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TIFF 2017 – Day #1

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Hello NEON Supporters,

Yesterday was a super easy day of travel.  Though there was one minor delay with a flight, we made up for it in the air…and customs was a breeze.  I was on a bus en route to the subway within 15 minutes of landing (perhaps an all-time record).  After about 40 minutes of travel to get to the central hub for Press & Industry folks, I got my credentials and first round of tickets, and I was feeling good.

Though my check-in with my airbnb was rather frustrating, I managed to get a lot of work done for the LGBT Film Fest while I awaited the key to my room…so yesterday was productive (albeit in a rather corporate setting and not on the streets of Toronto).

Today was my first day of screenings…and I’m off to a good start.

My first film this morning was LOVELESS – directed by Andrey Zvyagintsey (director of LEVIATHAN – nominated for “Best Foreign Film” a couple years ago…and won the Golden Globe). This Russian film won the Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.  It’s a film about a marriage that’s on the verge of divorce…and how the couple has become so consumed by themselves that they “abandon” their young son.  They don’t even immediately notice when he goes missing.  The film is a slow, slow burn, and I think some editors (or distributors…you know who I mean) would be inclined to chop a good 30 minutes out.  But this is all part of the point.  There’s a stillness in its lonely composition and a desire to hold a frame longer than usual…as though the director is provoking you to search for clues within the frame.  Overall, I think it’s a hard sell, but I’m glad I was along for the ride.

IN THE FADE was my next film – directed by Fatih Akin (director of EDGE OF HEAVEN – a lovely film we featured at the Dayton LGBT Film Fest several years ago.)  This German film stars Diane Kruger – who won “Best Actress” for her role in this film at the Cannes Film Festival.  It’s the story of a German woman who loses her husband (of Turkish descent) and son in an explosion…and soon finds out that the explosion was set by Neo-Nazis with the intent to kill foreigners.  This film turns from a courtroom drama into a tale of revenge on a dime (the original German title is “Aus Dem Nichts” – aka “Out Of Nowhere”), and the tension builds pretty quickly and effectively – until it becomes a little too absurd.  I liked it, but a few major eye rolls kept me really liking it more.

Regarding my third and final film of the day, I have to make a confession.  I had already seen it!  Sony Classics screened this and several other films for exhibitors in our market over the past several weeks…but this is one that I had to see again (there are 4 other films playing at the festival that I have already seen – but I won’t see any of them for a second time).  CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, directed by Luca Guadagnino (director of I AM LOVE  – one of my absolute favorite films of the past decade) – is an Italian film that’s mostly in English.  Based on one of the best novels I’ve read in quite some time (with a screenplay by James Ivory), this is the story of a teenage boy and his sexual awakening during the summer of 1983.  This film is absolutely one of the best films of the year, and the central performance by Timothy Chalamet is unbelievable.  The film is sensual in so many ways, and the soundtrack is one that I’ll own as soon as it’s available.  Checkout the trailer below…it’s only a small, delicious taste of what’s in store for you.  **Director Luca Gaudaanino and actors Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet did a brief and insightful Q&A after the screening.**

Thanks for checking in with me today.

I only have three films scheduled for tomorrow…and then it gets crazy after that.

All the best,

Jonathan

DAYTON LGBT FILM FEST Heading Into 12th Year!

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What do Bette Midler, Danny Glover, Danny DeVito, Laura Linney, Ian McKellen and Laverne Cox all have in common? They all have films playing at The Dayton LGBT Film Festival this year!

Titles are locked down, marketing materials are ready to go, and visiting artists are securing their travel plans for The 12th Annual Dayton LGBT Film Fest – taking place next month at THE NEON in Downtown Dayton.

During the weekend of Oct. 13-15, the festival will screen 17 films (a combination of shorts and features) with ties to the LGBT community – ranging from American comedies to International dramas…from narratives to documentaries. Directors, stars and other creative individuals from a handful of the selections are slated to attend.

One special guest will be Jill Alexander, an accomplished actress and co-star of SENSITIVITY TRAINING (pictured above on the left). The committee selected the film from over 100 submissions this year and was unaware (until after booking the film) that Alexander grew up right here in the Miami Valley and attended Beavercreek High School. The festival is thrilled to bring Alexander back home to share her work with the community and her family.

On Friday, October 13, attendees of the Opening Night Film FREAK SHOW will be invited to the Opening Night Party at The Mudlick Tavern – just a few blocks from THE NEON. For $8, guests will see the movie and then enjoy a complimentary cocktail and appetizers – this is certain to be a very hot ticket.

Though festival passes sold out in record time this year, patrons will have a chance to get single tickets for each of the screenings beginning Friday, September 8. Details about the films and how to get tickets can be found on the official site – www.daytonlgbt.com

Sponsors for this year’s festival include PFLAG Dayton, The Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus, Sue Spiegel & Lisa Hanauer, The Human Race Theatre Company, Miami Valley Fair Housing, AARP Ohio, The Greater Dayton LGBT Center, MJ’s On Jefferson, Johnny Dangerously, Equitas Health, David Lauri, Square Once Salon & Spa, Marion’s Piazza, Ken Byers, Kurt Fleagel & Warren Riffle, and Westminster Financial.

THE NEON is located at 130 E. 5th St in downtown Dayton. For additional information, visit the official site – www.daytonlgbt.com – or call THE NEON at (937)222-8452.

NEON Manager Preparing For Toronto International Film Festival

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Hello Everyone,

My bags are mostly packed, a third draft of my “Must See” list has been deciphered from my scribbled notes, and I can hardly contain my excitement as I prepare to embark on my 13th Toronto International Film Festival.

Over the past several years of attending TIFF, I’ve seen almost everything I set out to see.  I had a rhythm (which involved very little sleep), and I knew how early I needed to wake every morning in order to be one of the first dozen people in line (which helped to secure the really hot tickets).  But this year, they’ve mixed it up.  Instead of waiting in queue every day, I’ll have two small windows of opportunity to get on-line and request the tickets I desire for the entire festival…thus luck will have more to do with it than gumption.  My fingers are crossed.

