, April 30 at 7:15 – BIG SONIA
Wednesday, May 2 at 7:15 – THE CAKEMAKER
Tuesday, May 8 at 10am – AN ACT OF DEFIANCE
Thursday, May 10 at 7:15 – SAMMY DAVIS JR: I’VE GOTTA BE ME

“It’s now official: Big things come in small, un-hyped packages. LIVES WELL LIVED, the inspiring film about women and men aged 75-100 who have more energy, creativity and optimism than any superhero, just rolled over the results for recent Oscar winners in its theatrical premiere. LIVES WELL LIVED celebrates the incredible wit, wisdom and experiences of adults aged 75 to 100. Through their intimate memories and inspiring personal histories encompassing over 3000 years of experience, forty people share their secrets and insights to living a meaningful life. These men and women open the vault on their journey into old age through family histories, personal triumph and tragedies, loves and losses – seeing the best and worst of humanity along the way. Their stories will make you laugh, perhaps cry, but mostly inspire you.” (Shadow Distribution) Director Sky Bergman will be here for this special one-time screening on Sunday, May 13 at 3:00. Tickets, just $7.50, are now available at THE NEON’s box office.

“LUNAFEST returns to Dayton for the 9th year, bringing nine new short films by, for and about women from around the world. This year’s unique films range from animation to fictional drama, covering topics such as women’s health, body image, relationships, cultural diversity and breaking barriers. From the comedy of a young Indian-American woman who wants to follow her dreams to the harrowing first-person account of a young girl’s escape from Boko Haram, each story will inspire and enlighten. All proceeds from LUNAFEST will go to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network and to Chicken & Egg Pictures, a nonprofit organization that supports women nonfiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyzes social change. The festival is sponsored locally by Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance. Tickets are $10.00 ($5.00 students) with donations over this amount gratefully accepted. Tickets can be purchased in advance for this popular one-time showing which sold out last year.” (Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance) Tickets available now at THE NEON’s Box Office or via this LINK. LUNAFEST will screen on Sunday, May 20 at 3:00.

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you this weekend,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, April 17 – Thursday, April 26:

THE LEISURE SEEKER (R) 1 Hr 52 Min
Thursday (April 19): 2:50, 5:00
FINAL DAY – April 19!

ISLE OF DOGS (PG-13) 1 hr 41 Min
Thursday (April 19): 3:15, 5:30, 7:45
Friday & Saturday (April 20 & 21): 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Sunday (April 22): 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15
Monday-Thursday (April 23-26): 3:15, 5:30, 7:45

FINDING YOUR FEET (PG-13) 1 Hr 51 Min
Friday & Saturday (April 20 & 21): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday (April 22): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20
Monday (April 23): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Tuesday (April 24): 2:50, 5:00
Wednesday (April 25): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Thursday (April 26): 2:50, 5:00

DAYTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday, April 19 at 7:15 – KEEP THE CHANGE
Tuesday, April 24 at 7:15 – BAGELS OVER BERLIN
Thursday, April 26 at 7:15 – THE INVISIBLES

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
TBD – FOXTROT
April 27 – YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
May 4 – TULLY
May 18 – RBG
June 1 – POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD
June 29 – WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

Oscar Winner A FANTASTIC WOMAN Opens Friday at THE NEON!

By

Hello Everyone!

I’m very excited that we’re opening one of my absolute favorite films of 2017 this Friday – A FANTASTIC WOMAN. This beautiful film just won the Oscar for “Best Foreign Film,” and A.O. Scott of THE NEW YORK TIMES wrote, “The title of Sebastián Lelio’s new film might seem a bit on the nose. It’s a fantastic movie. Daniela Vega, the star, is fantastic in it…” If you still need to see Sally Potter’s new film THE PARTY, you’ll need to hurry. Thursday will be the last day for it at THE NEON. That said, I, TONYA just keeps on performing well. Though we thought Sunday would be its last day, we will bring it back for one show a day starting this Friday. The darkly funny and chilling THOROUGHBREDS will stick around for one more week.

Synopsis for A FANTASTIC WOMAN: “Marina and Orlando are in love and planning for the future. Marina is a young waitress and aspiring singer. Orlando is 20 years older than her, and owns a printing company. After celebrating Marina’s birthday one evening, Orlando falls seriously ill. Marina rushes him to the emergency room, but he passes away just after arriving at the hospital. Instead of being able to mourn her lover, suddenly Marina is treated with suspicion. The doctors and Orlando’s family don’t trust her. Orlando’s ex-wife forbids her from attending the funeral. And to make matters worse, Orlando’s son threatens to throw Marina out of the flat she shared with Orlando. Marina is a trans woman and for most of Orlando’s family, her sexual identity is an aberration, a perversion.
So Marina struggles for the right to be herself. She battles the very same forces that she has spent a lifetime fighting just to become the woman she is now – a complex, strong, forthright and fantastic woman.” Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

“Massie Creek Paddlers and Tomfoolery Outdoors present the 13th annual PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL on Thursday, March 22 at 7:30. Since 2006, The Paddling Film Festival has been showcasing the very best paddling films. The World Tour screens in more than 120 cities around the world. Join us for this year’s best paddling films. You’ll be inspired to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push extremes, embrace the paddling lifestyle and appreciate the wild places.” Tickets are $11 each and are available via this LINK.

