movies

My Favorite Films of 2019

December 28, 2019 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Dayton MostMetro!

When asked to write a “Best of ” list about movies, it’s hard to decide what to write. First off, it’s so subjective…do people really want to read about my personal tastes or should I look at films scholastically and determine what is the “best” in regards to craft? In addition, what should I include – only films that got picked up for distribution? only films that screened in this market? only films that got a release this year?

Here’s what I’ve decided. The following list is a collection of films that I saw and loved this year. (Though some films didn’t play until 2019 in Dayton, movies like CAPERNAUM and IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK and THE FAVOURITE are not on the list because I saw them in 2018.) And contrary to popular belief, not all the films on the list screened at THE NEON!

I should make it known that I have not seen every film that got a release this year…once in a while, a film even plays at THE NEON that I can’t fit into my schedule. I tend to shy away from science fiction (though not always), most horror movies and films with gratuitous violence and/or machismo-driven male plot lines (a la Tarantino). (I have not yet seen THE IRISHMAN – as I intend to see it on our big screen on NYE.)

Here they are. 15 Favorite Films of 2019 (in alphabetical order):

AMERICAN FACTORY – Julia Reichert & Steve Bognar’s masterful documentary is stunningly heartfelt and equally scary. It’s a call to action from and regarding America’s workforce (which also happens to be filmed in our own backyard). I’m so happy for Julia & Steve’s success with this film!

BELLE EPOQUE – This little French gem with Daniel Auteuil and Fanny Ardant has not yet found a distributor in the US, but its existential ETERNAL SUNSHINE vibe is so much fun…I hope it makes its way to the States soon. Here’s a trailer:

THE BLONDE ONE – I love a good, slow-paced, foreign film that’s beautifully shot and fraught with honest sexual tension…especially when I can empathize on some level. This film is a slow burn, and I love it. (It played at The Dayton LGBT Film Festival.)

BOOKSMART – This generation’s CLUELESS is smart, fresh and so endearing…the best teen comedy in years! I watched this film on a flight to Germany…and again on the flight back. Beanie is a treasure! (trailer is for mature audiences)

CIRCUS OF BOOKS – This endearing doc about a straight Jewish couple who ran one of the most famous gay adult bookstores in the US while raising three children is poignant, personal and a great history lesson. (This film screened as part of The Dayton LGBT Film Festival – there is no trailer yet.)

THE FAREWELL – This runaway hit is billed as a comedy, but it’s so much more.

JOJO RABBIT – My feelings about this film ebb and flow…today it happened to make the list. The child performances are extraordinary, and the production design is flawless. This film has a lot to say about how our children are often taught to hate – and how easy it is to spread misinformation.

THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO – This poetic film isn’t getting much year-end discussion, but I absolutely loved it – from the performances to the score to the cinematography.

LITTLE WOMEN – Thoughtful and exquisite! I complain about movie runtimes a lot. (I wish MARRIAGE STORY and WAVES were both 15-20 minutes shorter.) But this film seemed rushed at times…I think it would be stronger with a slightly slower pace and perhaps a runtime of 20 minutes more. Regardless, this is a gorgeous film with a beautiful structure.

PAIN & GLORY – Almodovar’s best film in over a decade…and that’s quite a feat (JULIETA and THE SKIN I LIVE IN are also quite strong from the last several years). This quiet film is full of rich performances, inventive storytelling and fantastic production design.

PARASITE – Must be seen. This film changes genres on a dime and has so much to say about class. Full of surprises and beautiful to look at – even when dark and disturbing.

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE – This film will get a release in early 2020, and it is sublime. I can’t wait to see it again.

ROCKS – This film has not yet been picked up for distribution. It’s a gorgeous and heartbreaking story about a young girl trying to take care of her younger brother and herself after her mother has disappeared (again). There is sadly no trailer for this – just a clip.

THE TWO POPES – This film isn’t just a chamber piece – though simple moments between these two brilliant actors are certainly worth studying.

UNSETTLED – Winner of this year’s Audience Award at The Dayton LGBT Film Festival, this story about LGBT refugees in America is touching, timely, thought-provoking and powerful.