I’ll be keeping a daily log of all the films I see (and stars I encounter).  Though I wish I could do all the festivals – like Berlin and Cannes and Sundance and NYFF and  Telluride – I’m actually quite happy that TIFF is the one that fits so well with my schedule.  I’ve loved going to the festival over the years, and I love being able to report my findings to all of you.

Here are a few films that I’m quite anxious to see:

SHAPE OF WATER – Sally Hawkins is divine.  Here’s the trailer:

LEAN ON PETE – from the director of WEEKEND and 45 YEARS (and creator of HBO’s LOOKING).  Here’s a clip:

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME – from the director of I AM LOVE (one of my favorite films of the past decade).  Here’s a trailer:

FACES AND PLACES – from the incomparable Agnes Varda and JR.  (I’m pretty certain that JR. has been to Dayton!)

Stay tuned.  I start screening movies Thursday morning!

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

FREE Movie Tickets For Students at THE NEON

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THE NEON, Downtown Dayton’s Independent Cinema, will be giving away 200 free tickets to high school and college students who wish to see AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER.

A follow-up to Al Gore’s Oscar® Winning documentary AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, this film follows Gore as he continues his tireless fight to train an army of activists and influence international climate policy. Cameras follow him behind the scenes — in moments both private and public, funny and poignant — as he pursues the inspirational idea that while the stakes have never been higher, the perils of climate change can be overcome with human ingenuity and passion.

Free tickets are being funded by the The Adler – Zsambok Foundation – an organization that strongly believes that young people must be made aware of current climate issues. The film is playing now through Thursday, August 24. Showtimes can be found at www.neonmovies.com, and tickets will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis to all high school and college students with valid student IDs.

THE NEON is located at 130 E. Fifth Street in downtown Dayton.

AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL Now Playing at THE NEON + FALSETTOS News!

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Hello Everyone!

We opened a new film yesterday that many people have been asking about – AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER. In addition to this powerful  new film, we’re holding LANDLINE and THE BIG SICK (this winner just keeps going and going) for one more week. (Details about a special screening of AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL followed by a panel discussion can be found at the end of this newsletter.)  Next week, we plan to open MAUDIE.

Synopsis for AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL – TRUTH TO POWER: “Former Vice President Al Gore continues his tireless fight, traveling around the world to train an army of activists and influence international climate policy. Cameras follow him behind the scenes — in moments both private and public, funny and poignant — as he pursues the inspirational idea that while the stakes have never been higher, the perils of climate change can be overcome with human ingenuity and passion.” (Paramount Pictures) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Due to local demand, THE NEON is excited to explore bringing a bit of Broadway to our screens. Buy your tickets now, and let’s see if we can make this one-night-only screening of FALSETTOS a success! “Nominated for five 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, Falsettos is a hilarious and poignant look at a modern family revolving around the life of a gay man Marvin, his wife, his lover, his soon-to-be-bar-mitzvahed son, their psychiatrist, and the lesbians next door. Originally created under the specter of the AIDS crisis, this timely musical about middle-class family dynamics manages to remain buoyant and satirically perceptive even as it moves towards its heartbreaking conclusion. Lincoln Center Theater’s production stars Christian Borle, Stephanie J. Block, Andrew Rannells, and Brandon Uranowitz, all of whom received Tony nominations for their respective performances.” FALSETTOS will screen Wednesday, August 16 at 7:30. Tickets are $12 each and are currently available on-line via this LINK. They are also available at THE NEON’s box office.

Dayton Writers Movement is gearing up for the premiere of UNWRITTEN – SEASON 2 on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 5:30. “UNWRITTEN is a serialized audio drama podcas – think radio play – written, acted and produced locally here in Dayton. The first season, which was up for several AudioVerse Podcast Awards, has reached 54+ countries and more than 1,600 cities with its dramatic storytelling and comedic timing. In Season 2, the podcast series continues the journey with a group of friends as they deal with the events of season 1 and wrangle mature social issues, uncover a mystery, and tackle their inner demons. The group will be premiering the first episode of Season 2 with a live talk back afterward. Advanced tickets are available for $6 each by clicking this Official Link. One Time Only Public Showing! (Explicit, mature content) For more information about the podcast, visit unwrittenpodcast.com” Tickets not sold on-line, if available, will be available at our box office starting 1 hour before the event.

This year’s Dayton LGBT Film Fest is shaping up, and we’re almost ready to start rolling out details. Mark your calendars for Oct. 13-15, it’s going to be a great weekend-long fest!  And speaking of film festivals, The Toronto International Film Festival has begun releasing titles from this year’s line-up…I’m getting pretty excited about several of them!

Some local organizations are very excited about our engagement of AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL and the opportunity to continue local discussions about our climate with you. After Tuesday August 15’s 7:30 screening, representatives from Citizens Climate Lobby, Sierra Club Miami Group, The Climate Mobilization, and Move To Amend will hold a panel discussion. In addition, there will be other opportunities to engage with members from these organizations at various locations at different times around town. We’ll have flyers in our lobby this weekend that outline all the opportunities, and you can also find the flyer on our Facebook page by following this LINK.

Thanks so much for your continued support.
We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Saturday, Aug. 12 – Thursday, Aug. 17:

THE BIG SICK (R) 1 Hr 59 Min
Saturday (Aug 12): 4:50, 9:30
Sunday (Aug 13): 4:50
Monday – Thursday (Aug 14-17): 5:15

LANDLINE (R) 1 Hr 37 Min
Saturday, Sunday (Aug 12-13): 12:30, 2:40, 7:20
Monday & Tuesday (Aug 14 & 15): 3:00, 7:45
Wednesday (Aug 16): 3:00
Thursday (Aug 17): 3:00, 7:45

AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER (PG) 1 Hr 38 Min
Saturday (Aug 12): 12:40, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45
Sunday (Aug 13): 12:40, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Monday-Thursday (Aug 14-17): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

FALSETTOS (NR) 2 Hrs 22 Min
Wednesday (Aug 16): 7:30

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
Aug. 18 – MAUDIE
Aug. 18 – THE LITTLE HOURS
TBD – LADY MACBETH
Aug 30 – PATTI CAKE$
Oct 6 – VICTORIA AND ABDUL
Oct 13-15 – DAYTON LGBT FILM FEST

The Dark Tower: Generic Good-vs-Evil Storytelling

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


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 


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

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

DIRECTOR(S): Nikolaj Arcel 

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


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

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


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

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

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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

 

Gnarly! **Win tickets** Fast Times at Ridgemont High on Big Screen

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Jeff Spicoli is back after 30 years

Duuude, looks like it’s popcorn for dinner Wednesday night ….

