A 1980s-set story centered around a man vs. machine chess tournament.
Bujalski is credited as the inventor of the mumblecore sub-genre; this bracingly strange, often surreal movie requires a new classification. But, for now, let’s go with brilliant.
It's fashionable to dismiss mumblecore as prone to obtuseness, but Bujalski offers a wryly funny slice of nerd-vana.
Director Andrew Bujalski’s archly low-tech and improvised comedies can have a richly chortling edge and a nicely crude virtuosity and collegiate intelligence and warmth. He’s having even more fun here among the ginormo-computers called Advantage, Deep Speed and Moog.
As enthralling as it is quirky, Andrew Bujalski's tale of man and machine moves from audaciously dull to singularly freaky.
If Funny Ha Ha was Bujalski’s gambit, then the sophisticated Computer Chess certainly feels like an end game play.
A winning mix of deadpan comedy, retro stylings and escalating insanity. Too idiosyncratic for some perhaps, but this one-of-a-kind indie makes ’80s nostalgia feel new again.
The clash of these two groups makes for compelling viewing, but it’s Bujalski’s attention to conversational detail and his commitment to the film’s formal design that enables Computer Chess to make some fresh moves.
The spirit of Altman returns! A film to study, pick apart, discuss and debate.
Odd, but in a good(ish) way.
The shambling comedy has some glitches but eventually builds to moments of surreal ingenuity.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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