pinartarhan.com

Fun and comprehensive entertainment blog feat. movies, TV series, actors, movie-makers, music & books: 1980 - Present

  • Home
  • Hire Me
  • Books
  • Privacy Policy

How I Met Your Mother starring Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders

Posted on September 17, 2010 Written by ripitup

Share

How I Met Your Mother starring Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris
How I Met Your Mother starring (from left) Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders and Josh Radnor.

How I Met Your Mother starts a couple of decades from now, as Ted decides to tell his teenage son and daughter how he met their mother. We go back to 2005, when Ted is hanging around with his best friends Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall (Jason Segel). He knows both of them from college and they are a couple. When Lily and Marshall get engaged, Ted (Josh Radnor) realizes that he might be ready for the long term commitment too. But his other good friend Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) has no intentions of settling down and he loves having Ted as a wingman and involves him in ridiculous situations to pick up girls. While his methods mostly work for Barney and his one night stands, Ted wants more. It is then he meets Robin (Cobie Smulders)- a Canadian news reporter who is currently living and working in the States. . He thinks it is pretty much love at first sight (and love after first date, to be exact) but Robin isn’t after anything serious.

The first episode ends by Ted (weirdly, Ted’s narrations aren’t done by Josh Radnor but Bob Saget); telling his kids that Robin isn’t the mother.

From then on, it is all about the adventures and mishaps of this group of 5 and Ted’s constant efforts in finding the woman of his dream while they hang at their favorite bar, crack jokes and analyze relationships .

I have to admit that had I been a producer, I’d never have thought this concept would catch up. The show first aired in 2005 and Ted has been telling the story ever since. The movie Definitely, Maybe has a somewhat similar concept, as Ryan Reynolds’ character tells his young daughter (Abigail Breslin) his romantic past, involving three different women – and one of them is her mother. I was frankly not that impressed with Definitely, Maybe as I found it a little slow, boring and not that interesting.  While How I Met Your Mother is definitely funnier and more entertaining (and it was an instant hit among my Friends and Coupling-worshipping group of friends), I never quite got addicted to this show.

Now, don’t get me wrong. How I Met Your Mother has a great cast and the characters are not that hard to empathize with. But my problem is that the episodes aren’t quite as hilarious as I’d expect a sitcom to be. And the whole close friends dating thing has been done too many times. Oh, don’t give me that ”but you also love Friends (1994-2004) and Coupling (of course the UK version: 2000-2004)” look. I do. But you see, Friends characters had so much originality – with their characters occupations and back stories, jokes and use of the English language for cracking jokes, the characters’ eccentricities, guest appearances by your favorite actors (Susan Sarandon, Julia Roberts, Tom Selleck, Sean Penn, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Vartan….) and the perfect sitcom combination of both funny one-liners, on-going inside jokes, hilarious events and wonderful use of physical comedy. Coupling had great original characters (Jane and Jeff), wonderful observations and shameless, original & hilarious jokes about sex (which wouldn’t disappear even at a funeral scene!) which was combined brilliantly by physical comedy (especially by characters Jeff and Steve).

And because those two were immensely hilarious, I overlooked the storylines that resembled all those soap operas (Dawson’s Creek, Grey’s Anatomy…) where friends dated all of their friends. I mean look at Friends: Ross dated Rachel and made out with Phoebe (one episode). Monica was his sister. Monica dated Chandler, but her “official” first choice was Joey. Rachel dated Ross and Joey. Thankfully Phoebe never exactly dated any of them. They all hung out together.

In Coupling: Susan slept with/dated Steve and Patrick – dated Jeff but couldn’t sleep with him because he got nervous. Jane dated Steve and attempted to sleep with Patrick and Jeff. Sally dated Patrick.

While as far as I know Lily never dated Ted or Barney, but Robin dated Ted and Barney. And then there is other thing getting old: the womanizer character who is certainly not all that good-looking and charming, but for some reason every girl on the show loved (doing) them. Friends had Joey, Coupling had Patrick and How I Met Your Mother has Barney.

Did I get too much into comparison mode? Whoops. Sorry about that. But if you look at the end dates of these two shows and the beginning of How I Met Your Mother, you see that it came out a time when two of the most hilarious sitcoms around ended. So I needed an instant substitute. While this show is might be a placebo, it really isn’t the real deal (pardon the metaphor). It is funny, but not constantly hilarious and it is not funny enough to send me to the floor laughing or cause me stomach pains. I realize that the part of the intended charm is that the characters are everyday people, but for me it is a turn off. I know a couple of Teds, Marshalls, Robins, Lilys and even Barneys (or who want to be Barneys or who kid themselves about being a Barney) in real life. So why should I follow events and characters I see on a regular basis?

When it is on TV and I am eating, it is a perfect show. But it is too ordinary to be addictive.

