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Jonathan McNeal

Neon News: Martin Sheen in 12 MIGHTY ORPHANS

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This week, we’re moving right along with another film that has a Dayton connection. 12 MIGHTY ORPHANS, the new film based on the beloved bestseller, stars Dayton’s own Martin Sheen! Though our much loved WSU grad combo of HOLLER and WE STILL MAKE THINGS will stick around for a second week, Thursday will be your last chance to catch SUBLET on the big screen. And don’t forget that we have 2 special in-person screenings of TRUMAN & TENNESSEE happening in this week’s schedule.

In our Virtual Cinema, we have numerous films available to watch at home. I hope you’ll check out that long list soon. That said, we’ll be adding the crowd-pleasing MONUMENTSand TRUMAN & TENNESSEE to the mix this Friday. (If you can’t make it to THE NEON for one of our special in-person screenings about these literary greats, we hope you’ll support it virtually.)
TICKETS AVAILABLE. Tickets for the June 24 preview screening of RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT are available now! Tickets for the July 1 preview screening of SUMMER OF SOUL will be available later this afternoon. Tickets for ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN will go on sale July 7.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS:
Synopsis for 12 MIGHTY ORPHANS: “12 MIGHTY ORPHANS tells the true story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of a Fort Worth orphanage who, during the Great Depression, went from playing without shoes—or even a football—to playing for the Texas state championships. Over the course of their winning season these underdogs and their resilient spirit became an inspiration to their city, state, and an entire nation in need of a rebound, even catching the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The architect of their success was Rusty Russell, a legendary high school coach who shocked his colleagues by giving up a privileged position so he could teach and coach at an orphanage. Few knew Rusty’s secret: that he himself was an orphan. Recognizing that his scrawny players couldn’t beat the other teams with brawn, Rusty developed innovative strategies that would come to define modern football.” (Sony Classics) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
Synopsis for TRUMAN & TENNESSEE: AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION: We have 2 in-person screenings set for this great new documentary. “The brilliant work, personal struggles, and cultural impact of iconic American writers Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams explodes onto the screen in this innovative dual-portrait documentary. Filmmaker Lisa Immordino Vreeland masterfully collages a wealth of archival material, including dishy talk show appearances with Dick Cavett and David Frost, with clips from some of the duo’s most memorable movie adaptions: A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and In Cold Blood. Featuring vibrant voiceover work by award-winning actors Jim Parsons (Capote) and Zachary Quinto (Williams), the film is dripping with wit and wisdom. It is a celebration of both men’s fearless candor and often tumultuous friendship that honors how their identity as gay Southerners informed their timeless artistic achievements and relationships with family, colleagues, confidants, and – most significantly – each other.” TRUMAN & TENNESSEE will screen this Saturday at Noon and on Thursday, June 24 at 7:30. Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for MONUMENTS: “A young widower sidesteps grief, loss, and familial dysfunction when he steals his wife’s ashes and sets off on an impulsive odyssey through America’s heartland in the charming new road trip comedy, MONUMENTS. Ted (David Sullivan) encounters a cast of eccentric characters, including his rival Howl (Javier Muñoz), who direct and misdirect him on his mission to find something he’d lost long before the death his wife Laura (Marguerite Moreau). MONUMENTS infuses humor and hope into a story of mourning, loss, and marriage to create one of the best feel-good indie films of 2021.” Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 hour access to the film for $11.99.
