Tom Hiddleston

TIFF Day #9 – 2024

September 13, 2024 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello NEON Community.

Today was my last day of screenings, and I officially passed the “30 films” mark.

My first film of the day was one I was eager to see – QUEER, dir Luca Guadagnino (Italy, USA) “Brilliant, audacious author, meet brilliant, audacious director: it takes risk to translate the work of William S. Burroughs for the screen, but Oscar-nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino’s (Call Me by Your Name, TIFF ’17) spin on the Beat legend’s autobiographical novel matches its source material in vulnerability and taboo-smashing adventurousness. Starring Daniel Craig and featuring supporting turns from Jason Schwartzman and Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), Queer is a hallucinogenic odyssey bathed in desire.” My first Guadagnino film at TIFF is one of my favorite memories…it was a screening of I AM LOVE – which is still one of my favorite films for the 17 years I’ve been attending the festival. On top of that, other Guadagnino films have played very well for us at THE NEON – CALL ME BY YOUR NAME and CHALLENGERS are among them. This story is told with magical and drug-induced imagery in wonderful ways, and the Craig’s performance is really quite wonderful. The film is a slow burn, and I think it might grow on me in time…but about half way through, I was feeling underwhelmed (though I thought the last 20 minutes were very strong). I had been told by some industry folks that the sex scenes were more than theater-goers could handle – so I was prepared…but in the end, they weren’t as risqué as I’d thought they might be.

Next up was a complete surprise. I like Tom Hiddleston & Chiwetel Ejiofor, so I decided to try THE LIFE OF CHUCK, dir Mike Flanagan (USA) “Mike Flanagan takes a detour from the macabre with this adaptation of a uniquely structured Stephen King novella that unravels a seemingly ordinary accountant’s world. The world feels like it’s ending and everybody’s saying goodbye to Chuck. Wherever Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor) goes, he can’t get away from Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston). His face is showing up on billboards, window signs — even TV commercials. What’s so special about this seemingly ordinary accountant and why does he warrant such a sendoff?” (taken from TIFF catalog) This is told in three parts, and Part 3 is where we start. It’s inventive and plays with genre in an interesting way (Part 3 is a scary end-of-days sci-fi genre (but seeming more like real-life these days) and Parts 2 & 1 are origin story dramas. At the end of the day, it’s a film about memories and how we’re shaped as adults. Some may say it’s a little too saccharine, but I absolutely adored this film – and it is definitely in my Top 5 of this year’s festival!

My last film of the festival was from the “Midnight Madness” category – THE SUBSTANCE, dir Coralie Fargeat (United Kingdom, United States of America, France) “Demi Moore portrays a fading Hollywood star feuding with the manifestation of her younger self (Margaret Qualley) in this award-winning body-horror satire from writer-director Coralie Fargeat (Revenge)” (taken from TIFF catalog) This film has a lot to say about beauty and age standards for television and film (and even the general public), and it’s hyper-stylized. It’s a kind of DEATH BECOMES HER directed by Cronenberg, and it’s very fun (and rather grotesque). For the first 90 minutes, I wished we had booked it at THE NEON next week…but then it jumped the rails and became a full-on gore fest…I’m glad we didn’t. (I think a large part of our regular customers would revolt…plus it will be playing at the multiplexes.) Overall, I personally liked it – but it absolutely not for everyone.

So that’s that!
32 Films (33 screenings overall – I saw 1 film 2 times), 2 sit-down interviews with a big star and a big director, lots of connections with other people in the business, 1 star-studded party and a couple good meals. Thanks for coming along on this ride with me. I hope to see you soon at THE NEON.

Take care,
Jonathan

Sally Field’s DORIS Soars! Hank Williams Biopic Opens Friday at THE NEON!

March 30, 2016 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone,

Many thanks to everyone who came out to see HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS this weekend. The response was terrific, and DORIS will certainly stick around. If you’re a Terrence Malick fan (or a fan of Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett or Natalie Portman) and you still need to see KNIGHT OF CUPS, Thursday will be your last chance to see it at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open the new Hank Williams biopic – I SAW THE LIGHT – featuring an incredible central performance by Tom Hiddleston.

Synopsis for I SAW THE LIGHT: “I SAW THE LIGHT tells the story of the iconic, tormented singer-songwriter Hank Williams who revolutionized country music with his raw charisma, haunting voice and original songs, most of which are considered American standards today and have been recorded many times over by pop, rock and country artists alike. Hank Williams (Tom Hiddleston) emerged from the local Alabama music scene after World War II. Wife Audrey (Elizabeth Olsen) was desperate to sing by his side despite being of lesser talent, which fueled an extremely turbulent home life.” (Sony Classics) Stephen Hubbard of ABC-Nashville wrote, “Not since Sissy Spacek portrayed Loretta Lynn as an actor inhabited a legend like Tom Hiddleston playing Hank Williams.” Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc2TEsl7vC8

We’re only a week away from THE DAYTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL, and this year’s selections look like a winning line-up! The fest begins in early April with screenings and speakers all around town. Here’s a list of films that will screen at THE NEON:
Thursday, April 7 – 7:15pm – ATOMIC FALAFEL
Sunday, April 10 – 7:15pm – THE LAST MENTSCH
Tuesday, April 12 – 9:30am – GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEM
Tuesday, April 12 – 7:15pm – BORROWED IDENTITY
Thursday, April 14 – 7:15pm – APPLES FROM THE DESERT
Sunday, April 17 – 5:20pm – MAKING MORNING STAR
Sunday, April 17 – 7:15pm – DOUGH
Advanced tickets are available on the festival’s official site.

On Wednesday, April 20 at 7:30, “Go Wild for Earth Month at the WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL presented by Aveda and the SierraClub. The evening will be a celebration of wilderness and waterways as we take a cinematic tour of rivers, lakes, oceans and the individuals exploring, enjoying, and protecting them. Over 15 films spanning the globe highlight why our waterways should be wild.” (taken from press notes) Tickets are $10 each in advance, and they can be purchased via this LINK. If tickets remain, they will be sold one hour before the event at our box office for $12 each. All proceeds benefit the Sierra Club.

On Monday, April 25 at 7:30, Gathr Films along with Tricia Rau-Hammond will present a one-time screening of the new documentary MILK. “Through an intimate and artistic lens, MILK brings a universal perspective on the politics, commercialization and controversies surrounding birth and infant feeding over the canvas of stunningly beautiful visuals and poignant voices from around the globe. Inspiring, informative, provocative and sensitive, MILK celebrates bringing a new life into this world with a strong call to action and reflection.” (taken from Press Notes) In addition to the screening, the evening will feature a raffle of prizes from Luna Blue’s Boutique. Advanced tickets must be purchased on the Gathr site by following this LINK. If tickets remain, they will be available at our box office one hour before the screening.

Next Friday (April 8), we’re slated to open DEMOLITION – the new film from Jean Marc Vallee (director of WILD and DALLAS BUYERS CLUB). It stars Jake Gyllenhaal & Naomi Watts, and it was the Opening Night Film at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. I think many of you will love it!

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

SHOWTIMES for Monday, March 28 – Thursday, April 7:

KNIGHT OF CUPS (R) 1 Hr 58 Min
Monday – Thursday (March 28-31): 3:00, 5:30, 8:00
FINAL DAY – March 31!

HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS (R) 1 Hr 35 Min
Monday – Thursday (March 28-31): 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
Friday & Saturday (April 1 & 2): 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday (April 3): 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20
Monday – Wednesday (April 4-6): 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
Thursday (April 7): 3:00, 5:15

I SAW THE LIGHT (R) 2 Hrs 3 Min
Friday & Saturday (April 1 & 2): 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:30
Sunday (April 3): 1:00, 4:00, 7:00
Monday – Thursday (April 4-7): 3:00, 5:30, 8:00

DAYTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday (April 7): ATOMIC FALAFEL (NR) – 7:15

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear.)
April 8 – DEMOLITION (Opening Night film from TIFF)
April ? – REMEMBER
April 22 – MILES AHEAD (shot in Cincinnati & Dayton)
April ? – THE DARK HORSE
April ? – KRISHA
May 6 – SING STREET
May 13 – LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP
May 27 – THE MEDDLER
June 10 – MAGGIE’S PLAN
June 17 – DARK HORSE

Little Art Theatre Brings London’s National Theatre Live to the Miami Valley

February 11, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

The Little Art Theatre, which completed a half-million dollar renovation in 2013, will present productions from London’s National Theatre beginning this month. National Theatre Live is a groundbreaking project that broadcasts the best of British theatre from the London stage to cinemas around the world. Each broadcast is filmed in front of a live audience in the theatre, with cameras positioned throughout the auditorium to ensure that cinema audiences get the “best seat in the house” view of each production.

Shakespeare’s Coriolanus will open the series, with screenings on Saturday, February 22, at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, February 26, at 7 p.m. The hit production War Horse will be shown on March 22 and 26, followed by King Lear on May 24 and 28 and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on May 31 and June 4.

Coriolanus, Shakespeare’s searing tragedy of political manipulation and revenge, stars Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers, War Horse, Thor) in the title role and Mark Gatiss (BBC’s Sherlock) as Menenius. Variety offered this praise: “Making enthralling theater out of one of Shakespeare’s best-known titles is one thing. It’s an achievement of an altogether higher order to take the austerely forbidding ‘Coriolanus’—an argumentative tragedy discussing the demands of politics and the power of the people—and turn it into a theatrical triumph. But that’s exactly what [director] Josie Rourke has done. Thanks to an ideally dovetailed ensemble led by a scorching Tom Hiddleston, tension builds, fills the theater and never flags throughout an all-consuming evening.” Coriolanus has a running time of 180 minutes.

