Butter (2011)

In Iowa, an adopted girl discovers her talent for butter carving and finds herself pitted against an ambitious local woman in their town's annual contest.

Ineffectual satire with a star cast is lively and colorful and has some moments, but seems not to know where it wants to go.

Maltin**: "Slick would-be satire is too self-satisfied (and vague in its aims) to connect."

Fair Game (2010)

CIA operative Valerie Plame discovers her identity is allegedly leaked by the government as payback for an op-ed article her husband wrote criticizing the Bush administration.

Effective political drama based on a true case manages to tell the story straight and fairly simple, although it does heroize the two leads a bit; Watts and Pean, however, are in top form.

Maltin***: "Intimate, propulsive drama...reveals how these events affected their lives and threatened their marriage. Engrossing and credible; an especially fine showcase for Watts."