Synopsis for TRUMAN & TENNESSEE: If you can’t catch this terrific new doc in person, you’ll be able to watch it from home. “The brilliant work, personal struggles, and cultural impact of iconic American writers Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams explodes onto the screen in this innovative dual-portrait documentary. Filmmaker Lisa Immordino Vreeland masterfully collages a wealth of archival material, including dishy talk show appearances with Dick Cavett and David Frost, with clips from some of the duo’s most memorable movie adaptions: A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and In Cold Blood. Featuring vibrant voiceover work by award-winning actors Jim Parsons (Capote) and Zachary Quinto (Williams), the film is dripping with wit and wisdom. It is a celebration of both men’s fearless candor and often tumultuous friendship that honors how their identity as gay Southerners informed their timeless artistic achievements and relationships with family, colleagues, confidants, and – most significantly – each other.” 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 SUBLET: “Michael, a travel columnist for The New York Times, goes to Tel Aviv to write an article after suffering a tragedy. He is still grieving and the loss has caused problems between him and his husband. He just wants to do his research and go home. But when he sublets an apartment from Tomer, a young film student, he finds himself drawn into the life of the city” (Greenwich Entertainment) This film will be available to watch on your computer or mobile device or via the Eventive app on your Roku or AppleTV. Additional instructions can be found on Eventive’s HELP PAGE. Click the image below to check out the trailer and gain 72 hour access for $9.99.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Several critically acclaimed 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 June 25, we’ll star the gorgeous mother-daughter Israeli drama ASIA. July 2 will bring the Berlin winning Macedonian film GOD EXISTS, HER NAME IS PETRUNYA. And on July 9, we’ll open THE GOD COMMITTEE – starring Kelsey Grammer and Julia Stiles. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
We have a few spots left for DISCLOSURE: TRANS LIVES ON FILM – set for Saturday, June 26 at Noon. This screening will be used as a fundraiser for David’s Place at Daybreak, and you can request your free tickets (though donations will be appreciated on the day of the screening) by clicking the image below. Click HERE to watch the film’s trailer.
Attention Families with Young Kids! Starting on July 3 at 11am, THE NEON and ThinkTV PBS will begin presenting a 10-week, FREE Summer Family Film Festival. Short films from PBS Kids will screen on Saturday mornings at 11am on a first-come, first-serve basis. This is a great, affordable way to keep kids engaged this summer…and ThinkTV will provide activity books for kids to take home after each screening. More details will be available in next week’s newsletter, but I wanted to make sure you were the first to hear about this. Please help us spread the word. This wonderful partnership is made possible with generous support from The RubiGirls Scholarship Initiative.
Scripted in Black, an exclusive multi-disciplinary arts collective that centers the work and collaboration of Black + Brown unconventional creatives, will be hosting a series of films in July, and tickets are already on sale. “When SIB thinks of super chill kick back Thursday vibes, we envision a film series featuring just a few of the greatest Black classics + favorites to date. Whether we are learning from the past, relishing in hood politics, or examining the dynamics of friendship, this film series allows us to collectively experience the art of cinema, together. Featuring three Black-owned local businesses and partnering with THE NEON in Dayton allows for mingling amongst the creative community + supporting the local business ecosystem. This movie night series is a chance to celebrate as a community the importance of Black storytelling and the way it honors the multi-dimensional layers of our culture, experience, and perspective. This movie night series is the perfect way to close out a busy work week and step into the weekend with laughs, high vibes, + a little reminiscing on the good old days.” (Scripted in Black) Tickets are $20 each and come with a complimentary popcorn and soda. Each film will be preceded by a business mixer from 6:00-7:00 on THE NEON’s patio…then films will start at 7:15! Series sponsored by Westchester Education Services. July 8 – JUST MERCY, featured business – Dayton Young Black Professionals. July 15 – PAID IN FULL, featured business – AKenlo. July 22 – THE WOOD, featured businesses – Flyght Academy + Wright Way Foundation.
A NOTE ABOUT COVID PRECAUTIONS. Starting Friday, June 25, THE NEON’s Board has decided to make a change to our COVID protocols. Though every other row will remain unavailable, we will only require one empty seat between parties sitting in the same row. As a reminder, All NEON Staff as well as unvaccinated patrons will still be required to wear masks…they are optional for all vaccinated patrons.