Don’t get me wrong. There are many more solid films from this year. There are movies with standout performances (like HARRIET) or incredible cinematography (like HONEYLAND) or great messages (like BIGGEST LITTLE FARM) or fascinating central subjects (like SOUND OF MY VOICE or PAVAROTTI) – but it’s the “Top 15” that really spoke to me in their entirety. That said, these other films are certainly worth mentioning (also in alphabetical order): A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BOMBSHELL, CLEMENCY, DARK WATERS, GLORIA BELL, HONEY BOY, HOPE GAP, HOW TO BUILD A GIRL (here’s Beanie again!!), THE KINGMAKER, MARRIAGE STORY (sometimes I want to switch this with JOJO RABBIT), STRAIGHT UP, VARDA BY AGNES, and WAVES.

For the sake of trivia, here are the top 3 highest grossing films of 2019 at THE NEON:

#1 – JOJO RABBIT. #2 – DOWNTON ABBEY. #3 – HARRIET. (LITTLE WOMEN could possibly join the list, but it will be split between 2019 and 2020.)

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.

See you at the movies,

Jonathan

Plaza Theatre Easter Sale

April 18, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

This Saturday night between 5pm and 8pm you can purchase 7 movie vouchers for the price of 5 at this Miamisburg movie theater. That’s just $25 to see 7 movies anytime until December 31, 2019. You’ll need to show up in person to get this deal, they won’t be selling these online or over the phone.

Plaza Theatre
33 S Main St
Miamisburg, Ohio 45342

(937) 247-5980

The Plaza Theatre, located in the heart of historic downtown Miamisburg, reopened on Christmas Day of 2015, thanks to the efforts of the non-profit organization passionate about revitalizing the unique downtown Miamisburg.

A Look At This Year’s Oscar Nominees

February 19, 2019 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Most Metro!

I love good cinema. And for all of my college years and days in retail, Oscar season was a time for speculation and preparation for watching (and cheering and jeering) the event on the big night. But for most of the last 18 years, I have been so consumed with preparing for THE NEON’s Annual Oscar Party, I’ve hardly stopped to think who would win and who would lose. That is until Dayton Rotary stepped in. For the last four years, I’ve been asked to give a short presentation regarding the upcoming Academy Awards. This forces me to reflect on the year’s nominees and to think about who will take home Oscars. Below are some of my thoughts regarding this year’s big contenders.

Amy Adams – 6th Oscar nomination (5 supporting, 1 lead).

Marina de Tavira – 1st Oscar nomination, lots of accolades in Mexico.

Regina King – 1st Oscar nomination…lots of TV accolades.

Emma Stone – 3rd Oscar nomination…won for LA LA LAND.

Rachel Weisz – 2nd Oscar nomination…it’s been 13 years since nomination for CONSTANT GARDNER.

WHO WILL WIN? This year’s “Best Supporting Actress” Oscar will almost certainly go to Regina King. Her performance in IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK is heartbreakingly wonderful. I recently heard King speaking on NPR’s “On Point” about how she rarely watches her own work…but a friend convinced her she had to see this film on the big screen. Within the first five minutes, she knew this Barry Jenkins film was something special…and it turns out that I was just a few rows behind her at The Toronto International Film Festival. (If King doesn’t get it, Adams is a good second bet.)

Mahershala Ali – 2nd Oscar nomination…won for MOONLIGHT!

Adam Driver – 1st Oscar nomination…has won awards for GIRLS on TV.

Sam Elliot – 1st Oscar nomination EVER. Hard to Believe!!

Richard E. Grant – 1 Oscar nomination (though years of brilliant work).

Sam Rockwell – 2nd Oscar nomination…won for THREE BILLBOARDS…

WHO WILL WIN? Mahershala Ali appears to be the favorite at this time, but Sam Elliott could sneak in and get it. (That said, I’m rooting for Richar E. Grant.)

Yalitza Aparicio – 1st Oscar nomination, 1st film role ever!

Glenn Close – 7th Oscar nomination (4 leads, 3 supporting)

Olivia Colman – 1st Oscar nomination (lots of TV accolades and will be the Queen in next season of THE CROWN)

Lady Gaga – 1st Oscar nomination

Melissa McCarthy – 2nd Oscar nomination (1st was for BRIDESMAIDS)

WHO WILL WIN? It’s Glenn Close’s turn. The nominations show a diverse canon of work (DANGEROUS LIAISONS, FATAL ATTRACTION, ALBERT NOBBS, WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP, THE BIG CHILL)…but the brilliance doesn’t stop there – what about 101 DALMATIANS, PARADISE ROAD and more! The upset in this category would be Lady Gaga…who does have a lot of fans and support in the business (but I think it would be a posthumous “slap in the face” to Judy Garland – who did not win for her incredible work with this role).

