Law Abiding Citizen

Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Over his objections, Nick is forced by his boss to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Fast-forward 10 years, to when the man who got away with murder is found dead and Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Rice: Either fix the flawed justice system that failed his family, or key players in the trial will die. The hook: the murders are orchestrated by Shelton from behind bars.

Director: F. Gary Gray. Stars: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Viola Davis, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb, Colm Meaney, Regina Hall, Michael Irby. 2009, 108 mins., thriller.

Coco Before Chanel

Unforgettable true story of a young woman who overcame her impoverished childhood and defied societal convention to become the most famous fashion designer of the 20th century. Audrey Tautou shines in this intriguing portrait of the early life of Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, the orphan who would build a fashion empire and be known universally by her nickname, Coco. She journeys from a mundane seamstress job to boisterous cabarets to the opulent French countryside, possessing little more than her unwavering determination, unique style and visionary talent.

Director: Anne Fontaine. Stars: Audrey Tautou, Alessandro Nivola, Marie Gillain, Benoit Poelvoorde, Emmanuelle Devos, Roch Leibovici. 2009, 105 mins., biography.