Neon News: DREAM HORSE & Eric Bana in THE DRY Start This Week!

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We’ve got to clean house. If you still need to see THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS or GUNDA, Thursday will be you last chance to catch them at THE NEON. On Thursday night we’ll start the crowdpleaser DREAM HORSE, and on Friday, we’ll start the new Australian thriller starring Eric Bana – THE DRY.

On Friday, 2 new films will be available in our Virtual Cinema. WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT, based on the bestseller by Judith Kerr, was beautifully directed by Oscar winner Caroline Link (NOWHERE IN AFRICA). DRUNK BUS – a wonderful film that SLASH FILM calls “a unique and uplifting anti-road trip comedy” – is currently at “100% Fresh” on rottentomatoes.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS:
Synopsis for DREAM HORSE: “Experience the inspiring true story of Dream Alliance, an unlikely race horse bred by small town bartender, Jan Vokes (Toni Collette). With very little money and no experience, Jan convinces her neighbors to chip in their meager earnings to help raise Dream and compete with the racing elites. Their investment pays off as Dream rises through the ranks and becomes a beacon of hope in their struggling community. Also starring Damian Lewis.” (Bleecker Street) This synopsis may sound familiar. We had a documentary about this story several years ago called DARK HORSE…this is the narrative retelling with the incredible Toni Colette in the lead role!
Synopsis for THE DRY: “Based on the global bestseller by Jane Harper, a federal agent’s homecoming leads to a deeply personal murder investigation that reopens old wounds and threatens to unravel the tight-knit small town.” (IFC Films) Starring Eric Bana! Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT: Available starting May 21! “From Academy Award® winning director Caroline Link (NOWHERE IN AFRICA) comes an adaptation of acclaimed British author Judith Kerr’s classic novel based on her childhood memories. The story of a Jewish family’s escape from 1933 Berlin to Europe tackles prejudice, exile, displacement and adaptation, as told from the perspective of the author’s alter ego, nine year-old Anna Kemper (Riva Krymalowski in her feature film debut). Anna is too busy with schoolwork and friends to notice Hitler’s face glaring from posters plastered all over 1933 Berlin. But when her father (Oliver Masucci) – based on the prominent theater critic Alfred Kerr – suddenly vanishes, the family is secretly hurried out of Germany. Anna begins to understand life will never be the same as she and her family navigate unfamiliar lands and cope with the challenges of being refugees.”
This film will be available to watch on your computer or mobile device or via the Eventive app on your Roku or AppleTV. Additional instructions can be found on Eventive’s HELP PAGE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 access for $12
Synopsis for DRUNK BUS: Available starting May 21! “Michael (Charlie Tahan, OZARK) is a recent graduate whose post-college plan is derailed when his girlfriend leaves him for a job in New York City. When the bus service hires a security guard to watch over the night shift, Michael comes face to tattooed face with Pineapple, a 300-pound punk rock Samoan.” FILM INQUIRY writes, “”DRUNK BUS IS EDGY AND HEARTWARMING, BRINGING POWERFUL PERFORMANCES AND AN EVEN STRONGER MESSAGE TO THIS COMING-OF-AGE FILM,” and SLASH FILM calls DRUNK BUS “A UNIQE AND UPLIFTING ANTI-ROAD TRIP COMEDY.” This film will be available to watch on your computer or mobile device or via the Eventive app on your Roku or AppleTV. Additional instructions can be found on Eventive’s HELP PAGE. Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 access for $12
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for RK/RKAY: “Director, writer and star, Rajat Kapoor, the ‘godfather’ of Indian independent film has created a charming ‘meta-movie’ about filmmaking itself in his newest, RK/RKAY. Working in the tradition of such classics as BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, the film tells the story of a film director whose main character usurps control of the plot line, and eventually, real life.” 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 72 hour access for $12.
Synopsis for US KIDS: “US KIDS is an insightful, rousing coming-of-age story of youth leaders determined to fight for justice at a critical time in U.S. history. Sparked by the plague of gun violence ravaging their schools, US KIDS chronicles the March For Our Lives movement over several years. The documentary follows Emma Gonzalez, David Hogg, Cameron Kasky, Samantha Fuentes, gun violence survivors, and teenage activists as they pull together the largest youth protest in American history. Their movement went global with rallies on six continents and in over 700 cities in every state across the nation, expanding to address racial injustice, a growing public health crisis, and shocking a political system into change. The March For Our Lives movement was instrumental in the record youth voter turnout in 2018 and 2020.” 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 $9.99.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Several critically acclaimed 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 May 28, we’ll open AMERICAN TRAITOR – a film based on a true story starring Al Pacino, and we’ll also open TINY TIM: KING FOR A DAY – a heartbreakingly wonderful documentary about the “unlikely” pop star. On June 4, we’ll have a film for the adventurous, extreme sport lovers – SUPER FRENCHIE, and on June 11, we’ll start the wonderful festival favorite and love letter to Tel Aviv – SUBLET. On June 18, we’ll open the great new documentary about two literary icons – TRUMAN & TENNESSEE: AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION (this film will also have 2 special, in-person screenings).More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
We have two different films coming down the road for special screenings. DISCLOSURE: TRANS LIVES ON FILM is set for Saturday, June 26 at Noon. This screening will be used as a fundraiser for David’s Place at Daybreak, and you can request your free tickets (though donations will be appreciated on the day of the screening) by clicking the image below. Click HERE to watch the film’s trailer.
On Saturday, June 19 at Noon & Thursday, June 24 at 7:30, we’ll have two special screenings of the new documentary TRUMAN & TENNESSEE: AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION. You’ll want to make sure that all the literary lovers in your life know about this one. Click HERE to watch a trailer. Tickets are on sale now.
A NOTE ABOUT COVID PRECAUTIONS. At this time, THE NEON is keeping all COVID precautions in place until further notice (including social distancing, masking requirements for all patrons and staff without exceptions, air filtration systems, plexiglass barriers at all points of sale, etc.). THE NEON’s Board will be meeting over the next few weeks to determine if any of these precautions might be loosened anytime soon. If you’d like to weigh in with what you’d like to see happen, don’t hesitate to drop me a note…I will present your responses to the Board.

NOMADLAND Returns + FOUR GOOD DAYS with Glenn Close

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This week, we’re holding both TOGETHER TOGETHER and STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET – both of which our audiences are loving. That said, we’re adding a couple titles to the mix. After its “Best Picture” win on Sunday (and because we agree with Frances McDormand that it should be seen on the big screen), we’re bringing back NOMADLAND for a handful of screenings. We’re also going to pepper in some shows of FOUR GOOD DAYS – a new drama about a family dealing with addiction starring Glenn Close & Mila Kunis.