Christian Bale – 4th Oscar nomination…won for THE FIGHTER

Bradley Cooper – 7th Oscar nomination (3 of these nominations are for this film)

Willem Dafoe – 4th Oscar nomination…recent nomination was for last year’s FLORIDA PROJECT, 1st nomination was in 1987 for PLATOON

Rami Malek – 1st Oscar nomination (lots of accolades for TV’s MR. ROBOT)

Viggo Mortensen – 3rd Oscar nomination

WHO WILL WIN? This is a tough one. Many folks are banking on Christian Bale (think of that range – from EMPIRE OF THE SUN as a kid to THE MACHINIST to BATMAN to Dick Cheney). The other big contender is Rami Malek – who has garnered a lot of love this award season. I’m going with Bale.

ROMA has one big thing going against it. Netflix! Will the Academy be kind to a film that has been released by a company that wants to completely change the way films are consumed by the public? Netflix knew they had to get this film into cinemas in order for it to get serious Oscar consideration…and we played it at THE NEON because I consider it the best film of the year. But Netflix rarely wants cinemas to play their films…they want consumers to subscribe to their service. They are not team players and the integrity of how a film is viewed is low on their list of priorities. Big corporate profits over artistic integrity seems to be the order of the day…even when filmmakers ask for their films to get more theatrical exposure. So we’ll see what happens…do members of the Academy care about all of this…or will they base their votes on the power of this film?

THE FAVOURITE divided our audience at THE NEON like no other film this year. We had people see it numerous times and we had people complain that the film was “pornographic” or “stupid” or “wasn’t funny at all.” It’s my opinion that this very dark comedy has a lot to say about the lengths people will go to gain power…and it also speaks about the disconnect by many of those in power and the people they represent. I think it’s a brilliant film (although one with a very grim worldview).

A STAR IS BORN – this is the 4th version of this story. The 1937 version won a special award for its use of color and also won a “Best Screenplay” Oscar. The 1954 Cukor version (with Garland) did not win any Oscars (and is the strongest version of this story). The 1976 version with Streisand won “Best Song”…and this latest version will also win Gaga an Oscar for “Best Song.”

One special note about the other nominees is that Hannah Beachler, a woman who grew up in Centerville and attended Wright State University for Motion Picture Production, is the first ever African American to be nominated for “Best Production Design.” BLACK PANTHER has broken a lot of barriers this season, and it’s exciting to see Beachler get such wonderful recognition (she’s had an incredible career – working on such wonderful films as FRUITVALE STATION, MOONLIGHT and many more…including Beyonce’s LEMONADE).

A couple quick notes:

It’s hard to believe that this is Spike Lee’s 1st Oscar nomination!

Alfonso Cuaron is nominated for 4 Oscars this year…not only did he write and direct ROMA, he also shot and produced it. All four of these roles have received recognition.

Foreign films have received a lot more love than usual this year. In addition to ROMA’s 10 nominations, COLD WAR received 3 nominations (WARNING…BIG PLUG AHEAD…COLD WAR is currently playing at THE NEON), NEVER LOOK AWAY has two nominations, and BORDER is nominated for “Best Makeup.” And speaking of foreign films (ANOTHER BIG PLUG), CAPERNAUM, one of my absolute favorites of 2018, opens this Friday at THE NEON.

WHO WILL WIN? The only way ROMA won’t win this year would be for “political” (aka Netflix) reasons. I feel pretty confident that it will win regardless. But if it doesn’t, the Oscar could go to GREEN BOOK – a film that despite some controversy, has received a lot of awards and admiration this season.

Neon Movies on Fifth Street. Photo by Lew Hann

As for our Oscar Screening Party...as always, it’s FREE! The Academy Awards will be screened in our large auditorium this Sunday, February 24 – and you could win awesome prizes throughout the night…including our grand prize from our friends at Square One Salon & Spa. Ballots are available in our lobby and must be turned in before the first award is presented. We hope you’ll join us! We’ll be seating as close as possible to 7:00pm for the pre-show.

Hope to see you soon at THE NEON,

Jonathan

Favorite Films of 2018!

December 31, 2018 By Russell Florence, Jr.

