When George Clooney’s “The Monuments Men” ducked out of the 2013 Oscar race and opted instead for a quiet February release, it seemed obvious that a Berlin Film Festival date was in the offing. And so it is: the film is being released too early in the US to have its world premiere at the fest, but it will be included in the Official Programme. (I take that to mean it’ll play out of competition.) This makes sense for a film that is, after all, a part-German production. “Over five million cultural assets stolen by the Nazis were returned to their countries of origin in the years following World War II. As the recent discovery in Munich demonstrates, the art theft of that time is as current as ever. ‘The Monuments Men’ finally gives this little-known subject a worldwide audience,” says festival director Dieter Kosslick. [Berlinale]

Ryan Gilbey on the challenges of the “single-actor movie” and how Sandra Bullock faces them in “Gravity.” [New Statesman]

Judi Dench writes a piece waxing lyrical about the “extraordinary woman” she plays in “Philomena.” [Huffington Post]

Meanwhile, Dench’s “M” persona has being employed by the Weinsteins in their campaign to reduce the R rating “Philomena” received from the MPAA. [The Guardian]

Still on “Philomena,” British box office guru Charles Gant reports that it’s now outpacing “Thor: The Dark World” in the UK. True story. [Twitter]

Viola Davis in “Gravity?” Danny Glover in “All is Lost?” Clayton Davis on how minority actors could be better served in Hollywood, even in what’s supposed to be a banner year. [Awards Circuit]

You know what film really deserves a Best Costume Design nod? “Stoker.” Chris Laverty reminds us why. [Clothes on Film]

Agnes Varda is being honored at LACMA and the AFI Fest, and rightly so. [Hollywood Reporter]

Amy Kaufman, meanwhile, discusses the role the AFI Fest plays in the awards season. [LA Times]