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Jonathan McNeal

NOMADLAND Opens & MINARI Holds at The Neon

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We had a very good weekend at THE NEON. Audiences loved MINARI, and seeing the Spike Lee films on the big screen was a treat. MINARI is going to hold for a second week, but Thursday will be your last chance to catch two of the Spike Lee classics. On Thursday night (we just got permission to add a Thursday screening), we will open another Best Picture contender – NOMADLAND – starring the incredible and much-loved Frances McDormand (this will be the 11th film we’ve played with McDormand since I’ve been with THE NEON).

In our Virtual Cinema, we have 2 new films. RUTH: JUSTICE GINSBURG IN HER OWN WORDS is the new, powerful doc about Ruth Bader Ginsburg (not to be confused with RBG from a couple years ago), and Spike Lee was executive producer on SON OF THE SOUTH – a film that’s based on a true story about a young man turning away from his family’s roots in the KKK.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT:
Synopsis for NOMADLAND: Winner of numerous awards, we’re excited to bring the gorgeous film NOMADLAND to the big screen! “Following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. The third feature film from director Chloé Zhao, NOMADLAND features real nomads Linda May, Swankie and Bob Wells as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West.”(Searchlight) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for RUTH: JUSTICE GINSBURG IN HER OWN WORDS: Available starting Feb. 19! “How does a person with three strikes against her rise to the highest court in the land, the U.S. Supreme Court? The film tells the improbable story of how Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who couldn’t get a job despite graduating first in her law school class in a tie and making Law Review at Harvard and Columbia Law Schools, became an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. It also reveals both the public and private sides of a resilient, resourceful woman who has survived the hostility of the profoundly male universe of government and law to become a revered Justice and icon for gender equality and women’s rights.” (Virgil Films) This film can be viewed on your computer or mobile device. You can also watch via your TV (when you download the Kino Now app on Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon TV/Stick). Additional instructions can be found on the film’s landing page…just click the picture below to watch the trailer and reserve access to the film for $12.
Synopsis for SON OF THE SOUTH: Available starting Feb. 19! From executive producer Spike Lee. “A grandson of a Klansman comes of age during the early 60’s in the deep south and eventually joins the Civil Rights Movement. Based on Bob Zellner’s autobiography THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER CREEK.” (Vertical Entertainment) This film is available to watch on your computer or mobile device as well as via your smart TV via Chromecast. Click the image below to watch the trailer and reserve 48 hour access to the film for $7.
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for TWO OF US: This is France’s official submission for this year’s Best International Feature.”Two retired women, Nina and Madeleine, have been secretly in love for decades. Everybody, including Madeleine’s family, thinks they are simply neighbors, sharing the top floor of their building. They come and go between their two apartments, enjoying the affection and pleasures of daily life together, until an unforeseen event turns their relationship upside down and leads Madeleine’s daughter to gradually unravel the truth about them.” VIRTUAL BONUS!! Stick around after the film – we’re VERY excited to present an exclusive discussion between writer/director Filippo Meneghetti, star Barbara Sukowa, and international film icon Isabelle Huppert! This film can be viewed on your computer or mobile device or via your TV with Apple TV or Roku. Additional instructions can be found on Eventive’s HELP PAGE. Click the image below to gain 72 hour access to the film for $12.
Synopsis for A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX: Direct from last week’s Sundance Film Festival!! “What if we are living in a simulation, and the world as we know it is not real? To tackle this mind-bending idea, acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Ascher (ROOM 237, THE NIGHTMARE) uses a noted speech from Philip K. Dick to dive down the rabbit hole of science, philosophy, and conspiracy theory. Leaving no stone unturned in exploring the unprovable, the film uses contemporary cultural touchstones like THE MATRIX, interviews with real people shrouded in digital avatars, and a wide array of voices, expert and amateur alike. If simulation theory is not science fiction but fact, and life is a video game being played by some unknowable entity, then who are we, really? A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX attempts to find out.” VIRTUAL BONUS!! Stick around after the film for an exclusive discussion between director Rodney Ascher and critic Joshua Rothkopf, digging deep into simulation theory, filmmaking, and everything in between. This film can be viewed on your computer or mobile device or via your TV with Apple TV or Roku. Additional instructions can be found on Eventive’s HELP PAGE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 hour access to the film for $12.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Several critically acclaimed films (including some Oscar short-listed films) and audience favorites are still available! Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.
Would you like to know what titles we have planned for our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) On Feb. 26, we’ll open both FALLING (Viggo Morensen’s directorial debut) and LEONA (a story of forbidden love in a Mexican Jewish community). On March 5, we’ll bring a film that I know many design folks will adore – GUSTAV STICKLEY: AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN. And after many delays, we’ll also finally be able to open THE PEOPLE VS. AGENT ORANGE. On March 12, we’ll have THE DAYS OF BANGOLD SUMMER, (a sweet and funny British coming-of-age story) and on March 26, we’ll have SUPER FRENCHIE for all the outdoor sports enthusiasts. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!

LITTLE FISH, A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX and Next “Director Spotlight!”

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We have two new films opening this week. The first is LITTLE FISH – a film currently rated “100% Fresh” that indieWire calls “a creative, inventive romance for a broken time.” In addition, we’ve booked a few screenings of a film that just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last week – A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX.