Usually writing about local theater for DMM, this time I turn to the movies and share my year end review:

10. The Hate U Give

Incredibly timely and relevant. Perhaps the most urgent, necessary film of the year in its ability to capture the frustration and anger of how many Americans feel today.

9, Widows
It’s special when a movie can be so full of shocking twists and turns you immediately strike up conversations with those around you to play detective. Brutal yet empowering and sharing a few similarities with The Hate U Give, Widows was pure edge-of-your-seat entertainment.

8. Boy Erased
Genuinely heartbreaking and particularly powerful in flashback. Lucas Hedges (kind enough to snap a photo with me when he appeared off-Broadway in Yen in 2017) continues to amaze and evolve as one of my favorite actors. And I hope Nicole Kidman’s parking lot epiphany will be a part of every lifetime achievement award montage she’ll have in the future.

7. A Star is Born
There was a time when everyone said Gaga was finished when her underrated Artpop tanked. Now, thanks to Bradley Cooper, she’s on the verge of an unstoppable, she-really-pulled-it-off-like-Jennifer Hudson-in-Dreamgirls march to the Oscars. And if that happens, in my heart, it’ll be because of her Liza Minnelli-in-Cabaret-esque rendition of “La Vie en Rose” and selling every single bit of her Whitney Houston-esque rendition of “I’ll Never Love Again” (and what a final close-up!)

6. BlackKklansman
Simply one of Spike Lee’s finest. The Charlottesville footage alone was an inspired touch and will likely help secure his first (and overdue) best director Oscar nomination.

5. Vice
Incredibly disturbing but walking the delicate balance between serious drama and full-throttle mockumentary with fluid finesse thanks to the terrifyingly believable Christian Bale and Amy Adams. And nothing beats the film’s bedtime Shakespeare salute and “fair and balanced” focus group!

4. Roma
Gorgeous storytelling featuring a department store reunion that managed to be one of the most frightening scenes of the year, conveying enormous history between two people in a matter of mere seconds.

3. The Favourite
What a darkly comedic romp! There’s always been talk of certain actors or actresses winning Oscars for the wrong films. An argument can be made for adding Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone to that list.

2. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Wasn’t it a good feeling, a very good feeling, to be reminded of how great kindness can be? As someone who grew up watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, this tear-jerking documentary was an undeniable treat, especially the moment everyone paused to think about one person who made a difference in their life.

1. Black Panther
All the stars aligned for this pop culture milestone that truly transcended cinema and surpassed Hollywood’s expectations. It also has the potential to receive at least 13 Oscar nominations thanks to its strengths in the technical categories. We shall see!

Honorable mentions:
A Quiet Place
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Bohemian Rhapsody
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Crazy Rich Asians
Eighth Grade
Every Act of Life
First Man
First Reformed
Green Book
Leave No Trace
Love, Simon
Mary Poppins Returns
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Mission Impossible: Fallout
RBG
White Boy Rick
The Wife
Wildlife
You Were Never Really Here

2018 titles I look forward to seeing in early 2019:
If Beale Street Could Talk
Ben is Back
Mary Queen of Scots
On the Basis of Sex

What were your favorites?

NEON Opening PUZZLE + Great NEON News!

August 28, 2018 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone!

We’re moving right along to wrap up one of the best summers on record at THE NEON. If you still need to see THE KING, Thursday will be your last chance to catch it with us. LEAVE NO TRACE and THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS will hold for another week, and we’ll open a new crowdpleaser – PUZZLE.

Synopsis for PUZZLE: “PUZZLE is a closely observed portrait of Agnes, who has reached her early 40s without ever venturing far from home, family or the tight-knit immigrant community in which she was raised by her widowed father. That begins to change in a quietly dramatic fashion when Agnes receives a jigsaw puzzle as a birthday gift and experiences the heady thrill of not only doing something she enjoys, but being very, very good at it. Stepping out of her domestic bubble to pursue her new hobby, Agnes meets Robert, a wealthy, reclusive inventor who immediately recognizes her talent and recruits her as his partner for an upcoming world jigsaw tournament. Each day she spends out in the world, puzzling and conversing with Robert, takes Agnes further along on the road to a new understanding of herself and her strengths.” Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

For all the details about numerous other NEON events and happenings, click this LINK to read our weekly newsletter.

Be sure to pay close attention to this weekend’s schedule – it includes a couple extra screenings on Labor Day!

We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Aug 28 – Thursday, Sept 6:

THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS (PG-13) 1 Hr 36 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 3:10, 7:40
Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon (Aug 31-Sep 3): 12:40, 5:15
Tue-Thu (Sep 4-6): 5:30

LEAVE NO TRACE (PG) 1 Hr 49 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 2:50, 5:20, 7:45
Fri & Sat (Aug 31 & Sep 1): 2:50, 7:30, 9:50
Sun (Sep 2): 7:30
Mon (Sep 3): 2:50, 7:30
Tue-Thu (Sep 4-6): 3:10, 7:45

THE KING (R) 1 Hr 47 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Aug 28-30): 5:00
FINAL DAY – Aug. 30!

PUZZLE (R) 1 Hr 43 Min
Friday & Saturday (Aug 31 & Sep 1): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday & Monday (Sep 2 & 3): 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20
Tuesday – Thursday (Sep 3-6): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

DR. FROM INDIA (NR) 1 Hr 29 Min + Discussion & Meditation
Sunday (Sep 2): 3:00

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
Sept 7 – JULIET, NAKED
Sept 14 – THE WIFE
Sept 21 – FAHRENHEIT 11/9
Sept 21 – LOVE GILDA
Oct 12 – THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN

YOUNG KARL MARX, THE INSULT and OSCARS Galore at THE NEON!

February 28, 2018 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone!

This has been an incredibly strong Oscar Season at THE NEON. We brought you THE FLORIDA PROJECT, FACES PLACES, LADY BIRD and THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI before the holidays. Then we brought THE SHAPE OF WATER, DARKEST HOUR, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, PHANTOM THREAD, I, TONYA and all the OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS. It’s been one nominee to next…and Sunday will give us the winners!

We’re squeezing in two films that we initially didn’t think we’d have room to program. On Friday, we’ll open THE INSULT (a brilliant courtroom drama that’s nominated for “Best Foreign Film” at the Academy Awards) and THE YOUNG KARL MARX (for which A.O. Scott of The New York Times just wrote a glowing review). Audiences loved FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL, so we’ll hold it for limited screenings along with I, TONYA for one more week. If you still need to see the ANIMATED or LIVE ACTION OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS, Thursday will be your last chance to catch them at THE NEON! And don’t forget about our FREE OSCAR PARTY this Sunday (more details below).

Synopsis for THE INSULT: Nominated for “Best Foreign Film” at this year’s Academy Awards! “In today’s Beirut, an insult blown out of proportion finds Tony (Adel Karam), a Lebanese Christian, and Yasser (Kamel El Basha), a Palestinian refugee in court.” A.O. Scott of THE NEW YORK TIMES wrote, “There is something undeniably exhilarating about the film’s honest assessment of the never-ending conflict between decency and cruelty that rages in every nation, neighborhood and heart.” Click THIS LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Synopsis for THE YOUNG KARL MARX: “In the mid-1800s, after decades ofthe scientific and economic marchof the Industrial Revolution has created an age of both new prosperity and new problems, a 26-year-old writer, researcher andradical namedKarl Marx embarks,with his wife Jenny,on the road to exile. In Paris in 1844 they meet young Friedrich Engels, the well-to-do son of a factory owner whose studies and research has exposed the poor wages and worse conditions of the new English working class who operate looms, printing presses and other engines of industry that enrich their owners while punishing laborers. The smooth and sophisticated – but equally revolutionary and radical – Engels brings his research, help and resources to provide Marx with the missing piece to the puzzle that composes his new vision of the world.” A.O. Scott of The New York Times wrote that the film is, “Both intellectually serious and engagingly free-spirited.”

It’s Almost OSCAR Time! This Sunday, you’re invited to THE NEON’s Annual Oscar Viewing Party! The pre-show begins at 7pm, and we will begin seating as close to 7pm as possible. (The actual Oscar ceremony traditionally begins at 8:30.) Completed ballots (which are now available in our lobby) must be turned in before the first Oscar is given. YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIZES. You can reserve a spot and your place in line by dropping off your ballot when we open our doors on Sunday, March 4. One Ballot/Reservation Per Person! We’ll have fantastic prizes all night long, and our grand prize will once again be donated by our friends at Square One Salon & Spa with additional prizes from Always Ballroom and James Apesos M.D.

SAVE THE DATE! On March 22, Cliff Fawcett is bringing back the wildly successful PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL (formerly known as THE REEL PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL). This festival of short films that all take place on waterways around the world has garnered quite a following. More details soon!

Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see you this weekend,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Feb. 27 – Thursday, March 8:

I, TONYA (R) 2 Hrs
Tuesday-Thursday (Feb 27-Mar 1): 5:10
Friday & Saturday (Mar 2 & 3): 11:50, 4:50, 9:40
Sunday (Mar 4):11:50, 4:50
Monday-Thursday (Mar 5-8): 5:10

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS: ANIMATION (NR) 1 Hr 23 Min
Tuesday (Feb 27): 3:15, 7:30
Wednesday & Thursday (Feb 28 & Mar 1): 5:20
FINAL DAY – March 1

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS: LIVE ACTION (NR) 1 Hr 39 Min
Tuesday (Feb 27): 5:15
Wednesday & Thursday (Feb 28 & Mar 1): 3:15, 7:30
FINAL DAY – March 1

FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL (R) 1 Hr 45 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Feb 27-Mar 1): 3:00, 7:40
Friday & Saturday (Mar 2 & 3): 2:30, 7:20
Sunday (Mar 4): 2:30
Monday-Thursday (Mar 5-8): 3:00, 7:40

THE YOUNG KARL MARX (NR) 1 Hr 58 Min
Friday & Saturday (Mar 2 & 3): 2:10, 7:20, 9:50
Sunday (Mar 4): 2:10, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (Mar 5-8): 2:50, 7:50

THE INSULT (NR) 1 Hr 53 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (Mar 2-4): 11:40, 4:50
Monday-Thursday (Mar 5-8): 5:20

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
March 9 – THE PARTY
March 16 – A FANTASTIC WOMAN
April 6 – ISLE OF DOGS
April 6 – LOVELESS
April 20 – FOXTROT
April 27 – YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
May 18 – RBG
TBD – THE DEATH OF STALIN
TBD – LEISURE SEEKER

FilmDayton To Host Screenwriting Workshop

December 22, 2017 By Dayton Most Metro

FilmDayton will present a 3 hour screenwriting workshop hosted by Screenwriting Staffing’s founder, Jacob N. Stuart on Tuesday, January 23rd starting at 6:30pm at the Dayton Metro Library. This class is open to anyone interested in writing for film, age 16 and older.

Pixar’s films, while always predictable, are box office successes — that know how to make us laugh, love, and cry in 90 minutes. There story beats have proven to work. Blake Snyder, the author of Save The Cat, has also alluded to the same adage. Many major studios use his book as a template on all major films.

The workshop will discuss all the major story beats: Opening Image, Theme Stated, Set-up, Catalyst, Debate. Break into Two, B Story, Fun & Games, Midpoint, All is Lost, Dark Night, Break into Three, Finale, Final Image.

Once you understand what works, you’ll learn how to break the rules.
You can’t write a blockbuster until you know how to format a script. Using David Trottier’s best-selling book, The Screenwriter’s Bible, we will breakdown each element of formatting an industry-standard script. We will go back and forth from softwares Final Draft and WriterDuet. We will also compare spec scripts vs shooting scripts.

Now that we have a formatted script, it’s time to cut. Having a formatted script will open the doors, but it’s not enough to create a sell. We will discuss how to pare down your prose to have a quick and easy read. White space is king. Say more with fewer words. How to keep the reader “reading”. How to manipulate “formatting” procedure to make your script read faster.

We will discuss Scott Myers (Trojan War, K-9) “writing scene description, think poetry instead of prose” theory. Maximum impact, minimum word. The great thing about screenwriting is we are not slaves to grammar. Our goal as a screenwriter is to convey our message visually, period. But, it’s not as easy (and lazy) as it sounds.

Now that we understand these notes, we will review 4 scripts that I believe nail this formula brilliantly (note: we will not review the actual movie, just the spec script): Whiplash, Slow West, Annabelle, & The Visitor. I’m a firm believer reading screenplays is more important than watching films, if you are a screenwriter.

We will spend our last hour discussing: how to sell your work outside of Hollywood, navigating your way through the screenplay contest/film festival world, writing for the low-budget, indie film world, utilizing the new wave of streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube Red, Facebook, etc), how to write a compelling query letter, the types of industry pros to network with, finding paid screenwriting work, and how to use social media to your benefit.

