Sen. Barbara Boxer Backs Online Anti-Piracy Legislation

Looks like the conservative Christian group Florida Family Association has finally succeeded in making a name for itself: first by convincing Lowe's it should pull ads from TLC's All-American Muslim, then through the good fortune of Lowe's admitting it had done so.our editor recommendsRussell Simmons Calls for Lowe's Boycott, Personally Buys Ad Time on 'All-American Muslim'Lowe's Issues Problematic Apologies After Pulling Ads From TLC's 'All-American Muslim'Lowe's Under Fire for Pulling 'All-American Muslim' AdsLawsuit Claims TLC's 'All-American Muslim' Was Stolen From TV Production Company (Exclusive)'All-American Muslim': The Football Team Finds a Way Around Ramadan (Exclusive Video)All-American Muslim: TV Review Until recently, FFA had been flying beneath the radar as a sort of poor-man's version of the better-known Parents Television Council. Not that it craved its relative anonymity, it's just that its campaigns weren't generating a lot of press, and the victories it had claimed were suspect because advertisers usually didn't acknowledge that they were dropping support of a TV show due to FFA's efforts. PHOTOS: 10 of TV's Biggest Television Show Controversies The FFA, for example, claims that 107 companies stopped advertising on Modern Family after FFA supporters sent e-mails complaining that the agenda of ABC's hit show was to normalize same-sex relationships while characterizing heterosexual couples as abnormal. Good luck, though, getting any of the show's former advertisers to admit that FFA had anything to do with their decision to stop buying ad time on Modern Family. More likely they'll say the ads ran their course and that was the end of it. While the general public may not have been familiar with FFA, it has been known to entertainment public-relations executives who have had to deal with e-mails stemming from its campaigns. For a few years, for example, FFA supporters have been e-mailing Disney and CEO Bob Iger their displeasure over Gay Day at Disney World being held during regular operating hours, as opposed to Grad Night and Night of Joy (a Christian celebration), events that are held after-hours. STORY:Lowe's Pulls Ads from TLC Show 'All-American Muslim' "Please stop this offensive event from occurring in the midst of thousands of children by requiring that it be held after regular operating hours when thousands of children will not be in the park," says an e-mail at the FFA site that visitors are encouraged to send to Disney and Iger. Targets of the FFA also have includedDegrassi, Glenn Martin DDS, RuPaul's Drag Race, The Girls Next Door andE!True Hollywood Story: Jenna Jameson. In each case, advertisers were contacted and the FFA claimed at least partial victory when many of them stopped buying ad time on the allegedly offending shows. As for the All-American Muslim campaign, FFA says that 65 companies pulled their commercials after its supporters sent thousands of emails, though it's Lowe's that generated controversy with its admission. "We understand the program raised concerns, complaints or issues from multiple sides of the viewer spectrum, which we found after doing research of news articles and blogs covering the show," a Lowe's spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter on Friday. On Monday, civil-rights entities and liberal politicians were denouncing the decision made by the giant home-improvement retailer, as were some celebrities. Mia Farrow, Russell Simmons and Kal Penn, for example, are urging boycotts of Lowe's. STORY:Lowe's Under Fire for Pulling 'All-American Muslim' Ads "I will sic evry civil rights agency on @lowes until they straighten this out," Simmons tweeted, while Farrow and Penn pointed followers to an online petition that denounces the retailer. FFA's problem with All-American Muslim stems from the work of a couple of conservative writers: Robert Spencer, author of The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran, and Pamela Geller, author of Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance. "The main danger of All-American Muslim is that it's misleading," writes Geller in an article reprinted by FFA. "The Muslims portrayed in the show are free to choose their path. That is the beauty of living in a free society. But so many aren't. ... Who speaks for Jessica Mokdad, who lived not far from where this show is taping, in Dearborn, Michigan? Mokdad was honor murdered by her stepfather, Rahim Alfetlawi, for 'not following Islam.'" And Spencer writes: "All that All-American Muslim gives us is a denunciation of 'Islamophobia' featuring Muslims who could never have conceivably inspired any suspicion of Islam in the first place. The show is a bait-and-switch." Natrually, liberal bloggers are incensed over such criticisms of the show. "It should come as no shock to you that the FFA is associated with evangelical Christians," says an item at Jezebel.com. "The organization's goal is to 'defend, protect and promote traditional, biblical values.' Ah yes, the Bible. The book that declares you may not wear a garment made of wool and linen." PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery PTC vs. TV: 10 Television Show Controversies Related Topics Bob Iger RuPaul The Walt Disney Company TLC All-American Muslim

