This week’s new offerings include several releases from the Criterion Collection, a sci-fi mindbender starring Natalie Portman, a smart coming-of-age dramedy, the final season of a sitcom favorite, and more. Take a look at what titles are now available.
Midnight Cowboy (Criterion Collection)
The first gay-themed Best Picture Academy Award-winner–and the first to be initially rated “X”–director John Schlesinger’s gritty drama stars Jon Voight as Joe Buck, a Texas-born stud who heads to New York City with dreams of life as a high-paid hustler, and Dustin Hoffman as his newfound companion, sleazy street bum “Ratzo” Rizzo. Features the hit Nilsson song “Everybody’s Talkin’.” Sylvia Miles, John McGiver, Brenda Vaccaro co-star in this adaptation of James Leo Herlihy’s novel.
Red River (Criterion Collection)
Psychologically complex and visually stunning western from Howard Hawks showcases John Wayne as Thomas Dunson, a ruthless rancher moving a huge herd of cattle down the Chisholm Trail to Abilene, Texas. Causing friction is Dunson’s adopted son, Matt (Montgomery Clift), who, rebelling against his father, wants to lead the drive his own way. Joanne Dru, Walter Brennan, John Ireland also star.
Au hasard Balthazar (Criterion Collection)
The deceptively simple story of a donkey named Balthazar and his treatment (and, often, mistreatment) at the hands of various owners over the years, writer/director Robert Bresson’s touching allegorical drama is regarded as a landmark of French cinema. Anne Wiazemsky stars as Balthazar’s kindest owner, whose own troubled life parallels the beast’s; with François Lafarge, Jean-Claude Guilbert.
A mysterious and invisible alien presence has landed in rural Texas and has started turning the nearby townspeople into white-faced, bloodthirsty killers. As the local authorities begin to investigate the strange and violent goings on, a photographer and his girlfriend find themselves trapped in the midst of an unexpected rural bloodbath, which seeks to turn them into another pair of bloodsuckers from outer space. Glen Coburn (who also wrote/directed), Robert Bradeen, Thom Meyers star.
Stuck at a crossroads in her personal life, it falls on Miss Stevens to chaperone three of her students Billy, Margot and Sam on a weekend trip to a drama competition. Exploring the fine line between being a grown up and being a kid, this comedy is about students becoming teachers and teachers coming to realize that the messiness of youth never really goes away. Lily Rabe, Timothée Chalamet, Lili Reinhart star.
Diff’rent Strokes: The Complete Final Season
All 19 episodes from the eighth (and final) season are included in this two-disc set.