About Jonathan McNeal

Jonathan McNeal, a graduate of Wright State's Motion Picture Production program, has been managing THE NEON in downtown Dayton since the Fall of 2001. Having grown up in a small town in northeast Ohio, the idea of an independent movie theater that showed hard-to-find films seemed like something that could only be found in a major metropolis. Upon moving to Dayton in the early 1990's, finding THE NEON was a was like finding a new home.
McNeal's film work includes the documentary of Dayton's beloved drag troupe - THE RUBI GIRLS. The doc premiered in San Francisco in 2003 and played across the country and as far away as Australia. The film continues to be played at night clubs and on college campuses as an educational and outreach tool.
McNeal himself has been a part of the performance troupe since 1997.

Oscar Nominated NO Starts Friday at THE NEON

May 15, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, We're adding something to the mix this weekend, but you'll only have one week to catch NO - the feature film from Chile starring Gael Garcia Bernal. NO was nominated for "Best Foreign Film" at this year's Oscars, and it won an award at last year's Cannes Film Festival. It also received 100% reviews from Entertainment Weekly, The Chicago Sun-Times, and Time Out New York. We will hold MUD and THE SAPPHIRES (though showtimes are changing). For this week's remaining showtimes, visit our website at www.neonmovies.com. Synopsis for NO: "In 1988, Chilean military dictator … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: at any price, call + response, dayton jewish international film fest, Dayton Ohio, gael garcia bernal, girl rising, i do, indie, lgbt, movies, mud, no, On Screen Dayton, peace on fifth, sapphires, starbuck, The Neon

THE SAPPHIRES Opens Friday at THE NEON!

May 8, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, We're moving right along this weekend. If you still need to see THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, Thursday will be its last day at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open the crowd-pleasing, award-winning film that so many of you have been asking about - THE SAPPHIRES. We hope you'll gather up your friends and make plans to see this fun film over the weekend! MUD was off to a great start...it will stick around. For this week's remaining showtimes, visit our website at www.neonmovies.com. Synopsis for THE SAPPHIRES: "Four smart, gutsy young Australian Aboriginal women become unlikely stars … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: before midnight, call + response, cinema, company you keep, Dayton Ohio, gael garcia bernal, girl rising, i do, in the house, indie, matthew mcconaughey, movies, mud, no, peace on fifth, pride, renoir, starbuck, the east, the sapphires, vietnam

MUD – Starring Matthew McConaughey – Opens at THE NEON!

May 2, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES is heading out. Today (May 2) is its last day at THE NEON. We open the new film starring Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon - MUD - directed by Jeff Nichols (who also did TAKE SHELTER). MUD currently has a score of 98% on rottentomatoes.com...that's incredibly high! For this week's remaining showtimes, visit our official site: www.neonmovies.com Synopsis for MUD: "Mud is an adventure about two boys, Ellis and his friend Neckbone, who find a man named Mud hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Mud describes fantastic scenarios-he … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: call + response, company you keep, Dayton Ohio, girl rising, india foundation, indie cinema, jewish film festival, kings of summer, matthew mcconaughey, mud, peace on fifth, reese witherspoon, renoir, robert redford, The Neon, the sapphires

Redford’s THE COMPANY YOU KEEP at THE NEON!

April 24, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, If you still need to see Danny Boyle's latest film - TRANCE - you'll need to hurry. Today (Thur, April 25) is its last day at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open Robert Redford's latest film (based on the famous novel) - THE COMPANY YOU KEEP. For this week's remaining showtimes, visit our official site: www.neonmovies.com Synopsis for THE COMPANY YOU KEEP: "Jim Grant (Robert Redford) is a public interest lawyer and single father raising his daughter in the tranquil suburbs of Albany, New York. Grant's world is turned upside down,when a brash young reporter named Ben Shepard … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: at any price, bottle in the gaza sea, company you keep, Danny Boyle, dayton jewish international film fest, Dayton Ohio, ginger and rosa, girl rising, india foundation, indie cinema, julie christie, lea & Daria, matthew mcconaughey, movies, mud, nick nolte, one hundred years of indian cinema, Place Beyond the Pines, poppy hill, renoir, richard jenkins, robert redford, shia labeouf, starbuck, Susan Sarandon, The Neon, the sapphires, to the wonder, torn, trance

TRANCE & PLACE BEYOND THE PINES + Special Events at THE NEON!

April 18, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, I just got back from The Cleveland International Film Festival, and I had a magnificent time. Over the course of 5 days, I saw 15 films and met a couple filmmakers I greatly admire. Several of you have asked how one goes about visiting the Toronto Film Fest. Though I wouldn't dissuade you from attending that fest, I'd be remiss if I didn't encourage you to attend this great festival which is just a few hours away. This year, there were 180 features and 165 shorts to chose from, and this incredible fest just keeps growing. Keep your eye on it next spring! THE PLACE BEYOND … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: Dayton Ohio, girl rising, i need that record, india foundation, indie movies, jewish film fest, lgbt, melting away, national record store day, no, one hundred years of indian cinema, Place Beyond the Pines, renoir, robert redford, Ryan Gosling, sapphires, the company you keep, The Neon, trance

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES and TRANCE at THE NEON!

April 8, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, Everything Must Go! If you still need to see ON THE ROAD, THE GATEKEEPERS or 56 UP, Thursday will be your last chance to see them at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open 2 new films...both from directors who have had successful films at THE NEON in the past. For this week's remaining showtimes, visit our official site: www.neonmovies.com. On Friday, we will open Danny Boyle's TRANCE (Boyle directed SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (our biggest hit ever), MILLIONS and 127 HOURS) and Derek Cianfrance's THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (Cianfrance directed BLUE VALENTINE - which also starred Ryan … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: Bradley cooper, Danny Boyle, dayton jewish international film festival, Dayton Ohio, derek cianfrance, five river metroparks, i need that record, independent film, indie cinema, james mcavoy, national record store day, Place Beyond the Pines, Ryan Gosling, trance, where the yellowstone goes

THE GATEKEEPERS Opens Friday + More NEON News!

March 27, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, If you still need to see EMPEROR or WEST OF MEMPHIS, Thursday will be your last chance to see them at THE NEON. For this week's remaining showtimes, visit our official site: www.neonmovies.com. On Friday, we will open the highly acclaimed and anticipated documentary THE GATEKEEPERS. This film was nominated for an Academy Award, and numerous critics have given it a 100% review! Synopsis for THE GATEKEEPERS: "Charged with overseeing Israel's war on terror-both Palestinian and Jewish- the head of the Shin Bet, Israel's secret service is present at the crossroad of every … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton

STOKER and WEST OF MEMPHIS Open at THE NEON!

March 19, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, We're moving along this weekend. If you still need to see QUARTET, you only have through Thursday to catch it at THE NEON. On Friday, we start a new, stylish thriller which clearly pays homage to Hitchcock - STOKER. We will also begin a one-week engagement of the new documentary WEST OF MEMPHIS. In addition, EMPEROR will stick around for a couple screenings per day for one more week. For this week's remaining showtimes, visit our official site: www.neonmovies.com. Synopsis for STOKER: "After India's father dies in an auto accident, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: bless me ultima, cinema, dayton jewish international film festival, Dayton Ohio, emperor, flesh, hector escobar, indies, jackie weaver, julia reichert, LUNAFEST, matthew goode, megan hague, mia wasikowska, nicole kidman, On Screen Dayton, peace on fifth, peter jackson, quartet, steve bognar, stoker, The Neon, west memphis five, west of memphis, where the yellowstone goes, women who yell, WYSO

EMPEROR and QUARTET Continue Successful Runs at THE NEON!

March 12, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone, The first quarter for 2013 has been very good for us at THE NEON. Thanks to all of you who continue to support our films! QUARTET has been huge, HYDE PARK ON HUDSON and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK were big hits, and EMPEROR is off to a very good start. We appreciate your patronage and your great word-of-mouth marketing that you do for us. Thank you! We will hold both of our current titles for another week - QUARTET and EMPEROR. It's almost certain that this will be the final week for QUARTET...so if you need to see it (or see it again), hurry down. Remaining showtimes for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: dayton jewish international film fest, Dayton Ohio, emperor, five river metroparks, flesh, Japanese occupation, LUNAFEST, maggie smith, matthew fox, nicole kidman, peace on fifth, Place Beyond the Pines, quartet, stoker, the gatekeepers, The Neon, the sapphires, tommy lee jones, where the yellowstone goes, wwii

Reinventing The Telling of Stories – A New Interactive Website About Dayton Wants Your Input

March 11, 2013 by Jonathan McNeal

In the Spring of 2012, Emmy-winning, Oscar nominated filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar, along with about 15 other media artists, hit the streets of Dayton asking the question, “How is Dayton doing?” Engaging subjects in thoughtful interviews and creating compelling, non-fiction stories is nothing new for Reichert and Bognar – but it turns out that this project was much more difficult than anticipated. “This was a really ambitious project,” said Bognar. “We were attempting to take the pulse of the whole city. And we did not know what the answers would be.” After … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Community, The Featured Articles Tagged With: AIR, Blessing of the Bikes, Dayton Gay Men's Chorus, Dayton Ohio, Documentaries, documentary, julia reichert, Localore, Motion Picture Production, Neenah Ellis, non-fiction, ReInvention Stories, steve bognar, storytelling, Wright State, WSU, WYSO, Zeega