It takes a lot of guts to call your snack: “Movie Theater Popcorn.”

Everyone has their own memory of the buttery, salty aroma wafting through the movie theater lobby, and memories are tricky things. It’s hard to replicate that particular smell and taste in a packaged snack.

One way Trader Joe’s attempts that Herculean task is to start with real, clarified butter. They actually use the butter for popping the kernels, just like they do at the theaters (though I doubt they use real butter there) to lock in that buttery flavor.

So, do they succeed? Kinda, though there’s no replacing the greasy, butter-like topping from the concession stand. But here’s what I mostly taste over the mild and sophisticated buttery corn:

Salt.

Lots and lots of salt. This is one of the saltier snacks I’ve tried, and it overwhelms nearly everything else. I could still enjoy it over the saltiness, but it may be hard for others to get past.

One other warning: Some of the kernels were burnt. Personally, I adored that occasional burnt flavor popping up; it made it more authentic. But if you don’t like that flavor, it may turn you off.

All in all, this is a serviceable – but not perfect – snack for movie night.

Price: $1.99
Seasonal: No
Buy again: Maybe