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A Look At This Year’s Oscar Nominees

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Hello Most Metro!

I love good cinema.  And for all of my college years and days in retail, Oscar season was a time for speculation and preparation for watching (and cheering and jeering) the event on the big night.  But for most of the last 18 years, I have been so consumed with preparing for THE NEON’s Annual Oscar Party, I’ve hardly stopped to think who would win and who would lose.  That is until Dayton Rotary stepped in.  For the last four years, I’ve been asked to give a short presentation regarding the upcoming Academy Awards.  This forces me to reflect on the year’s nominees and to think about who will take home Oscars.  Below are some of my thoughts regarding this year’s big contenders.

Amy Adams – 6th Oscar nomination (5 supporting, 1 lead).

Marina de Tavira – 1st Oscar nomination, lots of accolades in Mexico.

Regina King – 1st Oscar nomination…lots of TV accolades.

Emma Stone – 3rd Oscar nomination…won for LA LA LAND.

Rachel Weisz – 2nd Oscar nomination…it’s been 13 years since nomination for CONSTANT GARDNER.

WHO WILL WIN?  This year’s “Best Supporting Actress” Oscar will almost certainly go to Regina King.  Her performance in IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK is heartbreakingly wonderful.  I recently heard King speaking on NPR’s “On Point” about how she rarely watches her own work…but a friend convinced her she had to see this film on the big screen.  Within the first five minutes, she knew this Barry Jenkins film was something special…and it turns out that I was just a few rows behind her at The Toronto International Film Festival.  (If King doesn’t get it, Adams is a good second bet.)

 

 

Mahershala Ali – 2nd Oscar nomination…won for MOONLIGHT!

Adam Driver – 1st Oscar nomination…has won awards for GIRLS on TV.

Sam Elliot – 1st Oscar nomination EVER.  Hard to Believe!!

Richard E. Grant – 1 Oscar nomination (though years of brilliant work).

Sam Rockwell – 2nd Oscar nomination…won for THREE BILLBOARDS…

WHO WILL WIN?  Mahershala Ali appears to be the favorite at this time, but Sam Elliott could sneak in and get it.  (That said, I’m rooting for Richar E. Grant.)

 

Yalitza Aparicio – 1st Oscar nomination, 1st film role ever!

Glenn Close – 7th Oscar nomination (4 leads, 3 supporting)

Olivia Colman – 1st Oscar nomination (lots of TV accolades and will be the Queen in next season of THE CROWN)

Lady Gaga – 1st Oscar nomination

Melissa McCarthy – 2nd Oscar nomination (1st was for BRIDESMAIDS)

WHO WILL WIN?  It’s Glenn Close’s turn.  The nominations show a diverse canon of work (DANGEROUS LIAISONS, FATAL ATTRACTION, ALBERT NOBBS, WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP, THE BIG CHILL)…but the brilliance doesn’t stop there – what about 101 DALMATIANS, PARADISE ROAD and more!  The upset in this category would be Lady Gaga…who does have a lot of fans and support in the business (but I think it would be a posthumous “slap in the face” to Judy Garland – who did not win for her incredible work with this role).

Christian Bale – 4th Oscar nomination…won for THE FIGHTER

Bradley Cooper – 7th Oscar nomination (3 of these nominations are for this film)

Willem Dafoe – 4th Oscar nomination…recent nomination was for last year’s FLORIDA PROJECT, 1st nomination was in 1987 for PLATOON

Rami Malek – 1st Oscar nomination (lots of accolades for TV’s MR. ROBOT)

Viggo Mortensen – 3rd Oscar nomination

 

WHO WILL WIN?  This is a tough one.  Many folks are banking on Christian Bale (think of that range – from EMPIRE OF THE SUN as a kid to THE MACHINIST to BATMAN to Dick Cheney).  The other big contender is Rami Malek – who has garnered a lot of love this award season.  I’m going with Bale.

 

ROMA has one big thing going against it.  Netflix!  Will the Academy be kind to a film that has been released by a company that wants to completely change the way films are consumed by the public?  Netflix knew they had to get this film into cinemas in order for it to get serious Oscar consideration…and we played it at THE NEON because I consider it the best film of the year.  But Netflix rarely wants cinemas to play their films…they want consumers to subscribe to their service.  They are not team players and the integrity of how a film is viewed is low on their list of priorities.  Big corporate profits over artistic integrity seems to be the order of the day…even when filmmakers ask for their films to get more theatrical exposure.  So we’ll see what happens…do members of the Academy care about all of this…or will they base their votes on the power of this film?

THE FAVOURITE divided our audience at THE NEON like no other film this year.  We had people see it numerous times and we had people complain that the film was “pornographic” or “stupid” or “wasn’t funny at all.”  It’s my opinion that this very dark comedy has a lot to say about the lengths people will go to gain power…and it also speaks about the disconnect by many of those in power and the people they represent.  I think it’s a brilliant film (although one with a very grim worldview).

A STAR IS BORN – this is the 4th version of this story.  The 1937 version won a special award for its use of color and also won a “Best Screenplay” Oscar.  The 1954 Cukor version (with Garland) did not win any Oscars (and is the strongest version of this story).  The 1976 version with Streisand won “Best Song”…and this latest version will also win Gaga an Oscar for “Best Song.”

One special note about the other nominees is that Hannah Beachler, a woman who grew up in Centerville and attended Wright State University for Motion Picture Production, is the first ever African American to be nominated for “Best Production Design.”  BLACK PANTHER has broken a lot of barriers this season, and it’s exciting to see Beachler get such wonderful recognition (she’s had an incredible career – working on such wonderful films as FRUITVALE STATION, MOONLIGHT and many more…including Beyonce’s LEMONADE).

A couple quick notes:

It’s hard to believe that this is Spike Lee’s 1st Oscar nomination!

Alfonso Cuaron is nominated for 4 Oscars this year…not only did he write and direct ROMA, he also shot and produced it.  All four of these roles have received recognition.

Foreign films have received a lot more love than usual this year.  In addition to ROMA’s 10 nominations,  COLD WAR received 3 nominations (WARNING…BIG PLUG AHEAD…COLD WAR is currently playing at THE NEON), NEVER LOOK AWAY has two nominations, and BORDER is nominated for “Best Makeup.”  And speaking of foreign films (ANOTHER BIG PLUG), CAPERNAUM, one of my absolute favorites of 2018, opens this Friday at THE NEON.

WHO WILL WIN?  The only way ROMA won’t win this year would be for “political” (aka Netflix) reasons.  I feel pretty confident that it will win regardless.  But if it doesn’t, the Oscar could go to GREEN BOOK – a film that despite some controversy, has received a lot of awards and admiration this season.

Neon Movies on Fifth Street. Photo by Lew Hann

As for our Oscar Screening Party...as always, it’s FREE!  The Academy Awards will be screened in our large auditorium this Sunday, February 24 – and you could win awesome prizes throughout the night…including our grand prize from our friends at Square One Salon & Spa. Ballots are available in our lobby and must be turned in before the first award is presented.  We hope you’ll join us!  We’ll be seating as close as possible to 7:00pm for the pre-show.

Hope to see you soon at THE NEON,

Jonathan

Luminaries of Dayton: Anthony C. Brown

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Anthony Brown was born in Sussex County, New Jersey on September 15, 1816. He came to Ohio in 1817 with his parents and settled in Greene County in 1825. He arrived in Dayton in 1851 with his brother, Henry M. Brown. Together they established a hat store in 1837. Anthony inherited the hat store in 1861 after Henry died. The business was located on North Main Street where a full line of hats of the very best quality and of the latest styles were kept.

Anthony C. Brown died on October 17, 1891 at the age of 75. The memorial stone of Anthony C. Brown as noted in geological information taken from Professor Michael R. Sandy’s Guidebook No. 8, 1992 is of Sharon conglomerate, of Pennsylvania age, that crops out in northeastern Ohio. The bolder was transported by and deposited as the Pleistocene glaciers melted.

Anthony C. Brown is located in Section 101 Lot 1808.

Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.

TIFF 2018 – Day #9

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Hello!

Things are certainly winding down here at TIFF.  I screened 3 movies today (which means I have now seen 38 films at the festival) and then I did a little shopping and eventually met some friends out for drinks.

My first film of the day was JEREMIAH TERMINATOR LEROY, directed by Justin Kelly.  First off, I think this is Kelly’s best work to date.  Many critics and industry folks I’ve talked to mention the fact that several projects have been done on this very same subject…and thus they aren’t necessarily interested in seeing the story again.  That said, I haven’t seen any of them, so I was interested.  “In this captivating true story, a young woman (Kristen Stewart) spends years playing the public role of Jeremiah “Terminator” LeRoy, an enigmatic and celebrated literary persona created by her sister-in-law (Laura Dern).”  This story is too bizarre to be true – but it is (and with MILLION LITTLE PIECES screening at this year’s festival, I guess it’s an interesting recurring theme – books that are later discovered to be untrue).  Laura Dern is maniacal and fun to watch, and I ultimately think this is a solid film that could easily find an audience.

THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F DONOVAN, directed by Xavier Dolan, was next on my list.  Critics have been savage regarding this next film from Dolan (the young director who has won awards at Cannes, made several films and still is in his 20s). This film is Dolan’s first English-language effort, and it has quite a cast.  Here’s the mini TIFF synopsis: “Xavier Dolan’s highly anticipated drama about a young man’s calculated reassessment of his infamous, and ultimately disastrous, childhood correspondence with an American television star features an all-star cast, including Kit Harington, Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Thandie Newton, Jacob Tremblay, and Ben Schnetzer.”  This film was hung up in editing for a couple years, and I think I can see why.  It has all the signature Dolan traits – and I have to admit I was entertained – I liked the story.  That said, it seems like some of the actors are in different movies.  Sarandon’s performance is so big and crazy that it doesn’t seem at all like the rest of the film…though Natalie Portman is a bit over-the-top, too.  Kathy Bates is superb, and Michael Gambon’s short scene is lovely.  The movie is currently too long, but I think it will eventually find distribution (at least via a streaming service).

COLD WAR, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, is the follow-up to Pawlikowski’s Oscar-winning film IDA (one of my favorites the year it played TIFF).  “Pawel Pawlikowski’s formidable romantic drama features two musical performers in postwar Eastern Europe whose discontinuous love story is hindered by obstacles of time, space, and politics.”  This film is full of absolutely gorgeous black and white cinematography (like IDA, the camera placement is brilliant), and the music (as well as overall sound design) is incredible.  This was a great film to wind up my last full day of the festival.

I have one more film tomorrow morning before I pack my bags and head to the airport.

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #8

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Hello!

Day #8 had me seeing 4 more films.

