On Screen Dayton

THE TREE OF LIFE – The Most Talked About Indie of the Year at THE NEON!

June 25, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal 1 Comment

Hello Everyone.

As planned, the fantastically charming POTICHE was only here for a week. And just as we suspected, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is still performing very well, and audiences are adoring it…so it will stick around for at least another week.

Today (6/24), we open the most talked about indie film of the year – Terrence Malick’s THE TREE OF LIFE. Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain, TREE OF LIFE was the winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. This film has been given a 100% review by The New York Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, NPR, USA Today, Variety, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, and many more. Roger Ebert wrote, “The only other film I’ve seen with this boldness of vision is Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, and it lacked Malick’s fierce evocation of human feeling.”

Synopsis for THE TREE OF LIFE: “The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Malick’s signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life.” (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Check out the beautifully designed official site.

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Last week’s screening of WE WERE HERE was a marvelous, sold-out event – with a beautiful film and an insightful and brave panel discussion. Many thanks to all my friends and community partners who helped to make the evening such a success.

We will have a new neighbor in the next few days – Sabai: Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar. What we have been using for our parking lot for the past several years will soon become theirs. Luckily, we will be able to utilize a new space that’s visible from our front windows. Please start getting in the habit of parking in our new lot…though there aren’t parking lines yet, there will be soon. We’ve painted a couple of the posts to make the lot quite easy to find.

Hope to see you this weekend.

Take care!

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for June 24 – June 30:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (PG-13) 1 Hr 40 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

Monday – Thursday: 3:30, 6:00, 8:30

THE TREE OF LIFE (R) 2 Hr 18 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:15, 7:00, 9:45

Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 5:15, 8:00

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

July 1 DOUBLE HOUR

July 8 BUCK

July 15 PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

July 15 BEGINNERS

Aug 5 SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

Aug 12 BEATS AND RHYMES: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Aug 26 ANOTHER EARTH

Aug 26 THE GUARD

Sept. 9 LIFE ABOVE ALL

Sept 23 HIGHER GROUND

Bicycle Dreams Coming To Dayton

June 16, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

(from Garry Harrington – promoter for Bicycle Dreams)

Bicycle Dreams, the award-winning feature-length documentary about the Race Across America (RAAM), will premiere at several cities along the route of the epic 3,000-mile bicycle race that will be held for the 30th year in 2011. This year’s race begins on June 14 in Oceanside, California, and will end 10 days later in Annapolis, Maryland.

To commemorate the 30th edition of what is considered by many the most challenging sporting event in the world, Bicycle Dreams will follow alongside the racers by showing the film in 10 cities along the route, including Dayton. The film will be shown at The Neon at 130 E. 5th St. at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22.

The film, which has won numerous awards at film festivals all over the world, “is an up-close look at what RAAM riders go through,” says Stephen Auerbach, the director and producer of Bicycle Dreams. “They deal with searing desert heat, agonizing mountain climbs, and endless stretches of open road. And they do it all while battling extreme exhaustion and sleep deprivation. It’s a great subject for a film.”

“Bicycle Dreams is a spectacular and heartfelt film that offers a riveting portrait of extreme courage in the face of inhuman obstacles,” writes TheLoveOfMovies.com. “It is an artistic triumph that renewed my belief in the power of desire and the strength of the human will.”

The upcoming tour of the film is scheduled to coincide with the 2011 Race Across America, which begins on June 14 when riders leave from Oceanside, California. Bicycle Dreams will be shown in Flagstaff, Arizona; Durango, Colorado; Wichita, Kansas; Columbia, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Indianapolis, Indiana; Dayton, Ohio; and Cincinnati, Ohio, during the RAAM’s run across the United States. The race is expected to end on or about June 24.

“We are very excited to be able to bring Bicycle Dreams to so many locations along the route that have never had access to the film before,” says Auerbach. “Viewers will be overwhelmed by the amount of pain and suffering these riders go through, and they will be able to see it all first-hand in the days following the film when the 2011 racers come through their towns.”

To capture the mammoth scope of the race, Auerbach worked around the clock with a complement of 18 cameras. Embedded camera operators traveled inside the racers’ support crew vehicles, gaining unprecedented access to the cyclists and their teams. Their footage captured emotional and physical breakdowns, late-night strategy sessions, and great moments of personal triumph, all in intimate detail. Auerbach then took on the enormous task of editing hundreds of hours of material and forming it into a powerful and inspiring look inside the most difficult race on the planet.

Bicycle Dreams has won major awards at the Fallbrook and Breckenridge film festivals, as well as the Yosemite, Grand Rapids, Red Rock and All Sports LA film festivals, among many others.

Most recently the film added the Best Foreign Film trophy from the Krasnogorski International Festival of Sports Films in Moscow and was also invited to be included in the 2011 World Cinema Showcase in New Zealand as well as the Mountain Film Festival in Istanbul, Turkey. And before that it made its Australian debut at the Big Pond Film Festival in Adelaide.

Critical acclaim for the film continues to pour in from all sources.

“An astonishing documentary. This film is a ride of many stark contrasts; when it ended I felt both shattered and triumphant. I realized I was experiencing its genius. A central theme of Bicycle Dreams is the profoundly inspiring strength of the human in facing monumental challenge and tragedy. Bicycle Dreams is a race of truth.” – Pez Cycling.

“This film isn’t for those who want to shy away from the tragic side of the human experience, unwilling to risk the cracking of their shell of denial, not willing to risk their coping mechanism,” writes Cycling-Review.com. “Bicycle Dreams captures the human condition like few other films. Bicycle Dreams moves us to break through the barrier of the fear of death. I have seldom found a film that captures this ‘life drama’ as powerfully as does Bicycle Dreams.”

Adds Podium Café, “Bicycle Dreams is the ultimate inner journey. If you thought the life of a cyclist was an internal struggle, wait until you see what Auerbach unearths in this film. Bicycle Dreams is an unprecedented exploration of the subject of the suffering on the bike.”

About.com writes, “As we fall deeper and deeper into Bicycle Dreams, what we witness grows more terrifying, yet more compelling. Auerbach’s masterful direction exposes the raw lessons that drive people to push beyond the limits of human endurance. Revealing what lies at the heart of every impossible human endeavor is what Bicycle Dreams is all about.”

And finally, Bicycle Touring Pro comments, “If you’ve ever dreamed of challenging yourself to a place far beyond what you previously thought was possible, Bicycle Dreams is a film you must see. It’s beautiful, thought provoking, exciting, emotional and scary. The experience of watching this film will leave you with a new perspective on life that will remain with you for a very long time to come.”

Bicycle Dreams also has been named one of the top 10 adventure films of all time by both The Matador Network and Playground Magazine.

The upcoming nationwide tour to be held in conjunction with the 2011 Race Across America will include a screening at the Neon in Dayton at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. To purchase advance tickets go to www.imathlete.com/events/bicycledreams. For more information on the film, go to www.bicycledreamsmovie.com or find us on Facebook.

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The Independent Shadow Cinema – Underground No More

June 14, 2011 By J.T. Ryder 1 Comment

Zombies, Lesbian Vampires and Mexican Wrestlers..Oh My!

Having grown up nurtured by Dr. Creep on Shock Theater, fighting sleep while watching the dusk to dawn horror fests at the Captain Kidd and Belmont Drive-In Theaters and relishing the peculiarities found at the bottom of bargain bins full of obscure DVDs, I felt an immediate understanding of what he is trying to create with the Independent Shadow Cinema. Andy himself is quite an accomplished aficionado within the world of the weird, having worked with Dr. Creep, being one of the people behind the annual Horrorama charity film festival and directing six of his own horror genre films, including The Mutilation Man, The Atrocity Circle and Black Sun.

While other people may look down their collective noses at people like us for being drawn towards entertainment that they would deem sophomorically disgusting or visual training manuals for psychopaths, we know that those kind of people are eaten first by the zombie hordes, usually in a humorous manner, thus stripping them not only of their flesh, but also their self deluded decorum.

What Andy Copp is trying to bring to the screen, as well as to the darkened streets of Dayton, is a world unseen by the masses. A world of the uncanny, the unbridled, the uninhibited. A world shown is a series of stroboscopic scenes splashed with copious amounts of arterial red. With the Independent Shadow Cinema, Andy is trying to breathe life into the self indulgently dying corpse of local cinema and allowing it, for a moment, to live within the minds of an audience hungering for visions of the weird and wonderful.

J.T.: I guess the first question would be: What was the impetus to start the Independent Shadow Cinema?
Andy: Well, the idea came out of me wanting to do the old school midnight movies that I grew up going to. The ones like Flicker Palace had years ago and Page Manor had back in my college days. There hasn’t been anything like that in a long time and back in the nineties, I worked at the Neon Movies as one of the managers back before the switchover and I brought in a lot of movies from Hong Kong and things like that and they were really successful. I realized that there was an audience for it here in town, but there was nothing catering to that right now and there hasn’t been since I had done it in the nineties. I’m also one of the guys that run Horrorama (Horrorama is a charity movie marathon that has been active since 1997) and we have a dedicated audience here in town that comes to that event every year. Since I had worked with Englewood Cinema with Horrorama, I approached Mike who runs things there and presented the idea of running underground midnight movies and he said, “Well, let’s try to do this then” and so we went ahead and launched it. So we went for it, trying to bring more interesting movies that you’re not going to see anywhere else, like the old midnight pulp movie shows, and to give the people something interesting to do on Friday nights.

J.T.: Are you targeting more of the grind house/horror show genre?
Andy: A little bit. Right now, what I’m doing is I’m bringing in a lot of the really obscure, indie/underground stuff, but the people who are interested in that type of thing are also going to be interested in the grind house/exploitation films and people who like that are going to like the stuff that we’re currently playing. The stuff that we’re playing right now is pretty obscure and relatively unknown, but definitely, that’s the crowd we’re going for.

J.T.: What do you have coming up for the next show?
Andy: On Friday, we have a movie that was made in 2000 called Meatmarket and it’s a zombie flick…actually, it’s a really wild zombie flick. It’s got everything. It’s got zombies, lesbian vampires, Mexican wrestlers and things blowing up. It’s a movie that aims to please. It was made in Canada for just under $2,000. It’s incredibly low budget, but you wouldn’t know that by watching it because the production values are really high. That’s the kind of stuff that we’ve been showing: the stuff that’s made for peanuts, but that are incredibly ambitious.

J.T.: What’s the main message that you want to get out?
Andy: That we’re here and that we’re doing something different. In Dayton, there’s always this grumbling that there’s nothing interesting going on; “Oh, Dayton doesn’t have anything cool or different!” but here we are on Friday nights with these kick ass, interesting movies that you probably haven’t heard of that are definitely satisfying. For five bucks, you can see some wicked ass movie that will leave you feeling satisfied. Also, the way I have structured it, there’s always a free movie, a second feature, and I never say what it is so it’s always going to be a surprise. So, from 11:30pm until 2:30am, you get two crazy movies for five bucks.

J.T.: Now, with most people’s experiences of midnight movies is limited to Rocky Horror Picture Show, are there people that show up with a certain amount of misconceptions?
Andy: Right! This isn’t Mystery Science Theater 3K or Rocky Horror Picture Show. I’m not inviting people to come and yell and throw things and make fun of these films…that’s not our thing. This is to come and appreciate something unusual and have a good time. I don’t want this to be Troll 2. These are genuinely interesting movies, so if people are coming to make fun of them, I’m not so interested in them being there, but if they are there to find something that they have never seen or experienced, then those are the people we are looking for. Also, with the more people that we can get to come out, the more crazier and bigger movies that we’ll be able to bring in. There’s a whole world of these types of movies that just don’t make it to Dayton. The Gateway in Columbus plays new movies like this every Saturday night. If we raised our audience numbers, we’d be able to get movies like Hobo With A Shotgun or The Troll Hunter…we just can’t afford those right now.

The next Independent Shadow Cinema event is scheduled for Friday June 17th at 11:00pm at the Englewood Cinemas, 320 West National Rd, Englewood, Ohio and will feature the zombie movie Meatmarket along with an as yet to be announced second feature.

Film Review – Midnight in Paris (B-)

June 13, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Midnight in Paris
@ The Neon
June 12, 2011
Grade: B-

Woody Allen’s getting a little long in the tooth to play opposite beautiful, young actresses these days, so he had Owen Wilson do it for him in “Midnight in Paris.” Wilson stars as Gil, a Hollywood screenwriter who, though successful, feels unfulfilled as a wannabe Hemingway. The ever-present romantic in Gil sees a business trip with his fiancee, Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents as an opportunity to “walk the streets of Paris in the rain” and to work on his novel. Inez and her conservative family have other ideas. So, when Gil finds himself walking the streets lost and alone late one night, he finds himself magically transported to 1920s Paris, a time and place occupied by his heroes, F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) and other artistic and literary gods.

Taking advantage of a film phenomenon that could be described as Groundhog Day combined with Field of Dreams, Gil discovers that every night at midnight he’s able to hobnob with the most influential people of the early 20th century. As if finding himself in his ideal place and time in all of human existence isn’t gift enough, Gil quickly meets and is accepted into the elite 1920s social circle that includes Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Cole Porter, Pablo Picasso and many other people you’ve heard of. Gil even gets Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) to proofread his manuscript.

While Gil’s initial trips back to his personal heaven are productive and fun, (we get to see what a drunken conversation between Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso might look like) the nightly time travels begin to become unnecessary and stagnant, eventually coming off as little more than an effort to drop as many huge names as possible. “You’re T.S. Eliot!”

Each new intellectual giant of the era Gil encounters has less impact than the previous. It’s impossible to develop the hypothetical social behavior of so many complex individuals inside of two hours and introducing so many new characters becomes tiresome. The best and most humorous scenes of the movie involve Gil seeking the advice of Hemingway, as he’s all at once mesmerized by the unlikely circumstances and overwhelmed by Hemingway’s honesty and intensity. Even moviegoers with just a passing understanding of Hemingway’s style like myself will be able to laugh when he passes along advice to Gil on love and life. Stoll’s Hemingway was particularly entertaining and I would’ve preferred a more specific story that allowed Gil to continue to interact with Hemingway and others who could relate to Gil’s predicament. I get why we’re meeting Gertrude Stein, Gil needs help with his novel. But why are we meeting Salvador Dali?

After acquiring the affection of Picasso’s mistress, Adriana (Marion Cotillard), and besting both Picasso and Hemingway in the process (you can just picture Allen smiling as he imagines himself in this scenario), Gil learns from her that even the most interesting people living in the most interesting time can be unhappy in their present. This is a revelation that lets Gil free himself of both his unpromising engagement to Inez and his obsession with his trips to the 20s.

Ultimately, the majority of Midnight in Paris is undeniably fun, often humorous and the performances are good across the board. I just found much of it disappointing due to an engaging, exciting first half that faded away and the unfulfilled potential of the premise.

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Woody’s Latest – Midnight In Paris + Incendies!

June 8, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone.

If you haven’t had a chance to see WINTER IN WARTIME, BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK, and/or THE BEAVER, you only have through Thursday (6/9) to see them at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open the Oscar-nominated political thriller INCENDIES and Woody Allen’s latest film MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (check out the stellar cast in the description below). Both of these new films come with a great response from critics and audiences alike!

I’m delighted to announce a couple big changes to our calendar. 1) POTICHE has been dated for a one-week engagement. It will open on June 17. This was one of my favorites in Toronto last year (I generally don’t respond to comedies the way I do to serious films). It’s wonderfully charming, and Catherine Deneuve is superb! 2) Due to the success of THE TREE OF LIFE in larger markets, Fox Searchlight has bumped up our opening date. THE TREE OF LIFE will now open on June 24!

Synopsis for INCENDIES: “When notary Lebel sits down with Jeanne and Simon Marwan to read them their mother Nawal’s will, the twins are stunned to receive a pair of envelopes – one for the father they thought was dead and another for a brother they didn’t know existed. In this enigmatic inheritance, Jeanne sees the key to Nawal’s retreat into unexplained silence during the final weeks of her life. With Lebel’s help, the twins piece together the story of the woman who brought them into the world, discovering a tragic fate as well as the courage of an exceptional woman.” (Sony Pictures Classics) Click This Link to visit the film’s official site (the trailer will have your heading to THE NEON this weekend).

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Synopsis for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS: “Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Adrien Brody and Carla Bruni star in Woody Allen’s romantic comedy about a family on a business trip in the City of Light. As a young couple engaged to be married experiences a profound transformation during their visit to Paris, an idealistic man with a romanticized view of the city finds that there’s plenty of truth to that old adage about the grass being greener on the other side.” (Jason Buchanon, All Movie Guide) Click This Link to be directed to the official site for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.

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We’re all set for next week’s screening of WE WERE HERE. “WE WERE HERE is the first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco. It explores how the City’s inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, that calamitous epidemic. Though a San Francisco-based story, We Were Here extends beyond San Francisco and beyond AIDS itself. It speaks to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, and to the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination.” WE WERE HERE will screen on June 16 at 7PM. Tickets are $8 each and are currently available at THE NEON box office. This screening is sponsored by The Greater Dayton LGBT Center. Be sure to take a look at thetrailer, and get your tickets early. After the film, we will have a discussion with representatives from AIDS Resource Center Ohio, Miami Valley Poz 4 Poz, an early HIV/AIDS community educator, and more. Additionally, we will have the opportunity to see a series of incredible photographs in THE NEON’s lobby. Here’s the story:Approximately half way through WE WERE HERE, there are several beautiful and chilling photos of a man with AIDS. These photos were the final project of the late John Davis of Dayton. His sister contacted me a couple weeks ago and offered us the opportunity to display the entire series. THE NEON will hang all 17 photographs in our lobby before the screening.

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THE NEON has been rented out for a special screening of BICYCLE DREAMS. Advance tickets ($10 each + $1 handling fee) must be purchased on-line (visit Link). Remaining tickets will be sold at the door the night of the event for $15 each. “BICYCLE DREAMS tells the true story of the Race Across America, a 3000-mile bicycle race that challenges riders to cross the country in just ten days. They must overcome searing desert hear, agonizing mountain climbs, and endless stretches of open road, all while battling extreme exhaustion and sleep deprivation. But when tragedy strikes the race, this simple test of human endurance is instantly transformed into something far more daunting. These voyageurs discover what is truly at stake as they pedal on, praying for the deliverance only the finish line can bring. By journey’s end, some are saved, others are lost, but all learn that the fuel that takes a soul toward its own true destiny is desire.” (taken from press notes)

Hope to see you soon,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for June 10 – June 16:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (PG-13) 1 Hr 40 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45

Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45

INCENDIES (R) 2 Hr 10 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:15, 7:00, 9:30

Monday – Wednesday: 2:45, 5:15, 8:00

Thursday: 2:45, 9:45

WE WERE HERE (NR) 1 Hr 30 Min + Discussion

Thursday: 7:00

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

June 17 POTICHE

June 24 TREE OF LIFE

July 1 DOUBLE HOUR

July 8 BUCK

July 15   PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

July 15   BEGINNERS

Aug 5   SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

Aug 26 ANOTHER EARTH

Bill Cunningham & Winter in Wartime – This Week at THE NEON!

June 3, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone.

Well…none of our films performed wonderfully last weekend (though THE BEAVER did well enough to stick around for a couple screenings a day for one more week). I AM and POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD have left.

Today (6/3), we open two new films – BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK and WINTER IN WARTIME.

If you’re a regular reader of The New York Times, I’m certain you’re already familiar with Bill Cunningham. If not, I’m certain you’ll still be charmed by the story of this wonderful photographer. Synopsis for BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK: “‘We all get dressed for Bill,’ says Vogue editrix Anna Wintour. The “Bill” in question is 80+ New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham. For decades, this Schwinn-riding cultural anthropologist has been obsessively and inventively chronicling fashion trends and high society charity soirees for the Times Style section in his columns “On the Street” and “Evening Hours.” Documenting uptown fixtures (Wintour, Tom Wolfe, Brooke Astor, David Rockefeller-who all appear in the film out of their love for Bill), downtown eccentrics and everyone in between, Cunningham’s enormous body of work is more reliable than any catwalk as an expression of time, place and individual flair. In turn, Bill Cunningham New York is a delicate, funny and often poignant portrait of a dedicated artist whose only wealth is his own humanity and unassuming grace.” (taken from Zeitgeist Films) Visit the OFFICIAL SITE.

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If you’ve been to THE NEON in the past few months, I’m certain you’ve seen the trailer for our next new film, the official selection from the Netherlands for this year’s “Best Foreign Film” Oscar. Synopsis for WINTER IN WARTIME: “Near the end of World War II, 14-year-old Michiel becomes involved with the Resistance after coming to the aid of a wounded British soldier. With the conflict coming to an end, Michiel comes of age and learns of the stark difference between adventure fantasy and the ugly realities of war.” (taken from Sony Pictures Classics) If you haven’t seen the trailer, be certain to take a look. I don’t think this synopsis does the film justice. Visit the OFFICIAL SITE.

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A panel is in place for our screening of a powerful and moving documentary called WE WERE HERE. “WE WERE HERE is the first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco. It explores how the City’s inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, that calamitous epidemic. Though a San Francisco-based story, We Were Here extends beyond San Francisco and beyond AIDS itself. It speaks to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, and to the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination.” WE WERE HERE will screen on June 16 at 7PM. Tickets are $8 each and are currently available at THE NEON box office. This screening is sponsored by The Greater Dayton LGBT Center. Be sure to take a look at the trailer, and get your tickets early. After the film, we will have a discussion with representatives from AIDS Resource Center Ohio, Miami Valley Poz 4 Poz, an early HIV/AIDS community educator, and more. Additionally, we will have the opportunity to see a series of incredible photographs in THE NEON’s lobby. Here’s the story: Approximately half way through WE WERE HERE, there are several beautiful and chilling photos of a man with AIDS. These photos were the final project of the late John Davis of Belmont, Ohio. His sister contacted me a couple weeks ago and offered us the opportunity to display the entire series. THE NEON will hang all 17 photographs in our lobby before the screening.

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

One last reminder regarding our price increase…If you’ve been to THE NEON lately, you’ve more than likely seen our note at the front counter about pricing. Here’s what it states: “Effective June 3, 2011. At THE NEON, we strive to have the best films, the best customer service and the best prices. While we don’t intend on changing these goals, we must unfortunately raise our admission prices. On June 3, all General Admission, Matinee and Senior Citizen tickets will increase by 50 cents. Our ticket prices have not increased since August of 2008…and our new ticket prices will still be at least $2 less expensive than all the first-run multiplexes in the region. Thanks for your understanding.” We hope this won’t deter you from coming to THE NEON…as we have dozens of great films coming our way in the weeks and months ahead.

Hope to see you soon,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for June 3 – June 9:

WINTER IN WARTIME (R) 1 Hr 43 Min

Friday – Thursday: 3:00, 7:15

THE BEAVER (PG-13) 1 Hr 31 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 5:10, 9:30

Monday – Thursday: 5:10, 9:30

BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK (NR) 1 Hr 24 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:10, 3:15, 5:15, 7:30, 9:30

Monday – Thursday: 3:15, 5:15, 7:30, 9:30

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

June 10 INCENDIES

June 10 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

June 17 POTICHE

June 24 TREE OF LIFE

July 1 DOUBLE HOUR

July 8 BUCK

July 15 PAGE ONE

July 15 BEGINNERS

Aug 5 SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

Aug 26 ANOTHER EARTH

Sondheim at the Movies with Jill Paice

June 3, 2011 By Russell Florence, Jr. Leave a Comment

Jill Paice

The New York Philharmonic’s star-studded concert production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s breakthrough Tony Award-winning 1970 musical “Company” begins limited showings in movie theaters across the country Wednesday, June 15 featuring Muse Machine alumna Jill Paice of Beavercreek as Susan.

Sondheim and Furth’s dated yet comical, thought-provoking and vignette-driven account of seemingly content bachelor Bobby (Emmy winner Neil Patrick Harris) and his close knit circle of “good and crazy” married friends was filmed live April 7-9 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall under the direction of Lonny Price. Along with Paice and Harris, the impressive, promising cast consists of Tony winner Patti LuPone as the boozy Joanne, Emmy winner Stephen Colbert as Harry, Emmy and Tony nominee Martha Plimpton as Sarah, Emmy winner Jon Cryer as David, Tony nominee Jennifer Laura Thompson as Jenny, Tony winner Katie Finnernan as Amy, Tony nominee Craig Bierko as Peter, Emmy nominee Christina Hendricks as April, Tony winner Anika Noni Rose as Marta, Jim Walton as Larry, Aaron Lazar as Paul and Chryssie Whitehead as Kathy.

Sondheim’s fantastic score, one of his crowning achievements, includes “Another Hundred People,” “Barcelona,” “Being Alive,” “Company,” “Getting Married Today,” “The Little Things You Do Together,” “Side by Side by Side,” “Someone Is Waiting,” “Sorry-Grateful,” “You Could Drive A Person Crazy” and the signature standout “The Ladies Who Lunch,” which should be an amazing highlight as sung by LuPone. The concert notably features Jonathan Tunick’s splendid original orchestrations.

Neil Patrick Harris, Craig Bierko and Jill Paice

In addition, Paice will soon star in the off-Broadway world premiere of “Death Takes a Holiday,” a musical adaptation of the Alberto Casella play of the same name from Tony-winning librettist Thomas Meehan (“Annie,” “The Producers,” “Hairspray”) and Tony-winning and Oscar-nominated composer Maury Yeston (“Nine,” “Titanic”). Directed by Tony winner Doug Hughes (“Doubt”), “Death Takes a Holiday,” memorably remade in 1998 as “Meet Joe Black,” begins previews at New York’s Laura Pels Theatre Friday, June 10 in advance of an opening Thursday, July 21. Paice’s New York credits include the Broadway productions of “The Woman in White,” “Curtains” and “The 39 Steps.”

At present, “Company” is scheduled to be screened locally Wednesday, June 15 and Thursday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, June 19 at 2 p.m. and Tuesday, June 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Rave Motion Pictures The Greene 14, 4489 Glengarry Dr., Beavercreek. You can catch a sneak peek of the cast when they reunite to perform Sunday, June 12 at the 65th annual Tony Awards, which will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. hosted by Harris.

For additional information, visit www.companyonscreen.com

2 Hot, New Films Open Friday at THE NEON!

May 24, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone,

If you haven’t had a chance to see this year’s Academy Award winning film IN A BETTER WORLD, you only have until Thursday to catch it at THE NEON. (And you really shouldn’t miss it!) On Friday, we will open 2 new films – Jodi Foster’s third directorial effort – THE BEAVER and Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary – POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD.

We will also hold I AM for a couple screenings per day for one more week.

Synopsis for THE BEAVER: “Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression. No matter what he tries, Walter can’t seem to get himself back on track… until a beaver hand puppet enters his life.” (Summit Entertainment)

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Synopsis for POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD: “We live in an age where it’s tough even to walk down the street without someone trying to sell you something. It’s at the point where practically the entire American experience is brought to us by some corporation. Utilizing cutting-edge tools of comic exploration and total self-exploitation, Spurlock dissects the world of advertising and marketing by using his personal integrity as currency to sell out to the highest bidder. Scathingly funny, subversive, and deceptively smart, “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” shines the definitive light on our branded future as acclaimed filmmaker and master provocateur Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me”) attempts to create the “Iron Man of documentaries,” the first ever “docbuster”! He may very well have succeeded.” (Sony Picture Classics)

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Please Take Note – The YMCA has canceled their special screening of THE OTHER SIDE– previously scheduled for May 26.

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If you’ve been to THE NEON lately, you’ve more than likely seen our note at the front counter about pricing. Here’s what it states: “Effective June 3, 2011. At THE NEON, we strive to have the best films, the best customer service and the best prices. While we don’t intend on changing these goals, we must unfortunately raise our admission prices. On June 3, all General Admission, Matinee and Senior Citizen tickets will increase by 50 cents. Our ticket prices have not increased since August of 2008…and our new ticket prices will still be at least $2 less expensive than all the first-run multiplexes in the region. Thanks for your understanding.” We hope this won’t deter you from coming to THE NEON…as we have dozens of great films coming our way in the weeks and months ahead.

On Monday, May 30, we will open earlier than usual. Because it’s Memorial Day, we will treat it like a weekend day. Perhaps we’ll see you then.

Take care,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for May 27 – June 2:

I AM (NR) 1 Hr 17 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday: 1:00, 5:15

Tuesday – Thursday: 5:15

THE BEAVER (PG-13) 1 Hr 31 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday: 1:10, 3:15, 5:20, 7:30, 9:45

Tuesday – Thursday: 3:15, 5:20, 7:30, 9:45

THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD (PG-13) 1 Hr 30 Min

Friday – Thursday: 3:10, 7:20, 9:30

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

June 3 BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK

June 3 WINTER IN WARTIME

June 10 INCENDIES

June 17 DOUBLE HOUR

June 24 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

July 1 TREE OF LIFE

July 8 BUCK

July 15 PAGE ONE

July 15 BEGINNERS

TBD POTICHE

Academy Award Winner & FilmDayton Festival!

May 19, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone!

This is going to be a fun weekend for film lovers in Dayton. In addition to a one-week-only engagement of this year’s Academy Award winning film IN A BETTER WORLD, The FilmDayton Festival has something for everyone. (Incidentally, I saw IN A BETTER WORLD in Toronto last year. It’s absolutely wonderful…don’t miss it!) I AM will stick around for another week.

Synopsis for IN A BETTER WORLD: “Anton is a doctor who commutes between his home in an idyllic town in Denmark, and his work at an African refugee camp. In these two very different worlds, he and his family are faced with conflicts that lead them to difficult choices between revenge and forgiveness. Anton and his wife Marianne, who have two young sons, are separated and struggling with the possibility of divorce. Their older, ten-year-old son Elias is being bullied at school, until he is defended by Christian, a new boy who has just moved from London with his father, Claus. Christian’s mother recently lost her battle with cancer, and Christian is greatly troubled by her death. Elias and Christian quickly form a strong bond, but when Christian involves Elias in a dangerous act of revenge with potentially tragic consequences, their friendship is tested and lives are put in danger. Ultimately, it is their parents who are left to help them come to terms with the complexity of human emotions, pain and empathy.” (Sony Pictures Classics)

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The FilmDayton Festival is here. Their website is up and running with details about each film, each party, numerous special events and links for tickets. Check out the website by clicking the image below.

Here are FilmDayton Festival screenings at THE NEON:

Friday, May 20 at 7:00 & 9:30 – WSU’s BIG LENS Film Festival

Saturday, May 21 at 10:30am – SCREENLESS SCREENING

Saturday, May 21 at 11:50am – FILMICALLY PERFECT

Saturday, May 21 at 1:00 – HOMERUN SHOWDOWN

Saturday, May 21 at 3:15 – BEAUTIFUL NOISE

Saturday, May 21 at 5:30 – INTO ETERNITY

Saturday, May 21 at 7:00 – NEW LEFT MEDIA Shorts

Saturday, May 21 at 8:15 – MARWENCOL

Saturday, May 21 at 10:30 – HUSK

Sunday, May 22 at 12:15 – SUNDOG & FILMDAYTON SHORTS

Sunday, May 22 at 2:40 – BILAL’S STAND

Sunday, May 22 at 4:45 – WHERE SOLDIERS COME FROM

Sunday, May 22 at 7:00 – ROCKIN’ THE WALL

This just in…The YMCA has cancelled the screening of THE OTHER SIDE on May 26.

A panel is in place for our screening of a powerful and moving documentary called WE WERE HERE. “WE WERE HERE is the first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco. It explores how the City’s inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, that calamitous epidemic. Though a San Francisco-based story, We Were Here extends beyond San Francisco and beyond AIDS itself. It speaks to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, and to the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination.” WE WERE HERE will screen on June 16 at 7PM. Tickets are $8 each and are currently available at THE NEON box office. This screening is sponsored by The Greater Dayton LGBT Center. Be sure to take a look at the trailer, and get your tickets early. After the film, we will have a discussion with representatives from AIDS Resource Center Ohio, Miami Valley Poz 4 Poz, an early HIV/AIDS community educator, and more. Additionally, we will have the opportunity to see a series of incredible photographs in THE NEON’s lobby. I’ll give you more details about this special installation next week.

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

Thanks so much for your interest in THE NEON.

Take care,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for May 20 – May 26:

IN A BETTER WORLD (PG-13) 2 Hrs

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 3:00, 7:15

Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:30, 8:00

I AM (NR) 1 Hr 17 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:15, 5:30, 9:40

Monday – Wednesday: 3:15, 5:15, 7:45

Thursday: 3:15, 5:15

FILMDAYTON

See Schedule Above

THE OTHER SIDE (NR) 40 Min + Q&A

Thursday: 7:30

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

May 27 THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD

May 27 THE BEAVER

June 3 BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK

June 3 WINTER IN WARTIME

June 10 INCENDIES

June 17 DOUBLE HOUR

June 24 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

July 1 TREE OF LIFE

July 8 BUCK

July 15 PAGE ONE

TBD POTICHE

TBD BEGINNERS

TBD MEEK’S CUTOFF

Calling all filmmakers, screenwriters and film lovers…

May 17, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

The following is from Eva Buttacavoli – Executive Director for FilmDayton.

Once again, hometown pride will infuse the FilmDayton Festival, but this year organizers have added a bonus. Themed “From Dayton/For Dayton,” the third annual festival, to be held May 20-22, 2011, will put the spotlight on the 27 filmmakers, screenwriters and producers — 21 of them native or current Daytonians — that are making compelling films in Ohio and beyond. The festival will give film-lovers a chance to meet, mingle and participate in in-depth discussions with these guest artists.

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Film-goers can count on Dayton-connected films created by regional filmmakers, as well as the “best of the fests” — compelling films that have been featured at such prominent film festivals as Sundance and South by Southwest — which FilmDayton brings to Dayton first. Audiences are invited to experience and interact with films and filmmakers who are addressing such hot topics as the war in Afghanistan (WHERE SOLDIERS COME FROM), the threat of nuclear meltdown (INTO ETERNITY), life in an American Muslim-community (BILAL’S STAND) mental trauma (MARWENCOL) and more.

The Dayton Connection

The hometown spotlight will be on most of the films and filmmakers. Former Daytonian, Joe Gressis’ HOMERUN SHOW DOWN is a family-friendly little league comedy featuring big-name stars Barry Bostwick, Dean Cain and Annabeth Gish. HOMERUN was partially filmed at Fifth Third Field and includes support (and sly product placement) by Joe’s friends John Stafford, Staffords Jewelers. Former Dayton TV personality, Steve Tatone, living and working in Sarasota, brings the music-themed drama BEAUTIFUL NOISE, whose rocker co-star, Kimber Cleveland, will also perform at Gilly’s on Saturday night. Wright State students Chase Whiteside and Erick Stoll, whose politically-charged documentary shorts have appeared on “The Daily Show,” will present a NEW LEFT MEDIA SHORTS program. Dayton-based co-producer and statewide film community advocate, Karri O’Reilly, brings us the horror film, HUSK. With a trailer that already has been scaring the beejeezus out of folks, the film features a group of friends stranded in a desolate cornfield . . . guess what happens next? And finally, celebrating UD professor and screenwriter, Larry Schweikert’s compelling story of rock and roll’s part in bringing down the Berlin Wall and smashing the Iron Curtain, we’ll present ROCKIN’ THE WALL.

Emerging hometown filmmakers are featured in our two “festivals within the festival,” BIG LENS, featuring shorts from Wright State University Motion Pictures Program students and grads, as well as the SUNDOG & FILMDAYTON SHORTS DOUBLE FEATURE by local High School and college students.

Looking homeward is also the theme of the 2^nd annual collaboration with Public Radio Station WYSO 91.3. SCREENLESS SCREENING presents “sound pictures” and sound-rich documentaries prevalent in popular public radio programs such as “This American Life” and “StoryCorps.” Local students from WYSO’s current “Community Voices” training project will present their radio stories for the first time as part of this film festival favorite. In addition, they will attend a master class with public radio personality, Ira Glass who will be speaking at the Victoria Theatre on Sunday evening. Neenah Ellis, general manager of WYSO said, “We are training people to tell the stories of the Miami Valley. Come and support these new radio producers!”

Celebrating more Dayton Reunions – The FilmDayton Screenwriting Conference

The two-day FilmDayton Screenwriting Conference, running concurrently with the festival , features 4 Dayton connections. The conference, held at ThinkTV, will include intensive hands-on workshops and lectures from nationally recognized writers as author and script consultant Dara Marks (“Inside Story: The Power of the Transformational Arc”) Emmy-winning writer/producer and WSU-grad, Erik Bork (HBO’s BAND OF BROTHERS), WSU-grad and Sundance award winning writer/director Nichol Simmons (DRY MOUNT) and WSU-grad and Emmy-nominated writer Kevin A. Kramer (Cartoon Network’s animated series CHOWDER.)

