labor day | Geekscape

In Case You Missed It – April 2014

by MCDaveApril 15, 2014

As it appears, April may be a tough month to get through. With the calm before the May Summer Blockbuster storm currently taking place in theatres and almost all of the big-named 2013 titles already reaching DVD in March, there’s very little to get excited about this month. However, there are a few films being released on DVD and Video-On-Demand that should help ease this April lull, and here they are:

#1. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I’ve always been up and down on Ben Stiller’s career body of work. And after the combination of a trailer that didn’t “grab” me and a critical bashing for his 2013 pet project, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, I must be honest and say expectations were rather low. Thankfully, Stiller didn’t disappoint and his long-awaited film proved to be one that the critics got wrong. Stiller directs and stars as Walter Mitty, a simple man who day dreams about going on adventures and whisking away the the girl of his dreams (played by Kristen Wiig). But when the negative for LIFE Magazine’s final cover goes missing, the opportunity presents itself for Walter to finally seek out a real-life adventure. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a charming and Underrated Film that’s easy to appreciate. (April 15th)

#2. August: Osage County

Nominated for a pair of acting Oscars, August: Osage County isn’t a film for everyone. Based on a stage play of the same name, the film is short on action and heavy on dialogue. The audience is forced to watch closely as Weston family reconnects following the passing of their patriarch. Meryl Streep stars as Violet Weston, the unloving and drug-addicted mother that works her hardest to break down each and every member of the family by pointing out their flaws. This dark comedy is by no means an easy watch, but fans of strong dialogue and off-kilter humor may enjoy this rather odd tale of a family consumed with secrets. (April 8th)

#3. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

It was difficult finding a third option to suggest for the month of April, so I decided to go with the comedy Anchorman 2. The first installment was an outlandish pioneer of sorts, but this sequel is an overextended and somewhat recycled shell of the original. Once again, Will Ferrell stars as the self-absorbed and arrogant Ron Burgundy who looks to reinvent himself after losing his job to his wife (sound familiar?). When the old team gets back together, Burgundy and company transform news from the informative platform it once was, to the ludicrous fluff it has become. There’s plenty of laugh-out-loud humor at the expense of a two-hour long senseless story that feels eerily similar to the original. (April 1st)

Honorable Mention: One film I’m yet to mention is the Best Picture Nominee Philomena (4/15) which captured the hearts of many audiences. I personally felt that the film was a little anti-climactic but I was clearly in the minority. Fans of the fantasy franchise The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (4/8) can rejoice and catch up with the latest installment’s DVD release. I wasn’t a fan of the unrealistic single mother drama Labor Day (4/29) starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, but I’ve met many others who enjoyed the film.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Labor Day

by MCDaveNovember 6, 2013

This year’s closing night feature at the 22nd annual Philadelphia Film Festival was Jason Reitman’s upcoming drama, Labor Day. While the selection felt a bit puzzling from the onset, I still managed to arouse some excitement for an ultra-early screening of the Christmas Day release. But despite having Academy Award Winner Kate Winslet in a starring role and Oscar-regular Jason Reitman set to direct, Labor Day is a hapless reminder that Christmas won’t be coming early this year.

Adele (Kate Winslet) is the depressed and divorced mother of her teenage son Henry. When they venture out to the grocery store to make some routine purchases, a recently escaped and wounded criminal named Frank (Josh Brolin) bullies them into harboring him for the night. Yet, what’s only intended to be a short term disruption, turns into an unexpected set of circumstances that extend throughout the entire Labor Day weekend.

Jason Reitman’s Labor Day is a grossly dramatic affair that falls victim to an unlikely and inordinate collection of situations. Nothing about the feature makes any logical sense. Brolin stars as an escaped convict on the run who decides to spend his newly found freedom fixing cars and cleaning gutters in the middle of the day while a community-wide manhunt is under way. Although Kate Winslet and Brolin try their best to mask Reitman’s glaring onscreen absurdities with a pair of heartwarming performances, the baffling situations that arise time and time again make their efforts a lost cause. And at the end of the day, Labor Day is an imposing piece of fluff that never resonates or holds much weight.

For all of its weaknesses, none of the blame deserves to be placed on Reitman’s fine set of cast members. Winslet and Brolin are beyond serviceable in their leading roles and additional praise should be given for youngster Gattlin Griffith’s admirable performance. Griffith truly captures the essence of a bashful and lonesome teenager struggling with his entry into adulthood and understanding of the world around him. However, outside of Reitman’s cast, the director’s latest attempt is completely off the mark. Whether it’s the hokey usage of flashbacks in the story or the off kilter manner in which the sequence of events unfold, nothing about Labor Day feels natural.

With expectations of history repeating itself, many anticipated that Labor Day would mark a triumphant return to the heart of the awards season debate for Jason Reitman. But to the contrary, elements of charm and charismatic humor that reigned prevalent in the director’s past work are nowhere to be found. As a big fan of Up in the Air, Juno and even the under-seen and under-appreciated Young Adult, Reitman strays from the norm and appears extremely lost. With the success of his previous films, Reitman clearly has discovered his niche. Let’s just hope he returns there sooner rather than later.

GRADE: 2.5/5

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2013 Philadelphia Film Festival Preview

by MCDaveOctober 17, 2013

There’s plenty of reasons why I always argue that October is my favorite month of the year. First, there’s the weather. The beautiful sunny days followed by chilly nights, I spend the Summer months just craving Fall’s immaculate forecast. Next, October boasts my favorite holiday, Halloween. With all the horror movies and delicious candy floating around to keep us occupied, there’s plenty to love about the tenth month of the year. But none of these irrefutable arguments can compare to my biggest reason why October is the best. It’s the host month of the annual Philadelphia Film Festival. In its 22nd year, I decided to examine this year’s 5 most anticipated film festival screenings. For east coast dwellers like myself who haven’t had a chance to get to Sundance, Cannes or Toronto, the Philadelphia Film Festival, which runs from October 17th to 27th, is the best way to get an early look at many of the biggest Oscar-contenders. But before I begin the countdown, here’s a look at some intriguing films that didn’t make the cut.

Honorable Mention: Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner Blue is the Warmest Color, Judi Dench and Steve Coogan in Philomena, then there’s Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner who star in The Immigrant, Le Week-End featuring Jeff Goldblum, Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan and finally the thriller Grand Piano starring Elijah Wood and John Cusack.

#5. Labor Day

Director Jason Reitman has developed quite the fan base among voting members of the Academy with earlier works Juno and Up in the Air. While his previous release,Young Adult, failed to garner a nomination, the jury is still out on Reitman’s latest effort, Labor Day. Kate Winslet stars as a depressed single mother who won’t even venture outside of the house. But when she gathers up the courage to take a routine trip to the grocery store, she and her son end up helping out a fugitive on the run (Josh Brolin).

#4. August: Osage County

Whenever you mention Meryl Streep’s name, you have to assume that the Academy is listening. This year Streep stars as a recently widowed matriarch who takes center stage after a crisis brings her entire dysfunctional family back together. Co-starring Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch and many more, August: Osage County undeniably has dreams of awards season glory.

#3. All Is Lost

Opening Night of the Philadelphia Film Festival marks the triumphant and talked about return of Robert Redford in the survival tale All Is Lost. In the twilight of his career, Redford is in the early Best Actor conversation with his turn as a sailor who faces mortality after his boat collides into a shipping container floating aimlessly in the sea.

#2. Nebraska

Believe it, anything director Alexander Payne touches turn to gold. He’s a modern-day “King Midas”. Payne returns in 2013 with his black & white comedy-drama Nebraska. Bruce Dern gives a highly buzzed-about performance as a befuddled old man who journeys with his estranged son (Will Forte) to Nebraska in order to claim his million-dollar sweepstakes prize. And not only does the Philadelphia Film Festival always offer a first look at Oscar-caliber features, they provide excellent insight with Hollywood insiders. Alexander Payne and Will Forte will be doing a brief Question & Answer session following the Monday screening of their film.

#1. 12 Years a Slave

Despite being a late addition (not even mentioned in the festival’s program), the film to be most-excited about is Steve McQueen’s festival darling that’s swept every competition it’s been nominated for, 12 Years a Slave. The reviews have been astounding and the cast is star-studded. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Solomon Northup a free black man living in New York prior to the Civil War. However, Solomon is captured and transported to the south and sold into slavery where he suffers to stay alive and regain his freedom over the course of the next 12 years. Co-starring Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti and Paul Dano, 12 Years a Slave could be this year’s Best Picture Winner!

*** REMEMBER TO STAY TUNED FOR FREQUENT UPDATES FROM THIS YEAR’S PHILADELPHIA FILM FESTIVAL

Marvel Studios ‘The Avengers’ Is Coming Back To Theaters!

by Shawn MaddenAugust 30, 2012

Marvel Studios has revealed via their Facebook page for the superhero epic and box office smash hit, The Avengers that the movie will be returning theaters this Labor Day Weekend! Starting tomorrow up until the 6th of September you will be able to once again assemble in theaters. The studio released a high-resolution still of Thanos to get fans even more hyped to see it again. Will you be assembling once more this weekend before you pick up the movie on DVD or Blu-Ray on September 25th?

Celebrate Labor Day With ‘The Aquabats! Super Show’ Marathon AND Sweepstakes!

by Shane O'HareAugust 28, 2012

You read that right, this Labor Day the super rad folks over at the HUB will be running six episodes of The Aquabats! Super Show! PLUS They will also be giving away some rad back to school gift cards! Check out the promo for “Aqua Bat to School”below!

That is so super rad! The more and more the HUB supports The Aquabats! the more I love them as a whole. I cannot wait to see what else they do with the band. The full details from the Press Release here:

Monday, September 3, noon-3:00 pm ET – “The Aquabats! Super Show!” Labor Day Marathon

“The Aquabats! Super Show!” Labor Day marathon will feature six back-to-back episodes of the outrageous comedy-adventure series that follows the greatest crime-fighting rock band ever assembled. On-air messaging during the marathon will reveal a show-related code and a toll-free number for the tune-in-to-win “Aquabat! To School! Sweepstakes.” Six viewers chosen at random from those who call will each win a $1,000 back-to-school shopping spree. Details and rules regarding the “Aquabat! To School! Sweepstakes” are available onwww.hubworld.com.

And if that wasn’t cool enough The HUB will start showing episodes of Hercules AND Sliders! Two shows that I guarantee you loved when you were a little geek. So come labor day, before you go out partying make sure you check out The Aquabats! on The HUB!