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Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSBarry Jenkins by Liz Seabrook for Little White LiesBarry Jenkins is set to direct a film about the life of the late Alvin Ailey, the choreographer considered one of the most important of the twentieth century. Recommended Viewinga wonderfully lush and eerie trailer for the 4K restoration of Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now, which opens in theaters on July 5. The BFI and the Royal Astronomical Society have uncovered the very first film of a solar eclipse, captured by British magician Nevil Maskelyne in 1900. One century after the solar eclipse was first captured on film, arrives the first trailer for James Gray's Ad Astra, which stars Brad Pitt as an astronaut searching for his missing father—who was involved in a government project on extraterrestrial life—in space. The official trailer for Carlos Reygadas's Our Time,...

Director Julius Onah brought his new film Luce to Sundance earlier this year where it was a nominee for the Grand Jury Prize. Now, the film's first trailer brings the psychological thriller to the masses ahead of its theatrical release this August through Neon and Topic. This is one film where it might be best to go in cold, but the first trailer is certainly a well-crafted teaser and I'm intrigued. Luce is a feature adaptation of the play by J.C. Lee, who also co-wrote the screenplay …...

When we first meet Luce, he seems to be the product of a successful adoption that took him from his native Africa and allowed him to flourish with a doting (and white) American family. He’s a smart kid, a talented athlete, and he’s got a very bright future ahead of him. But what’s really going on?

In Sundance sensation “Luce,” Julius Onah’s big screen adaptation of J.C. Lee’s 2013 play of the same name, that question lingers throughout a drama that also functions as a mystery. When Luce turns in an incendiary essay about African writer Frantz Fanon, praising the controversial Pan-Africanist’s support of violence to combat colonization, his teacher Harriet (Octavia Spencer) is unsettled enough to go snooping deeper into his life.

She doesn’t like what she finds, and Luce isn’t excited about what unfolds either, and as the film winds on,...

When Sundance Film Festival programmers assembled the most diverse selection of features and documentaries in their history, they weren’t thinking about big buys or awards appeal. Nevertheless, a range of online and theatrical buyers plunked down unprecedented millions for a raft of cross-cultural movies with global playability. Mainstream crowdpleasers “Blinded By the Light” and “Brittany Runs a Marathon” (which won the dramatic audience award) aren’t necessarily heading for awards consideration — until and unless they score rave reviews and boffo box office. Both New Line and Amazon will go for maximum summer play to make their money back, and then see where they are.

While “Manchester By the Sea,” “The Big Sick,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “Whiplash,” and “Get Out” are among the narrative Sundance breakouts that went all the way to the Oscars, in recent years it’s documentaries that tend to go the Oscar distance. The...

When Sundance Film Festival programmers assembled the most diverse selection of features and documentaries in their history, they weren’t thinking about big buys or awards appeal. Nevertheless, a range of online and theatrical buyers plunked down unprecedented millions for a raft of cross-cultural movies with global playability. Mainstream crowdpleasers “Blinded By the Light” and “Brittany Runs a Marathon” (which won the dramatic audience award) aren’t necessarily heading for awards consideration — until and unless they score rave reviews and boffo box office. Both New Line and Amazon will go for maximum summer play to make their money back, and then see where they are.

While “Manchester By the Sea,” “The Big Sick,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “Whiplash,” and “Get Out” are among the narrative Sundance breakouts that went all the way to the Oscars, in recent years it’s documentaries that tend to go the Oscar distance. The...

Stan Lee may not have had the power of immortality, but his legacy and impact on pop culture will surely live on forever.

Longtime friend and filmmaker Kevin Smith hosted “Excelsior! A Celebration of the Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible & Uncanny Life of Stan Lee” at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Wednesday night. Lee, who died on Nov. 12 at age 95, helped create some of the most iconic superheroes in history for Marvel Comics, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Panther, Dr. Strange, and the X-Men.

“I remember Stan meeting [‘Spider-Man’ star] Tom Holland for the first time,” Sean Gunn, one of the stars of “Guardians of the Galaxy” told Variety. “The thing you have to know about Stan is that he was always f—ing with people all the time. He never stopped doing it. He said, ‘Tom, everyone tells me that you’re the perfect Spider-Man, but I can’t see it.

Neon, in partnership with Topic Studios, has acquired the rights to “Luce” starring Naomi Watts and Octavia Spencer.

The drama, directed by Julius Onah, is based on a play by J.C. Lee and was shot on 35mm. “Luce” features performances by Watts, Spencer, Kelvin Harrison Jr, and Tim Roth. The film has garnered rave reviews since its Sundance premiere on Sunday.

“Luce” follows Amy and Peter Edgar (Watts and Roth), who adopted their son Luce (Harrison) from war-torn Eritrea 10 years ago. Now Luce is an all-star student athlete, beloved by everyone. After a series of encounters with his teacher, Harriet Wilson (Spencer), questions about who Luce really is begin to emerge.

Also Read: Sundance 2019: Every Movie Sold So Far, From 'Late Night' to 'The Farewell' (Updating)

“It’s been a real thrill premiering ‘Luce’ at Sundance. After hearing Neon’s passion and excitement for the film,...

There's nothing like a great film that challenges your own prejudices and feelings, in an engaging and mind-blowing way. Luce, the third feature directed by Julius Onah (after The Girl Is in Trouble and The Cloverfield Paradox), is hands down the most provocative film of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. It's an intelligent, clever, compelling drama that challenges us to rethink what we think we know - and does so with phenomenal performances and one hell of a smart script. The pitch for this film doesn't sound that enticing when you first hear it, but it's an experience that you won't soon forget, proving that cinema still has the ability to provoke and shake up even the most jaded viewers. One of the best films of the festival, a must see for anyone who appreciates challenging, bleeding-edge cinema. And a defining film for Kelvin Harrison Jr. Luce, with a screenplay co-written...

Star of the debate team, straight A student, soon to be high school valedictorian: from his handsome looks and stellar CV, Luce (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is the shining example of the all-American teenager—minus, of course, his history as a child adopted from war-torn Eritrea. As a name, Luce means “light” in Latin, the idea being Luce, a now-beaming youth in the Arlington, Va., area, was removed from unimaginable darkness. But there’s another spin on the allegory here that’s just as meaningful: when people are placed into boxes—stereotypes, to be clear—only so much light can filter in and out of them.

For a kid like Luce, being an “Obama” is one of these boxes. He’s polite, works hard, and everyone wishes the world for him. But he’s also got a smarmy side: Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s Cheshire Cat-like grin and tricksy playing-dumb persona reveal...

At the root of “Luce” is a fascinating mystery, but its solution is beside the point. This smart and sophisticated inquiry into race and class does little to alter the underlying appeal of J.C. Lee’s 2013 play. As questions swirl around whether black Virginia teen Luce, an accomplished football player and debate-team team captain, harbors revolutionary beliefs and violent tendencies, the movie allows the audience to see it both ways.

His adoptive white parents, Amy (Naomi Watts) and Peter (Tim Roth), don’t know whether to defend their son from the accusations of Luce’s stern teacher Harriet (Octavia Spencer) or take them at face value. That oscillating perspective allows this grounded drama to develop a remarkable degree of moment-to-moment suspense, and it remains an actors’ showcase even as the premise risks turning into a gimmick.

The third feature from director Julias Onah (and a significant comeback following his disappointing...

A tribute of grand proportions is scheduled to take place on January 30th in Los Angeles at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in dedication to the life of the late, great Stan Lee. Actor, director, and lifetime fan Kevin Smith, companies Legion M and Agents of Mayhem, plus Lee’s Pow! Entertainment are putting on the show, which will act as a benefit to The Hero Initiative, the non-profit that helps aged comic creators in need.

There will be a public display in the courtyard, with the private tribute inside the theatre. There will be a limited number of tickets available to fans, going on sale this evening at 5 pm Pt, with proceeds going to The Hero Initiative.

The outdoor portion of the event will feature art, music, props, and costumes from Lee’s body of work, while the indoor portion will feature Smith hosting conversations with celebrity guests that include Mark Hamill,...

Part of his “American Lives” output, production on Luce took place in November of 2017 and becomes Julius Onah‘s third feature following in the footsteps of the distinctly indie The Girl Is in Trouble and big budgeted (45 million dollar price tag) The Cloverfield Paradox. Shot in NYC, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Tim Roth and Sundance “it” actor Kelvin Harrison Jr., the worldly filmmaker has had a long gestation for post prod.

Gist: Based on J.C. Lee’s play, which was adapted by Lee and Onah, Harrison Jr. plays Luce Edgar, a model student, track star and champion debater, stature that pleases the parents (Watts and Roth) who adopted him from a war-torn African nation and were concerned he might be haunted by the violent trauma of his upbringing in Africa.…...

This week began with some truly terrible news coming out of Monday with the passing of Stan Lee. It was shocking and heartbreaking for so many of his fans, as the 95-year-old had a hand in so many childhoods spanning several decades. Lee helped to create and promote many famous Marvel superheroes over the years, with many of them more popular now than ever thanks to their use in big-budget Hollywood movies. It would seem that with Lee's passing, we've seen all of his creative contributions, but that might not be the case after all. According to daughter J.C. in a new interview, Lee helped to create one last superhero.