Next week will be pretty special. In addition to MINARI (a film that will almost certainly be nominated for “Best Picture”), we will have another round of retrospective titles from from a brilliant filmmaker. This time, we’re going to take a look at 3 classics from the prolific Spike Lee – DO THE RIGHT THING (1989), MO’ BETTER BLUES (1990) and CROOKLYN (1994). More details soon!
In our Virtual Cinema, we also have 2 new films this week. M.C. ESCHER: JOURNEY TO INFINITY has drawn a lot of interest on our social media platforms, and COWBOYS is a beloved film that has been making the rounds on the festival circuit.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS
Synopsis for LITTLE FISH: This little gem is being heralded as one of the best sci-fi indie films of the last decade. “LITTLE FISH, the fourth feature film from director Chad Hartigan, is a romance set in a near-future Seattle teetering on the brink of calamity. Starring Olivia Cooke, Jack O’Connell, Soko and Raul Castillo, the film opens in the midst of a global epidemic: Neuroinflammatory Affliction, a sever and rapid Alzheimer’s-like condition in which people’s memories disappear. Couple Jude Williams and Emma Ryerson are grappling with the realities of NIA, interspersed with glimpses from the past as the two meet and their relationship blooms. But as NIA’s grip on society tightens, blurring the lines between the past and the present, it becomes more and more difficult to know what’s true and what’s false.” Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
Synopsis for A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX: Direct on the heels of its Sundance Premiere, A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX will screen for a few special shows starting Feb. 5. “What if we are living in a simulation, and the world as we know it is not real? To tackle this mind-bending idea, acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Asher (ROOM 237, THE NIGHTMARE) uses a noted speech from Philip K. Dick to dive down the rabbit hole of science, philosophy, and conspiracy theory. Leaving no stone unturned in exploring the unprovable, the film uses contemporary cultural touchstones like THE MATRIX, interviews with real people shrouded in digital avatars, and a wide array of voices, expert and amateur alike. If simulation theory is not science fiction but fact, and life is a video game being played by some unknowable entity, then who are we, really? A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX attempts to find out.” (Magnolia Pictures) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
Synopsis for MINARI: Winner of the 2020 Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, we’re excited to open MINARI – a certain contender for “Best Picture” this year. We will have a preview screening on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 7:15…then it will open on a full schedule on Feb. 12. “A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.” (A24) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for COWBOYS: Available Starting Feb. 5! “In Montana, a father tries to liberate his young transgender son by taking him to Canada, but as a frustrated female detective spearheads an investigation, she discovers that the child’s family situation is more complicated than she thought.” Starring Steve Zahn & Jillian Bell and introducing Sasha Knight. This film is available to watch on your computer or mobile device. It is also available to watch via Chromecast. For help regarding accessing this title, please visit the Samuel Goldwyn VHX Help Page HERE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 hour access to the film for $12.
Synopsis for M.C. ESCHER: JOURNEY TO INFINITY: Available Starting Feb. 5! “M.C. Escher: Journey To Infinity is the story of world famous Dutch graphic artist M.C Escher (1898-1972). Equal parts history, psychology, and psychedelia, Robin Lutz’s entertaining, eye-opening portrait gives us the man through his own words and images: diary musings, excerpts from lectures, correspondence and more are voiced by British actor Stephen Fry, while Escher’s woodcuts, lithographs, and other print works appear in both original and playfully altered form. Two of his sons, George (92) and Jan (80), reminisce about their parents while musician Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills & Nash) talks about Escher’s rediscovery in the 1970s. The film looks at Escher’s legacy: one can see tributes to his work in movies, in fiction, on posters, on tattoos, and elsewhere throughout our culture; indeed, few fine artists of the 20th century can lay claim to such popular appeal.”
This film can be viewed on your computer or mobile device. You can also watch via your TV (when you download the Kino Now app on Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon TV/Stick). Additional instructions can be found on the film’s landing page…just click the picture below to watch the trailer and reserve access to the film for $12.
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for RAMS: “Brothers Colin and Les have been fighting for decades. Both are award-winning sheep farmers but when disaster strikes and disease threatens their flocks, will they be able to work together to save their sheep, their legacy, and their community?” This 2020 remake of the 2015 Icelandic film stars Sam Neil, Michael Caton and Miranda Richardson. This film is available to watch on your computer or mobile device. It is also available to watch via Chromecast. For help regarding accessing this title, please visit the Samuel Goldwyn VHX Help Page HERE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 hour access to the film for $12.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.
Would you like to know what titles we have planned for our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) Next week, we’ll make A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX available virtually and we’ll open TWO OF US – a lovely film that is France’s submission for “Best Foreign Film” this year. Later in February, we’ll have a new documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg (in her own words) – simply titled RUTH as well as a film with Spike Lee as executive producer – SON OF THE SOUTH. On March 5, we’ll bring a film that I know many design folks will adore – GUSTAV STICKLEY: AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!

Colin Firth in SUPERNOVA and Stunning MALCOLM & MARIE at The Neon

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We have two films with a lot of star power opening this Friday. SUPERNOVA stars two NEON heavyweights – Colin Firth (THE KING’S SPEECH and several others) and Stanley Tucci (SPOTLIGHT & MARGIN CALL). On our other screen, we’ll have MALCOLM & MARIE starring Zendaya (known for bigger Hollywood films like THE GREATEST SHOWMAN and SPIDERMAN: FAR FROM HOME) and John David Washington (known for his roles in BLACKKKLANSMAN and last summer’s TENET…though he did have a small role in the NEON hit OLD MAN AND THE GUN). We hope you’ll join us to see these new films on the big screen. Next Thursday, we’ll offer a preview screening of LITTLE FISH before it officially opens on Feb. 5. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is still performing quite well – so we found a way to bring it back again this weekend. If you still need to see THE DIG or MLK/FBI, you need to hurry down.
In our Virtual Cinema, we will open RAMS – an Australian remake of a beloved Icelandic film. This new version stars Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson and Michael Caton.
NEW IN-PERSON SCREENINGS
Synopsis for SUPERNOVA: “Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci), partners of twenty years, are travelling across England in their old campervan visiting friends, family and places from their past. Following a life-changing diagnosis, their time together has become more important than ever until secret plans test their love like never before.” (Bleecker Street) Click the image below to watch the trailer. Tickets for the Jan. 28 preview are on sale now!
Synopsis for MALCOLM & MARIE: “Sam Levinson teams up with Zendaya and John David Washington for an achingly romantic drama in which a filmmaker (Washington) and his girlfriend (Zendaya) return home following a celebratory movie premiere as he awaits what’s sure to be imminent critical and financial success. The evening suddenly takes a turn as revelations about their relationships begin to surface, testing the strength of their love. Working with cinematographer Marcell Rev, Levinson creates a film of rare originality; an ode to the great Hollywood romances as well as a heartfelt expression of faith in the medium’s future.” (Netflix) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer. Tickets for the Jan 28 preview screening are on sale now!
Synopsis for LITTLE FISH: Preview screening on Thursday, Feb. 4! “LITTLE FISH, the fourth feature film from director Chad Hartigan, is a romance set in a near-future Seattle teetering on the brink of calamity. Starring Olivia Cooke, Jack O’Connell, Soko and Raul Castillo, the film opens in the midst of a global epidemic: Neuroinflammatory Affliction, a sever and rapid Alzheimer’s-like condition in which people’s memories disappear. Couple Jude Williams and Emma Ryerson are grappling with the realities of NIA, interspersed with glimpses from the past as the two meet and their relationship blooms. But as NIA’s grip on society tightens, blurring the lines between the past and the present, it becomes more and more difficult to know what’s true and what’s false.” Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA
Synopsis for RAMS: “Brothers Colin and Les have been fighting for decades. Both are award-winning sheep farmers but when disaster strikes and disease threatens their flocks, will they be able to work together to save their sheep, their legacy, and their community?” This 2020 remake of the 2015 Icelandic film stars Sam Neil, Michael Caton and Miranda Richardson. This film is available to watch on your computer or mobile device. It is also available to watch via Chromecast. For help regarding accessing this title, please visit the Samuel Goldwyn VHX Help Page HERE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 hour access to the film for $12.
Synopsis for SOME KIND OF HEAVEN: “SOME KIND OF HEAVEN explores life inside the palm-tree-lined streets of The Villages, America’s largest retirement community in Florida. Referred to as the ‘Disneyland for Retirees,’ this planned community is home to over 130,000 seniors. It offers residents a utopian version of the American yesteryear: wide, safe streets, perfectly manicured lawns, and countless activities all in service of enjoying their golden years. While most residents have bought into its packaged positivity, we meet four residents living on the margins, striving to find happiness. By turns biting, tender, and surreal, the film demonstrates that no matter our age, we are always becoming. With strikingly composed cinematography, SOME KIND OF HEAVEN challenges our stereotypes around aging, emboldening its characters to live as vibrantly as possible in the time they have left.” Tickets are $12 for 72 hour access. This film can be viewed on your computer or mobile device or via your TV with Apple TV or Roku. Additional instructions can be found on Eventive’s HELP PAGE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and reserve access to the film.
Synopsis for MY REMBRANDT: Available starting Jan. 22! “Rembrandt, the grandmaster of intimacy rocks the art world; 350 years after his death, many people, even entire nations are obsessed with his paintings. Aristocrats cherish, experts rule, art dealers investigate, collectors hunt, museums battle. The epic documentary MY REMBRANDT dives deep into the art world of Old Masters, exploring the motives of its elite.” Tickets are $12 for 72 hour access. This film can be viewed on your computer or mobile device or via your TV with Apple TV or Roku. Additional instructions can be found on Eventive’s HELP PAGE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and reserve access to the film.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.

MLK/FBI and THE DIG at The Neon

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We have two new films opening this week and a surprise for next Thursday. MLK/FBI is the powerful, award-winning documentary that premiered with The Toronto International Film Festival this year, and THE DIG is a lovely period film with NEON-favorites Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes – they both open this week. If you need to see HERSELF, Thursday will be your last chance. Due to the love and support for ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI and PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, we found a way to hold both for one show per day over the weekend.On Thursday, Jan. 21, we will have a preview screening of OUR FRIEND – starring Jason Segel, Dakota Johnson, and Casey Affleck (which will officially open on Jan. 22).
In our Virtual Cinema, we will open ACASA, MY HOME and ROCK CAMP: THE MOVIE – two very different, well-crafted docs. We truly have something for everyone this weekend!
Be sure to check out our recently updated “Coming Soon” list below. Some titles are still very tentative, but the list is stellar – including highly anticipated, award-season films like NOMADLAND (which just won “Best Picture” at the Gotham Awards on Monday), SUPERNOVA and MINARI.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS:
Synopsis for MLK/FBI: “MLK/FBI is the first film to uncover the extent of the FBI’s surveillance and harassment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Based on newly discovered and declassified files, utilizing a trove of documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and unsealed by the National Archives, as well as revelatory restored footage, the documentary explores the government’s history of targeting Black activists, and the contested meaning behind some of our most cherished ideals. Featuring interviews with key cultural figures, including former FBI Director James Comey, MLK/FBI tells this astonishing and tragic story with searing relevance to our current moment.” Click the image below to watch the trailer.
Synopsis for THE DIG: “As WWII looms, a wealthy widow (CAREY MULLIGAN) hires an amateur archaeologist (RALPH FIENNES) to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain’s past are illuminated in the face of its uncertain future.” (Netflix) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
Synopsis for OUR FRIEND: “OUR FRIEND tells the inspiring and extraordinary true story of the Teague family—journalist Matt (Casey Affleck), his vibrant wife Nicole (Dakota Johnson) and their two young daughters—and how their lives are upended by Nicole’s heartbreaking diagnosis of terminal cancer. As Matt’s responsibilities as caretaker and parent become increasingly overwhelming, the couple’s best friend Dane Faucheux (Jason Segel) offers to come and help out. As Dane puts his life on hold to stay with his friends, the impact of this life altering decision proves greater and more profound than anyone could have imagined.” (Gravitas Venture) Click on the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
NEW TO OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for ACASA, MY HOME: Available Starting Jan. 15! “In the wilderness of the Bucharest Delta, an abandoned water reservoir just outside the bustling metropolis, the Enache family lived in perfect harmony with nature for two decades, sleeping in a hut on the lakeshore, catching fish barehanded, and following the rhythm of the seasons. When this area is transformed into a public national park, they are forced to leave behind their unconventional life and move to the city, where fishing rods are replaced by smartphones and idle afternoons are now spent in classrooms. As the family struggles to conform to modern civilization and maintain their connection to each other and themselves, they each begin to question their place in the world and what their future might be.” (Zeitgeist)
some reviews:
“A PROFOUND EXPLORATION of family, nature and contemporary society.”—Steve Dollar, LOS ANGELES TIMES
“LYRICAL AND PROVOCATIVE…Timeless and of-the-moment, vividly specific and universally resonant, this portrait of poverty, displacement and social engineering is sure to strike a chord with fest programmers and international art house audiences..”—Sheri Linden, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
This film can be viewed on your computer or mobile device or via your TV (when you download the Kino Now app with Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon TV/Stick). Additional instructions can be found on the film’s landing page…just click the picture below to watch the trailer and reserve access to the film for $12.
Synopsis for ROCK CAMP: THE MOVIE: Available Starting Jan. 15! “Summer camp meets Spinal Tap as we journey to Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in ROCK CAMP: THE MOVIE, where dreamers from across America and around the world gather to shred with their heroes – and learn to rock like the legends. Rock Camp is an institution and cultural phenomenon that has been going on in Los Angeles, New York and other cities since 1996. The brainchild of music producer David Fishof, Rock Camp boasts a jaw-dropping array of rock star “counselors” that include Roger Daltrey, Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Nancy Wilson, Joe Perry, Jeff Beck, Slash and countless other rock legends. The counselors teach, inspire and jam with the campers over the course of four days. Each Rock Camp concludes with all of the counselors and their respective campers, performing together.” Click the link under the title to visit our landing page for this film. After content becomes available January 15th at 3:00 am EST, you’ll have 7 days to start watching. Once you begin, you’ll have 24 hours to finish watching. Tickets are $12, and $1 from every ticket sold will benefit MusiCares, which provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. This film can be viewed on your computer or mobile device or via your TV with Apple TV or Roku. Additional instructions can be found on Eventive’s HELP PAGE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and reserve access to the film. HERE’S SOMETHING FUN!! When you rent this doc, you are automatically entered into a sweepstakes with really cool prizes (like signed guitars, a trip to Rock Camp and more).
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for THE REASON IN JUMP: “Based on the best-selling book by Naoki Higashida, THE REASON I JUMP is an immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity through the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world. The film blends Higashida’s revelatory insights into autism, written when he was just 13, with intimate portraits of five remarkable young people. It opens a window for audiences into an intense and overwhelming, but often joyful, sensory universe. Moments in the lives of each of the characters are linked by the journey of a young Japanese boy through an epic landscape; narrated passages from Naoki’s writing reflect on what his autism means to him and others, how his perception of the world differs, and why he acts in the way he does: the reason he jumps. The film distills these elements into a sensually rich tapestry that leads us to Naoki’s core message: not being able to speak does not mean there is nothing to say.” (Kino Lorber) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via AppleTV, Roku or AmazonFireStick. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit the film’s FAQ’s at the bottom of the rental page. Click the picture below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.
Would you like to know what titles we have planned for our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) On January 22, art lovers will delight with MY REMBRANDT, and audiences will be intrigued by SOME KIND OF HEAVEN – an interesting look at aging. On Jan. 29, we’ll open RAMS – a British film starring Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson. In early February, we’ll have a new doc about a brilliant artist (though he preferred the term “mathematician”) – M.C. ESCHER: JOURNEY TO INFINITY. Also in February, we are looking at A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX, TWO OF US and COWBOYS. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
SPECIAL EVENT!
Our friends from Toxic Brew Co. & Hole in the Wall are hosting their second “Cult Movie Night”…and they’ve chosen SPACE BABES FROM OUTER SPACE this time. Tickets are $20 each, and those tickets come with 2 beers from Toxic Brew (this event is limited to folks 21 and up). It’s this Sunday, January 17 at 7:30! “Three babes from a faraway galaxy end up stranded on Earth after a surprise encounter with their mortal enemies, the Scrotes!” This outrageous sci-fi sex comedy will be hosted by Haley Madison with pre-screening drink specials at Hole in the Wall (just down the street).

