I’m not sure I hear people saying, “Where is Willem Dafoe’s Oscar?” enough at all. He is such a sublime actor, and capable of such range in characters that we’re wasting a lot of time in not driving toward that goal.

Such is the case with Kent Jones’s beautifully realized very small independent movie called “Late Fame.” Released by Magnolia, “Late Fame” is playing in two theaters and has made $41,000 so far. It’s not “Spider Man” or “The Odyssey.” It’s a wrenching personal work based on a novel published in 1895 by the very cutting edge Austrian writer Arthur Schnitzler.

Schnitzler was best known for his erotic and modern take on sex. But in “Late Fame,” which Samy Burch brilliantly found and reimagined, Schnitzler could already see maybe his own celebrity slipping away. (He didn’t die until 1931.) Perhaps he was already feeling like his best days were behind him when he wrote “Late Fame.”

Believe it or not, this not Burch’s only current movie. She also wrote the animated film, “Coyote v. Acme,” which is getting rave reviews. (I’m watching it next.) She also wrote Todd Haynes’ much loved “May and December.” What’s going on here? I don’t think we’re getting it yet.

Burch and Jones have reset the main character, Dafoe’s Ed Saxburger, as a Greenwich Village poet who published one work of genius in the late 70s and then went to work for the Post Office. He lives alone in a rent controlled walk up and has long disappeared from the literary scene. He has no money or fame, and lives quietly.

All of a sudden, a bunch of young, wealthy NYU kids find him and start ginning him up. They’re in awe of Saxberger, who’s been so isolated for decades that he begrudgingly joins their group of earnest young men who seem like they could be related to the ones in Whit Stillman’s classic, “Metropolitan.”

No one flies, there are no battles at sea, there is just the artful unfolding of this unexpected chapter in Saxberger’s life. The young people capture him like he’s a rare sea turtle. They are so psyched to have found their “re-discovery.” The result is a real contemplation Edmund Donovan as Meyers and Greta Lee as Gloria anchor Saxberger’s new world, with a Greek chorus of Saxberger’s adult friends — David Oreskes, Clark Johnson, and Tony Torn — giving perfect balance.

Does anyone care about a movie about ideas anymore? I guess Magnolia Releasing does. The ideas aren’t even that deep, and a cynic like me could see a lot of it coming. But then again, not so much. Jones and Burch avoid a lot of cliches, and imbue Saxberger with an unsentimental gallantry. Dafoe is so watchable that you wouldn’t mind staying for the sequel.

The screenplay really needs applause. That Burch and Jones discover this tug of war between pretentious modern kids with dough who are denouncing smart phones and technology while they live in lofts bought by their parents vs. Saxberger’s organic and unapologetic life of an artist — the whole thing just sings.

I can only hope the Gotham and Spirit Awards find this movie, and embrace it like another Dafoe mini masterpiece, “The Florida Project.” I really thought I’d never see a character study of such intimacy and humor again.

Today’s the day.

Peter Parker and pals are hitting the $700 million mark this very afternoon and evening with “Spider Man: Brand New Day.” The Tom Holland-Zendaya led comic book film moves to number 8 on the all time list.

Worldwide, the number is up to a shocking $1.7 billion.

Stan Lee is up there in heaven passing out cigars. He could never have imagined his creation going this far

And today is just Day 13. That’s it. This movie will be playing in theaters well past Labor Day. And it’s going into IMAX, where the ticket prices are something twenty five bucks.

At the same time, “The Odyssey” is heading toward $500 million. That’s pretty wild, and Homer — now 3,000 years old — may be taunting Stan if they run into each other. “The Odyssey” also features Holland and Zendaya. Chris Nolan’s epic is heading to massive awards attention.

What’s not happening? “Cookie Queens,” a documentary about Girl Scout cookies, is DOA. Meghan Markle is executive producer with Prince Harry. These two have no idea what they’re doing, do they? They let the documentary be distributed by Roadkill –er, Roadside — Attractions, a company that couldn’t Girl Scout cookies to Girl Scouts. I’m not sure if they even have an agent left in Hollywood who will work with them. It’s pretty clear that Princess Meghan does not take advice from others. That’s the way the cookie crumbles!

By the way, “Cookie Queens” sounds like it’s about drag stars.

Liv Ullmann is alive, thanks.

Reports of her death have been much exaggerated.

Some stupid internet hoax claimed Ullmann, who is 87 and lives in Oslo, Norway, had passed away.

It’s just not true. I’ve confirmed the news through her office.

A great actress and beauty, Ullmann has twice been nominated for Oscars. She received a Lifetime Oscar in 2022.

Ullmann burst on the scene in 1966 with Ingmar Bergman’s “Persona.” She made several more movies with him including “Face to Face,” and “The Passion of Anna.” The actor and director made 12 movies together and their legendary romance produced a daughter, Lin Ullmann.

Other films include “Cries and Whispers,” “Autumn Sonata,” and “Scenes from a Marriage.” Ullmann famously turned down the lead in another Bergman classic, “Fanny and Alexander.”

Ullmann has also worked hard for the United Nations and UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador. She’s also starred in four Broadway plays and has one Tony nomination.

These death rumors are so stupid and embarrassing, and insulting. Believe me, if and when Liv Ullmann goes, the news won’t be on Twitter first!