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McCoy on Movies: White Boy Rick

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True crime + a teenager = a stylish if somewhat
familiar 80s tale of crime and punishment

“You listen here, Richie, Jr. – you stay away from that Marshall Mathers, kid, ya hear me?!” Rick Wershe, Jr. (Richie Merritt, left) hands off as his father (Matthew McConaughey) prepares to roll out in a scene from WHITE BOY RICK. Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2018 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.
 


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:




KEY CAST MEMBERS: Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt, Bel Powley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brian Tyree Henry, Rory Cochrane, RJ Cyler, Jonathan Majors, Taylour Paige, Eddie Marsan with Bruce Dern and Piper Laurie

WRITER(S): Andy Weiss and Logan & Noah Miller

(Editors Note: Dayton Connection- Donald W. White Jr., a 17-year veteran with the Riverside police department, spent 10 days in Cleveland and Miami filming, playing the role of Detroit Police Sgt. Jimmy Harris and Alan Bomar Jones, a professional actor from Dayton  is also in this movie as a crooked copWillie Volson.)


DIRECTOR(S): Yann Demange

WEB SITE: https://www.whiteboyrick.movie/HERE’S THE STORY: It’s the mid-1980s. In Detroit. And Rick Wershe, Jr. (Richie Merritt) isn’t exactly living the American dream. His father (Matthew McConaughey) is a low-level gun dealers who makes modified weapons he sells to less-than-upstanding clientele. His sister Dawn (Bel Powley) is a drug addict in a bad relationship and Rick Jr. himself? Well, he’s currently not enrolled in school and spending his time between helping his dad with the family business and … Just living. 


But things are about to change for Rick in a major way.


He’s about to start spending time with Lil Man (Jonathan Majors) and his posse … Which will attract the attention of FBI Agent Alex Snyder (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and FBI Agent Frank Byrd (Rory Cochrane) as well as Detroit PD’s own Detective Jackson (Brian Tyree Henry). Which, given his dad’s work, means he’s going to need to cooperate with them … Or else. 


So … What happens when a 15 year-old kid gets involved with dope boys, the FBI and a desire to break free of his urban prison? An unbelievable story inspired by true events in the life of the kid who would come to be known as White Boy Rick. 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Rappers; people who find true crime stories with outrageous details fascinating; people interesting the American legal system; Matthew McConaughey fans; 80s urban culture afficionados; fans of crime and punishment tales 

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Anyone who believes certain types of entertainment promote criminal activities; those who would like the film to go deeper into certain aspects of Wershe, Jr.’s story (substance over style)

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? A movie that looks good, has solid performances and yet at the same time, manages not to add anything terribly new to the crime and punishment genre, White Boy Rick is not quite Scarface for millennials … But I’m sure it will serve many of them well in the meantime. 

Based on the it-used-to-be-unbelievable-but-now-seems-quite-conceivable-given-today’s-headlines-with-teenagers, White Boy Rick features a strong performance by newcomer Richie Merritt, who’s street smart cool fits his character perfectly to be able to make the story real. Exhibiting a screen presence that is everything it needs to be, Merritt slides into his character’s world with a magnetism and charisma that is impossible to deny, more than holding his own alongside McConaughey, who delivers one of those performances award season voters tend to love. Director Yann Demerage makes the grit of Detroit’s 80s despair come fully alive on screen, making it quite viable to understand how it could produce a kid like Rick, Eminem or any number of impoverished youth who’s entire reality is guns, drugs and despair. At the same time, he is able to create moments that show the fragile hope of Richie’s youth – if you own a pair of roller skates, this movie is going to make you want to practice going backwards after you dig for your old mixtapes – and how he tries to do the right thing despite the worst possible means.What audiences will either be most enthralled or appalled by isn’t the film’s language, sex or drug use. Those things are now as common in American culture/entertainment; no, it will be with the film’s ending and whether or not the true facts of Wershe, Jr’s fate were justifiable. That’s what a logical movie watcher would expect, anyway – his choices were his own, but it’s the age-old question of does the time fit the crime(s) and what do the events of this (then) young man’s life say about life in America and the subcultures we like to act don’t exist in our happy, 22-minute sitcom with commercials world?

That is a question I cannot answer for you; I can only answer whether or not you should give White Boy Rick a watch or not. And that answer – for anyone who wants to watch an inherently compelling American story from one of its favorite decades – is “yes.”

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

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The Dark Tower: Generic Good-vs-Evil Storytelling

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“Who told me they didn’t like ‘Throw Ya Gunz’ by Onyx?! WHO SAID IT?!” Roland (Idris Elba) engages in a shootout in a scene in director Nikolaj Arcel’s adaptation of Stephen King’s THE DARK TOWER. Credit: Courtesy of Sony Pictures © 2017 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved. 