ROMA, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, was my first film of the day. “Alfonso Cuarón’s cogent and nuanced semi-autobiographical feature chronicles one year in the life of a middle-class family in 1970s Mexico City.”  This black-and-white feature film is simply sublime.  With themes of class and position in society as well as government/societal upheaval, this film is full of visual metaphors and is incredibly sophisticated.  One might think “not much happens in this film”…but ultimately – EVERYTHING happens.  This film should 100% be viewed on a big screen.  Though Netflix has it set to premiere on their channel, this film deserves a theatrical release.  In a word, it’s Incredible!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp_i7cnOgbQ

HIGH LIFE, directed by Claire Denis, was up next. “Master French filmmaker Claire Denis’s long-anticipated English-language debut and provocative sci-fi drama stars Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Mia Goth, and André Benjamin as a group of criminals sent into deep space.”  This is perhaps one of Denis’ most accessible films (as far as “I’m following what’s happening”) – but it’s also still quite avant garde…and I can imagine customers saying “what the hell?” for most of the film.  The mini description fails to explain that the spaceship (which looks somewhat like a floating hard drive) is essentially being used as a laboratory in which Binoche’s character does sexual experiments on its “recycled scum” inhabitants.  Complete with rape scenes and other bloody violence, this film is a challenging film that will likely have many searching for its rosetta stone.

I attended the next film based on its description.  I had no idea that it was a big studio picture.  THE HATE U GIVE, directed by George Tillman, Jr, simply sounded like an important film that I wanted to support. “A timely commentary in the Black Lives Matter era, George Tillman, Jr.’s adaptation of the novel by Angie Thomas follows Starr, a promising student and cherished daughter whose life is upended, then galvanized, when a friend is senselessly shot dead by police.”  This film is targeted at a young adult audience, and it’s so refreshing that it’s not about vampires or a fish-out-of-water comedy.  This is an urgent tale about a young black student who consciously alters her persona between her school self (which is in a private school full of affluent white kids) and her at home self.  I hope this film finds a wide, diverse audience – but I’m afraid it might only end up preaching to the choir.  The plot takes some unexpected turns and covers a lot of bases, but it’s ultimately a strong film that needs to be seen by a lot of people.

RED JOAN, directed by Trevor Nunn, was my last film before an incredible dinner of Japanese tapas (but that’s a different story).  “Academy Award winner Judi Dench and Sophie Cookson take on the complex persona and legacy of Joan Stanley, the seemingly demure physicist who was also a long-serving British spy for the KGB.”  This film is based on a novel…that is very loosely based on a real woman named Melita Norwood.  The film uses the framing device of Dench’s character being arrested and interrogated while flashing back to WWII era material where she may have been conspiring with the Russians.  Handsomely shot with strong performances, this film will certainly go over well at THE NEON if it finds a US distributor. It contains both great dramatic moments and sequences with wonderful, thrilling tension.  The fact that “nuclear bombs and who has them” continues to be a fear in today’s climate shows how little things have changed.

Things are winding down here at the festival.  Many big players have gone home, and the lines for movies are easier to navigate.  I have one more full day of films and then one Saturday morning screening before flying home.

Thanks for checking in.

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #6

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Hi there, Folks!

I saw five films today, and I’m slated for five tomorrow.   (We’ll see if that happens.)

THE LIE, directed by Veena Sud, was my first film of the day.  The premise intrigued me, and then I heard a few people talk it up at a party a couple nights ago.  Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “In this thriller from Toronto-born writer-director Veena Sud, two parents wrestle with the consequences of their teenage daughter’s lethal mistake, proving just how far any parent would go to protect their child.”  This film has won my “most eye rolls per scene” award.  Idiot dialog.  Over-the-top moments complete with lots of furrowed brows and indicating.  It’s a turkey.  This film (ultimately about white privilege) had me wanting to leave within the first half hour.  But because all other screenings were in progress, I decided to stick it out.  I also stayed for smug reasons.  20 minutes into the film, I wrote down my suspicion as to how the film would end.  I wanted to know if I was right…and I hit the nail on the head 100%.  I really hate it when a bad film happens to an actor I like (Peter Sarsgaard).

TELL IT TO THE BEES, directed by Annabel Jankel, was my next film of the day.  “Academy Award winner Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger star in this wrenching drama of a shunned small-town doctor and beekeeper in postwar Britain who befriends a struggling mother and son, helping them discover that love can be found in many forms.” This film is full of lovely period details and lush cinematography, but it’s the central performances that shine (while many other characters aren’t fleshed out).  It’s a slower-paced film that works on some levels, but there are plot points and character attitudes that shift and change without much notice.  In addition, there are special effects regarding swarming bees that are too over-the-top.  There’s a line that comes toward the end of the film via voiceover that says “what I saw and what I thought I saw” – and that would have been helpful at the beginning (but maybe it was there and I really didn’t contextualize it). Ultimately, the message is great – but it’s not a film that will find great commercial success.

THE PUBLIC, directed by Emilio Estevez, was shot and set in downtown Cincinnati.  “A sit-in by patrons at a public library escalates into a police standoff and a media sideshow, in Emilio Estevez’s arresting drama that explores issues surrounding homelessness, mental health, and community. Featuring Estevez, Alec Baldwin, Taylor Schilling, Jeffrey Wright, Jena Malone, Gabrielle Union, Christian Slater, and Michael K. Williams.”  This film has some powerful moments and great messages (regarding homelessness, mental health, substance abuse and public libraries as a democratic pillar), but it attempts to tackle too many storylines in a short amount of time.  The film has clearly been condensed for time, and though the narrative holes can easily be filled in by savvy viewers – it seems too choppy.  This film has a lot of heart, but it still needs some editing help to truly make it sing.

COLETTE, directed by Wash Westmoreland, was my next film.  Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “Keira Knightley stars in this historical drama about the eponymous French novelist, whose provocative debut — falsely credited to her husband — becomes the toast of Paris, triggering a battle for identity, equality, and self-determination at the dawn of the feminist age.”  Here’s my brief response: LOVED IT.  From the performances to the production design to the smart dialog, I really loved this film.  I’m happy to report that we have it booked to open at THE NEON on Oct. 19.  The heartfelt Q&A with this screening was spectacular…particularly Wash Westmoreland (STILL ALICE) talking about dedicating the film to his recently deceased co-director and husband.  Knightley is superb, and the history lesson has me wanting to read even more of Colette’s work (I have only read some short stories and CHERI – now I want more). From the tone and look of the trailer, I suspected I would like this film…but it delivered so much more.

BOY ERASED, directed by Joel Edgerton, was my last film of the day.  “The teenaged son of a Baptist pastor is forced into a gay-conversion program by his parents, in actor-director Joel Edgerton’s emotive drama starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Lucas Hedges.”  This film is meant for mass consumption – and for that reason, I give it a bit of a pass.  The cast does a fine job with the material, and certain scenes even elicited rounds of applause from the audience…but there’s something a little too sterile for me to put the film on the top of the list.  It’s as though the filmmaker was scared to get too close.  And I get it on some level.  At some point, a filmmaker (or distributor) has to ask “who do we want to see this movie?”  If the film pushed the envelope too much, then it would only preach to the choir.  In this instance, perhaps the film can actually be seen by more than the queer community…and possibly save some lives – and for that, I give it my blessing (plus the fact that Kidman is pretty awesome here).  The Q&A with Kidman, Edgerton, and the author of the source material (as well as his mother) was pretty spectacular.

Thanks for checking in,

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #3

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Hello NEON Fans!

I started off Day #3 with some big star moments.

My first film of the day was GLORIA BELL directed by Sebastian Lelio.  Lelio has remade his film GLORIA (which played at THE NEON 4+ years ago) for an English-speaking audience…this time with Julianne Moore in the lead role.  During the Q&A, Moore admitted that she had been approached to play the role, but she said she’d only do it if Lelio was attached.  (Lelio is most recently know for directing DISOBEDIENCE as well as the Oscar winning film A FANTASTIC WOMAN.)   Folks wondered why he would want to remake his own film, and he told our audience today that musicians shouldn’t be the only artists who get to re-work their art over and over “with a different band.” Here’s the brief TIFF description of the film: “Academy award winner Sebastián Lelio (A Fantastic Woman) directs Academy Award–winning actor Julianne Moore (Still Alice) in this English-language remake of his 2013 film about a free-spirited, middle-aged divorcee hoping to find love on the dance floor.”  I had an interesting response to this film.  I was completely invested, I laughed at times, I felt hurt for our lead at times.  Though engaged from beginning to end, I wasn’t 100% connecting with the material…until the last 10 minutes.  It was the final scene that completely took my emotions by surprise.  I already knew how the film would end, but I suddenly felt a connection with Gloria that made me love the entire film.  I felt a sisterhood with her, and I had a small breakdown in the theater.  This is a film for all the single people who keep putting themselves out there.

Next up was CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? directed by Marielle Heller.  Here is the TIFF description of the film: “A jaded, out-of-work biographer (Melissa McCarthy) resorts to selling forged historical letters on the black market, and grapples with the ethical complications that arise, in Marielle Heller’s charming biopic about bestselling writer Lee Israel.”  Melissa McCarthy is a complete gem in this film…and it is her best work to date.  She’s still able to give us comedy, but it’s so much more human than anything I’ve seen her do before.  This touching movie has you rooting for a criminal, and she’s someone you probably wouldn’t like if you just met her on the street.  This film is polished and endearing, and I think it will find a good audience.  (I’ll attend the Fox Searchlight party for this film as well as OLD MAN AND THE GUN tomorrow night.) In person, Melissa McCarthy is smart, funny and clearly in love with the character she played and created with her co-star Richard E. Grant.  The Q&A after the screening was wonderful.

TEEN SPIRIT, directed by first-time feature director Max Minghella (son of Anthony), was my next film.  Not being a fan of any of the pop-star-creation shows (like The Voice or American Idol), my expectations weren’t terribly high.  But Elle Fanning & Zlatko Buric delivered.  Here’s TIFF’s brief synopsis: “A shy teenager dreams of pop stardom and enters an international singing competition as an escape from her small town and difficult family life, in actor Max Minghella’s (The Handmaid’s Tale) feature debut.”  I was pleasantly surprised by how invested I became in this film.  Though not without a couple eye-rolls and moments where I felt like story arcs shifted too quickly, I was ultimately a fan of this film (though the last 2 minutes left me a little flummoxed).

SPLINTERS, directed by Thom Fitzgerald, was my last film of the day.  In a word, it was terrible.  Here’s the TIFF synopsis: “Two decades after his inspired feature debut The Hanging Garden won best Canadian Feature at TIFF, Thom Fitzgerald again explores interconnections of sexual identity, family, and small-town Nova Scotia life, in this intimate drama about a young woman reassessing her relationship with her mother following the death of her father.” In most circumstances, I would have simply left the screening after 20 minutes.  But when I leave a screening early, I don’t feel like I have the right to write poor criticism.  However, because there weren’t other options for screenings this late at night and because I didn’t have any concrete post-screening plans, I stuck it out and watched the entire film (even though 90% of the audience walked out).  Though there are a couple good scenes (which come really late) and some great agricultural landscapes, this film is full of some really poor, on-the-nose performances with lots of “indicating” and over-the-top body language.  The screenplay was at times quite trite and there were moments when I wish a camera could have been on my face to show my bafflement as to what was happening on screen.  Overall, I can’t imagine this film ever getting picked up for American distribution.

I stopped for a quick beer before coming back to my Airbnb apartment, and I ended up running into a couple industry folks that I knew.  Upon hanging out with them for a few moments, I was then introduced to someone who I have been e-mailing for years.  It was fun to put a face with a name, and we chatted for about an hour before I decided I needed to get back to all of you.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my rundown of Day #3.

More tomorrow!

