Glam Slam: 2011: The Year In Stars

First Published: December 27, 2011 1:23 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Sofia Vergara seen looking glam at the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on December 11, 2011Working on our morning show Access Hollywood Live, I get to see lots of stars (and their entourages!) close up. Heres what I learned this year from the parade of stars visiting our set. EVA MENDES is even more gorgeous in person. REGIS is the man. He stayed and took photos and talked with the crew for more than 20 minutes after his interview. SARAH FERGUSON is the nicest celeb; she introduced herself and shook hands with EVERY SINGLE crew member. JENNIFER LOPEZ has IT. The entire atmosphere on our set was abuzz when she came. TORI SPELLING brought her pet chicken. SOFIA VERGARA exudes sex appeal in spades. JOHN CORBETT is the wildest celebhe did an impromptu striptease. KRIS JENNER has great shoes. J.R. MARTINEZ is a good hugger. Smells good too. LINDA EVANS brought homemade apple piedelicious! STEVE HARVEYS entourage is the best dressed. NENE LEAKES is waaayyy taller than I imagined. JENNY MCCARTHY is always a riot. DURAN DURANs Simon Le Bon and John Taylor are huge flirts. Still. LA TOYA JACKSON is beyond sweet. Yes, she really giggles like that. CHEF CURTIS STONE stayed after his segment and cooked steak tacos for the crew. Yummy! Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

GWAR Horse! Watch as Heavy Metal's GWAR Reviews War Horse

I can’t believe it either, but I’ve chosen to accept GWAR — the satirical, Grammy-nominated heavy metal outfit — as real film critics. In a new clip, the costume-loving dudes both praise and rip on War Horse, unleashing a fiery badinage that Ebert and Roeper would have killed for. Just watch it, dammit. “I think they should change the name to Snore Horse!” Nice to know that heavy metal icons also enjoy pejorative puns as much everyday film critics. In fact, they should go by punnier monkiers: Might I suggest LOLnard Maltin and L.M.A.O. Scott? GWAR Reviews ‘War Horse’ [NextMovie]

Kim Jong-il's weird life as a film fanatic

BEIJING -- The death of despotic North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on Saturday at age 69 marks the passing of one of the truly odd footnotes to cinema history -- a man who built up a deep, if twisted, relationship with stage and screen. Like Adolf Hitler, who supposedly loved Disney movies, Kim was fascinated by film and collected 20,000 foreign pics. "Daffy Duck" and horror movies were among his favorites, as were James Bond films, though he was said to have been furious at the way North Korea was depicted as a basket-case evil state in "Die Another Day" in 2002. He produced several films himself, mostly ideologically driven historical epics, including the propaganda classic "Sea of Blood." His movie mania drove him to kidnap South Korean actress Choi Eun-hui and her helmer boyfriend Shin Sang-ok in Hong Kong in 1978. They were held separately until 1983 and forced to produce seven films while in captivity, before they escaped on a visit to Vienna in 1986. If you believe the official propaganda, Kim wrote six operas in two years, although the same notes also say he hit 11 holes-in-one in the first round of golf he ever played. The "Dear Leader" was said to have been incandescent with rage at his depiction in 2004's "Team America," a film satire using puppets by the creators of "South Park," Trey Parker and Matt Stone, which depicted him as a solitary lunatic feeding U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix to the sharks. "I'm so lonely, so lonely, so lonely and sadly alone. There's no one, just me only, sitting on my little throne. Seems like no one takes me seriously," he sings. The fondness for Disney seems to have been passed on through the family. Kim's eldest son, Kim Jong-nam, 38, fell out of favor with his father after he was caught trying to enter Japan on a fake passport in 2001 saying he wanted to visit Disney's Tokyo resort. Kim is succeeded by his younger son, Kim Jong-un, born in 1983 or 1984, to his late wife, a Japanese-born professional dancer, Ko Yong-hui. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Scodelario Discovers Truth About Fishes

Changing Rooney Mara in indie dramaRooney Mara, presently being surrounded through the Hollywood machine, apparently presently has short time for cool indie dramas, and it has needed to give up of Emanuel And The Reality Regarding Fishes. But stop worrying for Francesca Gregorini's second stint behind your camera: she's already changed Mara with Kaya Scodelario.The up-and-coming Scodelario switched heads in Funnel 4's Skins, and it has herself seen some Hollywood action in Clash From The Leaders, where she performed Peshet. She's otherwise taken the indie route however, with roles in Duncan Jones' Moon and Mo Ali's Shank, and she or he lately starred as Trina Earnshaw in Andrea Arnold's controversialWuthering Levels.Emanuel And The Reality Regarding Fishes isn't a peculiarly piscine entry within the erotic franchise (insufficient M's), but in the general synopses available at this time, rather seems like a crazy mash-from Vertigo and Lars And Also The Real Girl. It comes down to a youthful girl who's enthusiastic about her neighbour because she bears an uncanny resemblance to her dead mother, and concurs to babysit stated neighbour's child, which works out to become a realistic toy. We are speculating there will not be considered a vehicle chase or vary many explosions. We are intrigued about in which the seafood easily fit in.Gregorini (whose first film was Tanner Hall, which starred Mara) has additionally written the script, and can go prior to the cameras in an unspecified date soon. Scodelario meanwhile, just finished shooting Now's Good, with Dakota Fanning and Jeremy Irvine, and has Brit-thriller Twenty8K within the works.

THR Women in Entertainment Attendees Answer: What Makes a Power Leader? (Video)

Fox Fox's The X Factor pulled a last-minute switch on the contestants when the planned Pepsi Challenge songs were dropped in some kind of misunderstanding. So, the producers told the contestants that they had 24 hours to make their "save me" songs full-on performance worthy. The show broke the news to the viewing audience after a round of dance club mixes.our editor recommends'X Factor': 5 Redeeming Qualities of a Shirtless Steve Jones (Video)How 'X Factor's' Simon Cowell's Right-Hand Woman Handles the Mogul's Empire and Ego Josh Krajcik, who showed some nervousness on his Michael Jackson song from last week, showed none of that with this week's take on Rihanna's "We Found Love." Rachel Crow also showed she can shed the sweet exterior once again and delivered a really anthemic version of Bruno Mars' "Beautiful Girls." PHOTOS: 'X Factor' Behind the Scenes With The Top 11 Work Out the Week's Performances Melanie Amaro kept her streak going with both her songs for the night. First, she sang a club mix version of Adele's "Someone Like You," which had judge Nicole Scherzinger proclaiming her a "rock star diva." And for her second song, she went a bit safer with something that's more in her comfort zone with "When You Believe" by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The contestants' choice round was heavy with ballads (as one would expect from survival songs). Once again, Rachel impressed the audience with her controlled handling of Jackson's "Music & Me." Afterward, Simon Cowell also revealed that she has done some stand up comedy before. So, basically, she's even more of an overachiever in my mind. PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes With Simon Cowell's Right-Hand Woman And while I'm on the subject of overachieving... Chris Rene impressed the judges with an original song titled "Where Do We Go From Here." It was definitely a departure for the artist as he refrained from his trademark "ringing" (rapping-singing) as he calls it. And earned him a round of praise from the judges. Simon felt it was a well-played risk. The other men didn't fare as well with the judges with their second song choices. L.A. Reid told Josh that while he felt he was more in his comfort zone with the Beatles song, "Something," his performance was semi-karoake. Ouch. And then Simon called Marcus Canty's version of Donny Hathaway's "Song To You" boring. Double ouch. Who was your favorite of the night? Tell us in the comments section below. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'X Factor' Behind the Scenes: The Top 11 Work Out the Week's Performances Nicole Scherzinger Simon Cowell Antonio L.A. Reid The X Factor

