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Film Review – The Way (D)

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Synopsis:

Tom (Martin Sheen) is an American doctor who travels to France following the death of his adult son, Daniel (Emilio Estevez), killed in the Pyrenees during a storm while trekking The Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of St. James. Tom’s initial purpose is to retrieve his son’s body. However, a combination of grief and homage to his son inspires Tom to journey on this path of pilgrims. While walking The Camino, Tom befriends others from around the world (Yorick Van Wageningen, Deborah Kara Unger, and James Nesbitt) who are also broken and looking for greater meaning in their lives.

Review:

The potentially appealing idea of real-life father & son, Martin Sheen & Emilio Estevez sharing the screen together is undermined by a wealth of trite, new age-y theatrics in this well-intentioned, yet misconceived drama directed by Emilio Estevez. Estevez’s follow-up to the equally dramatically inert 2006’s Bobby follows every trope of the road movie genre as well as the “man without faith learning to believe” subgenre.

Martin Sheen stars as Tom, an ophthalmologist of conservative beliefs whose estranged son Dan played by Emilio Estevez, has been killed while travelling the Camino de Santiago pilgrim route. Sheen gives the role his all, but proves to be no match for the overbearing schmaltz operating throughout the film. However, he does manage to register brief moments of genuine pathos to the character mainly in moments that utilize silence to convey his grief rather than the false sentiments that permeate the majority of the film. An early scene in which Tom visits his deceased son’s body in the morgue makes effective use of sparse dialogue interspersed with cross cutting to Estevez’s character, Daniel on the verge of meeting his tragic end. Tcheky Karyo, far too briefly appears as a French police captain in the aforementioned scene managing to be the sole actor capable of adequately delivering Estevez’s clumsily written lines with his dignity intact. The level of fluidity and competency displayed in Estevez’s direction all but disappears after this scene.

The remainder of The Way devolves at a rapid pace into a slog of walking montages, each one more laborious than the last, occasionally interrupted with scenes of recycled fish out of water humor of the “Oh that silly American” variety & trite philosophizing. Any undercurrents of honesty from the characters are undercut by direction that is at times awkwardly stilted and uneven. Hallmark card worthy pearls of wisdom such as (“You don’t choose a life; you live one”) are frequently dispensed out of our lead characters. The none too subtle homage to the Wizard of Oz (the emotionally hardened feminist-The Tin Man, the self-consciously overweight Dutchman-Cowardly Lion, and the intrusive writer-The Scarecrow) do nothing more than further illustrate how many more complexities those fantastical characters have compared to these flesh and blood characters.

The utter lack of substance offered to the relationship between Sheen and Estevez’s characters is the most disappointing aspect of this drama. Limited to brief flashbacks serving the purpose of delivering lazy exposition are the only moments we share with these two characters. The lone reason the viewer is given to invest in Tom’s plight is that he’s Daniel’s father therefore we as the viewer should automatically feel his pain. The overused motif of Tom seeing the ghost of Daniel offers zero dramatic impact as Daniel’s ghost remains silent at his every appearance. One verbal exchange between these two characters delving into the intricacies of their relationship would’ve made all the difference yet Daniel remains a silent cipher providing all of the dramatic value of a Where’s Waldo picture. The overbearingly precious and sentimental score by Tyler Bates accompanied by hilariously on the nose song cues from artists such as The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie, & Alanis Morissette do an additional disservice in providing any sliver of subtlety.

Fulfilling the role of Tom’s fellow travelers, only Deborah Kara Unger gets any substantive material to work with. However, her role is mired with an abundance of self consciously hardened women dialogue. By the time Unger and Sheen have a heart to heart discussing the abortion of her unborn daughter, eye rolling seemed to be the only viable option to respond to such an obvious tactic to tug at the heartstrings.Van Wageningen and Nesbitt fare even worse, registering as nothing more than broad strokes than fully realized characters with the former being an overweight hash smoker who learns he shouldn’t eat so much and the latter overcoming his writer’s block. The sights of stunning French country sides and cathedrals end up garnering more of dramatic response than the enlightenment any of these characters reach at the end of their journey.

On a positive note, every 30 minutes or so a joke connected eliciting a minor chuckle and Deborah Kara Unger continues to possess an alluring screen presence as she transitions from sex-pot femme fatale roles in films such as David Cronenberg’s Crash and David Fincher’s The Game into more demure roles. Despite Estevez sincerely wearing his heart on his sleeve through every frame of The Way, the film ultimately adds up to nothing more than a ham fisted Lifetime Movie of the Week.

The Way is currently being screening around the country in a grass roots campaign organized by Estevez and will be screening at The Neon beginning Oct. 21st, 2011.

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Slasher: A Horrifying Comedy

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“Slasher: A Horrifying Comedy” (presented by University of Dayton Theatre Program at UD’s Boll Theatre) began with a young woman delivering the usual request to silence our electronic devices and refrain from eating in the theater, with an added warning for those in the front seat: they had unwittingly chosen the “splash zone,” and were advised to move back to avoid the spattering of stage blood.

Despite this, the blood kept very nicely on the stage for the preview (maybe a little too nicely, based on the introduction).  A play about the makings of a horror film, or rather the familial controversy behind it, “Slasher” certainly has its moments reminiscent of typical horror movies (most notably the meat hook). However, unlike most horror films, these people can actually act. The character portrayal is what really made this play, and there were some phenomenal scenes that showcased the talent of the students. An easy example is Kiersten Manifold, who plays no less than nine different characters throughout the show, ranging from the Mormon at the door to the skating waitress at Sonic. Another notable example is the interaction between the director of the film, Marc Hunter, and the lead, Sheena McKinney (played by Patrick Lillis and Julia Puscas), is nothing short of astounding. The sexual tension that develops from them is both awkward and chilling as we move throughout the play, especially during the last scene. Hannah Blosser made a stellar debut as an actress, playing the role of Frances McKinney (Sheena’s lazy, feminist, and deranged mother). The supporting roles of Jody and Hildy, played by Jonathan Golab and Jenna Gomes, gave the play a certain charm and realism. Director of the production, Linda Dunlevy, said that this show required intelligent acting, and that she was grateful to have such people to work with. Linda has been with the University of Dayton for the past 18 years, and is also involved with the Human Race Theater Company and the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, which are both local organizations.

I was privileged to be a part of the set construction team. Remember when I said the play began with “turn off your cell phones”? I lied. In reality, the play began with auditions on Monday, August 29th. From there, hundreds of hours were spent not only practicing lines, but also designing and building the set, selecting costumes and props, and organizing lighting and sound. The special effects proved to be most difficult. That blood I mentioned? Donna Beran and her team tried about every recipe they could find to figure out which ones to use. Not to mention Kiersten’s constant costume changes. Due to the cinematic nature of the play, the scene changes themselves needed to be quick and fluid. This ruled out a number of set designs, according to Darrell Anderson. Ed Larkin, stage manager, noted that he was pleased with how the lighting turned out, despite all the issues with organization. Because I was completely unfamiliar with the play until I saw it, I have to say seeing how the different sets were used for each scene was rewarding.

The play itself is short, clever, funny, and very well done. However, due to the adult nature of the play, I would suggest a babysitter.

Show times are the 21st and 22nd at 8pm, the 23rd at 7pm, and the 27th, 28th, and 29th at 8pm. Location is the University of Dayton’s Boll Theater in J.F. Kennedy Union. For tickets and information, call the KU box office at 229-2545.

The Monster Needs A Mate!

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DPO’s Halloween Weekend focuses on family and the sheer horror of marital bliss

(see ticket contest details below the article)

Blind dates. Most of us have either been the one fixing someone up or the one being fixed up. Either way, it’s always a scary proposition. Women worry that the guy might turn out to be a nerdy dweeb or a totally insensitive caveman. Guys worry that the woman might look like their old Aunt Brunhilda and have the moral character of Mother Teresa.

