learning to drive | Dayton937

Hello Everyone,

We had another solid weekend at THE NEON. Many thanks for your continued support! MR. HOLMES is going to stick around, but as anticipated, INFINITELY POLAR BEAR will only screen until Thursday. For this week’s remaining showtimes, please visit our website at www.neonmovies.com. On Friday, we will open Woody Allen’s latest film – IRRATIONAL MAN – starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone & Parker Posey.

Synopsis for IRRATIONAL MAN: “Woody Allen’s IRRATIONAL MAN is about a tormented philosophy professor who finds a will to live when he commits an existential act. Philosophy professor Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix) is at rock bottom emotionally, unable to find any meaning or joy in life. Abe feels that everything he’s tried to do, from political activism to teaching, hasn’t made any difference. Soon after arriving to teach at a small town college, Abe gets involved with two women: Rita Richards (Parker Posey), a lonely professor who wants him to rescue her from her unhappy marriage; and Jill Pollard (Emma Stone), his best student, who becomes his closest friend. Pure chance changes everything when Abe and Jill overhear a stranger’s conversation and become drawn in…” (taken from Sony Classics) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official website.

Don’t forget that this Thursday, August 6 at 7:30, director Enzo Libertini will premiere his new film THRESHOLD (Libertini has a background in theater, this is his first feature film). “Three slackers wake up to find their friend is missing and in the search for his whereabouts they continue their normal routine that is both odd and compelling. When this routine becomes threatened they must face what’s been holding them back and cross the threshold into truly living. Filmmaker Enzo Libertini brings an epic comedy to the screen for the first time. Libertini began his work on the stage, with original plays Fulmination and Fall for This.” (taken from press notes) Tickets are on sale now for $8 each at THE NEON’s box office.

On Thursday, August 27 at 7:30, we will hold the world premiere of the new film DIARY OF A DEADBEAT: THE STORY OF JIM VANBEBBER. “Jim VanBebber, an uncompromising, underground, outlaw filmmaker from Greenville, Ohio has become one of the most infamous and controversial American independent filmmakers of our time. VanBebber brought us such cult classics as DEADBEAT AT DAWN (The first feature film made in Dayton, Ohio) MY SWEET SATAN, THE MANSON FAMILY, and many others. Diary of a Deadbeat is a documentary that follows his life from his early super 8mm films to his strange days in Hollywood. It features interviews with an eclectic group of artists such as Phil Ansemlo (Pantera), Richard Kern (Trangressive Film Director), Nivek Ogre (Skinny Puppy), R.A the Rugged Man, and many more. Director Victor Bonacore will be in attendance, granting the world the first look at this documentary that has been in the works for over five years! Be the first to see the much-anticipated and long-awaited Diary of a Deadbeat at its world premiere, for only $5!” Tickets on sale now at THE NEON’s box office.

A Reminder About PARKING! Parking across from our front door (the old Greyhound lot) is free for our customers at any time. In addition, we do validate for parking in the parking garage on weekdays after 6pm and all day on Saturday and Sunday. (In the event that the Convention Center is hosting a special event, do not pay an attendant for parking on your way in…simply state that you’re heading to THE NEON and you require a ticket that will be later validated.)

Thanks for your continued support.

We hope to see you this weekend!

Jonathan

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

IRRATIONAL MAN (R) 1 Hr 36 Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45
Sunday: 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
Monday – Thursday: 3:15, 5:30, 7:40

MR. HOLMES (PG) 1 Hr 45 Min
Friday & Saturday: 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday: 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear.)
Aug. 14 – TESTAMENT OF YOUTH
Aug. 21 – THE END OF THE TOUR
Aug. 28 – DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL
Sept. 11 – MISTRESS AMERICA Sept. 18 – LEARNING TO DRIVE
TBD: THE HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED

Friday, September 12, 2014

Hello.

Thanks for coming back to check out my last day of screenings at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Even though I didn’t see as many as I have during some years, I had a great time and managed to see 30 films, visit with lots of people in various aspects of the industry, and attend a couple fun parties.

My first film today was Susanne Bier’s A SECOND CHANCE. I was first introduced to Bier’s work at my first TIFF back in 2002. That’s where I saw OPEN HEARTS (her film from the Dogme Movement) and I fell in love…BROTHERS, AFTER THE WEDDING, the Oscar winning IN A BETTER WORLS – all great films. Bier is truly a gifted storyteller, but this new film is just too over-the-top for me. A veteran police officer and his wife are new, proud parents…but when the baby dies in the night of SIDS, the cop decides to swap his dead child with a mistreated baby from an ill-kept apartment to help nurse back his terribly depressed wife. This film is like a more cinematic, 2-hour episode of LAW & ORDER: SVU. Though the craft is there, the story and the script seem too big and even trite at times. Though I was engaged and wanted to see what happened, I was ultimately disappointed. (The lead actor, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, is from GAMES OF THRONES. I’m sure there will be added appeal due to his presence.)

I usually only name films that I finish. If I walk out early, I don’t feel a review is warranted. That said, I watched the first 20 minutes of a movie today to kill some time. My plan was to leave early because I needed to get to a different screening. The movie was X + Y, and I was truly engaged (Sally Hawkins is in it, so that adds to the allure). I wish I could have finished it, but I wanted to get to ST. VINCENT in time.

ST. VINCENT is Bill Murray’s most recent film. It’s the story of a grumpy, older man who ends up babysitting his new next door neighbor’s kid when he gets home from school. Murray takes the kid to the race tracks, teaches him to defend himself on the playground and adds a few new colorful words to his vocabulary. Though a little “easy” sometimes, this film is a crowd-pleaser.

My last film of this year’s fest was LEARNING TO DRIVE – a film starring Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley. What a perfect way to end the fest! This is a film about a middle-aged woman who has just been left by her husband. Feeling even more trapped in her life by not being able to pick up and go visit her daughter, she finally takes the driving lessons she needs in order to get a license. Clarkson is luminous in this film, and her chemistry with Kingsley is spectacular. Clarkson attended the Q&A, and she told this audience that this is a film she’s been trying to make for 9 years. It’s touching, it’s very funny, and it’s a liberating film in regards to finding and taking control of yourself. I hope it finds distribution!

After the screening, I met up with a childhood friend who now lives in Buffalo. It’s been 5 years since I saw him last, and it was so great to catch up.

Thanks so much for checking in on my TIFF experience. It’s been a great year, and I’m going to miss this wonderful city.

In the next few days, I’ll try to upload a few photos I took on my phone and come up with a mini-recap.

All the best,

Jonathan

Woody Allen’s IRRATIONAL MAN – starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone & Parker Posey – Opens Friday at THE NEON

TIFF 2014 – Day #9