L.A. Shooter Tyler Brehm: Recent Breakup, Drugs May Have Led to Gunman's Rampage

Directorial novice Angelina Jolie(In the Land of Blood and Honey) and her Kung Fu Panda 2 director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, the highest-grossing female director of all time, were shot by Peggy Sirota for the cover of the currentHollywood Reporter. Recently, they sat down with THRsenior film writer Pamela McClintock for a frank discussion on the lack of female directors in Hollywood, their own directorial mentors, feelings on awards nominations (Panda 2 leads the Annie noms with 12 and Blood and Honey could get a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign language film) and the status of a Kung Fu Panda 3. Jolie also opens up about being a first-time director, explaining how she got a "famously unsuccessful" topic (war) funded, when she found the time to write and what really happened to shut down the Bosnia set ofBlood and Honey, which opens in limited release Dec. 23.our editor recommendsAngelina Jolie's 'In the Land of Blood and Honey': 4 New Clips Depict the Bosnian War (Video)Angelina Jolie Explains Choosing 'Blood and Honey' for Directorial Debut (Video)'Kung Fu Panda 2' Leads Annie Award Nominations'Kung Fu Panda 2' Crosses $300 Million OffshoreFEINBERG FORECAST: 'War Horse,' 'Extremely Loud,' 'Dragon Tattoo,' 'Iron Lady' and 'Blood and Honey' Remain Question Marks Their interview ran as a part of THR's larger female directors package, highlighting Vera Farmiga (Higher Ground), Dee Rees (Pariah), Phyllida Lloyd (The Iron Lady), Lorene Scafaria (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World) and Patty Jenkins (Monster). PHOTOS: 5 of Hollywood's Female Directors To Know WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT HOLLYWOOD'S DEARTH OF FEMALE DIRECTORS Although neither would label herself an activist for female causes per se, the duo are mystified as to why there aren't more women directors -- only 13.4 percent of the DGA's director members are female. To boot,Kung Fu Panda 2is only the second animated studio pic solely directed by a woman, afterThe Tigger Movie. Angelina Jolie:"Isn't that crazy? Animated films are so family-oriented, you'd think that there would be women." Jennifer Yuh Nelson:I don't think about the gender thing very much. But when I speak at schools, I've had female students say to me afterwards, "I never envisioned myself being a director, since I've never seen women do it." But after seeing me, they can picture themselves directing, so maybe we'll see more female directors. And half of these kids in art and animation schools are girls. PHOTOS: The Kung Fu Panda 2 Premiere ON MAKING THE SECONDKUNG FU PANDA AND WHY IT TOOK THREE YEARS Nelson:It's a long process, and you have to know exactly what's going to happen next. You can't do coverage. Everything has to be planned ahead of time. And you have to make sure that people are still motivated and happy and creatively challenged so that it can all be stitched together. The voice acting starts after a lot of the storyboards are done. With Angie, things would change when we got into the booth and played with her lines. We would discover things in the moment and rewrite the script on the spot. She really knows the character, so when she would say, "A tiger wouldn't say that," she was absolutely right. She gives Tigress that extra level, and that's why people like the character so much. Sometimes, Angie's kids would be in the booth with me. [Jolie's son] Maddox would say, "That take was good," and I'd think, OK, he likes it, let's take that one. Jolie:On the firstKung Fu Panda, I would fight a line. With Jen, she would politely say, "Can we just try it?" And you kind of melt and say, "OK." She is a genuine artist who can see the bigger picture. And, fortunately, I've scored some points at home because of Kung Fu Panda. They love Tigress, who is my alternate personality. Otherwise, they think Brad [Pitt] and I are just