Hello Everyone!

Audiences are loving THE TASTE OF THINGS as well as the LIVE ACTION and ANIMATED OSCAR SHORTS...so they're sticking around for another week.  In addition, we'll offer one daily screening of the DOCUMENTARY OSCAR SHORTS for one week - which is interestingly the most uplifting package of the bunch! If you still need to see THE ZONE OF INTEREST, Thursday will be your last chance to catch it at THE NEON.

Many of you have been asking if we'll be hosting a party on March 10 -Hollywood's Big Night .   The answer is yes (this will be my 23rd year hosting such a party)...and as always, admission is FREE!  More details and ballots are available in our lobby.

Starts Friday! Synopsis for OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS - DOCUMENTARY: For the 19th consecutive year, ShortsTV and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated Short Films - your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool)! A perennial hit with audiences around the country and the world, don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts. All five Oscar nominees for "BEST SHORT FILM: DOCUMENTARY" are set to hit our screen starting Friday, Feb. 23 - for One Week Only!  Here are the nominees:
Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó– Sean Wang and Sam Davis, 17 min., USA (in Mandarin)
THE BARBER OF LITTLE ROCK – John Hoffman and Christine Turner, 35 min., USA (in English)
ISLAND IN BETWEEN – S. Leo Chiang and Jean Tsien, 20 min., Taiwan (in English/Mandarin)
THE ABC'S OF BOOK BANNING – Sheila Nevins and Trish Adlesic, 27 min., USA (in English)
THE LAST REPAIR SHOP – Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers, 39 min., USA (in English)
This package of films is "Not Rated" but would essentially be PG-13...and is the most uplifting package of short films this year!

Victor Bonacore is bringing back "Cult Movie Night" and proud to present the local classic, Kung-Fu epic TREASURE OF THE NINJA from Dayton filmmaker William X. Lee.  "Throughout the 1980s, black filmmaker and martial artist William X. Lee wrote, produced, directed, and starred in dozens of D.I.Y. action epics, all shot on Super 8 here in Ohio.  TREASURE OF THE NINJA, Lee’s most ambitious and beloved movie, follows Magneta Faze (Lee) who defends Ohio against the evil El Kazi and his ninja army.  The film has garnered a strong cult following, featuring strong women characters and a killer synth-based soundtrack, this explosive movie is an inspiration to anyone with a dream, pulse, or appreciation for spinning kicks!  William grew up in Dayton and still makes films here today, continuing to add to his impressive and extensive career in low budget cult action films.   William is also the author of the book  SERIOUSLY BRO, IDGAF: THE JOURNEY OF THE WORLD’S ANGRIEST INDEPENDENT BLACK FILMMAKER.
Local organization “Scripted in Black” will be hosting and conducting a live Q & A with the director after the film!  Presented by Cult Movie Night and local comic book publication Blood Scream Comics!" (taken from press notes)  Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7:30.  Tickets are $13 each - available now!

Local filmmaker Joshua Matthieu has rented our space to premiere his new film. "Four teens go camping at an abandoned scout camp for some late summer camping. Come nightfall, they start getting picked off one by one by the Rake. Andy (JM Ward) and Lauren (Corinne Tiernan) have to fight to stay alive and make their way out of the woods before it’s too late. THE RAKE was produced by Alpha-Marshall Productions and directed by Joshua Matthieu. Join us at THE NEON on February 29th at 7:30pm for the premiere of THE RAKE. Then, stick around until after the showing for a meet and greet with the cast and crew. Tickets are $10 each and available now. Proceeds will go into making more fun films in the future." (taken from press notes)

TICKETS ARE FLYING! We're delighted to bring back the "Exhibition On Screen" series, in partnership with The Dayton Art Institute.  And as we start to think of Spring, we have the perfect documentary for the first Sunday in March - PAINTING THE MODERN GARDEN: MONET TO MATISSE .  Join us for this one time event with a post-screening discussion from our friends at DAI on Sunday, March 3 at 5:00. Tickets are $12.50 each and available now. "Claude Monet was an avid horticulturist and arguably the most important painter of gardens in the history of art, but he was not alone. Great artists like Van Gogh, Bonnard, Sorolla, Sargent, Pissarro and Matisse all saw the garden as a powerful subject for their art. These great artists, along with many other famous names, feature in an innovative and extensive exhibition from The Royal Academy of Arts, London." (Exhibition On Screen)

The cult classic THE ROOM and special guest Greg Sestero (actor from THE ROOM and author of THE DISASTER ARTIST) are heading back to THE NEON. For the past two years, this event has sold out very quickly!  It will screen Thursday, March 14 at 7:30, and tickets are $22 - on sale now! Grab your friends (and your spoons), it's gonna be another fun-filled night! 

Tommy Wiseau is so glad that THE ROOM is coming back to Dayton that he's decided to hold the Ohio Premiere of his new film BIG SHARK directly following our screening of THE ROOM!  Tickets for the 10pm screening on March 14 are $20 each and are now on sale!  Tommy just sent us a new trailer - so you'll want to check it out. I have a feeling we're gonna be in for a wild ride! Tickets are already flying!

THE PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL is an international adventure film tour presenting the world’s best paddling films of the year – whitewater, sea kayaking, canoeing, SUP, action and lifestyle – in more than 120 cities and towns across Canada, United States and around the world. This year's edition is once again sponsored by Massie Creek Paddlers and Tomfoolery Outdoors!  One Night Only - Thursday, March 28 at 7:30.  Tickets are $12.50 each.

Thank you for all of your support!

Hope to see you soon,

Jonathan

THE ZONE OF INTEREST (PG-13) 1 Hr 45 Min
Wednesday (Feb 21): 2:50, 7:30
Thursday (Feb 22): 2:50
FINAL DAY - Feb. 22!

THE TASTE OF THINGS (PG-13) 2 Hrs 15 Min
Wed & Thu (Feb 21 & 22): 3:30, 7:15
Fri, Sat, Sun (Feb 23-25): 1:15, 7:20
Mon & Tue (Feb 26 & 27): 3:30
Wed & Thu (Feb 28 & 29): 7:15

OSCAR SHORTS: LIVE ACTION (NR – essentially “R”) 2 Hrs 20 Min
Wednesday & Thursday: No Screenings
Fri, Sat, Sun (Feb 23-25): 2:30, 7:10
Mon & Tue (Feb 26 & 27): 5:00
Wed (Feb 28): 2:30, 7:10
Thu (Feb 29): 2:30

OSCAR SHORTS: ANIMATION (NR – essentially “R”) 1 Hr 20 Min
Wednesday & Thursday: 5:15
Fri, Sat, Sun (Feb 23-25): 12:30, 5:15
Mon & Tue (Feb 26 & 27): 3:00, 7:45
Wed & Thu (Feb 28 & 29): 5:15

Cult Movie: TREASURE OF THE NINJA (NR) 1 Hr 46 Min + Q&A
Thursday (Feb 22): 7:30

OSCAR SHORTS: DOCUMENTARY (“PG-13”) 2 Hrs 21 Min
Fri, Sat, Sun (Feb 23-25): 4:15
Mon & Tue (Feb 26 & 27): 7:15
Wed & Thu (Feb 28 & 29): 3:30

THE RAKE (NR) 45 Min + Q&A
Thursday (Feb 29): 7:30