August 2nd, is the 30th Anniversary of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and they are showing the film on the big screen, at various times.

It is a perfect excuse to grab some popcorn with extra butter this week at the theater.  It is a perfect excuse to grab a huge drink and a straw and sink your seat for an 80’s classic.

Here is where you can see Fast Times at Ridgemont High:

Join The Big Ragu Aug 2nd at Dayton South Rave Cinemas

DAYTON SOUTH 16 RAVE
195 Mall Woods Drive, West Carrollton, OH 45449
Aug 2nd at 2pm
Aug 2nd at 7pm

 

FAIRFIELD COMMONS 20
2651 Fairfield Commons, Beaver Creek, OH 45431
Aug 2nd at 2pm
Aug 2nd at 7pm

 

HUBER HEIGHTS
7737 Wayne Town Blvd., Huber Heights, OH 45424
Aug 2nd at 2pm
Aug 2nd at 7pm

 

 

Totally Awesome

Food Adventures and Dayton Most Metro are giving away 2 movie tickets to the Dayton South 16 Rave 7pm showing.  Join Big Ragu and Jeff Spicoli at the theater, and get ready for an awesome flick.

TO WIN THE TICKETS – you have to do 2 things.

First –  Like us on FACEBOOK HERE… 


Second, COMMENT BELOW ON THE ARTICLE- maybe tell us you’ve never seen the film, or give us your favorite quote from the movie.  A random winner will be chosen Wednesday morning.

For more fun reading – check out this past FOOD ADVENTURE article on
“WHY IS MOVIE POPCORN SO GOOD?” – click here to read the secrets here …

 

Stay tuned to Dayton Most Metro for more weekly Food Adventure feature articles.  The Miami Valley’s food blog, right here since 2008.

Phoebe’s character turns 30

Mr Hand is back in the classroom

All Spicolil needs is a buzz and a tasty wave

no shirts, no shoes.. NO DICE !

Rave’s popcorn –lets hit it

Come on a movie Food Adventure win 2 free tix to this classic flick

Local Horror Movie “Incruentus” One Night Only at Neon

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ONE SHOWING ONLY – July 27th, 7:30pm

Horror fans, vampire lovers and scary movie buffs.. we hope you are free this Thursday, because Halloween is coming early….

The Neon Movies is showing the world premiere of the locally produced horror film, “INCRUENTUS” for just one night only, July 27th, 2017.

Our Food Adventure crew is getting there early, grabbing some buttery popcorn, a huge drink, some Esther Price Candie Bars and settling in for a good vampire scare.  In the words of good ole Dr Creep…”oohh ah ah… ooo ha ha”

Now for the highlights you are looking for….

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

WHAT: The WORLD PREMIERE of Local Horror Film, “INCRUENTUS”

WHERE: The Neon Movies at 130 E 5th St, Dayton, OH 45402

WHEN: Thursday July 27th, 7:30pm showtime

Mike Giannott, Executive Producer of “Incruentus”

COST: $7 per person

WHAT ELSE:
—There will be a Question & Answer session with the director and executive producer after the movie.

—They will be raffling off a signed movie poster as well.

—There is limited seating.

—Pre-sale Tickets may be through pay pal HERE
—If tickets are still left, they can be bought the night of the showing at Neon Movies.
—They are expecting a sellout, so get your tickets early.

 

Neon Movies on Fifth Street

Food Adventures sat down with Executive Producer of the film, Mike Giannott, who is from Long Island New York, and now resides in Miamisburg.  Mike has been in the Dayton area over the past decade and active in the financial arena, the music scene and the movie making landscape just to name a few.  This movie project has been on his agenda for years, and the fruition of his labors is ready for the big screen!

Mike told us a few tidbits about the film…..
—“Incruentus” was filmed in Dayton and Middletown.
—It is a full length Vampire movie, featuring all local actors.
—The movie is 6 years in the making
—The film is a product of “Broken Lamp Productions” owned by Joe Bargdill
—The distribution company plans to distribute the movie across the USA, but it is first being distributed in Europe.  The style of the film is very European, and the distribution company has some strong connections in Europe.
—Eventually they hope to see “Incruentus” on Video on Demand like Netflix and Amazon.

Broken Lamp Productions is also working on a film called “Killer Hornets,” expected to be

released next year. It was filmed entirely in Wilmington, Ohio. They are currently seeking a straight to cable TV movie premiere opportunity with the hornets film.

Stop into Neon Movies Thursday for this blood sucking feature.

Get there early or it could be a real “pain in the neck.”

Food Adventures normally highlights eateries in the Dayton area, but we had to take this special chance to mention a project that we have some friends involved with.  For more food related stuff check us out on Facebook and every week in a feature article on Dayton Most Metro.

Don’t Miss It !

Neon essentials

Lobby of Neon movies

Yes – they have a beer selection !

Good popcorn prices

Big Ragu at Film Dayton Festival

Ambivalent Sci-Fi in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

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“Now … To find the guy that told me A Cure for Wellness was gonna do big numbers earlier this year!” Valerian (Dane DeHaan)  patrols in a scene Luc Besson’s latest sci-fi adventure VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS. Credit:  Domitille Girard Photo courtesy of STX Entertainment Motion Picture Artwork © 2017 STX Financing, LLC. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Herbie Hancock, Sam Spruell and Kris Wu

WRITER(S): Luc Besson (screenplay); Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières (French comic book/graphic novel on which the film is based) 

DIRECTOR(S): Luc Besson

 
WEB SITE: https://www.facebook.com/ValerianMovieHERE’S THE STORY: Years ago, species throughout the galaxy started joining forces on a structure very similar to the International Space Station and created a floating utopia called Alpha. Now, in the 28th Century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and his partner Loralei (Cara Delevingne) are police offers that work for the Human Federation, making sure to respond to any and all threats to that peace. So when a radioactive force is discovered at the center of Alpha, Valerian and Loralei are called in to figure out what is going on – a situation complicated by the nightmare Valerian had of a planet being wiped out. 