On Friday, we will also open two new films in our Virtual Cinema – a wonderful Icelandic film THE COUNTY as well as ABOUT ENDLESSNESS, the latest film from brilliant filmmaker Roy Andersson.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT:
Synopsis for FOUR GOOD DAYS: “Emerging from a detox clinic, a young addict must stay clean while living with her mother for the next four days.” Starring Glenn Close & Mila Kunis. In addition to offering this film for a few traditional screenings, we will also have two benefit screenings. See this powerful film on the big screen and benefit FOA (Families of Addicts) at the same time. The 2 Special Screenings are this Friday at 7:00 and Sunday at 1:15. Tickets for these benefit screenings can be reserved by calling Anita Kitchen at (937)329-2865 (or by email at [email protected]). Our few traditional screenings can be purchased on our website or at our box office. Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
Synopsis for NOMADLAND: Winner of 3 Academy Awards – “Best Picture,” “Best Director” & “Best Actress!” “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.” Inspired by the non-fiction book. Click the image below to visit the film’s official site (where there are several, wonderful Q&As).
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for ABOUT ENDLESSNESS: Available starting April 30! The new film from master filmmaker Roy Andersson! IndieWire says “You give Roy Andersson 76 minutes, and he’ll give you the universe.” “ABOUT ENDLESSNESS is a reflection on human life in all its beauty and cruelty, its splendor and banality. We wander, dreamlike, gently guided by our Scheherazade-esque narrator. Inconsequential moments take on the same significance as historical events: a couple floats over a war-torn Cologne; on the way to a birthday party, a father stops to tie his daughter’s shoelaces in the pouring rain; teenage girls dance outside a cafe; a defeated army marches to a prisoner-of-war camp. Simultaneously an ode and a lament, ABOUT ENDLESSNESS presents a kaleidoscope of all that is eternally human, an infinite story of the vulnerability of existence.” (Magnolia Pictures) 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 72 hour access for $12.
Synopsis for THE COUNTY: Available starting April 30! “After the global success of his Un Certain Regard winner RAMS, director Grímur Hákonarson returns to his native Iceland with another humanist farmland fable. Bitterly funny and deeply affecting, THE COUNTY plays out a timely political allegory against a jaw-dropping natural landscape, aided by a brainy, tenacious anti-heroine and Hákonarson’s dry Nordic humor.
When we first meet Inga (a brilliant Arndís Hrönn Egilsdóttir, in a star-making performance), she is midwifing a calf, in the middle of another back-breaking day on the small, nearly bankrupt dairy farm she shares with her husband, Reynir (Hinrik Ólafsson). She is one of many hard-working farmers in her region who work under a bureaucratic co-operative that, having fallen out of the control of its farmers, operates as a monopoly, pushing her and her community deep into debt. After Reynir’s sudden and suspicious death, Inga learns the true extent of both her powerlessness and her late husband’s involvement with the co-op’s schemings. With an eye to the future, and with no other option, she aims to chip away at the co-op’s domination…THE COUNTY cuts deep, putting a human face on an all-too-likely conflict, along with suspense, charm, and a touch of Scandinavian zaniness.” (Dekanalog) 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 72 hour access for $10.
Synopsis for THE RACE TO SAVE THE WORLD: “THE RACE TO SAVE THE WORLD is a climate documentary with a uniquely optimistic approach. It follows passionate activists whose single-minded focus is the creation of a sustainable world for future generations. These climate warriors, ages 15 to 72, are in the trenches fighting for a livable future, regardless of the personal cost. Emmy award-winning filmmaker Joe Gantz brings an urgent and intimate portrait of the protests, arrests, courtroom drama, and family turmoil these activists endure as they push for change. The Race to Save The World is an energizing and inspiring call-to-action that inspires viewers to quit waiting on the sidelines and start making their voices heard.” Michael Mann, Author of THE NEW CLIMATE WAR, writes, “There is still time to prevent catastrophic climate change. This powerful film shows how each of us can use our voice and our actions to save this planet from destruction. Watch it and be inspired to make a difference.” 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 72 access for $12
SPECIAL EVENT! Tomorrow! Wednesday, April 28 at 7pm, join us for a special, FREE Virtual Roundtable Discussion on our official FACEBOOK PAGE about BILL TRAYLOR: CHASING GHOSTS (you don’t need a Facebook Account to join us) – Guests will include Jeffrey Wolf (the film’s director and producer) and Jeany Nisenholz-Wolf (the film’s producer – and Dayton native) as well as renowned, local artist Bing Davis and Distinguished Research Professor, Dr. Flavia Bastos from School of Art, University of Cincinnati. (Special thanks to Meredith Moss for her story in last Sunday’s DAYTON DAILY NEWS. Here’s a LINK to that story.) If you haven’t seen the film yet, you can check it out HERE in our Virtual Cinema.
To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Several critically acclaimed 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 May 7, we’ll open HIGH GROUND – an Australian period piece that The Hollywood Reporter calls, “A gripping, visually spectacular revenge thriller that makes superb use of stunning landscapes while also addressing the lingering scars of colonial-era racism.” On May 14, we’ll start a poignant, award-winning doc – US KIDS, and on May 21, we’ll open WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT– based on the bestseller by Judith Kerr. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!

