Off-kilter comedy COMPUTER CHESS (2013) w/ retro computing pre-show
May 20 : 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
“An endearingly nutty, proudly analog tribute to the ultra-nerdy innovators of yesteryear.” – Variety
“An artificially intelligent comedy,” as the film’s marketing winkingly dubbed it, COMPUTER CHESS is an off-kilter, lo‑fi time capsule set during a weekend tournament for chess software programmers in the early 1980s. Shot on vintage video equipment, Andrew Bujalski’s delightfully deadpan delight is equal parts nerdy satire and surreal comedy full of glitchy footage, earnest techno-babble, and shaggy haired dweebs in Coke-bottle glasses who take board games way too seriously. Quirky, hilarious, and wonderfully off‑kilter, COMPUTER CHESS transports us back to a moment when the contest between technology and the human spirit seemed a little more up for grabs. We get to know the eccentric geniuses possessed of the vision to teach a CPU to defeat man at his own game, laying the groundwork for our current era of AI overload.
Come out early for a retro computing pre-show, starting at 6:30 pm.
This screening is part of Arkadin’s May 2026 series, THE COMPUTER IS MY FRENEMY, featuring films that explore our collective love-hate relationship with the digital world. Does the internet truly bring us together or only tear us further apart? Find out this month!
Theater Policies
- All seats are first-come, first-served.
- The theater opens 30 minutes prior to showtime, except for “Happy Hour” events and pre-shows when the theater opens at the listed start time.
- All ages are welcome at Arkadin except for Drinkolas Cage events, which are restricted to 21+. We follow the MPAA rating guidelines for all other films.
- Tickets can be purchased using the BUY TICKETS link above. Upon ordering, you will receive a confirmation email from Square. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the show at the concession counter.
- If you’ve purchased advance tickets, when you arrive, please give your name at the concession counter to check in.
- Tickets are returnable by sending a request through the contact form located on our About Us page prior to showtime.
- When an event is sold out, we reserve the right to release open seats to customers on the waitlist. If you have a pre-purchased ticket and arrive late and there is no seat for you, your ticket will be refunded.
- All screenings are held in our indoor theater unless indicated otherwise in the event description above.
- Please respect your fellow movie-goers by remaining quiet and refraining from using your cell phone throughout the screening.