HERSELF, SLUMDOG & Year-End Update from The Neon

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This week’s newsletter is coming a little early because I want to make sure you get reminded that AMELIE is only here through tonight. Tomorrow, we open a marvelous and empowering film – HERSELF. In addition to HERSELF, we’re adding a “NEON Classic” to the mix. Originally destined for “direct-to-video” in 2008, this gem ended up getting a theatrical release and went on to win 8 Oscars including “Best Picture.” Though it was dethroned as our highest grossing film in 2017, it still holds the record as our longest-running film of all time – the much-loved SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. It will start Friday for one week. Come back and see this heart-racing & triumphant film on the big screen. The new “landmark adaptation” of PINOCCHIO will stick around for another week.
We aren’t opening anything new in our Virtual Cinema this week…but there are plenty of great films to rent. In fact, if you count all the films in the Wong Kar Wai Retrospective, we currently have 18 films available. As a reminder, THE LIBRARY THAT DOLLY BUILT and ENDING DISEASE are only available through Dec. 31. MODERN PERSUASION, WBNC AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, and ZAPPA will all disappear on January 7.
A few of you have asked about PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN. Though we don’t have firm plans, we hope to squeeze in a one-week engagement very soon.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT:
Synopsis for HERSELF – Opening January 30!: “HERSELF tells the story of Sandra, a young mother who seeks to rebuild her life from scratch, and provide a safe home for her two young daughters. In order to do so, she must escape the grip of a possessive ex-partner, circumnavigate a broken housing system, and bring together a community of friends who can support her and lend a helping hand.” (Amazon) During our run of HERSELF, we will have literature in our lobby about the services provided by an organization we care so much about – Artemis Center. You can find out all about how you can help (financially or by volunteering) on their website. Click the image below to watch the trailer for this powerful and empowering film.
Synopsis for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE: I saw this film at a press/industry screening at The Toronto International Film Festival in September 2008. Such an audience can usually be quite jaded and cynical…but this screening was different. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers at the end — we knew we had just seen something special. This record-breaker opened in early December 2008 at THE NEON and played for 16 weeks. It held the title of our “highest grossing film” for almost a decade, and we’ve seen Dev Patel back on our screens numerous times over the years. Come celebrate it’s return to the big screen this weekend! “As 18-year-old Jamal Malik (Patel) answers questions on the Indian version of ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,’ flashbacks show how he got there. Part of a stable of young thieves after their mother dies, Jamal and his brother, Salim, survive on the streets of Mumbai. Salim finds the life of crime agreeable, but Jamal scrapes by with small jobs until landing a spot on the game show.” (Searchlight Pictures) Click the image below to watch the film’s original trailer.
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for LOVE SARAH: A sweet British film is just what so many of us need for the holidays. “Determined to fulfill her late mother’s dream of opening a bakery in charming Notting Hill, 19-year-old Clarissa enlists the help of her mother’s best friend Isabella and her eccentric estranged grandmother Mimi(played by Celia Imrie from THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL). These three generations of women will need to overcome grief, doubts and differences to honour the memory of their beloved Sarah while embarking on a journey to establish a London store filled with love, hope and colourful pastries from all over the world.” (Samuel Goldwyn Films) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast or via an HDMI cable attached to your television. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit the film’s HELP PAGE. Click the picture below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for DEEP IN VOGUE: The Dayton LGBT Film Festival is helping us present DEEP IN VOGUE – complete with a virtual after-party and Q&A. “DEEP IN VOGUE celebrates the colorful, queer, emotional and political stories of Northern Vogue in Manchester, UK and the black, gay ballrooms of 1980s New York City. The documentary had its UK premiere at BFI Flare and its US premiere at NewFest NYC. Over the course of a year, film makers Dennis Keighron-Foster and Amy Watson charted the buildup to the Manchester ICONS Vogue Ball and explore universal themes and the unique styles from both sides of the Atlantic including the sometimes dramatic internal politics of Vogue to external politics including the disenfranchisement of black youth, LGBT issues, the dearth of art spaces and modes of expression, the over-commercialized gay scene, and the lack of safe spaces for the truly different. DEEP IN VOGUE is an electric, informative, and entertaining celebration of people coming to love and accept themselves, finding a new family through Vogue.” (FilmRise) This movie can be watched on your computer or mobile device. Click on the image below to watch the trailer and gain access to the film for $12.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.
Would you like to know what titles we’re planning in our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) In January, we’ve got several fantastic docs…the first two are big the Sundance winners – ACASA MY HOME (about a family who are forced to live in the big city after living in harmony with nature for 20 years) and THE REASON I JUMP (a cinematic exploration of the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world). On January 15, we’ll have a really fun doc called ROCK CAMP (a doc featuring some big rock’n’rollers). On January 22, art lovers will delight with MY REMBRANDT. In early February, we’ll have a new doc about a brilliant artist (though he preferred the term “mathematician”) – M.C. ESCHER: JOURNEY TO INFINITY. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
2020 has been quite a challenge, and I want to thank all of you for your continued support of THE NEON. Your donations and words of encouragement have meant the world to us. Though we’ll still have bumps in the road, new trends in the market to learn, and the need for fundraisers, THE NEON is here to stay. A few weeks ago, we got a sizable grant from The City of Dayton CARES Act – this grant helped to fill several holes in our 2020 budget, and it also allowed us to purchase 3 new Aerobiotix HEPA-Ultraviolet air recirculating units (the same devices used by The Cleveland Clinic). Each auditorium and the lobby now have one of these state-of-the art units which helps to make our space even safer. That said, I know some folks still aren’t ready to come out for in-person screenings…but I’m happy to share that we’ll be here when everyone is ready (and we have a lot of Virtual options in the interim).

AMELIE & New PINOCCHIO and More at The Neon

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Neon Movies on Fifth Street

We’ve got a great weekend in store at THE NEON. In addition to the new “definitive” edition of PINOCCHIO, we are bringing back an old friend. I am now in my 20th year of managing THE NEON, and AMELIE was our first big hit when I took over operations of the cinema. She was the film that made us breathe a little easier – knowing that we could handle crowds and that people knew we were here. We’re delighted to bring her back to the big screen this weekend! AMELIE will only be here for 5 days because a week from today, we will open a personal favorite from Sundance this year – HERSELF…and special thanks to our friends at Artemis Center who are helping us spread the word. Today is the last day for MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (which we’ll be hearing a lot about this Oscar season) and George Clooney’s THE MIDNIGHT SKY – hurry down if you want to see them on the big screen.

