Week in Review: The Americanization of Uggie

The masses have spoken, and their cry is clear: “Consider Uggie!” Yes, The Artist’s unbelievably moving doggie is tearing up news outlets and Facebook with his Oscar potential, and I emit a silent woof in approval! Enjoy this first weekend in December (and Advent, if you still celebrate your repressed Catholic upbringing like I do), and check out this week’s highlights. · Our massive “Consider” campaign for The Artist’s spectacular pooch Uggie is in full swing. He’s made serious progress in the past week. · Please don’t read these unless you enjoy incredible discussions with talented people. This week’s Movieline Interview designees are Ralph Fiennes (fanning myself), Emily Browning, Tilda Swinton, Eddie Redmayne, and Dane Cook. Secret: I believe Tilda and Eddie should play each other in a TV movie. · For added interview-y goodness, check out our coverage of Fox Searchlight’s Oscar fete. Martha Marcy May Marlene’s Sarah Paulson, Shame costar Nicole Beharie, and Win Win’s writer/director Thomas McCarthy chip in. · Speaking of The Artist, its Best Picture chances jumped considerably this week. Descendants, hit the showers. · If you watch the trailer to Camp Hell again, Jesse Eisenberg may subpoena you. · Oh no. Drive’s award season prowess is decelerating. Hard. · If Coriolanus is too gritty for you, please consider watching O, this week’s Bad Movie We Love. Pout, Julia Stiles! Pout! · Most importantly, please remember to watch the new Verbal Vogueing over 750 times. I’m like YouTube’s Madonna for hoarse LGBT youth!

Box Office Preview: 'Shame,' Oscar Contenders Jockey for Position as Awards Season Heats Up

In a lull before the Christmas storm, there are no wide releases opening at the domestic box office this weekend. Instead, the focus will be on awards contenders.our editor recommends'Shame' Red Band Trailer: Michael Fassbender Brings Sex to the Subway (Video)Why 'Shame' Could 'Legitimize' the NC-17 Rating'Midnight in Paris' Becomes Woody Allen's Top Film of All Time in North America'Midnight in Paris' Getting a Late-Summer ExpansionNational Board of Review Backs Oscar Contenders Needing a Big Boost (Analysis)'Hugo' Named Best Film of the Year by the National Board of Review The weekend after Thanksgiving is famous for being one of the quietest sessions of the year for new studio fare. Conversely, the specialty box office usually lights up as award hopefuls enter the marketplace, or expand their runs. There's an added twist this year: Sony Pictures Classics is re-releasing Woody Allen's box office hit Midnight in Paris this weekend in 305 theaters. The film is Allen's highest grossing movie to date, earning $55.7 million domestically and $79.6 million internationally. PHOTOS: The Making of 'The Artist' "We wanted to make one last play before the movie comes out on DVD on Dec. 20. We felt that a lot of people would like to see it one more time," says Sony Pictures Classics co-president Tom Bernard. Fox Searchlight will test the limits of the NC-17 rating both at the box office and among awards voters when openingSteve McQueen's Shame -- featuring Michael Fassbender as a desolate sex addict--in nine theaters in Los Angeles, NY, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Searchlight insiders say only one exhibitor, Cinemark, is refusing to play Shame, also starring Carey Mulligan. That's not a surprise, since Cinemark likewise refused to carry Ang Lee's 2007 Lust, Caution, also rated NC-17. PHOTOS: The Making of 'The Descendants' Shame has ambitious awards aspirations, with Fassbender winning the top acting prize at the Venice Film Festival in September. And on Thursday, Shame was listed among the year's top 10 independent films by the National Board of Review. This week, awards season began to take shape in earnest as the season's first key awards and nominations were announced, capped by the NBR, which named Martin Scorsese's Hugo best film of the year. Scorsese also won best director. Paramount, which is distributing Hugo for GK Films, hopes to parlay the top honors into increased interest at the box office. This weekend, Hugo makes a major push when upping its theater count from roughly 1,200 to 1,800. Paramount intentionally held back when opening Hugo on Nov. 23 so as to take advantage of awards attention throughout December. PHOTOS: 'J. Edgar' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals Through Wednesday, Hugo's domestic gross was $17 million. Box office observers believe the pic will gross $6 million to $8 million this weekend, which could put it at No. 3 behind The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 and The Muppets. Fox Searchlight's George Clooney starrer The Descendants, which also scored top NBR honors in addition to key Independent Spirit Award nominations, moves into an additional 141 theaters this weekend for a total theater count of 574. The film, directed by Alexander Payne, has grossed a stellar $12.4 million since opening Nov. 16 in select theaters. Two other specialty films to watch: The Artist and Michelle Williams starrer My Week with Marilyn, both from the Weinstein Co. The Artist, debuting last Friday in four theaters in NY and Los Angeles, moves into two theaters in San Francisco. The black-and-white silent film nabbed one of the top openings of the year for a limited release, and also garnered top Independent Spirit Award nominations. The Artist also scored big this week with the NY Film Critics Circle, which named it best picture, as well as naming French helmer Michel Hazanavicius best director. In terms of which film will win the box office race overall, Disney's Muppets and Summit's Breaking Dawn could potentially find themselves in a contest for the No. 1 spot, with weekend grosses in the $13 million to $15 million range. Muppets, already considered a victory for Disney, opened on Nov. 23 and has grossed $44.4 million through Wednesday domestically. Breaking Dawn's domestic gross through Wednesday was $228.2 million. The fate of Sony's Arthur Christmas, which opened opposite Muppets on Nov. 23, is less certain, although the studio believes the pic will have strong legs because of its holiday theme. Through Wednesday, the movie's domestic gross was $17.6 million. For the weekend, conservative estimates show it grossing $5 million to $6 million. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery It's a Zoo This Season: 23 Awards Contenders Featuring Animals Related Topics Oscars Box Office Oscars 2012 Midnight in Paris The Artist The Descendants The Muppets Shame Hugo