Latin American biz boosts global film stakes

Ricardo Darin, left, round the number of 'White Elephant' with helmer-scribe Pablo Trapero. BUENOS AIRES -- Many Latin American filmmakers are raising their game with greater budgets and bigger ambitions driving new films and film endeavors.In Argentina, Vanessa Ragone's Haddock is co-creating Viggo Mortensen starrer "Everybody Features a Plan," while Mexico's Canana is developing its finest project ever, the $ten million-$12 million Cesar Chavez biopic "Chavez," directed by Diego Luna and co-produced by John Malkovich through his L.A.-based Mr. Mudd shingle.In October, "Elite Squad" director Jose Padilha introduced that his Zazen label would invest $60 million in Brazilian pic production.Argentina's Pablo Trapero is an additional demonstration of the ambitions of Latin American filmmakers. The helmer was already a Cannes' favorite -- "Lion's Family room" carried out competing whilst not Certain Regard unspooled "Carancho." Now Trapero is helming his finest film yet, the $4 million "White-colored Elephant." Spain's Morena Films, Trapero's Matanza Cine and Disney-backed Patagonik are coming up with France's Full House co-produces."Elephant" can be a challenge, Trapero states, with "more shoot days, situations, sets, cast, character choreography and constant interplay between character and context."Bigger budgets certainly are a natural next factor for Latin American company company directors but market factors also may play a role.As worldwide areas toughen, foreign entrepreneurs continue being demanding large films -- but shipped on a lot more reasonable budgets.One option is to twin European finance with Latin American talent and low Latin American costs."Our idea wound up being to supply Trapero with bigger means to produce a more ambitious film in scale and scope," states Morena producer Juan Gordon.Your financial allowance for "Elephant" triples individuals of Trapero's previous works, but remains highly economical by U.S. or European standards."Elephant," which began production November. 21, toplines Argentina's finest marquee draw, Ricardo Darin ("The Important Thing for them,In . "Carancho") as Julian, an Argentine parish priest.It's mainly occur a Buenos Aires slum impacted by delinquency, corruption and a pair of warring drug cartels, where Julian brings an in depth friend, fellow French priest Geronimo (Jeremie Renier, "L'Enfant," "In Bruges"), which has themselves just managed to get filled with killing by Central American paramilitaries.Lensed in Ciudad Oculta, a shanty barrio centered with the 14-story, concrete hulk from the never-finished hospital (which gives the film's title), "Elephant" triggers types of behavior to chapel hierarchy and social justice.Trapero's first feature to shoot major moments outdoors Argentina, "Elephant" mixes jungle action, large crowd moments, shoot-outs inside the barrio together with an appreciation story -- Geronimo falls for just about any social worker carried out by another large title, Martina Gusman ("Leonera," "Carancho").Pic is put together by Trapero and regular co-scribes Santiago Mitre, Martin Mauregui and Alejandro Fadel.Trapero hopes to accomplish "Elephant" by May. It'll be easily one of the bigger Argentine films coming to the marketplace next season, the industry superb marketing hook."What's beautiful about cinema might be the following challenge," Trapero states. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Icarus takes '108: Cuchillo p palo'

BUENOS AIRES -- Niche distrib Icarus has clinched U.S. privileges on "108: Cuchillo p palo," Renate Costa's account of her late gay uncle's troubled existence under Paraguay's dictatorship. Created by Barcelona's Estudi Play and Catalan pubcaster TV3, the Costa-written "Cuchillo," just nommed for the best documentary at NY's second Cinema Tropical Honours, will discover a limited U.S. theatrical release. "Cuchillo's" telemarketer Urban Distribution Intl. has additionally closed a five-movie cope with Cinemax Latin America, as pan-Latin American feevee pacts hit ever greater levels in value. The offer consumes Pablo Giorgelli's "Las Acacias," which won your camera d'Or in Cannes, Paula Markovitch's Berlin Silver Bear champion "The Prize," Cannes Not Certain Regard player "Hard Labor" and "Swirl," which performed in Venice, Toronto and San Sebastian. As paybox competition has risen in Latin America, and so do prices compensated. For Latin American films, "the main market could certainly be pay TV for Latin America," stated Eric Schnedecker, UDI mind of worldwide sales. "Theatrical distribution on the planet for arthouse films is extremely difficult, particularly in Latin America where local product does not travel much." Latin American pay TV deals for Latin American films could be worth around sales to France or Germany, Schnedecker added. Created by Veronica Cura's Utopica Films, "Las Acacias," that has closed a U.S. pay TV deal, is bringing together among Latin America's sales hits of the season, getting closed 16 territory deals, including France, The country and also the U.K. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Exclusive: Haywire Poster Hits The Internet

Gina Carano: killing a bus stop near youSteven Soderbergh's new action/thriller, Haywire, may be his most ferocious, full-bore movie so far. So when he carries through his threat to retire from filmmaking, it could just stay by doing this - unless of course obviously, clearly, Liberace goes postal within the approaching Cinemax biopic.This punchy new quad supplies a flavour of what you should expect within the pic: ie bullets, plenty of broken glass, some seriously worried searching dudes, together with a few more bullets permanently measure. Someone has stitched Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) up and someone pays. In truth, we're searching for you, Mr. Banderas, along with your roguish moustache and experience on Spy Kids. Carano's character can be a black-procedures 'super soldier' who chimes the energy power grid and hits in the CIA handlers who fooled her and so are threatening her family. Soderbergh's strong-searching cast is rounded out by Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas and Bill Paxton, an even more-than-decent combination of character acting talent and action chops.The Limey author Lem Dobbs reunited with Soderbergh on scripting duties, which will guarantee a DVD commentatory worth having.Haywire is at Uk cinemas in the month of the month of january 20.