Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

03Dec9:11 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Confidence (2003) did not win any big awards, and certainly was not the "type" of film do so. But it sure is a good time, featuring an accomplished cast of Edward Burns, Dustin Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Andy Garcia, Rachel Weisz, and Brian Van Holt. As the title implies, the film centers around the art of the “confidence (or con) game.” All of...

27Nov1:27 amEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

The Last Seduction (1994) is a film I still think more people should see. You truly do not want to miss the sexy, tough, and mischievous Linda Fiorentino in her classic performance as a monstrous femme fatale, along with the perfectly-cast Peter Berg and Bill Pullman. via imdb.com: A devious sexpot steals her husband’s drug money and hides...

19Nov2:55 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

The Big Chill (1983) may seem dated on its surface, but the film strikes a chord as we head into Thanksgiving and the holiday season. A loaded cast (Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, Kevin Kline, William Hurt) combined with the great Lawrence Kasdan directing and co-writing this ensemble storyline makes this one a worthwhile...

12Nov5:22 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

The Downtown Austin Patch had a great piece last week. Below are just a few snippets ( full article here ): What is the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day? People often confuse the two remembrances, both reserved to honor military personnel but with some nuances between the two. The Department of Veterans Affairs clarifies the...

04Nov3:22 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Plenty of you are aware of the popular animated television series entitled, "King of the Hill," which ran on Fox from 1997-2010 and capitalized on the enormous success of "The Simpsons." However, there is also an excellent film titled King of the Hill (1993), which I am going to recommend tonight. Directed by the great Steven Soderbergh,...

29Oct2:33 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Goliath (2016), a legal drama web series by Amazon Studios, premiered earlier this month for its inaugural season. Much like a few other new streaming series we have recommended of late, one season does not a brilliant series make. However, the show is off to an excellent start with its entertaining, gripping first season. Billy Bob...

22Oct12:55 amEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Directed by the great Louis Malle, Atlantic City (1980) is unfortunately bound to be forgotten. Much like the saga and downfall of the actual Atlantic City, New Jersey, in terms of both gaming and the city itself, the film inevitably became overshadowed by other films set in gambling meccas. Case in point: Atlantic City is among the...

15Oct12:59 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

It may very well turn out to be a shame that one of the great actor Hal Holbrook's performances went widely unwatched. But you can be sure that I will do my part to try to get the word out about his mesmerizing acting in That Evening Sun (2009). Also starring in the film are two excellent character actors you will likely recognize from...

08Oct2:06 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

In Judgement at Nuremberg (1961), the great German-born actress Marlene Dietrich was allowed to write many of her own lines. This is significant since Dietrich personally experienced the Nazi regime before coming to America. The film, as a whole, also has an original take of the post-war fallout, as this American film profiles the the...

01Oct11:37 amEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Netflix recently ordered a second season of Last Chance U (2016), its first sports documentary. And if the second season comes anywhere close to the quality of the first season's six episodes, it will be a huge success. Without question, the first season of Last Chance U , released this past July, surpassed the expectations of even the...

24Sep10:32 amEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

"Mad Dogs" was a one-season-and-done, as the Amazon Original Series based off a British series was not renewed for another season. But that may not be such a bad thing. Even the creators of the show admitted that it would be a shame to see a high energy, exciting, fun first season become watered-down in subsequent seasons given the implied...

17Sep1:42 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Starring the great actor Geoffrey Rush, the Italian-made and shot The Best Offer (2013), also featuring Donald Sutherland, is worthy of a viewing. The film was met with mixed critical reviews, but the high quality acting, locations, direction, and intriguing storyline make this one worthwhile. via YouTube: Geoffrey Rush stars in this...

10Sep12:53 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

At first blush, I was a bit skeptical that Hell or High Water (2016), just released and currently in theaters, would fail miserably in terms of running a similar style, setting, characters, and storyline to No Country for Old Men (2007). The latter remains an all-time excellent film, on par with just about anything made over the last two...

04Sep1:56 amEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

A new pro and college football season is upon us, as is tradition over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Even if you are not a football enthusiast, however, I still recommend you watch the Amazon Original Series: All or Nothing: A Season with the Arizona Cardinals. The current makeup of the wildly talented Cardinals' organization stands in...

27Aug2:11 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

I recently saw Anthropoid (2016), the real-life account of Operation Anthropoid. Anthropoid was the code name for a World War II mission to assassinate the malevolent SS General Reinhard Heydrich, the main architect behind the Final Solution and the Reich's third in command after Hitler and Himmler. Heydrich was said to be so violent and...

20Aug11:18 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Given the incredible popularity and success of Usain Bolt during the Olympics, as well the Jamaican sprinters in general during the relays, it would be a shame to overlook an entertaining film about the Jamaican bobsled team during the winter olympics. Cool Runnings (1993) stars some of my favorite actors, including Leon and Malik Yoba, as...

13Aug2:50 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

I remember being in London for a brief period of time in early-2001. grateful for taking a few hours to check out the highly-regarded Traffic (2000) in a theater there. The film should be viewed as a bird's eye view of the war on drugs, rather than an in-depth exposé. Starring Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Don...

06Aug12:41 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Shot in black and white, the crime/drama noir The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) is probably one of the more overlooked and under-watched films which Joel and Ethan Coen have written and directed. The cast is first rate, including Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, and the late, great James Gandolfini. The film makes for a solid summer...

30Jul3:24 pmEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

Starring Kenneth Branagh (in total "auteur" mode as lead and director), as well as Emma Thompson, Andy Garcia, Campbell Scott, even a minor role for Robin Williams, Dead Again (1991) is certainly worthy of a viewing. The film takes risks, as Branagh is known to do, but succeeds with its convicting and talented cast. via imdb.com Mike...

23Jul10:34 amEST

Saturday Night at Market Chess Cinemas

The Last Seduction (1994) is one of those film 1990's noirs I love that seemingly very few have seen. You do not want to miss the talented and sexy Linda Fiorentino’s classic performance as a monstrous femme fatale, along with the perfectly-cast Peter Berg and Bill Pullman. via imdb.com A devious sexpot steals her husband’s drug money and...