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Day #1

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Hello!

Thanks for checking out my daily TIFF blog.  I hit the ground running on the first day of TIFF…I saw 5 films.  4 of the screenings were strictly with press & industry folks, and one was public screening that had all the glitz and glamour of the fest (red carpet, big stars, etc.).

First off was DOGMAN directed by Matteo Garrone.  Here’s the festival’s brief synopsis: “In the latest from Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah), mild-mannered Marcello spends his days grooming dogs, hanging out with his beloved daughter and, like most of his neighbourhood, trying to avoid Simoncino, a former boxer and resident bully with whom Marcello uneasily coexists — until a double-crossing prompts an ugly act of vengeance.”  This was the first of two Italian films I saw today – both shot in rather desolate locations that aren’t the Italy we’ve come to know in classic cinema.  This little film started out with some glimmers of hope, but it got really dark really fast.  I loved the protagonist, and I believed his trajectory, but this film isn’t for everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI2JE_xjAaY

NON-FICTION, directed by Olivier Assayas, was next on my list.  Here’s the festival’s brief synopsis: “French auteur Olivier Assayas probes the promises and pitfalls of art in the age of digital communication, in this comedy about a Parisian publisher (Guillaume Canet) and his successful-actor wife (Juliette Binoche) adapting to the new-media landscape.”  This film covers all the bases in the debate/discussion of whether the digital age is helping or hindering society/artists/publishers/basic human communication.  Though it certainly has some insightful and funny moments, I found it to get tedious after a while.  When it comes to Assayas, I think my favorite is still SUMMER HOURS.

BURNING, directed by Lee Chang-dong, was next on my list.  Here’s TIFF’s brief synopsis: “In this thriller from director Lee Chang-dong, based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, a young man grows suspicious about the motives of a deceptive interloper who is hanging around with his childhood friend–turned–burgeoning love interest.”  This slow burn thriller is heavy on the “slow”…I could easily remove 40 minutes from its 2 Hr 28 Min runtime.  There were certainly some moments that worked, but I looked at my watch one hour in and couldn’t believe we weren’t at the half way point yet.

GRETA was my first public screening of the festival.  Here’s the brief synopsis from TIFF: “Isabelle Huppert teams with writer-director Neil Jordan to play the title role in this psychological thriller about a lonely, mysterious widow whose friendship with a naïve young woman (Chloë Grace Moretz) takes on an increasingly obsessive and sinister air.”  I was delighted that Jordan, Huppert and Moretz were all in attendance…as was Maika Monroe – a supporting star who stole several several scenes while on screen.  (Interestingly, Chloë Grace Moretz is the lead actress in the Opening Night Film of this year’s Dayton LGBT Film Festival – THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST.)  The film is glossy and full of some fun choices…but it’s perhaps the most over-the-top and campy thriller I’ve seen in years.  At one moment, when a major plot point is revealed, the audience burst into laughter and I immediately thought “Is that what Jordan intended – or was that supposed to be a gut-punch?”  Some of the music cues are so big, and some of the decisions are so on-the-nose – I couldn’t decide how I was feeling for most of the film.  But by the end, I was rooting for the protagonist and laughing along with the brilliant Huppert.  (I’ll post a picture I took of the cast on our FACEBOOK page.)

VICE OF HOPE, directed by Edoardo de Angelis, was my last film of the night.  This was the second film of the day set on the bleak seaside of Italy.  Here’s the brief TIFF synopsis: “To support her family, Maria works as a trafficker of surrogate mothers, transporting them from place to place along a river — but when one disappears, Maria is left with the task of finding her and must enter deeper into a world she wishes to escape.”  This film had more walk-outs than any film I can recently remember.  Granted, it was late at night and there were lots of parties going on, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave.  This was a world I’d never seen before, and Maria, the lead character (played by Pina Turco), was someone I really wanted to see overcome the odds.  Given the subject matter, you can’t escape the overall sad and desperate and humiliating tone of the film…but there were always glimmers of hope – and that’s what kept Maria going (as well as the viewer…well at least for me).

No parties tonight for me.  I’m going to bed early and looking forward to another full day tomorrow (though maybe only 4 films).

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

TIFF 2018 – Preparing For The Festival

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Hello NEON Fans,

Thanks for checking in with me as I prepare to immerse myself in new cinema for the next several days.  I’ve toiled over the line-up and come up with a list of about 15 must-see films.  I’ve also got over 40 “possible” titles that I will continue to explore and try to fit into my 30+ films that I’ll cram in between Sept. 5 and Sept. 14.

I’m now in Toronto, I’ve picked up my credentials, and I have secured a handful of tickets that were high on my list…but the next step is to start listening to buzz, check in with friends from the industry and structure my first few days at the festival.

Here are a few trailers for a smattering of films that I’m excited to see:

Check in again soon at www.mostmetro.com/tag/tiff for new entries.  I’ll blog each day so I can try to keep my thoughts straight!

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

 

NEON Opening PUZZLE + Great NEON News!

By

Hello Everyone!

We’re moving right along to wrap up one of the best summers on record at THE NEON. If you still need to see THE KING, Thursday will be your last chance to catch it with us. LEAVE NO TRACE and THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS will hold for another week, and we’ll open a new crowdpleaser – PUZZLE.

Synopsis for PUZZLE: “PUZZLE is a closely observed portrait of Agnes, who has reached her early 40s without ever venturing far from home, family or the tight-knit immigrant community in which she was raised by her widowed father. That begins to change in a quietly dramatic fashion when Agnes receives a jigsaw puzzle as a birthday gift and experiences the heady thrill of not only doing something she enjoys, but being very, very good at it. Stepping out of her domestic bubble to pursue her new hobby, Agnes meets Robert, a wealthy, reclusive inventor who immediately recognizes her talent and recruits her as his partner for an upcoming world jigsaw tournament. Each day she spends out in the world, puzzling and conversing with Robert, takes Agnes further along on the road to a new understanding of herself and her strengths.” Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

For all the details about numerous other NEON events and happenings, click this LINK to read our weekly newsletter.

Be sure to pay close attention to this weekend’s schedule – it includes a couple extra screenings on Labor Day!

We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Aug 28 – Thursday, Sept 6:

THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS (PG-13) 1 Hr 36 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 3:10, 7:40
Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon (Aug 31-Sep 3): 12:40, 5:15
Tue-Thu (Sep 4-6): 5:30

LEAVE NO TRACE (PG) 1 Hr 49 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 2:50, 5:20, 7:45
Fri & Sat (Aug 31 & Sep 1): 2:50, 7:30, 9:50
Sun (Sep 2): 7:30
Mon (Sep 3): 2:50, 7:30
Tue-Thu (Sep 4-6): 3:10, 7:45

THE KING (R) 1 Hr 47 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 5:00
FINAL DAY – Aug. 30!

PUZZLE (R) 1 Hr 43 Min
Friday & Saturday (Aug 31 & Sep 1): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday & Monday (Sep 2 & 3): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20
Tuesday – Thursday (Sep 3-6): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

DR. FROM INDIA (NR) 1 Hr 29 Min + Discussion & Meditation
Sunday (Sep 2): 3:00

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
Sept 7 – JULIET, NAKED
Sept 14 – THE WIFE
Sept 21 – FAHRENHEIT 11/9
Sept 21 – LOVE GILDA
Oct 12 – THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN

MISTER ROGERS Off To A Great Start at THE NEON! WHITNEY Houston Doc Opens Next Week!

By

Hello Everyone!

We’re trucking right along this summer…and it’s all about well-received, high performing documentaries! From RBG to LIVES WELL LIVED to POPE FRANCIS, we’ve seen a lot of success with well-crafted docs. And there’s no end in sight. WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? celebrated a SOLD OUT preview screening on Thursday, June 28, and numerous screenings are scheduled for the weekend.  This film is a much-needed dose of kindness – a fantastic piece about Fred Rogers and his ground-breaking television show. Next week, we’ll start a strong documentary about Whitney Houston by filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (director of TOUCHING THE VOID and LAST KING OF SCOTLAND). (And we’ll hopefully get to the crowd-pleasing THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS later in the summer.) That said, there’s still room for traditional narratives, and we’re going to sneak in the new, star-studded adaptation of the beloved Chekhov classic for one week only starting today – THE SEAGULL.

Synopsis for WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR: “For over thirty years, Fred Rogers, an unassuming minister, puppeteer, writer and producer was beamed daily into homes across America. In his beloved television program, MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD, Fred and his cast of puppets and friends spoke directly to young children about some of life’s weightiest issues, in a simple, direct fashion. There hadn’t been anything like Mr. Rogers on television before and there hasn’t been since. Though he may be best known today as a soft-spoken, cardigan-wearing children’s television host, in reality, Fred Rogers’ career represents a sustained attempt to present a coherent, beneficent view about how we should best speak to children about important matters and how television could be used as a positive force in our society.” (Focus Features) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for THE SEAGULL: ONE WEEK ONLY! “One summer at a lakeside Russian estate, friends and family gather for a weekend in the countryside. While everyone is caught up in passionately loving someone who loves somebody else, a tragicomedy unfolds about art, fame, human folly, and the eternal desire to live a purposeful life. The estate is owned by Sorin (Brian Dennehy), a retired government employee, and his sister Irina (Annette Bening), a legendary actress of the Moscow stage. Irina is imperious, narcissistic and selfish, and anxious about holding on to her star status and the affections of her younger lover, Boris Trigorin (Corey Stoll), a successful writer of short stories. Irina constantly belittles her aspiring writer son Konstantin (Billy Howle), perhaps because his existence as a grown man reminds her that age is catching up with her. While he adores his mother despite her cruelty, Konstantin acts out his insecurity and anger by rejecting both her style of theatre and Boris’s writing, declaring them old-fashioned and banal. A dreamer, Konstantin declares he will create bold and superior new forms of theatre and literature. Adapted by Tony-winning playwright Stephen Karam (“The Humans”) from Anton Chekhov’s classic play and directed by Tony-winner Michael Mayer (“Spring Awakening”), THE SEAGULL explores, with comedy and melancholy, the obsessive nature of love, the tangled relationships between parents and children, and the transcendent value and psychic toll of art.” (Sony Classics) Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official website.

Tickets for our special 50th Anniversary Screening of YELLOW SUBMARINE (just $8 each) are available at our box office. The film has been gorgeously restored and will screen one time on Sunday, July 8 at 3:00.

Don’t forget that on Sunday, July 1 at 5:15, we will have a special guest who will speak to the audience after the screening of WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? Jim Wiener, who currently works at ThinkTV, worked at WQED in Pittsburgh from 1986 until 1997, and knew Fred Rogers as well as his producer (Margie Whitmer) and director (Paul Lally). He will talk about his experiences in public television and personal recollections about Rogers and his iconic television show. Tickets are now available for all of this weekend’s screenings at our box office during traditional operating hours.

Because of the 4th of July holiday, we will have a couple days next week when we offer earlier shows than usual. Please pay close attention to the schedule below for all of our current attractions…showtimes are different depending on the day.

Next Thursday, we’ll have a special preview screening of WHITNEY. We hope you’ll make plans to see it then! Check out the trailer below!

Thank you for your continued support!
Have a great holiday!
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, June 29 – Thursday, July 5:

AMERICAN ANIMALS (R) 1 Hr 56 Min
Friday & Saturday (June 29 & 30): 9:15
FINAL DAY – June 30!

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? (PG-13) 1 Hr 34 Min
Friday & Saturday (June 29 & 30): 12:45, 2:20, 3:00, 4:30, 5:15, 7:30, 9:40
Sunday (July 1): 12:45, 3:00, 4:30, 5:15, 8:00
Monday (July 2): 3:00, 5:15, 6:00, 7:30
Tuesday & Wednesday (July 3 & 4): 12:45, 1:15, 3:00, 5:15, 6:00, 7:30
Thursday (July 5): 3:00, 5:15, 6:00

THE SEAGULL (PG-13)
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (June 29-July 1): 12:00, 7:00
Monday-Thursday (July 2-5): 3:30, 8:10

WHITNEY (R) 2 Hrs
Thursday (July 5): 7:20 – Preview Screening!

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
July 6 – WHITNEY
July 8 at 3:00 – YELLOW SUBMARINE – Special 50th Anniversary Screening
July 13 – HEARTS BEAT LOUD
July 20 – BOUNDARIES
July 27- DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT
TBD – THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS
Aug 3 – EIGHTH GRADE
Aug 10 – GENERATION WEALTH
Sept 21 – LOVE GILDA

AMERICAN ANIMALS and BEAST Start Friday + MISTER ROGERS News!

By

Hello Everyone!

There are so many films to get to, so we need to keep moving. If you still need to see THE RIDER, Thursday will be your last day to catch it at THE NEON. FIRST REFORMED will stick around for a couple shows a day for one more week, and POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD will have three more screenings over the weekend before it disappears. On Friday we’ll open two new films – a new take on the heist film AMERICAN ANIMALS and the chilling UK import BEAST.

Synopsis for BEAST: “Moll is 27 and still living at home, stifled by the small island community around her and too beholden to her family to break away. When she meets Pascal, a free-spirited stranger, a whole new world opens up to her and she begins to feel alive for the first time, falling madly in love. Finally breaking free from her family, Moll moves in with Pascal to start a new life. But when he is arrested as the key suspect in a series of brutal murders, she is left isolated and afraid. Choosing to stand with him against the suspicions of the community, Moll finds herself forced to make choices that will impact her life forever.” (Roadside Attractions) Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for AMERICAN ANIMALS: “AMERICAN ANIMALS is the unbelievable but entirely true story of four young men who attempt to execute one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history. The film centers around two friends from the middle-class suburbs of Lexington, Kentucky. Spencer (Barry Keoghan), is determined to become an artist but feels he lacks the essential ingredient that unites all great artists – suffering. His closest friend, Warren (Evan Peters), has also been raised to believe that his life will be special, and that he will be unique in some way. But as they leave the suburbs for universities in the same town, the realities of adult life begin to dawn on them and with that, the realization that their lives may in fact never be important or special in any way. Determined to live lives that are out of the ordinary, they plan the brazen theft of some of the world’s most valuable books from the special collections room of Spencer’s college Library. Enlisting two more friends, accounting major Eric (Jared Abrahamson) and fitness fanatic Chas (Blake Jenner), and taking their cues from heist movies, the gang meticulously plots the theft and subsequent fence of the stolen artworks. Although some of the group begin to have second thoughts, they discover that the plan has seemingly taken on a life of its own. Unfolding from multiple perspectives, and innovatively incorporating the real-life figures at the heart of the story, writer-director Bart Layton (The Imposter) takes the heist movie into bold new territory.” (The Orchard)  Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Tickets for our special 50th Anniversary Screening of YELLOW SUBMARINE (just $8 each) are available at our box office. The film has been gorgeously restored and will screen one time on Sunday, July 8 at 3:00.

Next Thursday at 7:30, we will have a special preview screening of WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? – the new documentary about Fred Rogers and his television show MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD. The preview will have prizes and give you the first opportunity to see this special film. The movie will then officially open on Friday, June 29 with multiple screenings a day. On Sunday, July 1 at 5:15, we will have a special guest who will speak to the audience after the screening. Jim Wiener, who currently works at ThinkTV, worked at WQED in Pittsburgh from 1986 until 1997, and knew Fred Rogers as well as his producer (Margie Whitmer) and director (Paul Lally). He will talk about his experiences in public television and personal recollections about Rogers and his iconic television show. Tickets are now available for these special screenings at our box office during traditional operating hours.

We’ve added two great new films to our upcoming list. On July 6, we will open the new documentary WHITNEY – a strong documentary about the life of Whitney Houston by Kevin Macdonald (director of TOUCHING THE VOID and THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND). And though we don’t have a firm opening date yet, we will soon get to HEARTS BEAT LOUD – a really special and heartwarming comedy. Stay tuned for the latest!

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

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, June 19 – Thursday, June 28:

POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD (PG) 1 Hr 36 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (June 19-21): 3:10, 7:40
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (June 22-24): Noon
FINAL DAY – June 24!

THE RIDER (R) 1 Hr 44 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (June 19-21): 5:20
FINAL DAY – June 21!

FIRST REFORMED (R) 1 Hr 53 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (June 19-21): 3:00, 5:20, 7:45
Friday & Saturday (June 22 & 23): 4:50, 9:40
Sunday (June 24): 4:50
Monday-Thursday (June 25-28): 5:10

BEAST (R) 1 Hr 47 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (June 22-24): 2:20, 7:15
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (June 25-27): 2:40, 7:40
Thursday (June 28): 2:40

AMERICAN ANIMALS (R) 1 Hr 56 Min
Friday & Saturday (June 23 & 24): 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:20, 9:45
Sunday (June 25): 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (June 26-29): 2:45, 5:15, 7:45

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? (PG-13) 1 Hr 34 Min
Thursday (June 28): 7:30 – Preview Screening!

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
June 29 – WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
July 6 – WHITNEY
TBD – HEARTS BEAT LOUD
TBD – THE SEAGULL
July 8 at 3:00 – YELLOW SUBMARINE – Special 50th Anniversary Screening
July 27- DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT

LEAN ON PETE Starts Friday + RBG News from THE NEON

By

Hello Everyone!

We have to keep moving along at THE NEON! If you still need to see ISLE OF DOGS or YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE, Thursday will be you last chance to catch them with us. On Friday, we will open acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Haigh’s lovely new film – LEAN ON PETE. TULLY will stick around for one more week.

Synopsis for LEAN ON PETE: ONE WEEK ONLY! “From acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Haigh (WEEKEND and 45 YEARS), and based on the beloved novel by Willy Vlautin, comes LEAN ON PETE – a deeply moving story about love, loneliness, family, and friendship, told through the unique prism of one boy’s connection to a very special racehorse. Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) arrives in Portland, Oregon with his single father Ray (Travis Fimmel), both of them eager for a fresh start after a series of hard knocks. While Ray descends into personal turmoil, Charley finds acceptance and camaraderie at a local racetrack where he lands a job caring for an aging Quarter Horse named Lean On Pete. The horse’s gruff owner Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) and his seasoned jockey Bonnie (Chloe Sevigny) help Charley fill the void of his father’s absence – until he discovers that Pete is bound for slaughter, prompting him to take extreme measures to spare his new friend’s life.” Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

The Dayton Jewish Film Festival is down to its last film for this year…and it has already SOLD OUT! But there’s good news if you haven’t purchased your ticket yet. An encore screening of SAMMY DAVIS JR: I’VE GOT TO BE ME has been scheduled for Thursday, May 24 at 7:30. Brochures are available in our lobby, and you can find out more about the films (as well as details about tickets) on the festival’s OFFICIAL SITE.

 

After two successful special screenings, WE’RE DOING FINE is coming back for one more show this Saturday. Audiences loved seeing Dayton all aglow on the big screen, and we’ve had several requests to play the film one more time during the day. So we’ve added a screening – you’ll have one more chance to catch it at THE NEON. We will screen WE’RE DOING FINE on Saturday, May 12 at Noon, and tickets are just $7.50 each. Tickets for this encore screening are only available in-person at THE NEON’s Box Office!

“It’s now official: Big things come in small, un-hyped packages. LIVES WELL LIVED, the inspiring film about women and men aged 75-100 who have more energy, creativity and optimism than any superhero, just rolled over the results for recent Oscar winners in its theatrical premiere. LIVES WELL LIVED celebrates the incredible wit, wisdom and experiences of adults aged 75 to 100. Through their intimate memories and inspiring personal histories encompassing over 3000 years of experience, forty people share their secrets and insights to living a meaningful life. These men and women open the vault on their journey into old age through family histories, personal triumph and tragedies, loves and losses – seeing the best and worst of humanity along the way. Their stories will make you laugh, perhaps cry, but mostly inspire you.” (Shadow Distribution) Director Sky Bergman will be here for this special one-time screening on Sunday, May 13 at 3:00. Tickets, just $7.50, are now available at THE NEON’s box office. Tickets are selling quickly. Get yours early!

“LUNAFEST returns to Dayton for the 9th year, bringing nine new short films by, for and about women from around the world. This year’s unique films range from animation to fictional drama, covering topics such as women’s health, body image, relationships, cultural diversity and breaking barriers. From the comedy of a young Indian-American woman who wants to follow her dreams to the harrowing first-person account of a young girl’s escape from Boko Haram, each story will inspire and enlighten. All proceeds from LUNAFEST will go to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network and to Chicken & Egg Pictures, a nonprofit organization that supports women nonfiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyzes social change. The festival is sponsored locally by Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance. Tickets are $10.00 ($5.00 students) with donations over this amount gratefully accepted. Tickets can be purchased in advance for this popular one-time showing which sold out last year.” (Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance) Tickets available now at THE NEON’s Box Office or via this LINK. LUNAFEST will screen on Sunday, May 20 at 3:00.

On Thursday, May 17 at 7:30, Mike Shea is bringing his latest film to THE NEON. “MONARCH is a neo-noir mystery short about a detective trying to make sense of the drug dealing underworld of a small mid-western city. This film was shot all around Dayton, OH’s legendary Oregon District. The cast is comprised entirely of comedians from the Dayton area starring in almost exclusively dramatic roles. The story itself is based on writer/director Michael Shea’s 2017 docu-drama THE CROSS AT THE GEM. This film was submitted (in a condensed 5-minute cut) to the 2018 Lander University 2WK Film Festival in Greenwood, SC. At this special one-night event, the audience will be treated to an opening performance from some of the cast and crew, a screening of the original 2017 film THE CROSS AT THE GEM as well as the premiere of the full director’s cut version of the film MONARCH. The premiere will close with a Q&A session with the whole cast and crew. Tickets are $5 and are available at THE NEON box office. Fans can also qualify for fun rewards and prizes by supporting the film’s GoFundMe campaign at this official site LINK.”

“On Wednesday May 23, Jewish Family Services of Greater Dayton and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will host a screening of the film NEWTOWN. This documentary chronicles the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history: a shooting that took the lives of 20 elementary children and 6 educators in Newtown, CT on December 14, 2012. Now in the wake of the Parkland shooting and the many others that pass by us in the media, it is critical that we keep the conversation going. For every community – for the Dayton community – how do we keep our children safe? Please join the community on hand to watch the movie, listen to reflections by the film’s director, Kim Snyder, and take part in a panel discussion to explore safety strategies for our communities.” Admission is Free, and tickets will be given on a first come, first served basis the night of the screening.

