Marshall Cinema begins expanded screening schedule.

For the first time that I can remember in my ten years as a Marshall resident, Marshall Cinema is now holding early matinee screenings. Marshall Cinema has added a fourth set of screenings for cinemas I and II, presumably for the summer blockbuster season. The new screening times for both the main theater cinemas are noon matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. The cinema has also resumed a schedule of two evening screenings for all three cinemas throughout the entire week.

This is a great opportunity for the Marshall movie-going public. More screenings means more chances to see the movies we want to see in the format in which they were intended to be seen--the big screen. It looked as if my son and I were going to have to forfeit seeing either "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" or Disney/Pixar's "Up", for lack of available opportunities to see them both. But just today we took in a noon screening of the former, leaving the rest of the weekend or possibly an evening screening during the week to see the latter.

I've written in the past about missed prospects at the Marshall Cinema due to a restricted screening schedule. This new schedule will allow patrons flexibility in their own schedules to see more movies. The only time I can think of that Marshall had so many screening times was way back when "Star Wars- Episode I" was released in 1999 and 20th Century Fox forced them to have four screenings a day.

Of course, a small community theater like our own, can't afford to have the ongoing schedule of the big city multiplexes, but this is our chance to let their parent company, B&B Theatres, know that Marshall can support an expanded schedule and maybe even eventually more screens. With more screens we will be able to screen a greater number of wide releases like the recently released (but not in Marshall) "Angels & Demons", and even critical successes like Sam Raimi's first non-Spider-Man flick since 2000 "Drag Me to Hell".

If Lexington can support their six screen Cannonball Cinema, surely Marshall can support a bigger movie theater. So get out there and watch all the summer blockbusters you can this year. Hollywood may be the best way out of this recession, since they're the only ones still making money. Go see your movies when you want. Maybe I'll see you there.

"The Land of the Lost" opens Friday at Marshall Cinema.

Visit B&B Theatres website for showtimes.