And as they begin their journey, Valerian and his partner (and girl of his dreams?) soon find out there’s a lot more to his vision – and what they’re investigating – than they ever dreamed. 

 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Die-hard sci-fi fans; people who love all of director Luc Besson’s works; Rihanna fans; people who thought the Star Wars prequels got a bad rap; Cara Delvingne fans;  

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? 



SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Given that the name of the film is Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, it is pretty easy to talk about how the film tries to do about 1,000 things in an attempt to be the ultimate sci-fi movie and only does maybe a tenth of them well. 


On the plus side, the film looks great in 3D as director Luc Besson and company actually use the technology well to immerse you into Valerian’s and Lorelei’s world. Additionally, Delevinge exudes a strong, silent sexy confidence as Lorelei and proves herself to be an intriguing character as does Rihanna, who’s performance is nuanced and should have no fears of being roasted the same way Ed Sheeran recently was for his Game of Thrones appearance. In fact, one might argue Rihanna’s character is the best thing about the movie, both in execution and significance to the story.


Unfortunately, that’s where the praise of Valerian ceases – for everything else about the movie seems to be a study in excess and how NOT to do a sci-fi movie from start to finish.


Complaining about something looking fake in a science fiction movie is kind of like going to a restaurant and complaining about not being able to come back to an all-you-can-eat buffet and complaining you can’t come back the next day to eat again without paying a second time: It’s dumb. That being said, the CGI in Valerian is a bit much at times as the inhabitants of Mul just look like the worst Avatar-inspired creatures ever. Next up, the story is a bit overly convoluted for a reason that is never explicitly explained in regards to why the bad guy (once the bad guy is revealed) is doing what he’s doing other than doing it for the sake of doing it. 


Adding to the problems is the fact that DeHaan’s character is just … flat … And shares as close to zero chemistry with Delevingne (show steals every scene they’re in together) as possible. Whereas his character is apparently supposed to be a cocky ladies man who has a soft spot for Lorelei but instead he just comes off as kind of a douche that she reluctantly cares about and is just waiting for him to learn his lesson. Seriously, out of all the performances in the film, Dehaan’s is about the least interesting of the entire batch – and that’s a problem. The advice Han Solo once famously gave advice to a young Luke Skywalker would seriously serve DeHaan’s character well in the movie. Sadly, that is not the case here. (Then again, it’s not quite as painful as watching Clive Owen and Ethan Hawke play the most over-the-top characters this side of John Turturro in those awful Transformers movies, complete with bad outfits to match.) Throw in Besson’s tendency to overindulge everything – be it cutesy characters in the form of the three Jar-Jar Binks-esque, platypus-inspired informations Lorelei deals or the über-cute little creatures that produce the pearls the Muls – a key species in the movie – value so dearly to the long-for-no-good-reason sequences that drone on, Valerian is an exercise in giving to every idea that sounds good without realizing how well they do or don’t fit together. It’s almost like he took everything people said they loved about The Fifth Element and forgot why people use editors (both video and script).

Likewise, the film wants to be funny when it should be trying to be taking serious and comes off as funny when it’s trying to be serious. Add in the fact it wants to be Star Wars (there a LOT of characters that look like they were hanging out at the Mos Einsley Cantina) and look like Avatar without achieving either well and throw in a bit of a preachy message (there’s one in there) and Valerian rolls out as an ambitious but overwrought mess.

Could be worse, though – at least it’s not Battlefield Earth.

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

 

2 Hot New Films at THE NEON – THE BIG SICK and THE HERO

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Hello Everyone!

We’re moving forward in a big way this weekend. If you still need to see THE BEGUILED or BEATRIZ AT DINNER, Thursday will be your last chance to catch them at THE NEON. You also have one last chance to catch Cate Blanchett in MANIFESTO on Wednesday evening. On Friday, we’ll officially begin two hot, new films – THE BIG SICK and THE HERO. (We’ll have a special preview screening of THE BIG SICK on Thursday evening with 10 extra bonus minutes of stand-up from cast members of the film.)

Synopsis for THE BIG SICK: This is the best reviewed romantic comedy in a long, long time. Critics and audiences alike are loving this film, and it’s currently rated “97% Fresh” on rottentomatoes.com! “Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, THE BIG SICK tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Kazan) after one of his standup sets. However, what they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents. When Emily is beset with a mystery illness, it forces Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents, Beth and Terry (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) who he’s never met, while dealing with the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart. THE BIG SICK is directed by Michael Showalter (HELLO MY NAME IS DORIS) and producer by Judd Apatow (TRAINWRECK, THIS IS 40) and Barry Mendel (TRAINWRECK, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS).” (Lionsgate) Click HERE to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for THE HERO: Many of our regulars keep asking “When is that Sam Elliott movie coming?” Well it’s finally here! “Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott) is an aging Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories and smoking too much weed with his former-co-star-turned-dealer, Jeremy (Nick Offerman), until a surprise cancer diagnosis brings his priorities into sharp focus. He soon strikes up an exciting, contentious relationship with stand-up comic Charlotte (Laura Prepon), and he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Lucy (Krysten Ritter), all while searching for one final role to cement his legacy.” (The Orchard)

 

Joseph Bargdill of Broken Lamp Productions has rented our space to premiere his new film INCRUENTUS on Thursday, July 27. “Zoe finds herself trapped in a web of lies while she turns into a Vampire. Will she die or be sucked into a web of trickery from her husband and friends or overcome the poison of her infection? INCRUENTUS will have its world premier on July 27th at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased now for $7 at THE NEON’s box office. The film will be introduced and followed by a Q&A with the director and producer.” (Broken Lamp Productions)

Dayton filmmaker Alfred Powell is premiering his new documentary with us on Sunday, August 6 at 5:30. “WE BELIEVE IN US is an intriguing true story of a once prominent inner city football power located on the southwest side of Dayton. In a breathtaking manner this raw documentary brilliantly transports you through the daily saga and life a young black coach and his staff and his players during their unpredictable 2015 season. This story simultaneously captures the realism of generational poverty, stigma, stereotypes, and promise while embracing the power of hope and survival. Dunbar High School – where disappointment is often undefeated – provoked this team to make a promise to themselves. When no one else in the world believes in us…We Believe In Us.” (press notes) Tickets are $5 each and are currently available at THE NEON’s Box Office.