“The student filmmakers of Wright State University’s award-winning Motion Pictures Program will premiere their new thesis films at the 2018 BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL at THE NEON on May 27. This year’s films dive into a number of contemporary issues and themes, including coming of age stories, cyberbullying, severed familial relationships, racial tensions, aging, conquering fears and more. Short films from Wright State’s Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures have screened at top film festivals, including Sundance, and been Student Academy Award Nominees. This year’s festival will have two scheduled screenings of the films. The first screening starts at 5:30pm and the second will begin at 8pm, both ending with Q&A with the directors of the films.” Tickets are available now for $10 at THE NEON’s box office. For more information about the films, cast and crew, please click on this LINK.

On Wednesday, May 30 at 7:30, we will have a special, customer appreciation screening of a truly special film. BARAKA is a film that played at an older incarnation of THE NEON before I took over management more than 17 years ago. “Featuring no conventional narrative, this film presents footage of people, places and things from around the world. From chaotic cities to barren wilderness, the movie takes viewers around the globe to witness a variety of spectacles in both natural and technological realms.” (google) You won’t want to miss your chance to see this astonishing film on the big screen. Tickets will be free and given on a first come, first served basis. We will begin giving out tickets at 6:30 on May 30 – one ticket per customer.

In the coming weeks, we will have some very special documentaries that I think will be loved by so many of you. First off is RBG – a film about a living legend and icon, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This film is set to open on the evening of May 17 (showtime below). Later in June, we’ll have WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? – a fantastic documentary about PBS’s Mister Rogers – a true humanitarian and American treasure. Because we think you’ll embrace these films so much, we have assembled a bit a merchandise that ties in with each film. These little gift items will be perfect for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, or just to treat yourself. Be sure to check out our display case next time you’re in.

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you this weekend,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Wednesday, May 9 – Thursday, May 17:

ISLE OF DOGS (PG-13) 1 hr 41 Min
Wednesday & Thursday (May 9-10): 5:15
FINAL DAY – May 10!

YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE (R) 1 Hr 29 Min
Wednesday (May 9): 3:10, 7:30
Thursday (May 10): 3:10
FINAL DAY – May 10!

TULLY (R) 1 Hr 36 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (May 7-10): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40
Friday (May 11): 12:30, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45
Saturday (May 12): 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45
Sunday (May 13): 12:30, 5:15, 7:30
Monday-Wednesday (May 14-16): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40
Thursday (May 17): 3:00, 5:20
FINAL DAY – May 17!

LEAN ON PETE (R) 2 Hrs 1 Min
Friday & Saturday (May 11 & 12): 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:30
Sunday (May 13): 1:00, 4:00, 7:00
Monday-Wednesday (May 14-16): 2:45, 5:15, 7:45
Thursday (May 17): 2:45, 5:15
FINAL DAY – May 17!

WE’RE DOING FINE (NR) 1 Hr 26 Min
Saturday (May 12): Noon

LIVES WELL LIVED (NR) 1 Hr 12 Min + Q&A
Sunday (May 13): 3:00

MONARCH (NR) new film, short + pre-show
Thursday (May 17): 7:30

RBG (PG) 1 Hr 37 Min
Thursday (May 17) – Preview Screening – 7:45

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
May 18 – DISOBEDIENCE
June 1 – POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD
June 29 – WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
TBD – FOXTROT
TBD – FINAL PORTRAIT

ISLE OF DOGS, FINDING YOUR FEET, DAYTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL – Busy Times at THE NEON!

By

Hello Everyone!

This past weekend was pretty incredible. From the enthusiastic crowds to the cute pups in the lobby from SICSA, we had an exciting, packed weekend. Thanks to everyone who helped to create such good energy here over the past several days. ISLE OF DOGS will certainly stick around.  If you still need to see THE LEISURE SEEKER, you’ll need to hurry – Today (April 19) will be its last day. On Friday, we will open the new uplifting British comedy starring Imelda Staunton – FINDING YOUR FEET. This new film is only scheduled to play for one week – so don’t delay!

Synopsis for FINDING YOUR FEET: “When ‘Lady’ Sandra Abbott (Academy Award nominee Imelda Staunton – VERA DRAKE, PRIDE, HARRY POTTER) discovers that her husband of forty years is having an affair with her best friend, she seeks refuge in London with her estranged, older sister Bif (Celia Imrie – BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL). The two could not be more different – Sandra is a fish out of water next to her outspoken, serial dating, free-spirited sibling. But different is just what Sandra needs at the moment, and she reluctantly lets Bif drag her along to a community dance class, where gradually she starts finding her feet and romance as she meets her sister’s friends. This colorful, defiant and energetic group start to show Sandra that retirement is in fact only the beginning, and that divorce might just give her a whole new lease on love and life.” (Roadside Attractions) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Last Thursday’s premiere (and its encore screening) of WE’RE DOING FINE was fantastic. Audiences loved seeing Dayton all aglow on the big screen, and we’ve had several requests to play the film one more time during the day. So we’ve added a screening – you’ll have one more chance to catch it at THE NEON. We will screen WE’RE DOING FINE on Saturday, May 12 at Noon, and tickets are just $7.50 each. Tickets for this encore screening are only available in-person at THE NEON’s Box Office!

The Dayton Jewish Film Festival is getting ready to kick off this year’s awesome line-up. Brochures are now available in our lobby, and you can find out more about the films (as well as details about tickets) on their OFFICIAL SITE. Here’s a list of movies that will screen at THE NEON:
Thursday, April 19 at 7:15 – KEEP THE CHANGE
Tuesday, April 24 at 7:15 – BAGELS OVER BERLIN
Thursday, April 26 at 7:15 – THE INVISIBLES
Sunday, April 29 at 5:15 – SHELTER
Monday, April 30 at 7:15 – BIG SONIA
Wednesday, May 2 at 7:15 – THE CAKEMAKER
Tuesday, May 8 at 10am – AN ACT OF DEFIANCE
Thursday, May 10 at 7:15 – SAMMY DAVIS JR: I’VE GOTTA BE ME

“It’s now official: Big things come in small, un-hyped packages. LIVES WELL LIVED, the inspiring film about women and men aged 75-100 who have more energy, creativity and optimism than any superhero, just rolled over the results for recent Oscar winners in its theatrical premiere. LIVES WELL LIVED celebrates the incredible wit, wisdom and experiences of adults aged 75 to 100. Through their intimate memories and inspiring personal histories encompassing over 3000 years of experience, forty people share their secrets and insights to living a meaningful life. These men and women open the vault on their journey into old age through family histories, personal triumph and tragedies, loves and losses – seeing the best and worst of humanity along the way. Their stories will make you laugh, perhaps cry, but mostly inspire you.” (Shadow Distribution) Director Sky Bergman will be here for this special one-time screening on Sunday, May 13 at 3:00. Tickets, just $7.50, are now available at THE NEON’s box office.

“LUNAFEST returns to Dayton for the 9th year, bringing nine new short films by, for and about women from around the world. This year’s unique films range from animation to fictional drama, covering topics such as women’s health, body image, relationships, cultural diversity and breaking barriers. From the comedy of a young Indian-American woman who wants to follow her dreams to the harrowing first-person account of a young girl’s escape from Boko Haram, each story will inspire and enlighten. All proceeds from LUNAFEST will go to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network and to Chicken & Egg Pictures, a nonprofit organization that supports women nonfiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyzes social change. The festival is sponsored locally by Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance. Tickets are $10.00 ($5.00 students) with donations over this amount gratefully accepted. Tickets can be purchased in advance for this popular one-time showing which sold out last year.” (Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance) Tickets available now at THE NEON’s Box Office or via this LINK. LUNAFEST will screen on Sunday, May 20 at 3:00.

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you this weekend,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, April 17 – Thursday, April 26:

THE LEISURE SEEKER (R) 1 Hr 52 Min
Thursday (April 19): 2:50, 5:00
FINAL DAY – April 19!

ISLE OF DOGS (PG-13) 1 hr 41 Min
Thursday (April 19): 3:15, 5:30, 7:45
Friday & Saturday (April 20 & 21): 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Sunday (April 22): 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15
Monday-Thursday (April 23-26): 3:15, 5:30, 7:45

FINDING YOUR FEET (PG-13) 1 Hr 51 Min
Friday & Saturday (April 20 & 21): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday (April 22): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20
Monday (April 23): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Tuesday (April 24): 2:50, 5:00
Wednesday (April 25): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Thursday (April 26): 2:50, 5:00

DAYTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday, April 19 at 7:15 – KEEP THE CHANGE
Tuesday, April 24 at 7:15 – BAGELS OVER BERLIN
Thursday, April 26 at 7:15 – THE INVISIBLES

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
TBD – FOXTROT
April 27 – YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
May 4 – TULLY
May 18 – RBG
June 1 – POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD
June 29 – WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

Oscar Winner A FANTASTIC WOMAN Opens Friday at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone!

I’m very excited that we’re opening one of my absolute favorite films of 2017 this Friday – A FANTASTIC WOMAN. This beautiful film just won the Oscar for “Best Foreign Film,” and A.O. Scott of THE NEW YORK TIMES wrote, “The title of Sebastián Lelio’s new film might seem a bit on the nose. It’s a fantastic movie. Daniela Vega, the star, is fantastic in it…” If you still need to see Sally Potter’s new film THE PARTY, you’ll need to hurry. Thursday will be the last day for it at THE NEON. That said, I, TONYA just keeps on performing well. Though we thought Sunday would be its last day, we will bring it back for one show a day starting this Friday. The darkly funny and chilling THOROUGHBREDS will stick around for one more week.

Synopsis for A FANTASTIC WOMAN: “Marina and Orlando are in love and planning for the future. Marina is a young waitress and aspiring singer. Orlando is 20 years older than her, and owns a printing company. After celebrating Marina’s birthday one evening, Orlando falls seriously ill. Marina rushes him to the emergency room, but he passes away just after arriving at the hospital. Instead of being able to mourn her lover, suddenly Marina is treated with suspicion. The doctors and Orlando’s family don’t trust her. Orlando’s ex-wife forbids her from attending the funeral. And to make matters worse, Orlando’s son threatens to throw Marina out of the flat she shared with Orlando. Marina is a trans woman and for most of Orlando’s family, her sexual identity is an aberration, a perversion.
So Marina struggles for the right to be herself. She battles the very same forces that she has spent a lifetime fighting just to become the woman she is now – a complex, strong, forthright and fantastic woman.” Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

“Massie Creek Paddlers and Tomfoolery Outdoors present the 13th annual PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL on Thursday, March 22 at 7:30. Since 2006, The Paddling Film Festival has been showcasing the very best paddling films. The World Tour screens in more than 120 cities around the world. Join us for this year’s best paddling films. You’ll be inspired to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push extremes, embrace the paddling lifestyle and appreciate the wild places.” Tickets are $11 each and are available via this LINK.