On Thursday, March 29 at 7:30, LeKeisha Nicole of Ambition Magazine is hosting a fun, special event at THE NEON. “Ambition Magazine is bringing Welcome Week vibes to Dayton for its 6th anniversary with a screening of Spike Lee’s SCHOOL DAZE in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the movie’s premiere. We’re just going to kick back and enjoy one another as we celebrate both anniversaries with food, friends and even a few vendors with some great products.” (from press release) Tickets are $8 each and available at THE NEON’s box office. You can also get tickets online via this LINK.

On Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30, there will be a one-time special screening of a film from Bosnia. “OUR EVERYDAY LIFE dramatizes the day to day lives of one family in Sarajevo the unsolved political situation and the economic hardships of postwar Bosnia. An entire generation of people in Bosnia, who are now in their forties, lost their youth in war, but today they are offered neither freedom, successful jobs, nor hope in their society. Their lives are stagnant. Appearing in numerous film festivals throughout Europe and North America and winner of many film awards, OUR EVERYDAY LIFE is a must see for people in the Dayton area who seek a clear and authentic understanding of the lives of people today in their sister city, Sarajevo, after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. The highly acclaimed director, Ines Tanovic, who is from Sarajevo, will attend the screening to discuss the film and answer questions. This screening is made possible with a grant from the Faculty Endowment Board at Wittenberg University and is sponsored by Duh Bosne, a non-profit organization which publishes the bilingual online journal “Spirit of Bosnia / Duh Bosne.” Its mission is to preserve and honor the long-standing traditions of social and civil order that created Bosnia’s noble heritage.” (Keith Doubt) Tickets are $5.50 each and are available at THE NEON’s Box Office.

Dayton & Montgomery Public Health will kick off Minority Health Month at THE NEON on Saturday, April 7 from 10am until 1pm. In addition to providing Free Health Screenings, they will have a FREE screening of THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS – starring Oprah Winfrey. Special guest Marsha Bonhart will host a post-screening dialogue about great minority pioneers in the health industry and how we can self-advocate for quality health care. Tickets for the screening will be first come, first served on the morning of the event.

Steve Heman has rented our space to premiere his new work on Sunday, April 8 at 5:00. “The 4th work by local experimental film-maker Steve Heman, WANT YES, NEED NO, is presented as a trailer to a non-existent film. In it, contemporary culture is reimagined in order to provoke an array of questions about our values, our sexual mores, and the nature of evil in our society. His work is best described as contemporary video art with roots in the non-narrative, avant-garde film tradition, combining in equal parts his background in music with his passion for words and imagery both poetic and theatrical. The effect his work produces is a kind of compartmentalization of words, music, and distinct images that willfully defies the conventional subservience of these elements in the narrative film tradition. Admission is free and seating is limited. Please arrive at THE NEON as early as 3:00 to reserve a seat. Also, please be advised this movie contains nudity and aberrant language. Attendees under 17 will be admitted with adult supervision. A Question and Answer Session will follow.” (Steve Heman)

So many of you have asked about Djuna Wahlrab’s film that was shot in Dayton…and we’re happy to announce that it will finally have a public screening on our big screen on Thursday, April 12 at 7:30. “WE’RE DOING FINE, a feature film written and directed by Dayton native and Stivers grad Djuna Wahlrab, is a story about an unlikely friendship between two people from Dayton, OH: one who left and one who stayed. When they first meet, their hometown seems to be all that Gertie and John share. But as each faces the loss of a single parent, they connect, gaining just enough confidence to hear, ‘Just keep going. You’ve got this. You’re doing fine.’ Shot entirely in the Dayton area by fellow Stivers grad Adam Miller and scored by R. Ring’s Kelley Deal and Mike Montgomery, WE’RE DOING FINE also features songs by Dayton-origin bands such as Motel Beds, Heartless Bastards, Buffalo Killers, Lou Barlow, Real Lulu, Me Time and The Judy Blooms. Q & A to follow with the filmmakers.” Tickets, just $10 each, are now available at THE NEON’s Box Office. Click the image below to visit the film’s official site.

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you this weekend,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Mar 13 – Thursday, Mar 22:

THOROUGHBREDS (R) 1 Hr 32 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Mar 13-15): 3:15, 5:30, 7:40
Friday & Saturday (March 16 & 17): 12:30, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday (March 18): 12:30, 5:10, 7:20
Monday-Wednesday (March 19-21): 5:20, 7:30
Thursday (March 22): 5:20

THE PARTY (R) 1 Hr 11 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Mar 13-15): 3:30, 5:15, 7:30
FINAL DAY – March 15!

A FANTASTIC WOMAN (R) 1 Hr 44 Min
Friday & Saturday (March 16 & 17): 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday (March 18): 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (March 19-22): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

I, TONYA (R) 2 Hrs
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (March 16-18): 2:30
Monday-Thursday (March 19-22): 2:50

PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL (NR) 2 Hrs
Thursday (March 22): 7:30

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
March 30 – THE DEATH OF STALIN
April 6 – ISLE OF DOGS
April 6 – LOVELESS
April 20 – FOXTROT
April 27 – YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
May 18 – RBG
TBD – LEISURE SEEKER