Live in Chicago? Capone has seats for an early screening of THE NEON DEMON, with writer-director Nicolas Winding Refn & actress Elle Fanning Q&A!!!

Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.

Writer-director Nicolas Winding Refn has long been a favorite of mine, and in my estimation, the man hasn't made a bad movie. My first exposure to him was through the legendary Danish films known collectively as the PUSHER trilogy, which threw a spotlight on actor Mads Mikkelsen, who has rarely been better. After lesser-known works (in the U.S., at least) like BLEEDER and FEAR X (with a truly compelling performance by John Turturro), Refn blew the roof off his own artistic achievements with BRONSON, starring a mostly unknown actor named Tom Hardy. If you haven't seen BRONSON, I dare you to watch it without flinching. Next up was VALHALLA RISING, again with Mikkelsen, a tough film to explain but not to understand. Drugs might help, but I loved it stone-cold sober.

And then there was DRIVE—loaded with surreal performances, including one by Ryan Gosling as an almost speechless stunt car driver who has a side job of being the getaway driver for criminal types. Refn and Gosling teamed up again for the difficult to penetrate ONLY GOD FORGIVES. I wish more people had seen this, if only for the terrifying performance by Kristin Scott Thomas.

Which brings us to what might be Refn’s most shocking slice of social commentary, THE NEON DEMON, about Jesse, an aspiring model (played by the other-worldly Elle Fanning) who moves to L.A. and immediately becomes the talk of the modeling/fashion community, much to the envy and spite of other models she meets. Jesse also happens to be a very nice person, a quality that has no place in this world, and these jealous individuals (including a makeup artist played by Jena Malone) not only want to take her down but somehow possess that special something Jesse has. Keanu Reeves and Christina Hendricks also star.

And it just so happens that I have a limited number of seats to an early Chicago screening of THE NEON DEMON for Ain’t It Cool News readers taking place Monday, June 20 at 7:00pm at a theater in Chicago (the exact location will only be given to the winners). Here’s how to win…

To win, send me an email at NeonChicago@aintitcoolmail.com (please note the new email address) with the subject line “Looks Aren’t Everything” (exactly like that). In the body of the email, I need your full Name, if you are bringing a guest (each winner may bring ONE, confirmed guest--if I think you gave your extra ticket to someone trolling for free tickets at the theater, you won't get in), and the answer to the following question: “Let’s get superficial here: Who is the best-looking actor or actress (just pick one) working today, and why?” I need the person’s name and a detailed reason for your choice. Keep your responses BRIEF--no more than 75 words (no matter how tempted you are to go over the limit). Best answers (as judged by me) win, and you'll hear from me very soon if you won, so check your email over the weekend.

Although this is not an exclusive Ain't It Cool News event, winners’ seats will be reserved until 30 minutes before showtime (meaning 6:30pm). The venue is deliberately overbooked to guarantee a full house for our guest. If you can't arrive by 6:30pm, don't enter this contest. If you show up at the last minute, there is no guarantee that your seats will be good or together. If there's even the slightest chance you or your guests will have to back out of attending or arrive late if you do win, don't enter. If you have a job that might make you late or unable to attend, or an ill/pregnant relative, or a temperamental significant other, or a scratchy throat, do not enter. And the 24-hour-notice-to-cancel rule is done. If you win and don't show up, the Black List is your new best friend.

Good luck, everyone! And thanks to the Broad Green Pictures for giving us this very cool screening and bringing these awesome guests to Chicago.

-- Steve Prokopy
"Capone"
capone@aintitcool.com
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