Tickets for the National Theatre Live presentations are $20 for everyone and are available in advance online at www.littleart.com (under the Calendar tab) and at the door. The Little Art Theatre is located at 247 Xenia Avenue in downtown Yellow Springs, Ohio. Information and directions are available at www.littleart.com or by calling 937-767-7671.

Toronto – Day #1 (5 Films)

September 6, 2013 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello!

Today was one of those packed days…and I’m thinking I might finish typing this while in line tomorrow morning (so I can get at least 5 hours of sleep).

I saw 5 films on Day #1.

First off was an Iranian film called CLOSED CURTAIN by Jafar Panahi & Kambuzia Partovi. This is a film about a man who goes into hiding with his dog – residing in a “friend’s house” where he blacks out all the windows and fears any sounds of people outside. A strange woman finds her way into the house, and tensions mount. About half way into the film, the story reveals itself. Not everything is as it seems…for this is a story being written/imagined by a director. This is a film about inspiration and character development…and how one creates under certain constraits. Not knowing Panahi’s story (of being under house arrest in Iran) could make this film a little more difficult to initially understand…though I eventually found the cinematic riddles/metaphors to be a little obtuse and tedious. (There’s a side story about how dogs are not allowed to be seen in public…and the dog in this movie steals every scene.)

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBLiT13SBl8′]

(CONTINUED at 7:00am Friday morning)

Francois Ozon’s latest film – YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL – is a sexually charged film about a girl losing her virginity over the summer…and how she eventually is drawn into the power-play of sexuality. At 17, while still in high school and living at home, she begins leading a double life of a prostitute. She uses on-line pornography as tutorials, and she steals her mother’s clothes to look more sophisticated. Told over the course of 4 seasons, this film has a couple clunky moments and on-the-nose song choices (and a little too overscored – though I do love the score). It even visually references BELLE DE JOUR – which is clearly loved by Ozon. Overall, I rather liked the sexual politics of the film…and I loved the ending. (Last year, I saw Ozon’s last film – IN THE HOUSE…it ended up being one of my favorites.)

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMSiEhAw4PA’]

ABUSE OF WEAKNESS is Catherine Breillat’s latest film – based loosely on her personal story of dealing with the aftermath of a stroke and being swindled by a man who she came to admire (who was supposed to star in her next film). This film stars Isabelle Huppert, and she is out of this world! The control of her body and speech are unbelievable! Though a bit too long and sometimes a bit frustrating (though I’m guessing that might be the point…as dealing with an illness and its physical challenges can be much the same). The psychology of what makes people do things that seem out of character is a driving force of this film, and it’s worth seeing just for Huppert’s incredible performance.

KILL YOUR DARLINGS stars Daniel Radcliffe as Allen Ginsberg – which should seal the deal to mainstream America that Radcliffe can do a lot more than play a boy wizard (many already knew this given EQUUS and other examples). Though produced by Killer Films (known for a variety of indie gems over the years – BOYS DON’T CRY, FAR FROM HEAVEN, and many many more), this film seemed more “Hollywood” than anything I saw on Day #1. This is due mostly to its simplistic script. The visual style is rather nice, and most of the performances are really quite good, but it seemed a little too easy and I found myself rolling my eyes a lot – especially in the first 20 minutes (and the use of some contemporary music killed a few moments instead of making them relatable). Overall, I came away liking several things about the film – but it’s far from being a masterpiece. (Part biopic, part thriller!…you didn’t see that coming, did you? Without the opening scene set in prison, you wouldn’t really guess the film was heading that direction.)

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6i4XR5Z4lU’]

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE was my final film of the day. Jim Jarmusch’s vampire movie isn’t what many might suspect. It’s not at all a horror film! This is a love story about 2 sophisticated people who have lived for hundreds of years. Told in a bit of a hallucinogenic haze, this film is actually full of humorous moments and thoughtful insights to today’s world. (Tom Hiddleston’s character – who plays opposite Tilda Swinton – is contemplating suicide…due mostly to being so disenchanted with the monstrous actions of today’s human beings – who he refers to as “zombies”). Told in a languid, poetic fashion, this is a character driven film with lots of long, slowly moving scenes with beautiful music and photography. Some might find the film boring (especially if they’re looking for a traditional genre film), but I thought it was rather lovely. Tilda was NOT there! Though disappointing, it was nice to see and hear Jarmusch and Hiddleston discuss the film (I didn’t previously know who Hiddleston was…but fans were shrieking with delight when he emerged from his car). Mia Wasikowska was also in attendance. She had little to say.

3 Films today. Maybe 4!

More later! Thanks for reading!