New in Home Entertainment
May 28, 2013
Arrested Development: Season Four
Available on Netflix
In 2006 Arrested Development saw its last episode air, in spite of its huge cult following. Now in 2013, Netflix has created 15 new episodes, all launched this last weekend, in the hopes of keeping the fire alive. As of press time, I’ve only had the pleasure of seeing a few episodes, but so far I am hooked once again. Following television’s most dysfunctional family, the Bluths, this new season tells us, one episode at a time, what each of these hilarious psychos are up to. Rumor has it these episodes are leading up to a movie which will eventually come our way, but in the meantime, I’m glad that the comedy gods have favored us once more with such a welcome addition. And if you don’t have Netflix, this might give you a reason to start subscribing. A
Cleopatra: 50th Anniversary Edition
Rated G
Available on Blu-ray
While panned in its day, this huge colossal production starring Elizabeth Taylor as the famed queen and Richard Burton and Rex Harrison, respectively, as Mark Antony and Julius Caesar is getting a huge facelift for blu-ray and is even seeing some theatrical screenings nationwide. At 251 minutes, it’s a bladder buster, but it’s also a spectacle worth seeing. Today these sets would have been done on a computer, but back in 63 the studios spent a huge, almost bankrupting sum to create such a circus. Personally, I like HBO’s treatment of Cleopatra in its series Rome much better, but I still must admit that this feature is an impressive bit of Hollywood history. B+
3:10 to Yuma: Criterion Collection
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
“Safe! Who knows safe? I knew a man dropped dead from lookin’ at his wife. My own grandmother fought the Indians for sixty years… then choked to death on lemon pie.” This is just an example of the great writing on this original 1957 western by Delmer Daves starring Glenn Ford as a fun -loving outlaw who is being escorted to justice by a desperate farmer (Van Heflin). Sure I like the 2007 remake starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale better, but this one is a great little treasure and this new restored print looks and sounds pristine and is full of great dialog and action. This should make fans of old westerns extremely happy patrons. B+