Hello Everyone!

We've got a surprise for you this weekend.  We didn't initially think we'd have room for ON SWIFT HORSES, but it turns out that we do!  This 1950's period drama about gambling, love affairs, and self discovery has some beautiful performances at its core with Jacob Elordi, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Will Poulter. If you still need to see THE FRIEND or ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO, Thursday will be your last chance to catch them at THE NEON.  THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND will stick around for one more week.  (And tonight is your last chance to catch PRIDE & PREJUDICE - 20th Anniversary!)

Next Friday, we plan to bring THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA as well as some shows of CHEECH & CHONG'S LAST MOVIE. Click the titles to watch each film's trailer.

As the world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, it's hard not to think of the Conclave that will soon be underway in Vatican City.  Megan, one of our Board members at THE NEON, suggested that we bring back the Oscar-winning film CONCLAVE (it won "Best Adapted Screenplay" and was nominated for 7 others including "Best Picture")...so we're doing just that.  Next weekend, we'll have three screenings. Tickets are on sale HERE.

"Open Caption Mondays" are a hit and much appreciated by many of our regulars.  On Monday, April 28, our screenings of THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND & ON SWIFT HORSES will be presented with Open Captions (aka - captions presented on the screen).

Synopsis for ON SWIFT HORSES: "Muriel and her husband Lee are beginning a bright new life in California when he returns from the Korean War. But their newfound stability is upended by the arrival of Lee’s charismatic brother, Julius, a wayward gambler with a secret past. A dangerous love triangle quickly forms. When Julius takes off in search of the young card cheat he’s fallen for, Muriel’s longing for something more propels her into a secret life of her own, gambling on racehorses and exploring a love she never dreamed possible." (Sony Classics)

LONG LONESOME HIGHWAY:
THE STORY OF MICHAEL PARKS

THIS WEEKEND! With visiting filmmaker and Middletown native Josh Roush.

Check out the locally written article by Brandon Berry HERE.

LONG LONESOME HIGHWAY: THE STORY OF MICHAEL PARKS is an unflinching and intimate portrait of the life and career of actor Michael Parks, a man whose journey through the Hollywood system was as unpredictable and unique as the roles he portrayed. Once dubbed “the greatest living actor” by Quentin Tarrantino, Michael’s career swung the pendulum between the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. When “discovered” by Lew Wasserman, Michael starred in some of the biggest blockbusters of the time, however, when he bit the hand that fed him, Wasserman had him relegated to TV, and later to having no career at all.

Read more at the ticketing link below.  Tickets are $12.50 each.

SAT, APR 26 | NOON

WSU BIG LENS
STUDENT FILM SHOWCASE

SOLD OUT! The BIG LENS Student Showcase celebrates the fearless creativity of student dramatic, comedic, and genre-bending experimental short films made by emerging filmmakers at the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures at Wright State University. BIG LENS is your front-row seat to the next wave of cinematic voices redefining the art of storytelling. Note: some films contain adult content.  Tickets are $12.50 each.

THU, MAY 1 | 7:30

OREGON STORIES

A FEW TICKETS REMAIN! Join the Oregon Historic District Society & filmmaker John Bognar and John Mayes for a special screening of OREGON STORIES - a documentary created in 2007 chronicling the rollicking history of Dayton’s Historic Oregon District...focuses on the period of renewal in the 1970’s when urban pioneers saved one of Dayton’s most unique neighborhoods. Full of great tales of people who lived it, OREGON STORIES brings history to life with a rich cast of characters and raises important contemporary questions about the nature of community.
The movie will be followed by a discussion with filmmaker John Bognar, some of the visionary pioneers featured in the film, and current residents who continue to make Oregon the special place it is today. Tickets are $12 each.

SUN, MAY 4 | 3:00

STIVERS SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS DIGITAL CINEMA: THE SHOWCASE

Get ready for an evening of cinematic creativity from Stivers School for the Arts! On May 8th, 2025, at 7:30pm, join us for a one-night-only special event showcasing short films from our talented Digital Cinema students. These aspiring filmmakers will entertain you with their unique stories and stunning visuals. After the screening, stick around to meet the creative minds behind the magic—our passionate student directors, writers, and cinematographers. This is your chance to support the next generation of auteurs while enjoying a night of fresh, original entertainment. Don’t miss out—grab your tickets now for this exclusive peek into the future of film! Tickets are $5 each.

THU, MAY 8 | 7:30

JANIS IAN: BREAKING SILENCE

Join us for a special, one-time screening of this wonderful new documentary.
"In 1965, Janis Ian, a 14-year-old singer-songwriter from New Jersey, wrote “Society’s Child” about an interracial relationship. Recorded and released a year later, the song launched Ian's career, but its subject matter ignited controversy, even resulting in death threats. The fallout plunged Ian into an emotional tailspin–and yet a few years later she emerged from the ashes with an even bigger hit, “At Seventeen.”  Over six decades, Janis Ian gained ten Grammy nominations in eight different categories, saw her song “Stars” recorded by such luminaries as Nina Simone and Cher, and overcame homophobia, misogyny, and a life-threatening illness to produce an indelible body of work that continues to draw audiences around the globe. Featuring Janis Ian, Joan Baez, Jean Smart, Arlo Guthrie, Lily Tomlin, and Tom Paxton, among other icons."
Tickets are $12.50 each.

SAT, MAY 10 | NOON

DAYTON BLACK WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL 2025

TICKETS MOVING QUICKLY! Celebrating films made by Black women from Dayton and around the world, this is the 2nd year for DAYTON BLACK WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL...and it is growing quickly!

