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Jamie Lee Curtis

TIFF Day #2 – 2024

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Hello NEON Community!

Today’s early films had an Ohio focus!

My first movie of the day was THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA, dir Samir Oliveros (USA) “Featuring Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell), Walton Goggins, and David Strathairn, this stranger-than-fiction drama resurrects a hugely popular 1980s game show and the ‘luckiest man in America’ who broke it.” (taken from TIFF catalog) Based on a true story about how a man memorized and beat the “random” lights on PRESS YOUR LUCK, the protagonist from this scandal was from Lebanon, Ohio!  This funny, tense, and upsetting film works on so many levels.  From it’s vintage-looking credits and camera work to the crazy set-up, this movie is a lot of fun.  Though the ending was slightly unsatisfying, I think this film ultimately works.

Shot largely in Wilmington, Ohio, my next film was NUTCRACKERS, dir David Gordon Green (USA) “Ben Stiller stars as a city slicker forced to look after a quartet of mischievous rural orphans in this fish-out-of-water comedy that speaks to the hidden talents in each of us just waiting for a chance to shine.” (taken from TIFF catalog) This film has a giant heart…and despite its formula-driven script (with some cringe-worthy moments) and its overly predictable turns, the film lands exactly where it wants to – and I think it will work well with audiences.  The 4 boys (real-life siblings from Ohio) are pretty great, and you’ll likely recognize some settings (and maybe even some locals).

My next film was my first public screening of the festival (meaning it wasn’t just industry folks – but open to the general public)…and the director & cast were there! (Due to last year’s strikes, hardly any films had casts in attendance…so this will be a nice change this year.)   THE LAST SHOWGIRL, dir Gia Coppola (USA) “A seasoned performer must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run. Starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Dave Bautista.” From a good script written by Kate Gersten – someone who “was there” when the last big, old-fashion Vegas show closed (known as Jubilee! – which Gersten said was referred to as “the last of the tits and feathers shows” ) – this story seemed quite authentic, and Pamela Anderson said she had been “getting ready my whole life for this role.”  Touching and full of melancholy, Anderson and Curtis are great in this film.  And I love when there’s a moment in a film that evokes the crowd to burst into applause.  A solid film from Gia Coppola

My first documentary of the festival was MISTRESS DISPELLER, dir Elizabeth Lo (China, USA) “Sure to be a conversation starter and filmed with an astonishing emotional intimacy, Mistress Dispeller follows the work of a Chinese woman who practices unorthodox techniques to repair marital infidelity.” From the director of STRAY – a doc we played at THE NEON about a dog living on the streets of Istanbul – this film had a very intriguing set-up.  The lines of documentary ethics seemed to be blurred in order to get the material…but so was the story of the protagonist who is called in to make extramarital affairs disappear.  I loved a lot of this film, and the last 8-10 minutes were very satisfying.  The post-screening discussion was very enlightening and answered my questions…but I think there’s a much stronger 40-60 minute film here instead of a feature.
There’s no trailer for this film…but here’s a clip:

 

My 9th film for the festival and fifth film for today is a winner! WE LIVE IN TIME, dir John Crowley (United Kingdom, France) “Featuring gorgeously detailed performances from Oscar nominees Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, this inventively structured romance explores the question of how to make the most of our time in this world.” (taken from TIFF catalog) The energy was high when I arrived at the Visa Screening Room.  Hundreds of fans were cheering for Andrew Garfield…and he was just a few feet away when I was checking in.  When I got to my nosebleed seat (about 5 stories up), the crowd on the street was chanting “Florence. Florence.”  This town is so ready to welcome big stars again!
This gorgeous, nonlinear film did not disappoint.  With three different timelines playing against each other, the title resonates even stronger as we get to know a couple who are dealing with pregnancy, cancer and the day-to-day act of living.  It’s a beautiful story, and these two actors are at the top of their crafts…and having them talk about how they worked on this project has been the highlight of the festival so far.

Thanks so much for reading.
Tomorrow is Almodovar Day!

More soon,
Jonathan

McCoy on Movies: HALLOWEEN ENDS

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Horror franchise delivers most definitive chapter yet to finally bring closure to the story of Laurie Strode and Michael Myers

“This is not the yoga class I signed up for!” Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) battles her longstanding nemesis Michael Myers a.k.a. “The Shape” (James Jude Courtney) in a scene from co-writer/producer/director David Gordon Green’s final(?) installment in his trilogy, HALLOWEEN ENDS. Credit: Ryan Green/Universal Pictures © 2022 Universal Pictures

 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
 

 

DIRECTOR: David Gordon Green

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jamie Lee Curtis, James Jude Courtney, Rohan Campbell, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Kyle Richards, Michael Barbieri, Marteen, Destiny Mone, Joey Harris, Keraun Harris and Nick Castle

 

THE BACK STORY: Over the course of 40+ years, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has been obsessed with one man: Michael Myers (a.k.a. “The Shape,” portrayed by both James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle), who has been killing people left and right in their (thankfully fictional) Haddonfield, Ill since the 70s.
Editor’s note: Halloween started in the late 70s and it’s now the early 2020s … But he’s only been killing people for 40+ years … The math does pan out.
Now, Michael hasn’t been seen since escaping from a mental facility and going on a murder spree where he LITERALLY WHOOPS AN ENTIRE TOWN’S COLLECTIVE *** as seen in Halloween Ends. But while Michael’s rampage became the biggest story in Haddonfield since his original one, the shattered town seemingly has needed a new boogeyman to take his place to direct their hate.