We also have two new films in our Virtual Cinema. LOVE SARAH, a film I know so many of you will love, is a heartwarming British comedy starring Celia Imrie (from BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL). DEEP IN VOGUE, presented in part with The Dayton LGBT Film Festival, is an hour-long documentary that comes with Q&A’s and a Virtual After-Party!
In addition to hearing your responses to our Virtual Cinema, we’ve been reading a lot about several of our virtual offerings in year-end round-ups. DRIVEWAYS (a film so many of you loved this summer) has been noted as a favorite from many. ANOTHER ROUND(just included on Pedro Almodovar’s list of best films this year) and 76 HOURS (a doc that just had a great story on NPR) are still available in our Virtual Cinema.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS:
Synopsis for PINOCCHIO: “Shot in stunning Italian locations, Matteo Garrone’s rich world of mystery and wonder stars Academy Award® winning actor Roberto Benigni as Geppetto, the old woodcarver whose puppet creation, Pinocchio, magically comes to life with dreams of becoming a real boy. Easily led astray, Pinocchio tumbles from one misadventure to another as he is tricked, kidnapped and chased by bandits through a wonderful world full of imaginative creatures – from the belly of a giant fish, to the Land Of Toys and the Field Of Miracles.” (Roadside Attractions) FYI – this version is in English.
Synopsis for AMELIE: We re-opened our doors in October 2001 after being closed all summer for major renovations – going from one screen to two. Attendance was minimal for the first few weeks, but then she arrived. AMELIE broke records, and she stole our hearts. Come see this dazzling film, back on the big screen for 5 days, opening Dec. 25! “Amélie is an innocent and naive girl in Paris with her own sense of justice. She decides to help those around her and, along the way, discovers love.” The colors, the characters, the whimsy…don’t miss this film on the big screen…the way it was meant to be seen. Click the image below to watch the film’s original trailer.
Synopsis for HERSELF – Opening January 30!: “HERSELF tells the story of Sandra, a young mother who seeks to rebuild her life from scratch, and provide a safe home for her two young daughters. In order to do so, she must escape the grip of a possessive ex-partner, circumnavigate a broken housing system, and bring together a community of friends who can support her and lend a helping hand.” (Amazon) During our run of HERSELF, we will have literature in our lobby about the services provided by an organization we care so much about – Artemis Center. You can find out all about how you can help (financially or by volunteering) on their website. Click the image below to watch the trailer for this powerful and empowering film.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for LOVE SARAH: A sweet British film is just what so many of us need for the holidays. “Determined to fulfill her late mother’s dream of opening a bakery in charming Notting Hill, 19-year-old Clarissa enlists the help of her mother’s best friend Isabella and her eccentric estranged grandmother Mimi(played by Celia Imrie from THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL). These three generations of women will need to overcome grief, doubts and differences to honour the memory of their beloved Sarah while embarking on a journey to establish a London store filled with love, hope and colourful pastries from all over the world.” (Samuel Goldwyn Films) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast or via an HDMI cable attached to your television. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit the film’s HELP PAGE. Click the picture below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for DEEP IN VOGUE: The Dayton LGBT Film Festival is helping us present DEEP IN VOGUE – complete with a virtual after-party and Q&A. “DEEP IN VOGUE celebrates the colorful, queer, emotional and political stories of Northern Vogue in Manchester, UK and the black, gay ballrooms of 1980s New York City. The documentary had its UK premiere at BFI Flare and its US premiere at NewFest NYC. Over the course of a year, film makers Dennis Keighron-Foster and Amy Watson charted the buildup to the Manchester ICONS Vogue Ball and explore universal themes and the unique styles from both sides of the Atlantic including the sometimes dramatic internal politics of Vogue to external politics including the disenfranchisement of black youth, LGBT issues, the dearth of art spaces and modes of expression, the over-commercialized gay scene, and the lack of safe spaces for the truly different. DEEP IN VOGUE is an electric, informative, and entertaining celebration of people coming to love and accept themselves, finding a new family through Vogue.” (FilmRise) This movie can be watched on your computer or mobile device. Click on the image below to watch the trailer and gain access to the film for $12.
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for FINDING YINGYING: This award-winning film was produced by WSU Motion Picture graduate Brent Huffman. “Yingying Zhang, a 26-year-old Chinese student, comes to the U.S. to study. In her detailed and beautiful diaries, the aspiring young scientist and teacher is full of optimism, hoping to also be married and a mother someday. Within weeks of her arrival, Yingying disappears from the campus. Through exclusive access to Yingying’s family and boyfriend, Finding Yingying closely follows their journey as they search to unravel the mystery of her disappearance and seek justice for their daughter while navigating a strange, foreign country. But most of all, Finding Yingying is the story of who Yingying was: a talented young woman loved by her family and friends.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELPpage. Here is a LINK where you can watch at trailer. Click the image below to purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for THAT CLICK: “A man at the cutting edge of fashion, photojournalism and portraiture, photographer to the stars Douglas Kirkland has, with his camera, portrayed over sixty years of pop culture. Famed for his legendary shoots with Hollywood favourites including Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Angelina Jolie and the stars of over 150 motion pictures – The Sound of Music, Moulin Rouge, Titanic and The Great Gatsby to name a few – Kirkland’s unique style and approach have resulted in hundreds of beautiful, immortal images that still influence the world today, decades after that first fateful click of the camera. This fascinating feature takes a closer look into the astonishing career of one the most important photographers of the last century, from his very first assignments at Look magazine in the 50’s to Vanity Fair in the present, with contributing cast including Sharon Stone, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Williams, Baz Luhrmann and Andy Garcia amongst many others.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast or via an HDMI cable attached to your television. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit the film’s HELP PAGE. Click the picture below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $10.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Several films like the WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI (the retrospective on this incredible artist’s work) as well as 76 DAYS and ANOTHER ROUND (which was also just featured on NPR) are still available. As a reminder, THE LIBRARY DOLLY BUILT is only available to us until the end of the year. Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.
Wanna know what titles we’re planning in our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) In January, we’ve got several fantastic docs…the first two are big the Sundance winners – ACASA MY HOME (about a family who are forced to live in the big city after living in harmony with nature for 20 years) and THE REASON I JUMP (a cinematic exploration of the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world). On January 15, we’ll have a really fun doc called ROCK CAMP – a doc featuring some big rock’n’rollers. On January 22, art lovers will delight with MY REMBRANDT. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!

AMELIE & New PINOCCHIO

BILLIE Holiday Doc and Feel-Good Musical THE PROM at The Neon

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We’ve got a lot of films to get to in the next two weeks…so we’re moving right along. We’re cleaning house this week so we can open THE PROM and BILLIE this weekend…(though THE PROM has a preview screening tonight). These new films are only scheduled for one week because we have MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, THE MIDNIGHT SKY, and the new film from our hometown Oscar-winning directors Julia Reichert & Steve Bognar – 9 TO 5: THE STORY OF A MOVEMENT – all set for next week!
In our Virtual Cinema, we’ve got a lot going on. ENDING DISEASE (a powerful documentary with a local tie) and ANOTHER ROUND (a fantastic Danish narrative starring Mads Mikkelsen) are two new films that start this weekend. ZAPPA, which is wrapping up its in-person engagement, will move to our Virtual Cinema on Friday.
In the past few days, we’ve read several notes about virtual films that our patrons are loving. Mickey wrote, “WOW. Just streamed WBCN AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONand it absolutely blew me away. Best movie I’ve streamed from you yet, and one of my favorite movies of the entire year period. If you have an interest in early rock n’ roll, the anti-war movement of Vietnam, women’s rights movement, gay rights movement, the late 60’s, Nixon’s ouster, etc., I can’t recommend this movie enough. Bravo.” And moments later, Corey wrote, “My wife and I rented MODERN PERSUASION through The Neon last night, and we loved it! We had not heard of the film until your newsletter, and my wife loves Jane Austen anyway! So thank you!!!!” And raves about THE DONUT KING have been aplenty. We love hearing your responses to our Virtual Engagements. Please keep ’em coming! Details about these virtual films and more are available on the virtual page of our website.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS:
Synopsis for THE PROM: “Dee Dee Allen (three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep) and Barry Glickman (Tony Award winnerJames Corden) are New York City stage stars with a crisis on their hands: their expensive new Broadway show is a major flop that has suddenly flatlined their careers. Meanwhile, in small-town Indiana, high school student Emma Nolan (newcomer Jo Ellen Pellman) is experiencing a very different kind of heartbreak: despite the support of the high school principal (Keegan-Michael Key), the head of the PTA (Kerry Washington) has banned her from attending the prom with her girlfriend, Alyssa (Ariana DeBose). When Dee Dee and Barry decide that Emma’s predicament is the perfect cause to help resurrect their public images, they hit the road with Angie (Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman) and Trent (Andrew Rannells), another pair of cynical actors looking for a professional lift. But when their self-absorbed celebrity activism unexpectedly backfires, the foursome find their own lives upended as they rally to give Emma a night where she can truly celebrate who she is.” (Netflix). Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
Synopsis for BILLIE: “Billie Holiday had one of the greatest voices of all time and changed the face of American music. She was a woman of breath-taking talent and global popularity while also stirring controversy. She started a notable rebellion singing “Strange Fruit” which exposed the realities of Black life in America and earned her powerful enemies. Raw, emotional and brutally honest, Billie is filled with never-before-heard interviews from musical greats like Charles Mingus, Tony Bennett, Sylvia Syms and Count Basie.” (Greenwich Entertainment) Click the image below to watch the trailer.
NEW ENGAGEMENTS IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for ENDING DISEASE: Available Starting Dec. 4. “ENDING DISEASE follows the amazing personal stories of patients from the first generation of FDA approved clinical trials using stem cell and regenerative medicine to attempt to cure the most vexing diseases and conditions known to humanity: Cancer, HIV/AIDS, spinal cord injury, eye disease and more. ENDING DISEASE shows how stem cell and regenerative medicine are fundamentally changing medicine from treatments to cures.” One subject of this film is former Wright State basketball player Ryan Custer seen in the photo below. We truly appreciate the folks at DAYTON DAILY NEWS writing a great story about Custer in Sunday’s paper. If you missed the story, it’s HERE. This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for ANOTHER ROUND: Available starting Dec. 4! “There’s a theory that we should be born with a small amount of alcohol in our blood, and that modest inebriation opens our minds to the world around us, diminishing our problems and increasing our creativity. Heartened by that theory, Martin and three of his friends, all weary high school teachers, embark on an experiment to maintain a constant level of intoxication throughout the workday. If Churchill won WW2 in a heavy daze of alcohol, who knows what a few drops might do for them and their students? Initial results are positive, and the teachers’ little project turns into a genuine academic study. Both their classes and their results continue to improve, and the group feels alive again! As the units are knocked back, some of the participants see further improvement and others go off the rails. It becomes increasingly clear that while alcohol may have fueled great results in world history, some bold acts carry consequences.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast or via an HDMI cable attached to your television. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit the film’s Help Page HERE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for ZAPPA: Available virtually starting Dec. 4. “With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, ZAPPA explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex Winter’s assembly features appearances by Frank’s widow Gail Zappa and several of Frank’s musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA
Synopsis for WBCN AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: “WBCN AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION follows a compelling cast of characters as their lives connect and intersect during the rise of the legendary radio station that became both a player in and a platform for the explosive rock ‘n roll counterculture, passionate anti-war movement, and burgeoning civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights movements…The material includes never before exhibited film shot by Andy Warhol and cinema vérité pioneer Ricky Leacock, images from notable photographers including the late Peter Simon, brother of singer Carly Simon, and Jeff Albertson, as well as aircheck audio from memorable on-air, in-studio moments.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast or via an HDMI cable attached to your television. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit the film’s Help Page HERE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Several films like THE DONUT KING and MONSOON and RECON are still available. Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.
Wanna know what titles we’re planning in our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) On Dec. 9, we’ll open a documentary about the very first days of the COVID outbreak in Wuhan – 76 DAYS – it’s really powerful! On December 11, we will offer a WONG KAR WAI RETROSPECTIVE – full of remastered gems including a personal all-time favorite – IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE. Also on December 11, we’re glad that we can finally bring THE LIBRARY THAT DOLLY BUILT – a film we had planned to play in April before global shutdowns. In January, we’ll have 2 incredible docs…the first is the Sundance winner ACASA MY HOME and the second is a documentary with which we’ll hopefully partner with Veteran and environmental organizations – THE PEOPLE VS. AGENT ORANGE. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
This holiday season, we’ve had several people ask about gift cards. Gift cards are available at our box office in any denomination during our traditional operating hours. If you’d prefer to mail a check, we can certainly mail a gift card back to you (or its final destination) – just email us at [email protected] for specific instructions. That said, though still the perfect option for the NEON Lover in your life, gift cards are only available for in-person transactions (in-person screenings, concessions, merchandise, etc.). We’ve had a couple people ask about gift cards for Virtual Engagements. Unfortunately, distributors and various platforms handle all monetary transactions for our virtual engagements…processing credit card payments for those films doesn’t go through us. But I have a creative fix! For people who want their loved ones to watch movies through our Virtual Cinema, I’d suggest buying a VISA/MASTERCARD pre-paid gift card and insisting they use it for our films. You could package it with movie candy in a popcorn container and lead them to our site with the correct link. In fact, for a few dollars, we could even help you with the packaging (i.e. see below)…just shoot us an email and we can figure something out. (We also have a handful of t-shirts left…and a limited number of zip-up, fleece hoodies are on the way!)
We just booked two films that have me quite excited. HERSELF is slated for Dec. 30 – one of my absolute favorite films of the year. ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI, the feature directorial debut of Regina King, is slated for January 8. I’ve not seen it yet, but I’ve heard nothing but great things.
Wishing you a safe, healthy and warm December.
My best,
Jonathan

David Fincher’s Award Hopeful MANK & More NEON News!

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We’re moving along with the highly anticipated film – MANK – David Fincher’s look at how Mankiewicz rushed to finish the screenplay for Orson Welles’ CITIZEN KANE. It opens tomorrow. If you still need to see THE CLIMB, Thursday will be your last chance. On Friday, we open the documentary ZAPPA for one week only. If you still need to see HILLBILLY ELEGY on the big screen, it will stick around for one more week.

In our Virtual Cinema, we have a new documentary that seems “right on time” about a social movement from the 60’s – WBCN AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. It also opens tomorrow.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT
Synopsis for MANK: “David Fincher’s latest masterpiece is slated for THE NEON for Thanksgiving Weekend! “1930s Hollywood is re-evaluated through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish the screenplay of CITIZEN KANE for Orson Welles.” Starring Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Charles Dance, and Lily Collins….you’ll be seeing some of these names during Oscar season! Click the image below to watch the film’s vintage-looking trailer.
Synopsis for ZAPPA: “With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, ZAPPA explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex Winter’s assembly features appearances by Frank’s widow Gail Zappa and several of Frank’s musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.” (Magnolia Pictures) Click the image below to watch the trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA
Synopsis for WBCN AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: Available starting Nov. 25! “WBCN AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION follows a compelling cast of characters as their lives connect and intersect during the rise of the legendary radio station that became both a player in and a platform for the explosive rock ‘n roll counterculture, passionate anti-war movement, and burgeoning civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights movements. The dramatic and compelling stories in WBCN and The American Revolution are interwoven with the original sights and sounds of the critical events of the late 1960s and early 1970s, thanks to more than 100,000 audio and visual items, many of which were donated to the project by members of the WBCN community and the station’s many listeners and fans. The material includes never before exhibited film shot by Andy Warhol and cinema vérité pioneer Ricky Leacock, images from notable photographers including the late Peter Simon, brother of singer Carly Simon, and Jeff Albertson, as well as aircheck audio from memorable on-air, in-studio moments.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast or via an HDMI cable attached to your television. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit the film’s Help Page HERE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA
Synopsis for MONSOON: Available Now! “Kit (Henry Golding from CRAZY RICH ASIANS) returns to Ho Chi Minh City for the first time since he was six years old when his family fled the country in the aftermath of the Vietnam-American war. Struggling to make sense of himself in a city he’s no longer familiar with, he embarks on a personal journey across the country that opens up the possibility for friendship, love and happiness.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for MODERN PERSUASION: Now Available! We’re delighted to bring this romantic comedy with a stellar cast (they had us at Bebe Neuwirth and Jenn Harris) and directed by Jonathan Lisecki and Alex Appel to our Virtual Cinema. Lisecki was a special guest several years ago with his hit comedy GAYBY. “A modern telling of Jane Austen’s PERSUASION. Wren Cosgrove is a happy, single, and self-confessed workaholic who, after rising to the top of the corporate ladder, finds herself coming home every night to her cat. When her firm is hired by Owen Jasper, “the man who got away,” long-lost feelings are stirred, giving Wren a second chance at true love.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast or via an HDMI cable attached to your television. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit Samuel Goldwyn’s Help page HERE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. We’ll continue to offer crowd-pleasing films like CHUCK LEAVELL: THE TREE MAN, RADIUM GIRLS and THE DONUT KING through Thanksgiving. Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.
Wanna know what titles we’re planning in our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) On Dec. 4, we’ll open two new films – the first is ENDING DISEASE – a documentary that looks at advancements in stem cell therapies and curing the incurable. One subject of the film is Ryan Custer, a former Wright State basketball player who suffered a neck injury. The second film on Dec. 4 is ANOTHER ROUND – Denmark’s highest grossing film in several years and it stars Mads Mikkelsen. On Dec. 9, we’ll open a documentary about the very first days of the COVID outbreak – 76 DAYS (there’s no trailer yet for 76 DAYS, but here’s a CLIP). On December 11, we’re planning to offer a WONG KAR WAI RETROSPECTIVE – full of remastered gems including a personal all-time favorite – IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE. Also on December 11, we’re glad that we can finally bring THE LIBRARY THAT DOLLY BUILT – a film we had planned to play in April before global shutdowns. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
Though dates continue to move around, I’m delighted that we are now able to bring a new documentary about Billie Holiday starting next Friday. Stay tuned for more details about BILLIE.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful, safe and warm Thanksgiving.
My best,
Jonathan

THE CLIMB & More NEON News!

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Audiences have been loving HILLBILLY ELEGY, and it will stick around for another week. We’ve heard numerous rave reviews from audiences exiting the cinema as well as via social media…and we’re glad that people are connecting to it. AMMONITE, a gorgeous film that would normally be a big hit, didn’t perform so well…but we’re going to keep it for one show a day over the weekend – so you’ll still have a few chances to see it. Tomorrow, we will open a critically-acclaimed comedy about a toxic male friendship – THE CLIMB.

In our Virtual Cinema, we have 2 new offerings this week. The beautiful film MONSOON just opened yesterday, and the contemporary Jane Austen romantic comedy MODERN PERSUASION (co-directed by one of our previous festival guests Jonathan Lisecki) opens tomorrow.

NEW FILM FOR IN-PERSON SCREENINGS

Synopsis for THE CLIMB: “Kyle and Mike are best friends who share a close bond — until Mike sleeps with Kyle’s fiancée. THE CLIMB is about a tumultuous but enduring relationship between two men across many years of laughter, heartbreak and rage. It is also the story of real-life best friends who turn their profound connection into a rich, humane and frequently uproarious film about the boundaries (or lack thereof) in all close friendships.” (Sony Classics) Click the image below to visit the film’s site and watch the trailer.

NEW FILMS IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA

Synopsis for MONSOON: Available Now! “Kit (Henry Golding from CRAZY RICH ASIANS) returns to Ho Chi Minh City for the first time since he was six years old when his family fled the country in the aftermath of the Vietnam-American war. There he meets Lee, his estranged second cousin, Linh, a young Vietnamese student, and arranges an online date that turns into something more with Lewis (Parker Sawyers from SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU), an American clothing designer. Struggling to make sense of himself in a city he’s no longer familiar with, he embarks on a personal journey across the country that opens up the possibility for friendship, love and happiness.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for MODERN PERSUASION: Available starting Nov. 20! We’re delighted to bring this romantic comedy with a stellar cast (they had us at Bebe Neuwirth and Jenn Harris) and directed by Jonathan Lisecki and Alex Appel to our Virtual Cinema. Jonathan Lisecki was a special guest several years ago at The Dayton LGBT Film Festival with his hit comedy GAYBY. “A modern telling of Jane Austen’s PERSUASION. Wren Cosgrove is a happy, single, and self-confessed workaholic who, after rising to the top of the corporate ladder, finds herself coming home every night to her cat. When her firm is hired by Owen Jasper, “the man who got away,” long-lost feelings are stirred, giving Wren a second chance at true love.” This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast or via an HDMI cable attached to your television. For additional notes regarding connectivity, you can visit Samuel Goldwyn’s Help page HERE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.

Synopsis for RECON: Based on the novel PEACE by Richard Bausch. “RECON tells the story of four American soldiers in WW2, who after they witness a vicious murder of an innocent civilian at the hands of their platoon Sergeant, are sent on a reconnaissance/suicide mission lead by a local partisan, an elderly man whose indeterminate loyalties add to the terror and confusion that engulfs the Americans as they are hunted by an unseen enemy. As they struggle to make it off the mountain alive, these American soldiers face the worst that war can offer men…. and through this each finds their own peace.” (Brainstorm Media) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV.
For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12. Many thanks to our friends at The Dayton Literary Peace Prize for working with us to bring this film to you.
Synopsis for CHUCK LEAVELL: THE TREE MAN: Directed by Daytonian Allen Farst. “Filmed in four countries with more than 80 interviews from artists with a combined 58 Grammy Awards by the artist included, CHUCK LEAVELL: THE TREE MAN is the cinematic documentary that shines a light on one of the greatest rock’n roll pianists and keyboardists over the last 40 years. Not just known for his musical influence, Leavell is also one of the biggest names in environmental forestry and was selected the National Tree Farmer of the Year in the United States.” (Niche Productions) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. We’ll continue to offer crowd-pleasing films like RADIUM GIRLS and THE DONUT KING through Thanksgiving. Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works.
Wanna know what titles we’re planning in our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) On Nov. 25, we’ll open WBCN AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION – a film about a radical underground radio station set against the social, political and cultural changes during the late 60’s and early 70’s. On Dec. 4, we’ll open two new films – the first is ENDING DISEASE – a documentary that looks at advancements in stem cell therapies and curing the incurable. One subject of the film is Ryan Custer, a former Wright State basketball player who suffered a neck injury; the second is ANOTHER ROUND – Denmark’s highest grossing film in several years starring Mads Mikkelsen. On Dec. 9, we’ll open a documentary about the very first days of the COVID outbreak – 76 DAYS (there’s no trailer yet for 76 DAYS, but here’s a CLIP). More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
In the coming weeks, we will have a nice mix of stunning Oscar contenders and fun, escapist fare. We’re planning to open MANK next Wednesday – it’s David Fincher’s new film about Mankiewicz rushing to finish the screenplay for CITIZEN KANE…but we need to wait a few more days before we put tickets on sale. In the last 24 hours, we just added THE PROM. Based on the beloved Broadway musical, THE PROM opens Dec. 4 for one week…and the cast is stellar – Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Keegan-Michael Key, Kerry Washington, James Cordon and more! In addition to all that, dates keep changing…MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM is now set for Dec. 11.
We hope to see you soon!
Be safe & well.
My best,
Jonathan

HILLBILLY ELEGY and AMMONITE News From The Neon

By

Hello NEON Fans.
We’ve got two, star-studded films opening at THE NEON this week. HILLBILLY ELEGY, directed by Ron Howard and starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close, just opened today (though usually associated with big Hollywood fare, Howard is no stranger to THE NEON…he directed the NEON hit documentary PAVAROTTI last year). On Friday, we will open the gorgeous period film AMMONITE – starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan. (Director Francis Lee is also no stranger – his critically acclaimed film GOD’S OWN COUNTRY played at The Dayton LGBT Film Festival in 2017.).
Today marks the start of RECON in our Virtual Cinema. This is the film that we’ve partnered with The Dayton Literary Peace Prize in order to bring to you. And after its successful in-person screenings at THE NEON, we will bring CHUCK LEAVELL: THE TREE MAN to our Virtual Cinema starting this Friday.
NEW FILMS FOR IN-PERSON SCREENINGS
Synopsis for HILLBILLY ELEGY: “J.D. Vance (Gabriel Basso), a former Marine from Middletown, Ohio and current Yale Law student, is on the verge of landing his dream job when a family crisis forces him to return to the home he’s tried to forget. J.D. must navigate the complex dynamics of his Appalachian family, including his volatile relationship with his mother Bev (Amy Adams), who’s struggling with addiction. Fueled by memories of his grandmother Mamaw (Glenn Close), the resilient and whip-smart woman who raised him, J.D. comes to embrace his family’s indelible imprint on his own personal journey. Based on J.D. Vance’s #1 New York Times Bestseller and directed by Academy Award winner Ron Howard, HILLBILLY ELEGY is a powerful personal memoir that offers a window into one family’s personal journey of survival and triumph. By following three colorful generations through their unique struggles, J.D.’s family story explores the highs and lows that define his family’s experience.” (taken from Netflix) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
Synopsis for AMMONITE: “In 1800s England, acclaimed but unrecognized fossil hunter Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) works alone on the rugged Southern coastline. With the days of her famed discoveries behind her, she now searches for common fossils to sell to tourists to support herself and her ailing mother. When a wealthy visitor entrusts Mary with the care of his wife Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan), she cannot afford to turn his offer down. Proud and relentlessly passionate about her work, Mary initially clashes with her unwelcome guest, but despite the distance between their social class and personalities, an intense bond begins to develop, compelling the two women to determine the true nature of their relationship.” (Neon Rated) Click the image below to watch the trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA
Synopsis for RECON: We’re partnering with The Dayton Literary Peace Prize to bring a film that compliments one of their upcoming events. RECON (based on the novel PEACE by Richard Bausch) is now available for you to watch in our Virtual Cinema…then on November 16, you can join this wonderful organization’s discussion “Turn the Page: The Legacy of War” – a discussion between Richard Bausch and Andrew Krivak – both prize recipients from The Dayton Literary Peace Prize. For details about the special event with DLPP, visit this LINK. “Adapted from the critically acclaimed New York Times best seller PEACE by famed author Richard Bausch, and based on a true event – RECON tells the story of four American soldiers in WW2, who after they witness a vicious murder of an innocent civilian at the hands of their platoon Sergeant, are sent on a reconnaissance/suicide mission lead by a local partisan, an elderly man whose indeterminate loyalties add to the terror and confusion that engulfs the Americans as they are hunted by an unseen enemy. RECON centers around young men in the midst of war. The action occurs over the course of one long day between four soldiers placed in a crucible, as they debate both their fates and that of life itself. Each has a different perspective, liberal, racist, uncertain – a metaphor for the America both of 1945 and 2018. As the soldiers fight amongst themselves they realize they are being both hunted and haunted by a mysterious sniper and the specter of a burning question – is their Italian guide, this old man from the village, a fascist sympathizer who wishes to lead them to their death? As they struggle to make it off the mountain alive, these American soldiers face the worst that war can offer men…. and through this each finds their own peace.” (Brainstorm Media) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for CHUCK LEAVELL: THE TREE MAN: Daytonian Allen Farst has a new documentary about a rock’n’roll legend that is filled with big stars. After its successful in-person run, we are happy that we can now offer the film virtually. “Filmed in four countries with more than 80 interviews from artists with a combined 58 Grammy Awards by the artist included, CHUCK LEAVELL: THE TREE MAN is the cinematic documentary that shines a light on one of the greatest rock’n roll pianists and keyboardists over the last 40 years. Not just known for his musical influence, Leavell is also one of the biggest names in environmental forestry and was selected the National Tree Farmer of the Year in the United States. His commitment to the planet and his strong family ties are refreshing reminders to be kind and treat your neighbor with respect. As Leavell puts it, ‘if you cut a tree down, plant two for the next guy.’Featuring: Allman Brothers Dickey Betts and; Warren Haynes; Rolling Stones Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Woods; President Jimmy Carter; Eric Clapton; Chris Robinson; Mike Mills; Pat Monahan; John Bell; Lee Ann Womack; Bruce Hornsby; John Popper; Bonnie Raitt; Julian Lennon; Charlie Daniels; Miranda Lambert; John Mayer; and David Gilmore, among others” (Niche Productions) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA
Synopsis for CITY HALL: “Fresh off its high profile screenings at the Venice, Toronto and New York Film Festivals – and featuring a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating – Frederick Wiseman’s latest film arrives at the crux of a major crossroads for our nation. City government touches almost every aspect of our lives. Most of us are unaware of or take for granted these necessary services such as police, fire, sanitation, veterans affairs, elder support, parks, licensing of various professional activities, recordkeeping of birth, marriage and death as well as hundreds of other activities that support Boston residents and visitors. CITY HALL, by Frederick Wiseman, shows the efforts by Boston city government to provide these services. The film also illustrates the variety of ways the city administration enters into civil discourse with the citizens of Boston.” (Zipporah Films) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12 (as an FYI – this film is 4.5 hours, and many critics have said they could have kept going).
Synopsis for RADIUM GIRLS: “Teenage sisters, Bessie and Jo, dream of faraway places as they paint glow-in-the-dark watch dials at the American Radium Factory. When Jo loses a tooth, Bessie’s world turns upside down as the mystery of Jo’s disease slowly unravels. Bessie befriends two young activists and in a radical coming of age, she investigates a corporate scandal. Bessie and the ‘Radium Girls’ file a lawsuit against American Radium. The notorious case ultimately led to a lasting impact in the area of workplace health and safety as well as the study of radioactivity.” (Juno Films) This film can be watched on your computer or mobile device or via your Roku or AppleTV. For additional information regarding accessibility of the film, please visit this Eventive HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and purchase 72 hour access to this film for $12.
Synopsis for THE DONUT KING: We offered this film in person, and audiences absolutely loved it! Rated “100% Fresh” on rottentomatoes! “Ted’s story is one of fate, love, survival, hard knocks, and redemption. It’s the rags to riches story of a refugee escaping Cambodia, arriving in America in 1975 and building an unlikely multi-million-dollar empire baking America’s favorite pastry, the donut. Ted sponsored hundreds of visas for incoming refugees and helped them get on their feet teaching them the ways of the donut business. By 1979 he was living the American Dream. But, in life, great rise can come with great falls.” (Greenwich Entertainment) Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 hour access for $12.
Here’s a LINK with a video I made about how Virtual Cinema works. Click HERE to see all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema.
Wanna know what titles we’re planning in our virtual cinema? (Click any title to watch that film’s trailer.) On November 18, we’ll open MONSOON – a gorgeous film about a man’s personal journey as he returns to his birthplace and struggles to recognize himself in this unfamiliar land. On Nov. 20, we’ll open MODERN PERSUASION (trailer now yet available) – a modern day take on the classic Jane Austen novel directed by Jonathan Lisecki & Alex Appel (Lisecki was a guest at the Dayton LGBT Film Festival several years ago with his hit film GAYBY). On Nov. 25, we’ll open WBCN AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION – a film about a radical underground radio station set against the social, political and cultural changes during the late 60’s and early 70’s. On Dec. 4, we’ll open two new films – the first is ENDING DISEASE – a documentary that looks at advancements in stem cell therapies and curing the incurable. One subject of the film is Ryan Custer, a former Wright State basketball player who suffered a neck injury; the second is ANOTHER ROUND – Denmark’s highest grossing film in several years starring Mads Mikkelsen. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
We hope to see you soon!
Be safe & well.
My best,
Jonathan