Hello Everyone!

If you still need to see THE PENGUIN LESSONS or A NICE INDIAN BOY - Thursday will be the last day for both at THE NEON.  On Thursday evening, we open THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND (currently rated "97% Fresh"), and on Friday, we open one of the best music docs in a long time - ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO (which Variety calls "the rare rock doc that’s a must-see"). THE FRIEND will stick around for one show each day for one more week.

Additionally this weekend, we have special 20th Anniversary screenings of PRIDE & PREJUDICE.  Don't miss this beloved film on the big screen - it will captivate you all over again!

"Open Caption Mondays" are a hit and much appreciated by many of our regulars.  On Monday, April 21, our screenings of THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND will be presented with Open Captions (aka - captions presented on the screen).

Synopsis for THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND: "Eccentric lottery winner Charles lives alone on a remote island but dreams of hiring his favourite musician, Herb McGwyer, to play an exclusive, private gig. Unbeknownst to Herb, Charles has also hired Herb’s ex-bandmate and ex-girlfriend, Nell, with her new husband in tow, to perform the old favourites. As tempers flare and old tensions resurface, the stormy weather traps them all on the island and Charles desperately looks for a way to salvage his dream gig."

Synopsis for ONE TO ONE: JOHN &. YOKO: "An exploration of the seminal and transformative 18 months that one of music’s most famous couples — John Lennon and Yoko Ono — spent living in Greenwich Village, New York City, in the early 1970s...the film is an immersive cinematic experience that brings to life electrifying, never-before-seen material and newly restored footage of Lennon's only full-length, post-Beatles concert, the famous 'One to One' concert at Madison Square Garden. With mind-blowing audio produced by Sean Ono Lennon, the film is a revelation. You’ve really never seen John and Yoko up close like this." (Magnolia Pictures)

PRIDE & PREJUDICE - 20th Anniversary Screenings

In honor of its 20th Anniversary...and because it's so well-loved...we're bringing Joe Wright's PRIDE & PREJUDICE for a handful of screenings starting April 18!  "A story of love and life among the landed English gentry during the Georgian era. Mr. Bennet is a gentleman living in Hertfordshire with his overbearing wife and five daughters, but if he dies their house will be inherited by a distant cousin whom they have never met, so the family's future happiness and security is dependent on the daughters making good marriages."

FRI, APR 18 | 12:15
SAT, APR 19 | 12:15
SUN, APR 20 | 12:15
WED, APR 23 | 7:30

LONG LONESOME HIGHWAY:
THE STORY OF MICHAEL PARKS

Join us for a one-time screening of LONG LONESOME HIGHWAY with visiting filmmaker and Middletown native Josh Roush - Saturday, April 26 at Noon.

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

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

On Sunday, May 4 at 3:00, 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 - available now

SAT, MAY 10 | NOON

DAYTON BLACK WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL 2025

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?

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

Thank you for all of your support,
Jonathan

THE PENGUIN LESSONS (PG-13) 1 Hr 50 Min
Wednesday (Apr 16): 2:50, 5:10
Thursday (Apr 17): 5:10
FINAL DAY - April 17!

THE FRIEND (R) 2 Hrs
Wednesday (Apr 16): 2:30, 5:00, 7:30
Thursday (Apr 17): 2:30, 5:00
Friday-Thursday (Apr 18-24): 5:00

A NICE INDIAN BOY (NR) 1 Hr 36 Min
Wednesday (Apr 16): 7:40
Thursday (Apr 17): 3:00, 7:40
FINAL DAY - April 17!

THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND (PG-13) 1 Hr 39 Min
Thursday (Apr 17): 7:30
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (Apr 18-20): 12:00, 2:30, 4:50, 7:20
Monday-Thursday (Apr 21-24): 3:00, 5:10, 7:20

ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO (R) 1 Hr 40 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (Apr 18-20): 2:50, 7:30
Monday & Tuesday (Apr 21 & 22): 2:50, 7:30
Wednesday (Apr 23): 2:50
Thursday (Apr 24): 7:30

PRIDE & PREJUDICE (PG) 2 Hrs 9 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (Apr 18-20): 12:15
Wednesday (Apr 23): 7:30