Thanks so much for your continued support.
We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, July 11 – Thursday, July 20:

THE BEGUILED (R) 1 Hr 33 Min
Tuesday & Wednesday (July 11 & 12): 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
Thursday (July 13): 3:00, 5:15
FINAL DAY – July 13!

BEATRIZ AT DINNER (R) 1 Hr 23 Min
Tuesday (July 11): 3:15, 5:20, 7:40
Wednesday (July 12): 3:15, 5:20
Thursday (July 13): 3:15, 5:20, 7:40
FINAL DAY – July 13!

MANIFESTO (NR) 1 Hr 35 Min
Wednesday (July 12): 7:30
FINAL SCREENING!

THE BIG SICK (R) 1 Hr 59 Min
Thursday (July 13): 7:30 Preview with Bonus – THE BIG(GER) SICK
Friday & Saturday (July 14 & 15): 11:50, 2:20, 4:50, 7:30, 9:55
Sunday (July 16): 11:50, 2:20, 4:50, 7:30
Monday – Thursday (July 17-20): 2:45, 5:10, 7:40

THE HERO (R) 1 Hr 33 Min
Friday & Saturday (July 14 & 15): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday (July 16): 12:50, 5:30, 7:40
Monday – Thursday (July 17-20): 3:00, 5:15, 7:30

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
TBD – MAUDIE
TBD – A GHOST STORY
TBD – LADY MACBETH
TBD – LANDLINE

Tom Holland Swings into Superhero Stardom in Spider–Man: Homecoming

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“Man … I wonder if Deadpool got my text message …” Spider-Man (Tom Holland) chills out in a scene from Columbia Pictures’ SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING. Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures © 2017 CTM, Inc. All rights reserved. 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Donald Glover with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey, Jr. 

WRITER(S): Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley; Jon Watts and Christopher Ford; Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers / Based on the comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko 

DIRECTOR(S): Jon Watts

 
WEB SITE: http://sites.sonypictures.com/spidermanhomecoming/splash/#ticketsHERE’S THE STORY: Having just finished up the events depicted in Captain America: Civil War, young Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is thoroughly enjoying his time as an “intern” at Stark Enterprises – especially since his internship is really just a cover so his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) doesn’t become suspicious of what he is really doing: Dressing in a special suit designed for him by Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) so he can become a crime-fighting superhero.


Tony, however, doesn’t quite trust the young Peter to go out and save the world, which is why he has his driver Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) routinely checking up on him and trying to dissuade him from biting off more than he can chew. After all, he is still in high school, hangs out with his equally nerdy best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and is on the debate team where he battles the indifference of Michelle (Zendaya) and Flash (Tony Revolori) for the attention of Liz (Laura Harrier).  


But while Peter is trying his best to keep Aunt May and Tony at bay while dealing with the regular pressures of high school, he soon will have to deal with another problem: Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), the head of a cleanup company that gets the shaft when the head of the Department of Damage Control shows up and takes over one his jobs. Undeterred to let yet another Tony Stark venture stop him from earning a living, Toomes later finds some alien technology that Damage Control forgot to take with them …


And this is how supervillians and superheroes, ladies and gentlemen, are made …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? People who liked Holland’s character in Civil War; people who disliked the “dark” Spider-Man as played by Andrew Garfield; those who prefer the character in his high school settings vs. his adult ones; anyone who doesn’t mind certain elements of Spider-Man’s mythology being remixed for the sake of another new film

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People faithful to the first two Spider-Man films; anyone who has very specific thoughts/ideas about Spider-Man and his suit; people who won’t like how the first series of films are/are not acknowledged

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Spider-Man: Homecoming is a solid film that benefits from the help of Marvel Studios’ direct involvement while at the same time leaves you with more than one “what about that?” question in your head.


A film that tries to meet every challenge facing it while at the same time sets itself up for a new series of them, Homecoming thrives due to the performance of Holland, who arguably captures the truly playful sense of being a high school kid associated with the Spider-Man character while at the same time showcasing he is a capable crime-fighter. Holland nails his interpretation of the spandexed-superhero, making his journey from novice to skilled fighter both extremely entertaining and unique to his movie. His interactions with Downey are about as perfect as they can be, all while maintaining the needed awkward teenager vibe that is essential to the Peter Parker character.


Likewise, Keaton is great, channeling the best elements of his more animated (in terms of energy, not actual cartoons) roles past (think Beetlejuice, but more subtle and terrorizing with the same absence of a potential conscious in most instances). Considering the general public’s lack of knowledge of the Vulture (who, in keeping with most modern super hero movie cannon, is not mentioned by name), Keaton definitely makes his villain a very formidable presence, both from setting up his proverbial turn to the dark side and, in the words of the artist formerly known as The Rock, knowing his role. In fact, as a whole, the film does a solid job of establishing its current characters into the Marvel Universe, making sure that the story fits and adds to the overall canon.


The problems Homecoming has, however, are ones that are innate to a franchise rebooting itself for the second time. Having gone from two great original films (let’s not talk about that third one) to a “darker” pair of follow-ups back to a more humorous one that treads on some familiar territory, Spider-Man: Homecoming – with his heavy dose of humor mixed with the infusion of the Marvel Universe as a whole – attempts to mix the best of all worlds but doesn’t always make you forget the worlds it already has lived in.


Harrier serves her role well as the object of Peter’s affection (always a source of conflict for our beloved hero) … But seeing how the previous sets of films have already seen him love Mary Jane Watson and (late spoiler alert) suffer through the life and loss of Gwen Stacy, seeing exactly how Homecoming sets up his future love stories and how they will play out. Likewise, seeing how in some films he has been the creator of his own suit, been able to shoot webs without the suit and now shifts to a suit made by Tony Stark (although that is somewhat explained later in the film), some fans will no doubt have a few nitpicky issues with whether the film is about Peter Parker’s transition from teenager to titan or about him figuring out his place as a superhero in the world. Of course, yours truly would argue why couldn’t it be about both, but you can’t please everybody. 