For Friends and Coupling (only the first three seasons), my vote is a 10/10.

How I Met Your Mother is a 7/10. I prefer Jason Segel’s movies for the time being.

Share

Filed Under: TV shows Tagged With: Abigail Breslin, Alyson Hannigan, bob saget, Cobie Smulders, comedy, Coupling, definitely maybe, Friends, how I met your mother, how i met your mother cast, how i met your mother tv show, Jason Segel, jason segel movies, Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Ryan Reynolds, TV shows

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

Posted on December 3, 2009 Written by ripitup

Share

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

 

Nim's Island, Gerard Butler as "Alex"

 

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

 

 

Share

Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: Abigail Breslin, Gerard Butler, Jodie Foster, movies, Nim's Island

My Sister’s Keeper and Why Books’ Readers Should Be Kept Separate

Posted on August 23, 2009 Written by ripitup

Share

I went to see My Sister’s Keeper yesterday and I loved the movie. I hadn’t cried during a movie since Braveheart and that came out in 1995, so you can conclude that I don’t cry very often. I did not read the book. My friend was reading it but she told me the movie was coming soon and that Cameron Diaz was going to be in it so I waited for the movie instead.


I usually avoid dramas. Especially dramas that include cancer-stricken people. Cancer is a horrible, horrible disease. It can happen to anyone. As life is problematic and painful as it is, I prefer to use movies as a way of avoiding reality, thank you very much. Sure, great stories are told in dramas: Friendships, families, love stories, tragedies…But again movies that talk about and show cancer….You get my point. But this movie has a plot that hooked me- the moment I heard about who Anna was and what she was trying to do, I knew I had to know the whole story.

my_sisters_keeper_poster-692x1024

Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) is a very smart 11-year-old. She has an older brother and sister, both teens. However she is different from them. Her older sister Kate (Sofia Vassilieva)  has had cancer since she was very little. She would need transplants and blood and eventually a kidney from a perfect match. So her parents Sara (Cameron Diaz) and Brian (Jason Patrick)  make a tube-baby: genetically engineered to be Kate’s match. So since Anna has been “used” to help her sister since she was born, she decides to draw the line at losing her kidney. She goes to see a lawyer (Alec Baldwin) so that she can make her own medical decisions. Although she loves her sister very much, it doesn’t feel good to have had serious operations from day one. Her mother is furious- and as a former lawyer-she will fight at court, against her daughter and her lawyer to be able to save her other daughter…

The story is told in several point of views: Anna’s, Sara’s, Brian’s, Jesse’s (the brother), Kate’s and the lawyer’s.  It is hard to judge everyone when everyone seems to be right in their own right. Sara has let go of her career and everything else so she can take better care of Kate. Anna feels overwhelmed that if her sister hadn’t had cancer, she wouldn’t have been born and feels like her life means less. Jesse also seems to be drifting away…
Yeah, I cried. You have to see the movie to know what I mean. For a drama, it has an original plot and some good twists. The actors are really good. I am used to seeing Cameron more in comedies but she definitely can do an emotinally challenging role. Abigail and Sofia excel as the healthy and sick sisters.I like Alec Baldwin in small roles. Although he does seem to be playing the same person in different movies, I kow his lines are going to be interesting.
So as the credits are rolling and my friend and I are wiping off the tears, a guy comments on what a horrible movie it is. Now I had heard the same guy complain earlier but as the movie struck me completely and hear him comment again, loudly and rudely-all I can think is “What a jerk!What an insensitive jerk!”  I also wondered if we had seen the same movie. Of course he has the perfect excuse not to like it. He has read the book. He thinks that a lot has been left out. OK-now, that brings us back to the arguement we all have when a book adaptation comes out to theaters. Most readers will hate it, some will think it is OK and some will actually like it. And the people who haven’t read the book and liked the movie will argue that both art forms should be judged in their own merits. I have been there. I loved Cold Mountain the movie. After I tried to read the book and I was disappointed. I read John Grisham’s Runaway Jury. I absolutely hated the movie. I didn’t like John Cusack as the lead (normally I like him but he just wasn’t the Nick in my head.), I hated the script and the changes and went on about how I should be the one making Grisham adaptations…
So what I am suggesting is- maybe a little unrealistically but only half-jokingly- the people who have read the book should be in a different theater and others in a different one. This will prevent both sides from giving spoilers, fighting over what’s good or bad and so on. Oh, of course the forums will be waiting for the discussions. But at least experience itself- the duration of the movie will be shared by people who have similar expectations. So you won’t have to dry your tears next to someone who is shouting “What a disaster!”….

Share

Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Cameron Diaz, Cold Mountain, Jason Patrick, John Grisham, My sister's keeper, Runaway Jury, Sofia Vassilieva

In the mood for a fun romcom novel?

Copyright © 2025 · Focus Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT