1. Arthur Christmas 3D
2. Happy Feet 2
3. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
4. Hugo 3D
5. The Thing
6. My Week With Marilyn
7. The Adventures Of Tin Tin: Secret Of The Unicorn
8. 50/50
9. Immortals 3D
10. Dream House
The Movie Preview guide is a pretty handy breakdown of this weeks and upcoming releases as well as film news. It arrives a little late to include in my usual news updates but this week I was tardy so could include some info from it head over to http://www.moviepreviewguide.com/ to check it out.
New Year's Eve' celebrates love, hope, forgiveness, second chances and fresh starts, in the intertwining stories of couples and singles, told amidst the pulse and promise of New York City on the most dazzling night of the year.
Puss In Boots - one of the most beloved characters of the Shrek universe - tells the hilarious and courageous (daring, bold, brave) tale of Puss's (Antonio Banderas) early adventures as he team with master mind Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) and street-savvy Kitty (Salma Hayek) to steal the games Goose that lays the Golden Eggs.
In ANOTHER EARTH, Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling), a bright young woman accepted into MIT's astrophysics program, aspires to explore the cosmos. A brilliant composer, John Burroughs (William Mapother), has just reached the pinnacle of his profession and is about to have a second child. On the eve of the discovery of a duplicate Earth, tragedy strikes and the lives of these strangers become irrevocably intertwined.
As she cuts across the fields to take her father his lunch Patricia meets Jacques. She is eighteen, he is twenty-six. She is pretty, with the fine manners of a young lady: he is a fighter pilot and a handsome young man. A full moon will do the rest on their second meeting. There won't be a third meeting: Jacques is sent to the front. Patricia ends up pregnant. The boy's rich parents talk about blackmail. Patricia and her father, the well-digger, will alone have the joy of welcoming her child. A joy that the Mazels will soon envy and seek to share when Jacques goes missing in action.
Following years of growing apart, Harold Lee (Cho) and Kumar Patel (Penn) have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrives at Kumar's door on Christmas Eve, his attempt to redirect it to Harold's house ends with the 'high grade' contents - and Harold's father-in-law's prize Christmas tree - going up in smoke. With his in-laws out of of the house for the day, Harold decides to cover his tracks, rather than come clean. Reluctantly embarking on another ill-advised journey with Kumar, through New York City, their search for the perfect replacement tree takes them through party heaven - and almost blows Christmas sky high.
The Establishing Shot: For your calendar
Tribute to Georges Méliès with AIR and the Scissor Sisters (well Scissor Sister)
To coincide with the 150th anniversary of the birth of Georges Méliès and the release of Martin Scorsese's film Hugo, an overt tribute to this great master, Ciné Lumière presents an exclusive set of events.


Considered the master of fantasy and dream, Méliès is the first and most amazing magicians of cinema. He wrote, produced and directed all his films as well as designing the décor, costumes, accessories and also starred in them.

The  Classic Medley Méliès programme on 4 December is a unique opportunity to watch what can only be described as a treasure trove of lost gems which were uncovered and lovingly restored by Lobster Films. This is a rare occasion to explore the sublime realm of Méliès' cinema through The Man with a Rubber Head, The Magic Lantern and the colour version of The Devilish Tenant and discover his favourite themes: the moon, space, illusion and the comedy-burlesque.


Scissor Sisters star John Garden will perform a live accompaniment to a selection of Georges Méliès' films, producing a new and unique soundtrack as part of Georges Méliès Revival cine-concert on 14 December. Accompanying the films will be an original score of electronic soundscapes which revive and celebrate the sense of magic, mystery and occasional menace that play at the heart of Méliès' films. Once again, it's a unique chance to experience silent cinema as never before and discover films which have not been seen for more than 100 years, uncovered and restored by Lobster films. 


We'll also present the UK Premiere of the restored colour version of A Trip to the Moon (1902) with an original soundtrack by French group AIR on 12 December (separate press release to follow). Lobster Films, Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema and Technicolor Foundation for Cinema Heritage conducted a complete restoration of the film in 2010, one of the most ambitious in the history of cinema. The film was premiered on 11 May 2011 at the Cannes Film Festival Opening Evening. AIR will join us to speak about their work and the inspiration of their forthcoming album, Le Voyage dans la lune which will be released on 6 February 2012.


http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/films/tribute-to-georges-melies


The Chocolate Festival is here…it must be Christmas!
The Chocolate Festival returns to Southbank Centre for its annual Christmas celebration on Friday 9th – Sunday 11th December 2011. The festival offers an ideal opportunity to discover the goodness of real, artisan, fine chocolate as well of course as being a chance for total, justified indulgence and a perfect opportunity to bag some thoroughly irresistible Christmas presents. The only problem will be bringing yourself to part with the gifts you’ve purchased so don’t forget to treat yourself too!


Friday 9th – Sunday 11th December FREE admission - 11am – 8pm (6pm on Sunday)
www.festivalchocolate.co.uk


Les Enfants du Paradis
Curzon are holding special repertory screenings of the newly restored Les Enfants du Paradis. Les Enfants du Paradis, Marcel Carné’s tribute to the world of theatre has constantly been voted the greatest French film ever made. Set in the Parisian theatres of the mid 19th century, the film revolves around the enigmatic actress Garance (a sublime Arletty) and the four suitors enamoured with her. Their intrigues, constantly outdoing themselves, and undoing their rivals’ plans, in order to win over the object of their desire propels this wonderful story.

Curzon Mayfair (Saturday 10 December at at midday), Curzon Chelsea (Sunday 11 December, 11.30am) and Curzon Richmond (Saturday 24 December, 11.45am).
http://www.curzoncinemas.com/


Meet Me in St. Louis  
As part of their Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! The MGM Musical Season The BFI are pleased to bring you the re-release of Meet Me in St. Louis, hitting the silver screen on 16th December. An instant hit when it first appeared in 1944, Meet Me in St. Louis remains a popular favorite while ranking high in the pantheon of great movie musicals.

Meet Me in St. Louis tells the story of a family in suburban, mid-western St Louis in 1903. The city, and the well-to-do Smith family, is on the verge of hosting (and celebrating) the arrival of the spectacular 1904 World's Fair. However, the head of the family is beckoned to New York due to a job promotion – an uprooting move that threatens to change the lives of the family members forever. Directed by Vincente Minnelli during WWII, Meet Me in St. Louis is a delightful, classic, nostalgic, poignant, and romanticised musical film – and one of the greatest musicals ever made.
http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_southbank/film_programme/december_seasons/gotta_sing_gotta_dance_the_mgm_musical


The Ritzy welcomes director Carol Morley for a Q&A after a special preview of Dreams Of A Life. 
Nobody noticed when 38-year-old Joyce Vincent died in her bedsit above a shopping mall in north London in 2003. Her body wasn't discovered for three years, surrounded by the Christmas presents she had been wrapping, and with the TV still on. Newspaper reports offered few details of her life - not even a photograph.

Who was Joyce Vincent? And how could this happen to someone in our day and age, the so-called age of communication?

Dreams Of A Life is not only a portrait of Joyce but also a portrait of London in the '80s. It is a film about contemporary urban life, and how, like Joyce, we are all different things to different people. It is film about ourselves, about how little we may ever know each other.

Saturday 17 December, 6.00 , Ritzy Picturehouse Brixton
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/


Preview of Shame and Steve McQueen in Conversation
Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan star in Steve McQueen's frank study of a New York man's sexual compulsion.

Brandon is in his thirties, living and working in New York. He's single, smart and attractive. He also has a compulsive sexual need that sees him caught up in a repetitive cycle of pick-ups, prostitutes and online encounters. Whether he's managing his sex life or it's managing him is open to question, but his world seems self-contained and ordered, free of any messy emotional ties. However, when his wayward younger sister Sissy arrives at his apartment begging to stay, Brandon's control starts to slip...

Weds 11 Jan 8:20 British Film Institute
http://www.bfi.org.uk/


Preview of Coriolanus and  Ralph Fiennes QA At The Phoenix
The Phoenix are delighted to welcome Ralph back (he was here during filming of The End of the Affair in 1999) for a Q&A and preview screening of his directorial debut Coriolanus on Saturday 7 January at 6pm.

Saturday 7 January at 6pm.
http://www.phoenixcinema.co.uk/

Well here is a step in the right direction. Static Mass are a pretty decent film blog and they are on the looking for Volunteer Researchers And Writers For 2012

Established in December 2009, STATIC MASS is a non-profit independent UK film journal which looks at a broad range of work from the industry. With research grounded in film theory, history and the philosophy of film our approach is to explore what the essence of film is.

We’re looking for researchers and writers to join our team from January 2012 for 12 month placements to work on monthly features. As well as undertaking research, you’ll also be working on marketing your articles to readers using social media. We’ll assist you in planning and identifying areas of research and also provide you with feedback as well as team meetings once a month where you’ll be introduced to other members of our growing team.
Read more: http://staticmass.net/news/volunteer-researchers-and-writers-wanted-for-online-film-journal/
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' soundtrack for The Social Network certainly added to the film's ambience despite the content not being something you would immediately associate with Trent Reznor, so we know that the Fincher/Reznor partnership is going to offer up some pretty good things.

I received notification from Trent Reznor’s Null Corporation that The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo soundtrack including the stunning song from the teaser trailer - Immigrant Song with Karen O as well as Is Your Love Strong Enough? by How To Destroy Angels is now available and this subject matter is certainly well within Trent Reznor field.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo soundtrack, featuring three hours of new music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, is out now worldwide. Get the download right away, or pre-order the 3-CD package or 6-vinyl deluxe package, at http://nullco.com/GDT

The soundtrack includes "Immigrant Song" with Karen O and "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" by How To Destroy Angels.

You can also download a free six-track sampler of the album.
http://dragontattoo.com
http://mouth-taped-shut.com
Arthur Christmas becomes the number one movie in the UK in its fourth week of release taking £1.9 Million this weekend, and over £11.5 Million in the UK to date

Peter Taylor, Managing Director, Sony Pictures Releasing UK, said today "Opening a movie at No. 1 in such a competitive market as the UK is difficult enough, but to reach the top of the chart in the fourth week of release is almost unprecedented. We are all delighted."

Visit the website: http://www.arthurchristmas.co.uk/

Starring A Stellar British Cast including: James Mcavoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen

Arthur Christmas
On Christmas night at the North Pole, Santa's youngest son looks to use his father's high-tech operation for an urgent mission.

Director: Sarah Smith
Writers: Peter Baynham (screenplay), Sarah Smith (screenplay)
Stars: James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent and Bill Nighy
To raise awareness of the annual slaughter of dolphins in the Taiji Cove, Japan - last Friday the Empire State Building was lit up with amber light and the switch was pulled by Ric O’Barry of the Dolphin Project website
If you are still unaware of the notorious Cove and the frankly shocking activities taking place there - buy, beg, borrow, steal or download The Cove available on DVD now.
Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, The Cove follows a high-tech dive team on a mission to discover the truth about the international dolphin capture trade as practiced in Taiji, Japan. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide.

The Cove exposes not only the tragedy of dolphin slaughtering in Japan, but also the dangerously high levels of mercury in dolphin meat and seafood, the cruelty in capturing dolphins for entertainment, and the depletion of our oceans fisheries by worldwide seafood consumption. We also see how the mandate of the International Whaling Commission has been manipulated by the Japanese Fisheries Agency for its benefit and its subsequent effect on the rest of the world.

Director: Louie Psihoyos
Writer: Mark Monroe
Stars: Richard O'Barry, Louie Psihoyos and Hardy Jones
There was a spectacular turn out from the very best in British talent for the 14th Moët British Independent Film Awards. The winners were announced at the star-studded ceremony, held at Old Billingsgate which was hosted by actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd and streamed live for the first time ever on LOVEFiLM.

Best British Independent Film was won by Tyrannosaur with Lynne Ramsay picking up Best Director for We Need to Talk About Kevin, Olivia Colman Best Actress for Tyrannosaur and Michael Fassbender Best Actor for Shame. Vanessa Redgrave won Best Supporting Actress for Coriolanus and Michael Smiley Best Supporting Actor for Kill List

Tyrannosaur won the most awards on the night, picking up three trophies for Best British Independent Film, Best Actress and Paddy Considine was awarded The Douglas HickoxAward for Best Debut Director. Weekend won two awards for Best Achievement in Production and Most Promising Newcomer for Tom Cullen

Joint Directors, The Moët British Independent Film Awards Johanna von Fischer & Tessa Collinson said: “What a fantastic year for British film! This year’s nominees embodied a diverse range of genres and those walking away with awards tonight are representative of the high quality of outstanding talent we have in this country. Congratulations to them all."

As previously announced, Ralph Fiennes was awarded the coveted Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film, and Kenneth Branagh the Variety Award. The Special Jury Prize went to Graham Easton.

Elsa Corbineau, Marketing Director for Moët & Chandon, commented: “As the Champagne of film, cinema and celebration, Moët & Chandon is delighted to toast the achievements of the British Film Industry at The Moët British Independent Film Awards. We are thrilled that so many winners and nominees from this years awards have supported ‘Toast for a Cause’, helping raise thousands of pounds for their favourite charities by toasting with mini Moët & Chandon bottles.”

The Moët British Independent Film Awards are proud to announce the following winners for 2011:

Best British Independent Film Sponsored by Moët & Chandon
Tyrannosaur

Best Director Sponsored by The Creative Partnership
Lynne Ramsay – We Need To Talk About Kevin

The Douglas Hickox Award [Best Debut Director] Sponsored by 3 Mills Studios
Paddy Considine – Tyrannosaur

Best Screenplay Sponsored by BBC Films
Richard Ayoade – Submarine

Best Actress Sponsored by M.A.C
Olivia Colman – Tyrannosaur

Best Actor
Michael Fassbender – Shame

Best Supporting Actress
Vanessa Redgrave – Coriolanus

Best Supporting Actor
Michael Smiley – Kill List

Most Promising Newcomer Sponsored by Studiocanal
Tom Cullen – Weekend

Best Achievement In Production Sponsored by Deluxe142
Weekend

The Raindance Award Sponsored by Exile Media
Leaving Baghdad

Best Technical Achievement
Maria Djurkovic – Production Design – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Documentary
Senna

Best British Short
Chalk

Best Foreign Independent Film
A Separation

The Richard Harris Award (for outstanding contribution by an actor to British Film)
Sponsored by Working Title
Ralph Fiennes

The Variety Award
Kenneth Branagh

The Special Jury Prize
Graham Easton

Now in its 14th year, the Awards were created by Raindance in 1998 and set out to celebrate merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking, to honour new talent, and to promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public.
Andrew Haigh’s critically acclaimed lo-fi British drama WEEKEND picked up two BIFA awards on Sunday December 4th for Achievement In Production and Most Promising Newcomer for the film’s star, Tom Cullen.

Producer Tristan Goligher and director Andrew Haigh accepted the award, describing the win as one “genuinely for every person involved in the making of this film, from the cast, through all the crew, and all the companies who supported us. I'd also like to single out the line producer, Rachel Dargavel, a producer in her own right, and without whom the making of this film would have been a very different experience."

On a Friday night after hanging out with his straight mates, Russell (Cullen) heads out to a nightclub, alone and on the pull. Just before closing time he picks up Glen (Chris New). And so begins a weekend - in bars and in bedrooms, getting drunk and taking drugs, telling stories and having sex – that will resonate throughout their lives.

WEEKEND opened in the UK cinemas on November 4th after a successful run in America, where the film has currently grossed over $500,000 from theatrical and theatrical VoD revenue. The film at present has made almost £200,000 at the UK box office since its release.

Made on a shoe string budget of £120,000, WEEKEND was financed by EM Media, Creative Scotland, and also the Scottish production company Synchronicity Films and distributed in the UK by Peccadillo Pictures.

For more information on WEEKEND and up to date cinema listings, please visit www.weekend-film.com
Found out via Trent Reznor that http://www.whatishiddeninsnow.com/ a viral site for Fincher's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and US based ARG game had been launched.
http://www.whatishiddeninsnow.com/
Award-winning films and A-list talent from the Americas, Europe, Asia Africa and the Arab world.
89 films vie for prestigious Muhr Awards with total prize money of over US$600,000.
The Festival, which runs December 7 to 14, spans feature, documentary and short films, including numerous new premieres including 46 world premieres, 25 international premieres, 78 Middle East premieres and seven GCC premieres. The films, made in more than 32 languages from Cantonese to Catalan, populate DIFF’s three Arab, AsiaAfrica and Emirati competitions and its popular out-of-competition segments dedicated to children’s, Indian and world cinema among others.
Read More Here: www.dubaifilmfest.com
Discover The True Story Behind The Making Of Bruce Lee's Most Personal Movie, Way Of The Dragon! Bruce Lee Chronicles: Volume 1 Released This Week
To millions of fans around the world, Bruce Lee was the greatest martial arts icon who ever lived. Join Bruce on one of his greatest real-life adventures and discover the true story behind the making of his most personal movie, Way of the Dragon.

Officially endorsed by The Bruce Lee Foundation and packed with rare and collectable photographs, many from the Lee Family Archive, this extraordinary first volume features a foreword from Bruce Lee's daughter Shannon Lee and takes an in-depth look at every pre-production milestone, preparations at the legendary Golden Harvest studios and much more!

Bruce Lee Chronicles: Volume 1 is out now to buy on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Kindle, courtesy of tiger Rock Publishing

Way Of The Dragon (Ultimate Edition) is available to buy on DVD now, courtesy of Cine-Asia


Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol is opening in the UK in IMAX five days early, on 21st December – it was also announced to today that it is opening 5 days early in IMAX in North America, on 16th December
To coincide with the DVD launch of the final Harry Potter films today, Royal Mail is launching a very special presentation pack of Heroes and Villains, featuring Hogwarts’ hero, Dumbledore, and his arch nemesis, Lord Voldemort. There is going to be a flyer for the stamps included in every Blu-Ray and DVD copy in the UK.

The Dumbledore and Voldemort stamps have been taken from the Magical Realms set of stamps, launched in February this year, that also featured characters from the likes of the tale of King Arthur, the Chronicles of Narnia and Terry Pratchett.

The stamps are also available via the link here: www.royalmail.com/harrypotter, and also on the Royal Mail eBay store: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Royal-Mail-Stamp-Collections.
In amongst all The Dark Knight Rises hype Columbia released a rather spiffy new poster for The Amazing Spider-Man.

The Amazing Spider-Man release date: 4 July 2012
Teenager Peter Parker grapples with both human problems and amazing super-human crises.

Director: Marc Webb
Writers: Alvin Sargent, Steve Kloves, Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, James Vanderbilt
Stars: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Rhys Ifans

The Establishing Shot: Upcoming Film Releases
Perfect Sense
Following its critically acclaimed UK theatrical release in October 2011, the apocalyptic sci-fi fable, Perfect Sense, starring Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge; Star Wars; Trainspotting) and Eva Green (Casino Royale; The Dreamers) comes to DVD on 30th January 2012 having been hailed as "thrillingly ambitious, ecstatically romantic, utterly unexpected" (Time Out, Four Star review) and as "a touching, emotionally resonant and beautifully executed spin on humanity's final moments that will hit you in the head and heart" (SFX Magazine, Four-and-a-half Star review).

Perfect Sense on DVD 30th January 2012


Too Fat For 40
Following the huge success of fan favourites "An Evening With Kevin Smith" and "An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder", the acclaimed filmmaker, writer, actor and raconteur responsible for such diverse movies as "Red State", "Cop Out", "Zack And Miri Make A Porno" and "Clerks II" releases his first new stand-up DVD in five years in the form of TOO FAT FOR 40. Filmed on the evening of Kevin Smith's 40th birthday before a crowd of rabid fans at the Count Basie Theatre in his home town on Red Bank, New Jersey, this comedy special comes to DVD on 23rd January 2012 (coinciding with the release of "Red State" on DVD and Blu-ray) as a two-disc edition featuring the full, uncut and unexpurgated three-and-a-half-hour version of Smith's performance and including a Bonus DVD loaded with extra features including additional encore Q&A footage and a look behind the scenes.

Too Fat For 40 On DVD 23rd January 2012


Red Scorpion
Following supporting roles in "A View To A Kill" and "Rocky IV" and a less than stellar turn as He-Man in "Masters Of The Universe", in 1988 former chemical engineering graduate turned actor Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables) took on the role that would define his career as an action star playing the titular hero in the shoot-'em-up action-thriller RED SCORPION. Directed by Joseph Zito, the man behind Chuck Norris' number one box office smash hits "Missing In Action" and "Invasion USA", the film remains one of the most memorable and revered action movies of the 80s. Now, RED SCORPION is coming to Blu-ray, featuring a host of extra features including a UK exclusive audio commentary by Joseph Zito.

Red Scorpion on Blu-ray 6th February 2012