Last but certainly not least, as the creative team behind Batman Vs. Superman found out, it’s extremely hard to keep rebooting a character and mixing their origin story – or, as it is in this case, more of a “we’re just going from here now and the others don’t matter anymore” story and expect your audience to follow suit. Once the audience has an idea of what to expect, it’s virtually impossible to start over at zero and now have the expectations/limitations that come with the past rear their head in the present. But then again, that is kind of the neat trick that Spider-Man: Homecoming pulls off – because despite all of those lofty things to overcome, the movie does enough to stand on its own and stand on its own well. It’s web-slinging fun with a very capable cast, a great load of humor – Homecoming is probably the funniest movie not named Guardians of the Galaxy – and enough interesting twists and turns to make it a worthwhile entry into the Marvel Universe.

Where it goes from here, however, remains to be seen …

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

Johansson and Company Turn Up the Funny in Rough Night

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“The untold story of Destiny’s stepchildren is a tragic one, indeed …” Alice (Jillian Bell, second from left in blue dress) takes center stage while her best friends Jess (Scarlett Johansson), Blair (Zoë Kravitz) and Frankie (Ilana Glazer) strut their stuff in a scene from ROUGH NIGHT. Credit: Macall Polay © 2016 CTMG Inc. All rights reserved.  

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE: 

 


 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Zoë Kravitz, Illena Glazer, Paul W. Downs, Ryan Cooper, Dean Winters, Enrique Muriano, Colton Haynes, Bo Burnham, Demi Moore and Ty Burrell 

WRITER(S): Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs

DIRECTOR(S): Lucia Aniello

WEB SITE: http://www.roughnightmovie.com/site/HERE’S THE STORY: Jess (Scarlett Johansson), Alice (Jillian Bell), Frankie (Ilana Glaser) and Blair (Zoë Kravitz) were the best of friends in college. But now, they’re grown up and dealing with their own problems which is why Jess’ upcoming marriage to Peter (Paul W. Downs) are a perfect opportunity for the four of them to reunite and blow off some steam down in Miami. After all, Frankie is an unemployed activist, Blair is going through a rough patch of her own and Alice is, well Alice seems to enjoy her job as an elementary school teacher.


So, once the foursome meets up Jess’ other best friend, peppy Australian Pippa (played with Kate McKinnon with the right amount of authenticity and audacity), the group looks to have the makings of a perfect weekend. 


Then the stripper (Ryan Cooper) Blair hires shows up … and there’s an incident. (If you watch the trailer, you’ll know what it is.) What follows is more than enough to live up to the movie’s title – and the new champion of the craziest comedy of 2017 thus far. 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Anyone who liked the movie Bridesmaids; fans of Broad City; Kate McKinnon fans

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who will be uncomfortable with the lesbian subject matter; those who hate watching women behave badly; 

SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? Women can be and are funny. If you are still having that dumb debate in your head and/or stuck on all the controversy with Kathy Griffin or Amy Schumer, hopefully you will get your mind right and stop having that idiotic notion run through your head.


And if that doesn’t do, how about this – Rough Night is the funniest female ensemble cast movie since Bridesmaids (if not more so) and possibly the best comedy (thus far) of 2017. 


Rough Night hits all the beats one needs to hit in modern comedy: the characters are not one-dimensional, they play the wacky moments as if they were serious moments and play off each other perfectly. Likewise, the jokes are sharp, exploits each characters’ foibles expertly and the inherent silliness forces you to become vested in the story and its outcome. 


The thing that separates the film from the pack, however, is the clever nature of the writing combined with the snappy, fully committed timing of the cast. Throw in the slight role reversal shown by Downs (who co-wrote the script with director Lucia Aniello) and his male counterparts – to say more would put a damper on watching the performance – and the film is as sharp a comedy to release this year. McKinnon, in keeping up with her usual track record, steals the show (this time by playing things more straight – no pun intended – than usual) while Bell shows she can be less in-your-face with a character that is more human than her recent work. Johannson might be the biggest winner, however, for the woman who has convincingly played both strong, sexy super heroes and enigmas proves her comedic chops as a normal, stressed out person just trying to live her life. 


If you and your friends are looking for a good way to enjoy living your lives together, seeing Rough Night is a great way to guarantee avoiding one. 

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

 

Strong Summer Line-Up at THE NEON

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Hello Most Metro!

We’ve got a lot of films to pack in this summer…so we’re moving right along this week! If you still need to see CHURCHILL, Thursday will be your last chance to see it at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open PARIS CAN WAIT – the new film by Eleanor Coppola (June is for the Coppolas! We’ll open Sofia Coppola’s new film BEGUILED later this month and we’ll even bring back a sparkling wine from Francis Ford Coppola’s vineyard at the end of the month). We’ll hold onto MY COUSIN RACHEL for another week.

Synopsis for PARIS CAN WAIT: “Eleanor Coppola’s feature film directorial and screenwriting debut at the age of 81 stars Academy Award nominee Diane Lane as a Hollywood producer’s wife who unexpectedly takes a trip through France, which reawakens her sense of self and her joie de vivre. Anne (Lane) is at a crossroads in her life. Long married to a successfully driven but inattentive movie producer (Alec Baldwin), she finds herself taking a car trip from Cannes to Paris with a business associate of her husband (Arnaud Viard). What should be a seven-hour drive turns into a journey of discovery involving mouthwatering meals, spectacular wines, and picturesque sights.” (Sony Classics) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

In last week’s NEON Newsletter, I mentioned that “Tickets are flying” for A VERY SORDID WEDDING! I wasn’t kidding. As I write this paragraph, we only have 3 tickets left at our box office…so we’ve added a second screening. “It’s 2015, seventeen years after Peggy tripped over G.W.’s wooden legs and died in SORDID LIVES, and life has moved into the present for the residents of Winters, Texas. Sissy Hickey (Dale Dickey) is reading the Bible, cover to cover, trying to make some kind of sense out of what it really says about gay people. Her niece Latrelle Williamson (Bonnie Bedelia) has divorced her husband Wilson (Michael MacRae) who has taken up with a hot young gold digger (Katherine Bailess). Latrelle’s now out and proud gay son Ty (Kirk Geiger) is on his way back to town with a black man (T. Ashanti Mozelle) and news of their own. Her sister LaVonda (Ann Walker) is still cussin’ and drankin’ and is being blackmailed to sit with the sick and afflicted…As the sordid saga continues, the cast of colorful characters are all on a collision course for shenanigans and fireworks.” (from official site) Join us for a very PRIDE-ful “Encore” screening on Thursday, June 22 at 10:00. Tickets are available at THE NEON’s box office or by clicking this LINK.

Dayton native Eric Mahoney (director of NORTH DIXIE DRIVE) is coming back to town to shoot additional material for a new documentary…and we’ve sheduled a one-time screening of MADLY, a film he produced, on Thursday, July 6 at 7:30. “Six groundbreaking directors, six iconic international destinations, six visions of modern love in all of its complications. From Producer Eric Mahoney comes the award winning feature MADLY, taking viewers on a passionate trip around the world with short vignettes from acclaimed directors: Gael Garcia Bernal, Sion Sono, Sebastian Silva, Mia Wasikowska, Anurag Kashyap, and Natasha Khan. Indiewire writes, ‘the film, like love itself is hard to resist.’ Actress Radhika Apte was also awarded Best International Actress at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival.” (taken from press notes) Proceeds from this special one time screening will go to help finance Mahoney’s current project, a documentary on the Dayton, OH band Brainiac. For more information about the new BRAINIAC film, please visit this LINK.  Tickets, just $10 each, are on sale now at THE NEON’s box office. Mahoney will be in attendance for a Q&A at this screening.

This Saturday, June 17, we’ll be collecting money for The Alzheimer’s Association’s LONGEST DAY project – a series of events that recognize the endurance of caregivers and those living with Alzheimer’s. We’ll be asking everyone if they’d like to round up their ticket price for the day – with all extra money going to The Alzheimer’s Association (of course we’ll accept additional donations, too). We hope you’ll make it down to see us this Saturday.

I’m delighted to announce that we now have official dates for 2 more special events. MANIFESTO, the new film starring Cate Blanchett in 13 different roles, will be here for a few screenings beginning July 8 (check out the trailer below). On July 10, we will host a one-time special screening of SPRING STREET Season 1 – the new series from creator (and Dayton Native) David Beck. I’ll write more about these screenings next week…but if you can’t wait, read more now on our website – www.neonmovies.com

Thanks so much for your continued support.
See you soon,
Jonathan

 

SHOWTIMES for June 13 – June 22:

CHURCHILL (PG) 1 Hr 45 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (June 13-15): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
FINAL DAY – June 15!

MY COUSIN RACHEL (PG-13) 1 Hr 46 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (June 13-15): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40
Friday & Saturday (June 16 & 17): 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday (June 18): 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (June 19-22): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

PARIS CAN WAIT (PG) 1 Hr 32 Min
Friday & Saturday (June 16 & 17): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday (June 18): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10
Monday-Wednesday (June 19-21): 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
Thursday (June 22): 3:00, 5:15

A VERY SORDID WEDDING (NR) 1 Hr 49 Min
Thursday (June 22): 7:30, 10:00

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
June 23 – A QUIET PASSION
June 24, 25 & 28 – MAURICE
June 30 – THE BEGUILED
July 8, 9 & 12 – MANIFESTO
TBE – BEATRIZ AT DINNER
TBD – THE HERO
July 21 – MAUDIE
TBD – THE WEDDING PLAN
TBD – JEREMIAH TOWER
TBD – DEAN

Cincy Road Trip: Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume

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Iconic costumes from “a galaxy far, far away” are presented in the Smithsonian traveling exhibition Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume. The exhibition will open at Cincinnati Museum Center on May 25, 2017.

Presenting more than 60 of the finest hand-crafted costumes featured in all seven films in the Star Wars saga, the exhibition uncovers the challenges, the intricate processes and the remarkable artistry of George Lucas, the concept artists and costume designers. The costumes reflect an eclectic mix of cultural, historical and mythical sources that add rich texture to the story.

Through nine presentational “chapters” – Introduction: Dressing a Galaxy; Jedi versus Sith: Form, Function and Design; Concept and Design for Royalty and Beyond; Symbolism and Military Power; Outlaws and Outsiders; All Corners of the Galaxy: The Galactic Senate; After the Throne: Padmé’s Journey; Darth Vader: Iconic Villain; and Droid™ Design – visitors will explore the creative process from Lucas’s vision through concept drawings by artists such as Ralph McQuarrie and Iain McCaig, to the final costume designs of John Mollo and Trisha Biggar, among others.

George Lucas imagined and created a fantastical world filled with dynamic characters who told the timeless story of the hero’s journey. The costumes shaped the identities of these now famous characters, from the menacing black mask of Darth Vader and the gilded suit of C-3PO, to the lavish royal gowns of Queen Amidala.

Featured costumes include:

  • Monk-like robes of Jedi masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker
  • Intimidating suit and complex breathing apparatus of Darth Vader
  • Military-influenced uniforms of the Imperial Stormtrooper, Senate Guard and TIE Fighter Pilot
  • Yak hair and mohair costume of  Chewbacca
  • Intergalactic outfits of Senators Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and Mas Amedda
  • Fierce armor of mercenary bounty hunters Jango Fett, Boba Fett and Zam Wesell
  • Elaborately detailed gowns of Queen Amidala, Queen Jamillia and their handmaidens

Short videos in Star Wars and the Power of Costume provide a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process and include interviews with artists, designers and actors. The visitor experience will be enhanced by digital interactives featuring sketches, photographs and notes that capture the creative team’s inspiration and vision.

Pulled from the collection of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Star Wars and the Power of Costume is a partnership of the museum, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and Lucasfilm.

Exhibition opens May 25 and closes October 1, 2017

Adult: $24
Child (ages 3-12): $16
Senior (ages 60+): $21
Member Adult: $17
Member Child (ages 3-17): $12

Interested in booking a group tour? Check out  Group Deals

Costumes will be welcome, but masks, lightsabers and similar items are not permitted.

 

Marvel Ups The Ante, Fun with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2

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“You thought someone else was going to open a movie this weekend against us?! Fool – we’re gonna be no. 1 for weeks!” Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) laugh in the presence of Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in a scene from James Gunn’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOL. 2. Credit: © 2017 Marvel Studios. All rights reserved. 
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE (RED BAND TRAILER – NOT SAFE FOR WORK!):


 

 



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Kurt Russell, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, Elizabeth Debicki, Karen Gillian and Chris Sullivan

WRITER(S): James Gunn (screenplay); Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (based on the Marvel Comics by); Steve Englehart, Steve Gan, Jim Starlin, Stan Lee, Jacky Kirby, Larry Lieber, Bill Mantlo and Keith Geffen (characters)

DIRECTOR(S): James Gunn

WEB SITE: http://marvel.com/movies/movie/221/guardians_of_the_galaxy_vol_2HERE’S THE STORY: Taking place some time after the events of the first film, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 actually begins with a flashback to life in 1980’s Missouri. It’s here that we see a young man and woman cruising in the t-top sportscar, riding down the open highway enjoy life as they listen to a collection of awesome tunes. It’s here where we see the man embrace the woman, showing her something that her “starman” has planted in the earth …


Flashing back to the present, we find our familiar heroes Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and a baby form of the humanoid tree Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) fighting a huge space creature. It seems they have been hired by Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) to return a very special set of batteries to her people, the Sovereign. Obsessed with perfection, the gold-skinned, gold haired society is quite notably upset once it comes to their attention that Rocket has in fact stolen said batteries for himself, prompting Ayesha to lead a call to chase them down and eliminate the Guardians. And once Ayesha reachers out to Yondu (Michael Rooker), he and the rest of his Ravager buddies are hot on their trail …  


Much to everyone’s surprise, however, is the unexpected help that comes in the form of a man later revealed to be known as Ego (Kurt Russell), a mysterious entity accompanied by Mantis (Pom Klementieff), an antennae’d woman with great empathic powers. But why has Ego traveled across the galaxy looking for the Guardians, Quill in particular? The answer may change the Marvel Universe as you know it forever …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy (the movie); fans of the Marvel Studios’ films in general; Chris Pratt fans; people who like superhero movies with a good mix of comedy and action

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hate alterations to characters like Ayesha’s comic book origins stories; those with short attention spans given the film’s 2 hour-plus runtime 


SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? When you leave a movie thinking “What else could audiences want from that movie?,” it’s probably a good sign you’ve seen a really good movie. And unless your thought process is extremely out of whack, the only other thought one should have about seeing Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 is “I can’t wait to see what they have left for Vol. 3.” 


Vol. 2 delivers all of the risqué, perfectly-timed humor, creative action sequences and dynamic character interplay of the first film (the screen never feels too crowded with characters), but ups the ante with more development of the characters and how their backstories have modeled them into who they are today. This, in turn, enhances the great relationships between the characters –Vol. 2 shows the idea of what constitutes a family to a bunch of rogue misfits isn’t limited to just a bunch of earthbound characters in Diesel’s other “furious” franchise – which is the element that continues to shine in Marvel’s films: Whereas the D.C. films have characters with great powers, Marvel’s power lies in great, fully developed and interesting characters. 


Of course, you can’t have any of that without great individual performances – and Vol. 2 features a cast that works together like the 1996 Yankees, for every player has a role and knows their role quite well. Whether it’s leads like Pratt as a young man coming to grips with his reality as the star-crossed (pun intended) Peter Quill or Saldana and Karen Gillian as a pair of sisters with the ultimate sibling rivalry, bit players like Chris Sullivan – who is the butt of a hilariously savage series of jokes as would-be Ravager leader Taserface – to the point no one feels like a wasted opportunity. Writer/director James Gunn likewise effectively guides his cast as well to set up all of the films twists and turns, mixing in another awesome soundtrack to create what might already be the best movie of the summer. 


Here’s to hoping Vol. 3 expands the galaxy even more.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

LIGHTS, CAMERA, DAYTON

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The Old Man and the Gun​ To Film Downtown Dayton

Hollywood is coming to Dayton on May 1st & 2nd to film a movie starring Robert Redford and Casey Affleck. The movie production crew will be filming at the Liberty Savings Bank on 2nd Street, which will be closed between Ludlow St and Wilkinson starting at 6:30am on that Monday.   2nd Street from Main to Ludlow will be closed again at 7pm on Monday, May 1, through Tuesday, May 2nd at  7pm. The film company will have vehicles, boom lifts & lights parked on 2nd Street during these two days.

While the closed set and road closures will be a minor inconvenience, the economic impact of having a film of this size in the city will be felt by many businesses. The film has already contracted with or done business with the following business:

  • Dayton Cultural & RTA Center
  • Talbott Tower
  • Arts Garage,
  • Liberty Tower
  • 1st Financial
  • Key Bank
  • Table 33
  • Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery
  • City Parking Garage
  • Leigh Building

Pete Nichols, Vice President with Colliers International, who is the real estate agent for several of these properties says, “It’s a great event for the city of Dayton, and we’re doing everything we can to help. ”

Film also means jobs and the following Montgomery County residents have already been hired to work on the film, per IMDb:

  • Story Board artist J.Todd Anderson worked with the director to illustrate the narrative, plan shots, and draw panels to demonstrate action and maintain continuity between scenes.
  • WSU Grad Scott Bowers will serve as the Second Assistant Director.
  • other local hires include grips, gaffer, Camera and Costumers

Dayton began scouting in January to help find locations for the film, with assistance from the

Photo by Tom Gilliam

Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Hope Collins, local realtors and building owners. Based on descriptions provided by the movies Location Manager, FilmDayton submitted a half dozen downtown banks and office buildings for consideration.  Ultimately it was the look of the Liberty Tower that won over the production team to bring film to town.

Liberty Tower is a historic Art Deco building located on West Second Street. The Tower, which opened in 1931 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was the first high rise structure in the city of Dayton, and remained the tallest until 1969. Liberty Savings Bank, the current owner of the building, undertook a major restoration project in 1998 to showcase original elements throughout the building and the first floor lobby. This Grand Lobby boasts 30 foot ceilings, stunning marble tile work, and many original fixtures-including a remarkable walk-in bank vault.

Our thanks to Jenna Kreitzer, Facilities Coordinator at Liberty Savings Bank for making this possible and Keith Klein at the City of Dayton for helping coordinate as well.

Photo by Tom Gilliam