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee, Katheryn Winnick, Nicholas Paulding and Jackie Earle Haley

WRITER(S): Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinker, Anders Thomas Jensen and Nikolaj Arcel (screenplay); Stephen King (based on the novels by) 

DIRECTOR(S): Nikolaj Arcel 

 
WEB SITE: http://www.thedarktower-movie.com/site/HERE’S THE STORY: Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) keeps having nightmares of a world where a mysterious man in black looms in a threatening manner while a man styled like a Wild West gunslinger tries to stop him … All while a tall, dark tower stands constantly under attack.


While Jake’s mom (Claudia Kim) and stepdad (Nicholas Paulding) think whatever Jake is seeing is made up, Jake himself quickly learns that it is not once he sees people from his vision in his home that are supposedly from a clinic designed to help kids like him. Fast-forward a bit and Jake then realizes that the man in black is Walter (Matthew McConaughey), a sorcerer who is determined to collapse the dark tower from his dreams. Jake also discovers that the gunslinger is named Roland (Idris Elba), a man who is the last of his kind and determined to stop Walter. 

(On a personal note, Roland is also seeking revenge against Walter for what he did to his father – Dennis Haysbert – but you’ll learn more about that as the story goes on.) 


And as Jake is soon about to discover, his role in either saving or destroying not only his world but all of those in existence is a critical one indeed …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? McConaughey fans; people who like basic sci-fi stories; anyone who will enjoy all of Easter eggs connecting the film to other works of Stephen King; those who want a Cliff Notes®-style overview of the book series

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hate films that feel like Cliff Notes®/watered-down versions of larger, deeper stories; anyone who loves King’s books but feels that most of the film adaptations lose the spirit of the story; anyone looking for something with a definitive quality to the storytelling and/or its presentation; moviewatchers who, if they start pointing out flaws in a film, can’t stop once they do; Idris Elba fans 

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? The cinematic equivalent to a frozen version of your favorite restaurant chain’s food in your local grocery store, The Dark Tower is a fast and loose adaptation of what is the introduction to what is the Stephen King Universe (literally) that needs to be slower, steadier and more serious than it is. 


The Dark Tower was once considered to be a project too arduous to possibly film in one take … Looking at the finished result, that coupled with reports of a troubled production make that idea seems to ring truer than ever as just about everything in the film feels truncated even if like (ADMISSION: yours truly) you’ve not read one page of the book. Plot points feel rushed, dialogue is boiled down to the most simplistic of exchanges and – at 91 minutes – and the film has an aforementioned Cliff Notes® feel to it. I can almost imagine this exchange at many offices across the country come next Monday:


Person 1: “I saw The Dark Tower this weekend.”


Person 2: “I read the books but was going to wait – how was it?”


Person 1, who has not read the books: “It was good. I liked how the made everything seem like one big world but didn’t overdo it with too many details to keep the story simple so that the Gunslinger’s final confrontation with The Man in Black was tense.”


Person 2: “What did you think of the connections to The Shining and 1408? How was Stephen King’s character in the movie versus how it was in the books? Did you catch all the high speech references?”


Person 1, feeling flop sweat forming: “Yeah … Oh man – I need coffee.”


Then again, even if you are Person 1 in this scenario, you might realize that the story feels a bit, well, dry, given its reputation as King’s magnum opus work given the generic feel of film. Instead of intense, gripping drama, you get paint-by-numbers “and the bad guy does this and the good guy reacts like this” storytelling with McConaughey playing the cool villain like Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in the mid-90s and Elba as the straight-laced (a.k.a. borderline boring) man after him. It’s rare that you want a movie to be longer, but with The Dark Tower, save from Taylor’s pretty stellar turn as young Jake Chambers, you don’t care so much about the story other than seeing what you already just know has to be coming. (And if a Stephen King story feels predictable, that cannot be good, right?) 


Throw in scenes that feel thrown in just to exist, the fact McConaughey’s character seemingly could kill EVERYONE in EVERY universe simply by saying it into reality EXCEPT Roland apparently for reasons that are not clearly detailed and, most important of all, does NOTHING to make itself seem distinct (as so many other King stories have) other than being a distilled good-versus-evil Western and what do you have? 


A rather generic film made from what is supposed to be one of the most distinct stories in an acclaimed writer’s bibliography. The movie is OK, but it’s nothing special – and that’s a shame that when the goal should have clearly been for director Nikolaj Arcel and company to not have forgotten the face of their story’s father.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

PHILOMENA and DALLAS BUYERS CLUB Are Hits at THE NEON!

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21050168_2013101616521282.jpg-r_640_600-b_1_D6D6D6-f_jpg-q_x-xxyxxHello Everyone,

For the second week in a row – Wow!! We had one of our best Thanksgiving Weekends ever at THE NEON! Audiences are loving both DALLAS BUYERS CLUB and  PHILOMENA, and I want to Thank YOU for being such loyal and wonderful patrons at THE NEON. Even though other theaters jumped in on PHILOMENA, you made us come out on top! Thank You!  (To visit the official site for each of our current titles (which we will hold), click on the titles above.)

Though we are doing well with our current titles, I’d suggest hurrying down if you still need to see them.  We have other titles we need to get to before the end of the year – including Alexander Payne’s new film NEBRASKA and the star-studded AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.

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This year’s Family Holiday Film Series starts this Saturday! Tickets are FREE for children 12 and under, and all other tickets are $2 each. We will screen RISE OF THE GUARDIANS on December 7, on December 14 we will screen HOME ALONE, and on December 21 – the holiday classic – WHITE CHRISTMAS. Each film will only screen one time – at Noon. Tickets will only be available starting 45 minutes before each show.

Dayton-native Toni Dixon will premiere her new short film on Sunday, December 15 at 7:30. “FROM HIDDEN PAIN TO FREEDOM is an emotional depiction of the life of Tia. It is a powerful story of survival against all odds – the story of a little girl caught up in a world of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The setting takes place in the inner-city projects of Ohio where Tia resides with her grandmother because her mother chose the company of men over family. There, she quickly realizes how cold and cruel the world can really be. Gaining strength from within, she grows up to overcome her pain to new found freedom.” (taken from Press Notes) Tickets are $10 each and are now available at THE NEON’s box office.

Thanks for your continued support!

We hope to see you soon,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, Dec. 6 – Thursday, Dec. 12:

PHILOMENA (PG-13) 1 hr 38 min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (R) 1 hr 57 min
Friday: 12:10, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:55
Saturday: 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:55
Sunday: 12:10, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:55
Monday – Thursday: 2:40, 5:10, 7:45

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
Saturday: Noon

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
TBD – KILL YOUR DARLINGS
Dec. 20 – NEBRASKA
Dec. 25 – AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
TBD – THE ARMSTRONG LIE

ALL IS LOST Opens Friday + Other Great NEON News!

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ALL-IS-LOST-POSTERHello Everyone,

We had an absolutely incredible weekend. Many, many thanks to all of you who chose to come to THE NEON to support 12 YEARS A SLAVE. This spectacular film will certainly stick around. In addition, we will open ALL IS LOST – the new, highly-acclaimed film starring Robert Redford. ALL IS LOST will be a short run (please hurry down if you’d like to see it)…we are still planning to open DALLAS BUYERS CLUB on Nov. 22. If you still need to see HOW I LIVE NOW, you only have until tomorrow (Thursday). Check out our website for remaining showtimes.

Synopsis for ALL IS LOST: “Academy Award winner Robert Redford stars in ALL IS LOST, an open-water thriller about one man’s battle for survival against the elements after his sailboat is destroyed at sea. Written and directed by Academy Award nominee J.C. Chandor (MARGIN CALL) with a musical score by Alex Ebert, the film is a gripping, visceral and powerfully moving tribute to ingenuity and resilience.” (Roadside Attractions) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

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Tonight’s screening of THE TRIUMPH is sold out, but an encore screening has been set for Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 7:30. The local, faith-based non-profit hosting this screening is delighted that the demand for these tickets is so high. “THE TRIUMPH is a powerful new documentary film about our Blessed Mother’s apparitions in Medjugorje. On June 25, 1981, in the mountain village of Medjugorje in Bosnia Herzegovina, Our Lady appeared to six children. She identified herself as the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, and continues to appear to several of the visionaries even today.” (taken from Lovey Dovey, Inc. press notes) $10 presale tickets are only available via this LINK from Love Dovey, Inc. Remaining tickets will be sold at THE NEON on the night of the screening.

“Come support GLSEN at the Dayton Premiere of SCARY NORMAL on Thursday November 21st at 7:30. Tickets are available on a sliding scale – pay what you can – $15-$50. Director Jennifer Bechtel presents this coming-of-age romantic comedy about Chelsea, a teenager who just wants to be seen as normal. However, her stepdad’s life as an independent filmmaker leaves her surrounded by wild, colorful characters and often embarrassed and frustrated by her family. Along comes Danielle, a sometimes brash, almost always self-confident young lesbian who has been kicked out of her own family because of her sexuality. Through their friendship, Chelsea starts to realize the true value of friends and family who love unconditionally. About GLSEN: For 25 years GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network has been the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students.” (taken from GLSEN Dayton press notes) Tickets are now available at THE NEON.

Here’s a little something special. It’s a picture I took from the front row of a screening of 12 YEARS A SLAVE at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. The Q&A after the screening was both insightful and powerful.