Film Festival offers audiences a chance to meet creators of compelling films

The FilmDayton Festival is proud to present filmmakers, screenwriters and producers for just about every event.

“There is a vibrant film community here, with many Daytonians working in the film industry throughout the country,” said FilmDayton executive director, Eva Buttacavoli. “The festival is an opportunity to showcase our local talent, bring some from LA back to their hometown, and invite the audience out to celebrate them in a full-immersion film weekend.”

Movies and more FROM Dayton — featuring films that have roots or take their cue, from right here in the Miami Valley. Films made by people who grew up and learned their craft here. And films FOR Dayton — featuring the “best of the fests” which FilmDayton brings to you first.

Audiences can participate in filmmaker Q&As after most of the screenings. Audiences can also attend events and parties that include filmmaker, screenwriter and producer guests as well. At PITCH-IT! they can watch the fun as amateur and professional filmmakers pitch their ideas to a panel of industry professionals including Dayton TV personality JIm Bucher, screenwriter and film educator Thomas Girvin and writer/director Nichol Simmons — for a cash prize. At Filmically Perfect: Imperfectly In-Person, J. Todd Anderson — Dayton-based filmmaker and storyboard artists for such directors as the Coen brothers — and George Willeman — film archivist, writer and producer — will record their WYSO 91.3-FM Public Radio show “Filmically Perfect” in front of a live audience. Hosted by Niki Dakota, WYSO music director. And closing the Festival, everyone is invited to the Filmmaker Meet and Greet & Closing Party on Sunday night.

“This very special opportunity allows our audiences to talk directly with the filmmakers about their work,” said Buttacavoli. “We are thrilled that so many of the filmmakers will be here to share their creative processes and discuss their films – all in a very relaxed atmosphere. It’s a chance for film lovers to have meaningful dialogues with the filmmakers whose work they are viewing.”

FilmDayton Board member and film producer Karri O’Reilly said, “One of the aspects of the festival that we have worked very hard on is audience access to the filmmakers. The opportunity to meet with and learn from professional filmmakers brings a dimension to the film going experience that you can’t get from a regular screening or even a DVD commentary,” she continued. “Our past filmmakers have been very gracious with their time in speaking to film students and film enthusiasts, and sharing their knowledge and experience. I anticipate that this year’s group will want to do likewise.”

“Bringing outside filmmakers to the Dayton area not only gives our local film community the chance to interact with talent from around the globe, it gives the outside world exposure to the level of talent we have right here at home.”

All film screenings will take place at NEON Movies. Parties, events, workshops and the Screenwriters Conference take place at venues close by.

Check out the website at www.filmdaytonfestival.com for film trailers, filmmakers’ biographies, a full schedule of events and locations as well as other information.

Film Festival and ScreenCon tickets are on sale at www.filmdaytonfestival.com and may be purchased at NEON Movies during the festival. All-access passes to film screenings, events and parties are $75, and individual film tickets are $7. ScreenCon is $149 for the full conference (includes meals, screenings, parties and a ticket to see Ira Glass) and $15 for single workshops.

Tom Shadyac’s I AM Starts Today!

May 14, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone.

Opening this week is a film that was quietly released back in February. No one asked me about it. Then the press started to hit a few weeks ago – radio shows, afternoon talk shows (including Oprah)…and we started getting numerous calls and e-mails. Tom Shadyac’s I AM is a documentary that we hope will live up to the requests.

In addition to opening I AM, we will hold onto OF GODS AND MEN and JANE EYRE for one more week.

Synopsis for I AM: “I AM, a probing exploration of our world, what’s wrong with it, and what we can do to make it better, represents Tom Shadyac’s first foray into non-fiction following a career as one of Hollywood’s leading comedy practitioners, with such successful titles as ACE VENTURA, LIAR LIAR, and BRUCE ALMIGHTY to his credit. I AM recounts what happened to the filmmaker after a cycling accident left him incapacitated, possibly for good. Though he ultimately recovered, he emerged a changed man. Disillusioned with life on the A-list, he sold his house, moved to a mobile home community, and decided to start life anew.” (Shady Acres Entertainment) Visit the OFFICIAL SITE

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Tickets are now available on at THE NEON box office for next week’s special screening of VEER. “Start your Miami Valley Cycling Summit experience a day early with Bike Film Night at THE NEON on Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 – featuring the Dayton premier of VEER. This critically acclaimed documentary tells the stories of people who have made a difference in the world of cycling, and how cycling has made a real difference in people’s lives. Join us for this inspiring film and support one of the Miami Valley’s own cycling advocate organizations: Bike Miami Valley. All proceeds from your $5 admission will benefit this growing cycling non-profit organization.” (taken from press release) Visit the SITE

The FilmDayton Festival is next weekend – May 20-22. Their website is up and running with details about each film, each party, numerous special events and links for tickets. Check out the OFFICIAL SITE.

On May 26 at 7:30, the YMCA will hold a special event at THE NEON. “THE OTHER SIDE, a documentary by Baxter Stapleton, captures the story of two worlds colliding through mentoring. Two successful business men living in the comfort of suburbia – surrounded with personal possessions and notoriety – realized they were unfulfilled and wanted a greater purpose. This desire to make a difference led them to reach out to the other side. In doing so, they realized that both sides had lessons to teach. The film implores the audience to remember that in giving you receive.” (taken from press notes) Tickets for this event are $8 and will be available at our box office starting this weekend.

Almost all details are in place for our screening of a powerful and moving documentary called WE WERE HERE. That said, new element was introduced to the event yesterday evening – when a local woman called me with a very interesting proposal…I’ll give you the full update next week. “WE WERE HERE is the first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco. It explores how the City’s inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, that calamitous epidemic. Though a San Francisco-based story, We Were Here extends beyond San Francisco and beyond AIDS itself. It speaks to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, and to the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination.” WE WERE HERE will screen on June 16 at 7PM. Tickets are $8 each and are currently available at THE NEON box office. This screening is sponsored by The Greater Dayton LGBT Center.

Be sure to take a look at the trailer, and get your tickets early.

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

Thanks so much for your interest in THE NEON.

We hope to see you soon!

Take care,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for May 13 – May 19:

JANE EYRE (PG-13) 2 Hrs

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 5:15

Monday – Wednesday: 5:15

Thursday: 5:00

I AM (NR) 1 Hr 17 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 3:15, 5:15, 7:30, 9:30

Monday – Thursday: 3:15, 5:15, 7:30

OF GODS AND MEN (R) 2 Hrs 2 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 2:50, 8:00

Monday – Wednesday: 2:50, 8:00

Thursday: 2:50

VEER (Miami Valley Cycling Summit event)

Thursday: 7:30

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.

In some cases, titles may disappear.

May 20 IN A BETTER WORLD

May 27 THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD

May 27 THE BEAVER

June 3 BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK

June 3 WINTER IN WARTIME

June 10 INCENDIES

June 17 DOUBLE HOUR

June 24 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

July 1 TREE OF LIFE

July 8 BUCK

July 15 PAGE ONE

TBD POTICHE

TBD BEGINNERS

TBD MEEK’S CUTOFF

Cannes Winner OF GODS AND MEN Now Playing!

May 6, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone.

New to THE NEON this weekend is a film that has won awards around the world. It has received a grade of 100% from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times and many more. Several of you have been asking about OF GODS AND MEN, and it’s finally coming to town. That said, it might not stick around too long…so please hurry down. In addition to the new film, we will hold JANE EYRE and WIN WIN for one more week.

Synopsis for OF GODS AND MEN: “Eight French Christian monks live in harmony with their Muslim brothers in a monastery perched in the mountains of North Africa in the 1990s. When a crew of foreign workers is massacred by an Islamic fundamentalist group, fear sweeps though the region. The army offers them protection, but the monks refuse. Should they leave? Despite the growing menace in their midst, they slowly realize that they have no choice but to stay… come what may. This film is loosely based on the life of the Cistercian monks of Tibhirine in Algeria, from 1993 until their kidnapping in 1996.” (taken from Sony Classics press notes) Visit the OFFICIAL SITE.

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“Start your Miami Valley Cycling Summit experience a day early with Bike Film Night at THE NEON on Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 – featuring the Dayton premier of VEER. This critically acclaimed documentary tells the stories of people who have made a difference in the world of cycling, and how cycling has made a real difference in people’s lives. Join us for this inspiring film and support one of the Miami Valley’s own cycling advocate organizations: Bike Miami Valley. All proceeds from your $5 admission will benefit this growing cycling non-profit organization.” (taken from press release) Tickets are now available on at THE NEON box office.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyv0JchtTpQ’]

The FilmDayton Festival is set for May 20-22. Their website is up and running with details about each film, each party, numerous special events and links for tickets. Check it out!

I’m currently working on putting together a panel discussion to follow a screening of a powerful and moving documentary called WE WERE HERE. “WE WERE HERE is the first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco. It explores how the City’s inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, that calamitous epidemic. Though a San Francisco-based story, We Were Here extends beyond San Francisco and beyond AIDS itself. It speaks to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, and to the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination.” WE WERE HERE will screen on June 16 at 7PM. Tickets are $8 each and are currently available at THE NEON box office. This screening is sponsored by The Greater Dayton LGBT Center.
Be sure to take a look at the trailer, and get your tickets early.

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

We hope to see you soon!

Take care,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for May 6 – May 12:

JANE EYRE (PG-13) 2 Hrs
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:20, 2:45, 7:15
Monday – Wednesday: 2:45, 7:30
Thursday: 2:45

WIN WIN (R) 1 Hr 46 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 5:10, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 5:10

OF GODS AND MEN (R) 2 Hrs 2 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:30, 7:15, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:30, 8:00

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.
In some cases, titles may disappear.
May 13 WINTER IN WARTIME
May 13 I AM
May 20 IN A BETTER WORLD
May 27 THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD
May 27 THE BEAVER
June 3 BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
June 10 INCENDIES
June 17 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
July 1 TREE OF LIFE
July 15 PAGE ONE
TBD POTICHE
TBD CERTIFIED COPY
TBD BEGINNERS
TBD MEEK’S CUTOFF

Date Changes/Updates & More at THE NEON

April 29, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone.

We’re still going strong with our two exclusive films – WIN WIN and JANE EYRE. The response has been quite positive to both films, and it’s great that 2 such different movies are resonating so much with so many of you. To read a synopsis of each film, please visit our website.

As you already know, all dates on our upcoming calendar are tentative. Sometimes distributors change opening dates based on print availability or a change in release strategy, and sometimes we change dates based on our box office performance. Because our two current films are doing so well, we have to move OF GODS AND MEN back. Right now, it’s scheduled to open May 6….we’ll see if that’s possible next week.
On that same subject, the distributor of THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD just moved that opening date back two weeks (to May 27)…so our entire upcoming list is going to shift as a result. I’ll keep you posted.
And on yet another similar note, we have just added I AM – a film that many of you have requested – into our schedule…dated (tentatively) for May 13. Please help us spread the word.

“Start your Miami Valley Cycling Summit experience a day early with Bike Film Night
at THE NEON on Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 – featuring the Dayton premier of VEER. This critically acclaimed documentary tells the stories of people who have made a difference in the world of cycling, and how cycling has made a real difference in people’s lives. Join us for this inspiring film and support one of the Miami Valley’s own cycling advocate organizations: Bike Miami Valley. All proceeds from your $5 admission will benefit this growing cycling non-profit organization.” (taken from press release) Click on the link to learn more about the Miami Valley Cycling Summit.

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

We hope to see you soon!

Take care,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for April 29 – May 5:

JANE EYRE (PG-13) 2 Hrs
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:15, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 4:50, 7:15

WIN WIN (R) 1 Hr 46 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.
In some cases, titles may disappear.
May 6 OF GODS AND MEN
May 6 WINTER IN WARTIME
May 13 I AM
May 20 IN A BETTER WORLD
May 27 POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD
May 27 THE BEAVER
June 3 BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
June 10 INCENDIES
June 17 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
July 1 TREE OF LIFE
July 15 PAGE ONE
TBD POTICHE
TBD CERTIFIED COPY
TBD THE BEGINNERS
TBD MEEK’S CUTOFF

Film Review – Win Win (B+)

April 23, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

Win Win
@ The Neon
April 21, 2011
Grade: B+

I’ll always think it’s a better idea when making a sports movie to try to convert an athlete into an actor rather than the other way around; especially when the athlete portrayed on screen is supposed to be elite. So, I was pleased that director Tom McCarthy chose former New Jersey state wrestling champion Alex Shaffer to play Kyle in Win Win. Shaffer’s athletic ability is needed to play the role of wrestling phenom Kyle because no audience is going to accept Frankie Muniz or some similarly sized actor as a dominant 119 pound wrestler. Shaffer was the right choice because he actually is a phenom and it’s believable that his abilities are capable of delivering a sudden jolt of relevance, perspective and excitement to the lives of three grown men, as Kyle is able to do for his new wrestling coach Mike Flaherty, played by Paul Giamatti and his two assistants, played by Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor.

Flaherty is a relatively unsuccessful, too nice for his own good lawyer and volunteer high school wrestling coach who early on makes an uncharacteristic and morally questionable decision you know he’ll end up paying for. Flaherty assumes legal guardianship of an elderly, confused client named Leo Poplar (Burt Young) who happens to have a 16-year-old grandson named Kyle in need of a place in the world thanks to a train wreck of a mother. Flaherty and Kyle’s paths soon cross and, as a wrestling coach, it’s not long before Flaherty, Terry (Cannavale) and Coach Vig (Tambor) realize they have stumbled upon a talent the likes of which they’ve never seen. Coach Vig sums up the excited yet intimidated feelings of all three coaches by exclaiming during Kyle’s first practice, “I don’t think we can teach him anything.”

The story progresses in fairly predictable, sports movie fashion: losing, discovery of talent, trust building, winning, loss of trust, losing, moral victory. Which is not to say that the story doesn’t work, it just doesn’t really matter. There are touching moments, the performances are good and the characters are easy to root for, but Win Win is good because it’s funny. The funniest moments coming as a result of Kyle’s talent and laid back persona garnering the rather unhealthy affection of his coaches. Terry verbalizes the feelings of the other coaches and wrestlers when first seeing Kyle’s back full of tattoos during a weigh-in by saying, in all seriousness, “This kid’s so #&@!ing cool.”

Although the cast is strong and all of the known actors, including Amy Ryan (The Office, The Wire) as Flaherty’s strong, smarter than everyone else wife, deliver as you’d expect them to, Win Win does not work AT ALL without newcomer Alex Shaffer. Aside from his athletic talent which got him the part, he has no trouble conveying the emotions and attitude of a soft spoken teenage boy without a home. He also has no trouble assuming a dominant position when on screen with his older and infinitely more experienced counterparts. You’ve seen stories like this before, but Shaffer’s frequent interactions with his eager mentors provoke easy laughter, which is all I ask out of a comedy.

