Hello Everyone!

This Friday marks the start of the sweet and quirky new film  JULES - starring Ben Kingsley, Jane Curtin and Harriet Sansom Harris.  BARBIE will stick around for a 5th (and likely final) week, and  THEATER CAMP will end its run on Sunday afternoon. And don't forget that  GOLDA, with an incredible central performance by Helen MIrren, opens next Thursday evening (tickets are available now).

It's already been 2 weeks since we switched over to a new website and new point of sale in our lobby (a new app will be available very, very soon, too). There's still a lot to learn, but overall, the response has been quite positive. If you haven't already signed in on our new site, then you can "claim" your email address in the system. Just go to our website, click the little person icon in the upper-right corner, click "register," and then click "existing account." This will prompt a message to go to your email account where you can "claim" it and start earning free popcorn with our rewards program. You can even purchase a membership and start saving money on traditional engagements while helping our bottom line! Check it all out at  neonmovies.com

"Open Caption Mondays" continue to be well-received. On Monday, Aug. 21, BARBIE and JULES will be presented with Open Captions (captions presented on the screen). As a reminder, seating is no longer assigned on Mondays-Thursdays for traditional engagements.

Synopsis for  JULES: "JULES follows Milton (Ben Kingsley) who lives a quiet life of routine in a small western Pennsylvania town, but finds his day upended when a UFO and its extra-terrestrial passenger crash land in his backyard. Before long, Milton develops a close relationship with the extra-terrestrial he calls “Jules.” Things become complicated when two neighbors (Harriet Sansom Harris and Jane Curtin) discover Jules and the government quickly closes in. What follows is a funny, wildly inventive ride as the three neighbors find meaning and connection later in life - thanks to this unlikely stranger." (Bleecker Street) 

A note from Dana Graham, founder and creative director of Scripted In Black: "Summer is here, and so is the need for more entertainment, community, and high-vibe events for the culture. We're pleased to announce the return of our 3rd Annual Movie Night series. But this time, we’re back, better, and with a new name! Formerly known as SIB Movie Nights at our host location THE NEON, the new and improved Reel Culture Films: Summer Movie Series will be expanding to three different locations across Montgomery and Clark counties. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we are also now able to offer these cinematic experiences at absolutely no cost to attendees! You read it right, for free! We will be showing Spike Lee’s innovative take on adolescence CROOKLYN at THE NEON on August 27th at 4:00pm. The Social Hour (2:30-3:30) will feature delicious and soul satisfying food from Baldhead Tone's Food Truck and an outside Summer vibe of nostalgia and togetherness right here in the heart of downtown Dayton." (Scripted In Black) Admission will be first come, first serve on the day of the screening.

Board Member Megan Smith has been helping THE NEON build on the popularity of our "Date Night Series" (the last one sold out!!) with a nostalgic end-of-summer flick - ROMANCING THE STONE. The film follows a romance novelist who travels to Columbia to search for her missing sister while simultaneously searching for priceless treasure alongside an American adventurer. Come early for Colombian food on the patio with Dayton's EL MAPALE and live music from Dayton resident/Colombian musician Anthony Sanchez. We'll also have some 'stones' and 'jewels' for sale from Dayton jewelry makers. Tickets are on sale now for $10 each (reserve your seats today)! The movie screens Wednesday, August 30 at 7:30. Come early - 5:30-7:30 pm - for food, drinks, music, and fun! 

ROMANCING THE STONE Trivia: In 1984, Romancing the Stone was the eighth-highest-grossing film of the year. It won the Golden Globe for best comedy or Musical, and Kathleen Turner took home the Globe for best actress in a Comedy or Musical. Studio executives were so sure this film would flop that Robert Zemeckis was pre-emptively fired from directing Cocoon (1985). It turned out to be such a success that Zemeckis was able to go forward on his own project, Back to the Future (1985).