Jacob N. Stuart is an award-winning screenwriter, with over 20 scripts optioned and/or produced to screen, airing in over 10 different countries. His films have appeared in over 45 film festivals. He has taught screenwriting professionally at the Hollywood International Film Academy, was a longtime contributor with Creative Screenwriting Magazine and Screenwriting Standard, has spoke extensively at film seminars and film festivals across the country, including Universe Multicultural Film Festival, San Diego International Kids’ Film Festival, WriteStuff Writers Conference, among many more, and was previously the Screenplay Contest Director for the Cincinnati Film Festival. He graduated from The Los Angeles Film School in 2010, with a concentration in Screenwriting. He is currently a Board Member at the Historic Plaza Theatre in downtown Miamisburg.

Jacob is most notably known for being the Founder ofScreenwritingStaffing.com, an online screenwriting community that has facilitated over 150 screenplay sales, options, representations, and collaborations. For more on Jacob: www.imdb.me/jacobnstuart

Seminar is $40 for FilmDayton Members, $75 for nonmembers.
Register by 12/31/17 and save $5. Ticketing will be live on 12/19/17.

Online registration here.

Brilliant FACES PLACES Among Jonathan’s Favorites Coming to THE NEON!

December 13, 2017 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone!

We have had a terrific year with many big successes. Our two current attractions are garnering a lot of raves from critics and audiences alike, and I still hear people talking about other films from earlier this year like MAUDIE, THE BIG SICK, FLORIDA PROJECT, THEIR FINEST, I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO, and LOVING VINCENT (we still intent to bring this film back for a handful of shows when we can squeeze them in). Thus it might be hard to believe that the best films of the year are still on their way to THE NEON. Among them is a little gem called FACES PLACES. If you’ve been here in the past month, you’ve seen the trailer for this enchanting and uplifting documentary. It will open this Friday and play for just one week! Don’t miss it! On Thursday of next week, we will have preview screenings of THE SHAPE OF WATER (one of the absolute best films of the year – and certain to be a “Best Picture” contender) and DARKEST HOUR (almost certain to win an Oscar for Gary Oldman).

Many folks have been asking lately for my favorites of the year. 4 films immediately come to mind. Films that stood out that I can’t stop thinking about…and can’t wait to see again. FACES PLACES is one of them. The other three haven’t yet played anywhere around us but will soon be on their way – THE SHAPE OF WATER, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME and A FANTASTIC WOMAN. I’ll be sure to keep you in the loop.

Synopsis for FACES, PLACES: “89-year old Agnes Varda, one of the leading figures of the French New Wave, and acclaimed 33 year-old French photographer and muralist JR teamed up to co-direct this enchanting documentary/road movie. Kindred spirits, Varda and JR share a lifelong passion for images and how they are created, displayed and shared. Together they travel around the villages of France in JR’s photo truck meeting locals, learning their stories and producing epic-size portraits of them. The photos are prominently displayed on houses, barns, storefronts and trains revealing the humanity in their subjects, and themselves. FACES PLACES documents these heart-warming encounters as well as the unlikely, tender friendship they formed along the way.” Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

If you need gift-giving ideas for the film lover in your life, we’ve got you covered. NEON gift certificates are available at our box office in denominations of $5 and $10. We also just got in a new batch of NEON t-shirts with our slogan “Good To The Last Frame” on the back. Hurry in and get ’em while you can!

We also are helping The Rubi Girls by selling their annual wall calendar. The Rubi Girls are a charity-driven comedic drag troupe in town, and 100% of all calendar sales will go back to The Rubi Girls and the causes they champion. Calendars are $15 each or 2 for $20.

Our FAMILY HOLIDAY FILM SERIES has just one film left. Admission is free for children 12 and under, and general admission is just $2. This Saturday, December 16 at Noon, we’ll wrap up the series with HOME ALONE – can you believe this comedy classic starring Macaulay Culkin is already 27 years old?!? Tickets are first come, first serve – available 45 minutes before the screening.