12 YEARS NEWSLETTER

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

SHOWTIMES for Fri, Nov. 15 – Thurs, Nov. 21:

12 YEARS A SLAVE (R) 2 hrs 14 min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:45
Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 5:15, 8:00

ALL IS LOST (PG-13) 1 hr 46 min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50
Monday – Wednesday: 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Thursday: 2:50, 5:10

SCARY NORMAL (NR) Film + Discussion
Thursday: 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
Nov. 22 – DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Nov. 27 – PHILOMENA
TBD – KILL YOUR DARLINGS
Dec. 20 – NEBRASKA
Dec. 25 – AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Jan. 3 – THE ARMSTRONG LIE

Toronto – Day #4 – 2013

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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.

THE F WORD

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.

Keira+Knightley+Mark+Ruffalo+Can+Song+Save+tluM0jf258Yl

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!

AT ANY PRICE and STARBUCK + 2 Hold-Overs…And Please Vote NEON.

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l_1756750_1515bed9Hello Everyone,

2 new films are heading to THE NEON for the holiday weekend – AT ANY PRICE and STARBUCK. That said, we’ll hold onto THE SAPPHIRES and MUD for another week.  (NO screened for the last time on Thursday (May 23).) Please pay close attention to showtimes for the upcoming week (which are listed below). Due to the holiday, they change around a little more than usual.

Every year, The Dayton Daily News holds a contest for “Best Movie Theater.” Last year, we forgot to remind you, but we still ended up with quite a few votes. This year, I put it on the calendar. Please visit the site below to enter you vote. You can only vote once from each computer…and we won’t bribe you or bother you again for votes (unless of course you’re on facebook…where we’ll put a couple reminders throughout the week). Here’s the LINK. Thank you!

Synopsis for STARBUCK: “At 42, David lives the life of an irresponsible adolescent. He coasts through life with minimal effort and maintains a complicated relationship with Valerie, a young policewoman. Just as she tells him she’s pregnant, David’s past resurfaces. Twenty years earlier, he began providing sperm to a fertility clinic in exchange for money. He discovers he’s the father of 533 children, 142 of whom have filed a class action lawsuit to determine the identity of their biological father, known only by the pseudonym Starbuck.” (taken from EOne) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site. I think the trailer will make you want to see this film!

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Synopsis for AT ANY PRICE: “In the competitive world of modern agriculture, ambitious HENRY WHIPPLE (Dennis Quaid) wants his rebellious son DEAN (Zac Efron) to help expand his family’s farming empire. However, Dean has his sights set on becoming a professional race car driver. When a high-stakes investigation into their business is exposed, father and son are pushed into an unexpected crisis that threatens the family’s entire livelihood.” (taken from Sony Pictures Classics) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site. This film was directed by one of America’s most well-received, young directors.

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Film #4 in Start Freedom Dayton’s film series – CALL + RESPONSE – is scheduled for next Thursday, May 30 at 7:30. “Organized by Justin Dillon, an artist, public speaker, abolitionist, founder and CEO of Slavery Footprint, CALL + RESPONSE is a documentary about human trafficking that combines musicians, celebrities, national abolitionists and political figures to shine a light on human trafficking concerns in the US and abroad. Tickets are $10 day of show at THE NEON or advance tickets are $8 (available exclusively at Peace on Fifth – 508 E. 5th – 937.367-7215). For information about Peace on Fifth or Start Freedom Dayton visit the official site. CALL + RESPONSE is sponsored by Fairly Simple.” (taken from the press release)

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Only 50 seats remain for our upcoming special screening of GIRL RISING. For more about this film, click this LINK. This is the site where you can watch the trailer, read about the film and reserve your ticket. The screening is set to take place on Wednesday, June 5 at 7:30. Advanced tickets are only available on the website listed above. If tickets remain, we will be able to sell them at the door on the night of the show. Watch the trailer…this film looks terrific!

On Thursday, June 20 at 7:30, we will host a special screening of the new film I DO. (I saw this film at The Cleveland International Film Festival, and the audience adored it!) “A gay Brit living in New York is deprived of his immigration status, and risks losing his family and life in the U.S. He marries his lesbian best friend to remain in the country and stay with his family, but things get complicated when he meets the love of his life and is forced to make an impossible choice.” This one night only screening is part of Dayton’s PRIDE festivities. Tickets are $9 for General Admission. Members of The Greater Dayton LGBT Center get in for $7 (with valid membership card). Tickets are on sale now at THE NEON’s box office.

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Thanks for your many well-wishes during my European holiday. I had a magnificent time in Germany (visiting old friends & “family” from my time as an exchange student) and Spain (visiting one of my dearest friends in Barcelona). As I anticipated, Diana and Mike did a great job holding down the fort at THE NEON. Many thanks to them…their work makes it possible for me to escape now and then.

See you soon!

All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri. May 24 – Thur, May 30:

MUD (PG-13) 2 Hr 10 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:30, 7:10, 9:45
Monday: 1:30, 7:10
Tuesday & Wednesday: 2:30, 7:45
Thursday: 2:30

THE SAPPHIRES (PG-13) 1 Hr 43 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday: 4:30
Tuesday – Thursday: 5:10

STARBUCK (R) 1 Hr 49 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday: 12:30, 5:15
Tuesday – Thursday: 5:15

AT ANY PRICE (R) 1 Hr 45 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 2:50, 7:30, 9:45
Monday – Thursday: 2:50, 7:30

CALL + RESPONSE (PG-13) 1 hr 26 Min + discussion

Thursday: 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.

May 31 – RENOIR
June 7 – LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED
June 14 – BEFORE MIDNIGHT
June 28 – THE EAST
July 26 – THE WAY WAY BACK
TBD – GINGER AND ROSA
TBD – KON TIKI
TBD – FROM UP ON POPPY HILL
TBD – FRANCES HA
TBD – IN THE HOUSE
TBD – TO THE WONDER

THE SAPPHIRES Opens Friday at THE NEON!

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sapphires_topHello Everyone,

We’re moving right along this weekend. If you still need to see THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, Thursday will be its last day at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open the crowd-pleasing, award-winning film that so many of you have been asking about – THE SAPPHIRES. We hope you’ll gather up your friends and make plans to see this fun film over the weekend! MUD was off to a great start…it will stick around. For this week’s remaining showtimes, visit our website at www.neonmovies.com.

Synopsis for THE SAPPHIRES: “Four smart, gutsy young Australian Aboriginal women become unlikely stars in the most unlikely of places, with the most unlikely of allies, in THE SAPPHIRES. Set in 1968, the film follows Gail (Deborah Mailman), Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell), Julie (Jessica Mauboy) and Kay (Shari Sebbens) as they seize a risky, but irresistible, chance to launch a professional career singing for U.S. troops in Vietnam. Under the tutelage of an R&B-loving Irish musician, Dave Lovelace (Chris O’Dowd), the girls transform themselves into a sizzling soul act and set out to make a name for themselves hundreds of miles from home. Inspired by a true story, THE SAPPHIRES is a celebration of music, family and self-discovery.” (taken from The Weinstein Company) Click this LINK to watch the trailer and visit the film’s official site.

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The ticket reservations for the screening of GIRL RISING have tipped the required amount…so the screening will move forward. For more about this film, click this LINK. This is the site where you can watch the trailer, read about the film and reserve your ticket. This site is the only place where you can get advanced tickets.  If tickets remain on the night of the screening, they can be purchased at THE NEON.  The screening is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 5 at 7:30. Watch the trailer…this film looks terrific!

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Film #4 in Start Freedom Dayton’s film series – CALL + RESPONSE – is scheduled for May 30 at 7:30. “Organized by Justin Dillon, an artist, public speaker, abolitionist, founder and CEO of Slavery Footprint, CALL + RESPONSE is a documentary about human trafficking that combines musicians, celebrities, national abolitionists and political figures to shine a light on human trafficking concerns in the US and abroad. Tickets are $10 day of show at THE NEON or advance tickets are $8 (available exclusively at Peace on Fifth – 508 E. 5th – 937.367-7215). For information about Peace on Fifth or Start Freedom Dayton visit the official site. CALL + RESPONSE is sponsored by Fairly Simple.” (taken from the press release)

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS-0CHXfyIk’]

On Thursday, June 20 at 7:30, we will host a special screening of the new film I DO. (I just saw this film at The Cleveland International Film Festival, and the audience adored it!) “A gay Brit living in New York is deprived of his immigration status, and risks losing his family and life in the U.S. He marries his lesbian best friend to remain in the country and stay with his family, but things get complicated when he meets the love of his life and is forced to make an impossible choice.” This one night only screening is part of Dayton’s PRIDE festivities. Tickets are $9 for General Admission. Members of The Greater Dayton LGBT Center get in for $7 (with valid membership card). Tickets are on sale now at THE NEON’s box office.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92tXGsF6s4Q’]

Be sure to check out our “Coming Soon” list below. I’m delighted that the new Linklater film BEFORE MIDNIGHT will make it to THE NEON…it’s wonderful.

We hope to see you soon!

All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri. May 10 – Thur, May 16:

MUD (PG-13) 2 Hr 10 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:00, 7:10, 9:45
Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 5:15, 7:45

THE SAPPHIRES (PG-13) 1 Hr 43 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45
Monday – Thursday: 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
May 17 – NO
May 24 – STARBUCK
May 24 – AT ANY PRICE
May 31 – RENOIR
June 7 – LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED
June 14 – BEFORE MIDNIGHT
June 28 – THE EAST
TBD – GINGER AND ROSA
TBD – KON TIKI
TBD – FROM UP ON POPPY HILL
TBD – FRANCES HA
TBD – IN THE HOUSE
TBD – TO THE WONDER

MUD – Starring Matthew McConaughey – Opens at THE NEON!

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video-mud-anatomy-articleLargeHello Everyone,

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES is heading out. Today (May 2) is its last day at THE NEON. We open the new film starring Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon – MUD – directed by Jeff Nichols (who also did TAKE SHELTER). MUD currently has a score of 98% on rottentomatoes.com…that’s incredibly high! For this week’s remaining showtimes, visit our official site: www.neonmovies.com

Synopsis for MUD: “Mud is an adventure about two boys, Ellis and his friend Neckbone, who find a man named Mud hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Mud describes fantastic scenarios-he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper, who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. It isn’t long until Mud’s visions come true and their small town is besieged by a beautiful girl with a line of bounty hunters in tow.” (taken from Roadside Attractions) Click this LINK to visit the official site for MUD.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m9IFlz2iYo’]

The 13th Dayton Jewish International Film Festival is breaking records this year. The festival has experienced some sell-outs, and audiences are loving the films. You can visit our lobby to pick up a brochure for this year’s festival, and you can visit the website to purchase advanced tickets by clicking this [yframe url=’http://www.jewishdayton.org/be-active/jewish-life-in-dayton/djcc/13th-dayton-jewish-international-film-festival/’]. 2 remaining films from this festival will screen at THE NEON. Here are the dates and times:
Tue, May 7 at 10am – TORN
Thu, May 9 at 7:15 – A BOTTLE IN THE GAZA SEA

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL8p6FKCPzQ’]

“The India Foundation celebrates One Hundred Years of Indian Cinema: 1913 – 2013 with a Tribute to Dada Saheb Phalke – Father of the Indian Cinema. The first Indian silent film produced, written and directed by Mr. Phalke was released in Bombay on May 3, 1913. A screening of selected clips entitled Silent Movies – Early Years will be presented on Saturday, May 4th at Noon (the collection includes digitized clips from Phalke’s RAJA HARISHCHANDRA and KALIYA MARDAN (1919) and clips from the only surviving Bengali silent film JAMAI BABU (Son-in-Law) by Kalipada Das). A reception preceding the screening will begin at 11:30a.m. Admission is only $5. The National Film Archives of India has graciously made the present collection possible.” (taken from press notes)

We’ve got a gathr screening on the horizon. This time, it’s for a film called GIRL RISING. For more about this film, click this LINK. This is the site where you can read about the film and reserve your ticket. The screening will only take place if 50 people reserve a ticket by May 26 (the screening is tentatively scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 5 at 7:30). Watch the trailer…this film looks terrific!

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

Film #4 in Start Freedom Dayton’s film series – CALL + RESPONSE – is scheduled for May 30 at 7:30. “Organized by Justin Dillon, an artist, public speaker, abolitionist, founder and CEO of Slavery Footprint, CALL + RESPONSE is a documentary about human trafficking that combines musicians, celebrities, national abolitionists and political figures to shine a light on human trafficking concerns in the US and abroad. Tickets are $10 day of show at THE NEON or advance tickets are $8 (available exclusively at Peace on Fifth – 508 E. 5th – 937.367-7215). For information about Peace on Fifth or Start Freedom Dayton visit the official site. CALL + RESPONSE is sponsored by Fairly Simple.” (taken from the press release)

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS-0CHXfyIk’]

We’re slated to open the crowd-pleasing, festival darling THE SAPPHIRES next Friday. I haven’t seen it yet, but I know I’ll be seeing it with a bunch of friends. It looks like a lot of fun! I’ll keep you posted.

We hope to see you soon!

All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri. May 3 – Thur, May 9:

MUD (PG-13) 2 Hr 10 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:00, 7:10, 9:45
Monday – Thursday: 2:10, 4:50, 7:30

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (R) 2 Hr 05 Min
Friday: 1:30, 4:40, 7:20, 9:45
Saturday: 4:40, 7:20, 9:45
Sunday: 1:30, 4:40, 7:20, 9:45
Monday – Wednesday: 2:00, 4:40, 7:20
Thursday: 2:00, 4:40

100 YEARS OF INDIAN CINEMA
Saturday: Noon (reception at 11:30)

DAYTON JEWISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST
Tuesday at 10:00am – TORN (reception at 9:30am)
Thursday at 7:15 – A BOTTLE IN THE GAZA SEA

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.

May 10 – THE SAPPHIRES
May ? – STARBUCK
May ? – TO THE WONDER
May 24 – AT ANY PRICE
May 31 – RENOIR
June 7 – LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED
TBD – GINGER AND ROSA
TBD – KON TIKI
TBD – FROM UP ON POPPY HILL
TBD – FRANCES HA
TBD – IN THE HOUSE
TBD – NO

Redford’s THE COMPANY YOU KEEP at THE NEON!

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25d02855ca13b4484802a8b6281df48fHello Everyone,

If you still need to see Danny Boyle’s latest film – TRANCE – you’ll need to hurry. Today (Thur, April 25) is its last day at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open Robert Redford’s latest film (based on the famous novel) – THE COMPANY YOU KEEP. For this week’s remaining showtimes, visit our official site: www.neonmovies.com

Synopsis for THE COMPANY YOU KEEP: “Jim Grant (Robert Redford) is a public interest lawyer and single father raising his daughter in the tranquil suburbs of Albany, New York. Grant’s world is turned upside down,when a brash young reporter named Ben Shepard (Shia LaBeouf) exposes his true identity as a former 1970s antiwar radical fugitive wanted for murder. After living for more than 30 years underground, Grant must now go on the run. With the FBI in hot pursuit, he sets off on a cross-country journey to track down the one person that can clear his name.” (taken from Sony Pictures Classics) Directed by Redford, this film also stars Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Sam Elliott, Julie Christie, Richard Jenkins, Stanley Tucci and Terrence Howard. Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r0l6TBszwo’]

The 13th Dayton Jewish International Film Festival is off to a terrific start. Opening night sold out both of our auditoriums, and audiences are loving the films. You can visit our lobby to pick up a brochure for this year’s festival, and you can visit the website to purchase advanced tickets by clicking this LINK. 5 remaining films from this festival will screen at THE NEON. Here are the dates and times:
Thu, Apr 25 at 7:15 – NICKY’S FAMILY
Tue, Apr 30 at 7:15 – NAOMI
Thu, May 2 at 7:15 – LEA & DARIA
Tue, May 7 at 10am – TORN
Thu, May 9 at 7:15 – A BOTTLE IN THE GAZA SEA

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

“The India Foundation celebrates One Hundred Years of Indian Cinema: 1913 – 2013 with a Tribute to Dada Saheb Phalke – Father of the Indian Cinema. The first Indian silent film produced, written and directed by Mr. Phalke was released in Bombay on May 3, 1913. A screening of selected clips entitled Silent Movies – Early Years will be presented on Saturday, May 4th at Noon (the collection includes digitized clips from Phalke’s RAJA HARISHCHANDRA and KALIYA MARDAN (1919) and clips from the only surviving Bengali silent film JAMAI BABU (Son-in-Law) by Kalipada Das). A reception preceding the screening will begin at 11:30a.m. Admission is only $5. The National Film Archives of India has graciously made the present collection possible.” (taken from press notes)

We’ve got a gathr screening on the horizon. This time, it’s for a film called GIRL RISING. For more about this film, click this LINK. This is the site where you can watch the trailer, read about the film and reserve your ticket. The screening will only take place if 50 people reserve a ticket by May 26 (the screening is tentatively scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 5 at 7:30). Watch the trailer…this film looks terrific!

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

Film #4 in Start Freedom Dayton’s film series – CALL + RESPONSE – is scheduled for May 30 at 7:30. “Organized by Justin Dillon, an artist, public speaker, abolitionist, founder and CEO of Slavery Footprint, CALL + RESPONSE is a documentary about human trafficking that combines musicians, celebrities, national abolitionists and political figures to shine a light on human trafficking concerns in the US and abroad. Tickets are $10 day of show at THE NEON or advance tickets are $8 (available exclusively at Peace on Fifth – 508 E. 5th – 937.367-7215). For information about Peace on Fifth or Start Freedom Dayton visit the official site. CALL + RESPONSE is sponsored by Fairly Simple.” (taken from the press release)

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS-0CHXfyIk’]

We will open MUD next week – the new thriller with Matthew McConaughey. (I’m delighted to report that the distributor decided to wait for us until next week instead of opening at a multiplex this week.)

We hope to see you soon!
All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri. April 26 – Thur, May 2:

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
(R) 2 Hr 20 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:45
Monday: 1:45, 4:30, 7:30
Tuesday: 1:45, 4:30
Wednesday: 1:45, 4:30, 7:30
Thursday: 1:45, 4:30

THE COMAPNY YOU KEEP (R) 2 Hr 05 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:30, 4:40, 7:20, 9:45
Monday – Thursday: 2:00, 4:40, 7:20

DAYTON JEWISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST
Tuesday at 7:15 – NAOMI
Thursday at 7:15 – LEA & DARIA

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
May 3 – MUD
May 10 – THE SAPPHIRES
May ? – STARBUCK
May ? – TO THE WONDER
May 24 – AT ANY PRICE
May 31 – RENOIR
June 7 – LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED
TBD – GINGER AND ROSA
TBD – KON TIKI
TBD – FROM UP ON POPPY HILL
TBD – FRANCES HA
TBD – IN THE HOUSE
TBD – NO

KILLER JOE and LIBERAL ARTS at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone,

We’ve got two new films opening this weekend. First off is a film with Ohio & Dayton connections. LIBERAL ARTS – directed by and starring Josh Radnor (an Ohio native) – was shot mostly at Kenyon College. In addition to Elizabeth Olsen, the film also stars Dayton’s own Allison Janney. Our second film is a darkly comic crime thriller directed by William Friedkin (director of THE EXORCIST and THE FRENCH CONNECTION) starring Matthew McConaughey – KILLER JOE. (KILLER JOE is rated NC-17 for graphic violence & sexuality…no one under 17 will be admitted.)