NEON NEWS: Judi Dench’s Newest Film + More Oscar Nominees

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Though we’re holding onto everything we’re currently playing (FRENCH EXIT as well as the ANIMATED and LIVE ACTION OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS), we’re going to add quite a bit to the mix this weekend. On Friday, we will open SIX MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT- a spy thriller set days before WWII starring Eddie Izzard and Judi Dench. In addition, we’re adding a handful of screenings of the OSCAR NOMINATED DOCUMENTARY SHORTS.

In our Virtual Cinema, we’re adding two new films. THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN is nominated for the “Best International Film” Oscar this year, and ROSE PLAYS JULIE is a thriller that speaks as a kind of companion piece to PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN.

NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS:

Synopsis for SIX MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT: “’In the summer of 1939, influential families in Nazi Germany have sent their daughters to a finishing school in an English seaside town to learn the language and be ambassadors for a future looking National Socialist. A teacher there sees what is coming and is trying to raise the alarm. But the authorities believe he is the problem.” Starring Eddie Izzard, Judi Dench, James D’Arcy, and Jim Broadbent. (IFC Films) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.

Synopsis for OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT FILMS – DOCUMENTARY: All 5 Academy Award Nominated Documentary Short Films have been assembled for you to see in one place. Starting Friday, you can see these at THE NEON during one of our four special screenings (but if those don’t work for you, they’re still available in our Virtual Cinema). Here are the films: A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA (USA, 18 min.), DO NOT SPLIT (USA/Norway, 36 min.), HUNGER WARD (USA, 40 min.), COLETTE (France/Germany/USA, 24 min.), and A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION (USA, 13 min.). Due to mature themes, this package is not intended for young audiences – our suggested rating is R. If you wish to screen these films virtually, you can watch them on your computer or mobile device or via the Eventive App on your Roku or SmartTV. Please make sure you use this LINK to purchase your at-home access. Click the image below to watch the official trailer for all the shorts.

NEW VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENTS:

Synopsis for ROSE PLAYS JULIE: Available starting April 9! “Rose (Ann Skelly) is at university studying veterinary science. An only child, she has enjoyed a loving relationship with her adoptive parents. However, for as long as Rose can remember she has wanted to know who her biological parents are and the facts of her true identity. After years trying to trace her birth mother, Rose now has a name and a number…and it quickly becomes clear that her birth mother has no wish to have any contact. Rose is shattered. A renewed and deepened sense of rejection compels her to keep going. Rose travels from Dublin to London in an effort to confront her birth mother, Ellen (Orla Brady). Ellen is deeply disturbed when Rose turns up unannounced. The very existence of this young woman threatens the stability of the new life Ellen has painstakingly put together. But Rose proves very tenacious and Ellen is forced to reveal a secret she has kept hidden for over 20 years. This shocking revelation forces Rose to accept the violent nature of how she came into existence. Rose believes she has little to lose but much to gain when she sets out to confront her biological father, Peter (Aidan Gillen).” Tickets are $6.99 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 THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN: Available starting April 9! OSCAR NOMINATED for Best International Film! “Sam Ali, a young, sensitive and impulsive Syrian, left his country for Lebanon to escape the war. To be able to travel to Europe and live with the love of his life, he accepts to have his back tattooed by one of the World’s most sulfurous contemporary artists. Turning his own body into a prestigious piece of art, Sam will however come to realize that his decision might actually mean anything but freedom.” Click the image below to watch this film’s trailer. The link to access the film will be available on our website later in the week.

To read more about all the films that are still available in our Virtual Cinema, please visit our WEBSITE. Several critically acclaimed 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 April 16, we’ll start 2 new films – WE BROKE UP is a contemporary and smart romantic comedy and BILL TRAYLOR: CHASING GHOSTS (no trailer available yet) is a documentary about the singular and pioneering artist (I will soon have details for you about a special free virtual talk-back with the film’s director & producer as well as local artist Bing Davis and Dr. Flavia Bastos, Director of Graduate Studies in Art Education – University of Cincinnati). On Earth Day (April 22), we’ll start a new documentary – THE RACE TO SAVE THE WORLD. And onn, April 30, we will start a wonderful Icelandic film THE COUNTY. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!

Sending special thanks to our friends at Toxic Brew, A Hole in the Wall and Ned Pepper’s (3 Oregon District bars just a block+ from THE NEON) for hosting 4 one-time-only screenings in their “Cult Film Series.” These screenings have helped to raise over $2,500 for THE NEON…and we truly appreciate their generosity. Please let them know how grateful we are the next time you stop in to one of these neighborhood favorites.