Enter Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell).

Babysitting Halloween night in 2019 for a local rich couple, an accident occurs that forever changes his life. Now, in Michael’s absence and Laurie’s lack of activity – she is writing a book and trying to move on with her life – Corey’s unfortunately become the town pariah, except to everyone but one person: Allyson (Andi Matichak), Laurie’s granddaughter that she has taken in following the murder of her parents by – you guessed it – Michael.

But as Allyson and Corey get closer, Laurie starts to notice a darkness in the latter that makes her fearful of what’s to come. But since Michael hasn’t been seen in an olympics and Halloween is approaching, she might want to be a little more concerned about a man who has gone through more kitchen knives than a season of Top Chef …

 

THE REVIEW: If you’ve ever seen me do stand-up in the month of October, there’s a chance you’ve seen me eviscerate just how silly the previous installments of the modern Halloween trilogy is. From the over-the-top characters, bad foreshadowing dialogue and ridiculous yet gory kills and plots, the first two installments were for die-hard fans only.
Now, with Halloween Ends, we get an unexpected story-rich tale that is still loaded with over-the-top characters, gory/zany kills … And what may be the most definitive chapter of the series … to date.
Look, when you walk into a Halloween movie, it’s best to turn off the logical part of your brain. Halloween Kills, however, does a little to acknowledge how some of the past films have been a bit wild (to say the least), really trying to build up the idea of what makes someone evil (there are two types of evil as Laurie narrates for the audience). Likewise, the character development is unusually strong for a Halloween movie, which is weird since at least 9 out of 10 people that will be watching are coming to watch Michael fight Laurie (or vice-versa) and see who wins and/or survives (if either does).
But all those things aside, make no mistake: While Halloween Ends is the easily the best of the modern trilogy, it’s best-served for the die hards that love Halloween (either the movie or this film series), the Michael Myers character (there’s no real re-inventing the wheel there), Jamie Lee Curtis or just have to find closure after seeing the first two movies. Will all of them like it? Will all of them hate it? The answer remains to be seen – but there is definitely an ending.
Otherwise, the best thing about Halloween Ends is that it ends – and it is a definitive ending as you can have for a horror movie and a franchise that should by all accounts be over once its namesake holiday passes.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

Jesus Christ Superstar | Halloween | Cloud Atlas | Chasing Mavericks | Silent Hill 3d Revelation Special Showing

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Hello Dayton! Last week’s blog featured lots of scary movies just in time for Halloween. This week focuses on more special events as well as upcoming releases that should be sure to make a splash!

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR MONDAY OCTOBER 29TH & THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1ST @ 7:30PM

Experience Andrew Lloyd Webber’s newly staged rock opera sensation Jesus Christ Superstar in a whole new way, on the big screen. The theatrical production originally opened in the West End in 1972 and has been reimagined to capture today’s audiences with the classic musical numbers that you are sure to remember and love. The evening will begin with an exclusive historical retrospective on this iconic title including interviews with cast members from the past and present. This version features actor/singer Ben Forster as Jesus, Tim Minchin as Judas Iscariot, and Melanie Chisholm (aka Mel C from the Spice Girls) as Mary Magdalene.

Don’t miss this special event playing two nights only!

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x61EQP-4IUY’]

HALLOWEEN TUESDAY OCTOBER 30TH @ 7:30PM

Celebrate the day before Halloween with one of Halloween’s best loved scary movies! The original movie from 1972 featuring Jamie Lee Curtis will be on the big screen for just one night at one time and it’s more terrifying than ever. A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood for the murder of his sister, escapes and stalks a bookish teenage girl and her friends while his doctor chases him through the streets.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zrp-k-OnrM’]

 

 

 

 

CLOUD ATLAS- OPENING FRIDAY OCTOBER 26TH

An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution. Beginning as far back as an 1849 diary of an ocean voyage and going as far into the future during a post-apocalyptic, this movie, based off a novel, has a stellar cast featuring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, and Susan Serandon.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQFAPeaJOf8′]

CHASING MAVERICKS- OPENING FRIDAY OCTOBER 26TH

The inspirational true story of real life surfing phenomenon Jay Moriarty begins when 15 year old Jay discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth exists just miles from his Santa Cruz home. He enlists the help of local legend Frosty Hesson to train him to survive it. As Jay and Frosty embark on their quest to accomplish the impossible, they form a unique friendship that transforms both their lives, and their quest to tame Mavericks becomes as much about their bond as it is about surfing.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YYc3jRoua8′]

SPECIAL SHOWING- SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D THURSDAY OCTOBER 25TH @ 10PM

Heather Mason and her father have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn’t fully understand, Now on the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she’s not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever. This movie releases on Friday, October 26th but has a special early show Thursday at 10pm.

Click for showtimes…

ENTER TO WIN TWO MOVIE PASSES!

Complete the form and leave a Facebook comment telling us you want to WIN MOVIE PASSES from RAVE CINEMAS DAYTON SOUTH, we will randomly draw a winner and notify same. Contest closes 10/25/12. Passes awarded will be valid for 30 days from close date at Rave Cinemas Dayton South only and must be used by then or will be forfeited. Valid for any showing, except special events. Please bring ID to verify your name and just ask for a manager when attending informing them you won the Dayton Most Metro contest.

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to this week’s winner:

Brian Anzek