Sara Gilbert Confirms She's Dating Linda Perry

Sarah Gilbert The Talk co-host Sara Gilbert opened up about her new relationship with musician/songwriter Linda Perry on the daytime talk show - but not by choice."The other day I was just out, and the paparazzi were there," she said, referring to photos that were taken of the couple over Thanksgiving weekend."All these articles are out that I'm in a new relationship... I do want to share [the news] with you ... but I want to do it on my terms, in full hair and makeup," she joked to the audience Wednesday.Check out the rest of today's newsThe 36-year old actress, who played Darlene Conner on Roseanne, split from her longtime girlfriend, TV producer Allison Adler, in August. The couple dated for 10 years and has two children together.Watch Gilbert discuss it with her Talk co-hosts:

FilmDistrict And The new sony Partner On Evil Dead Remake

Culver City, CA (November 30, 2011) The new sony Pictures Worldwide Purchases (SPWA) and FilmDistrict have joined with Ghost House Pictures on the worldwide dealexcluding U.K. and France for The new sony Pictures to distribute the remake of Evil Dead. The announcement is made by Steven Bersch, SPWA Leader, and Peter Schlessel, Boss of FilmDistrict. Lia Buman, FilmDistricts EVP of Purchases, will oversee the project. Original creating partners Take advantage of Tapert, Bruce Campbell (who also starred within the original franchise) and Mike Raimi will produce. Ghost House Pictures partners Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane will executive produce. Nicole Brown and J.R. Youthful will oversee the work for Ghost House. Take advantage of Tapert mentioned, For 3 decades, Mike, Bruce and I've been searching for the best home where we're able to return the deadites towards the giant screen. Amy Pascal and Shaun Blake at The new sony and Peter Schlessel at FilmDistrict will always be incredible partners who share our adoration for great storytelling in addition to our obsession for frightening the pants from the audience. Together, we're searching toward terrorizing another generation. Added Schlessel, I've been area of the extended Ghost House family for any very long time. Its fantastic to carry on the connection once we bring this classic horror film to a different generation of fans. The new sony Pictures includes a fantastic history working together with both Ghost House and Film District and that we couldnt become more excited to carry on cooperating around the contemporary adaptation of Evil Dead, stated Shaun Blake, Chairman of The new sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing and Distribution. Mike and Take advantage of come with an remarkable vision and that we cant wait to talk about this film with audiences in many areas around the world. Fede Alvarez, who'll direct the film, authored the script with Rodo Sayagues. Academy Top rated film writer Diablo Cody did revisions around the draft. Ghost House, FilmDistrict and SPWA are devoted to reviving the franchise and also have the film around the steps for success towards a 2012 production start. Frequently copied, never equaled. Evil Dead was the horror movie that began everything. Now, after 3 decades, Raimi and also the original designers are passing the reins of the beloved classic to Alvarez. Within this retelling, five buddies hole up in a remote cabin where they uncover a magazine from the Dead. A demonic pressure is unleashed having each until just one remains to battle for survival.

George Clooney and Michelle Williams To Be Honored at the Palm Springs Film Festival

