Dear Gossips,

All I want to do right now is see movies and read books. Every day this weekend I was at the movies. It totally could have been two movies a day. Or three. But there’s laundry to be done and dogs to be walked and maturity to maintain. Still... it’s something about this time of year, from US Thanksgiving to Christmas - I want to see it all. I saw My Week With Marilyn. The film, it was ok. Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe? Magnificent. It’s crazy, CRAZY, how good she is. There is no way she won’t be nominated for an Oscar. Maybe this why going to the movies is so enticing right now. Because it feels like, a lot more of it at least, actually counts for something.

After a slow pre-holiday week, we’ve now a final push, about 18 days or so, before they retreat again for Christmas. The first major awards announcement will come from the National Board of Review this Thursday, December 1st. The critics’ boards will follow, announcing their selections and nominations. Then it’s the Globes with their (likely long and ridiculous) list on December 15. But at least then we’ll know  what that carpet will be like in January. Might even be the best carpet we’ve had in years. In other words, gossip should be intense to close out 2011. And, yes, Brange will emerge - how could we close it out without them?

So we’re in for a heavy column today. Please refresh often. And remember to check LifeStyle for all of Sasha’s celebrity fashion finds you may have missed last week, and new posts on Penelope Cruz’s hair, Rachel Weisz’s winter coat, and more.

Yours in gossip,

Lainey