And now the news that many of you have been waiting for. Our Free Annual Oscar Screening is still going to happen this year, but seating will be severely limited. You’re the first to get this invitation to request tickets. Click this LINK to request yours…they will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Anthony Hopkins & Olivia Colman in THE FATHER and More From The Neon

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We’re so thrilled to be seeing more and more familiar faces these days…and I’m delighted to say that our line-up keeps getting stronger. This Thursday, we’ll open one of my favorite films of 2020 – THE FATHER. Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins give outstanding performances (I didn’t know I could love them more). NOMADLAND (which is sweeping up “Best Picture” awards at numerous award ceremonies) and BOOGIE (from the author and producer of FRESH OFF THE BOAT) will stick around for another week, and MY SALINGER YEAR (which our audiences really loved) will get three more screenings this weekend. On Thursday, March 18, we’ll open THE COURIER – starring NEON-favorite Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel Brosnahan (of the MRS. MAISEL fame).

In our Virtual Cinema, we have 2 new films. STRAY follows three stray dogs through the streets and alleys of Istanbul. VARIETY calls it “Virtuosic,” IndieWire says it is “Profound,” and SCREEN INTERNATIONAL calls it “Beautiful.” And for all you Anglophiles, we have a very funny British comedy – DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER.
Synopsis for THE FATHER: Opens March 11! “Anthony is 80, mischievous, living defiantly alone and rejecting the carers that his daughter, Anne, encouragingly introduces. Yet help is also becoming a necessity for Anne; she can’t make daily visits anymore and Anthony’s grip on reality is unravelling. As we experience the ebb and flow of his memory, how much of his own identity and past can Anthony cling to? How does Anne cope as she grieves the loss of her father, while he still lives and breathes before her? THE FATHER warmly embraces real life, through loving reflection upon the vibrant human condition; heart-breaking and uncompromisingly poignant – a movie that nestles in the truth of our own lives.” (Sony Classics) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
Synopsis for THE COURIER: “THE COURIER is a true-life spy thriller, the story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. At the behest of the UK’s MI-6 and a CIA operative (Rachel Brosnahan), he forms a covert, dangerous partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) in an effort to provide crucial intelligence needed to prevent a nuclear confrontation and defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.” (Roadside Attractions) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for STRAY: Available starting March 12! “Through the eyes of three stray dogs wandering the streets of Istanbul, STRAY explores what it means to live as a being without status or security. As they search for food and shelter, Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture. Zeytin, fiercely independent, embarks on solitary adventures through the city at night; Nazar, nurturing and protective, easily befriends the humans around her; while Kartal, a shy puppy living on the outskirts of a construction site, finds refuge with the security guards who care for her. The disparate lives of Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal intersect when they each form intimate bonds with a group of young Syrians who share the streets with them. Whether they lead us into bustling streets or decrepit ruins, the gaze of these strays act as windows into the overlooked corners of society: women in loveless marriages, protesters without arms, refugees without sanctuary. The film is a critical observation of human civilization through the unfamiliar gaze of dogs and a sensory voyage into new ways of seeing.” (Magnolia Pictures) Tickets for accessing the film are $12 for 72 hours. 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 your ticket.
Synopsis for DAYS OF THE BANGNOLD SUMMER: Available starting March 12! “Based on the critically acclaimed graphic novel, DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER is a funny yet sweet coming-of-age story about single motherhood and Metallica. Daniel was supposed to spend the summer with his dad and his dad’s new wife in Florida, but when his dad cancels the trip Daniel and his mom suddenly face the prospect of six long weeks together. An epic war of wills ensues in their suburban home as Daniel just wants to listen to heavy metal and start a band while his mom hopes to rekindle the fun times they used to have together. Featuring original songs by Belle and Sebastian.” (Greenwich Entertainment) Tickets for accessing the film are $9.99 for 72 hours. 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 your ticket.
Synopsis for GUSTAV STICKLEY: AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN: “The rise, fall and resurrection of the father of the American Arts and Crafts movement is chronicled in this new documentary. The film offers an unprecedented look at the life and works of Gustav Stickley as told through interviews, archival materials, and a close examination of his most iconic works. It traces the development and evolution of Stickley’s unique style, as well as the creation of his diverse businesses including the Craftsman Magazine, Craftsman Farms and his ground-breaking Manhattan store. It also details the eventual loss of his businesses – and, after several decades, the rebirth and recognition of the movement he inspired.” You can watch this film on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast. For more details about screening this film at home, visit First Run’s HELPpage. Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 hour access to the film for $10.
Synopsis for THE PEOPLE VS. AGENT ORANGE: “The Agent Orange catastrophe did not end with the Vietnam War. Today, the world over, a primary chemical of the toxic defoliant controls weeds in farming, forestry, parks, playgrounds… It wreaks havoc on the human genome, causing deformed births and deadly cancers.
After decades of struggle and tragic personal losses, two heroic women are leading a worldwide movement to end the plague and hold the manufacturers accountable.
In France, Tran To Nga is suing the American chemical industry for poisoning her in Vietnam. In America, Carol Van Strum exposes the continuing use of toxic herbicides.
Incriminating documents disappear. Activists are threatened. A helicopter technician secretly films the contamination of reservoirs, while a massive industrial cover-up goes on.” (Alan Adelson & Kate Taverna) On Thursday, March 18 at 7pm, you can take part in a FREE webinar with author David Zierler. The webinar is co-sponsored by University of Dayton Human Rights Center, the War Legacies Project, and the Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance. Here’s the LINK where you can register and learn more about the webinar. Tickets for accessing THE PEOPLE VS. AGENT ORANGE are $12 for 72 hours. 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 access the film.
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 March 19, we’ll open THE INHERITANCE – a powerful and playful hybrid of scripted narrative and documentary about a Black socialist collective. On March 26, we’ll have a wonderful coming-of-age film set in the Quebec Innu community – KUESSIPAN. On April 2, we’ll open the OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS (these will be available virtually as well as in-person). On Earth Day (April 22), we’ll start a new documentary – THE RACE TO SAVE THE WORLD. More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
Due to our limited seating capacity, this year’s OSCAR night is going to be different. In the next couple weeks, I’ll be determining exactly what we’re going to do…and you’ll be the first to know about it. Stay tuned!

