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Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Dayton

CO-OP Fest brings Friday night fun, food and music to support Gem City Market!

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On Friday, October 25th, The Yellow Cab Tavern is excited to host CO-OP Dayton for their second annual CO-OP Fest, presented by IUE-CWA. With support from local labor unions and independent, cooperative, and employee-owned businesses, CO-OP Fest is a celebration of Dayton workers and cooperators. It is also a fundraiser for the Gem City Market incubator, Co-op Dayton. The event features some of Dayton’s finest food trucks, bands, poets, worker and cooperative initiatives, raffles, and games!

The musical acts include some seriously funky bands!

6:30pm – Deron Bell Band
8:00pm – Premium Blend Music
9:30pm – Freakquency

There will also be a tap takeover at the Yellow Cab’s bar with Fifth Street Brewpub, Dayton’s own Co-Op Brewery!

Founded in 2015, Co-op Dayton is committed to incubate cooperative businesses to bring sustainable jobs to Dayton and address Dayton’s food crisis through the Gem City Market co-op.

How to Go?

Friday, October 25th, 2019 at The Yellow Cab Tavern 

Cover starts at 5pm with food trucks and meet & greet

6pm the spoken word performances and live music begin.

$15 at the doors / $10 for Gem City Market co-op members.

GRAMMY award winning jazz comes to The Brightside Sunday October 20th!

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The Brightside Music & Event Venue invites you to another intimate evening of world class jazz-funk-world music from 3x Grammy award winning guitarist Bob Lanzetti, of Snarky Puppy fame!

Bob Lanzetti is a Brooklyn, NY based professional guitarist, composer, producer, and educator. He has performed and recorded with many artists throughout the NYC area as well as played in over 40 countries with the three time Grammy Award Winning jazz/funk collective, Snarky Puppy: Best R&B Performance in 2014 (“Something” featuring Lalah Hathaway), and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 2016 and 2017 (“Sylva” with Metropole Orkest and “Culcha Vulcha”, respectively).

Bob Lanzetti’s group consists of a collective of old friends who have been playing together in a variety of settings for over a decade. The band is able to move as one, effortlessly changing styles as well as weaving between composition and improvisation. The group draws inspiration from many genres of music. In a given performance you can hear hints of Americana, jazz, avant-garde, rock, afro-beat, country, and free improvisation, sometimes all within the same tune. Currently the group consists of Jordan Perlson on drums (Adrian Belew, Banda Magda, Becca Stevens Band) and Matt Aronoff on bass (Banda Magda, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner).

Bob released his debut record as a leader entitled, Whose Feet are These That are Walking, in fall of 2017 to positive reviews and has done a number of US tours in support of the album.

HOW TO GO?

Sunday October 20, 2019

at The Brightside Music & Event Venue – 905 E 3rd St

Doors 7pm. Show 8-10pm

Advance tickets $10 (https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4372687)
Day of show $15

All ages Welcome!

Dixon’s Violin is a mesmerizing performance you don’t want to miss!

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Dixon’s Violin performs at The Brightside Music & Event Venue on Friday October 18, 2019.

Downtown’s newest indoor music venue, The Brightside, is dedicated to providing a true variety of quality music to Dayton’s audiences. This weekend proves that point! On Friday they host Dixon’s Violin, as seen on TED.com, at Electric Forest, at Burning Man, and across North America. This is a rare opportunity to see this mesmerizing music up-close-and-personal in their intimate listening room space!

The world’s premier visionary violinist, Dixon’s life mission is to inspire people – and he has done so across North America, including giving three TED talks/performances, performing for over ten years at Burning Man, plus radio, TV, and film appearances. A former technology leader and symphony violinist, Dixon walked away from a distinguished career to follow his dream full-time, and invented a whole new music genre. Dixon now improvises on a 5-string electric violin with a looping system he developed to create an all-live one-man symphony, guided by his remarkable personal story of life transformation.

Kicking off the show is Dance Furiously, a rock and roll orchestration of funk, electronica, jazz, pop & soul that blends together a compelling sound which tells the story of a thriving music community in Columbus, Ohio. The group emphasizes live improvisation & expression thru their live show and consistently opens up their songs and reinterprets them to make them sound uniquely new, each time.

HOW TO GO?

Friday October 18th

at The Brightside Music & Event Venue
905 E 3rd St
Dayton, OH 45402

7:00 PM Doors Open
8:00 PM Dance Furiously
9:00 PM Dixon’s Violin

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dixons-violin-at-hannahs-tickets-67059632165
$12 advance tickets / $15 day of show

All ages are welcome, children 12 and under are free!

Remember the Dead Sunday, Oct 20th at Dia de los Muertos Parade & Celebration

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Day of the Dead (Dia de los muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places, especially the United States. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.

This Sunday, October 20, 2019, Dayton celebrates Dia de los Muertos, and honor the lives of loved ones who have passed. Pre-parade festivities start at 2pm. The parade starts at 4pm, and will travel through the Oregon District on Fifth Street, and arrive at the Missing Peace Art Space for the post-parade celebration from 5-8pm. There will be beautiful altars (offrendas) to enjoy, along with food, music, and dancing!

This event is a vibrant celebration and extra special way to carry on the memory of those we love and miss.

How to Go?

Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 2 PM – 8 PM

Missing Peace Art – 234 S Dutoit St, Dayton, OH

Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1130143073846015/

International Tap Dance Sensations Perform Exclusively at The Brightside on Sunday Sept 22nd!

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The Brightside is proud to present, The Tap Factor in “Soul’d Out!” a live music event featuring Tap dance sensations Christopher Erk, Derick K. Grant, Anthony J. Russo, and Jabu Graybeal. They invite you to share an evening with these four globetrotting Tap dancers as they give their only public performance locally after spending a month touring their show ‘Feet Speak” throughout Dayton area public schools on behalf of the Muse Machine. Accompanied by Dayton’s own Premium-Blend Music, this highly energetic and collaborative dose of music and Tap dance is a “don’t miss” event for all ages!

3 ticket options available for this show:
$20 General Admission advance ticket ($25 day of show)
$40 ticket plus Meet & Greet
$50 ticket plus Tap class and Meet & Greet

Schedule:
4:30-5:15 – All-inclusive Tap dance class – no experience necessary ($50 ticket option – includes all below too)
5:15-6:00 – Sound Check + Meet & Greet / Photo Op ($40 ticket option – includes performance too)
6:00-6:30 – General Admission Doors
6:30-8:00 – Performance ($20 ticket adv / $25 day of show)

More about performers and The Tap Factor:
– Christopher Erk (New York City/Los Angeles) – Performed in the Off-Broadway touring production of Tap Dogs; Founding Artistic Director of the Tap Factor; Absinthe, Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas; Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox

– Derick K. Grant (Boston/New York City) – Performed in Broadway’s original cast, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk; Creator of Imagine Tap

– Anthony J. Russo (St. Louis/New York City) – performed in Off-Broadway touring production of Tap Dogs; Cirque du Soliel; Founder of Tapademics; Absinthe, Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas

– Jabu Graybeal – Recipient of the Young Arts Award; Member of the North Carolina Youth Ensemble; Highlight in Dance Spirit Magazine as one of “Tap’s Next Generation of Stars”

The Tap Factor is performing on Sunday September 22, 2019 at The Brightside in downtown Dayton. PHOTO BY SARAH BABCOCK

– The Tap Factor was founded in Dayton by former resident Christopher Erk over ten years ago. While teaching at Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, Dayton Dance Conservatory and beyond, participants would meet weekly at the Tap Factor’s Front Street studio where donation-based Tap classes evolved into a local community of dancers that could be found sharing their joy for Tap at city events throughout the year. Since then, they have taken to the stage collaborating with organizations such as Best Buddies, the Boys and Girls Club of America, with performances at Carnegie Hall and more. Check out the Tap Factor’s journey online by visiting www.thetapfactor.com

World Class Jazz-Funk Duo performs at The Brightside on Wed Sept 18th!

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The Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo makes their Dayton debut on Wednesday September 18, 2019 at The Brightside.

The world-class jazz-funk fusion duo Jennifer Hartswick and Nick Cassarino, set out on a limited engagement tour this fall, and have picked The Brightside Music & Event Venue in downtown Dayton, to be one of the featured and exclusive performances on this debut tour! You can sit in on this intimate set this upcoming Wednesday September 18, 2019.

Trumpeter and vocalist, Jennifer Hartswick is one of the most exciting performers in music today. She exudes confidence and joy and brings her own refreshing spirit to the stage every time she performs. Jennifer’s music is honest, soulful and comes with a maturity far beyond her years. She is joined by Nick Cassarino, an incredible guitarist from Brooklyn, who blew Dayton audiences away earlier this spring with his powerhouse band The Nth Power. This duo is doing a limited engagement fall tour, and have made a special stop to downtown’s newest listening room!

Bonus! Dayton’s own guitar virtuoso, Chris Houser (from The Werks) kicks off this dynamic evening that jazz , funk, and jam fans alike won’t want to miss! Music runs from 8-11pm, which is ideal for a week night out. Pre-sale tickets are available here.

Making it extra special? This show is presented by Venus Child Productions – and is doubling as a birthday party for the Venus Child herself – Libby Ballengee!

How to go?

Wednesday September 18, 2019
The Brightside Music & Event Venue – 905 E 3rd St Dayton OH 45402

Doors 7pm. Music 8pm – 11pm.
Chris Houser at 8pm / Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo 9-11pm
All ages welcome!

Pre-sales just $15! Day of show $18.
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4299698

TIFF 2019 – Day #9

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Hello Everyone.

Today was my last full day of movies, and it was a strong selection.

HONEY BOY was my first film of the day – directed by Alma Har’el and written by Shia LaBeouf (did you see his performance in THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON at THE NEON over the last few weeks?). “Actor and screenwriter Shia LaBeouf mines his own life in this confessional collaboration with director Alma Har’el, about the stormy childhood and early adult years of an actor struggling to reconcile with his abusive father (played by LaBeouf himself).” (taken from TIFF catalog)  This tough story of the “bad boy” actor coming to terms with his upbringing is at times hard to watch – but certainly worth the ride.  Performances across the board are strong – from the flashback scenes starring Noah Jupe (who is really fantastic) and LaBeouf to the more “current” scenes starring Lucas Hedges.

ROCKS – the title refers to the nickname of the main character – was up next. “British director Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane, Suffragette) returns with this intimate, honest portrait of a teenage girl who suddenly finds herself struggling to take care of herself and her younger brother.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  I love when a film that is only minorly on my radar ends up blowing me away.  I love this little gem.  So rarely do we get stories about young black girls – and this one is strong and runs the emotional gamut. It’s honest, fresh, frustrating, complicated (though simply told) and full of life – sometimes jubilant and often heartbreaking.  I hope this film gets a stateside release.

HOW TO BUILD A GIRL, my 31st film of the festival, was my last film of the day. “A working-class teenager (Beanie Feldstein) tries to reinvent herself as a hip London music critic, in this unconventional coming-of-age story based on British author Caitlin Moran’s semiautobiographical novel.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  I felt like this film didn’t go over as well with the audience while I was loving it.  There is a lot of really funny material – particularly in the first hour – that I felt others weren’t appreciating the way I did (you know that feeling when you’re the only one laughing).  The dialog is sharp, and Feldstein is brilliant.  But what starts as a charming and “innocent” film treads into adult territory as the main character is thrust into a grown-up atmosphere (which means the rating will keep the potential tween audience from seeing it theatrically).  Sadly, as the film progresses, it starts to go in a rather predictable direction. That said, I felt like the film repaired some of its missteps by the end, and ultimately I found it quite satisfying. I left the film a much bigger fan of Beanie Feldstein. There is no trailer for this film yet…but here’s a little interview piece.

I met up with a couple friends for a last hurrah in the city and then came back to begin packing my bags.  I have one more film early tomorrow morning, and then I’ll head to the airport.

Thanks for reading!

Jonathan

TIFF 2019 – Day #8

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Hello Most Metro,

Things are winding down at TIFF.  I’ve seen 28 films so far, and I have 1.25 days left.  Today seemed like a “minor” day.  Nothing extraordinary…but lots of tear to start off the day.

DADS,  a sweet documentary, was my first film of the day. “Director Bryce Dallas Howard teams up with her father, Ron Howard, to explore contemporary fatherhood through anecdotes and wisdom from famous funnymen such as Will Smith, Jimmy Fallon, Neil Patrick Harris, and more.” (taken from TIFF catalog) This little film has a fantastic opening sequence – it’s funny, poignant, inclusive, and provokes reflection and introspection and brought me to tears right off the bat. There’s a lot to love about this little film, but it does lose some steam in the third act.  (Am I getting old and tired, or do more and more films need recuts?) There is a lot of priceless material here, and the topic is valuable.

COMING HOME AGAIN was my next film. “A Korean American man cares for his ailing mother while trying to master her traditional cooking in the latest from Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club), based on Chang-rae Lee’s New Yorker short story.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  This film starts out in a languid manner – lots of lingering shots without much happening (except everything is happening).  A young man is caring for his mother who is dying of stomach Cancer, and the days stretch on with little happening – thus the pace. But eventually some old wounds start to surface, and some additional players enter the scene – and the performances are not of the same caliber.  In the last 25 minutes, I felt like the film went off its quiet rails and not at all in a good way.  I don’t see much box office life for this one.

LYREBIRD, my last film of the day, just got picked up by Sony Classics.   “In Dan Friedkin’s directorial debut, a soldier and member of the Dutch resistance (Claes Bang) investigates stolen art in the wake of the Second World War, including a Vermeer sold to the Nazis by a flamboyant painter (Guy Pearce).” (taken from TIFF catalog)  Based on a true story, this movie goes big (at least the score and some of the performances do) and the audience seemed to like it.  The mystery at the first act’s core was an easy solve, and the movie changes genres a couple times. Though there were aspects of the story I appreciated, my final response was more of a shoulder shrug.

Thanks for checking in.

Tomorrow is my last full day of movies, and then I need to pack my bags…I head home after one movie on Saturday morning.

Cheers,
Jonathan

Fishes & Big Dishes at NEW Tokyo Grill & Hibachi

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Do you love seafood of all sorts?  How about Japanese Hibachi Dishes?  Even Sushi?

If you said yes to any of those three questions, you may be thrilled about Centerville’s newest buffet and hibachi hybrid called Tokyo Grill Sushi and Hibachi Buffet.  This restaurant has recently opened in the old Rue Dumaine location near Sams Club on 725 near Lyons Rd.

Part of the Buffet Bar

The Food Adventures Crew was impressed with the all you can eat sushi roll choices made constantly and replaced on the bar.  We also loved the service of their hibachi grill.  You pick the ingredients, they cook it and bring it to your table.  This place is a cross between Mongolian Grill and a Chinese Buffet with good sushi.  To us the best part was the Sashimi (raw sushi with no rice).

Let’s give you the scoop – you gotta try this place….

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY on TOKYO GRILL SUSHI and HIBACHI BUFFET:

Vanilla Pudding (left) and Tuna and Salmon Sashimi (right)

—Tokyo Grill Sushi & Hibachi Buffet is located at 1061 Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Washington Twp.

— They are open seven days a week from 11am to 10pm.

— This is considered an upscale,  “high end buffet.”  Lunch is around $12.99 and Dinner is around $18.99.  Drinks are not included.

—This is one of the few times we suggest you go for dinner instead of lunch and here is why:  a) more sashimi offerings on the bar b) Shrimp and more seafood included in the raw meat section of the hibachi grill. These 2 reasons alone are worth the price difference.  You eat 2 pieces of sashimi and you have made up the difference price wise.

Nigiri section

— The restaurant seats 90 and they pack them in, sometimes tightly.   If you go on “off hours” it is not as busy.

—The owner has a couple of other locations in different states and decided to invest in a Dayton location because he was told it is a “friendly market.”

— The restaurant consists of 4 bars –
Bar 1 is desserts and raw sashimi (sushi with no rice)
Bar 2 is cooked and raw sushi rolls and nigiri (sliced sushi on top of rice).
Bar 3 is Chinese Food, Appetizers and soup
Bar 4 is the Hibachi Grill with meat and vegetable choices.

Sushi Roll Section – they have about 20 kinds of rolls

There are so many dishes here – but we are going to tell you the best of the best …

 

THE MUST EATS at TOKYO GRILL SUSHI and HIBACHI BUFFET:

—THE SASHIMI (Raw sushi with no rice):
The raw Salmon is amazing.
The raw Tuna is a treat, this is a rare chance to load up.  There are White Tuna, Octopus and sometimes Mackrel and Yellowtail slices in the sashimi section as well.

Typical sushi

—THE SUSHI ROLL BAR:
There are dozens rolls with crab, salmon, tuna, eel and more in them with avocado, cream cheese and other ingredients.  Some are even deep fried sushi rolls.
The Salmon and Tuna Nigiri (slices of raw meat on top of rice) are incredible.

—THE HIBACHI BAR:
Choices of meat include salmon, scallops, steak, chicken, shrimp, calamari, imitation crab meat and tofu.  The vegetable selection is huge!  You can choose to have your ingredients stir fried and served with brown rice, white rice, thin noodles, or thick noodles (udon).

Hibachi Meats

 

—THE VANILLA PUDDING CUPS:
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the vanilla pudding cups on the dessert bar with a vanilla wafer on top.  A  perfect end to a night of indulgence.

 

 

If you are a hibachi or sushi fan at all, or if you love seafood, this place is worth a visit.  Heavily

Hibachi Veggies

stacked with seafood from calamari, to cooked and raw fish, there are a lot of high quality items on this buffet not usually found in an “all you can eat environment.”  In other words, if you are one of those people who spends $20 on two sushi rolls and walks out of the restaurant hungry, this could be your new favorite place.  Take advantage of the hibachi grill, soup area and all the amenities.

Tokyo Grill Sushi and Hibachi Buffet is a fun treat when your hungry for a seafood feast!  If you do not like seafood you can load up on steak and chicken at the hibachi buffet and a couple of chicken dishes at the Chinese bar.

Hibachi Bowl

Please share your comments of your Food Adventures to Tokyo Grill below !

This place is a great chance to sample delicacies like Octopus, Squid, and other seafoods you might not ever try. Give it a shot!

For more Food Adventures, like us on Facebook and join 8,000 foodies in Dayton in the discussion.

Browse our gallery below of more Tokyo Grill Sushi & Hibachi Buffet photos.

 

 

 

One of our plates

All you can eat sushi !!

Miso Soup All Day Long

This hibachi bowl was spicy with salmon, tofu and fake crabmeat

 

Seared Ahi Tuna and Mango

BUSY BUSY

About 1/4 of the bar

Hibachi Bowl is cooked for you !!!

So many sushi rolls

Seared White tuna and sauce

Cooked Octopus Sashimi

OHHH That Salmon !

Veggies at Hibachi

Dining Room

SUSHI !

Freshly prepared- all you want

Kani – imitation crab

Here is your bowl for hibachi raw ingredients to be placed into

Tuna and Salmon

Deep fried rolls , salmon and tuna -its like paradise

Spicy Crab Roll and salmon Nigiri for days ….

Tuna and Squid

dessert bar

We went overboard …AGAIN

Jalapeno Sushi

Chinese and Japanese Appetizers

More Veggies at the Hibachi

Vanilla Pudding

The sushi is terrific

Hibachi Stir Fry ! – Shrimp Scallops, Squid and more

Do you have bigger plates? How about a cookie sheet ?

View of a bar

 

 

TIFF 2019 – Day #7

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Hello Everyone.

I got to sleep in today because my first film started later than usual, and I was glad I got an extra hour in bed.  Here’s why:  Last night had me attending my first true parties of the festival.  First was a gathering with lots of LGBT industry folks – people in PR, critics, film buyers, distributors, programers, etc.  It was a nice event, and I saw a handful of people I’ve met before and was introduced to a handful more – these parties are a lot about networking, so I’m glad I went.  I was a little baffled that it was after 1:30 when I decided to leave, but upon arriving at my apartment, there was a party for A24 right across the street…and a friend had put my name on the list…so I had to check it out.  Though it was “winding down,” it was still a pretty terrific party.  I saw several people I knew (including some crossover from the earlier LGBT party), recognized numerous celebrities from films I’ve screened (WAVES, HARRIET, JOJO RABBIT, and more), and then I saw Jon Hamm.  (swoon) This party was super casual and people didn’t seem to have their guards up…what a fun way to wrap up a great day.

MY ZOE was my first film of Day #7. “A recently divorced mother is driven to extremes in this seventh film by writer-director-actor Julie Delpy — a suspense drama unlike anything she has done before.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  This film goes in a direction you’re not anticipating.  It’s a very straight-forward drama – well-acted, solid script, etc…and then you start to realize some new-fangled, sci-fi technology…but maybe it’s not so sci-fi.  This film will spur a lot of interesting dialog. (So many films at this year’s festival are about divorce and the strains they induce.)

THE KINGMAKER was my next film. “Acclaimed documentarian Lauren Greenfield (The Queen of Versailles) aims her lens at Filipino politician and former First Lady Imelda Marcos, who, despite disgrace, remains unbowed and enmeshed in her nation’s politics.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  Imelda Marcos is a great subject.  She’s funny, charming, charitable, and fumbles a bit.  She seems like the crazy, rich aunt you never knew you had….until the truth starts pouring out.  Greenfield set out to make a very different film, but the story you see unfolded before her, and she couldn’t stop filming.  What was supposed to take a year or so took five years to make, and you simply can’t believe it.  It’s political corruption like you’ve never seen…and the gullible public who seem to keep inviting it in.  This is a cautionary tale!  During the very interesting Q&A, Greenfield said that Imelda would answer every question she ever asked except one.  She wouldn’t answer “How do you feel about Donald Trump?”  I’m so glad my friend Charlie suggested I see this film.  He’s the person who suggested I see FREE SOLO and BIGGEST LITTLE FARM last year…and look what happened to those!

Imelda Marcos in KINGMAKER. Photo Credit: Lauren Greenfield.

Though HUSTLERS doesn’t initially seem like a film I’d be screening at TIFF, a critic friend told me that it’s much better than the trailer alludes…and that JLo could garner an Oscar nomination.  So, I found a way to squeeze it in…only to arrive and the venue and find out that the projector won’t start due to an AC issue.  This just goes to show that no venue is surefire – technical issues happen everywhere.  Thus I’ll have to wait and see HUSTLERS when it gets a theatrical release.  “Inspired by a 2015 New York Magazine article that went viral, Hustlers follows a savvy crew of former strippers who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. Starring Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, and Julia Stiles.” (taken from TIFF catalog)

LUCY IN THE SKY was my last film of the day. “After returning to earth, an obsessive astronaut (Natalie Portman) begins to question her place in the universe — including her relationships with her gentle husband (Dan Stevens) and her alluring crewmate (Jon Hamm) — in the debut feature from accomplished television showrunner Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion).” (taken from TIFF catalog) During the first few minutes, I liked what I was seeing.  The sound design (and especially lack of sound) was great, the idea of someone returning from space and not knowing how to reintegrate was an interesting idea…but things got muddy pretty quickly.  Perhaps I wasn’t in the right mind frame, but at the end of the day, I think this film is a mess.  More and more directors are playing with aspect ratio these days (though never as well as Xavier Dolan or Wes Anderson), and though some scenes had motivation for a change in ratio, the director admitted that sometimes he just wanted to play.  And it shows – the shifts simply don’t make sense.  And there’s more that doesn’t make sense. At one moment, when Portman is purchasing items in a hardware department, she reaches over and grabs a wig…duct tape, hammer, box cutter, wig…makes no sense!  I realize this film is about a woman in the midst of an existential crisis, but I ultimately didn’t care about anyone. The accent is bad, the Dorothy Hamill haircut is bad, some of the green screen work is bad.  I rolled my eyes and shook my head numerous times during this film….and I’m ultimately sad that such a lackluster film has happened to such a great distributor.

Only 2+ more days.

Off to bed.

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

 

TIFF 2019 – Day #6

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Hi Everyone!

I’m now well beyond the half-way mark, and today’s 4 screenings took my grand total to 22 films so far…this means I’ll certainly hit the 30+ mark for this year’s TIFF.

AERONAUTS was my first movie of the day. “The Theory of Everything costars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones reunite for Tom Harper’s high-flying tale about a 19th-century scientist and hot-air balloonist making altitudinal and meteorological history.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  This thrilling adventure is a little too “easy,” but it is also rather fun.  That said, I can’t imagine watching it on a television screen at home – the thrills are best felt on a big screen with a great sound system.  Redmayne and Jones are charming as can be, and though the costumes are sometimes a little “too much,” I felt like there’s certainly an audience who will revel in this tale – and cheer for the bold and brave female character in the central role.

Though it’s getting a wide release that won’t include us at THE NEON, I had to go see THE GOLDFINCH – based on one of my favorite novels of the past several years. “Theo Decker (Ansel Elgort) was only 13 when his mother died in a museum bombing, sending him on an odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption. Through it all, he holds on to one tangible piece of hope from that terrible day: a priceless painting of a bird chained to its perch, The Goldfinch. The latest from John Crowley (Brooklyn) is based on Donna Tartt’s bestselling novel.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  Though I felt like the film was off to a great start – making a lot of great decisions, this movie is one that actually needs more time.  We meet too many characters and never get to know them…which in turn makes the material lose its heart.  We never get too attached.  The source material is more intended for a mini-series than a 140 minute feature film, and I’m sad to say that I don’t think this film will go too far.

The new documentary THE CAPOTE TAPES was my third screening of the day. “Newly discovered interviews with friends of Truman Capote made by Paris Review co-founder George Plimpton invigorate this fascinating documentary on the author (and socialite) behind Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood, while situating Capote in the 20th-century American literary canon.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  There is so much to love about this film – because at its center is the brilliant, hysterical, and tormented Truman Capote.  The interviews are divine, but the piece starts to lose steam in the last 30 minutes.  Though there’s not much room in the “marketplace” for an hour-long documentary (too long for a short and too short for a feature), it would be a much stronger piece at 1 hour.  That said, there’s so much good material here…but unfortunately, the director had to use cutaways because evidently there aren’t enough photos to put on screen during the tape recorded interviews…so he resorts to tracking shots of dinner plates, silverware and crystal goblets – thus so many visuals are uninteresting and do nothing for the story.  Luckily, interviews are great – so I stuck with it…and feel I know Truman a bit better.

USA. New York City. 1966. Truman CAPOTE at his “Black and White Ball” at the Plaza Hotel.

The premiere of HARRIET, the very first feature film ever made about Harriet Tubman, was my last film of the night.  “Tony-winning Broadway actor Cynthia Erivo stars in Kasi Lemmons’ inspiring biopic about renowned abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery and risked her life to lead others to freedom through the network of safehouses known as the Underground Railroad.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  From seeing the trailer, I was a little fearful that this film was going to be too polished and not raw enough.  And though I think it could still use a little more indie grit, the story did indeed envelop me.  Kasi Lemmons explained that they decided not to use the often seen violent tropes of other slavery stories, they wanted to focus on this movie being about freedom.  Though we know some of what characters have suffered, we aren’t forced to watch it as with other recent films about slavery like 12 YEARS A SLAVE or BIRTH OF A NATION.  Instead, we get an adventure film with a true woman – a human being, not a super hero – who saves lives and should inform us all.  Though there were some devices that I thought wore a little thin, I still was completely invested in the story and loved learning more about this American Hero…and having many from the cast do a Q&A was incredibly insightful and all the more powerful.  This film really got the crowd going, and I think it will be well received in Dayton, too.

I’m getting this done a bit earlier than usual…and heading out to a party or two tonight.  My first screening isn’t until Noon tomorrow, so sleeping in is a possibility.

Thanks for checking in!

Jonathan

TIFF 2019 – Day #5

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Hello Most Metro!

Today was my fullest day so far.  I’m so glad I had an auxiliary battery for my phone.

MARRIAGE STORY was my first film of the day.  “Academy Award nominee Noah Baumbach’s incisive and compassionate portrait of a marriage breaking up, and a family staying together, stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, and co-stars Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  Within the first five minutes of this film, I wrote “It’s incredible” in my notes.  The script is fantastic, the performances are right on, and material is taxingly honest, and the supporting cast are lovely additions to the mix.  At one point, I felt like “this is getting to be too long” (a feeling I’ve had numerous times this year), but then I reconciled it by thinking “getting a divorce is tedious and insufferable – so maybe that’s the point…perhaps it suits the material to be a little too drawn out.  In a very clever marketing strategy, there are actually 2 trailers for MARRIAGE STORY…watch both in one sitting below.

After my first screening, I went to a delightful hour+ event in which Allison Janney was interviewed about her career – along with clips that illustrated some of her cinematic touchstones.  This was a pretty hot ticket, and Allison’s mother Macy was the person who scored the ticket for me.  In the coming days, I believe that TIFF will post this interview on-line, and I’ll make sure to share the link with you if I find it.  Allison is funny, smart, gracious and a great storyteller – it was a delight to hear some of her personal history.

After listening to Allison, I got to see her new film – BAD EDUCATION.  “Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, and Ray Romano star in this fact-based dramedy directed by Cory Finley (Thoroughbreds), about an infamous school-larceny scandal that rocked Long Island in the early aughts.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  This film is pretty terrific (though I questioned some of the motivation for the queer content)!  The story’s upsetting subject matter is handled in such an interesting fashion and Jackman’s performance is unlike any I’ve seen him give before.  Janney is also in top form, and I think this film will get snatched up in no time.  Below is the image being used with this film…there is no trailer yet.

THE TRUTH – with two leading ladies I adore – was next on my list. “Acclaimed director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s (Shoplifters, Like Father, Like Son) first film made outside his native Japan stars Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche as a mother and daughter in the film industry whose professional collaboration triggers long-buried resentments.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  My “review” of this film might be a little unfair because I was a bit tired when I walked into this screening.  The first half hour was pretty wonderful, but then my eyes got very heavy and I fought to stay awake.  Ultimately, I kept feeling like I wanted the pace to pick up – but maybe that was just my exhaustion speaking…or maybe it was a little too slow.  At the end of the day, I think it’s a nice film…but it won’t get the roll-out that SHOPLIFTERS did for this director.

TWO POPES was my last film of the day.  Fernando Meirelles and Jonathan Pryce and others from the team introduced the film, and Meirelles said that the reason he likes Pope Francis so much is because he wants to build bridges when so many leaders want to build walls.  Of course that deservedly got a huge round of applause. “In 2013, progressive incoming Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce) and conservative outgoing Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) debate the best path forward for the Catholic Church, in this surprisingly funny chamber piece from Oscar-nominated director Fernando Meirelles (City of God).” (taken from TIFF catalog)  That description kinda sums up the film…but not really.  It’s not just a chamber piece, it’s a pretty big, fully realized film with two incredible central performances.  I’m not a Catholic, thus I can never understand the ways of the church, but I’ve always felt like the regality surrounding the papacy seems to contradict some of the church’s messaging…and it appears that Pope Francis holds a similar sentiment.  This film made me appreciate him more. Through flashbacks and archival footage, we get a much bigger picture than just two Popes chatting.  Though the film loses a little steam in its third act, I think audiences will nonetheless adore it.  I hope Netflix does a theatrical release – more than just a couple cinemas. (I personally know many people who don’t subscribe to Netflix who would love to see this movie.)

It’s time to call it a night. Four more films are on the docket for tomorrow.

Thanks for checking in!

Jonathan

TIFF 2019 – Day #3

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Hello Daytonians,

It was a very full day!

My first film this morning was BLACKBIRD. “A terminally ill mother (Susan Sarandon) invites her family to their country house for one final gathering, but tensions quickly boil over between her two daughters (Kate Winslet and Mia Wasikowska), in Roger Michell’s (My Cousin Rachel, Le Week-End, Venus, Hyde Park On Hudson, Tea With The Dames – all films that played at THE NEON) remake of the award-winning 2014 Danish film Silent Heart.” (taken from TIFF catalog) This film is a powerhouse of female talent.  It strikes some wonderful chords and will be a film that will invoke numerous important discussions…but there were some over-the-top moments and on-the-nose dialog that kept me from loving it.  That said, I ran into two women on the street after the screening, and they absolutely loved it.  Am I a little jade?  Perhaps. (There is no preview for this film yet.)

HOPE GAP was my second film of the day. “A together-forever couple (Annette Bening and Bill Nighy) unpack the many complications of splitting up, in Oscar-nominated writer-director William Nicholson’s razor-sharp drama. Featuring brilliant performances from Bill Nighy and four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening, this exquisite drama from writer-director William Nicholson will resonate with anyone who has ever navigated the choppy waters of long-term love.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  Now here’s a film for adults.  The two central performances are incredible, and each side of this divorce-in-the-works will have you cringing.  And the fact that their son gets used as a pawn is all the more upsetting.  With lovely photography, colorful characters and a great script, I could see this film having a life with us at THE NEON.

LA BELLE EPOQUE was up next. “In this high-concept comedy from Nicolas Bedos (Mr. & Mrs. Adelman), a luddite cartoonist suffering an existential crisis hires a VR company to recreate a happier time in his marriage, as he tries to reconcile the golden-hued past with an inescapable digital present.” (taken from TIFF catalog) I haven’t seen anything this fresh and original since ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND. This wonderful film is a brilliant love story wrapped in a comedy. It’s truly French, and I could have stuck with it for hours.  The performances are on point (I want more Fanny Ardant), and the dialog is fantastic.  This is the first film of the festival where inventive editing has truly stood out.  This is a gem.

I met up for a quick cocktail (and charcuterie board) with a friend and colleague from Fox Searchlight.  In addition to catching up about life in general, we talked about the upcoming slate of films from Searchlight and all the films we’re seeing at the festival. I love this kind of one-on-one with someone I like and admire so much in the business.  After our meeting, I came back to my apartment and typed for a bit…and then I met up with some Daytonian friends who were at TIFF as part of a “bucket list” experience.  They had just wrapped up 5 films over the last 36 hours and I was about to head into my next screening…so our meeting was brief but sweet.

WAVES was my last film of the day, and there’s a lot of buzz around this film.  “Cracks begin to show in the perfect façade of a young athlete’s life, in this palpable and unexpected drama from Trey Edward Shults (It Comes at Night, Krisha).” (taken from TIFF catalog)  This beautifully yet unsettling film has so much going for it, and I think critics will truly take notice.  The story is accessible and we root for the characters and cringe whenever they make poor decisions.  There are so many interesting choices.  The aspect ratio changes several times throughout the film, and the storytelling shifts focus, too.  So much is working for this film, and the languid pace is quite lovely. That said, I would personally like to trim it down.  Currently at 135 minutes, I wish it was more like 115/120.  Unfortunately, I felt like the projection at this particular venue was too dark.  Having just seen the trailer online (below) there was a more interesting and vibrant film under the surface…but projecting the film on an IMAX screen with a “dim” bulb created a hurdle that wasn’t  necessary.

 

After my last screening, I met up with some industry folks at a casual gathering.  People from Magnolia Pictures, Netflix, IFC and a couple PR firms were gathered at a quaint restaurant called the The Town Crier.  It was a nice cap to a full day of films, and now I’m ready for bed.

Thanks for checking in!

Jonathan

TIFF 2019 – Day #2

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Hello Dayton NEON Fans!

Today was my second day, and I’m calling it an early night…in bed by 11:00.  It has been a wonderful and emotional day.  I was delighted to see my all-time favorite director just steps away from my seat.  (This wasn’t the first time I’ve seen Almodovar, but it’s been several years…and tonight’s film will be a stand-out for the festival as well as the year.)  I quickly snapped the picture to the left.

RADIOACTIVE was my first film of Day #2.  “Based on Lauren Redniss’s award-winning graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi’s (Persepolis) biopic stars Rosamund Pike as two-time Nobel Prize–winning scientist Marie Curie, highlighting the groundbreaking discoveries she made with her husband, Pierre (Sam Riley).” (taken from TIFF catalog)  This film gave a great historical background on Curie and posed a lot of interesting questions (through the use of flash-forwards to historical nuclear events) as to whether her discoveries and work were “for good” or ultimately the destruction of societies.  Though not without some wonderful moments that were both enlightening and even powerful, this film seemed rather clunky with its attempts to keep it “fresh and modern” while telling a very true story about an incredible woman.

VARDA BY AGNES “The last film from the late French New Wave filmmaker Agnès Varda (Faces Places) traces her legendary career and life with characteristic humour and vibrant energy, presenting a portrait of an artist who lived through her films and revealed the extraordinary in the ordinary.” (taken from TIFF catalog) This film, largely assembled from numerous lectures/master classes from recent years, is a long-form, cinematic essay as to how and why Varda worked.  It’s full of wonderful moments, incredible artistry and ultimately a realization that there’s so much more of her work for me to discover.   There was a lovely post-screening discussion with three women working in the industry…one being Lulu Wang, director of THE FAREWELL – who had incredibly insightful and inspiring things to say about Agnes and particularly THE GLEANERS AND I (a film that truly resonates with me, too).  Though I don’t see this film getting a traditional release, I would love to bring it for a couple special screenings. The still photo below the trailer is a pic I took during the talk-back.

 

PAIN AND GLORY “An aging filmmaker (Antonio Banderas) grapples with an uncertain future and the circumstances that shaped his successful but troubled life, in Pedro Almodóvar’s self-reflexive consideration of identity and desire.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  This gorgeous new film starring Antonio Banderas as well as other Almodovar favorites like Penelope Cruz Cecilia Roth, is a true winner – with the trademark Almodovar touches like a great score and incredible production design.  It’s about recalling childhood, dealing with physical and mental pain, and the return of an old lover.  I got emotional several times during this film, and I think we’ll be seeing it on some level this Oscar season.  Almodovar and Banderas were in attendance.  They gave a very moving and fun curtain speech and then returned to the stage after the screening for an insightful Q&A.  For various reasons, there were tears throughout the evening, and Almodovar is always a charming and appreciative festival guest.  I’m so glad I got to see him in conjunction with this wonderful film – which received a very long and heartfelt standing ovation.

I’ve got a few films tomorrow and will meet up with a couple different folks throughout the day.  Looking forward to perhaps one more night of good sleep before some of the crazy long nights begin.

Thanks for tuning in!

Jonathan

TIFF 2019 – Day #1

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Hello Everyone.

Today was the first day!

Though screenings for the public didn’t start until this evening, there were several options for press and industry (aka P&I) starting at 9am.  I don’t review films that I don’t watch in their entirety, so I won’t write much about the first film I saw (a portion of) today.  I knew going in that I didn’t have 3 hours to spare, so I watched the first 2 hours.

Then I left that screening in order to attend my first full film – this year’s big winner at Cannes – PARASITE. “A family of cunning derelicts scheme to enter a wealthy household’s employ in this genre-bending, Palme d’Or–winning thriller of class struggle from South Korean master Bong Joon-ho.” (taken from TIFF catalog) Bong Joon-ho directed SNOWPIERCER, MOTHER, and THE HOST – which all played at THE NEON.  PARASITE is a terribly interesting film.  What first starts as almost a zany and fun “stick it to the rich” comedy, has a sudden tonal shift and becomes much more caustic. This film is a brilliant achievement with a lot to say about class, but I suspect the unsettling material in the third act might make it a hard sell to many of our regulars.

My next film of the day was PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE – “Hired to paint a portrait ahead of a prospective marriage, an artist in 18th-century Brittany finds herself falling for the reclusive would-be bride, in the Cannes Queer Palm–winning fourth feature from writer-director Céline Sciamma.” (taken from TIFF catalog)  Full of lovely photography and told at an elegant pace, this film is absolutely gorgeous.  There’s very little music in this film…in fact, there is no traditional score – just a couple moments of music used with great craft.  That said, the sound design is exquisite – crackling fire and creaking floorboards add their own rhythms.  And I’ve never watched brush strokes on canvas with such interest.  The script is marvelous (it won the screenplay award at Cannes – of which it clearly deserved), and I wrote down several lines I want to remember.  The chemistry between the two leads sets the screen ablaze, and the director makes so many compelling and wonderful choices.  A true gem.  There is no trailer yet for this film, just some clips.  Check this one out:

 

My last film of the evening was also my first public film of the day – THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD.  “Director Armando Iannucci (The Death of Stalin) brings his sardonic wit — and a stellar cast that includes Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Gwendoline Christie, Peter Capaldi, and Ben Whishaw — to Charles Dickens’ classic autobiographical novel.” (taken from TIFF catalog).  Armando and Dev and several other cast members were part of a post-screening Q&A after this evening’s screening (but sadly no Tilda!), and their attendance certainly added to the glitz of opening night.  This re-telling of the beloved Dickens’ novel is told with a very contemporary visual style, and some bold choices are made – and many are well executed. There’s a lot of comedy in this adaptation (the screenplay is by VEEP’s Simon Blackwell), but I felt a certain mania in this version that led me to never really care about anyone.  I laughed numerous times and there are certainly some really terrific moments…but overall, it wasn’t as strong as I had hoped.  There is no trailer (and very few images yet) for this film.

Tomorrow has 2 of my highly anticipated films on the docket.  Can’t wait!

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

Preparing for The Toronto International Film Festival

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Hello Dayton Most Metro!

I’m leaving early tomorrow morning for Toronto…a favorite part of my job.

I’m so glad I can use this platform to once again report back home (as well as sort my thoughts) regarding my time and screenings at The Toronto International Film Festival. There are over 300 films to chose from over the next several days, and I have secured several tickets for films that I’m greatly anticipating.

Though my screening schedule is never 100% locked down, here are trailers for a handful of films that I’m excited to see:
PAIN AND GLORY – the new film from my favorite director, Pedro Almodovar

JOJO RABBIT – the new film from the director of HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE, Taika Waititi

VARDA BY AGNES – the last film from one of my favorite artists ever, Agnes Varda

Starting Thursday night, I’ll jot down notes about all the films I’m screening (and the stars I’m spotting).

Thanks for checking in!
Jonathan