beyond the lights
‘beyond the lights’ to receive special gala screening at chicago international film festival in oct .
nate parker and gugu mbatha - raw starring as kaz and noni in beyond the lights .
‘beyond the lights’ to receive special gala screening at chicago international film festival in oct. | indiewire
' beyond the lights' to receive special gala screening at chicago international film festival in oct .
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for more on beyond the lights, pick up the latest issue of entertainment weekly, on stands friday .
looking for movie tickets? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing beyond the lights near you .
with its talented writer - director and strong leads, beyond the lights should be a lot better than it is .
there was a late surge of awards - season support for her for “beyond the lights, ” but then she wasn’t nominated .
beyond the lights
is a faint shadow of 1992' s
the bodyguard ,
without the star power of whitney houston or kevin costner .
is netflix’s “more like this” suggestion tool racist? ‘beyond the lights’ stars gugu mbatha - raw, minnie driver, nate parker, danny glover, and rapper machine gun kelly (aka colson baker). ‘beyond the…
travelling from the south: if travelling along lytham road turn right at the traffic lights at bloomfield road and then left at the traffic lights (beyond the crossing) on to seasiders way. the entrance to the nhs reception is on the north end of the football stadium .
the official audio stream for rita ora' s
grateful
featured on the beyond the lights original motion picture soundtrack available now. download on itunes at: urltoken urltoken urltoken
relativity media has released selected songs from the soundtrack to gina prince - bythewood ‘s upcoming film, “ beyond the lights, ” which will hit theaters on november 14, 2014 .
beyond the lights is a deft, gorgeous movie. for all its honesty, it’s never slow, and for all its criticism of the music industry, it’s never finger - wagging .
jai tiggett: you’ve had romantic roles in “the great debaters” and “the secret life of bees, ” but you’re the leading man in “beyond the lights. ” is this a role you were looking to play ?
learn how beyond’s technology and techniques can light the way to making your next special event spectacular .
travelling from the north: head through blackpool and leave the town centre via central drive. continue along central drive until the traffic lights with bloomfield road. turn right at the traffic lights on to bloomfield road and then turn right at the next set of traffic lights on to seasiders way. the entrance to the nhs reception is on the north end of the football stadium .
shortly before “beyond the lights” hit theaters, hernandez spoke about her ongoing collaboration with prince - bythewood and how the liberation of noni allowed her freedom of her own to pursue some of her most outrageous ideas .
beyond the lights, opening in theaters friday, is the third feature film from writer - director gina prince - bythewood, whose other works include the secret life of bees (2008), the tv movie disappearing acts (2000) and the classic love story love and basketball (2000). if the success of love and basketball helped propel prince - bythewood into the hollywood stratosphere, along with the careers of sanaa lathan and omar epps, then beyond the lights will undoubtedly solidify her place in the big leagues .
in “beyond the lights, ” now available on dvd and video on demand, british actress gugu mbatha - raw commands the screen as a rihanna - like pop star. she exudes raw sensuality but also suggests an underlying vulnerability .
beyond provides a complete event design service using the latest technology in lighting, video production and audio visual. from conception to design to final execution, beyond offers a creative collaboration with our superior attention to detail and the finest in customer service .
dr. lynne kitei delivers her presentation beyond the phoenix lights during the 2016' out of this world' conference in edinburg, texas. dr. kitei shares about the history surrounding the main ufo incident on march 13, 1997 in phoenix, arizona as well as its public reception, and similar sightings around the world. find out more about dr. lynne kitei' s work with the phoenix lights network: urltoken
in “beyond the lights, ” nate parker stars opposite gugu mbatha - raw as kaz nicol, a police officer whose plans for public office fall into jeopardy when he falls for troubled pop star noni jean (mbatha - raw) .
complex networks, the verizon and hearst - owned digital media network aimed at young adult men, has picked up peter berg ’ s (friday night lights, patriots day) qb1: beyond the lights, a 10 - part docuseries that follows three of the nation’s top high school quarterbacks. it’s set for a february 15 release on verizon’s go90 via complex networks’ rated red .
beyond is a full - service event production company, specializing in lighting, videography, and audio / visual .
in studio live is an exclusive series featuring artists who bring a distinct presence to the world of music. each episode is recorded at beyond studios dc and produced by beyond production house with support from chuck levin' s, washington music center .
in this world, though, we just have beyond the lights, a romantic drama that was once called blackbird and did at one point seem haloed in promise, but, alas, ultimately proves as bland as its new, generic title. beyond the lights still features appealing turns by mbatha - raw and parker, and scintillating sparks do fly between them. but so much of the film is haunted by the ghosts of what could have been, had a few creative decisions been made differently, or more carefully .
like the characters of noni and kaz, beyond the lights offers much more than what appears on the surface. it is a film about finding out who you are and what you want to be in a world that has already determined who and what you are without ever having met you .
mainstream and of the moment, “lights” does not fit the awards - fare standard the way “belle” does. but mbatha - raw won critics’ awards for both films. “lights” was also praised for minnie driver’s performance as noni’s stage mother, who encourages her daughter to pose provocatively in skimpy outfits .
when director gina prince - bythewood set out to make her latest film ,
beyond the lights ,
she thought her script felt commercial, but studio executives had an idea about how to make it even more commercial - - cutting back on the number of black actors she cast .
at the center of “beyond the lights” is gugu mbatha - raw, who does her own singing and embodies noni so fiercely that she sears the screen. this is a star - making performance; noni is a complete 180 - degree turn from the titular character she played in “belle. . “beyond the lights” gives her complicated song and dance numbers, scenes of immense strength and overpowering weakness, and a romance that plays like a less tragic “a star is born” or “ mahogany, ” had “mahogany” been any good. this is an incredibly rich role and mbatha - raw commands every second she’s onscreen .
“beyond the lights” is an epic movie, crammed with comedy, drama, music and romance, yet it never feels overstuffed. it makes its important statements while being immensely entertaining. at the toronto film festival premiere i attended, the director stated she cut the film’s extremely hot sex scene down to obtain a pg - 13 because she wanted teenage girls to experience the film’s strong female empowerment vibe. the film has that, and it has two black people in a romance, but that doesn’t mean it’s just for women or african - americans. “beyond the lights” includes elements that speak to those groups within a much bigger scope that appeals to all viewers .
if you’re in the chicago area and can’t wait to see gina prince - bythewood’s romantic musical drama ‘beyond the lights, ’ especially after the rave review nijla mumin gave it yesterday (here), you will have your first opportunity to see it, when it will be screened at next month’s 50 th chicago international film festival .
during the q & a after the film' s tiff screening, prince - bythewood talked about how difficult it was to get this film made. given her talent, one should find this hard to believe. hopefully, “beyond the lights” will draw the attention to her that “love and basketball” should have. that film has a permanent place in my heart, and while
beyond the lights
won’t replace it, there’s enough room in there for it to nest. i haven’t been able to shake this movie, or gugu mbatha - raw’s performance, since i saw it two months ago. this is a fantastic film. drop what you’re doing and go see it .
by now, you should be familiar with upcoming film, beyond the lights starring gugu mbatha - raw and nate parker. hollywood has been buzzing about the unexpected love story between noni, the rising pop star, and kaz, the police officer who saves her from suicide. but there are some facts about gina prince - bythewood' s latest film that may surprise you .
the bold credits above the line are the
above - the - line
credits, the other the
below - the - line
credits .
i should confess that i dislike most mainstream films. i hated the devil wears prada, which marks the last time i ever believed critics’ raving about a multiplex hit with a woman protagonist. but at beyond the lights, i had almost as much fun as i did watching snowpiercer. lights reminded me of the old ’80s tv series dynasty (although the story has a somewhat different setting) with better acting and a bigger budget: a compilation of confrontations between beautiful people in (and out of) beautiful clothes: the film even has a scene in which one woman slaps another, echoing dynasty’ s famous fights between women. parker and mbatha - raw have great chemistry together, shown most memorably in a love scene that has beyoncé’s “drunk in love” playing on the soundtrack. beyond the lights gives the audience many other simple pleasures and, at least for its duration, makes us wonder what else we could ever want from the movies .
beyond the lights is a deft, gorgeous movie. for all its honesty, it’s never slow, and for all its criticism of the music industry, it’s never finger - wagging. prince - bythewood re - creates the hyperstylized imagery of music videos and awards shows, indulging in their pop absurdity while allowing an undercurrent of melancholy to course through. and she somehow does it all without ever letting the story get out of control, too ridiculous or fantastical. that may be beyond the lights ’ greatest accomplishment, and why, for a film so seemingly frivolous, it hits so hard: as we watch this dreamy, colorful piece of musical and romantic wish - fulfillment, we get the distinct sense we’re watching real life unfold .
sony ’s forthcoming superhero team - up pic silver & black has tapped screenwriters lindsey beer and geneva robertson - dworet to pen the sony movie, deadline has confirmed. the movie puts the spotlight on the mercenary war criminal hunter, silver sable and the burglar - turned - street - hero black cat. the movie is slated to open feb. 8, 2019. as deadline exclusively reported, gina prince - bythewood, who wrote and directed beyond the lights and created the tv series shots fired …
it was 2007 and alicia keys was singing “diary” at the hollywood bowl when inspiration struck writer - director gina prince - bythewood (love and basketball) for her new movie beyond the lights, the tale of a perfectly packaged pop star, played by belle ‘s gugu mbatha - raw, who’s been groomed for stardom from a young age by her overbearing, opportunistic mother (minnie driver) .
rosario dawson was nominated in the outstanding actress category for top five; tessa thompson for the ivy league comedy dear white people; quvenzhané wallis for her lead role in the remake of annie; and gugu mbatha - raw, nominated twice in the same category, for beyond the lights and belle, about a mixed race woman making her way in 18 th century england. mbatha - raw is the first actress to earn two acting nominations in the same category; washington is the only actor to achieve this feat .
beyond the lights is the story of noni jean, a hot new artist who has just won a grammy and is primed for stardom. but the pressures of success compel her to nearly end her life until she is saved by a young police officer. they fall hard for each other, despite the protests of their parents who want each to focus on their own career ambitions. but he might be the missing piece to unlock her artistic potential .
basketball superstar and “beyond the lights” producer amar’e stoudemire also walked the red carpet. when asked about his experience producing this film he told us that it was a great experience especially working with such an amazing cast and to work with gina prince - bythewood. he said it was very rewarding. amar’e is a big fan of gina, who wrote and directed “love and basketball. ”
5. chaka khan makes a cameo even though beyond the lights is about a fictional singer, the film has no shortage of cameo appearances from real singers and pop stars. chaka khan appears as herself near the beginning of the film when noni is about to accept her first billboard music award. the seasoned songstress with enviable locks of her own compliments the rising star, “love the hair! ” the film is star - studded even behind the scenes. grammy award - winning r & b; producer - singer the dream lent his talents to writing the songs for the movie, and beyonce’s hair stylist kim kimble helped glam up mbatha - raw for the role .
prince - bythewood, who has written and directed films like
love & basketball
and
the secret life of bees ,
spoke with huffpost live' s ricky camilleri on thursday about the reactions she got from studios as she developed
beyond the lights .
that included questions like whether certain characters needed to be black and if she would consider casting channing tatum instead of african american actor nate parker .
in studio live is an exclusive series featuring artists who bring a distinct presence to the world of music. produced by beyond production house with support from chuck levin' s, washington music center .
one of the most pleasurable moviegoing experiences i had this year was catching “beyond the lights” in a suburban southern california mall not long after it opened. it was the tuesday night before thanksgiving, and the theater was half - full, mostly with women. after the credits rolled and the lights went up, i drifted past a small group of white women who were still sitting and talking about the movie, which centers on a black female pop star. most seemed pretty high on it, which suggests that the movie could do better than it has, if it could find its audience. so far, though, it has struggled despite good reviews and an a from cinemascore, which tracks audience reactions .
gina prince - bythewood’s beyond the lights makes our social - media - driven celebrity culture such a centerpiece of its story that this old - fashioned romantic drama set in the world of showbiz seems more topical than it actually is. gugu mbatha - raw stars as noni, a young woman who has been groomed for superstardom by her ferocious single mom macy jean (minnie... read more
leave the m6 at junction 32 and join the m55. travel to the end of the m55 motorway and continue to the roundabout .
about the production beyond the lights was primarily shot on location in l. a. allain explains why shooting in the city was so important to the film .
we needed to shoot in la, because it' s such an l. a. story. it' s really about los angeles and the lengths people will go to gain notoriety and success .
audiences will recognize some of the city' s landmark places like the shrine auditorium and the nokia theatre .
it makes you remember that this is hollywood, where the make - believe is, where the glamour is ,
continues allain .
sony is building out their catalogue of non - mcu dependent titles, and after tom hardy' s venom takes the first step, black cat and silver sable are the next marvel heroes set to headline their own movie. the studio has tapped screenwriters lindsey beer and geneva robertson - dworet to pen the most recent draft of the script for silver & black; the standalone movie centered on marvel comics' war criminal - hunting mercenary, silver sable, and the robin hood - style burglar for the people, black cat. the secret life of bees and beyond the lights writer - director gina prince - bythewood will …
outstanding director nods went to amma asante for belle, gina prince - bythewood for beyond the lights, ava duvernay for selma, chris rock for top five, and justin simien for dear white people. prince - bythewood, rock and simien are also nominated for outstanding screenplay. this marks the first time that three female directors (gina prince - bythewood, amma astante and ava duvernay) have been nominated in the best director category .
“beyond the lights” is a strange beast, a music - industry romance that alternates freely between wisdom and mawkishness, caustic entertainment - biz critique and naive wish fulfillment, heartfelt flourishes and soap - opera shenanigans. yet writer - director gina prince - bythewood (“love and basketball”) nonetheless manages to fit all the warring elements of her screenplay into an undeniably entertaining, attractive package, buoyed by a [ … ]
“ beyond the lights ” is enjoyable but frustrating, the type of film that seems to repeatedly win its audience over with one scene only to lose it with the next. for example, the angles from which prince - bythewood shoots the lonely noni in her cavernous, antiseptic mansion speak much louder than, say, a scene of her smashing the framed magazine covers that adorn her walls, yet the director includes a scene of the latter all the same. at times her view of the record industry has an insider’s wry knowingness, and at others she’ll have some oily label head bellow, “if she doesn’t kick ass at the bet awards, we’ll drop her from the label! ” (the less said about the double shot of schmaltz that ends the film, the better. )
tags: beyond the lights, black women directors, black women writers, drama, films about black women, films by & about women, films by black women, films by women, films which feature suicide attempts, gina prince - bythewood, gugu mbatha - raw, love and basketball, nate parker, ren jender, romance bookmark the permalink. follow comments with the rss feed for this post. both comments and trackbacks are closed .
a film about the passion that arises between a pop star named noni (gugu mbatha - raw) who watches helplessly as she cedes her identity to the demands of the music business and the cop (nate parker) who helps her reclaim her individual voice, “beyond the lights” was itself a labor of love that required prince - bythewood to put her own money into making a proof of concept short to get financiers aboard and operated on a miniscule budget, making her longtime relationships with collaborators such as hernandez all the more important .
striking just the right amount of emotion without being too sappy ,
beyond the lights
tells the story of a pop - star submerged in stardom, with no freedom from her mother, as she tries to grasp the concept of true love and reality. fame can be hard, and this film explores both that and the ideal of a happy life without it. i absolutely loved how this film as executed, and it; s smart script isolates itself from any cliched story that may be similar to it. it distances itself from the predictable story you think it will be and opens your mind .
beyond the lights
helms a breakout star performance, a great script, anice balance of terrible and good music, and i thoroughly believe that this is a fantastic film that could have failed miserably. overall, i highly recommend this film, especially to those who are skeptical or have no idea what it is .
“beyond the lights” is the story of noni, the music world’s latest superstar. but not all is what it seems, and the pressures of fame have noni on the edge – until she meets kaz nicol, a young cop and aspiring politician who’s been assigned to her detail. drawn to each other, noni and kaz fall fast and hard, despite the protests of those around them who urge them to put their career ambitions ahead of their romance. but it is ultimately kaz’s love that gives noni the courage to find her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be .
outstanding actor nods went to chadwick boseman for his portrayal of musician james brown in get on up; david oyelowo for his depiction of civil rights icon martin luther king jr. in selma; comedian chris rock for top five, about a comedian striving to be taken seriously; nate parker as a police officer in love with a superstar singer in beyond the lights; and denzel washington for his role as a man taking the law into his own hands in the equalizer .
there are many unforgettable moments in “beyond the lights, ” as any fan of the film will tell you. there’s the “drunk in love” airplane scene, the kitchen confrontation between mother (macy jean, played by minnie driver) and daughter (gugu mbatha - raw ’s noni). and of course, there are all of the amazing scenes set in mexico—especially the ones where we start to see noni transform, beginning with her hair. but there’s one powerful scene that many of us forgot about, almost as soon as we left the theatre, and it’s an important piece to any conversation about the film’s themes .
english actress gugu mbatha - raw isn’t a household name yet, but i feel like it’s only a matter of time. she’s already headlined a quiet romantic drama (beyond the lights), a sci - fi thriller (the cloverfield paradox), and what might be the best episode of the anthology series black mirror (season 3’s “san junipero”). in disney ’s a [ … ] the post gugu mbatha - raw on ‘ a wrinkle in time, ’ ‘ the cloverfield paradox ’ going to netflix, and more [ interview ] appeared first on / film .
i started writing it seven years ago but i’ve just been focused on getting it done the last two years. “beyond the lights” got done filming in december and i told my team the next project i do will be the nat turner biopic or i won’t do another job, because what’s the point? this is my gift to my people and to young men and women coming up that don’t really have a sense of identity and need something to attach to, that reminds them of who they are and the people that came before them. so for me, there’s nothing more important .
to create this combination – so common to real - life superstars – mbatha - raw and “lights” writer - director gina prince - bythewood did their homework, prince - bythewood said in a phone interview .
beyond the lights is the story of noni, the music world' s latest superstar. but not all is what it seems, and the pressures of fame have noni on the edge - until she meets kaz nicol, a young cop and aspiring politician who' s been assigned to her detail. drawn to each other, noni and kaz fall fast and hard, despite the protests of those around them who urge them to put their career ambitions ahead of their romance. but it is ultimately kaz' s love that gives noni the courage to find her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be. (c) relativity
go straight on at the traffic lights and you will see the football stadium on your right. as you approach, you will see designated car parking area for blackpool clinical commissioning group staff and visitors (pay and display). park in the pay and display area and walk towards blackpool football stadium .
7. beyond the lights is not a “black film” prince - bythewood has a message to send to hollywood: films with black stars aren’t just for black people to enjoy. “hollywood calls them ‘urban films’ or ‘black films, and it’s really my goal to abolish that and just have people of color in every genre, ” the writer - director told flavorwire. “the same way i can fall in love with the notebook, people should see films with people of color and feel the same way. there are people of color but it’s not race specific—it’s a love story. ”
twenty years after the release of the classic comedy dumb and dumber, the highly ...
go over the roundabout onto yeadon way, following the signs for the town centre and tower .
prince - bythewood is unafraid of both the quiet moment and those of melodramatic grandiosity. the trailers for her films do them quite a disservice, for they contain scenes that, out of context, appear hokey, but in context bear an effectiveness that stings and stuns. “beyond the lights” makes unapologetically damning statements about the music industry’s treatment of women, yet it never feels preachy. it strikes a risky, though successful balancing act between being immensely entertaining as a musical feature and making dramatic, important statements about depression, self - worth and female empowerment .
in response, hernandez gives “beyond the lights” some of her most inspired work to date — as does nearly everyone involved in the production — taking prince - bythewood’s desire to show how hemmed in noni is inside of an image created by others to sell her to the masses and creating a duality to each of the outfits the singer puts on. conveying the excess of an industry that places a premium on sex over talent, hernandez draws on the idea of a gilded cage for noni, decking her in gold chains and skimpy tube tops that simultaneously seduce and reveal how hollowed out she has become from the young girl who could once belt out nina simone’s “blackbird” with soul that belied her age .
“beyond the lights” opens with macy jean taking the young noni (a fantastic india jean - jacques) to a talent contest. noni sings nina simone’s “blackbird, ” which becomes her unofficial theme song. “why you wanna fly, blackbird? ” noni sings. “you ain’t ever gonna fly. ” noni wins second place when she clearly deserves the winning trophy, and macy jean not only makes a scene but she cruelly forces the briefly proud noni to discard the trophy in the street. prince - bythewood has noni sing “blackbird” again later at the island resort, an adult version mirroring her youthful one in both style and situation. mbatha - raw replaces the innocence of jean - jacques’ version with the adult noni’s sense of cathartic release, and the effect is hauntingly beautiful .
beyond the lights is the story of noni jean, a hot new award - winning artist who is primed for superstardom. but not all is what it seems, and the pressures cause noni to nearly fall apart - until she meets kaz nicol, a promising young cop and aspiring politician who' s been assigned to her detail. drawn to each other, noni and kaz fall fast and hard, despite the protests of those around them to put their career ambitions ahead of their romance. but can kaz' s love give noni the courage to find her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be ?
the third key element, and the most important, is bythewood, who is best known for helming the cult - favorite drama “love & basketball” and the underrated period piece “the secret life of bees. ” before “lights” screened, bythewood shared with the audience how it took over four years to get the movie made and that she and her husband, producer reggie rock bythewood, heard more “no” responses to the project than she can remember. clearly, the financiers and studios that turned her down made a big mistake .
there’s flash and sizzle to “lights, ” as well as a “bodyguard” - esque love story between mbatha - raw’s character, noni, and a cop (nate parker). the pair bond after the cop rescues noni, who is troubled by career demands, from a suicide attempt .
although “beyond the lights” does not focus heavily on noni’s assault, one of the dominant messages of the film is that we should all be more critical of an industry where most of our female pop stars must sell sex (or feel like they must), if they are to achieve success. this is especially true—and true for different reasons—for our black female pop and hip - hop acts. and while i personally don’t take issue with aggressive sex, or sexually explicit performances and videos, it is interesting to note that noni’s assault is initially difficult to read, because the audience (the one in the scene, and those of us watching the scene) is accustomed, even desensitized, to performances where the objectification of the female performer is the central focus. one could argue that, often times, even the music is secondary to this. that is to say, the sexualized performances often have a greater effect and impact than the actual song. such desensitization is the reason many of us walked away from the film having forgotten this scene. it’s the reason we’re not talking about it—because, in many ways, we also consider it to be normal. many, many women (if not most) will experience some act of unwanted sexual attention or aggression at some point. we find this normal for women who aren’t in the music industry, and “beyond the lights” reminds us that we almost expect it for female entertainers. when those female entertainers are working in the rap industry, our perceptions are even more skewed .
macy, now running a tight ship as noni’s manager, goes into instant spin mode. at a press conference, the incident is brushed off as the accidental result of too many celebratory drinks, and kaz is hailed as a hero. but despite receiving a fat check as payment for sticking to the story, the cop is too sensitive a brother not to feel noni’s pain. and she likes that he sees beyond the fame to the soulful girl inside .
yes it was at the top of the poster in small letters, but who was paying attention? (i had to go check it myself to see if anything was there). tell people “lights” was directed by gina prince - bythewood, and they would look at you puzzled. tell them the film was made by the director of “love and basketball” and their faces light up .
the romance will be released nationwide on november 14 by relativity media. for updates on the film, visit the
like mr. almodóvar, ms. prince - bythewood sees femininity as a construction. except that for noni, there’s nothing ironic or amusing about it. while she’s deconstructing her femininity, agrado says that “you are more authentic the more you resemble what you’ve dreamed of being. ” noni’s search for authenticity may seem naïve or futile, but one of the most resonant, deeply felt ideas in “beyond the lights” is that finding yourself is a privilege long denied this black woman. her metamorphosis is another reminder that the familiar search for a self, an identity and, in this case, a literal voice of your own, has radically different meanings when the body on the screen is female, black or both .
midway through beyond the lights, minnie driver ’s character, a brassy south london showbiz mother who gives gypsy ’s rose a run for her money, snarls at her flailing supernova daughter, “congratulations, you’re a bloody cliche! ” that might be true, but gina prince - bythewood ’s entertaining music - biz melodrama is no less satisfying for the familiarity of its soapy trajectory. as the stunned deer in the headlights of fame, gugu mbatha - raw is incandescent, playing a vulnerable young woman suffocating in the processed packaging of a sizzling pop goddess. strong chemistry with co - star nate parker and a pulsing soundtrack should help give this november relativity release a legitimate commercial shot .
beyond studios nyc is a drive - in photo & video production studio located in east williamsburg / bushwick. the studio is housed in a 4, 000 sq. ft. ground floor warehouse with a u - shaped cyclorama and a 1, 500 sq. ft. staging area .
the dream has worked with such artists as rihanna, beyonce, justin bieber and britney spears. he has won grammy awards for writing hit songs such as beyonce’s “single ladies (put a ring on it) ”, kanye west’s “all of the lights” and jay - z and kanye’s “no church in the wild. ” he is represented by icm partners .
i had a chance to see the screening of beyond the lights a few weeks ago in tallahassee, fl. this movie was a breath of fresh air. i haven' t seen a complete love story that i can relate to in one way or another. this movie was very realistic and was very relate - able. the movie walked you through noni' s life from the time she was a child to the time she was an artist. it made you feel as if you were in that moment with her. there were some parts of the movie that made you smile and cheer and then the note so happy moments - all the emotions needed when viewing a great movie. the writer gina bythewood and nate parker were at the screening and participated in a questions and answers session after the movie screening. i really appreciate the interaction with the viewers and the ability to answer every single question in great depth. i am still impressed. go out and support this movie. you will not be disappointed .
the
beyond the lights
cast discusses what it was like filming a romantic drama and what their spouses thought. subscribe: urltoken about queen latifah: queen latifah is a musician, award - winning actress, record label president, author, entrepreneur and cover girl. join queen latifah every weekday for an hour of fun on the queen latifah show, where she will bring you celebrity interviews, inspiring stories, musical performances and her fun take on pop culture. connect with queen latifah online: visit queen latifah' s website: urltoken like queen latifah on facebook: urltoken follow queen latifah on twitter: urltoken
by the time i finish writing this essay, there’s a good chance that another woman will come forward and accuse bill cosby of rape, or sexual assault. meanwhile, as i’m writing this essay, countless individuals and organizations are still taking to the streets to spread the message that black lives matter, and to demand an american justice system that reflects this. “beyond the lights” is an incredible film (which was, unfortunately, not marketed in a way that reflected its nuances), partly because it fits into both conversations by taking on sexual assault (and the perception of it), along with race politics. director gina prince - bythewood has deftly created a love story that addresses the unique ways in which both issues play out in the entertainment industry. ”
complete tracklist, all songs played in the movie and in the trailer, who sings them, soundtrack details and the entire music playlist of the album .
before she gets to that romantic island getaway, which she shares with kaz, noni has to navigate a horrific amount of the sexist behavior that comes with being a singer of hooks in rap songs and appearances at the bet and mtv awards. noni is dressed to sell sex, and she sings about it with rihanna - like aplomb. she’s teamed with an eminem - like rapper whom she’s dating, and her success is at first directly tied to his. “beyond the lights” paints a dark picture of the music industry; at one point, on live tv, the rapper practically sexually assaults noni because she’s “being disrespectful. ” kaz leaps to her aid, and his chivalry doesn’t go unrewarded .
with “lights, ” which hit theaters this past november, prince - bythewood might have helped introduce the world’s next big movie star. a british tv veteran, mbatha - raw broke out earlier in 2014 in the period piece “belle, ” in which she played a mixed - race woman facing prejudice in 18th - century england .
the film just failed to catch fire. opening in 1789 screens, the film’s $ 6. 5 million take with an average of $ 3, 633 per screen is, to put it mildly, a disappointment. in fact it’s a lower opening weekend number than director gina prince - bythewood ’s previous films, “the secret life of bees, ” which opened (in today’s dollars) with $ 11. 7 million and “love and basketball” with $ 11. 2 million. and keep in mind that both films opened in less screens than “beyond the lights. ” all this means that, unfortunately, many theaters will dump the film by the end of this week for something else that they think will do better. so what happened ?
while watching most films and tv shows–especially those that take place in los angeles and new york–i’ve wondered if anyone associated with the production ever looked up and noticed they were surrounded by black and brown people–who were neither homeless nor worked in cleaning or wait staff positions. beyond the lights is one of the few recent films i’ve seen (besides dear white people) which takes for granted that black people, especially black women, are everywhere; they’re not just entertainers but also political consultants and hairdressers. when kaz is saving noni he chants, “i see you. i see you. i see you. ” apparently a black woman director is one of the few people who can see all the black women in real life who aren’t “the help. ”
those already familiar with english actress gugu mbatha - raw will most likely remember her in corsets and eighteenth - century gowns as a mixed - race aristocrat in the film belle. but for her latest movie, beyond the lights, she’s donning a very different kind of costume: with her delicate beauty and signature ringlets hidden beneath a straight purple wig and a face full of makeup, she’s practically unrecognizable as an r & b superstar à la rihanna. “half of the time i felt like i was in drag, ” says mbatha - raw over the phone last week. “for me it was kind of essential to go there and create that person that is very real in pop culture and the music industry. ”
plays during the
love
scene between noni & kaz on the plane .
sony’s marvel universe is beginning to come together at a brisk clip. with talk of standalone pics for kraven and mysterio, not to mention a spinoff based on silver sable and black cat from director gina prince - bythewood (beyond the lights), the studio has made serious headway on its own spider - man universe in recent weeks, and it all begins with the launch of ruben fleischer ’s venom next october. the fun doesn’t stop there, though, as we’re now hearing that sony is planning yet another spinoff for their burgeoning new franchise, and it’ll revolve around none other than nightwatch. jeff sneider, eic of the tracking board, is the one with the scoop here, and according to him, edward ricourt is currently penning the script and spike lee is being eyed to helm. now, there’s been no confirmation on this from the studio as of yet, but
though, it doesn’t take that much time. up until this point, the film has a textured, even personal feel to it; it’s intimate, specific, and prince - bythewood films with clarity and focus. but, unfortunately, as the movie’s pulse quickens and the romance starts to heat up, everything around it starts to warp, buckle, and melt. before too long, beyond the lights has reached near - lifetime original movie levels of easy schmaltz and stilted sex appeal. as perceptive a filmmaker as prince - bythewood is—her directorial debut was 2000’s smart, swoon - inducing love & basketball —she stumbles into a startling amount of cliches as noni and kaz’s relationship blooms and grows .
1. the film was almost never made it had been over six years since prince - bythewood directed a feature film and when she started pitching beyond the lights to studios. the love & basketball and secret life of bees writer - director faced some unexpected resistance. “i thought it was going to be an easy sell, ” she told flavorwire. “ [ but ] i got turned down by everybody but one studio. ” when she finally did find a studio, they didn’t even guarantee they were going to go through with production. on top of it all, prince - bythewood was told she needed to get a white male actor to play opposite the character of noni, according to clutch magazine. but the director insisted upon casting nate parker for the role of kaz .
unfortunately for a film about the importance of keeping it real, the drama here is largely formulaic, and the finish line crosses into the realm of artistic fantasy .
noni is trapped in a personal and professional lifestyle that does not reflect who she is or wants to be. add to the mix macy (minnie driver), noni’s momager, who is pushing noni beyond her personal limits in order to secure their financial future and produce a “winner” instead of a “runner - up. ”
the housewives go to cannes but, unsurprisingly, drama follows them across the ocean .
there was some good news and bad news over the weekend. the good news was
the huffpost live office collectively swooned when the
jealous
singer brought his charm to the studio on june 11, 2015 .
a few minutes later, “beyond the lights” goes for a grander, operatic moment that serves as a more blatant, yet equally effective reiteration of noni’s character rebirth. but i admired and respected prince - bythewood’s faith in the audience’s ability to pick up subtler nuances. as writer - director of “disappearing acts, ” “the secret life of bees, ” and her masterpiece, “love and basketball, ” prince - bythewood specializes in characters who are as complex as those residing in literature. the people she writes have lives that exist separately from their romantic and societal entanglements. the audience tags along with each of her creations down their separate pathways, so when a character reacts to a certain situation, we know why. sometimes we can even predict what they’ll do before they act .
a cop saves the life of a suicidal rising star, and they begin a frowned - upon romance. while the film' s heart is in the right place and its depiction of the music world is a well - aimed barb, there is something off about the pace and plot of this film. it is essentially an emotional, over - wrought scene followed by a montage, followed by an emotional, over - wrought scene, and the plot points of the romance are awfully quick and - you guessed it - over - wrought. the characters jump to conclusions that no real, reasonable lovers would reach, and when the plot calls for a sincere moment, the film settles for a montage that doesn' t reveal enough about their journey. gugu mbatha - raw and nate parker are acceptable in their roles, but in their tender scenes together, there' s something insouciant about much of their acting, as though the characters they create aren' t making real and vital decisions. overall, beyond the lights would have benefited from reworking its plot and stronger performances .
“lights” also benefits from a number of songs produced by the dream, which were written and recorded specifically for the film, including “masterpiece, ” “c - mon boy, ” “private property” and “blackbird. ” each of those tracks feature mbatha - raw on vocals. the film also includes the original track “grateful, ” written by diane warren and performed by rita ora. it”s hard to imagine all five being submitted for best original song, but expect “blackbird” and “grateful” to be near the top for consideration .
in addition to being exploited by her label, and her own mother, the protagonist of “beyond the lights” is a victim of sexual assault. audiences and critics have been almost (or entirely) immune to the scene (one critic did note that she was “practically” assaulted, and others have made similar comments), because it was carefully crafted to play like a prototypical rap performance. noni is on stage with her ex - boyfriend, rapper kid culprit (played by mgk), and when she refuses to take off the trench coat covering up her sexy, barely - there ensemble, culprit attempts to physically force the coat off. he also grabs her, and throws her on the bed on stage, aggressively simulating sex with her there, and again while standing up, as he pretends to receive oral sex from her. all this, in front of a live audience in the movie, and the imagined audience at home .
tell me about the relationship with danny glover, who plays your father in the movie.
beyond the lights is a 2014 american romantic drama film directed and written by gina prince-bythewood . the film stars gugu mbatha-raw , minnie driver , nate parker , danny glover , and rapper machine gun kelly . the film premiered at the 2014 toronto international film festival on september 7 , 2014 and was released theatrically in the united states on november 14 , 2014 . in 2015 , the song " grateful " , written by diane warren for the film , was nominated for the academy award for best original song . 
beyond the lights is a 2014 american romantic drama film directed and written by gina prince-bythewood. the film stars gugu mbatha-raw, minnie driver, nate parker, danny glover, and rapper machine gun kelly. the film premiered at the 2014 toronto international film festival on september 7, 2014 and was released theatrically in the united states on november 14, 2014. in 2015, the song " grateful ", written by diane warren for the film, was nominated for the academy award for best original song.
beyond the lights is a 2014 american romantic drama film directed and written by gina prince-bythewood. the film stars gugu mbatha-raw, minnie driver, nate parker, danny glover, and rapper machine gun kelly. the film premiered at the 2014 toronto international film festival on september 7, 2014 and was released theatrically in the united states on november 14, 2014. in 2015, the song " grateful ", written by diane warren for the film, was nominated for the academy award for best original song.