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From a landmark ’50s western to Sidney Lumet and Paddy Chayefsky’s acerbic look at TV news, from the timeless slapstick of Jacques Tati to an off-the-wall Japanese mix of action and e-commerce, there’s plenty to pick from in the seven new releases coming out in February from the fine folks at the Criterion Collection. Read all about the bonus feature-filled titles (and click the links to pre-order them from Movies Unlimited) below:
3:10 to Yuma (1957) — The classic psychological western, based on Elmore Leonard’s short story, centers on rancher Dan Evans (Van Heflin), who agrees to watch captured outlaw Ben Wade (Glenn Ford) until the train arrives to take him to Yuma for trial. Evans’ reward is enough money to save his drought-stricken land, but the wily Wade will use his wits to try to psych-out his captor. Felicia Farr, Leora Dana, Robert Emhardt, Ford Rainey co-star; directed by Delmer Daves (Broken Arrow). 92 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH); interviews.
Cloud (2024) — Yoshii (Masaki Suda) finally made enough at his online reselling business so he could quit the lousy day job…even if he had to traffic in stolen goods to get there. As his preoccupation with the venture drives the few friends he has away, he faces growing gripes from his vendors and customers…and rather than leaving half-star reviews, they’re actually mobbing up at his door for a lynching. Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s disquieting opus co-stars Kotone Furukawa, Daiken Okudaira. 124 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: Japanese; Subtitles: English; interview; theatrical trailer.
Eclipse Series 8: Lubitsch Musicals — Four timeless Ernst Lubitsch musicals from his Paramount tenure are included in this collection. First, Jeanette MacDonald shines in The Love Parade (1929) as a singing queen who gets swept up in a melodic romance with roguish count Maurice Chevalier. With Lupino Lane, Lillian Roth. Next, Monte Carlo (1930) stars MacDonald is a countess who travels to the resort destination to get away from her fiancé, only to get mixed up with royal suitor Jack Buchanan. Co-stars Claud Allister, ZaSu Pitts. Then, Chevalier is The Smiling Lieutenant (1931), as he tries to romance violinist Claudette Colbert while she teaches his dowdy bride (Miriam Hopkins) how to be charming. With Charles Ruggles. Lastly, in One Hour with You (1932), Chevalier and MacDonald are a married couple whose relationship is complicated by beauty Genevieve Tobin. With Charles Ruggles, Roland Young. 6 1/3 hrs. total on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH).
The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) — In Joel and Ethan Coen’s black-and-white take on film noir, barber Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), living in a small California town in 1949, sees an opportunity by investing in the hot new business of dry cleaning. But his plans to get the cash by blackmailing a department store heir (James Gandolfini)–boss and lover of Crane’s wife (Frances McDormand)–backfire, leading the barber on a downward spiral. Tony Shalhoub, Jon Polito, Scarlett Johansson also star. 116 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English DTS HD 5.0 Master Audio; Subtitles: English (SDH); audio commentary by the Coen Brothers, Thornton; deleted scenes; “making of” documentary; interviews; essay.
Network (1976) — In director Sidney Lumet’s scathing satire of the business of television, over-the-hill newsman Howard Beale’s (an Oscar-winning Peter Finch) televised rant after being summarily dismissed from the anchor desk immediately transforms him into a prophet-like media figure and the focus of a new sensationalized broadcast. Oscars also went to writer Paddy Chayefsky, Beatrice Straight, and Faye Dunaway. William Holden, Robert Duvall co-star. 121 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Uncompressed PCM mono; Subtitles: English (SDH); audio commentary; “making of” documentary; theatrical trailer; documentary “Paddy Chayefsky: Collector of Words” (2025); essay.
Playtime (1967) — A financial failure upon its first release, but now recognized as a gem of film comedy, creator/star Jacques Tati’s spoof of 20th-century city life follows Gallic Everyman Mr. Hulot on a dizzying trip through contemporary Paris, where he gets caught up with a group of American tourists and becomes the unwitting cause of a new “high-tech” nightclub’s destruction. Some of the sparse dialogue was written by humorist Art Buchwald. 124 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: French Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; documentaries; interview; bonus short “Cours du Soir” (1967); more.
A Woman Under the Influence (1974) — John Cassavetes directed this acclaimed, superbly acted drama starring Gena Rowlands as a housewife whose erratic behavior prompts her construction worker husband (Peter Falk) to have her placed in a mental institution. The film takes place before and after her six-month stay at the facility, and is filled with the sort of wild, manic and unpredictable moments that are Cassavetes trademarks. With Fred Draper, Lady Rowlands. 147 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Uncompressed PCM mono; Subtitles: English (SDH); audio commentary; interviews; photo gallery; theatrical trailer; essay.