so not cool. PHOTOS: Angelina Jolie's Top 10 Red Carpet Looks THEIR DIRECTORIAL ROLE MODELS Jolie:I've had the fortunate experience of working with so many interesting directors, from Michael Winterbottom to Clint Eastwood. I tried to remember the experiences that were my best as an actor, and what a director did to give me comfort and confidence. And I tried to keep a happy crew, which I learned a lot about from Clint and Jen. Nelson:I remember being in the middle ofKung Fu Panda, which took three years, and everyone was upset and tired and wondering if we were ever going to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and Guillermo del Toro stopped by and gave me the "man" speech. He said, "You've gotta man up and take this, and don't be scared of making bold choices." He was such a great supporter. PHOTOS: 'The Tourist's' Style JOLIE PERSONALLY FUNDED LARGE CHUNK OF IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY'S $15 MILLION BUDGET;GRAHAM KING PUT UP THE REST Jolie:I worked with him onThe Tourist, and one day I asked him if he'd read my script. I didn't know how he'd react, since on many levels, this was a big risk. I wasn't going to star in it, and I wanted to cast all local actors. It wasn't a pile of good news for him. But he was great, and he took the chance. PHOTOS: Hollywood's 10 Highest-Paid Actresses WHEN SHE FOUND THE TIME TO WRITE THE SCRIPT Jolie:I wrote whenever I could, when the kids were asleep or in their classes. Halfway through some of the most horrific scenes, I'd hear, "Mommy, I need another story, I can't go to sleep," and so I'd pause what I was doing and go tell happy stories about bunny villages. I studied a lot about the war, and watched a lot of documentaries.They won't see this movie. They know that mommy, on occasion, goes off to Libya or other places. I make them very conscious of the fact that there are a lot of people struggling through different things, and I don't protect them from the fact that war isn't a video game, it's a very, very horrible thing. THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE BOSNIAN WOMAN WHO PROTESTED HER MOVIE Before reading her script, the Bosnian government temporarily suspended Jolie's filming permit when the Association of Women Victims of War in Bosnia objected to a Muslim woman falling in love with her Serb captor. But, that wasn't the case -- the two fall in love before the war starts -- so the film's permit was reissued. Jolie:There was one woman who hadn't read the script, and who didn't want to meet with me. This is a very sensitive subject for someone who lived through these things. It's only been 15 years since the war and it's a painful memory. In my heart, the film was done on behalf of all people who suffered through this. A lot of women's groups have seen it, and the NY premiere of the movie was co-sponsored by Women for Women International, another group founded after the war in Bosnia. They felt it was the right thing to support it. Nelson:It's definitely not a passive movie and it makes you think. VIDEOS: 4 Clips From 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' THE STATUS OF KUNG FU PANDA 3 Nelson:There's plenty left to tell. Jolie:We can say we are in discussions. Tigress is my alternate personality, especially with children. I love animation because you get to do things you don't normally get to. For one, I could bring my kids and wear my pajamas, and hang out with Jen. And my character is just so badass. Nelson:And the stunts are safe. Jolie:Yes, eating pizza is the hardest stunt we did. To read THR's full cover story, click here>> FEMALE DIRECTORS AT THE WORLD BOX OFFICE 1.Kung Fu Panda 2: $663 million DAW/Paramount (2011) Jennifer Yuh Nelson's sequel narrowly bested the $631.7 million earned by the originalKung Fu Panda. 2.Mamma Mia!:$609.8 million Universal (2008) Phyllida Lloyd's film adaptation grossed an astounding $465.7 million overseas. 3.Alvin and the Chipmunks: The SqueakQuel: $443.1 million Fox (2009) Director Betty Thomas' other credits includeDoctor Dolittleand28 Days. 4.Twilight: $392.6 million Summit (2008) Catherine Hardwicke's pic proved that women and girls are as fervent as fanboys. 4.What Women Want: $374.1 million Paramount (2000) Like Nora Ephron and Penny Marshall, director Nancy Meyers has cracked the studio system, primarily with romantic comedies. Anne Fletcher is another to watch, withThe Proposalearning $443.1 million. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'Hangover II' & 'Kung Fu Panda 2' Premieres Related Topics Annie Awards Golden Globes Angelina Jolie Brad Pitt Clint Eastwood Kung Fu Panda 2 Kung Fu Panda In the Land of Blood and Honey Awards Season Preview

Gary Oldman on The Dark Knight Rises and Tinker, Tailor's Master Spy Smiley: He's 'Like Jazz'

At the center of Tomas Alfredson’s marvelously taut espionage thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (based on the John Le Carr novel previously adapted into a celebrated 1979 British miniseries) is an unusually understated turn by Gary Oldman as George Smiley, a recently retired career spy of few words quietly trying to uncover a mole within British intelligence. Oldman acknowledges a departure of sorts from the wild, often manic characters he built much of his career on — Sid Vicious, Count Dracula, Beethoven, DEA agent Stansfield of Leon, to name a few. Some of Oldman’s best-known roles are, as he described to Movieline this week in Los Angeles, more rock ‘n’ roll. “Smiley,” he explained, “is jazz.” It’s that precise quality that lends such an indelible reverberation to Oldman’s Smiley, the hero of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Among a cast that includes excellent British stars and character thesps including Colin Firth, Toby Jones, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciaran Hinds, and Tom Hardy — the deepest bench of the year, one could argue — Oldman moves quietly and deliberately with the deceptively difficult task of conveying emotion, cognizance, and menace in a character who betrays nothing to those around him. Oldman’s Smiley is, in effect, the most discreetly badass spy in the history of spy movies. Movieline sat down with Oldman to talk Tinker, his instant adoration of director Alfredson, listening to raconteur/co-star John Hurt’s great on-set stories, growing mellow with age, the joys of being part of The Dark Knight Rises, and the lure of returning to George Smiley in a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy sequel. How much familiarity did you have with the book and the previous dramatic adaptations before Tomas Alfredson’s film project came to you, and how much did that familiarity affect your decision to take on the part? Well, I knew of the books, I’d read the books and watched the TV series back when in ‘79. I remembered them. It was a big thing, a big deal back then; it was the real beginnings of long form TV, which we’re so used to now, but it was a unique thing back then. So I knew Smiley and thought, ‘This is a great opportunity.’ And then I met with Tomas very briefly for breakfast and he was describing one of the scenes that I think just speaks of the character of Smiley: When they’re in the car and he lets the bee out of the car. It’s a little vignette, a little silent scene, but it says a great deal about who he is. What gave you confidence in Tomas’s vision for the film? Tomas’s take on the material… he’s an original piece, Tomas. He’s unique; he talks about color in terms of smell. How so? He wanted to capture the smell of damp tweed in the color palette. He’s an unusual guy, and I liked him instantly, really. As Tomas has said, it was kind of love at first sight. We met and we talked for an hour and then I got on the phone to my agent who’d set the meeting up and he said, ‘How’d it go?’ I said ‘I adore him!’ I could easily spend 12 weeks in this guy’s company. Have you met him? No, I haven’t! But I loved Let the Right One In. There’s a scene in Tinker that moves so exquisitely: Smiley is piecing the puzzle together in his mind, in his memory, and Tomas intercuts that with a visual of train tracks clicking into place. Yes, where it all kind of connects. And even in the safe house at the end, when we’re zeroing in on the mole, there’s a scene where I’m listening. I’m eating the mint and just listening. I said to him, ‘But you’ll shoot the usual feet going up the steps, the hand ringing the door, the guy arriving, all of that…’ And he said, ‘No. I’m just going to shoot it on a close up of you, and I’ll use sound effects.’ I said, ‘Surely you’ll shoot some of that and cut back and forth…’ and he said, ‘No.’ He was very clear in his vision. Is that unusual, while you’re shooting a scene, to have such a specific idea of what the finished, edited scene will look like? Yeah, and it helps. I can’t think of any other director that would have used “La Mer,” by Julio Iglesias, a very rare recording of him singing. It was his idea of opening up a window, that we’ve been in this rather stuffy, claustrophobic world, and it was almost as if you opened a window at the end. But he played that for the actors so that Colin [Firth] and Mark [Strong] had the soundtrack when they were playing the scene. I loved their storyline; the element of the love between those two characters was beautiful. And we don’t really know the nature of their relationship. It could have easily been sexual, it could have been just a crush. It’s never really explained. Have you read the book? I haven’t, but I suppose it all goes back to Le Carr’s original work. How much did you find the book helped you, or having seen the miniseries? The book’s fantastic. The miniseries is the book, seven hours, and it’s line for line, word for word. Pretty much the entire book. But it’s lovely, the way it’s structured. At the end Smiley reminisces about [character name redacted] in the last third of the book, after he’s gone and he’s gone to see the girlfriend and gives her money. As he’s walking away, you’re with him in his head and he’s thinking about him and there are beautiful passages in it. It’s a beautifully-written book. I’d recommend reading the book, and then if you can be bothered then see the series which is very, very well done. So you found Le Carr’s book essential. For everything. And even when scenes are reduced to a composition, and four lines and a look or something, you always came in with the book, your life. It was the subtext that you brought into the room. So if a scene started in the middle, the book always sort of supported you. This is a very quiet film, in that there are so many scenes with very little dialogue or it’s all in a look, a glance. And here you had such a great, deep cast. Could you feel that energy in the room, with each person bringing in their character’s history, in the room while a scene is happening? [Smiles] Yeah. You could feel that. It was a very present, very focused, quiet set in that respect. [Pauses] We had some laughs, though. The lovely John Hurt is a great storyteller. What kinds of stories did he have? He’s just lived a life! He’s lived such a sort of interesting life, and has worked with so many wonderful people, so he would just start to tell stories about other actors or people that he’s met over the years. We were once hanging out and we had about an hour to kill so he came to my trailer and we had lunch, and he was telling me what it was like to work with Richard Burton. Just a great raconteur and a nice man, John. Do you find you’re like that yourself, on set with younger actors? Well, the more life you’ve lived the more you have, I guess. The memories and experiences to share. Especially with younger actors who are coming up and it’s all happening for them, in that respect. I look at Tom Hardy and I remember being there, in that moment.

Red Flag Releasing Acquires U.S. Rights to Ryan Gosling's 'ReGeneration' (Exclusive)

Comedy Central Stephen Colbert has proven his affection for blurring the line between satire and sincerity, so in the wake of Tuesday's Colbert Report, it seems fair to wonder if he'll go through with his proposed plans to moderate a debate between the Republican presidential candidates.our editor recommendsJon Stewart on Donald Trump Moderating a GOP Presidential Debate: 'Thank You, Jesus!' (Video)Donald Trump's GOP Debate: Mitt Romney Becomes Third Candidate Who Won't Participate Donald Trump Defends G.O.P. Debate Moderation, Slams 'Joke' Candidates on 'Today' (Video) And the inspiration for "Stephen Colbert's South Carolina Serious, Classy Republican Debate?" Donald Trump's own G.O.P stand-off on Newsmax and his promise to endorse whoever wins. PHOTOS: 10 Hollywood Players That Will Make a Difference in the 2012 Elections "The G.O.P. wants a serious debate, they deserve it," Colbert said. "Bar none, they're the best party in the world, that includes space." Colbert went on to skewer Trump's famous hyperbole. "Everyone arrives in a limo... the limos get taken away by helicopter," he said. "It's going to be the highest rated debate in the history of television. Why? Because whoever wins, I'm going to marry them." There's no shortage of sarcasm, but the following morning, Colbert sent a follow up email to his Super PAC email list with more details on the event. PHOTOS: The Movies and Stars Democrats and Republicans Love (and Love to Hate) "It's going to be a classy affair," the release said. "Shrimp cocktail, the works." It could still be part of the gag, but many thought the same of Colbert's 2007 announcement he'd run in the South Carolina primary as both a Republican and a Democrat. His was denied a spot on the ballot, but he always maintained he was serious. Watch the video from Tuesday's Colbert Report below: The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Michele Bachmann: The Politics of Fashion Donald Trump Stephen Colbert The Colbert Report Politics

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: