White House pressed on why Obama UN itinerary doesn't include meetings with world leaders

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney faced pressure to explain Monday why President Obama has made no public plans to meet one on one with world leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. 

Asked repeatedly at the briefing about the president's plans, Carney said that Obama likely would run into foreign leaders at a reception Monday evening and continues to stay in contact with them. He urged Americans to tune in to the president's U.N. speech on Tuesday. 

"The president's obviously got a busy schedule. He has a busy schedule all the time," Carney said at one point. 

But Carney did not appear to give a direct answer when asked why Obama was able to fit in 13 one-on-one meetings on the sidelines of last year's summit and none this year. Obama instead was letting Secretary of State Hillary Clinton handle the meetings this year while he and first lady Michelle Obama were sitting down Monday for a taping of ABC's "The View" -- sparking criticism that he was putting the election campaign above such issues as Iran's quest for nuclear capability and the violent, deadly protests in the Middle East and North Africa. 

It's still possible that Obama could schedule a last-minute meeting, but none so far have been announced. 

Carney stressed that, amid the violent unrest in the Middle East, Obama recently has had phone conversations with the leaders of Egypt, Libya, Yemen and other nations. 

"The president has had extensive conversations with leaders in the region where there has been unrest of late, he will continue to have those conversations," he said. "He will see leaders from a variety of regions tonight at a reception in New York as part of the General Assembly and will deliver very important remarks tomorrow." 

Clinton was handling the major meetings Monday. The secretary was meeting with Libyan President Mohamed Magariaf, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. 

The wave of criticism about Obama allegedly putting his election efforts first began earlier this month with news that the White House had declined a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because the president would be on the campaign trail. 

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has repeatedly accused Obama of "throwing Israel under the bus" and most recently said the president's decision not to meet with Netanyahu was "confusing and troubling." 

White House officials have said such a meeting is perhaps still possible Thursday or Friday. 

Romney backed up his comments Sunday by saying that declining the meeting was a "mistake" -- as Netanyahu looks to the United States for assurance that it will stand tough or draw a "red line" that Iran cannot cross in its efforts to build a nuclear weapon. 

"It sends a message throughout the Middle East that somehow we distance ourselves from our friends," Romney said in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview. 

The president -- in a separate interview for the show -- said he talks with Netanyahu "all the time." 

"I understand and share Prime Minister Netanyahu's insistence that Iran should not obtain a nuclear weapon because it would threaten us, it would threaten Israel and it would threaten the world and kick off a nuclear arms race," Obama said. 

Carney noted Monday that Obama and Netanyahu recently spoke by phone for over an hour.

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Tarantino XX: 8-Film Collection Headed to Blu-ray

Lionsgate is collecting 8 films from writer/director Quentin Tarantino in one awesome 10-disc Blu-ray set, out November 20, 2012. According to the press release, this collection was put together "to illustrate the first 20 years of his career, featuring the films that helped define his early success."

Here's a look at the disc's slick artwork, created by MONDO:

Below is a breakdown of the included films and their respective bonus features.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES – 2 Discs:

• Critics Corner: The Films of Quentin Tarantino – In-depth critics’ discussion piece exploring Tarantino’s films that redefined cinema and the impact of one of the most influential writers/directors of our time.
• 20 Years of Filmmaking – Take a look at Tarantino’s career from the beginning, with interviews from co-workers, critics, stars and master filmmakers alike as well as a tribute to his greatest collaborator, Sally Menke.

RESERVOIR DOGS

Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut, nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival (1992) and awarded the International Critics Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (1992), is raw, violent and unforgettable. Four perfect strangers are assembled to pull off the perfect crime, but when a botched robbery reveals a police informant among them, their simple robbery explodes into a bloody ambush.

Blu-ray Special Features:

• Pulp Factoids Viewer
• Playing It Fast and Loose
• Profiling the Reservoir Dogs

TRUE ROMANCE - DIRECTOR’S CUT

Runaway lovers Clarence and Alabama (Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette) play a dangerous game with a stolen suitcase containing $5 million worth of cocaine. They head for Los Angeles, where they'll sell the goods and begin a new life, but both sides of the law have other ideas. This dark comic web of crime, murder and mayhem from writer Quentin Tarantino and director Tony Scott (Top Gun, Spy Game), features an ensemble cast including Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini and Christopher Walken.

Blu-ray Special Features:

• Audio commentary by Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette
• Audio commentary by Tony Scott
• Audio commentary by Quentin Tarantino
• Scene selective commentaries by Val Kilmer, Dennis Hopper, Brad Pitt and Michael Rapaport
• Deleted/Extended Scenes with Optional Director Commentary
• Alternate Ending with Optional Director and Writer Commentary
• Original 1993 Mini-feature
• Behind-the-Scenes Interactive Feature
• Animated Photo Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer

PULP FICTION

Pulp Fiction has been hailed by critics and audiences worldwide as a film that redefined cinema. A burger-loving hit man (John Travolta), his philosophical partner (Samuel L. Jackson), a drug-addled gangster's moll (Uma Thurman) and a washed-up boxer (Bruce Willis) converge in four tales of violence and redemption. The film was honored with an Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay (1994) and earned seven total nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. It has also been listed as one of the best films of all-time by Time and Entertainment Weekly.

Blu-ray Special Features:

• Interviews with Cast
• Critics’ Retrospective on the Movie’s Place in Film History
• Behind-the-Scenes Footage
• Pulp Fiction: The Facts
• Production Design Feature
• Siskel & Ebert At the Movies – The Tarantino Generation
• Independent Spirit Awards Footage
• Cannes Film Festival Footage
• Charlie Rose – Tarantino Interview
• Stills Galleries
• Trivia Track
• Deleted Scenes

JACKIE BROWN

Quentin Tarantino’s acclaimed adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch follows a cash-smuggling flight attendant (Pam Grier) who is busted by an ATF agent (Michael Keaton) and a cop (Michael Bowen). When pressured to help with their investigation, she agrees to do one last run for a ruthless arms dealer (Samuel L. Jackson). Mistrust and suspicions arise when Jackie plays the opposing forces against each other in an effort to walk away with the dough. Robert Forster earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar® nomination for his role as Max Cherry, a bail bondsman who falls for Jackie and becomes embroiled in the scheme.

Blu-ray Special Features:

• Breaking Down Jackie Brown
• Jackie Brown: How It Went Down – Retrospective Interviews with Cast and Crew
• A Look Back at Jackie Brown – Interview with Quentin Tarantino
• Chicks with Guns Video
• Siskel & Ebert At the Movies - Jackie Brown Review
• Jackie Brown on MTV
• Marketing Gallery
• Stills Galleries
• Trivia Track
• Deleted and Alternate Scenes

KILL BILL VOL. 1

In the first volume of this gritty revenge saga, an assassin (Uma Thurman) is shot at the altar by her ruthless employer, Bill (David Carradine), and other members of his Deadly Vipers Assassination Squad. In this epic tale of survival The Bride sets out to bring justice to all those who wronged her, including a reformed suburban mother (Vivica A. Fox) and the Japanese Yakuza crime-lord (Lucy Liu).

Blu-ray Special Features:

• The Making of Kill Bill Vol. 1
• The 5.6.7.8's Bonus Musical Performances
• Tarantino Trailers

KILL BILL VOL. 2

The murderous Bride (Uma Thurman) mercilessly continues her vengeance quest against her ex-boss, Bill (David Carradine), and his two remaining associates: Bill’s degenerate younger brother (Michael Madsen) and a vicious one-eyed swordswoman (Daryl Hannah).

Blu-ray Special Features:

• The Making of Kill Bill Vol. 2
• Damoe Deleted Scene
• Chingon Musical Performance

DEATH PROOF

Kurt Russell stars as a tough-talking, psychotic serial murderer who transforms his stunt car into an indestructible killing machine, then climbs behind the wheel to stalk and terrorize a group of women on the road. What he doesn’t realize is that he’s picked the wrong babes to mess with.

Blu-ray Special Features:

• Stunts on Wheels: The Legendary Drivers of Death Proof
• Introducing Zoe Bell
• Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike
• The Uncut Version of Baby, It's You performed by Mary Elizabeth Winstead
• The Guys of Death Proof
• Quentin’s Greatest Collaborator: Editor Sally Menke
• Double Dare Trailer
• Death Proof International Trailer
• An International Poster Gallery
• BD Live

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

A Jewish cinema owner in Nazi-occupied Paris is forced to host a movie premiere for the Third Reich, where a radical group of American soldiers, The Basterds, led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), plan to roll out a score-settling scheme. The film was honored with an Academy Award®for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (2009, Christoph Waltz) and earned seven total nominations, including Best Motion Picture of the Year for Lawrence Bender and Best Writing, Original Screenplay for Quentin Tarantino.

Blu-ray Special Features:

• Extended and Alternate Scenes
• Roundtable Discussion with Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt and Elvis Mitchell
• The Making of Nation’s Pride
• A Conversation with Rod Taylor
• Nation’s Pride – the film within the film
• The Original Inglorious Bastards
• Quentin Tarantino’s Camera Angel
• Film Poster Gallery Tour
• Rod Taylor on Victoria Bitter
• Hi Sallys
• Killin' Nazis Trivia Challenge
• Trailers

Sadly, the set does not include Four Rooms, or the unrated version of Kill Bill Vol. 1. Still, this is a pretty awesome collection of titles. Tarantino XX: 8-Film Collection will be available for the suggested retail price of $119.99. We'll update with Amazon pre-order info as soon as it's available. Stay tuned!

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Chris Evans on Captain America 2 Start Date

Actor Chris Evans was asked about the status of Captain America: The Winter Soldier while doing press at this week's Toronto International Film Festival.

Collider's Steve Weintraub tweets that Evans informed him that the Cap sequel starts filming March 2013.

The Russo brothers are directing Cap 2 from a script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. In addition to Evans reprising his role as Steve Rogers, the cast includes Sebastian Stan back as Bucky, aka the titular Winter Soldier, and Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, aka Falcon.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier opens April 4, 2014.

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