The Artist Sweeps the Bafta Awards

Little dog with the shakes retiring next month

(NEWSER) - Uggie's time in the spotlight could just about be over: The heart-stealing Jack Russell terrier who stars in the hit movie The Artist is suffering from a puzzling debilitating condition, and will retire next month, says his devoted trainer. "It's very sad, but he is suffering from a mystery shaking syndrome. It is a neurological disorder and we’ve spent thousands on vets’ bills trying to figure out what is causing it, but the experts don’t really know," trainer Omar Von Muller tells the Daily Mail . More»

Uggie won't roll over and play dead in this fight

(NEWSER) - Can dogs act? And if so, should they be considered for an Oscar? Those are the kinds of questions moviegoers are wondering, many for the first time, after seeing Uggie the Jack Russell terrier ham it up in the much acclaimed film The Artist. Uggie fans have launched an Oscar campaign on Twitter —for "Best Pup-porting Actor" for his astute portrayal of the loyal, lovable sidekick of a fading silent film actor. He's already fetched the Palm Dog award at Cannes. More»

Helps redeem otherwise mediocre film

(NEWSER) - As a biopic, The Iron Lady is nothing to write home about—but critics are blown away by Meryl Streep's typically excellent performance as Margaret Thatcher:

• The film contains "little sense of the outside world, the human cost, or the ripple effect of divisive government policies. It is a movie that gives us Thatcher without Thatcherism," writes Xan Brooks in the Guardian . But Streep "is the one great weapon of this often silly and suspect picture." She offers "a masterpiece of mimicry."

Movie script paints Iron Lady as sad, out of it

(NEWSER) - A forthcoming film about Margaret Thatcher paints the UK's first female prime minister as an addled dementia patient, and her children are "appalled," a family friend tells the Telegraph . The Iron Lady will star Meryl Streep , but Abi Morgan's script has the family up in arms. "Sir Mark and Carol are appalled at what they have learnt about the film,” says the source. "They feel strongly about it, but will not speak publicly for fear of giving it more publicity." More»

Late scheduling takes the punch out of iconic awards, actor says

(NEWSER) - Two-time Oscar winner (and 15-time nominee) Meryl Streep has a suggestion for the Academy—the ceremony should be earlier, she tells USA Today. “The Oscars should be Jan. 2,” Streep said, “before the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, the Broadcast Film Critics.” Winners are so tired of awards by the time the Oscars arrive that the “best acting all year” is their forced expressions of surprise, Streep added. More»