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THE LUNCHBOX and GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL at THE NEON

April 17, 2014 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone,

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL is starting to fade..but it’s still performing well enough to stick around for another week. That said, this could be its last. Hurry down if you still need to see it (or see it again).

On Friday, we will open the charming, feature debut film from director Ritesh Batra – THE LUNCHBOX. T.T. Stern-Enzi of DAYTON CITY PAPER just gave the film an “A” review. He wrote, “A soulful performance by Irrfan Khan serves as the key ingredient in this marvelous dish.”

Synopsis for THE LUNCHBOX: Currently rated 96% FRESH on Rottentomatoes.com “Middle class housewife Ila is trying once again to add some spice to her marriage, this time through her cooking. She desperately hopes that this new recipe will finally arouse some kind of reaction from her neglectful husband. She prepares a special lunchbox to be delivered to him at work, but, unbeknownst to her, it is mistakenly delivered to another office worker – a lonely man on the verge of retirement. Curious about the lack of reaction from her husband, Ila puts a little note in the following day’s lunchbox, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the mystery. This begins a series of lunchbox notes between the two, and the mere comfort of communicating with a stranger anonymously soon evolves into an unexpected friendship.” (taken from Sony Classics) Visit the film’s official website by clicking this LINK.

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The 2014 Dayton Jewish Film Festival is gearing up for next week’s Opening Night. With terrific films and all the extras that are being planned, this promises to be a truly exciting festival. Click this LINK to visit the festival’s official site…details for buying advanced tickets can be found there. Here are a list of films that are screening at THE NEON:

Thursday, April 24 at 7:30 – THE ZIG ZAG KID
Tuesday, April 29 at 7:15 – AFTERMATH
Thursday, May 1 at 7:15 – BETHLEHEM
Tuesday, May 6 at 7:20 – QUALITY BALLS: THE DAVID STEINBERG STORY
Thursday, May 8 at 7:15 – SUESKIND
Monday, May 12 at 7:15 – THE PRIME MINISTERS: THE PIONEERS
Tuesday, May 13 at 9:30am – ESTHER BRONER: A WEAVE OF WOMEN
Thursday, May 15 at 7:15 – WHITE PANTHER
Sunday, May 18 at 7:15 – THE THIRD HALF
Program guides are currently available in our lobby!

THE NEON is currently helping AIDS Resource Center Ohio sell tickets for a special raffle. Tickets are $25 each or 6 for $100. There will be 2 great prizes – one from the Red Rock Resort & Spa in Las Vegas and the other from Elizabeth Diamond Company. Each prize is valued at $4900. Raffle tickets are available at our box office…and will only be available through this weekend!

Thanks for your continued support of THE NEON!
We couldn’t do it without you!
All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, April 18 – Thursday, April 24:

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (R) 1 Hr 39 Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:10, 7:30, 10:00
Sunday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:10, 7:30
Monday – Wednesday: 2:45, 5:10, 7:30
Thursday: 2:45, 5:10

THE LUNCHBOX (PG) 1 Hr 44 Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:40 2:50, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday: 12:40 2:50, 5:00, 7:20
Monday – Wednesday: 2:50, 5:20, 7:40
Thursday: 2:50, 5:20

DAYTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
THE ZIGZAG KID (NR) 1 Hr 35 Min – Thursday at 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
April 25 – LE WEEK-END
May 2 – UNDER THE SKIN
May 2 – JODOROWSKI’S DUNE
May 16 – ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE
May 16 – GOD’S POCKET
May 23 – BELLE
June 13 – FOR NO GOOD REASON
TBD – DOM HEMINGWAY

TIM’S VERMEER Opens and GRAND BUDAPEST Holds at THE NEON!

April 2, 2014 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone,

In just under 11 days, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL became our #7 highest grossing film at THE NEON. All films above it played for a minimum of 6 weeks to reach those kind of numbers. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support – it has been a wonderful ride so far.

It goes without saying that we will continue our run of BUDAPEST HOTEL. That said, it will now play on just one screen. Starting Friday, we will open a documentary that many of you have been eager to see – TIM’S VERMEER.

Synopsis for TIM’S VERMEER: “Tim Jenison, a Texas based inventor, (Video Toaster, LightWave, TriCaster) attempts to solve one of the greatest mysteries in all art: How did 17th century Dutch master Johannes Vermeer (“Girl with a Pearl Earring”) manage to paint so photo-realistically – 150 years before the invention of photography? The epic research project Jenison embarks on to test his theory is as extraordinary as what he discovers. Spanning a decade, Jenison’s adventure takes him to Delft, Holland, where Vermeer painted his masterpieces on a pilgrimage to the North coast of Yorkshire to meet artist David Hockney and eventually to Buckingham Palace, to see the Queen’s Vermeer.” Visit the official site for TIM’S VERMEER by clicking this LINK.

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The TAB Entertainment has rented one of our auditoriums on Sunday, April 13 for a special, one-time screening of MY DREAM BESIDE ME. “MY DREAM BESIDE ME is a romantic dramedy based on the true love story of Paul Rich and Mary Kay Slesinger Rich. At 84 years young Paul lost his wife of 66 years – Mary Kay was married for 34 years and she was left a widow when she was in her mid 60’s. After a few years Paul and Mary Kay met and fell in love. This union of marriage is a testimony that people can be strong, vital and full of life at any age.” (taken from press notes) Tickets for this screening are $9 each. Advanced tickets are only available on the film’s official website (Click HERE to visit the official site). Remaining tickets will be sold at THE NEON’s box office on the day of the screening.

“The Massie Creek Paddlers will be hosting Rapid Media’s 9th annual REEL PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL showcasing the world’s best paddling films to audiences in Canada, United States and around the world. The festival inspires more people to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the lifestyle and appreciate the heritage of the wild places we paddle. The Reel Paddling Film Festival is a film contest awarding winning films in 10 categories. The winners and other shortlisted films are then toured to more than 100 cities around the world, screening for an audience of more than 30,000 outdoor adventure enthusiasts and their friends and families.” Advance tickets, just $10 each, are available on the official site (click this LINK). This special, one-night screening will stop by THE NEON on Wednesday, April 16 at 7:30.

The 2014 Dayton Jewish Film Festival is preparing for an exciting line-up. The festival kicks off on Thursday, April 24 at THE NEON, and the films look excellent. With all the extras that are being planned, this promises to be a truly exciting festival. I’ll include more details in next week’s newsletter…but if you can’t wait, visit the official site by clicking this LINK.

Thanks for your continued support of THE NEON!
We couldn’t do it without you!

All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, April 4 – Thursday, April 10:

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (R) 1 Hr 39 Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:10, 7:30, 10:00
Sunday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:10, 7:30
Monday – Thursday: 2:45, 5:10, 7:30

TIM’S VERMEER (PG-13) 1 Hr 20 Min
Friday, Saturday: 1:00, 3:00, 5:15, 7:15, 9:15
Sunday: 1:00, 3:00, 5:15, 7:15
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:15, 7:15

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
April 11 – THE RAID 2
April 18 – THE LUNCHBOX
April 25 – LE WEEK-END
May 5 – JODOROWSKI’S DUNE
May 16 – ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE
May 16 – GOD’S POCKET
June 13 – FOR NO GOOD REASON
TBD – DOM HEMINGWAY
TBD – BELLE
TBD – UNDER THE SKIN

Academy Nominated OMAR Opens Friday at THE NEON!

March 5, 2014 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

f243d_movies_omar-96613-poster-xlarge-resized Hello Everyone,

This might be a first…we’ll be featuring 5 films this weekend! In addition to holding all of our current attractions (PHILOMENA, THE GREAT BEAUTY, GLORIA and DALLAS BUYERS CLUB), we will open the Academy Award nominated film OMAR. (PHILOMENA will only play through the weekend…it will screen for the last time on Sunday, March 9!) Visit our website for links to each of the film’s official sites as well as showtimes for the remainder of this week – www.neonmovies.com

Synopsis for OMAR: “A tense, gripping thriller about betrayal, suspected and real, in the Occupied Territories. Omar is a Palestinian baker who routinely climbs over the separation wall to meet up with his girl Nadja. By night, he’s either a freedom fighter or a terrorist – you decide – ready to risk his life to strike at the Israeli military with his childhood friends Tarek and Amjad. Arrested after the killing of an Israeli soldier and tricked into an admission of guilt by association, he agrees to work as an informant. So begins a dangerous game – is he playing his Israeli handler or will he really betray his cause? And who can he trust on either side? Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad (director of PARADISE NOW) has made a dynamic, action-packed drama about the insoluble moral dilemmas and tough choices facing those on the frontlines of a conflict that shows no sign of letting up.” Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site. Nominated for “Best Foreign Film” at this year’s Academy Awards!

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For the next few weeks, it’s all about our traditional engagements at THE NEON. But starting in April, we will have special events galore for the rest of the Spring. Stay tuned for all the fun details.

Next week, we will open ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME! Have you already seen the trailer? If not, check it out below. And on March 21, we will open Wes Anderson’s latest film – THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. We can’t wait!

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Many thanks to ThinkTV and Square One Salon & Spa for their support of our Annual Oscar Party (click on either business to visit their official sites). Snowy weather hurt our turn-out a little, but the 80+ people who attended still had a great time.

And thanks to YOU for your continued support.

We hope to see you soon,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, March 7 – Thursday, March 13:

PHILOMENA (PG-13) 1 Hr 38 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:15

GLORIA (R) 1 Hr 50 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 4:45
Monday – Thursday: 3:00

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (R) 1 Hr 57 Min
Friday, Saturday: 2:20, 9:45
Sunday: 2:20
Monday – Thursday: 5:15

THE GREAT BEAUTY (NR) 2 Hrs 22 Mins
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 7:00
Monday-Thursday: 7:45

OMAR (NR) 1 Hr 36 Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:40, 2:50, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Sunday: 12:40, 2:50, 5:00, 7:15,
Monday – Thursday: 3:10, 5:20, 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
March 14 – ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME
March 21 – GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
TBD – TIM’S VERMEER
TBD – LE WEEK-END
April 18 – THE LUNCHBOX

Toronto – Day #4 – 2013

September 9, 2013 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello!

Yesterday was another epic day. After seeing 5 films, I still managed to meet up with a couple friends for drinks…a nap is certainly in store at some point today. One person I met up with is a Dayton native (a former Neon regular and Stivers grad) – Rachel Allen. She now lives in Brooklyn and works for a PR firm in NYC…and she’s in Toronto working with a handful of films at the festival. It was great to see her, and I was delighted to hear of her recent successes.

The first film I saw in the morning was THE F WORD – a romantic comedy starring Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan. This charming film is full of fast, witty dialog (and sadly way too many poop-obsessed jokes), and it doesn’t try to be anything beyond a sweet film targeted at young adults. The story centers on 2 young people who meet at a party. The young girl, delightfully played by Kazan, is an animator who is in a relationship. The young guy, played by Radcliffe (he has 3 films at TIFF this year), is still getting over a broken heart (the opening scene has him finally deleting a year-old voicemail from his ex-girlfriend). The 2, upon meeting, have great chemistry…but they determine that they can only be friends. Thogh predictable and at times a bit too screwball for my taste, this film ultimately works.

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB was the 2nd film of the festival that I really loved. Based on a true story, this is a film about a man in the 1980’s who is diagnosed with HIV. Frustrated by the lack of FDA-approved drugs, he sets out to smuggle non-approved treatments into the US. Matthew McConaughey plays the main character, and his performance is mind-blowing. That said, Jarred Leto – who plays a trans character – is also out of this world. With lots of interesting choices (great sound design and an urgency that makes the film not seem like a period piece), this will go down as one of the best films of the year…stay tuned for lots of award season recognition.

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Next up was a romantic, modern musical by John Carney (director of ONCE) – CAN A SONG SAVE YOUR LIFE? Starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, this film is full of great music and good performances. It’s the story of two broken people who begin working together to produce an album of fresh, new music. I’ve heard many people raving about this film. Though I liked it, I didn’t think it was amazing. There are some magical moments, but I didn’t buy into the film entirely. (There’s a scene where Ruffalo imagines orchestrations over Knightley’s simple, guitar-accompanied performance…and I found it terribly cheesy.) There will certainly be an audience for this film, but I don’t think the results are as successful as ONCE.

PHILOMENA, the new Judi Dench film by Stephen Frears, is absolutely wonderful. This is the story of a relationship between a journalist and an aging woman. Philomena gave birth to a boy in a convent when she was 14, and the nuns found a home for him when he was an toddler. After years of feeling guilty for her sins of the flesh (the nuns were successful at shaming her for decades), a journalist takes interest in Philomena’s attempt to locate her son. The story is ultimately a mystery, but it’s so much more. The script is absolutely terrific, and the performances are rich and layered. This film is 100% NEON material! Without harping, the film has very interesting things to say at the Catholic Church, contemporary journalism and the Republican Party.

LE WEEK-END – a new film about a retirement-aged, British couple during a weekend is Paris – is clearly inspired by (and even references) films of the French New Wave. Though there are several great scenes in this film, and the performances of Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan are terrific, I had a hard time connecting. Duncan’s hot/cold character changes moods on a dime, and I ultimately found her so frustrating that I found it difficult to care about anybody. Though I was ultimately moved by the film, I didn’t love it overall. Directed by Roger Michell (NOTTING HILL, THE MOTHER, VENUS, HYDE PARK ON HUDSON), I don’t see a lot of commercial success with this title.

I’m about to head into a screening of BELLE…then 3 other films today.

Thanks for reading! More tomorrow!