On Thursday, March 29 at 7:30, LeKeisha Nicole of Ambition Magazine is hosting a fun, special event at THE NEON. “Ambition Magazine is bringing Welcome Week vibes to Dayton for its 6th anniversary with a screening of Spike Lee’s SCHOOL DAZE in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the movie’s premiere. We’re just going to kick back and enjoy one another as we celebrate both anniversaries with food, friends and even a few vendors with some great products.” (from press release) Tickets are $8 each and available at THE NEON’s box office. You can also get tickets online via this LINK.

On Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30, there will be a one-time special screening of a film from Bosnia. “OUR EVERYDAY LIFE dramatizes the day to day lives of one family in Sarajevo the unsolved political situation and the economic hardships of postwar Bosnia. An entire generation of people in Bosnia, who are now in their forties, lost their youth in war, but today they are offered neither freedom, successful jobs, nor hope in their society. Their lives are stagnant. Appearing in numerous film festivals throughout Europe and North America and winner of many film awards, OUR EVERYDAY LIFE is a must see for people in the Dayton area who seek a clear and authentic understanding of the lives of people today in their sister city, Sarajevo, after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. The highly acclaimed director, Ines Tanovic, who is from Sarajevo, will attend the screening to discuss the film and answer questions. This screening is made possible with a grant from the Faculty Endowment Board at Wittenberg University and is sponsored by Duh Bosne, a non-profit organization which publishes the bilingual online journal “Spirit of Bosnia / Duh Bosne.” Its mission is to preserve and honor the long-standing traditions of social and civil order that created Bosnia’s noble heritage.” (Keith Doubt) Tickets are $5.50 each and are available at THE NEON’s Box Office.

Dayton & Montgomery Public Health will kick off Minority Health Month at THE NEON on Saturday, April 7 from 10am until 1pm. In addition to providing Free Health Screenings, they will have a FREE screening of THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS – starring Oprah Winfrey. Special guest Marsha Bonhart will host a post-screening dialogue about great minority pioneers in the health industry and how we can self-advocate for quality health care. Tickets for the screening will be first come, first served on the morning of the event.

Steve Heman has rented our space to premiere his new work on Sunday, April 8 at 5:00. “The 4th work by local experimental film-maker Steve Heman, WANT YES, NEED NO, is presented as a trailer to a non-existent film. In it, contemporary culture is reimagined in order to provoke an array of questions about our values, our sexual mores, and the nature of evil in our society. His work is best described as contemporary video art with roots in the non-narrative, avant-garde film tradition, combining in equal parts his background in music with his passion for words and imagery both poetic and theatrical. The effect his work produces is a kind of compartmentalization of words, music, and distinct images that willfully defies the conventional subservience of these elements in the narrative film tradition. Admission is free and seating is limited. Please arrive at THE NEON as early as 3:00 to reserve a seat. Also, please be advised this movie contains nudity and aberrant language. Attendees under 17 will be admitted with adult supervision. A Question and Answer Session will follow.” (Steve Heman)

So many of you have asked about Djuna Wahlrab’s film that was shot in Dayton…and we’re happy to announce that it will finally have a public screening on our big screen on Thursday, April 12 at 7:30. “WE’RE DOING FINE, a feature film written and directed by Dayton native and Stivers grad Djuna Wahlrab, is a story about an unlikely friendship between two people from Dayton, OH: one who left and one who stayed. When they first meet, their hometown seems to be all that Gertie and John share. But as each faces the loss of a single parent, they connect, gaining just enough confidence to hear, ‘Just keep going. You’ve got this. You’re doing fine.’ Shot entirely in the Dayton area by fellow Stivers grad Adam Miller and scored by R. Ring’s Kelley Deal and Mike Montgomery, WE’RE DOING FINE also features songs by Dayton-origin bands such as Motel Beds, Heartless Bastards, Buffalo Killers, Lou Barlow, Real Lulu, Me Time and The Judy Blooms. Q & A to follow with the filmmakers.” Tickets, just $10 each, are now available at THE NEON’s Box Office. Click the image below to visit the film’s official site.

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you this weekend,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Mar 13 – Thursday, Mar 22:

THOROUGHBREDS (R) 1 Hr 32 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Mar 13-15): 3:15, 5:30, 7:40
Friday & Saturday (March 16 & 17): 12:30, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday (March 18): 12:30, 5:10, 7:20
Monday-Wednesday (March 19-21): 5:20, 7:30
Thursday (March 22): 5:20

THE PARTY (R) 1 Hr 11 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Mar 13-15): 3:30, 5:15, 7:30
FINAL DAY – March 15!

A FANTASTIC WOMAN (R) 1 Hr 44 Min
Friday & Saturday (March 16 & 17): 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday (March 18): 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (March 19-22): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

I, TONYA (R) 2 Hrs
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (March 16-18): 2:30
Monday-Thursday (March 19-22): 2:50

PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL (NR) 2 Hrs
Thursday (March 22): 7:30

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
March 30 – THE DEATH OF STALIN
April 6 – ISLE OF DOGS
April 6 – LOVELESS
April 20 – FOXTROT
April 27 – YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
May 18 – RBG
TBD – LEISURE SEEKER

YOUNG KARL MARX, THE INSULT and OSCARS Galore at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone!

This has been an incredibly strong Oscar Season at THE NEON.  We brought you THE FLORIDA PROJECT, FACES PLACES, LADY BIRD and THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI before the holidays.  Then we brought THE SHAPE OF WATER, DARKEST HOUR, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, PHANTOM THREAD, I, TONYA and all the OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS.  It’s been one nominee to next…and Sunday will give us the winners!

We’re squeezing in two films that we initially didn’t think we’d have room to program. On Friday, we’ll open THE INSULT (a brilliant courtroom drama that’s nominated for “Best Foreign Film” at the Academy Awards) and THE YOUNG KARL MARX (for which A.O. Scott of The New York Times just wrote a glowing review). Audiences loved FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL, so we’ll hold it for limited screenings along with I, TONYA for one more week. If you still need to see the ANIMATED or LIVE ACTION OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS, Thursday will be your last chance to catch them at THE NEON!  And don’t forget about our FREE OSCAR PARTY this Sunday (more details below).

Synopsis for THE INSULT: Nominated for “Best Foreign Film” at this year’s Academy Awards! “In today’s Beirut, an insult blown out of proportion finds Tony (Adel Karam), a Lebanese Christian, and Yasser (Kamel El Basha), a Palestinian refugee in court.” A.O. Scott of THE NEW YORK TIMES wrote, “There is something undeniably exhilarating about the film’s honest assessment of the never-ending conflict between decency and cruelty that rages in every nation, neighborhood and heart.” Click THIS LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for THE YOUNG KARL MARX: “In the mid-1800s, after decades ofthe scientific and economic marchof the Industrial Revolution has created an age of both new prosperity and new problems, a 26-year-old writer, researcher andradical namedKarl Marx embarks,with his wife Jenny,on the road to exile. In Paris in 1844 they meet young Friedrich Engels, the well-to-do son of a factory owner whose studies and research has exposed the poor wages and worse conditions of the new English working class who operate looms, printing presses and other engines of industry that enrich their owners while punishing laborers. The smooth and sophisticated – but equally revolutionary and radical – Engels brings his research, help and resources to provide Marx with the missing piece to the puzzle that composes his new vision of the world.” A.O. Scott of The New York Times wrote that the film is, “Both intellectually serious and engagingly free-spirited.”

It’s Almost OSCAR Time! This Sunday, you’re invited to THE NEON’s Annual Oscar Viewing Party! The pre-show begins at 7pm, and we will begin seating as close to 7pm as possible. (The actual Oscar ceremony traditionally begins at 8:30.) Completed ballots (which are now available in our lobby) must be turned in before the first Oscar is given. YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIZES. You can reserve a spot and your place in line by dropping off your ballot when we open our doors on Sunday, March 4. One Ballot/Reservation Per Person! We’ll have fantastic prizes all night long, and our grand prize will once again be donated by our friends at Square One Salon & Spa with additional prizes from Always Ballroom and James Apesos M.D.

SAVE THE DATE! On March 22, Cliff Fawcett is bringing back the wildly successful PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL (formerly known as THE REEL PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL). This festival of short films that all take place on waterways around the world has garnered quite a following. More details soon!

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you this weekend,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Feb. 27 – Thursday, March 8:

I, TONYA (R) 2 Hrs
Tuesday-Thursday (Feb 27-Mar 1): 5:10
Friday & Saturday (Mar 2 & 3): 11:50, 4:50, 9:40
Sunday (Mar 4):11:50, 4:50
Monday-Thursday (Mar 5-8): 5:10

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS: ANIMATION (NR) 1 Hr 23 Min
Tuesday (Feb 27): 3:15, 7:30
Wednesday & Thursday (Feb 28 & Mar 1): 5:20
FINAL DAY – March 1

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS: LIVE ACTION (NR) 1 Hr 39 Min
Tuesday (Feb 27): 5:15
Wednesday & Thursday (Feb 28 & Mar 1): 3:15, 7:30
FINAL DAY – March 1

FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL (R) 1 Hr 45 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Feb 27-Mar 1): 3:00, 7:40
Friday & Saturday (Mar 2 & 3): 2:30, 7:20
Sunday (Mar 4): 2:30
Monday-Thursday (Mar 5-8): 3:00, 7:40

THE YOUNG KARL MARX (NR) 1 Hr 58 Min
Friday & Saturday (Mar 2 & 3): 2:10, 7:20, 9:50
Sunday (Mar 4): 2:10, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (Mar 5-8): 2:50, 7:50

THE INSULT (NR) 1 Hr 53 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (Mar 2-4): 11:40, 4:50
Monday-Thursday (Mar 5-8): 5:20

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
March 9 – THE PARTY
March 16 – A FANTASTIC WOMAN
April 6 – ISLE OF DOGS
April 6 – LOVELESS
April 20 – FOXTROT
April 27 – YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
May 18 – RBG
TBD – THE DEATH OF STALIN
TBD – LEISURE SEEKER

Dayton’s Top 30 Sauces

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Mamma DiSalvo’s Marinara is the best in the land.

We know Food Adventures can be saucy.  We know the Miami Valley can be a flavorful place to live.  What do you slather on your food to get more out of it?  What are your favorite flavors and tastes for sauces in Dayton?

The Food Adventures Crew have compiled a list (in order) of our favorite sauces.

We have slopped, spread, squirted and poured.  We have shaken, stirred and enjoyed many of these food sauces for decades.  The Big Ragu is a sauce freak… But now we put them all together and present to you…

 

*** DAYTON’S TOP 30 SAUCES ***

A Dayton Area Legend… so good.

1)  MAMMA DISALVO’S MARINARA SAUCE & SALAD DRESSING:
The absolute best sauce in Dayton is Mamma DiSalvos spaghetti sauce. Sure, you can a buy a pre-packaged  jar, but here is the secret… GO TO THE DELI AND GET A PINT OR QUART OF THE FRESH MARINARA SAUCE MADE THAT DAY!  The fresh pasta sauce is amazing, we could drink this stuff.  It is fantastic with boiled or baked pastas.  Their salad dressing is almost as good.  Try the salad dressing on one of The Disalvo’s Deli subs.  It makes the whole sandwich,use them together for a meal and you are in Dayton paradise.

 

2)  PINE CLUB‘S HOUSE DRESSING:
An incredible line of dressing available at the restaurant fresh, or jarred at local grocery stores. Pick up some house dressing at the nearest Dorothy Lane Market or Kroger. It will turn your salads up 2 notches. The whole line of dressings are quality stuff, with the perfect amount of flavor and tang.  Try them,  it is an iconic taste of Dayton.

 

Housemade Sauces and Rubs have revolutionized “Hot Dayton”

3)  HOUSEMADE SAUCES:
Our own Food Adventurer Chef LeeAnne House set the hot sauce bar high locally by winning competitions in Louisiana and at Jungle Jim’s. Though the liquid sauces are in hiatus due to a shortage of Thai Chili Peppers in the USA, you can still get her spice rubs. We are holding out hope that someday the sauces will be back. Some of the last bottles in town have been spotted at Foremost Seafood… FYI..

 

4)  MEADOWLARK’S HOMEMADE ROSEMARY KETCHUP:
What do you get when one of Dayton’s top restaurants puts its spin on a condiment? The answer is a Rosemary Ketchup that is perfect for french fry dipping, or dressing up a burger.  Chef Wiley and her staff have so many incredible, homemade sauces and daily creations, but this is one of our all time favorites !  Meadowlark is definitely a sauce paradise !

 

The creamy Lobster alfredo sauce on Giovanni’s Lobster Ravioli

5) GIOVANNI’S PIZZA SAUCE and ALFREDO PASTA SAUCE:
The Spaziani family has recently planned on jarring their sauces, and with good reason.  Their pizza, pasta and alfredo sauces have been area favorites for decades.  This spot in Fairborn  hosts wine dinners from time to time that feature incredible sauces, made right in their kitchen.  Try the marinara, over Gnocchi, Ravioli or with Manicotti.  You can thank us later, when your mouth isn’t full.  This eatery is part of Dayton’s soul.

 

6) THE SPICY OLIVE’S  JAPANESE SESAME SEED OIL, FLAVOR INFUSED OLIVE OILS and BALSAMICS:
When owner Melanie Cedargren first introduced us to her olive oil, it opened up a world of cooking flavors, literally.  We can now cook like our favorite Asian restaurants. How?  Using Spicy Olive’s Japanese Sesame Seed Oil.  That is just 1 percent of the amazing products they have.   May we recommend the balsamic vinegars infused with various flavors for great salads?  The store also carries its specialty, flavor infused olive oils from California and all over the globe.  Try the butter infused oil when cooking fish or popcorn.  How about the garlic or cilantro flavor when cooking chicken?  They sky is the limit and this place will make you a culinary superstar in your kitchen.  All of these items are available in small or large bottles, so you can maximize your choices.

Olive Oils at the Spicy Olive-  The Japanese Sesame Seed oil

7)  FLAVORS EATERY GARLIC SAUCE:
Rich LoRusso and his wife Elaine have brough the California healthy living cuisine to the Dayton foodies.  In the search to find various healthy substitutes, they developed this garlic sauce.  It is a minced, creamy garlic sauce and it is smoothly delicious.  From Nachos, to Chicken dinners to sandwiches, this sauce is great on everything.  The sauce is for sale at Flavor’s Eatery in Centerville and Lebanon and also available at some local grocers.

 

Red Headed Sauce Co.’s Medium Hot Salsa

8) FRESH IN A JAR SALSA and MARINARA by RED HEADED SAUCE CO.
Chef Marshall Bartley has taken his culinary expertise to develop a salsa that is like no other.  His decades as a chef at country clubs, restaurants, and catering companies is our benefit.  The Medium Hot Salsa is the best of these flavors.  Try it, you will LOVE IT !  The marinara sauce is fantastic too, reminiscent of the Brio and Bravo deeply flavorful tomato sauce.  The company will also team up with groups for fundraisers and charitable causes.  Get your hands on these jars, you will be glad you did.

 

9) CARVERS STEAK and CHOPS’ BEARNAISE SAUCE:
Fine dining in Dayton, stops through Carver’s Steak House.  Whether it is a prime rib, a  New York strip, or baked salmon.  The béarnaise sauce can make that great piece of protein even better.  It dresses up the plate and makes for a savory hint to each bite.  Creamy, delicious and made in-house, this sauce goes great with all of Carver’s quality meats.

 

10)  THE DYNAMITE SHRIMP SAUCE at SWEENEY’S SEAFOOD HOUSE:
Lisa Long and her staff have so many great appetizers, soups and sauces to try.  One of our favorites is the Dynamite Sauce on the Dynamite Shrimp Appetizer.  It is a spicy and creamy “bang” to your taste buds.  May we also give a shout out to an incredible Dijon based tarragon sauce that is drizzled on many fish entrees as well.  Lots of great sauce creations at this Centerville restaurant.

 

Lieutenant Tangy is the best of Company 7’s Sauces

11)  COMPANY 7 BBQ’S SAUCES:
When 3 fireman get to cooking, you know good things are happening.  That’s the story with Company 7 BBQ’s owners.  They have taken the time to develop 7 homemade sauces, all with distinct styles and tastes.  They are all tasty sauces, but which one of these nationally recognized BBQ sauces is the best?  We rank their 7 sauces in order right here.
1) Lieutenant Tangy – Kansas City BBQ style sauce with a tangy kick
2) The Rookie – mildly sweet sauce
3) Firefighter Sweet – Memphis style sweet BBQ sauce
4) The Secret Hot BBQ Sauce  – only found in a secret bottle behind the bar…. no label, just an underground concoction that packs some heat.
5) Commissioner Burns – A spicy BBQ sauce
6) Captain Carolina – Mustard based,  Carolina style sauce
7) Chief Smoky – Just like the name implies, a smoky flavor in this one…

Now you know all of their sauces, including the secret one behind the bar, and which ones are the best.  Again the truth is, they are all great.  On Ribs, Wings and Chicken OH MY !

 

Some of the Woebler Sauces at Charlie’s Deli and Imports

12)  WOEBER’S MUSTARDS:
Springfield’s sauce masters have plenty of choices for the hot dog or sandwich in your life.  Most popular of these products are the Yellow and Brown Mustard product lines.  They include a Dijon mustard,  a horseradish mustard, a jalapeno mustard, a honey mustard and a Craft beer mustard made with Warped Wing Beer.  There is even a Dusseldorf Mustard.  All mustards are locally made in their facility .  When is the last time your face lit up from the surprisingly nice zing from a  Sandwich with Woeber’s mustard?   Grab a bottle of this stuff at Kroger and other Dayton grocers, and see for yourself.  A large selection of Woeber’s is also available at Charlie’ Deli in Dayton.

Are you sauced yet?  Our list goes on  ….

 

Franco’s World Famous Garlic Olive Oil sauce – spaghetti dish

13)  THE GARLIC OIL SAUCE on FRANCO’s WORLD FAMOUS SPAGHETTI:
Take an Italian native with a passion for cooking and experimenting. Give him a restaurant called Franco’s Ristorante Italiano.  Take some olive oil and a lot of garlic, pn sear that with Italian sausage and an egg and you have the base for a secret sauce that has pleased Daytonians for over 40 years.  Chef/Owner Franco Germano’s sauce is his own olive oil based sauce creation. You can also add sautéed mushrooms on top to seal the deal. The result is a lighter tasting pasta dish, not weighted down with a heavy sauce. For those who want a break from the traditional marinara based sauces, this one is for you.

 

14) THE “YUM YUM” SAUCE at SAKE JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE:
You’ve heard them say it over and over again at Sake.  They say “can I get some extra Yum Yum sauce.  HA.. another foodie that is hooked.,  It is addicting, this creamy sauce that goes just perfect over rice, seafood and even the sushi rolls for an occassional dip.  A knockoff brand is for sale at Kroger’s but it is “cray cray” expensive and not the real deal.  don’t get us wrong, we love the Ginger Sauce too, but the Yum Yum sauce is in a league of its own.

 

Oscar Sauce at the Paragon is a great option to any steak

15) THE OSCAR SAUCE at THE PARAGON SUPPER CLUB:
You’re sitting in your best attire at the Paragon, the plate is served to accompany your stewed tomatoes and hash browns.  Ahh you chose the oscar sauce to stop your steak.  Steak Oscar is a French tradition, where the meat is topped with a creamy crab béarnaise sauce and asparagus.  Sometimes Cheese is involved.  Anytime you get this option at the Paragon, deliciousness is involved.  Try your steak “Oscar,” the next time you hit this Centerville pillar of the dining community.

 

16) THE BBQ SAUCE at CENTERVILLE PIZZA and BBQ:
This eatery is a nationally award-winning place, known for inventive pizzas (try the zombie pizza – it will change your life).  But the unsung hero at this kitchen is the BBQ.  Amazing Pulled Pork, Ribs and broasted chicken need one thing .. A GREAT SAUCE !  Holy cow does Robert Benson, the owner come through.  His BBQ sauce is a tangy throwback.  It is very flavorful with a strong hint like the old Open Pit brand in the blue bottle.  Nothing crazy fancy, just a bold, tangy taste.  Try this, order a dozen broasted wings, order a couple of sides of BBQ Sauce.  Dip those wings and go to town.  It will be your best  Food Adventure of the week !

 

Dont go Brucken my heart

17) BRUCKEN FOODS’ HORSERADISH SPREAD and DUSSELDORF MUSTARD SAUCES:
When you need flavor, the Kettering company called Brucken Foods is a great go to,  You can find their sauces at Foremost Seafood, Dorothy Lane Market, Kroger and Jungle Jim’s.  What you didn’t know is that these sauce recipes are 100 years old, like the company !  Brucken Foods has been serving the Dayton area since 1913.   Owner Louie Brucken used to deliver pickles, spices and condiments out of a horse-drawn wagon ( we need to get Chef House one of those ). Today, owners Steve and Mary Lingg service Dayton’s finest restaurants and grocery stores with their Horseradish Spread, Mustard sauce and more.

 

18)  VOLTZY’S SWEET HEAT MUSTARD:
This sauce can be found at the legendary hamburger man whose business model is like the Seinfeld “soup nazi.”  In between calling customers wimps or telling jokes, he is slapping sweet heat mustard on his one-of-a-kind burgers.  Rick Volz will tell you that there are many secrets to his burgers, and one of them is the signature sauce he uses.  Voltzy uses a mix of yellow mustard and red pepper paste to make a slightly spicy condiment.  He puts it on every cheeseburger that he makes unless you dare defy it “his way.”  You will get some grief, but we learned something,  He is right, the sauce is fantastic and the burgers are best his way (The Big Ragu catches hell for adding ketchup some days).

 

The Red Chili Paste at Little Saigon is out on the tables,.

19)  LITTLE SAIGON’S HOMEMADE HOT CHILI PASTE:
Homemade hot sauces are good.  Vietnamese family secret hot sauces are great.  Take the jars lining the tables at Little Saigon.   They are scary.  First of all they are not refrigerated, but that isn’t necessary.   It is a red chili paste and it goes well in soups, on soft rolls, and as a dip for spring rolls.  The result is heat.  Vietnamese food can be known for its spiciness and there is no shortage of hot sauces in this restaurant.  We recommend it because it burns so good.  Yes, even though it is hot, you cannot get enough.

 

20) MUTT’S SAUCE:
Made in Dayton, this sauce is gaining a bit of a following.  It is a Tomato-based sauce with hints of Onion, Vinegar, and Garlic.  The sauce is produced in Dayton Ohio, but invented by Charlie “Mutt” Ferrell, Jr., an Air Force Vet from Carthage, Tennessee.   In 1956, Mutt developed a sauce he could use for every meal.  It is sweet, tangy with a little bit of heat.  Mutt would host parties and his sauce helped break down down any cultural or language barriers. The sauce quickly became a symbol of unity wherever he went.  Mutt passed away in 2005, in his seventies.  His granddaughter, Charlynda Scales, an air force vet, just like him has taken the torch.   Charlynda decided to have the sauce bottled, with Mutt’s name and face on the label.  Every bottle of Mutt’s Sauce continues his legacy.

 

Charlie Ferrell Jr’s Legacy

21) DAVE’S DAWG SAUCE:
The perfect topping to plain hot dog. It is part mustard, but on steroids.  Great on Turkey subs/sandwiches too.  Heck any recipe with mustard, this sauce can boost that recipe.  We have seen Dave’s Dawg Sauce at Kroger, and Dorothy Lane Market.  Invented by a local resident, the sauce goes great on burgers, chicken and ribs too.  Not a bad french fry dip as well.

 

22) DOROTHY LANE MARKET’S CHAMPAGNE MUSTARD SAUCE:
DLM does it again with a sauce that will please at the deli, or as simple as dipping chicken nuggets.  This is a small jar, and they don’t last long.  Another one of our favorite things to do is dip pretzel sticks into this stuff.  It is undoubtedly one of the tastiest sauces in Dayton, this had to be on the list.

 

Got Shrimp ?

22) THE BARNSIDER’S COCKTAIL SAUCE:
A Miami Valley tradition has outlasted the restaurant that started it.  Even though the Barnsider is out of business, the cocktail sauce lives on through bottlers.  You can pick up a jar of the good stuff at Foremost Seafood, Krogers and Dorothy Lane Market.  A nice flavor, with that horseradish punch.  Can you get more old school Dayton than this sauce ?  It is Cocktail Shrimp’s perfect partner.

 

23)  WALT’S SALSA and BBQ SAUCES:
Locally jarred salsa that has a cult following.  Load up on Walt’s .  It is chunky and we prefer the hotter versions.  Want to know what is equal to his salsa?  His BBQ sauce !  Yes.  This sauce is a perfect marinade, grilling or baking sauce.  It is a thinner sauce and goes great on grilled or baked chicken breasts.  Marinating some wings for the grill?  Try Walt’s BBQ sauce for that…

 

24) KABUKI’S HOMEMADE SOY SAUCE:
Made in-house, this wonderful sauce is perfect with the sushi on hand, or the rice with entrée meals.  Many a Bento Box have been lonely without this sauce.  To make your sushi experience the best, take  a ball of wasabi, about as big as a pea.  Dissolve it in the homemade soy sauce.  Dip the sushi and hold off the sneezes.  You are now experiencing a Japanese delicacy.

 

Bourbon Sauce Burger at Brixx !

25) OAKWOOD CLUB’s GARLIC VINAIGRETTE HOUSE DRESSING WITH BLEU CHEESE CRUMBLES:
The best 95 cent upcharge you will ever make.  Oh those salads, oh those breads, wouldn’t one with Blue Cheese be perfect about now?  Creamy  aromatic, garlic filled, dressing finished with bleu cheese crumbles.  What a great way to start out your meal.

 

26) THE BOURBON SAUCE at BRIXX ICE CO.
This versatile sauce is used on two of our favorite menu items.  First the Bourbon Fries, a slightly sticky, always sweet menu item that is a simple, yet delicious twist on plain fries.  A light coat of bourbon sauce on top, turns a normal side into a signature treat, but it doesn’t stop their.  Our favorite use of the sauce is on the Bourbon Burger at Brixx Ice Co.  A nice, fresh beef patty topped with crunchy onion rings and based in Bourbon Sauce.  Try this burger and see what we are talking about.  Chef and Owner Chris Bhai is the one to thank for this sauce !

 

27) ZAPPIA FAMILY SPAGHETTI SAUCE:
This is an all natural, no preservative Tomato Sauce made in Dayton, Ohio.  The recipe is Dayton native Dan Zappia’s grandparents recipe from the Calabria region of Italy.  This is the “new kid” on the block as far as Dayton marinara sauces go.  They claim the secret to this delicious sauce is fresh ingredients and a pinch of love.  The sauce is fantastic and has a nice strong flavor.  We have seen it for sale at Flying Pizza Downtown, Kroger, Fresh /Thyme, Dot’s Market and Jungle Jims.  It is a nice, rich tasting  and local pasta sauce, so buy local !  There are 3 flavors of jarred spaghetti sauce, the first being Standard Marinara.  The second is a spicy marinara called, Arrabbiata.  Finally,  a Porccini sauce which includes mushrooms.

 

28) ANNARINO’S TOMATO SAUCE:
Their sauces are available at Kroger, and Dorothy Lane Market.  In 1951, Annarino’s Restaurant opened in Dayton.  Today you can still get that taste. Annarino’s is still family owned and operated, using he secret recipe that has been passed down through the family generation.  The finest quality ingredients go into this sauce which is also Low fat and Cholesterol free.  Try the 4 flavors of Annarino’s sauces: Mushroom, Marinara, Meaty Italian Sauce, and Meatless Italian Sauce.

 

29) FRICKER’S SAUCES:
The hometown sports bar of Dayton has branched across the state, using their sauces as stepping-stones and wings as a springboard to get more business.  Frickers has some great sauces, and depending on your tolerance for hot sauces, your favorites may vary from ours.  But we can tell you this …

Frickers BBQ Wings – a sauce that launched a franchise

If you love MILD sauces –

Try the BBQ Sauce. This is their flagship sauce on which they built a brand.  It is sweet and delicious, whether on boneless or traditional wings.  This is the king.  Garlic Parmesan and Bourbon Molasses gets honorable mention for MILD heat lovers.

Do you like Medium heat?

Little Kicker is where it is at … or try a secret mix of BBQ Little Kicker.

Do you like things hot?

Their Killer Sauce is probably one of the most popular very hot sauces in Dayton.  Also, the BBQ Killer sauce combo is legendary in these parts.  Whatever Fricker’s sauce you choose, bring plenty of napkins !

 

Katsu Curry Dish at Ariake Sushi Bar

30) THE JAPANESE KATSU CURRY SAUCE at ARIAKE SUSHI:
In Japan, one of the more popular sauces on the rise is curry flavored.  Owner Miko Whigham developed an authentic curry sauce, like those enjoyed in her home country of Japan.  You can enjoy it right here in Dayton in one of their dishes “Katsu Curry.”  It is a deep-fried pork tenderloin (you can ask for chicken) sliced into strips and placed on white rice.  The tenderloin is then completely doused in the curry sauce.  The result is a filling, one of a kind rich treat.  Even non-curry lovers have been known to like this sauce, why?  Because it mimics an American style gravy sauce.  So the unique flavor is reminiscent of a comfort meal with gravy.  Try this and see if we aren’t right on target.  They hit a home run with this thick, rich sauce.

 

Let us not forget…. Honorable mention for the

REGIONAL SAUCES:

Montgomery Inn BBQ Sauce over Ribs

A) MONTGOMERY INN BBQ SAUCE:
The greatest BBQ Sauce known to man. Bob Hope’s favorite, as he would have ribs delivered to his home every 2 weeks. Try the sauce on wings and chicken breasts too. It is best served hot.  We cannot sing the praises of this Cincinnati area sauce enough.  It is very versatile …

 

B) FRISCH’S TARTAR SAUCE:
This sauce has a cult following that started in Cincinnati. The creamy tartar with pickles chopped up inside. It is the perfect topping for a Big Boy. Ask for extra sauce on your sandwich, it always works out for the better.

 

Spaghetti Sauce from LaRosa’s

C) SCHIAVONE’S MARINARA  SAUCE:
A canned sauce that is the pride of Middletown, Ohio. Look for cans of this sauce at Kroger. They have 3 types of sauces, a pizza sauce, a marinara and a spicy marinara. They are incredible, and a no frills base for any tomato sauce that you may want to doctor up.

 

D) LaROSA’S SPAGHETTI SAUCE:
Buddy LaRosa and his family have brought one of the tastier sauces to our region. The jars are sold at Kroger and at each restaurant throughout Cincinnati and Dayton.

 

E) CITY BBQ’S ORIGINAL BBQ SAUCE: They have five basic sauces.  In order here are the best : Original, Sweet City, Brushfire,  LowCo, Swine Wine.  This company is a Columbus based operation and is growing like crazy.

 

F) SKYLINE CHILI’S HOT SAUCE:
A hot, Cincinnati version of a tabasco type sauce. When the hot sauce hits the cheese, your 5-way or chili coney is official. Comes in a squirt bottle and is fun to use with oyster crackers. You fill the cracker holes up with sauce and pop them into your mouth. We affectionately call these “a-bombs.”

 

Paying homage to sauces of the past…

SAUCES WE MISS:

—DOMINICS HOUSE SALAD DRESSING:
The biggest cause of bad breath in Dayton from the 1950’s to the 1990’s. This was a guilty pleasure and only the ones who breathed this fire could appreciate the garlic power it emitted.

 

—THE GRUB STEAK’S SALAD DRESSINGS:
The Bissett family had some of the best dressings around.  They were available for a short stint in grocery stores in the 1990’s.

 

—MRS WRIGHT’S SAUCE: 
Remember this bottled sauce? They had it at the condiment station at Dayton Dragon’s games and sold it in local stores.  We  miss that sauce on our hot dogs !

 

There you have it – the top 30 Sauces of Dayton, Ohio from today and yesteryear.  Only Food Adventures would dare rank a bold list like this.  If you want more Food Advenutures, please LIKE them on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Each week right the Food Adventure Crew presents a featured article, EXCLUSIVELY on DaytonMostMetro.com.

See you then, in the meantime feel free to browse the photos below and comment on your favorite sauces.

 

Garlic Sauce from Flavors

Franco’s marinara on manicotti

Centerville Pizza and BBQ’s sauce on Ribs

Givoannis Pasta Sauces

Mama DiSalvos sauce

Meadowlarks Rosemary Ketchup

Dynamite Shrimp sauce at Sweeneys

Little Saigon Hot Sauce

The Spicy Olive owner Melanie Cedargren

Voltzys Sweet Heat Mustard

Annarinos Meaty stuff

Frickers Killer Sauce on Boneless OMG hot

Ragu snuggles with Company 7 BBq’s secret hot Sauce found behind the bar

BBQ and Hot Sauces from Centerville Pizza and Ribs

When you see the label , buy the stuff

The Bearnaise Sauce at Carvers

 

 

Woebers Mustards

Daves Dawgs Sauce

Garlic Sauce from Flavors !

Annarinos Pasta Sauces

Giovannis pasta sauces are amazing

Centerville Pizza and BBQ sauce over pulled pork

Bernaise sauce and Salmon at Carvers