THE NEON is delighted to bring the latest edition of CatVideoFest to town - a compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic internet powerhouses. CatVideoFest is a joyous communal experience, only available in theaters, and raises money for cats in need through partnerships with local cat charities, animal welfare organizations, and shelters to best serve cats in the area. For our screening, 10% of ticket sales will go to Humane Society of Greater Dayton! This screening is set for Saturday, Sept. 2 at Noon. Tickets are $10 each and on sale now!

"SOFA, SO GOOD is a feature length absurdist comedy about two cousins (Jake and Red) moving their couch across Dayton, Ohio, without a car. Encountering an array of obstacles along the journey, Jake and Red, in pursuit of a more comfortable life, carry their couch across the city. Danger and folly ensue. SOFA, SO GOOD was written in 2019, by the Thiele Brothers (Kyle, Eli, and Cole). Set to film in 2020, with a full crew, the world took a new turn, and the crew was reduced to the Thiele brothers, sound guy, Rusty Pietrzak, along with the two lead characters played by Dayton artists, Joseph Jeffries and Yahel Pack. Additional local supporting actors joined the production journey. The Thiele brothers have made shorts before, showcasing at Austin Film Festival and Hollyshorts; however this was our first feature film for the three brothers who wanted to undertake this project together as a team." Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7:30 - Tickets $12.00 - available now!

FLINT: THE POISONING OF AN AMERICAN CITY traces the timeline of the city’s interaction with the Flint River-from the continued abuse and neglect of both city infrastructure and environmental regulations, to subsequent population decline, through to Michigan’s 2013 appointing of outside emergency managers. This poisonous mix of factors created a crisis which resulted in record high levels of lead in the drinking water of the city. This film explores the critical question of how this could happen in American. A recent report found that 5,300 American cites were found to be in violation of federal lead rules. The Directors of the film and environmental educators in our community will be available after the film for a brief conversation with the audience. This film is a being brought to the community via a grant received by Kathy Rowell, Professor of Sociology at Sinclair. The first 100 attendees will receive a free small bag of popcorn (thanks to generous support of the office of Diversity at Sinclair Community College). For more information, email Kathy Rowell at katherine.rowell@sinclair.edu. You can reserve a FREE spot for this screening at this LINK.

ENCORE SCREENING - Sunday, Sept. 17 at 5pm. "1 946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE is a feature documentary that follows the story of tireless researchers who trace the origins of the anti-gay movement among Christians to a grave mistranslation of the Bible in 1946. It chronicles the discovery of never-before-seen archives at Yale University which unveil astonishing new revelations, and casts significant doubt on any biblical basis for LGBTQIA+ prejudice. While other documentaries have been successful in their attempt to treat the symptom of homophobia in the church, 1946 is working to diagnose and treat the disease - Biblical Literalism." This film is being sponsored by The Welcoming Place: Counseling and Coaching, LLC - Owner/Counselor: Charles A. Roberts, LPCC-S.  With this sponsorship in place, tickets are only $3 each! 

"Preschool Promise has partnered with the creators of the award-winning documentary  BLACK BOYS to bring this powerful film to the Greater Dayton community and to spark conversation about positive changes that we can all make when we work together. This film shows what’s possible when we see Black boys and men in a different light and work to see equity from a new lens. BLACK BOYS, directed by Sonia Lowman, illuminates the spectrum of black male humanity in America. An intimate, inter-generational exploration, BLACK BOYS strives for insight into black identity and opportunity at the nexus of sports, education and criminal justice. The film elevates an urgent and timely reckoning on identity, opportunity and equity to reimagine success for Black males in America while also touching on their vulnerability and resilience in the face of dehumanization. Enjoy this powerful film at 10:00 A.M. on September 30. You can reserve a spot and find out more by clicking this  LINK.

Tickets are now on sale for the 5th in our series in partnership with Dayton Art Institute & Exhibition On Screen! "From award-winning director Phil Grabsky comes this fresh new look at arguably the world’s favorite artist – through his own words. Using letters and other private writings  I, CLAUDE MONET reveals new insight into the man who not only painted the picture that gave birth to impressionism but who was perhaps the most influential and successful painter of the 19th and early 20th centuries." Sunday, Oct. 1 at 5:00 - tickets $12.50 - available now!