Cheaper by the dozen

When a dozen movies open in the course of a week, it can be tricky to keep track of them all. Here's the skinny:

 "Marley & Me" -- Dogs don't live forever. Bring Kleenex.

"Bedtime Stories" -- Not very good but not offensive or terribly long, either.

"Valkyrie" -- Tom Cruise's American accent is out of place but the movie about a plot to kill Hitler is not laughable.

"The Spirit" -- Strictly for people familiar with the comic series and even some of them hated it. I felt like asking for my money back 10 minutes in.

"Frost/Nixon" -- A talky trip back in time anchored by two excellent actors.

"Doubt" -- Four time performances, one thorny question about a priest and an altar boy.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" -- Leave your logic, glow-in-the-dark watch and memory of "Forrest Gump" at the door and just sink into the story of a man who ages backward.

"The Reader" -- A coming-of-age story set in post-World War II Germany and featuring an excellent (and sometimes nude) Kate Winslet as an accused war criminal.

"Slumdog Millionaire" -- Title is weird and hard to remember but one of the best movies of the year.

 "Yes Man" -- Mild and only occasionally wild Jim Carrey. Plus an inspirational message about saying "Yes!" to more things.

"The Tale of Despereaux" -- Animation is better than the story but a good bet for the littlest moviegoers in the family.

"Seven Pounds" -- If you thought "I Am Legend" was dark, just wait till you see Will Smith in this. He's sensational and sympathetic, though, in a drama about a man trying to make amends.