As I said, scary.

Almost as if to underscore the validity of my remarks, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will be going out its way to prove the point. It has devoted the entire day, Saturday, October 29, to what frightens us most, both as children and as adults, especially adults of marriageable age.

First, the kids.

The DPO opens its 2011-2012 DP&L Family Series with its annual PhilharMonster concert at 3 pm featuring a musical depiction of the dangers of the wild in Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, a piece Prokofiev wrote (words and music) just for kids. It’s a story, told by a narrator with orchestral accompaniment, about a young boy named Peter (string instruments), who defiantly tells his grandfather (a bassoon) that – simply because he lives in his grandfather’s cottage in a forest full of wild animals – does not mean he is afraid of any old wolf. To scold him, his grandfather takes him back into the cottage and locks the gate.

Soon after, a big wolf (French horns) does come, and Peter enlists a cat (a clarinet), a bird (a flute), and a duck (an oboe) to help him as he ropes the wolf and holds him for local hunters (a woodwind theme, with gunshots on timpani and bass drum) to take to the zoo. Full of himself, Peter leads the entourage in a victory parade. At the end, the narrator tells the audience, “If you listen very carefully, you’d hear the duck quacking inside the wolf’s belly, because the wolf in his hurry had swallowed her alive.”

And the narrator?

Niki Dakota, WYSO’s Music Director and Host of the program Excursions. Not afraid of much herself, Niki spent much of her young life moving around the United States with her archeologist mother. By the time the family settled in Cincinnati, Ms. Dakota found herself in pursuit of professional music-making as she headed-up the Alterna-Folk band, Plow On Boy. In the course of her first live radio interview to promote the band, Niki’s keen excitedness manifested itself in extreme chattiness. At the conclusion of the segment, the DJ closed the mic and said, “You need to be in radio.”  She took his advice. That was in 1990. And since 2002 we in the Miami Valley have been the grateful beneficiaries of that advice.

As usual, Neal Gittleman and the DPO orchestra members will all be in Halloween costume.

Next, the adults.

To tell the story of the blind date from hell, Saturday night at 8 pm, the DPO presents its first Special Event of the season, providing live music to accompany the showing of the 1935 film The Bride of Frankenstein. This timeless horror classic features a score composed by iconic Hollywood composer Franz Waxman. And the story? You think you’ve seen some bad blind dates?

You ain’t seen nothing yet.

The film, the first of three sequels to Frankenstein (1931), starts out as a buddy flick. Henry Frankenstein has given up his plans to make living creatures out of bits and pieces of dead ones. But, you see, if he does that, then his horny old buddy, the Monster, will have to do without.

Always.

So Henry, egged on by Henry’s old adviser Dr. Pretorius and the fact that Pretorius has had the Monster kidnap Henry’s missus to give Henry the proper incentive, starts to build his buddy a mate.

It was a dark and stormy night…

Well, it actually was, when Henry completed the last few steps needed to bring the Bride of Frankenstein to life. What happens next is right out of Ben Franklin’s bio. Her body, wrapped in bandages, rises through the roof where lightning strikes a kite and shoots electricity through her. “She’s alive! Alive!” Henry cries, removing her bandages and helping her to stand.

Now this is the part of this blind date where it gets particularly spooky and way out of hand.

Turned on more than any time since Henry originally brought him to life with similar electro-shock therapy, the excited Monster sees his bride, reaches out to her, and uses the lamest of all pickup lines: “Friend?” Well, what else could any self-respecting Monster-Bride-To-Be do but reject him? Twice. And screaming through it all, no less.

PhilharMonster Halloween Concert
DP&L Family Series
Saturday, Octo­ber 29 ~ 2011 ­
Schuster Center, 3 pm
Click for Tickets

Well, the monster’s not all that dumb. He gets it. “She hate me! Like others.” he says, his erector-set heart broken. As Henry’s wife runs to his side, the Monster starts to demolish the lab. Henry tells Elizabeth that he can’t leave. But the Monster, firmly resolved never to let anyone ever set him up again tells Henry and Elizabeth, “Yes! Go! You live!” To Pretorius and his bride, he says, “You stay. We belong dead.”

Bride of Frankenstein with Orchestra
Saturday, October 29 ~ 2011
Schuster Center, 8pm
Click for Tickets

While Henry and Elizabeth flee, the Monster sheds a tear, and his bride hisses (yes, hisses) at him and pulls a lever that destroys the lab and tower.

And should you happen to take a blind date to the concert, don’t worry. Compared to the bride of Frankenstein, he or she will seem heaven-sent.

As opposed to having come from the other place.

TICKET CONTEST

We have FIVE PAIRS of tickets to see the Bride of Frankenstein with Orchestra (courtesy of The Dayton Philharmonic)! Simply fill out the form below and “like” both the On Stage Dayton and Dayton Philharmonic Facebook pages (make sure you’re logged into Facebook first).  We’ll randomly draw five ticket-pair-voucher winners on Tuesday October 25th at 4pm – check back here to see if you’ve won.  GOOD LUCK!

Contest closed…. And the winners are:

Cher Collins (Dayton)

Jennifer Krohn (Yellow Springs)

Julie Westwood (Centerville)

Christa VanHoesen (Beavercreek)

Liz Hudson (Dayton)

Salem’s Shameful Hysteria

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Allison Husko and Chris Hahn with Angela Dermer (foreground) in The Crucible (Photo by Patti Celek)

Sinclair Community College provides a commendably performed, terrifically designed presentation of “The Crucible,” Arthur Miller’s marvelous 1953 Tony Award-winning parable of 1950s McCarthyism set in Salem, Massachusetts circa 1692.

“The Crucible,” a well-timed season opener for Sinclair considering Wright State University’s production of Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” last month, centers on a God-fearing community grappling with issues of intolerance and morality as accusations of witchcraft by a group of vengeful teenage girls spreads like wildfire. Despite an opening half hour mired in ponderous pacing and off-kilter chemistry, director Stephen Skiles’ staging, neatly confined within Terry Stump’s excellently stark, wooden set expertly lit by Gina Neuerer, ultimately coalesces with gripping results.

As this powerfully relevant tale of betrayal, deceit and hypocrisy unfolds, Chris Hahn’s breakthrough performance as John Proctor firmly remains a towering depiction of a flawed man completely engulfed in rage, bewilderment and regret while circumstances implode beyond his control. Totally grounded and convincing as an earnest, rustic, hard working husband and father reaching his emotional and spiritual breaking point, Hahn wonderfully conveys the disgust and guilt that defines John’s infidelity with vindictive ringleader Abigail Williams (Angela Dermer) and the cold distance fueling his strained marriage to the plain Elizabeth (Allison Husko).

Additional standouts include Kes-lina Luoma as the conflicted Mary Warren, the splendidly sharp, authoritative Patrick Hayes as the unyielding, merciless Deputy-Governor Danforth, John Ray as the inquisitive, eventually distraught Reverend John Hale, and the simply fascinating Tametha Divvleeon as Tituba. Possessing an authentic dialect in her dynamic stage debut, Divvleeon supplies the first theatrical fireworks of the evening during Tituba’s passionate response to claims she conjured the devil in the forest. Embracing the sheer emotional drama of the moment for all its worth, she attacks center stage, arms outstretched and audibly winded, with a strikingly compelling intensity that seems to overtake every fiber of her being. It is an unforgettably riveting highlight within a production that unnervingly and upsettingly provokes just as Miller intended.