"I've been trying to get him to create a character with me his entire life. We've been working on a character called Dirt Man," J.C. Lee revealed. After creating the character, J.C. had her father helping develop him further,...

Stan Lee and his daughter, J.C. Lee, were working on a brand new superhero before he died, and she's vowing to push forward with the project. J.C. was on Tuesday's "TMZ Live" to talk about her father's legacy, and revealed they have a new hero named Dirt Man in the works. J.C. created the character, but she says Stan worked with her on developing him ... right up until his last weekend.  As for what Dirt Man's powers are,...

Los Angeles – The last of the great comic book creators has flown to the beyond. Stan Lee, who led the resurgence of comic book culture – especially in the movies – created legendary superheroes for Marvel Comics, including Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Panther and X-Men. Lee passed away at age 95 in Los Angeles on November 12th, 2018.

His catchphrase was “Excelsior!,” and that exclamation described his passionate life of creation and guidance for Marvel Comics, the upstart company that dared to take on the dominance of DC Comics in the early 1960s. Lee came upon a formula at the right time, to give his heroes specific flaws that represented the angst of the changing times in the 1960s, which was in direct contrast to the lantern-jawed goodness of Superman. His heroes dominated the so-called “Silver” and “Bronze” ages of comic book history (from the 1960s through the 1990s) and Marvel was perfectly positioned when...

The world has just lost a legend.

Stan Lee, godfather of Marvel Comics and master of the cinematic cameo (see: every major Marvel movie ever released), has died at the age of 95.

According to TMZ, Stan Lee was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center early Monday morning, where he sadly passed away. No further details have been disclosed at this time, though we know Lee has suffered from several illnesses (along with a series of troubling personal problems) over the past 12 months – including a bout of pneumonia and vision issues.

Alas, Lee, who co-founded Marvel with Jack Kirby back in 1961, has left us, and today TMZ relayed a short and heartfelt statement from his daughter, J.C. (Joan Celia Lee), who described her late father as, quite simply, “the greatest.”

My father loved all of his fans. He was the greatest, most decent man.

Go Behind The Scenes Of All Your...

Stan Lee, the writer, editor, and former publisher and president of Marvel Comics who co-invented Spider-Man and was responsible for turning superhero comic books into a phenomenon, died Monday at the age of 95. Lee was taken to Los Angeles’ Cedars Sinai Medical Center on Monday after suffering a medical emergency; he was declared dead shortly afterwards, Lee’s daughter confirmed to Variety.

“He felt an obligation to his fans to keep creating,” his daughter J.C. Lee said of her father in a statement to Reuters. “He loved his life and...

J.C. Lee has confirmed that her father, Stan Lee, has passed away. He was 95-years old. An ambulance arrived at Lee's Hollywood Hills home early this morning and he was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Lee co-created Marvel Comics with fellow comic icon Jack Kirby in 1961, starting with The Fantastic Four and later went on to co-create some of the biggest characters in the comic world, including Spider-Man, Black Panther, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, Iron Man, and The Avengers.

The last year of Stan Lee's life had been a bit rocky. Lee recently retired from doing public appearances, something that many fans think should have happened years ago. However, Lee loved all of his fans and was always around for them, often signing when he was sick or not in the best headspace. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Lee was...

Stan Lee, the legendary writer, editor and publisher of Marvel Comics whose fantabulous but flawed creations made him a real-life superhero to comic book lovers everywhere, has died. He was 95.

Lee, who began in the business in 1939 and created or co-created Black Panther, Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Mighty Thor, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Daredevil and Ant-Man, among countless other characters, died early Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a family representative told The Hollywood Reporter.

Kirk Schenck, an attorney for Lee's daughter, J.C. Lee, also confirmed his death.

Lee's ...

Stan Lee, the legendary writer, editor and publisher of Marvel Comics whose fantabulous but flawed creations made him a real-life superhero to comic book lovers everywhere, has died. He was 95.

Lee, who began in the business in 1939 and created or co-created Black Panther, Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Mighty Thor, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Daredevil and Ant-Man, among countless other characters, died early Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a family representative told The Hollywood Reporter.

Kirk Schenck, an attorney for Lee's daughter, J.C. Lee, also confirmed his death.

Lee's ...

A judge on Friday ordered a memorabilia dealer to stay away from comics legend Stan Lee for three years following allegations of fraud, abuse, and embezzlement.

Keya Morgan has been accused of exploiting his close relationship with the 95-year-old Lee to embezzle artwork, cash, and other assets worth more than $5 million. Lee’s attorney, Jonathan Freund, appeared in court Friday to ask that Morgan be barred from contacting Lee or coming within 100 yards of him.

Commissioner Laura Hymowitz granted the order, and also ordered Morgan not to contact or come near Lee’s daughter, J.C. Lee, or brother Larry Lieber. The order appears to bring some stability to Lee’s living situation, which has been in turmoil since his wife, Joan, died last year.

“Stan is doing pretty well,” Freund said outside court. “He’s working again, and his health is improving. He’s still creating characters.”

Morgan did not...

In a positive twist to the saga that has become comic book legend Stan Lee's life, a judge in Los Angeles granted a second restraining order that has been set up to protect the Marvel comics legend from Keya Morgan. Morgan, a memorabilia collector, recently inserted himself into Lee's life and slowly began to isolate the man from his close friends, family, and business consultants. It is the belief of many that Morgan was "unduly influencing Mr. Lee and isolating him," which led to his firing in February of this year. Morgan was recently arrested for filing two false police reports about a break-in at Lee's home and an assault.

Attorney Tom Lallas appeared in court earlier this week to represent Stan Lee and to get the permanent restraining order against Keya Morgan finalized. However, the judge had to dismiss the case when several lawyers appeared in court claiming to represent Lee.

A judge on Friday granted a restraining order to protect Marvel’s Stan Lee and his family from a memorabilia collector who allegedly embezzled assets worth more than $5 million.

The collector, Keya Morgan, is accused of isolating Lee from his daughter, J.C. Lee, and others, in an effort to assert control over Lee’s business affairs.

Earlier in the day, Judge Pro Tem Ruth Kleman dismissed another restraining order, which was filed last month on Lee’s behalf by attorney Tom Lallas. The judge found that Lallas, who was fired in February, does not represent Lee.

The new restraining order was filed Thursday by attorney Stephen Crump. In the application, Crump alleges that Morgan made malicious and false remarks about Lee’s daughter to Lee, and prevented Lee’s financial advisers from seeing him. The order bars Morgan from coming within 100 yards of Lee, his daughter, or his brother, Larry Lieber.

Marvel's Stan Lee has been through a lot over the last year and it just keeps on getting worse. It was reported that Lee's most recent business manager, Keya Morgan, was arrested on Monday after allegedly filing a false police report by calling 911 and saying burglars were in Lee's house when it was actually two detectives and a social worker who were conducting a welfare check on the comic book legend. Morgan recently inserted himself into Stan Lee's life, which is coincidentally when a lot of the negativity came to Lee.

After Keya Morgan's arrest on Monday, he made bail and is out of jail. However, Stan Lee has placed a restraining order against Morgan. It appears that Morgan was taking advantage of Lee's impaired hearing, vision, and judgment. Morgan even moved Lee from his longtime family home and prevented his family and long-time associates from getting in contact with him.

Exclusive: Bloom will launch international sales at Cannes for the Julius Onah-directed Luce. The just-wrapped film stars Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Tim Roth and Mudbound‘s Kelvin Harrison Jr. The film is based on J.C. Lee’s play, which was adapted by Lee and Onah. John Baker, Onah and Andrew Yang are producing. Eric Ro is co-producer and The Dream Factory Group’s Rob Feng, Amber Wang and Lee are exec producers. CAA and Endeavor Content are co-repping domestic rights.

Harrison Jr plays Luce Edgar, a model student, track star and champion debater, stature that pleases the parents (Watts and Roth) who adopted him from a war-torn African nation and were concerned he might be haunted by the violent trauma of his upbringing in Africa. Luce’s teacher, Harriet (Spencer), believes he represents a symbol of black excellence setting a positive example for his peers – until she discovers the well-researched paper he wrote,...

In a new video, Stan Lee vehemently denies recent reports alleging he is the victim of elder abuse and threatens to take legal action against outlets circulating the claims. Earlier this week, the entertainment world was shaken when a THR article was published, insinuating the Marvel Comics icon was surrounded by people with bad intentions looking to take advantage of the nonagenarian. Among those named in the accusations are memorabilia dealer Keya Morgan; Lee’s former publicist and caregiver, Jerry Olivarez; Lee’s former road manager, Max Anderson; and Lee’s 67 year-old daughter, J.C. Lee.

A new report alleges that things in Stan Lee's personal life are a lot worse than originally thought, and in the wake of this news, director/diehard comic book fan Kevin Smith has invited the comic legend to live with him. As previously reported, Stan Lee appeared at the Silicon Valley Comic Con last weekend, much to the delight of Marvel fans. However, once they saw what kind of physical condition that Lee was in, they became alarmed and criticized the staff working with Lee. Many believe that the 95-year old had not fully recovered from his bout with pneumonia and were very concerned about his wellbeing.

The latest news after the Silicon Valley Comic Con comes from the Hollywood Reporter who obtained a legal document about Stan Lee and his relationship with his daughter J.C. The document was a declaration by Lee that J.C. has wild...