Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Attempting to uncover a shady district attorney (Michael Douglas) a writer frames himself for murder in hopes of exposing the truth. Not much of a twist at the end even though there is plenty of drama throughout. Strong acting makes for a snowy day thriller to pass the time.

Lightly buttered

The Evil Dead (1981)

Traveling to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, five friends unleash demons in this horror film. Compared to scary movies of today, this film is bound to make you laugh more than scream. Perfect to watch when the stress of life requires distraction.

Lightly buttered with salt

Jennifer's Body

Cheerleader turns into a boy killer as her best friend tries to put an end to the horror unveiling in their high school. Megan Fox may be sexual appeal but she clearly is no actress. I found this film painful and lacking black humor.

Stale

The Book of Eli

Denzel Washington plays a lone man fighting to protect a book that will save humanity from its post-apocalyptic turmoil. A basic plot delivers raw action. Artistic filming and strong characters make this a thriller worth watching.

Buttery

The Princess and the Frog

Disney brings a twist to a classic fairy tale of a young waitress Tiana who kisses a frog prince down in New Orleans. The music is well done with an excellent cast full of energy. A wonderful children's movie that captures the joy that comes from believing in your dreams.

Buttery

I Hate Valentine's Day

A florist (Nia Vardalos) living in New York with a five-dates rule meets her match in the new restaurant owner down the street. A cute concept but lacking in chick flick qualities and laughs it promises. The characters lacked charm as did the script.

Unpopped

Post Grad

Perfect grades and a college diploma aren't enough to help this young girl land her dream job and find the perfect guy. Moving back in with her eccentric family, riding a bike to work, and loosing her best friend are just the start to her whirl wind of "real world" drama. Not a comedy and not a chick flick this film is for a select few viewers.

Salty

It's Complicated

Divorced with benefits? Jane (Meryl Streep) soon finds out that with three grown kids her romance life can still have some flavor. This film had its ups and downs, but overall its more for entertainment purposes than for being close to realistic.

Salty

The Lovely Bones

Susie Salmon is murdered coming home from school one day resulting in her family's struggle for grief and vengeance. Based on the book, this film is done in an artistic manner to capture more emotion and less of the violence of the subject. The characters were well cast but the script bounced around too much for those that wouldn't have known the story beforehand.

Salty

Paper Heart

A girl travels around the nation gathering information on the topic of love for a documentary. Just as expected she discovers a form of love in her travels. The movie for me lacked depth and chemistry.

Salty

The Invention of Lying

A film about a world of complete honesty, until a writer learns to use lies to overcome his genetic limitations. Hard to get into at first, but a clever comedy overall. Includes gender insights as well as hearty laughs.

Buttery

Up in the Air

George Clooney stars as a man who lives in a suitcase with a traveling career of firing others from their jobs. This film was much better than I had expected with a beautifully written script and rightly won several awards. An ironic movie idea for the time of release but so well done its in my top 10 for 2009.

Extra Butter

Moon

Working a solitary life on the moon, Sam Bell encounters a mystery that effects the entire world. A basic plot that can seem confusing to the audience. Give this movie a chance and it may just be a sci-fi experience you end up enjoying.

Buttery

The Hurt Locker

An elite bomb squad unit in Iraq must work together to stay alive in the midst of a city of enemies. A well crafted story filled with powerful characters explains why it was nominated and won several awards. In my opinion, one of the best films on the present war that confronts the realities head on.

Extra Butter

Avatar

Written and directed by James Cameron comes a lengthy sci-fi film with a Dances with Wolves storyline. I went to see this in Imax 3-D and it was worth the money with beautiful graphics and the creativity involved in creating the moon Pandora. There could have been more futuristic technology, but overal Cameron succeeds in delivering an important message to the audience.

Buttery

World's Greatest Dad

Robin Williams in a dark comedy that actually fits him well. As a dad and teacher, Williams attempts to cover up his son's suicide in order to gain literary fame and social acceptance. An interesting script makes for a decent film off the beaten path.

Buttery

My One and Only

Renee Zellweger stars as a mother traveling with her two sons across the nation from New York to Hollywood in search of a new husband to care for her family. Narrated through the eyes of her son in a well written script full of twists. Wonderful humor and memorable lines make this a film a must see.

Extra Butter