The Crucible continues through Oct. 22 in Blair Hall Theatre, Building 2, at Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Act One: 68 minutes; Act Two: 68 minutes. Tickets for the Downtown Dayton Thursday performance are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. For additional information, visit www.sinclair.edu/tickets

BAM Percussion: The Blue Barrel Show (TICKET CONTEST)

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Victoria Theatre Association presents the first show of the 2011-2012 PNC Family Series, BAM Percussion: The Blue Barrel Show, November 5 & 6 at 1pm and 3:30pm in the historic Victoria Theatre.

BAM Percussion features three zany characters that will have you and your family rolling – and dancing – in the aisles. Fabulous drumming is mixed with side-splitting humor, and the results are contagious. With audience participation, quick-witted humor and impeccable timing, BAM Percussion: The Blue Barrel Show is an electrifying and deliriously funny show thathas toured Canada, the United States, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, New Zealand and no less than eleven European countries, making everybody laugh in their own language!

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Tickets for BAM Percussion: The Blue Barrel Show are priced at a family-friendly $18 for adults and $16 for children (ages 12 and under). Tickets are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage, and may be purchased at the Schuster Center box office in downtown Dayton or by phone, at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, noon – 4 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

WIN FREE TICKETS

We have TWO sets of Family Four Packs to give away to see BAM Percussion: The Blue Barrel Show, courtesy of Victoria Theatre Association!  Simply fill out the form below and we’ll announce the two winners here on Friday October 28 at 5pm.  GOOD LUCK!

Contest Closed

And congratulations to our winners – enjoy the show!

Patti Celek

Karri O’Reilly

THE WAY, THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE & Big NEON News!

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Hello Everyone,

We’re cleaning house this week.  If you still need to see THE FUTURE, RESTLESS or SENNA, you only have through tomorrow (October 20) to see them at THE NEON.  On Friday, we open two new films.  First is a film from Emilio Estevez – starring his father Martin Sheen – THE WAY.  On our other screen, we’ll open a film based on a true story about the body double for Saddam Hussein’s son – THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE.

Synopsis for THE WAY:  “THE WAY is a powerful and inspirational story about family, friends, and the challenges we face while navigating this ever-changing and complicated world. Martin Sheen plays Tom, an American doctor who comes to St. Jean Pied de Port, France to collect the remains of his adult son (played by Emilio Estevez), killed in the Pyrenees in a storm while walking the Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of Saint James. Rather than return home, Tom decides to embark on the historical pilgrimage to honor his son’s desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn’t plan on is the profound impact the journey will have on him and his ‘California Bubble Life.'” (taken from the official site)  Many of you have heard about this film because Sheen & Estevez recently came through Dayton promoting it.  We hope you’ll help us make this film a success in their hometown!

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Synopsis for THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE: “Summoned from the frontline to Saddam Hussein’s palace, Iraqi army lieutenant Latif Yahia is thrust into the highest echelons of the ‘royal family’ when he’s ordered to become the body double to Saddam’s son – a reckless, sadistic party-boy with a rabid hunger for sex and brutality. With his and his family’s lives at stake, Latif must surrender his former self forever as he learns to walk, talk and act. But nothing could have prepared him for the horror of the Black Prince’s psychotic, drug-addled life of fast cars, easy women and impulsive violence…” (Herrick Entertainment) Click the link to visit the film’s official site.

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Next Monday will be the 2nd of Living City’s VAMPIRE retrospective.  Single tickets will be available at the door before each screening for $8 each.  Here are the remaining dates and films:

October 24 – DRACULA (1931, starring Bela Lugosi – 35mm)

October 31 – THE LOST BOYS (digital video projection)

November 7 – INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (35mm)

November 14 – BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (1992 – 35mm).

Here’s some great news!  TAKE SHELTER was one of my favorite films from this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.  It has been receiving much-deserved international acclaim, and I hope we hear a lot more about it come Oscar time.  The performances are incredible, the story is great, and the photography is wonderful.  On top of all that, the film was made in Ohio!  We’re so glad to announce that we will bring producer Tyler Davidson to town during opening weekend.  Mr. Davidson will be able to introduce the film and conduct Q&As following select screenings.  Stay tuned to my updates for the latest details as they develop.  Meanwhile, visit the film’s official site .

On November 17, DATV has rented our space to host their annual MEDIA THAT MATTERS event.  Tickets are already available at our box office for $10 each.  Mark your calendars now, and I’ll include more details in next week’s update…but if you want to read more, visit their official site.

For remaining showtimes for this week visit THE NEON’s site.

Hope to see you very soon,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for October 21 – October 27:

THE WAY (PG-13) 2 Hrs 1 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:15, 2:40, 5:00, 7:30, 9:50

Monday – Thursday:  3:00, 5:30, 8:00

THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE (R) 1 Hr 49 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40

Monday: 3:00, 5:15

Tuesday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30

DRACULA (NR) 1 Hr 15 Min

Monday: 7:30

COMING SOON:

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

In some cases, titles may disappear.

Nov. 4  TAKE SHELTER

Nov. ?  MARGIN CALL

Nov. 18  MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

Nov. 25   THE SKIN I LIVE IN

Dec. 2   MELANCHOLIA

TBD   WEEKEND

TBD   THE HEDGEHOG

TBD   MY AFTERNOONS WITH MARGUERITTE


Media That Matters Short Film Festival

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(from DATV)

Help support DATV and be inspired by short films that aim to make a difference in our lives. DATV presents the “Media That Matters Short Film Festival” on Thursday, November 17th at 7:30pm, at the Neon Movies in Downtown Dayton.

The “Media That Matters Short Film Festival” is the premier national showcase for short films on the most important topics of the day. “Media That Matters” engages diverse audiences and inspires them to take action.  The festival features 12 jury selected short films that tackle a broad range of social issues with humor, humanity and honesty in 12 minutes or less.

“By presenting this showcase DATV hopes to inspire Dayton area residents to use media to help make a difference in our community,” said Dan Suffoletto, Marketing Director.

Tickets to the festival are only $10 and may be purchased online at www.datv.org, at the Neon Movies box office, or at DATV’s Public Access Center located at 280 Leo St. in Dayton.  Attendees will also receive a “Take Action Guide” that gives information about how they can take the messages of the films and make a difference in their daily lives.  Proceeds from the event will benefit DATV. DATV’s mission is to be a community forum that empowers all citizens to learn, create and express their ideas through electronic media. To accomplish its mission DATV provides the training equipment and facilities for local residents to make a difference in their communities by creating their very own noncommercial cable TV programs.

2011 Festival Line-Up

IT’S IN YOUR HANDS

Directed and Produced by Andrew Hinton | India I 2:34 I Documentary

A simple solution to some big problems.

JURY AWARD

THE LEAVES KEEP FALLING

Directed by Julie Winokur, Produced by Julie Winokur & Talking Eyes Media | Vietnam/USA I 12:02 I Documentary

As part of its herbicidal program during the Vietnam War, the U.S. military sprayed some 12 million gallons of Agent Orange defoliant on Vietnam. Forty years later, the toxin Agent Orange is still wreaking havoc on three generations of Vietnamese civilians.

HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD

AMEN

Directed by Yusef Haroun, Produced by Michelle Chan | USA I 4:35 I Narrative

A chance encounter in an urban diner sets a devout Christian and a devout Muslim on a collision course.

DIVERSITY AWARD

IT’S THEIR LIFE: LGBT TEENS IN CHICAGO

Produced by Free Spirit Media | USA I 5:13 I Documentary

Explore the challenges facing several LGBT youth in Chicago.

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER AWARD

TALKING ABOUT IT

Directed by Isaac Haney-Owens, Produced by BAYCAT | USA I 5:04 I Documentary

A young filmmaker and photographer brings us into his world of living with Asperger’s Syndrome.

