The Couch Potato Report – May 3rd, 2014
Sometimes, no matter how much talent is involved in a film, they still can’t produce something that is worth watching.
Take the drama LABOR DAY, for example. It stars Academy Award winner Kate Winslet from TITANIC and Academy Award nominee Josh Brolin from NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. Plus, the film was co-written and directed by Montreal born filmmaker Jason Reitman, who was an Oscar nominee for both JUNO and UP IN THE AIR.
All that talent – in front of and behind the scenes – still doesn’t make LABOR DAY worth watching.
Winslet plays a depressed divorcee who is also a single mom. She doesn’t leave her house often, and when she does it takes a great deal of effort to work up the courage.
On one trip to the store with her son Henry they are confronted by a bleeding man who insists they give him a ride.
They discover that he is an escaped convict, and as he spends the Labor Day weekend with them, the son gets the Father he’s always wanted, and the Mother falls in love.
It turns out that he’s a misunderstood escaped convict, with a heart of gold.
LABOR DAY has more than a few good moments, with this much talent involved it had to, but as a whole it is just a bore. As much as I hoped I would, I didn’t enjoy it, and so I can’t recommend it.
The story behind the film ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW is much better than the film itself.
Writer/Director Randy Moore used undercover filming techniques to shoot the flick around Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and he did it without the permission of the owners, thinking they would sue to stop it’s release and thus give him a ton of free publicity.
But the studio went the other way, they ignored it, and unless you are going to listen to the commentary and focus on the making-of featurette to hear the whole story, you should ignore it too.
With elements of horror, fantasy, and attempts at comedy ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW follows a family of four in Walt Disney World as they spend their last day in the park. Due to the Father’s poor decision making, just about everything that can go wrong does…but he’s not totally to blame for how the day – and the movie – comes to an end.
Like I said, stick with the Bonus Features and ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW is a very interesting cinematic journey. One I highly recommend. But don’t just watch the movie. It is not great.
Right now I have a mild recommendation for SEASON FOUR of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE!!
ENTERPRISE takes place 100 years before the adventures of James T. Kirk and Spock in the original television series.
Scott Bakula from QUANTUM LEAP plays Captain Jonathan Archer of Earth’s first Warp 5 starship, the Enterprise. He and his crew literally begin STAR TREK’s adventures, saving the planet time and time again.
Of all the STAR TREK shows, ENTERPRISE has always been my least favourite, but I admit that I did have some fun re-watching the series again this week on blu-ray.
It looks great in HD and features a wealth of brand new retrospective features.
Huge fans…don’t miss SEASON FOUR – THE FINAL SEASON of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE on blu-ray. Casual fans, I’d maybe wait until the price goes down in a few months.
I was at a charity event last fall in New York City that featured musicians Bruce Springsteen and Roger Waters, along with comedians Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart and Bill Cosby. Legends one and all!
Yet the performer who stole the night was a comedian that I’d heard of, but never heard. Jim Gaffigan was so hilarious that night, I can’t remember when I laughed harder.
And now you can laugh at him too as his stand up special JIM GAFFIGAN – OBSESSED is available.
He talks about everyday scenarios that we can all relate to, and enjoy a laugh because of.
I really enjoyed JIM GAFFIGAN – OBSESSED, and I will watch it again and share it with friends. He is one of the best comedians working today, and has quickly become one of my favourites.
The very, very funny JIM GAFFIGAN – OBSESSED; SEASON FOUR, the final season of the always good but never great STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE; the movie with a better back story than a screenplay ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW – seriously, watch this one for the bonus materials; and the boring but well acted drama LABOUR DAY, starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin and directed by Canadian Jason Reitman, are all available now, either on disc or on demand.
And that’s this week’s COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I’ll see you back here again next time on The Couch!