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2 Hits Are Sticking Around + New Event Announcements at THE NEON!

April 20, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone.

With our current two exclusive films – WIN WIN and JANE EYRE – we’ve got two hits on our hands. Thanks to all of you who came out and supported these films on opening weekend – we were quite busy. To read a synopsis of each film, please visit our website.

Be sure to sign up for WIN WIN prizes in our lobby. We’ll have two drawings within the next 10 days for a WIN WIN prize pack. (The WIN WIN sweatshirts are a hot commodity, and they’re part of the pack.)

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“Start your Miami Valley Cycling Summit experience a day early with Bike Film Night at THE NEON on Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 – featuring the Dayton premier of VEER. This critically acclaimed documentary tells the stories of people who have made a difference in the world of cycling, and how cycling has made a real difference in people’s lives. Join us for this inspiring film and support one of the Miami Valley’s own cycling advocate organizations: Bike Miami Valley. All proceeds from your $5 admission will benefit this growing cycling non-profit organization.” (taken from press release) Visit the official site to learn more about the Miami Valley Cycling Summit.

We hope to see you soon!

Take care,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for April 22 – April 28:

JANE EYRE (PG-13) 2 Hrs
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:15, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 4:50, 7:15, 9:40

WIN WIN (R) 1 Hr 46 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.
In some cases, titles may disappear.
April 29 OF GODS AND MEN
May 6 WINTER IN WARTIME
May 13 THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD
May 20 IN A BETTER WORLD
May 27 THE BEAVER
June 3 BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
June 10 INCENDIES
June 17 MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
July 1 TREE OF LIFE
TBD POTICHE
TBD CERTIFIED COPY
TBD BEGINNERS

The 2 Hottest Indie Films of Spring Open Friday at THE NEON!

April 14, 2011 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone.

Our two current films have been much loved but sparsely attended. I’ve seen a handful of posts on Facebook urging people to see HEARTBEATS (one friend even went as far as saying it’s “one of the three best films I have ever seen at THE NEON”)…and audiences of THE CONCERT have expressed their affection for the film to all of THE NEON’s staff. That said, Thursday will be the last day to see these films. Hurry down if you still need to see them.

On Friday, we start the two hottest indie films of the season – WIN WIN and JANE EYRE. These films have proven themselves as critical successes, audience favorites and box office champs in numerous markets across the country. I’ve seen both films recently and really liked them both, and I’m certain that Daytonians will like them, too.

Synopsis for WIN WIN: “Disheartened attorney Mike Flaherty, who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach, stumbles across a star athlete through some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Just as it looks like he will get a double payday, the boy’s mother shows up fresh from rehab and flat broke, threatening to derail everything.” (Fox Searchlight Pictures) OFFICIAL SITE
We’ll be giving away some fun WIN WIN materials on opening night at 7:30…and we’ll have a drawing for a WIN WIN sweatshirt throughout opening week.

Synopsis for JANE EYRE: “Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender star in the romantic drama based on Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel, from acclaimed director Cary Fukunaga. In the story, Jane Eyre flees Thornfield House, where she works as a governess for wealthy Edward Rochester. As she reflects upon the people and emotions that have defined her, it is clear that the isolated and imposing residence – and Mr. Rochester’s coldness – have sorely tested the young woman’s resilience, forged years earlier when she was orphaned. She must now act decisively to secure her own future and come to terms with the past that haunts her – and the terrible secret that Mr. Rochester is hiding and that she has uncovered.” (Focus Features) OFFICIAL SITE

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Gar Drolma Buddhist Center will host an event at THE NEON this Saturday, April 16th. “Imagine if every thought, word, and action was only…FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BEINGS – A film by Christina Lundberg, producer of Mystic Tibet, Discovering Buddhism, and On the Road Home. Tickets for the first screening have already sold out…so a 2nd screening has been added for 5:15.
Garchen Rinpoche’s life presents tragic events from the light of transcendent experience. After the Chinese invasion of Tibet, Rinpoche joined the Tibetan resistance fighters and was subsequently imprisoned for more than 20 years, enduring horrifying conditions. He practiced the Buddha’s teachings in secret and emerged a Realized Being; then risked his life to preserve the living tradition of the path to enlightenment… On Saturday, April 16th at 3:00 pm Gar Drolma will host a benefit screening of this magnificent film with Garchen Rinpoche in the audience. Garchen Rinpoche and Christina Lundberg, filmmaker, will speak following the screening of the movie. (Garchen Rinpoche will not attend the 5:15 screening.)
When you purchase your tickets online, you will see price levels of $10, $20, $30, $40, $50 and $108…all seating will be general admission. The tiered prices are offered to you as a convenient way to donate to the making of the film…Any amount above $10 is a tax deductible donation.” (taken from press release)

LUNAFEST: Short Films By, For, and About Women is set for this Sunday, April 17 at 3:00. This will be the 3rd year for LUNAFEST at THE NEON – sponsored by Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance and American Association of University Women – and it’s been quite successful the past two years. In addition to the touring LUNAFEST showcase, this event will feature REFLECTIONS – a short film by Tessa Trozzolillo, a junior at Stivers School for the Arts. In lieu of a set price for tickets, organizers are requesting a minimum donation of $5 or $10 per person (with $3 per student). Money raised will go to benefit The Breast Cancer Fund and Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region.
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Lastly, I’d like to thank some of our community partners. Once a week, I make a jaunt to Meadowlark to hang a poster for our upcoming/current attractions. While there, I almost always run into someone who is a NEON regular (if you’ve never eaten at Meadowlark, you should really try it out…I love it). I always hang posters at a couple Boston Stoker locations as well as The Ohio Coffee Company, and when we have a British film, Basically British is always receptive. Special thanks to these businesses for helping us spread the word about what’s happening at THE NEON.

We hope to see you soon!
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for April 15 – April 21:

JANE EYRE (PG-13) 2 Hrs
Friday: 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:15, 9:40
Saturday: 12:10, 2:30, 7:15, 9:40
Sunday: 12:10, 5:30, 7:40, 9:50
Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 4:50, 7:15, 9:40

WIN WIN (R) 1HR 46Min
Friday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40
Saturday: 12:30, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40
Sunday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40

FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BEINGS (NR) 100 Min + Q&A
Saturday: 3:00*, 5:15
(* already sold out)

LUNAFEST (NR)
Sunday: 3:00

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Some of these dates will change.
In some cases, titles may disappear.
April 29 OF GODS AND MEN
May 6 WINTER IN WARTIME
May 13 THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD
May 20 IN A BETTER WORLD
June 3 BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK
July 1 TREE OF LIFE
TBD POTICHE
TBD CERTIFIED COPY

On Screen Dayton

Zombies, Lesbian Vampires and Mexican Wrestlers..Oh My!

Midnight in Paris @ The Neon June 12, 2011 Grade: B-

The Dayton Connection

Celebrating more Dayton Reunions – The FilmDayton Screenwriting Conference

Film Festival offers audiences a chance to meet creators of compelling films

Movies and more FROM Dayton — featuring films that have roots or take their cue, from right here in the Miami Valley. Films made by people who grew up and learned their craft here. And films FOR Dayton — featuring the “best of the fests” which FilmDayton brings to you first.

Win Win @ The Neon April 21, 2011 Grade: B+

Midnight in Paris
@ The Neon
June 12, 2011
Grade: B-

Win Win
@ The Neon
April 21, 2011
Grade: B+