Three ticketed events will be hosted at THE NEON and are already on sale!  (The festival's official website is coming soon!)

OPENING NIGHT - Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 - Dayton's premiere of Brittany Shyne's SEEDS.  Click HERE to learn more and buy tickets.

SATURDAY SHORTS - Saturday, May 17 at Noon - a curated collection of short films including the Dayton premiere of Aisha Ford's BROWNIES. Click HERE to learn more and buy tickets.

AWARDS + LOVE & BASKETBALL - Sunday, May 18 at 5:00.  2 special presentations, 2 Awards and a 25th anniversary screening of LOVE & BASKETBALL. Click HERE to learn more and buy tickets.

NE ZHE 2

3 Special Screening! We've had a few requests to play this Chinese animated film that has been breaking records all over the world. NE ZHA 2 is currently #5 of the highest grossing films of all time (and the #1 highest grossing animated film of all time)...and it's still going.  "Following the Tribulation, although the souls of Ne Zha and Ao Bing were preserved, their physical bodies will soon be destroyed. Tai Yi Zhen Ren plans to use the Seven Colored Lotus to reshape their physical forms, but encounters numerous difficulties. What will become of Ne Zha and Ao Bing?" Join us for special screenings of this record-breaking film in late May!
Tickets are $12.50 each.

SAT, MAY 24 | NOON
SUN, MAY 25 | NOON
TUE, MAY 27 | 7:30

NEON NOSTALGIA NIGHT:
O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?

TICKETS MOVING QUICKLY! Our Spring NEON Nostalgia Night is going to be a fun one with a Coen Brothers classic - O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? 
On Thursday, May 29, join us on our patio starting at 6:00 - with live Bluegrass music, á la carte Moonshine cocktails & savory eats from our friends at Salt Block Biscuit.  Then at 7:30, the movie starts! "Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) is having difficulty adjusting to his hard-labor sentence in Mississippi. He scams his way off the chain gang with simple Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) and maladjusted Pete (John Turturro), then the trio sets out to pursue freedom and the promise of a fortune in buried treasure."  With a signature Coen Brothers screenplay and a brilliant soundtrack, you won't want to miss this film back on the big screen!
Many thanks to our sponsor - Brian Sharp, of SharpGroup - Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional Realty!
Tickets are $12.50 each!

THU, MAY 29 | 7:30

Exhibition On Screen: MICHELANGELO LOVE AND DEATH

TICKETS ARE ALREADY MOVING! Our third and final Exhibition On Screen event for this 2024/2025 season, in partnership with our friends from Dayton Art Institute, is MICHELANGELO: LOVE AND DEATH. "The spectacular sculptures and paintings of Michelangelo seem so familiar to us, but what do we really know about this renaissance genius? Who was this ambitious and passionate man? Michelangelo’s genius is evident in everything he touched. Beautiful and diverse works such as the towering statue of David, the moving Pietà in the Papal Basilica of St. Peter and his tour-de-force, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, still leave us breathless today...Sculptor, painter, architect, poet, genius - discover why Michelangelo is without a doubt one of the greatest artists of all time."

Dayton Art Institute members get FREE popcorn when they show their membership cards at this screening.

SUN, JUNE 1 | 5:00

Cult Movie Night
BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER

Victor Bonacore's Cult Movie Night returns - this time celebrating Pride Month with this Queer cult classic comedy celebrating its 25th anniversary.  "Starring indie darlings Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black) ) and Clea Duval (The Faculty, Girl Interrupted).  Also featuring Ru Paul and Cathy Moriarity.  Lyonne plays Megan, a typical American girl who loved school, cheerleading and girls. Her parents suspect that she’s gay, and decide to send her to a boot camp intended to alter her sexual orientation...
The feature length directorial debut of Jamie Babbit deals with themes of sexuality, gender and social conformity and provides a  positive representation of LGBTQ community by casting a diverse range of characters.
And before the film will be an exclusive, sneak peak at the new Ohio made film MEAT - described as 'A violently queer new vision of fear!'
Plus trailers & More! 

THU, JUNE 5 | 7:30

Thank you for all of your support,
Jonathan

THE FRIEND (R) 2 Hrs
Wednesday & Thursday (Apr 23 & 24): 5:00
FINAL DAY - April 24!

THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND (PG-13) 1 Hr 39 Min
Wednesday & Thursday (Apr 23 & 24): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
Friday (Apr 25): 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Saturday (Apr 26): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Sunday (Apr 27): 12:30, 7:15
Monday-Wednesday (Apr 28-30): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20
Thursday (May 1): 3:00, 5:10

ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO (R) 1 Hr 40 Min
Wednesday (Apr 23): 2:50
Thursday (Apr 24): 7:30
FINAL DAY - April 24!

PRIDE & PREJUDICE (PG) 2 Hrs 9 Min
Wednesday (Apr 23): 7:30

ON SWIFT HORSES (R) 1 Hr 57 Min
Friday & Saturday (Apr 25 & 26): 11:45, 2:15, 4:50, 7:20
Sunday (Apr 27): 1:00, 4:00, 7:00
Monday-Wednesday (Apr 28-30): 2:30, 5:00, 7:30
Thursday (May 1): 2:30, 5:00, 7:45

LONG LONESOME HIGHWAY: THE STORY OF MICHAEL PARKS (NR) 1 Hr 45 Min
Saturday (Apr 26): Noon

WSU’S BIG LENS STUDENT SHOWCASE (NR) 2 Hrs
Thursday (May 1): 7:30