EMERGING VOICE AWARD

ISA’S FINAL DRAFT

Produced by Global Action Project | USA I 9:24 I Narrative

Instilled with the dreams of her mother’s sacrifices, Isa encounters struggles that neither she nor her mother ever imagined.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AWARD

MY FELLOW AMERICAN

Directed by Rob Gardner, Produced by Alex Kronemer and Unity Productions Foundation | USA I 2:49 I PSA

What if recognizable faces—faces of neighbors, colleagues, and friends—were suddenly vilified by public rhetoric? What would you do?

FAIR USE AWARD

SICK WID IT

Directed and Produced by Ryan Malloy and Briar March | USA I 10:01 I Documentary

One dance style, born on the streets of Oakland, is giving youth a way to express themselves on the dance floor and in life.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD

EVERYBODY’S NUTS

Produced and Directed by Fabian Euresti | USA I 12:00 I Documentary

Exploring the choice of two individuals whose economic circumstances 20 years ago are still much the same.

PERSPECTIVES AWARD

BURNING BARRIERS

Produced by Tribeca Film Institute/ Summer Arts Program | USA I 8:16 I Documentary

Out of 11,500 firefighters in New York City, only 31 are women

WOMEN’S JUSTICE AWARD

WALKING HOME

Directed by Nuala Cabral | USA I 4:03 I Experimental

For the walkers, talkers and those who say nothing

SPEAKING OUT AWARD

ARTICLE OF FAITH

Directed and Produced by Christina Antonakos-Wallace | USA I 10:00 I Documentary

A Portrait of Sikh-American activist Sonny Singh, as he organizes New York City Sikh-youth to combat harassment in their schools.

CHANGEMAKER AWARD

AFTER THE HARVEST

Directed by Brian Kimmel, Produced by Laura Peterson | 6:11

In coffee-growing communities, seasonal hunger is so common it has its own name: “Los Meses Flacos.” (The Thin Months).

Want to win tickets?  Continue reading…

TICKET CONTEST

We have two pairs of tickets to see the Media That Matters Short Film Festival courtesy of DATV – just fill out the form below and we’ll randomly draw two winners on November 9th.  GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to the following winners:

Karen Stephens
Esteban Ortiz

Evil Dead The Musical – What the F@#k Was That? (TICKET CONTEST)

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“Evil Dead The Musical” is based on Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” films, the series of classic horror B-movies that became a cult sensation in the 1980s.  The play — which sounds like a horror show but really isn’t –, follows the adventures of five college kids who visit an abandoned cabin in the woods and accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them all into demons. It’s all up to Ash (a housewares employee, turned demon killing hero), and his trusty chainsaw to save the day. Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered. Demons are telling bad jokes… and all to music.  The play made its debut in 2003 in Toronto, opened in 2004 in Montreal as a featured attraction at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival and, in 2006, made its Off-Broadway debut.

Beavercreek Community Theatre’s Edge of the Creek Productions will present the horror comedy at 8 p.m. on Oct. 21, 22, 28 and 29 and at 3 p.m. on Oct. 23 and 30.  Edge of the Creek is the production arm of BCT that specializes in shows for adult audiences and “Evil Dead The Musical” fits into that genre.

The Beavercreek Community Theatre cast, under the direction of Chris Harmon and choreographed by Annette Looper, includes Dean Swann, Lindsay Sherman, Angele Price, Bethany Locklear, Jonathan Berry, Michael Shannon, Lynn Kesson and Darren Brown.

Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students, BCT members and seniors, ages 55 and older. A group discount of $1 per ticket is available to groups of 10 or more when the tickets are purchased at the same time for the same performance.

Tickets can be reserved by calling 429-4737 and leaving a message or by emailing [email protected]. For more information, visit the theater’s Web site at www.bctheatre.org, where the tickets can be purchased online with a credit card. Credit cards are not accepted at the theater.

The video below is from the off-Broadway production:

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrDui7xeGv0′]

This is an Edge of the Creek Production containing violence, strong language, sexual references, strobe lighting and fog effects.  Parental discretion is strongly advised.

WE’RE GIVING AWAY FREE TICKETS!

We have six pairs of tickets to give away for this show!  Simply fill out the form below to be entered to win – we’ll announce the winners here on Thursday October 20th at 5pm… GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winners!

  • Eric Brockman
  • Janna Ross
  • Steve Strawser
  • Rebecca Monce
  • Shannon Fent
  • Alicia Marshall

Books by the Banks

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Readers and writers will appreciate the collection of literary minds at this year’s Books by the Banks event in Cincinnati.

The free event is held in the Duke Energy Convention Center on Saturday, October 22, 2011 from 10 am to 4 pm. Both young and old will find a favorite author from the 100+ local and internationally known authors.

The event is free and open to the public. The day consists of book talks, author readings, panel discussions and book sale opportunities. For the younger set, story times, kid’s crafts, and character appearances fills the day.

A Book for Every Reader

The topics and genres are diverse and broad, covering everything from local Ohio history to best sellers.

Younger children will enjoy Alyssa Satin Capucilli and her literary creation, Biscuit. Slighter older children will enjoy the DC Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book, brought to life by Matthew Reinhart.  The day has plenty of children’s activities to keep your young ones entertained.

Foodies will enjoy Jeni Britton Bauer’s decadent book, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. And if you indulge in too much Salty Caramel ice cream, you’ll be inspired by the authors of The SparkPeople Cookbook: Love Your Food, Lose the Weight.

New York Times best-selling authors are also on hand, including Dennis Lehane, the author of such greats as Mystic River, Shutter Island, and his newest book, Moonlight Mile. Paula McLain leapt onto the New York Times Bestseller list with her second novel, The Paris Wife. And Chris Bohjalia, also a bestseller, recently released The Night Strangers. Both Lehane and Bohjalia have panel discussions during the day.

Local Dayton YA authors, Katrina Kittle (Reasons to Be Happy) and Kristina McBride (The Tension of Opposites) will also be in attendance and hosting a panel addressing whether today’s tween/teen books are too dark.

For a free, word-filled day, plan to attend this annual event. At the end of the day, less books should be by the Banks and more by your bedside.

Tailgate of Terror – A Pre-Hauntfest Party (+ Parking)

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(from Dayton Circus Creative Collective)

Want to ‘tailgate’ before the big Halloween Hauntfest in the Oregon district and get a premium parking space? The Dayton Circus Creative Collective (DCCC) is hosting the first annual “Tailgate of Terror” fundraiser on October 29th at the Yellow Cab building at 700 E. 4th St. For the price of a $20 ticket, you get a guaranteed parking spot for the Oregon District’s Hauntfest, three live bands, and a fun atmosphere. DCCC encourages you to bring your grill and your cooler and tailgate before the evening’s main event, Hauntfest on Fifth.

Anyone who has been to Hauntfest in the past knows that parking is always at a premium. A single $20 ticket is good for a carload – grab your friends and split the cost! The Yellow Cab parking lot is secure and within sight and easy walking distance of the main Hauntfest entrance at the corner of 5th St. and Wayne Ave. Due to the size of the lot, this is an extremely limited offer – only 70 tickets for parking are available and we encourage you to buy early. Tickets will be available for purchase starting Oct. 7th at the following Oregon District businesses: Feather’s Vintage Clothing (440 E. 5th St.), ReCreate Music Store (438 E. 5th St.) and Omega Music (318 E. 5th St.). You can also contact us directly to purchase tickets either via email at [email protected] or by phone at (937) 490-9268.

The DCCC will also be hosting three bands. Kicking things off at 5pm will be The Fair Shakes. At 7pm, The White Soots, and finally C. Wright’s Parlour Tricks will perform at 9pm. And it’s all included in the price of your ticket, parking AND live entertainment! DJ Jay Madewell of Fab Gear will be spinning great tunes all throughout the evening. And expect other surprise entertainment to appear.


Myspace music player


Music press kits


Web music player

Changing areas will be available inside Yellow Cab for those who want to wait to put on their costumes. Don’t want to drive to the show but still want to see all these great bands? Walk-in tickets will be available at the door for $5.

The Yellow Cab parking lot will open at 4 p.m. on October 29th for the Tailgate of Terror. It will remain open until 3 a.m. to allow everyone to have full enjoyment of Hauntfest.

Funds raised by this event will go to support the local arts organization, The Dayton Circus Creative Collective. Founded in 2007, The Circus is dedicated to building a nourishing environment that encourages community interaction, artistic collaboration, and the empowerment of the individual. In April of 2011, The Circus moved into the Yellow Cab building and has been working at transforming it into an arts hub for the community. Already two large art and music shows, The Sideshow and Ladyfest, have taken place there as part of Urban Nights, along with several other smaller monthly art shows and events. The potential exists in this building for much more. For more information about The Dayton Circus, contact Jeff Opt at (937) 490-9268 or at [email protected].

Presented by the Oregon Arts District, Hauntfest is the region’s largest and longest running Halloween Street Party. It features live music, food, drinks, costume contests and thousands of your closest friends in downtown Dayton. For more information about Hauntfest, contact Mike Martin at 937-974-2494 or [email protected].

For more Tailgate of Terror Information and Tickets

Call (937)490-9268 or email [email protected]

Horrorama 2011 Q&A Session w/ Matt Brassfield & Andy Copp

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In anticipation for Halloween, a tried and true Dayton tradition is attending the horror film marathon, Horrorama. As they prepare for the 15th anniversary of Horrorama, moderators Matt Brassfield and Andy Copp discuss topics including their plans for the upcoming event, their opinions concerning the current climate of the horror genre, and the obstacles that they’ve faced in lieu of the untimely passing of Horrorama creator, Dr. Creep.

DaytonMostMetro.com: What’s your favorite horror movie? Why?

Matt Brassfield: Technically, I have two favorite horror films: as far as a classic its 1941’s The Wolf Man and for a more modern pick, John Carpenter’s Halloween from 1978. The Wolf Man is a favorite because of the character development. You’re made to care about Larry Talbot as a man and a beast. As a director, it made me pay attention to developing my character, and it inspired my very first film, Werewolf of Ohio. Characters were also a factor in Halloween. Michael Myers is fascinating to me, this slow, silent hulking evil, and then in contrast Dr. Loomis is a great, smart hero. The first Halloween film is evidence that you can do a lot with a smaller budget.

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Andy Copp: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is my favorite horror film of all time, the original of course (I still hate that I have to make that distinction). After several dozen viewings, it’s still a scary and effective movie. There is true madness in the film captured in the hot Texas summer from a rookie crew suffering from heat exhaustion and a lot of frustration. No one involved has made anything even remotely as good since. It is one of the horror films that made me realize I wanted to direct movies myself. It also helped change the way the genre worked, helping to really push it towards a new uncharted territory in the 70’s.

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DMM: How did you become involved with Horrorama?

MB: I started out just attending Horrorama and occasionally helping hand out prizes. I was already friends with Rick Martin, Andy Copp, and Dr. Creep (the three creators of the event). Later I called upon some of my connections in both the horror and business communities when there were needs for event sponsors. After awhile, Rick, Andy and Dr. Creep considered me a part of the event and began inviting me to help with planning. I’ve been heavily involved for the last five years and am really committed to this event. It’s great to be able to give back to the community through the charity we help each year and to create something fun for horror fans. Now that Dr. Creep has passed, this event has become even more important for me because we’re continuing something that mattered to him – both the event itself and the fact that it was helping people out in our community.

AC: Fifteen years ago myself, Rick Martin and Dr. Creep wanted Dayton to have their own horror movie marathon. Columbus has theirs and that was the only one in the immediate area at the time. No one else was doing it. There was no other way to see these movies on 35mm prints in a theater at that point in our area. So we scraped our funds and just did it. We also decided that it was a good idea to do it for charity. At the time, Dr Creep was heavily involved with a charity that helped children during the holidays. That charity eventually folded about six or seven years ago, but we’ve continued to pursue other worthwhile charities with our event. That is another thing that sets us apart from other marathons as we are giving back to our community with what we do. Yes we are doing this because we love horror films and want to watch vintage prints of hard to find horror films on the big screen. But we also want to give something back. We have raised a lot of money for families over the years. Last year we gave a very nice chunk to the Susan G. Komen Cure Foundation. This year we intend to give our earnings to the St. Jude Hospital.

A lot has changed over the years though. We have changed venues several times until we landed at the Englewood Cinema which has been our home now since 2002. Rick Martin has stepped down this year for personal reasons, Matthew Brassfield has become a partner in our event for the last few marathons which has been a huge help. Of course the most unfortunate passing of Dr. Creep this past year has left us all very saddened and without our closest friend.

DMM: What obscure/underrated horror movie would you like to recommend to the horror community?

MB: One of my favorite obscure horror films is Trick or Treat from 1986. It combines my love of horror and 80’s metal (Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osborne both have cameos). The film’s about a metal head who’s picked on and inadvertently summons the spirit of his dead idol, rock star Sammi Curr, by playing one of his records backwards. Then usual horror film mayhem ensues. Sammi Curr, is one of my favorite lesser known horror villains.

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AC: This is something that I sort of live to do. I spend a lot of time recommending obscure movies to people. In fact, at Horrorama I have always tried to program at least one unknown or obscure movie every year that people can walk away feeling like they have “discovered” on their own. Movies like The Candy Snatchers, The Unseen, Satan’s Children, or Night Warning have all played to great audience reaction. There is a book called Nightmare USA by Stephen Thrower that is devoted to American Horror from 1972 to 1985 and only covers unknown or underrated films and filmmakers. That book is a like a bible for this sort of stuff. I highly recommend a filmmaker named Fredrick Freidel and his films; Axe and Kidnapped Co-ed both of which are super poetic rural tone movies. Another one called, The Child, is a very unusual sideways look at zombies being controlled by a telekinetic kid. There are hundreds I could rattle off.

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DMM: What/ if any difficulties have you faced organizing the first Horrorama since Dr. Creep’s passing?

MB: Planning the event itself has gone on as usual. The biggest thing for me is the heavy responsibility of honoring Dr. Creep’s legacy and his relationship with his fans. He meant so much to so many people (myself included), and we don’t want to let anyone down. Although in recent years, he hasn’t always been able to make it due to his health problems. It’s still really hard imagining the event without him.

AC: Besides the fact that we just miss him terribly? Putting this together without him is difficult because the media in Dayton knows Dr. Creep, but they do not know Andy Copp or Matt Brassfield. Even though this event is a decade and a half old, getting the mass media to pay attention without Dr. Creep at the masthead is proving to be difficult. We are also going to hold some auctions during the evening to raise some money for a proper tombstone for Dr. Creep, as for whatever reasons not enough money was available for him to get one.

DMM: What influenced the choice of films screening at this year’s Horrorama?

MB: We always try to have a good variety of films, and this year, since it’s the 15th anniversary, we were hoping to be able to offer some premieres. We were very lucky to end up with two films making their debut at Horrorama: Witch’s Brew (making its Ohio premiere) and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (making its area premiere).

AC: This is another “behind the scenes” element most people do not always understand. Sometimes it comes down to what 35mm prints are available, and make no mistake we take a lot of pride in the fact that we screen most of our films on 35mm. We have titles we want to get, usually spend some time throwing those around, and try to chase them down. We were lucky this year as we got a couple of those, but a lot of times we are looking for certain films and they are not available, or prints have deteriorated over the years, and we have to find alternatives. Sometimes that can be very heartbreaking or very difficult. We have made a lot of friends over the years doing this though and that helps a lot.

DMM: What additions/changes do you have planned for this year’s Horrorama?

MB: Usually at Horrorama we have several costume contests and a few other games. This year we’re introducing a Miss Horrorama mini-pageant that will be judged by Baron Von Porkchop, Todd the Fox (a local musician), David J. Getz (actor) and another guest judge yet to be announced. The winner gets a $100 prize and the illustrious title of Miss Horrorama.

DMM: Do you have any tributes planned in memory of Dr. Creep?

AC: Yes of course. This year since he is no longer with us we are opening the show with an episode of the New Shock Theater from the late 90’s that I directed and co-produced with Rick Martin. The episode is the Filipino horror film, The Killing of Satan. The film itself is totally insane, but I think it is one of the best episodes of The New Shock Theater. Hopefully it will feel like Dr. Creep is still there with us for a little while. Of course he is there is spirit.

DMM: What’s your opinion of the current state of the horror genre?

MB: There are some really solid original films coming out, especially out of the indie/DIY horror community. If you look outside Hollywood, you can find some amazing films. Hollywood is certainly not ignoring the genre either, but I’m not wild about all of the remakes of classic horror films. I prefer to see how some of the classic franchises are being continued with sequels/additional chapters.

AC: Horror fans love nothing more than to sit and talk about how awful the genre is. They seem to be in a perpetual state of complaining sometimes. They say there are too many remakes (and there are), or if something they have not heard of comes out then the fans pile up on it and rip it apart for other reasons. The truth is that there are more horror movies being made now than maybe ever before. At least since the heyday of the 70’s and a lot of them are quite good. Some are just cash-ins to be sure, but on the edges of the mainstream, the genre is alive and well. We have great indie films like Stake Land, Red White and Blue, and Ratline, as well as intense foreign horror films that are constantly redefining what can be accessible such as The Dead, I Saw the Devil or The Horde. Every once in a while the current homegrown product will get it right. The genre is alive and well, new media has given older films a way to constantly be rediscovered and the horror film is not going away any time soon.

Horrorama 2011 is on Friday, October 28th at 6:30pm – October 29th at 9:00am. The event is located at the Englewood Cinema on 320 West National Rd.

This year’s screenings include From Beyond, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Blacula, The Killing of Satan, Witch’s Brew, and Demons.

Abie’s Irish Rose at The Dayton Playhouse (TICKET CONTEST)

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Dayton Playhouse Cast of "Abie's Irish Rose"

American playwright Anne Nichols wrote several successful Broadway plays in the 1920’s and 30’s, beginning with her first and most famous play called Abie’s Irish Rose.  The story is about an Irish Catholic girl who marries a young Jewish man despite the objections of their families.  The basic story premise was copied several times, and Anne Nichols actually sued one imitator (Universal Pictures) over its movie The Cohens and the Kellys.  The judge in the appeal case found in favor of the defendant, and summarized the plot as follows:

Abie’s Irish Rose presents a Jewish family living in prosperous circumstances in New York. The father, a widower, is in business as a merchant, in which his son and only child helps him. The boy has philandered with young women, who to his father’s great disgust have always been Gentiles, for he is obsessed with a passion that his daughter-in-law shall be an orthodox Jewess. When the play opens the son, who has been courting a young Irish Catholic girl, has already married her secretly before a Protestant minister, and is concerned to soften the blow for his father, by securing a favorable impression of his bride, while concealing her faith and race. To accomplish this he introduces her to his father at his home as a Jewess, and lets it appear that he is interested in her, though he conceals the marriage. The girl somewhat reluctantly falls in with the plan; the father takes the bait, becomes infatuated with the girl, concludes that they must marry, and assumes that of course they will, if he so decides. He calls in a rabbi, and prepares for the wedding according to the Jewish rite.

Meanwhile the girl’s father, also a widower, who lives in California, and is as intense in his own religious antagonism as the Jew, has been called to New York, supposing that his daughter is to marry an Irishman and a Catholic. Accompanied by a priest, he arrives at the house at the moment when the marriage is being celebrated, but too late to prevent it, and the two fathers, each infuriated by the proposed union of his child to a heretic, fall into unseemly and grotesque antics. The priest and the rabbi become friendly, exchange trite sentiments about religion, and agree that the match is good. Apparently out of abundant caution, the priest celebrates the marriage for a third time, while the girl’s father is inveigled away. The second act closes with each father, still outraged, seeking to find some way by which the union, thus trebly insured, may be dissolved.

The last act takes place about a year later, the young couple having meanwhile been abjured by each father, and left to their own resources. They have had twins, a boy and a girl, but their fathers know no more than that a child has been born…

The Dayton Playhouse is presenting this play under the direction of Richard Brock, beginning Friday October 14th through October 23rd.  Click the link for more info and ticket information, or call the box office at 937-424-8477.

Win Tickets!!!

DaytonMostMetro.com and The Dayton Playhouse are giving away THREE PAIRS of tickets to the Saturday October 15th show at 8pm.  Simply fill out the form below to be entered to win (winners will be selected randomly at 3pm on Friday October 14th).  Also, be sure to like our On Stage Dayton Facebook page for up-to-date information, reviews and ticket giveaways in local theatre!  GOOD LUCK!

Ticket Contest Closed

Congratulations to our winners – enjoy the show!

Jacqueline W. (Piqua)
Lindsay S. (Beavercreek)
Lynn K. (Dayton)

The Future, Restless & Big NEON News!

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Hello Everyone,

If you still need to see LIFE, ABOVE ALL or HIGHER GROUND, you only have today (Thursday, October 13) to see them at THE NEON.  On Friday, we open two new films.  First is the new film from Miranda July – THE FUTURE.  The second is the new film from Gus Van Sant – RESTLESS.  Of course there’s lots more to announce…but I’ll get to that in a minute.  As a warning, it’s quite possible that both of our new films will only play for a week.  So hurry down if you want to see them!

Synopsis for THE FUTURE:  “When Sophie and Jason decide to adopt a stray cat, their perspective on life changes radically, literally altering the course of time and space and testing their faith in each other and themselves.” (Roadside Attractions)  From visual artist and filmmaker Miranda July comes the follow-up film to her incredible first feature ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW.  Visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for RESTLESS: “Eccentric funeral crasher Enoch (Henry Hopper) finds his ideal soul mate in beautiful but mysterious Annabelle (Mia Wasikowska), who claims to work in a hospital but harbors a sensitive secret. Later, after Enoch opens up to Annabelle about his only friend, an outspoken ghost named Hiroshi, their fledgling romance is put to the ultimate test. Director Gus Van Sant teams with playwright Jason Lew to adapt Lew’s play of the same name.” (All Movie Guide) Visit the film’s official site .

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Monday will kick off Living City’s VAMPIRE retrospective.  First off is a classic with David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon – THE HUNGER.  The series will include 5 Films over the course of 5 Mondays at 7:30.  Single tickets will be available at the door before each screening for $8 each.  Festival passes – good for all 5 screnings – are already available at our box office for just $30 (members of FilmDayton will receive $5 off the festival pass price).   Here are the dates and films:

October 17 – THE HUNGER (digital video projection)

October 24 – DRACULA (1931, starring Bela Lugosi – 35mm)

October 31 – THE LOST BOYS (digital video projection)

November 7 – INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (35mm)

November 14 – BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (1992 – 35mm).

Within the past 24 hours, we finally received confirmation that we can open THE WAY on October 21 (“the Martin Sheen film” as so many people has referred to it).  You more than likely saw or read details about Sheen and his son Emilio Estevez (who directed the film) visiting Dayton (their hometown) as they toured the country with this film.  Since then, we’ve received numerous calls about the film having a traditional engagement – but we could never get the distributor to commit to opening with us.  Alas it’s now set – so please help us spread the word.  THE WAY will open next Friday!

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In the next few days, I hope to also have some good news regarding TAKE SHELTER.  This film, one of my absolute favorites from this year’s Toronto Film Festival, was shot in Ohio and has been garnering awards and kudos around the world.  Once Sony Classics confirms our opening date, I’ll get busy trying to secure some special details for audiences at THE NEON.   I’ll keep you posted!

For remaining showtimes for this week visit THE NEON’s site.

Hope to see you this weekend,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for October 14 – October 20:

SENNA (PG-13) 1 Hr 46 Min

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

Monday – Thursday:  5:30

RESTLESS (PG-13) 1 Hr 31 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 3:00, 5:15, 7:20, 9:30

Monday: 3:15, 5:20

Tuesday – Thursday: 3:15, 5:20, 7:45

THE FUTURE (R) 1 Hr 31 Min

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 3:15, 7:30, 9:40

Monday – Thursday: 3:15, 7:50

THE HUNGER (R) 1 Hr 37 Min

Monday: 7:30

COMING SOON:

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

In some cases, titles may disappear.

Oct. 14  THE WAY

Oct. 21   THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE

Oct. 28   THE HEDGEHOG

(check out the Trailer for THE HEDGEHOG…I love it!)

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Oct. 28   MY AFTERNOONS WITH MARGUERITTE

Nov. 4  TAKE SHELTER

Nov. 18  MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

Nov. 25   THE SKIN I LIVE IN

Nov. ?   MARGIN CALL

Dec. 2   MELANCHOLIA

TBD   WEEKEND

Something wicked this way comes: Downtown Dayton’s Halloween Haunts

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With Halloween fast approaching, downtown is filled with spine-chilling festivities. From haunted houses to a spooky showing of the Bride of Frankenstein, there is plenty of eerie activities waiting.

Tuesday, Oct. 18: Ghost N Goblin 5k, RiverScape MetroPark, 111 East Monument Ave.

Get ghoulish for a good cause with this 3.1-mile run around downtown that benefits The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton. Participants are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite costumes. The race will start at 6:30 p.m. For registration information and costs, click here.

Buildings decorate for the Hauntfest activities.

Thursday, Oct. 20: Halloween Pub Crawl 2011 starts at Oregon Express, 336 E. Fifth St.

The Dayton Ballet Barre hosts this pub crawl that includes numerous bars in the Oregon Arts District. Each $10 ticket covers drink and food discounts. Locations include:

  • 6 p.m. Oregon Express
  • 7 p.m. Tumbleweed Connection
  • 8 p.m.  Lucky’s Taproom
  • 9 p.m. Trolley Stop
  • 10 p.m. Dublin Pub

Thursday, Oct. 20- Sunday, Oct. 23, Haunted Series, Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St.

The Dayton Ballet presents the haunting world premiere of Sleepy Hollow. The series also features the return of Hyding Inside, a depiction of man’s struggle between good and evil loosely based upon Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. For ticket information, call 449-5060.

Saturday, Oct. 29: Hauntfest on Fifth, Oregon Arts District on East Fifth Street

Dayton’s largest and longest-standing Halloween bash returns for another spooktacular night. It will feature a roundup of entertainment, including live music by such bands as Back Stabbath, a Black Sabbath cover band, and roving performers. The event also will include a chance to win cash prizes in a costume contest, food and drinks, and more.

Another Hauntfest highlight is the Third Annual Boo & Bruise pro wrestling contest. Rockstar pros will compete for the chance to become the first ever Cicero Cup winner. The contest will be held on Fifth and Jackson streets, next to the Cicero Law Office.

Costumed customers sit down for a drink at Hauntfest.

Join emcee Jim Bucher and the Bud Girls for the costume contest, which will be held on the main stage at 10 p.m. A crew of Bud Girls will roam Hauntfest and select partygoers with the best costumes in three categories and give them passes to participate in the contest, when a panel of celebrity judges will pick the winner in each category. First, second and third prizes will be given in the following categories: (1) best group costume, (2) best individual costume and (3) best witch costume.

In addition, many of the bars and taverns in the Oregon Arts District will host live bands and other entertainment the night of Hauntfest. Many will not charge a cover the night of the event. Tickets will be $5 in advance, available at most Oregon Arts District taverns and clubs, and $5 at the gate from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets purchased at the gate after 10 p.m. will be $10.

Hauntfest on Fifth is sponsored by Budweiser, Bud Light, Budweiser Select, Buckeye Vodka, 104.7 WTUE, 103.9 The X, 99.9 The Channel, Mix 107.7, WDTN Channel 2, Dayton City Paper and the Oregon District Business Association.

Saturday, Oct. 29: 1st Annual Tailgate of Terror, Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St.

Get the Hauntfest party started with this Halloween fundraiser. Each $20 ticket guarantees a parking spot for Hauntfest and live music by The Fair Shakes at 5 p.m., The White Soots at 7 p.m. and C. Wright’s Parlour Tricks at 9 p.m. DJ Jay Madewell of Fab Gear also will spin tunes throughout the evening. The parking lot will be open from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Act fast — there are a limited number of tickets for parking spots. Walk-in tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets will be available at the following Oregon Arts District businesses: Feather’s Vintage Clothing (440 E. Fifth St.), ReCreate Music Store (438 E. Fifth St.) and Omega Music (318 E. Fifth St.). Tickets are also available through the Dayton Circus Creative Collective via email at [email protected] or by phone at 490-9268.

A smiling skeleton walks down Fith Street during Hauntfest.

Saturday, Oct. 29: Sidebar Spooktacular, 410 E. Fifth St.

Take a rest bit from Hauntfest and stop inside this Oregon Arts District bar for a drink. The costume party kicks off at 7:00 p.m. and will continue until 2:00 a.m. Each ticket is good for food all night, music provided by a DJ and one glass of Sidebar’s sangria. For ticket information, contact Tess Vella at 723-9415.

Saturday, Oct. 29: The Monster Hop at Canal Street Tavern, 308 E. First St.

Check out live music featuring rock Robthebank. The show will start at 9:30 p.m. and tickets are $5.

Saturday, Oct. 29: PhilharMonster Halloween Concert, Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St.

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Neal Gittleman leads this special performance of Peter and the Wolf. The performance will include scenes from Bride of Frankenstein. The concert is at 3 p.m., but come early at 2 p.m. for some pre-concert fun. A costume contest will award prizes to the most creative ensembles in three different categories. For ticket information and cost, click here.

Saturday, Oct. 29: “Bride of Frankenstein” with Orchestra, Schuster Center, 1 W. Second Street

The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will provide live music alongside this Halloween classic in a performance that will send chills down your spine. The show will begin at 8 p.m. For tickets, click here.

Dayton’s Haunted Butcher House on Wayne Ave., 508 Wayne Ave.

Downtown Dayton’s newest and wildest haunted house attraction promises to make each scare “memorable and original by igniting all of the senses.” The haunted house will be open Thursday to Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight now through Nov. 1.

Film Review – The Ides of March (A-)

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(L-R) George Clooney as Governer Mike Morris, Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Ehle as Mrs. Morris and Talia Akiva as Beth Morris in ``The Ides of March.''

It’s official. Brooklyn playwright Beau Willimon, one of the finest contemporary voices of his generation who took top honors at the 2005 Dayton Playhouse FutureFest of new works for his incredibly engrossing political drama “Farragut North,” will likely become the nationally recognized festival’s first champion to receive an Academy Award nomination.

“Farragut North,” which premiered off-Broadway in 2008 and takes its name from a Washington D.C. subway station near lobbyist-friendly K Street, has been excellently adapted by Willimon, George Clooney and Grant Heslov as “The Ides of March,” a powerful, intimate, fast-paced look at the schemes and pitfalls of a heated Democratic presidential primary in must-win Ohio. Sleekly directed by Clooney and primarily shot on location in Cincinnati, “The Ides of March,” a surefire Oscar contender for Best Picture and Best Director, centers on hotshot press secretary Stephen Meyers (a terrifically cool, suave and cunning Ryan Gosling) whose world is turned upside down when he begins to question his staunch allegiance to liberal Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris (a charismatic, dynamically assertive Clooney). Especially attractive to younger voters, Morris, firmly against the death penalty and America’s dependence on foreign oil, appears to be an ideal, formidable Obama-esque candidate, but Stephen stumbles upon an intriguing indiscretion that places his savior in an extremely damaging light. As betrayal and blackmail surface with impactful twists and turns, Stephen’s compelling tug-of-war with Morris, his fellow staffers, his chief adversary and an inquisitive journalist becomes a gripping thrill ride of secrets and lies. The story doesn’t break new ground, but still addresses its core themes of hubris and loyalty with thought-provoking insight.

(continued after film clip…)

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With keen attention to detail, Clooney, spearheading his best cinematic outing since 2008’s “Good Night, and Good Luck,” expertly showcases the grueling yet flavorful pulse of the campaign trail from the hustle and bustle of headquarters to private conversations spoken in the shadows. He also crafts top notch performances from one of the strongest ensembles you’ll find on screen this year. Gosling, a recent knockout in the fantastic indie “Drive” and underrated “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” conveys an appealing inner fire throughout as well as an engaging sensitivity in his magnetic scenes with the luminous Evan Rachel Wood as Molly, a dutiful intern. The always commanding and entertaining Philip Seymour Hoffman, expressing a hint of campaign fatigue in his eyes, is superbly disconcerted as Paul Zara, Morris’ campaign manager whose particularly testy confrontation with Stephen set against the backdrop of the American flag is nothing short of fantastic. Paul Giamatti, in one of his juiciest roles, is splendidly shrewd as rival campaign manager Tom Duffy. Marisa Tomei brings great color and personality to her portrayal of Ida, a skeptical New York Times reporter. Tony Award winner Jeffrey Wright (“Angels in America”) shines in his brief role as an opportunistic senator. The Oscar race for Best Supporting Actor is bound to include Clooney, Giamatti or Hoffman.

Willimon, who assisted Howard Dean during his 2004 presidential campaign, certainly could have adapted the screenplay on his own, which would have provided a more accurate reflection of the conceptual strengths within “Farragut North,” specifically the testosterone-fueled dialogue’s rapid fire zing that feels slightly less vigorous and snappy on screen. Even so, in expanding Willimon’s original framework, Clooney and Heslov’s contributions do not diminish its potency or relevance. In addition to inevitably and astutely reshaping Morris as a major character (he is unseen in “Farragut North”), an emotionally charged subplot involving Molly and a striking new ending that heightens Stephen’s clout and fortitude are very effective. Side comments about an unenthusiastic field of Republican candidates and Democrats proclaiming themselves as underdogs also help the film remain topical while remaining neutral on the whole.

“The Ides of March” is a testament to Dayton’s ability to be a viable launching pad for emerging artists across the country. The Dayton Playhouse recognized, encouraged and rewarded Willimon’s immense talent long before Hollywood took notice. In January, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will surely follow suit.

 

The Ides of March

Rated: R

Running time: 1 hour, 41 minutes

Screenings: Rave Motion Pictures The Greene 14, Rave Motion Pictures Huber Heights 16, Rave Motion Pictures Dayton South 16, Regal Hollywood 20 at Fairfield Commons

Film Review – Senna (B+)

By 1 Comment

“It was pure driving, pure racing, there wasn’t any politics, no money involved either. It was real racing”. These introductory words spoken by Brazilian Formula 1 race car driver,

Ayrton Senna’s sets an apt tone for a story of an athlete whose spirit remained pure in the midst of an increasingly commercialized and impure sport.

The documentary, Senna opens with Ayrton Senna as a rookie driver at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1984. Shuttling his way from 13th to 2nd place, bested only by his eventual arch rival, French driver, Alain Prost on the account of a technicality, Senna makes it clear that he will become a force to be reckoned with at an alarming rate.

Senna’s story is told through a series of confessionals by his friends, family, and former colleagues. The film refreshingly, (and contrary to an earlier cut of the film) avoids resorting to a series of talking heads, instead maintaining a captivatingly cinematic feel with the use of exhilarating archival footage of Senna’s races complemented with narration. Plenty of the footage, especially the first person recordings taking place inside of Senna’s car have been previously unreleased. There isn’t a single race depicted in the film that doesn’t induce the nail-biting fear that these racers, Senna included may not cross the finish line unscathed. Feasting on the striking images of Formula 1 cars soaring across the race track in a hail of flurries, no amount of CGI NOS fuel injections will ever equate to the level of intensity felt in these scenes. The film does an expertly restrained job at molding Ayrton Senna into a martyr leading up to his final race at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. Following the untimely death of the Brazilian driver at the age of 34, previously unpracticed safety measures were implemented before all Formula 1 races. As a result, not a single fatality has occurred at a Formula 1 race since.

Widely considered a national hero in his birthplace of Brazil, director Asif Kapadia respectfully acknowledges the iconic display of talent and courage that Ayrton Senna embodied
throughout the duration of his far too abbreviated life and career. In addition to having keenly acute driving skills, Senna also acquired an uncanny ability to persevere in the unlikeliest of
situations. At one point, Senna manages to win a race with a stalling engine. On another occasion he wins a race on water logged tracks while steering a car stuck in 6th gear, earning the moniker ”genius in the rain”. Even as Senna’s career catches steam, Kapadia is conscious to resist bombast and maintains a quaint mood to the narrative of the documentary.

Ayrton Senna is as an eloquently well spoken man, concerned more with the well being of his home country, Brazil, than the spoils of fame. Even at his most philosophical, Senna never exudes a sense of self indulgence that would often result from the astonishing number of accolades he garnered throughout his short lived career. Marked by his words, “I’m as scared as anyone of getting hurt”, his humble yet truthful demeanor makes his final moments all the more tragic. The documentary is culminated in a scene of his funeral proceedings that’s as heart wrenching as any piece of fictional cinema that’s been depicted this year.

In hindsight, much of the film carries a sense of foreboding tragedy. Early on, Senna makes a New Year’s Eve themed appearance on a personal favorite 80’s relic of mine, Xuxa in 1989. She eerily gives him a New Year’s kiss for each year leading up to 1993, which happened to be the final New Year’s he would experience before his death. Other red flags such as fellow driver, Roland Ratzenberger being killed in San Marino during the race the day before Senna’s fatal accident stacks the deck of dread that permeates the third act of the documentary. Wisely, the film doesn’t revel in the potential horror of the situation and presents the unfolding of events as evenly as possible.

Senna succeeds at depicting Ayrton’s talent and a specific time in the media notoriety of Formula 1 racing however, it paints noticeably broad strokes concerning the politically questionable nature of Formula 1 Corporation. His personal relationships with his family and significant others are also devoted fleeting attention at best. What the documentary lacks in gravitas, it makes up for in the visceral portrayal of racing. Each high octane scene of racing is accompanied by a hauntingly kinetic score that never overwhelms or manipulates the narrative.

As satisfying as Senna is, don’t expect a sports documentary that’s nearly as dense or comprehensive as Hoop Dreams. However, on its own terms, Senna is by no means a puff piece and serves to be an exhilarating documentary about an athlete who’s far past receiving his due respect among mainstream audiences.

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