In addition to our two new films, we will hold SLEEPWALK WITH ME and SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN for limited screenings. Audiences are loving SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN. People who gave the film a chance (knowing nothing about the subject) are so glad they came! Many folks are coming out of the auditorium wondering if the music is available. It is! Omega Music, just a block from THE NEON, has the soundtrack on hand. If you’re interested in the music, we hope you’ll support another locally owned business (they even have the soundtrack available on vinyl)!

Synopsis for LIBERAL ARTS: “Newly single and uninspired by his job in college admissions, the introverted Jesse Fisher (Josh Radnor) lives with his head buried in a book. His deep nostalgia for his own alma mater in Ohio – the dining halls and dorm rooms, the parties and poetry seminars – makes him wonder if his best days are behind him. So when his favorite professor (Richard Jenkins) invites him back to campus to speak at his retirement dinner, Jesse jumps at the chance. Meeting Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen) – a precocious classical music-loving sophomore – awakens in Jesse long-dormant feelings of possibility and connection.” (IFC Films) Visit the official site.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW4zsyuFhew’]

Synopsis for KILLER JOE: “When 22 year-old drug dealer Chris (Hirsch) has his stash of drugs stolen from him by his mother, he has to come up with six-thousand dollars quick, or he’s dead. Desperate, he goes to the trailer-park to see his father, Ansel (Hayden Church), and he lays out the plan. Chris’s mother, who everyone hates, has a life insurance policy that would clear up his debt and make them all rich. The problem is that Chris’ mother is very much alive. Enter Detective “Killer” Joe Cooper, a hired hit man with the manners of a Southern gentleman, who will do the job – for an upfront fee, that Chris and Ansel can’t pay. Just as Joe is about to leave, he spots Dottie (Temple), Chris’ innocent younger sister. Joe makes Chris an offer, he’ll keep Dottie as sexual collateral until the money is collected and his fee can be paid.” (Voltage Pictures) Visit the official site.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9cnYXwGX4U’]

“Help support DATV and be inspired by short films that aim to make a difference in our lives. DATV presents the MEDIA THAT MATTERS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL on Thursday, November 8th at 7:30pm, at THE NEON in Downtown Dayton. The MEDIA THAT MATTERS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL is the premier national showcase for short films on the most important topics of the day. The films engagediverse audiences and inspires them to take action. The festival features 12 jury selected short films that tackle a broad range of social issues with humor, humanity and honesty in 12 minutes or less.” (provided by DATV) Tickets are $10 each, and we have a few available at our box office and on DATV’s site. For more details about the event and the films, visit the official site.

It’s unusual for me to talk about movies that aren’t playing at THE NEON…but I need to make an exception. SPARKLE, a new documentary made by NEON supporters and local filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar, will premiere next week at Dayton Art Institute. “The evening will be quite unusual – a night of dance and cinema. SPARKLE is the story of legendary dancer Sheri ‘Sparkle’ Williams, who at age 50 (!) is still dancing with the world renowned Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. Our film is the story of how Sheri faces a devastating injury, which actually happened on stage. The evening will include the movie premiere, plus the world premiere of a new dance work choreographed specifically for Sheri Williams by Rodney A. Brown, a rising star in the world of contemporary dance choreography. The evening will also include a performance by the entire DCDC ensemble, AND several surprise guests. It promises to be a memorable night. Friday, Nov. 2 at 7 PM at the Dayton Art Institute’s newly renovated Renaissance Auditorium. Tickets are available at Ticket Center Stage, 937-228-3630, or at http://www.dcdc.org/ .” (taken from press notes)  You can also join the conversation on the official facebook page.

Thanks so much for your ongoing support!
All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri. Oct. 26 – Thu. Nov. 1:

KILLER JOE (NC-17) 1 Hr 42 Min
Friday – Thursday: 5:00, 9:30

LIBERAL ARTS (PG-13) 1 Hr 37 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:45, 7:20
Monday – Thursday: 2:45, 7:20

SLEEPWALK WITH ME (NR) 1 Hrs 30 Min
Friday – Thursday: 5:15, 9:30

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN (PG-13) 1 Hr 26 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 3:00, 7:30
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear
Nov. 2 – SAMSARA
Nov. 9 – FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL
Nov. 16 (5 Days Only) – THE DETAILS
Nov. 16 (2 weeks only) – A LATE QUARTET
Nov. 21 – THE SESSIONS
Nov. 30 – ANNA KARENINA
Dec. TBD – HITCHCOCK