Disney's The Muppets appear to be anything but washed up.our editor recommends'The Muppets': White House Hosting Screening for Military Families (Exclusive)Martin Scorsese Calls Filming 'Hugo' in 3D 'An Enjoyable Headache'The Muppets: Film ReviewHugo: Film ReviewArthur Christmas: Film Review PHOTOS: 'The Muppets' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals According to box office tracking, the family film holds a safe lead over the other two new Thanksgiving films, Sony and Aardman's Arthur Christmas and Paramount's Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese. All three films open nationwide on Wednesday, hoping to feast on Thanksgiving holiday traffic. The Muppets, starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams opposite the iconic puppets, is headed for a $40 million or better five day debut. Holdover The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn--Part 1 could win the Thanksgiving box office overall, but Muppets should be able to claim a victorious start for Disney, which made the film for a modest $45 million. VIDEO: Jason Segel, Amy Adams Talk Muppet Purists, Script Tricks and Being 'Too Ambitious' Disney bought the rights to The Muppets in 2004, and returning the puppets to fame has been a priority for Walt Disney Studios chairman Rich Ross, who wants to create a new generation of fans. The studio's marketing division has enlisted the entire Disney empire in plugging the film, as well as arranging a White House screening of the movie for military families on Tuesday that Segel hosted. Arthur Christmas is projected to open in the mid to high teens for the five days. Sony is hopeful that the 3D film will be a slow burn and have strong legs throughout December because of its Christmas theme, and points out it doesn't have the brand recognition that Muppets enjoys since its an original property. Arthur Christmas, which answers the question of how Santa Claus delivers toys all over the world in one night, has already grossed north of $10 in four markets overseas, the bullk of which was earned in the U.K., home of Aardman.This weekend, it continues to roll out overseas, including in Japan, France, Korea and New Zealand. THR COVER STORY: The Dreams of Martin Scorsese It's unclear where Warner Bros. holdover Happy Feet Two will land over the Thanksgiving holiday after opening to a disappointing $21.2 million last weekend. Hugo is Scorsese's first family film, as well as his first 3D title. Produced by Graham King and distributed by Paramount, Hugo--which cost north of $100 million to produce--is expected to open in the low teens for the five days. Paramount has decided to go with a slow roll out, and will only open Hugo in some 1,200 theaters, compared to more than 3,000 locations for Muppets and Arthur Christmas. That's because Hugo is expected to play a bit older than a regular family film, as well as appeal to a more sophisticated audience. By scaling back Hugo's initial footprint, Paramount hopes to ride the wave of good reviews and awards attention as December gets underway, much as it did last year with True Grit, which was released over Christmas, and became a box office success. Hugo isn't alone in sporting rave reviews--in an unusual Thanksgiving twist, The Muppets and Arthur Christmas also are criticial darlings (Muppetsboasted a 100 percent fresh rating on RottenTomatoes.com as of Thursday afternoon). The specialty box office also sees several high-profile debuts. On Wednesday, the Weinstein Co. opens Michelle Williams starrer My Week with Marilyn in 123 theaters in 12 markets before expanding into an additional 61 markets on Friday, bringing the film's total theater count to 224. The smaller roll out on Wednesday is designed to give the film some breathing room from Fox Searchlight's The Descendants, which expands into a total of 400 theaters on Thanksgiving eve. Also on Wednesday, Sony Pictures Classics launches David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method, starring Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley and Viggo Mortensen, in four theaters in NY and Los Angeles. Friday brings the NY-Los Angeles debut of the critically acclaimed French silent film The Artist, which the Weinstein Co. opens in four theaters in those two cities. Related Topics Box Office The Muppets Hugo

'Dark Dark evening Rises' Plot Particulars, 'Conan' Audition Tape Revealed

"The Dark Dark evening Increases" stood a monumental day yesterday, with Christopher Nolan finally revealing some very surprising plot particulars about his third and final Batman movie. Have a look at everything he required to say here, but continue but be cautious: there be spoilers ahead. In other "Dark Dark evening" news, we spoken with Gary Oldman about his return to Gotham City. See what he required to say inside the video below. Convey more comic movie news past the jump! Cavill Loves Superman's "Red-colored-colored Boy" In the new interview, "Guy of Steel" actor Henry Cavill states Mark Millar's "Red-colored-colored Boy" is among his favorite tales featuring the big blue boy scout: "It absolutely was essential to my character research, too. If you have two polar opposite viewpoints of the character, you will observe just what the authors consider the key baseline trend. I obtained to find out might start to see the other ways he'd are suffering from that was very useful in my opinion.In . Stars Testing For "Akira" A completely new quantity of stars emerged for your role of Tetsuo in "Akira." This list includes D.J. Cotrona, Logan Marshal Eco-friendly, Toby Kebbell, Rami Malek, Michael Pitt, Richard Madden, Paul Dano and Alden Ehrenreich. Who's your pick to see the telekinetic mind-freak? Jason Momoa's "Conan" Audition If you ever preferred to see how Khal Drogo transformed themselves to the Cimmerian warrior Conan, your research has ended: our exclusive clip within the "Conan" Blu-ray will greater than suit your curiosity. Notice below! Reveal everything you consider current day comic movie news inside the comments section and also on Twitter!

'The Dark Knight Rises' Empire Magazine Cover: See Batman and Bane, Again

What better way to start a slow Monday before Thanksgiving than with some casting news about some knighted British icons. Variety reports that Sir Anthony Hopkins and Dame Judi Dench will co-star in 'Italian Shoes' for director Sir Kenneth Branagh. Where's Sir Ben Kinglsey when you need him? Based on the novel by Swedish author Henning Mankell, 'Shoes' focuses on a retired doctor (Hopkins) "forced to confront his past mistakes when he's reunited with an old flame (Dench)." Branagh, who said the film is "tailor-made" for the pair of acting titans, hopes to start filming in 2012 or 2013, depending on the stars's busy schedules. He previously directed Hopkins in 'Thor,' and co-stars with Dench in 'My Week With Marilyn,' out this week. [via Variety] [Photo: FilmMagic] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook