Director Stephen Daldry to become Honored at Palm Springs Film Festival

Stephen Daldry is going to be honored as Director of the season for his focus on "Very Noisy & Incredibly Close" in the Palm Springs Worldwide Film Festival's Honours Gala on Jan. 7 in the Palm Springs Convention Center."Stephen Daldry has received worldwide acclaim like a director, getting his consummate skill to both cinema and stage," festival chairman Harold Matzner stated. "In the latest work, 'Extremely Noisy & Incredibly Close,' he directs a virtuoso cast within the story of the youthful boy who, after losing his father on 9/11, continues a mission to understand how much of an unusual key present in his father's possessions may unlock. This journey then turns into a metaphor for the necessity of a young child to keep a detailed bond with a family member who died tragically and too early.InchA 3 time Oscar nominee, Daldry also offers directed Billy Elliot, The Hrs and also the Readers.The festival itself runs Jan. 5-16. The Hollywood Reporter

iTunes 12 Times of Christmas

The iTunes 12 Times of Christmas promotion has returned, which year you will find a number of exciting tunes, music videos, applications and books available.It's a great way to seize newer and more effective content for your shiny new iPad or apple iphone you have for Christmas!So, after you have overindulged in poultry and all sorts of the trimmings on Xmas day, visit iTunes on 26 December to determine what download free can be obtained on that day.The promotion is running every single day, with a brand new download added every day until The month of january 6. Return here every single day and go here to iTunes 12 Times of Christmas to download and relish the latest item.Every gift can be obtained for twenty-four hrs only so make certain you click here every single day (between 12 , 26 - Jan 6) to actually don't miss anything.Benefit from the extended festive period!

Real Housewives Star Nene Leakes to Guest-Star on Glee

Nene Leaks On Monday's Watch What Happens Live, Glee stars Lea Michele and Chris Colfer spilled some serious Glee gossip to host Andy Cohen: Real Housewives of Atlanta star Nene Leakes will guest-star on the Fox dramedy.Keck's Exclusives: More details on Glee's salute to Michael JacksonLeakes will play Roz Washington, McKinley High's new swim coach. "We were snooping on some confidential files and saw that her real name was Linnethia... which I am obsessed with now," Michele said. "She's awesome. She plays the new swim coach, Roz."And could Roz also be a threat to Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester? Shortly after Michele and Colfer spilled the beans, Leakes tweeted: "Running through the house screaming Gleeeeee! Coach Roz Washington is gonna get that Sue Sylvester! I'm so proud of myself."Get more scoop on Leakes' role in the clip below. Glee returns Jan. 17 at 8/7c on Fox.

Experts stick with 'The Artist'

Crix stick with 'The Artist.'Critical acclaim has not been most likely probably the most reliable bellwether for Oscar glory, nevertheless the flurry of finish-of-year options by experts groups offers some knowledge of the movies that have honours momentum. With nearly 20 groups getting already introduced -- and no less than twelve left later on -Body factor has become abundantly apparent: Experts like "The Artist." A good deal. The Boston, Indiana, Las vegas, NY and Hillcrest orgs are actually charmed enough with the black-and-white-colored pic take top honors. Really, getting an overall total of seven up to now, Michel Haznavicius' "The Artist" has acquired more best-picture nods from experts groups than other Oscar competitors like "The Descendants" (four: Houston, La, Florida and Southeastern), "The Tree of Existence" (four: African-American Film Experts, San Francisco Bay Area, Toronto and Chicago) and "Hugo" (one: the country's Board of Review). Inadequacies in recognition for "The Help,In . that's still considered a very viable contender for Oscar, points for the disconnect between experts and Academy voters. The film can be a virtual lock for just about any best picture Oscar nom and is constantly collect kudos for Viola Davis, yet this broad-based drama that acquired almost $170 million laminator tl901 office might be a too conventional for experts. Regardless of the concept experts come from touch while using Oscar election, the groups' ancillary groups reveal some definite consensus. For his menacing submit "Drive," Albert Brooks has acquired ten best supporting actor nods from experts groups -- greater than almost every other thesp in any category. Having less a SAG nomination remains his only weakness to be able to an Academy awards berth. Christopher Plummer has acquired five experts picks for his role in "Beginners," along with the SAG nom. The kudos for lead actor are actually much more spread around, with Michael Fassbender ("Shame"), Michael Shannon ("Take Shelter") and George Clooney ("The Descendants") producing three each and Kaira Pitt ("Moneyball," "Tree of Existence") at two. Lead actress kudos visit Michelle Williams six occasions for "My Week With Marilyn," adopted carefully by Tilda Swinton for "We must Discuss Kevin" and Meryl Streep for "The Iron Lady," each at three. Viola Davis remains attracted on by two groups for "The Help.In . Supporting stars Jessica Chastain (for multiple roles) and Shailene Woodley ("The Descendants") are actually named in four experts bulletins. "Bridesmaids" supporting actress Melissa McCarthy proceeds the roll she started within the Emmys in September, producing three experts nods up to now. "The Help's" Octavia Spencer remains attracted on two occasions. Despite the fact that the cinematography category isn't usually near the top of handicappers' lists, one title has centered for experts: "Tree of Existence" d.p. Emmanuel Lubezki remains attracted on for his work 11 occasions. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Casting Call: Chris Meloni Signs On For True Blood

First Published: December 14, 2011 11:54 AM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Christopher Meloni attends the 2011 Radio City Christmas Spectacular opening night at Radio City Music Hall, NY City, on November 16, 2011Theres some new blood coming to True Blood. Chris Meloni of former Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fame is headed to Bon Temps for the HBO series fifth season, a rep for the network confirmed to Access Hollywood on Wednesday. After a nearly year-long break from TV, the actor will return to the small screen as an ancient, powerful vampire who holds the fate of Bill [Stephen Moyer] and Eric [Alexander Skarsgard] in his hands, True Blood executive producer Alan Ball told TV Line. True Blood marks the second HBO show for the 50-year-old actor he previously enjoyed a 5-year run on Oz. As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Meloni left Law & Order: SVU after 12 seasons alongside Mariska Hargitay on the NBC crime drama. He will also appear in Zach Snyders Superman reboot, Man of Steel, as Colonel Hardy. Man of Steel is slated for release in June 2013. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Steven Spielberg on 'War Horse'

Steven Spielberg on 'War Horse'Although audiences will most likely identify most while using humans undertaking in Steven Spielberg's "War Equine," the director states the heavens who surprised him most were the equines.The film is founded on a play of the title (situated in turn on Michael Morpurgo's novel) that employed elaborate puppet horses to represent the bond from the youthful guy and Joey, the equine his father sells into military intend to aid the fighting family. To get the sweeping The Very First World War epic to screen, Spielberg used live stallions for dramatic fight moments additionally to emotional moments.He credits the film's equine master, Bobby Lovgren, to create the horses at ease with sitting on set and dealing while using stars."The horses need to trust individuals they're around," Spielberg states. "They can't simply be there for work every morning, hit their mark and emote their feelings. They have to really understand who they really are in no time with."Though Spielberg is famous for managing a structured, efficient shoot, the director states he was gratified with the "happy accidents" that happened while shooting "War Equine" -- "I'm speaking about people wonderfully unpredictable moments where Joey responded beyond anything we'd ever planned for," according to him. "Each day was filled with surprises and little moments of question for individuals. With the finish from the experience, everybody stood a new respect for your intelligence as well as the sensitivity of horses."Although Joey's journey from plowing fields to fighting the enemy seems to mirror youthful Elliott's arc in "E.T.," Spielberg doesn't start to see the parallels as parallels. They're simply common touchstones that attract him to tales."Plenty of my figures in several my films are thrown into situations that they're not necessarily ready for and possess to improve above their particular self doubts," according to him. "Measuring only a recurring theme in several of my pictures."EYE Round The Oscars: THE DIRECTOR Helmers hot to globe trotWoody Allen Stephen Daldry David Fincher Michel Hazanavicius Terrence Malick Bennett Burns Alexander Payne Jason Reitman Martin Scorsese Steven SpielbergIn this mix Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Exclusive: Vampire Diaries Casts Klaus' Original Brothers

Caspar Zafer, Nathaniel Buzolic Get ready to meet Klaus' other Original brothers on The Vampire Diaries. British actor Caspar Zafer (La Femme Muskateer) and Australian actor Nathaniel Buzolic (Out of the Blue) have been tapped to play the recurring roles of Finn and Kol, respectively, TVGuide.com has learned exclusively. Both brothers have a bone to pick with Klaus (Joseph Morgan), especially since they've been locked up in those coffins Klaus has been carting around for so long. The Vampire Diaries Bite: Joseph Morgan wants a new adversary We've previously met Klaus' step-father, Mikael (Sebastian Roche), who Klaus killed in the midseason finale, and Klaus' sister, Rebekah (Claire Holt), who recently died at the hands of Elena (Nina Dobrev). Meanwhile, the group's other brother, Elijah (Daniel Gillies, is back in the coffins that Stefan (Paul Wesley) so cleverly stole from Klaus. Two other Original brothers died of the plague and a werewolf attack centuries prior. The Vampire Diaries returns Thursday, Jan. 5 at 8/7c on The CW. Zafer and Buzolic will first appear in Episode 13.

Cowboys & Aliens Sparks Texas Suit

The author from the 1995 comic story concentrating on the same title since the movie Cowboys & Aliens has punished producers in the movie together with a comics author, alleging they stole his idea. Austin-based author Steven John Busti filed the suit in federal court in Texas. The suit namedDreamWorks Art galleries, Universal Pictures and comic entrepreneur Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and the organization Platinum Art galleries as accused. Busti claims he emerged while using idea for cowboys fighting aliens in 1994 and launched an account one year afterwards titled “Cowboys & Aliens” in the comic referred to as “Bizarre Fantasy.” The suit also claims that in 1994 the publicationComic Shop News went a component on his Cowboys & Aliens idea inside the same issue that went an account on Rosenberg. Rosenberg’s LA-based Platinum Art galleries in 2006 launched the graphic novel series Cowboys & Aliens — which Busti asserted inside the suit has striking parallels to his work.Universal and DreamWorks bought movie rights from Platinum. Busti’s claim is an additional black markagainst the film that the art galleries placed high hopes together with a sizable budget. A substantial disappointment financially,Cowboys & Aliens made about $175 million worldwide, barely greater than it cost.