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ST. VINCENT (Starring Bill Murray) & PRIDE (With Amazing British Cast) Start Friday at THE NEON!

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pride_ver3Hello Everyone,

If you’ve liked films like BILLY ELLIOT and THE FULL MONTY, I’m pretty certain you’re going to absolutely love PRIDE. The standing ovation at the screening I attended in Toronto was invigorating, and the film is more than just warm and charming – it’s inspiring. I hope you’ll come and support it this weekend. In addition to PRIDE, we will open the new Bill Murray comedy – ST. VINCENT. This film was also a crowd-pleaser when I saw it in Toronto, and I think Dayton audiences will like it as well. If you still need to see THE SKELETON TWINS, LOVE IS STRANGE, MY OLD LADY or THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY, you only have until Thursday to see them at THE NEON. Visit www.neonmovies.com for this week’s remaining showtimes.

As a reminder, we will have a special preview screening of ST. VINCENT on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 8:00. Regular ticket prices will apply…and we’ll have some fun prizes to give away!

Synopsis for PRIDE: “PRIDE is inspired by an extraordinary true story. It’s the summer of 1984, Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers is on strike, prompting a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists to raise money to support the strikers’ families. Initially rebuffed by the Union, the group identifies a tiny mining village in Wales and sets off to make their donation in person. As the strike drags on, the two groups discover that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.” This film stars some real heavyweight British actors like Imedla Staunton, Bill Nighy, Dominic West and Paddy Considine. Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for ST. VINCENT: “Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), a single mother, moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year old son, Oliver. Forced to work long hours, she has no choice but to leave Oliver in the care of their new neighbor, Vincent (Bill Murray), a retired curmudgeon with a penchant for alcohol and gambling. An odd friendship soon blossoms between the improbable pair. Together with a pregnant stripper named Daka (Naomi Watts), Vincent brings Oliver along on all the stops that make up his daily routine – the race track, a strip club, and the local dive bar. Vincent helps Oliver grow to become a man, while Oliver begins to see in Vincent something that no one else is able to: a misunderstood man with a good heart.” Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5BVn-eyAxA

By now, many of you are familiar with Gathr and Tugg – platforms used to bring films to town that might not otherwise screen in our market. When you visit these sites, you can reserve a ticket that will help bring the film to THE NEON. If not enough tickets are reserved, the screening doesn’t go forward and your card is never charged. Here are 2 upcoming films that are attempting to come to town:
CULTURE HIGH, a film about the modern day marijuana debate – Wed. Nov. 5 at 7:30 – LINK for CULTURE HIGH
PENTON, a film about the American icon and motorcycle pioneer (this is an encore screening due to the sold-out success of the screening a month ago) – Thursday, Nov. 6 a 7:30 – LINK for PENTON

VSOP Music & Film is bringing HARLEM STREET SINGER – THE STORY OF REVEREND GARY DAVIS to THE NEON for a one-time screening on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7:30. “The film tells the story of the blind, self-taught musician Reverend Gary Davis. It chronicles his hardscrabble life and the profound impact he made on musicians eager to explore his technique – a homegrown guitar style forged from ragtime, gospel and blues. In addition to archival footage and interview segments with Bob Weir, Jorma Kaukonen, John Cohen, David Bromberg, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and others, the film features newly recorded versions of songs Davis was closely identified with performed by a band led by Woody Mann. Blues and jazz historian (and frontman for the Classic Jazz Stompers) Dave Greer will lead a Q&A following the screeing.” (taken from VSOP Press Notes) Tickets will be $8 each and available starting Oct. 22 at THE NEON’s box office.

Thanks for your continued support!

We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, Oct. 24 – Thursday, Oct. 30:

PRIDE (R) 1 Hr 57 Min
Friday & Saturday: 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:15, 9:45
Sunday: 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:15
Monday – Thursday: 2:45, 5:15, 7:45

ST. VINCENT (PG-13) 1 Hr 42 Min
Special Preview screening Thursday, Oct. 23 at 8:00!
Friday & Saturday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50
Sunday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Monday – Thursday: 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear.)

Nov. 7 – BIRDMAN
Nov. 14 – WHIPLASH
Nov. 28 – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Dec. 19 – THE IMITATION GAME
Jan. 9 – FOXCATCHER

Gaggle of Stars in New Movies at THE NEON!

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the-two-faces-of-january-posterHello Everyone,

We’re holding both LOVE IS STRANGE and THE SKELETON TWINS for one more week, but we’re going to add two new films into the mix. On Friday, we will open a film starring Dame Maggie Smith, always loved by our regulars, in MY OLD LADY – also starring Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas. In addition, we will open a stylish adaptation of a Patricia Highsmith thriller – THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY – starring Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, and Oscar Isaac. All of these films will end their runs on Thursday, Oct. 23…so hurry down if you want to see them. Visit www.neonmovies.com for this week’s remaining showtimes.

Synopsis for MY OLD LADY: One Week Only! “Mathias Gold (Kevin Kline) is a down-on-his-luck New Yorker who inherits a Parisian apartment from his estranged father. But when he arrives in France to sell the vast domicile, he’s shocked to discover a live-in tenant who is not prepared to budge. His apartment is a viager – an ancient French real estate system with complex rules pertaining to its resale – and the feisty Englishwoman Mathilde Girard (Maggie Smith), who has lived in the apartment with her daughter Chloe (Kristin Scott Thomas) for many years, can by contract collect monthly payments from Mathias until her death.” (taken from Cohen Media) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY: One Week Only! “Screenwriter Hossein Amini (The Wings of the Dove, Drive) makes a stylish directing debut with this sleek thriller set in Greece and Istanbul, 1962, and adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s novel. Intrigue begins at the Parthenon when wealthy American tourists Chester MacFarland (Viggo Mortensen) and his young wife Collete (Kirsten Dunst) meet American expat Rydal (Oscar Isaac), a scammer working as a tour guide. Instead of becoming his latest marks, the two befriend him, but a murder at the couple’s hotel puts all three on the run together and creates a precarious bond between them as the trio’s allegiance is put to the test.”

On Sunday, Oct. 19 at 5:30, Jeff Akers has rented one of our auditoriums to locally premiere his new short film ILLUMINATION. “Jeff Akers Films, a subsidiary of NJP Media Network, is pleased to announce the release of the riveting new short film ILLUMINATION, which brings to light the mindset of an unbeliever who continues to deny that God is real. The film is set in current reality but personifies new age technology and the power it can have on those in control of it. ILLUMINATION stars veteran actor Shane Willimon, as well as newcomers like Chedrick Cohens, Kenya Permenter, and Darrell Brown who bring this film to life with their skill and believability on screen. Director Jeff Akers plans to screen the film in Greenville, SC and Dayton, Ohio where the majority of it was filmed, he will also enter the production into numerous Christian-based film festivals. ‘This film will not only surprise people, but it will have them thinking on a completely different level,’ he stated. Akers plans to leave you pining for more compelling films and industrials that change your thinking and re-shape your awareness.” (taken from press notes) Akers will attend this screening, and tickets are $5 each – available at THE NEON.

Many thanks to everyone who came out for The Dayton LGBT Film Festival. We had 3 sold-out screenings, and audiences seemed quite enthused by the selections and Opening Night Party. We’re still tabulating the audience award winners…so click this LINK for the festival’s Facebook page later this weekend to find out the latest.

On October 24, we are opening two new films – PRIDE (which is exceptional) and ST. VINCENT (in which Bill Murray is a scream). That said, we just booked a special preview of ST. VINCENT for Thursday, October 23 at 8:00 – where we will have some fun giveaways! Tickets will be available for this special screening by the weekend.

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

SHOWTIMES for Friday, Oct. 17 – Thursday, Oct. 23:

THE SKELETON TWINS (R) 1 Hr 33 Min
Friday & Saturday: 5:10, 9:30
Sunday – Thursday: 5:10

LOVE IS STRANGE (R) 1 Hr 34 Min
Friday & Saturday: 1:00, 5:15
Sunday: 1:00
Monday – Thursday: 5:15

MY OLD LADY (PG-13) 1 Hr 47 Min
Friday & Saturday: 12:30, 2:50, 7:15
Sunday:12:30, 2:50, 7:15
Monday – Thursday: 2:50, 7:15

THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY (PG-13) 1 Hr 36 Min
Friday & Saturday: 3:00, 7:30, 9:40
Sunday: 3:00, 7:45
Monday – Wednesday: 3:00, 7:30
Thursday: 3:00

ILLUMINATION (NR) 30+ Min
Sunday: 5:30

ST. VINCENT (PG-13) 1 Hr 43 Min
PREVIEW SCREENING!
Thursday: 8:00

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear.)
Oct. 24 – PRIDE
Oct. 24 – ST. VINCENT
Nov. 7 – BIRDMAN
Nov. 14 – WHIPLASH
Nov. 28 – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Dec. 19 – THE IMITATION GAME

Toronto – THE FILMS – Day 9

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Hello Everyone.

Yesterday was jam-packed, and I had to be up at 5:30 this morning in order to get to the airport on time (I’m sure glad I got there 2 hours in advance as suggested – that place was crazed at 6:30am).  Anyway, the following are the films I saw on my final day in Toronto.

First off, I saw a documentary called PATRON SAINTS.  This short piece about residents in a nursing home could have been even shorter.  In fact, I think that the poor image quality combined with the mostly poor camera work lend itself to being a better audio piece.  The only thing that makes this piece interesting are the characters – and though it’s certainly compelling to see their images, it’s their stories (and sometimes heartbreaking questions) that really count.  (Of course this trailer makes my criticism look off the mark…but perhaps a 30 minute film would have been better than 72 – given the minutes and minutes of shaky, outdoor, non-interesting photography).

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm64o00Mvwc’]

Next up, I saw THE WOMAN IN THE FIFTH – a French film (though with lots of dialog in English) with Ethan Hawke and Kristin Scott Thomas.  The story involves a man who has returned to Paris (we’re led to believe that he just released from prison – but we begin to question all of our beliefs) in order to try and get time with his young daughter – from whom he has a restraining order.  Though he gets a few brief moments with her, he begins to write her a long letter – and eventually meets a muse (Kristin Scott Thomas) who insists that he return to writing a novel.  I liked this film, but it has me wondering if there were key details that I missed (as the last 15 minutes left me a little puzzled).  The trailer below is the French trailer (the only one available) – but there’s plenty of dialog in English.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B47yUeEQpg8′]

After that, I saw THE AWAKENING – a supernatural thriller with Rebecca Hall (with a supporting role by one of my favorites – Imelda Staunton).  This period film is about a woman who is called to an all boys’ school in order to disprove the rumors and fears that a ghost is responsible for the recent death of a student.  Interestingly, each time she disproves the presence of ghosts, she falls into a depression – because she wants nothing more than to be able to communicate with her dead lover.  The film will undoubtedly be linked to recent movies like THE OTHERS or THE ORPHANAGE…and that’s fair.  That said, I think it’s quite good.  The production values and performances make it stand out in its genre – and I jumped and shrieked with the rest of the audience.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gShlq8cFUs’]

Lastly, I saw BEAUTY – a film set in South Africa.  The film is about a man who leads a very polished and respected life with his family – but secretly meets for group sex with a local group of closeted men.  The lead character becomes interested in the son of a family friend, and the movie becomes a spooky tale of obsession.  There are several critics/members of the gay community who loathe the depiction of gay men as leering, predatory creatures portrayed as nothing but wicked characters.  Though I certainly understand their point (it doesn’t do much in helping to create positive images of the lgbt community), this film is actually a cautionary tale about repression.  It’s the married men, hiding their true sexual identities, who should concern us.  They’re the ones who tend to be filled with self-loathing, resentment, jealousy and thus potentially unleashed anger…the ones who tend to seem the most homophobic and vote against lgbt rights (see numerous news stories regarding political and religious leaders who have been caught hiring rent boys and had public restroom encounters).  Though I don’t think this is a great film, it is well done and certainly unsettling.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGfzaIJRLBo’]

So that’s it!  34 Films in 9 Days!

I’m home now…doing laundry, catching up on a bit of rest, and beginning to put all my thoughts into next weekend’s LGBT Film Fest at THE NEON.  (You know about that, right???)  www.daytonlgbt.com Tickets are on sale now!  If you can’t make it to everything, I personally suggest WEEKEND, TOMBOY, Top Drawer Shorts, and CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE.

Hope to see you soon,

Jonathan