Archives for December 2009

Nim’s Island starring Gerard Butler, Jodie Foster & Abigail Breslin

Posted on December 3, 2009 Written by ripitup

Nim's Island with Gerard Butler, Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin

I’ve always liked Jodie Foster. She is a good actress and I really enjoy her performances. I am not exactly a fan of Silence of the Lambs, but I really like Nell, Maverick, The Brave One and now- Nim’s Island. By now I think it is obvious that I made a habit of watching everything with Gerard Butler in it. This movie offers family-friendly fun and mindless entertainment. You can enjoy the movie no matter how old you are, and you are going to appreciate it even more if you have a wild imagination and are used to writing/creating fantasy worlds/stories on your own.

A reclusive island:

Nice pet, huh? Gerard Butler in Nim's Island

Biologist father (Gerard Butler) and his 11 year-old daughter Nim have travelled the world and decided to settle on a beautiful reclusive island on the Pacific. Her mother has died a long time ago and it has been the two of them ever since. The girl’s best friends are a sea lion and a lizard, in addition to a pelican; appropriately called Galileo. They have the tools and the technology, and whatever they can’t make, they order. Nim has a creative mind and what she lacks in human friends, she makes up with the stories she reads. Her favorite author is Alex Rover: a wonderfully brave adventurer: Think Indiana Jones. Only, Alex is so much easier on the eye – I never found Harrison Ford attractive. But Butler takes on a second role in the movie: as opposed to the cute but a little nerdy dad (he is fascinated with one-cell organisms), Alex has longish, unkempt hair, cowboy hat- and he is sexy.

The Real Alex

Now, the actual Alex- or should I say Alexandra- is played by Jodie Foster. You might consider Alex her alter, brave ego – or just a companion from her imagination. The two talk. While Alex is as masculine, impulsive and fun as one can possibly get, Alexandra is an agoraphobic who hasn’t left the house in weeks. The humor of the movie comes from Alexandra’s actions as well as Nim’s relationship with her extra domestic, smart and fun animals.

The Problem

Nim’s dad needs to go on a two-day cruise and he can’t persuade Nim to come with him. Now, Nim is more than happy to stay on the title and take care of her turtle. And she does seem awfully capable of taking care of herself. So he leaves. But when an unexpected storm damages his boat and means of communication, he gets stranded on the ocean. Nim starts to get worried and scared. So she asks Alex for help- Alex was asking for Nim’s help about information on the tropical volcano the island has, that’s how they know each other- how do you save a girl on an undiscovered island when you can’t leave the house?

So this is where the story gets more action and even more fun. Nim tries to keep pirates & tourists off her island, her father tries to fight the ocean and come back home while Alexandra leaves home in an attempt to find Nim.

The script lives up to its entertaining potential and when you like the cast as I do, all you need is some pop-corn, really. It’s perfect escapism.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfJNjczox9U[/pro-player]

Also on Gerard Butler:

5 Reasons to Love Gerard Butler

The Bounty Hunter starring Jennifer Aniston & Gerard Butler

Law Abiding Citizen

Gerard Butler Tribute

The Ugly Truth starring Gerard Butler & Katherine Heigl

Timeline starring Gerard Butler & Paul Walker

Gerard Butler Hosts Saturday Night Live

Please!- Award-Winning Short Film starring Gerard Butler

Girls and Badasses: A Post on Dating Bad Boys and Gerard Butler

Beuwolf and Grendel starring Gerard Butler

500 Days of Summer starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel

Posted on December 3, 2009 Written by ripitup

500 Days of Summer, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

This is one real, sincere and a little gem of a movie. It is quite lovely, actually bordering on brilliant. I have seen better movies and I’m sure you have too. I am just not sure I have seen any better in the whole romance/comedy genre though. I think most people have been in the places of both of the leading characters- Tom and Summer.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsD0NpFSADM[/pro-player]
Tom (Joseph Gordon- Levitt) is a young man working at a greeting cards company. When Summer (Zooey Deschanel) starts to work at the same office, he can’t believe his luck. She is beautiful, fun and seems to share his taste in music. There is one problem: Summer is a cynic who doesn’t believe in love and doesn’t want a serious relationship. So Tom only has one choice really. As much as he’s falling for Summer, he pretends he is OK with the casual relationship they are having. The movie adds a half-serious/half-amusing documentary approach to the background as the story takes a look at Tom’s 500 days spent either with Summer or thinking about her. The days are not shown in order and we just join the emotional rollercoaster Tom has got on.

The movie provides all the bittersweet reality of falling in love, the great days when we think the other person feels the same and the other days when we simply feel all alone in the relationship. This is of course Tom’s point of view. I once fell for a boy who didn’t love me back yet I was certain we were such a good match. As Tom’s terribly smart and mature younger sister points out, just because the other person likes the same stuff with us, it doesn’t mean they are your soul mates. Attraction and love may not be mutual or even if there is chemistry, it doesn’t mean the other person fells the same way about you. But then again, I understand Summer too. I have been Summer, meaning where I was the one who didn’t want a relationship, where I wanted to keep things casual. That is what makes this movie so good to watch. The characters are us. We have been them or met them at some point in our lives. But the story is never slow or boring because the familiarity is always presented with a lovely sense of humor.

But as the tag line says, this is not a love story. It is a story about love. And as far as emotional and funny movies go, this is pretty well-done.

The soundtrack is lovely. The actors are totally believable and very likable. And do not consider as just a love a story. It is a great look on life,relationships and dreams. It takes a girl like Summer for Tom to start thinking about his goals again. All people that enter our lives leave some sort of mark, whether they stay on or not. This film is the perfect combination of escapism and reality.

Robert Pattinson isn’t vain. He is British!

Posted on December 1, 2009 Written by ripitup

Silly me! All this time I had been thinking that he was a spoiled star and he just was complaining about the fame he got after the Twilight saga. While I am not falling for the real life Pattinson any time soon (Oh, I always have and will love Edward); I just realized, he is not vain. He is just British! No, seriously I think I’m onto something here. I was watching Jay Leno and Hugh Laurie (Gregory House of the brilliant TV show House) was the guest. Leno was half-joking that Laurie felt so much more comfortable when things were going badly because he would be expecting it. But when things ran smoothly, that ‘s when he would be upset. Because he would have been caught off-guard. So Laurie responds by saying that “You know me so well!”. Later they both agree that it is a very British thing to do.
So it kinda make sense that Pattinson looks and acts like a fish fresh out of water during interviews and other appearances. He is a major star, the movie has made tons of money and suddenly girls are all over him. Oh, poor bugger!!!
But seriously,Rob! Get a grip and relax! I know you need many more roles to be considered as a talented and serious actor, but you are on the right track. Remember me is due in 2010, where he shares the screen with Chris Cooper and Pierce Brosnan. Not to mention he plays Salvador Dali in Little Ashes (2008). It is OK when things go well, Rob! Seriously, dude… : )

My Other Juicy Stuff on Pattinson:

* Robert Pattinson vs. Taylor Lautner

http://socyberty.com/people/pattinson-vs-lautner/

* New Moon Movie Review: New Moon Dissected

http://cinemaroll.com/fantasy/new-moon-dissected/

* Pattinson vs. Edward Cullen: The Cute Robert Pattinson, The Beautiful Edward Cullen

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/the-cute-robert-pattinson-the-beautiful-edward-cullen/

* Twilight Movie Review: Twilight Mania

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/twilight-mania/