BOOGIE & MY SALINGER YEAR + 2 New Virtual Engagements at The Neon

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We had another solid weekend at THE NEON. Thank you to everyone who has been coming out to support our great films. And speaking of great films…I’m sure you already know that NOMADLAND won “Best Motion Picture, Drama” at last weekend’s Golden Globes. I’m quite certain it will be a big contender at The Oscars, so we’re holding it for a third week…don’t miss it on the big screen. In addition to NOMADLAND, we’ll open two new films this weekend. BOOGIE is from Eddie Huang (producer of the hit TV show FRESH OFF THE BOAT) and MY SALINGER YEAR (starring Sigourney Weaver and Margaret Qualley) is based on Joanna Rakoff’s memoir.
THE FATHER, the new incredible film starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman, will have a preview screening on Thursday, March 11 at 7:15 (regular ticket prices apply). It will officially open with multiple screenings per day on March 12.
In our Virtual Cinema, we also have 2 new films. THE PEOPLE VS. AGENT ORANGE is a powerful investigatory environmental documentary, and GUSTAV STICKLEY: AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN is for all of you design lovers. (Be sure to read the description for PEOPLE VS. AGENT ORANGE…you can sign up to attend a free webinar hosted by UD’s Human Rights Center on March 18.) Both of these films will be available starting Friday.
NEW IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS:
Synopsis for BOOGIE: “Alfred ‘Boogie’ Chin, a basketball phenom living in Queens, N.Y., dreams of one day playing in the NBA. While his parents pressure him to focus on earning a scholarship to an elite college, Boogie must find a way to navigate a new girlfriend, high school, on-court rivals and the burden of expectation.” (Focus Features) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer. (You might recognize Taylour Paige in the photo below…she was just in MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM late last year. She truly shines in this new film, and I’m anxious to see what she does next.)
Synopsis for MY SALINGER YEAR: “New York in the 90s: After leaving graduate school to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, Joanna (Margaret Qualley) gets hired as an assistant to Margaret (Sigourney Weaver), the stoic and old-fashioned literary agent of J. D. Salinger. Fluctuating between poverty and glamour, she spends her days in a plush, wood-panelled office – where dictaphones and typewriters still reign and agents doze off after three-martini lunches – and her nights in a sink-less Brooklyn apartment with her socialist boyfriend. Joanna’s main task is processing Salinger’s voluminous fan mail, but as she reads the heart-wrenching letters from around the world, she becomes reluctant to send the agency’s impersonal standard letter and impulsively begins personalizing the responses. The results are both humorous and moving, as Joanna, while using the great writer’s voice, begins to discover her own.” (IFC Films). After just watching all 4 seasons of the hit French TV show CALL MY AGENT, I was all in for this charming new film.
Synopsis for THE FATHER: Opens March 11! “Anthony is 80, mischievous, living defiantly alone and rejecting the carers that his daughter, Anne, encouragingly introduces. Yet help is also becoming a necessity for Anne; she can’t make daily visits anymore and Anthony’s grip on reality is unravelling. As we experience the ebb and flow of his memory, how much of his own identity and past can Anthony cling to? How does Anne cope as she grieves the loss of her father, while he still lives and breathes before her? THE FATHER warmly embraces real life, through loving reflection upon the vibrant human condition; heart-breaking and uncompromisingly poignant – a movie that nestles in the truth of our own lives.” (Sony Classics) Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
NEW IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for GUSTAV STICKLEY: AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN: Available starting March 5! “The rise, fall and resurrection of the father of the American Arts and Crafts movement is chronicled in this new documentary. The film offers an unprecedented look at the life and works of Gustav Stickley as told through interviews, archival materials, and a close examination of his most iconic works. It traces the development and evolution of Stickley’s unique style, as well as the creation of his diverse businesses including the Craftsman Magazine, Craftsman Farms and his ground-breaking Manhattan store. It also details the eventual loss of his businesses – and, after several decades, the rebirth and recognition of the movement he inspired.” You can watch this film on your computer or mobile device as well as via Chromecast. For more details about screening this film at home, visit First Run’s HELP page. Click the image below to watch the trailer and gain 72 hour access to the film for $10.
Synopsis for THE PEOPLE VS. AGENT ORANGE: Available starting March 5! “The Agent Orange catastrophe did not end with the Vietnam War. Today, the world over, a primary chemical of the toxic defoliant controls weeds in farming, forestry, parks, playgrounds… It wreaks havoc on the human genome, causing deformed births and deadly cancers.
After decades of struggle and tragic personal losses, two heroic women are leading a worldwide movement to end the plague and hold the manufacturers accountable.
In France, Tran To Nga is suing the American chemical industry for poisoning her in Vietnam. In America, Carol Van Strum exposes the continuing use of toxic herbicides.
Incriminating documents disappear. Activists are threatened. A helicopter technician secretly films the contamination of reservoirs, while a massive industrial cover-up goes on.” (Alan Adelson & Kate Taverna) A week+ after this film becomes available for you to watch, you can take part in a free webinar with author David Zierler. The webinar is co-sponsored by University of Dayton Human Rights Center, the War Legacies Project, and the Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance. Here’s the LINK where you can register and learn more about the webinar. Tickets for accessing the film are $12 for 72 hours. 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 your ticket.
CONTINUING IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA:
Synopsis for FALLING: Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut – also starring Lance Heriksen and Laura Linney – is now available! “John (Viggo Mortensen) lives with his partner, Eric (Terry Chen), and their daughter, Mónica (Gabby Velis), in California, far from the traditional rural life he left behind years ago. John’s father, Willis (Lance Henriksen), a headstrong man from a bygone era, lives alone on the isolated farm where John grew up. Willis is in the early stages of dementia, making running the farm on his own increasingly difficult, so John brings him to stay at his California home so that he and his sister Sarah (Laura Linney) might help him find a place near them to relocate to. Unfortunately, their best intentions ultimately run up against Willis’s adamant refusal to change his way of life in the slightest.” 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 LEONA: “LEONA is an intimate, insightful, and moving film that tells the story of a young Jewish woman from Mexico City who finds herself torn between her family and her forbidden love. Ripe with all the drama and interpersonal conflicts of a Jane Austen novel, watching her negotiate the labyrinth of familial pressure, religious precedent, and her own burgeoning sentiment is both painful and beautiful – there are no easy choices to be made and the viewer travels back and forth with her as she struggles with her heart to take the best path.” 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 $12.
SPECIAL EVENT:
Our friends from Toxic Brew Co. & Hole in the Wall are hosting their third “Cult Movie Night” this Sunday at 7:30…and they’ve chosen CAROUSHELL this time – a film featuring Hole in the Wall bartender Haley Madison. Tickets are $20 each, and those tickets come with 2 beers from Toxic Brew (this event is limited to folks 21 and up). This horror/comedy will be hosted by Madison with pre-screening drink specials at Hole in the Wall (just down the street).”Duke, a carousel unicorn, hates his job. He has to let kids climb on his back and ride him for hours every day. But one kid has finally pushed him too far. Duke breaks free of his carnival hell and embarks on a bloody rampage of revenge on humanity.” Click the image below to reserve a ticket.
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 March 12, we’ll have THE DAYS OF BANGOLD SUMMER, (a sweet and funny British coming-of-age story) as well as a film for dog lovers – STRAY – a documentary about “a trio of canine outcasts roaming the streets of Istanbul.” On March 26, we’ll have SUPER FRENCHIE for all of you outdoor sports enthusiasts as well as a wonderful coming of age film set in the Quebec Innu community – KUESSIPAN. On April 2, we’ll open the OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS (these will be available virtually as well as in-person) More titles are on the way…stay tuned!
Due to our limited seating capacity, this year’s OSCAR night is going to be different. In the next couple weeks, I’ll be determining exactly what we’re going to do…and you’ll be the first to know about it. Stay tuned.
Do you use Facebook or Instagram? If so, you could win a “Date Night” package for THE NEON. We have a current contest called “TAG OUR SWAG”…and we wanna see your NEON swag! Did you win a t-shirt during our engagement of LOVING? Did you get a mini poster from PARASITE? Were you a lucky winner of an action figure from ISLE OF DOGS? Maybe you got a NEON Hoodie for the holidays! We wanna see stuff that you got from THE NEON…and we want you to tag us (any t-shirt, poster, or knick knack from the past 20 years will work). Post your image(s) on Facebook and/or Instagram and be sure to tag us. Each person who plays will get one entry into a drawing for “DATE NIGHT AT THE NEON” – which includes 2 passes to any NEON engagement and a Large Popcorn (plus some swag, of course). So get to it…TAG OUR SWAG!

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).