Mark your calendars and please help spread the word. CHAVELA, a beautiful, award-winning documentary about Mexican singer Chavela Vargas, will have two special screenings in late January. On Saturday and Sunday, January 27 & 28 at Noon, director Daresha Kyi (who grew up in Dayton and graduated from The Miami Valley School) will present her documentary and participate in a Q&A. Ticketing details will be available soon. To learn more about the film, please click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

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

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Dec. 12 – Thursday, Dec. 21:

LADY BIRD (R) 1 Hr 33 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Dec 12-14): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
Friday (Dec 15): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Saturday (Dec 16): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday (Dec 17): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
Monday-Wednesday (Dec 18-20): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
Thursday (Dec 21): 3:00, 5:10
FINAL DAY – Dec. 21!

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE… (R) 1 Hr 55 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Dec 12-14): 2:50, 5:15, 7:40
Friday & Saturday (Dec 15 & 16): 12:20, 5:00, 7:30, 9:55
Sunday (Dec 17): 2:20, 5:00, 7:30
Monday-Wednesday (Dec 18-20): 5:00, 7:30
Thursday (Dec 21): 5:00
FINAL DAY – Dec. 21!

FACES, PLACES (PG) 1 Hr 29 Min
Friday-Thursday (Dec 15-21): 3:00
Final Day – Dec. 21!

THE SHAPE OF WATER (R) 1 Hr 59 Min
Thursday (Dec 21): 7:30 – Preview Screening!

DARKEST HOUR (PG-13) 2 Hrs 5 Min
Thursday (Dec 21): 7:40 – Preview Screening!

HOME ALONE (PG) 1 Hr 43 Min
Saturday (Dec 16): Noon

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
Dec. 21 – SHAPE OF WATER
Dec. 21 – DARKEST HOUR
TBD Possibilities – NOVITIATE, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, PHANTOM THREAD,
FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL, A FANTASTIC WOMAN,

and the return of LOVING VINCENT

2 Big Hits at THE NEON – LADY BIRD & THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

December 5, 2017 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone!

The weekend after Thanksgiving is usually pretty soft at the box office…but not for us this year at THE NEON. Many thanks to all of you who have come to support our two big hits! Both LADY BIRD (which is now the best reviewed films ever on the RottenTomatoes site) and THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI will stick around for another week! Visit each film’s official site be clicking the links above. You can watch the trailers here:

If you haven’t been to THE NEON after dark in the past several days, you may not have seen that our parking lot has undergone some significant lighting work. We know you’ll feel even better about parking your car there after sundown. Many thanks to the City of Dayton and the Convention Center for seeing to these improvements!

If you need gift-giving ideas for the film lover in your life, we’ve got you covered. NEON Gift Certificates are available at our box office in denominations of $5 and $10. We also just got in a new batch of NEON t-shirts with our slogan “Good To The Last Frame” on the back. Hurry in and get ’em while you can!

Our FAMILY HOLIDAY FILM SERIES was off to a nice start this past weekend, and we still have two more family-friendly films to go. Admission is free for children 12 and under, and general admission is just $2. This Saturday, December 9 at Noon, we’ll watch the holiday classic – MIRACLE ON 34th STREET – starring a young Natalie Wood. On December 16 at Noon, we’ll wrap up the series with HOME ALONE – can you believe this comedy classic starring Macaulay Culkin is already 27 years old?!? Tickets are first come, first serve – available 45 minutes before each screening.

Though our two current attractions are much-loved and doing great business, I’m excited even more for films yet to come. THE SHAPE OF WATER, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, FACES PLACES and FANTASTIC WOMAN are favorite films of the year…and they’re still coming down the pike.

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

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, Dec. 5 – Thursday, Dec. 14:

LADY BIRD (R) 1 Hr 33 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Dec 5-7): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
Friday (Dec 8): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Saturday (Dec 9): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday (Dec 10): 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (Dec 11-14): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE… (R) 1 Hr 55 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (Dec 4-7): 2:50, 5:15, 7:40
Friday & Saturday (Dec 8 & 9): 11:40, 2:15, 4:50, 7:30, 9:55
Sunday (Dec 10): 11:40, 2:15, 4:50, 7:30
Monday-Thursday (Dec 11-14): 2:50, 5:15, 7:40

MIRACLE ON 34th STREET (NR) 1 Hr 37 Min
Saturday (Dec 9): Noon

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
Dec. 22 – SHAPE OF WATER
Dec. 22 – DARKEST HOUR
TBD Possibilities –
FACES PLACES
NOVITIATE
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
PHANTOM THREAD
The Return of LOVING VINCENT

NEON Manager Preparing For Toronto International Film Festival

September 4, 2017 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone,

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

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

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

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

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