"21 Grams" (Focus)
Gripping drama about three strangers -- a math professor awaiting a heart transplant (Sean Penn), a recovering drug addict (Naomi Watts) whose husband and two young daughters die in a hit-and-run accident, and the struggling ex-con-turned-born-again-Christian (Benicio Del Toro) responsible for the tragedy -- whose lives converge in a nexus of rage, revenge and repentance. Buttressed by tour-de-force performances, director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu interweaves disparate narrative strands, crafting a grim and gritty morality tale which ruminates on the interconnectivity of people's lives while exploring with unflinching emotional honesty themes of fate and faith, life and death, despair and hope, sin and redemption. Several sexual encounters with partial nudity, recurring rough and crude language as well as profanity, some violence and drug abuse, a suicide attempt and a fleeting erotic image. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"27 Dresses" (Fox)
Glossy but formulaic romantic comedy about a perennial bridesmaid (the engaging Katherine Heigl) and the wedding reporter (James Marsden) who pursues her incognito, while she silently pines for her boss (Edward Burns) who, in turn, has fallen for her glamorous but superficial kid sister (Malin Akerman). Anne Fletcher's smooth direction, Heigl's self-deprecating charm and the rest of the personable cast compensate somewhat for the predictable script with results never less than pleasant, and there's a satisfying and morally sound plot resolution. Some crude language, crass expressions, a superfluous bathroom scene, an implied nonmarital sexual encounter, and mild sexual banter and innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"28 Days Later" (Fox Searchlight)
Intensely violent science fiction thriller about a handful of survivors (including Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris) struggling to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic England decimated by a powerful virus that turns infected humans into rabid, bloodthirsty maniacs. Despite an on-screen blood-and-gore level teetering on the excessive, director Danny Boyle's hard-core horror film raises interesting questions about man's capacity for inhumanity, while offering some genuinely scary moments. Much graphic violence, recurring rough language and profanity, as well as fleeting full frontal nudity within the context of medical treatment. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-IV -- adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"3 Needles" (Wolfe)
Epic three-part drama about the worldwide spread of AIDS through poverty, indifference, ignorance and greed told through three stories: in China, a contraband blood seller (Lucy Liu) sells tainted blood, and a poor farmer (Tanabadee Chokpikultong) tries to get to the bottom of the sickness mysteriously affecting his family and villagers; in Montreal, a porn actor (Shawn Ashmore) passes off his father's blood as his own to avoid HIV detection, while his wily mother (Stockard Channing) indulges in a fraudulent scheme; and in South Africa, a novice (Chloe Sevigny) in a South African community of nuns (including Olympia Dukakis and Sandra Oh) tries to educate and convert the locals dying of the disease. Director Thom Fitzgerald's cautionary tale is majestically photographed and, on the whole, absorbing, though marred by several lurid plot elements, and could have used sharper focus. Full indigenous male and partial female nudity, a circumcision, sexual encounters and multiple rapes, brief pornographic tableaux wi
thout nudity, condom use, drug references, some profanity and rough language, and a graphic childbirth scene. Multiple languages and partly subtitled. USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification, L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

"3:10 to Yuma" (Lionsgate)
Generally absorbing remake of the 1957 film, based on an Elmore Leonard story, about an impoverished 1880s rancher (Christian Bale) who, for $200, agrees to escort a notorious Bible-quoting bandit (Russell Crowe) to the train that will transport him to prison and justice before the outlaw's gang can rescue him. The narrative -- diffuse at first -- becomes more cohesive and gripping as director James Mangold's Western throwback builds to its climax, and the performances, including Ben Foster as the outlaw's wild-eyed henchman and Peter Fonda as a corrupt bounty hunter, are fine. There are also interesting moral issues at play, as the charming villain offers to bribe the rancher who's hoping for personal redemption, particularly in the eyes of his 14-year-old son (Logan Lerman) impressed by the criminal. Pervasive but not graphic violence and torture, killings, profanity, rough language, a grisly bullet removal, brief rear nudity and some light sexual talk. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"300" (Warner Bros.)
Noisy, testosterone-charged telling of the legendary battle between ancient Sparta's meager 300 soldiers led by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) against the vast Persian army headed by the fearsome Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), while Sparta's queen (Lena Headey) futilely attempts to sway a corrupt politician (Dominic West) to bolster her husband's troops. With Frank Miller's graphic novel as a springboard, director and co-writer Zack Snyder takes a highly stylized approach -- most of the film is shot in sepia tones, with the impossibly buffed soldiers facing off against digitalized weapons, creatures, and seemingly thousands of Persians -- soon grows tiresome, though the pervasive battlefield violence is somewhat tempered by the often artful cinematography. Much slow-motion fighting with bloodshed, impalings, and decapitations, an adulterous episode with an implied rough sexual encounter, brief upper female and rear nudity, innuendo, some exotic dancing with a lesbian kiss during a brief orgy sequence, skimpy male attire throughout. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"5X2" (ThinkFilm)
Finely acted, perceptive story of the disintegration of a contemporary relationship, told in five sequences in reverse order from divorce to first romantic meeting. Francois Ozon's measuredly paced "scenes from a marriage" is quite fascinating, as it reveals layer by layer the over-the-years affection, betrayals, foibles, and idiosyncracies of the couple played impeccably by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi and Stephane Freiss. Subtitles. A graphic sex scene with female frontal nudity, gay subplot, frank sexual talk, premarital and postmarital sexual situations, discussion of artificial insemination, and rough and crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"50 First Dates" (Columbia)
Occasionally entertaining romantic comedy about a love-'em-and-leave-'em veterinarian (Adam Sandler) working at an aquarium in Hawaii who falls for a sweet island beauty (Drew Barrymore), only to discover that she has a short-term memory problem which forces him to win her heart anew every day. Despite the on-screen chemistry of its star-crossed leads, the amusing premise is weighed down by crass dialogue and situations, making director Peter Segal's mnemonic melodrama hardly worth remembering. Recurring crude humor and language, as well as innuendo, a casual attitude toward sex, including several implied sexual encounters, some drug references and comic violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. Motion Picture Association of America rating, PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"A Good Year" (Fox 2000)
Picturesque, leisurely paced comedy about a career-driven British bond trader (Russell Crowe) who inherits a dilapidated chateau and vineyard in France where as a child he had spent time with his raffish uncle (Albert Finney). He decides to sell the property, only to fall for the charms of the locale and a pretty cafe owner (Marion Cottilard), while a young American (Abbie Cornish) shows up and announces she's the uncle's illegitimate daughter. The film represents a laid-back change of pace for both Crowe and director Ridley Scott, but though old-fashioned romantic comedy is all too rare the often lame humor and workaday script, adapted from Peter Mayle's book, make for indifferent viewing. Frequent conversational expletives and some profanity, a nongraphic premarital encounter, some crass humor and innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for
children under 13.

"A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints" (First Look)
Adaptation of writer-director Dito Montiel's gritty memoir about his turbulent adolescence (where he's played by Shia LaBeouf) in Queens, New York, with its street violence, casual sex and drugs, his longing for his dad's (Chazz Palminteri) love, and ultimately his flight from and eventual return to the neighborhood as an adult (Robert Downey Jr.) when the father is gravely ill. The film is a kaleidoscopic jumble of fast edits, zooms and pans conveying the undoubted upheaval in Dito's life, but despite its redemptive message about parent-child reconciliation, the brutal milieu and heavy-duty street patois, however accurate, are extremely rough going. Nonstop rough and crude language and general vulgarity, racial slurs, sexual banter and situations with partial nudity, innuendo, drug use, violence, murder, suicide and much domestic discord. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"A Mighty Heart" (Paramount Vantage)
Tense recounting of the 2002 kidnapping of and frantic search for Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl (Dan Futterman) in Karachi, Pakistan, as seen through the eyes of his pregnant wife, Mariane (Angelina Jolie), also a journalist. Director Michael Winterbottom superbly captures the tumult, and without histrionics (except for one searing outpouring of grief), deftly embodies the courageous Mariane Pearl who, after the tragic events, refused to succumb to bitterness or vengeance. Several uses of the f-word under duress, and a few other crude or crass words, fleeting newsreel footage of bombings and some dead bodies including a grim morgue image, a discreet torture scene, a brief nongraphic bedroom scene and a verbal description of Pearl's gruesome death. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"A Plumm Summer" (Home Team/Fairplay)
Gentle and winning fact-based coming-of-age tale, set in 1968, in which a 13-year-old aspiring detective (Chris J. Kelly) and his girlfriend (Morgan Flynn) search their small Montana hometown for the TV puppet with whom his kid brother (Owen Pearce) is obsessed and who has made the show's host (Henry Winkler) a local star, while he also supports his mother's (Lisa Guerrero) struggles with his father's (William Baldwin) alcoholism. Director Caroline Zelder's nostalgic first feature, narrated by Jeff Daniels, gleams with innocence and affection, and takes full advantage of its magnificent rural setting. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

"The Adventures of Ociee Nash" (Flying Zebra)
Family-friendly drama set in 1898 which follows the modest adventures of a tomboyish 9-year-old (Skyler Day), who, leaving behind her widowed father (Keith Carradine), travels from rural Mississippi to North Carolina in order to live with her aunt (Mare Winningham) who is set on teaching her to become a "proper young lady." Along the way she rubs elbows with such historical personalities as President McKinley (Daniel Burnley) and the Wright brothers (Ty Pennington and Sean Daniels). Directed by Kristen McGary and based on Milam McGraw Propst's children's novel, "A Flower Blooms on Charlotte Street," the film scores points for its disarmingly old-time-values tone but, sadly, neither its homespun charm nor its refreshingly wholesome message can fully mask its flat writing and performances. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences.

"The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D" (Dimension)
Entertaining family fantasy about a picked-on 10-year-old (Cayden Boyd) with a fertile imagination who finds himself recruited by the superheroes he created in his daydreams -- Shark Boy (Taylor Lautner) and Lava Girl (Taylor Dooley) -- and blasts off on a mission to save a distant world from the sinister machinations of Mr. Electric (George Lopez). Directed by Robert Rodriguez from characters created by his 10-year-old son, this kid-friendly film is full of whimsical visuals but the gimmicky 3-D effects distract from what is otherwise a genial tale about the importance of imagination and fostering creativity. Some light comic book violence and mildly rude humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.

"After the Sunset" (New Line)
Lackluster caper directed by Brett Ratner about a master thief (Pierce Brosnan) who, after calling it quits and retiring to a tropical island with his sexy accomplice (Salma Hayek), is tempted to steal a priceless gem aboard a cruise ship docked in port, while being watched by an FBI agent (Woody Harrelson) gunning to nail him. Despite good cat-and-mouse chemistry between Brosnan and Harrelson, the film's warmed-over premise doesn't really contribute anything new to the heist genre and in making light of the felonies committed suggests that crime pays handsomely. A glamorized portrayal of larceny, crime without consequence, brief violence, several implied sexual encounters and some racy images, as well as an instance of rough language and intermittent crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Against the Ropes" (Paramount)
Leaden drama about a brassy female fight fan (Meg Ryan) who tosses her hat and her hopes into the ring when she decides to manage a promising young boxer (Omar Epps). Based loosely on the life of boxing manager Jackie Kallen, the film, directed by Charles S. Dutton, has little chance of scoring a knockout at the box office thanks to lightweight performances and a script that doesn't pack much of a punch. Boxing action, brief violence and drug content, and recurring crude sexual language and humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London" (MGM)
Stale sequel to 2003's "Agent Cody Banks" which, this time around, finds the junior spy (Frankie Muniz) in an English boarding school for musical prodigies in order to thwart the evil designs of his former CIA instructor (Keith Allen), who plans to use stolen top-secret, mind-control technology to take over the world. The film is full of forced humor; director Kevin Allen falls back on nifty spy gadgetry as a distraction whenever the retread narrative lags -- which is quite often. Frequent action violence and some crude humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.

"The Air I Breathe" (THINKFilm)
Energetic but seamy study of characters trapped by their own passions through four interconnected stories involving a gangster (Andy Garcia), a reckless gambler (Forest Whitaker) who's in debt to him, his vulgar nephew (Emile Hirsch), one of his enforcers (Brendan Fraser), a popular singer whose career he controls (Sarah Michelle Geller), and a doctor (Kevin Bacon) who's desperate to make contact with the pop star. Director Jieho Lee's film, though it shows marks of craftsmanship, ultimately registers as contrived, as well as excessively gory, with a nonstop stream of four-letter words. Graphic violence, including mutilation and beatings, upper female and rear nudity, themes of suicide, prostitution and abortion, pervasive rough and frequent crude and crass language, two uses of profanity, sexual references and innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"The Alamo" (Disney)
Sweeping historical drama set in 1836 about the famous last stand of a handful of Texans -- led by Jim Bowie (Jason Patric) and Davy Crockett (Billy Bob Thornton) -- who, though overwhelmingly outnumbered, valiantly held the besieged fort for 13 days before falling to the Mexican army under the command of Gen. Santa Anna (Emilio Echevarria), rallying the cause of Texan independence. Despite its sweeping scope, the film, as directed by John Lee Hancock, is less concerned with bloody battles and flag-waving patriotism than it is with the relationships of the men involved, resulting in an intimate, character-driven tale about courage and sacrifice. Extended battlefield violence and some crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Alex & Emma" (Warner Bros.)
Leaden romantic comedy about a writer (Luke Wilson), forced by gambling debts to finish his novel in 30 days or face dire consequences, who falls in love with the opinionated stenographer (Kate Hudson) he hires to help him complete the daunting task. Directed by Rob Reiner, this clunker offers little in the way of either romance or comedy and its miscast, moonstruck leads generate about as many on-screen sparks as a water-logged matchbook. Sexual situations, including a shadowy sexual encounter, minimal violence and some profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Alexander" (Warner Bros.)
Ambitious historical epic which explores the life of Alexander the Great (Colin Farrell), the fabled fourth-century B.C. Macedonian conqueror, chronicling his rise to power, stunning military victories and empire expansion, with breaks in the sword-and-sandal action for some Freudian forays into his bisexuality and estranged relationship with his conniving mother (Angelina Jolie) and roughhewn royal father (Val Kilmer). Though this "Alexander" is far from great, director Oliver Stone's visually impressive film features spectacular, though graphic, battles and lavish re-creations of antiquity which somewhat balance its epic flaws, which include campy acting and dialogue, a plodding pace and an interminable running time of three hours. Strong battlefield violence and associated gore, an attempted rape, several implied gay sexual situations, one involving shadowy rear nudity, an explicit straight bedroom scene and generalized background debauchery. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adult would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Alfie" (Paramount)
Successfully competing with fond memories of the 1966 Michael Caine English film, this new version, set in Manhattan, features a superb Jude Law as the womanizing cad whose callous ways eventually catch up with him. Charles Shyer's beautifully crafted remake -- an exceedingly moral film even as it features a most amoral antihero -- follows the titular Cockney limo driver as he makes his amorous way through his best friend's girl (Nia Long), a wealthy older society matron (Susan Sarandon), a married woman (Jane Krakowski), a free-spirited party girl (Sienna Miller) and a single mom (Marisa Tomei), before feeling the emptiness of his self-centered life. Some rough and crude language, strong sexual content, nudity and recreational drug use. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Alien vs. Predator" (20th Century Fox)
Sci-fi actioner about a team of scientists (including Sanaa Lathan) hired by a wealthy industrialist (Lance Henriksen) to explore a mysterious ancient pyramid discovered beneath the Antarctic who become live bait in a battle royal between the two eponymous space species slugging it out for bragging rights in the galaxy. Cross-pollinating two popular franchises, the extraterrestrial face-off, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, while peppered with some mild shivers and creepy atmospherics, is devoid of substance or style, its repellent cavalcade of slimy special-effects drowning out any real suspense and testing the boundaries of its PG-13 rating. Gory action violence, an instance of rough language and scattered crude expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"All the King's Men" (Columbia)
Uneven remake of Robert Penn Warren's 1946 Pulitzer-Prize winner set in the 1950s, about a rabble-rousing everyman (Sean Penn) who rises from obscurity, railing against political corruption, and is elected governor of Louisiana, only to be polluted by power once he's in office; and the idealistic journalist (Jude Law) who falls under his spell. Written and directed by Steven Zaillian, the handsomely crafted morality tale -- loosely based on the life of Depression-era Louisiana Gov. Huey P. Long -- explores the means and ends of power, but Penn's passionate and committed performance is undermined by an opaque script. A violent shooting, implied adultery, a suicide, a bedroom encounter with shadowy side nudity, a provocative nightclub performance, some mildly crude language, profanity and racial slurs. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children
under 13.

"Alone in the Dark" (Lions Gate)
Insufferably inane sci-fi action film directed by Uwe Boll about a paranormal detective (Christian Slater), who in investigating the disappearances of several missing people uncovers a plot by a mad scientist to open a virtual portal to hell which will unleash an evil race of savage creatures on the world. Based on the popular video game, the ludicrous film is as incoherent as it is violent, and is full of bafflingly bad acting and risible dialogue. Excessive gratuitous violence and gore, a suicide, an implied sexual encounter, as well as much rough and crude language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Along Came Polly" (Universal)
Stale romantic comedy about a tightly wound New York insurance risk assessor (Ben Stiller) who, after being jilted by his newlywed bride (Debra Messing) on their honeymoon, has his play-it-safe lifestyle turned topsy-turvy when he falls for a bohemian former high school classmate (Jennifer Aniston). In lieu of a smart, witty farce about the emotional perils of modern mating, director John Hamburg has strung together a series of crude bathroom sight-gags and stock sex skits which are made more painful by his love-shy leads' total lack of on-screen chemistry. A few sexual encounters, much crass humor, some rear nudity, recurring crude language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Alpha Dog" (Universal)Extremely ugly drama, set amid the drug culture of affluent youths in Los Angeles and loosely based on true events, about a teenage dealer (Emile Hirsch) who, together with his clique (including Justin Timberlake), abducts the kid brother (Anton Yelchin) of a rival (Ben Foster) who owes him money, triggering unforeseen complications as their scheme spirals out of control. Writer-director Nick Cassavetes effectively conveys the nihilism and morally vacant lifestyles of his disaffected youths -- an indictment of irresponsible parenting as much as the corrosive influence of much of today's pop culture -- but the story is emotionally uninvolving and the overall raw tone and incessant sordidness, while perhaps accurately reflecting reality, are excessive. Pervasive rough and sexually explicit language, some strong violence, recurring drug content, delinquent behavior, several sexual situations with partial nudity, one involving minors, underage drinking and smoking, as well as scattered profanity and racial epithets. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks" (Fox)
Entertaining comedy with music in which the three familiar animated warblers (voiced by Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney) befriend a failing ad man and would-be composer (Jason Lee) and inspire him to write a hit Christmas song which they record, while also trying to reunite him with the ex-girlfriend (Cameron Richardson) to whom he could not commit, before then being tempted away by a greedy record producer (David Cross) who seeks to exploit them. Director Tim Hill's film is full of enjoyable chaos, yet manages to send messages about family solidarity and rule keeping that parents will appreciate. Some crude and scatological humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

"American Gangster" (Universal)
Gritty, chaotically filmed 1970s New York true life story about a scrupulously honest if womanizing cop (Russell Crowe) investigating a notorious drug kingpin (Denzel Washington) who's shipping heroin from Thailand to the States in Vietnam War soldiers' body bags all the while posing as an upstanding family man. Director Ridley Scott, working from Steven Zaillian's fact-based script, captures the tumultuous era's spirit and skillfully counterbalances the prosperous criminal with the struggling hero, but the squalid milieu and strong violence will not be to everyone's taste, despite a moderately redemptive ending. Pervasive rough language and profanity, racial epithets, upper female nudity, adultery, a graphic sexual encounter without nudity, violence, murder, suicide, brief torture and drug dealing. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"America's Heart and Soul" (Disney)
Captivating documentary in which filmmaker Louis Schwartzberg traverses the country interviewing a colorful assortment of folks who are passionate about what they do, including a blind mountain climber, a musically inclined dairy farmer, an aerobatic pilot and cliff dancers, to name only a few. Combined with breathtaking, panoramic cinematography, the film's personal vignettes are as emotionally involving as the documentary is spiritually uplifting in celebrating individual diversity and the love of liberty that Americans share. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.

"American Splendor" (Fine Line)
Quirky biographical comedy about cultural icon and first-class curmudgeon Harvey Pekar (Paul Giamatti), author of the underground comic-book series "American Splendor." Full of mordant cynicism and acerbic wit, directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini integrate documentary-style interviews with the real Pekar and traditional narrative, in order to explore day-to-day living in all its mundane magnificence through Pekar's pessimistic but always humorous and insightful eyes, resulting in a sardonic celebration of life. An implied sexual encounter and some rough language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"American Wedding" (Universal)
Predictable and puerile comedy in which college sweethearts (Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan) decide to tie the knot, while their repugnant friends (Seann William Scott, Eddie Kaye Thomas) fight over the bride's sister (January Jones). Scraping the bottom of the barrel for laughs, director Jesse Dylan's third installment of the "American Pie" series is mostly filler scenes with a very slim plot and too many obnoxious and vulgar moments to count. Several sexual encounters and countless crude sexual references, same-sex kissing, some nudity and repeated rough language with some profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"The Amityville Horror" (MGM)
Schlocky and unnecessarily grisly remake of the 1979 horror movie based on the alleged true experiences of a Long Island couple (Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George) who, along with their three children, move into a spooky new home with a suspiciously low asking price and an evil past involving its former residents -- a family slaughtered in their beds by their demonically possessed son. Directed by Andrew Douglas, the movie has a few jolts but lacks any real suspense and ultimately unravels into a muddled stew of sensory overload and confusion. Strong gratuitous violence and gore, torture images, a sexual encounter with shadowy nudity, several scenes of child peril, brief drug content and recurring rough language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid" (Screen Gems)
Atrocious action thriller about a scientific expedition (including Johnny Messner and Kadee Strickland) sent to Borneo by a pharmaceutical company to search for a rare flower with fountain-of-youth medicinal qualities, but winds up lost deep in a jungle slithering with giant man-eating snakes. Made sillier by the fact that anacondas are not indigenous to Borneo, director Dwight Little's sequel manages to squeeze out a few cheap screams but, for the most part, the cheesy dialogue is scarier than the hokey computer-animated constrictors and the best acting is done by a rhesus monkey. Recurring action violence, some scary images, a crude gesture, an instance of rough language and scattered crass expressions and sexual innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"The Anarchist Cookbook" (Innovation Film Group)
A slacker nicknamed Puck ("My So-Called Life's" Devon Gummersaul) finds his attempt to live out the anarchist mindset spiral out of control when his likeminded buddies' Oak Cliff hangout is infiltrated by aggressive nihilist Johnny Black (Dylan Bruno). First-time director Jordan Susman shows the lies of the anarchy mindset regardless of whether you come at it from the peaceful extreme (like hippie Johnny Red) or the violent extreme (Johnny Black). "The Anarchist Cookbook," which refers to an internationally banned "cookbook" of drugs and explosives that can be made from household items, was filmed in and around Dallas. Language, sex-related dialogue, drug use and violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting has not reviewed this film. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. -- Bill Howard, TC Online.

"Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" (DreamWorks)
Lame spoof set in the era of 1970s' male-dominated TV newscasts in which a pompous San Diego anchorman (Will Ferrell) loses his heart and then his job to a more competent blonde newcomer (Christina Applegate) set on becoming a network anchor. Writer-director Adam McKay's underperforming comedy mocks chauvinist behavior but the slack script's exaggerated stereotypes are dopey without being funny. An implied affair, several sexual references and crude expressions, occasional profanity and an instance of rough language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"And Now Ladies and Gentlemen" (Paramount Classics)
Curious story about an English jewel thief (Jeremy Irons) trying to start a new life and a nightclub singer (Patricia Kaas) nursing a broken heart whose paths intersect when they wind up in the same hospital suffering from severe memory lapses and discover that love just may save their lives. Hopping from London to Paris to Fez, director Claude Lelouch's film is visually alluring as it plays with the sequence of events, in an imitation of the characters' blackouts; however, the script becomes increasingly muddled and loses momentum. Subtitles. Affairs and romantic complications with a smattering of crass words and an instance of rough language. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Anger Management" (Columbia)
Displeasing comedy in which a meek businessman (Adam Sandler) is ordered to take intensive anger management behavior modification from a volatile therapist (Jack Nicholson) who proceeds to steal his girlfriend (Marisa Tomei). As directed by Peter Segal and targeted to teen boys, the emphasis on sex and that size matters is disturbing while the plot contrivances are unconvincing. Some comically intended violence, continuous sexual references, brief same-sex kissing, an implied affair and an instance of rough language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-IV -- adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Anything But Love" (Goldwyn)
Modestly charming tale of a struggling cabaret singer (co-writer Isabel Rose) torn between her corporate lawyer fiance (Cameron Bancroft) and a destitute musician (Andrew McCarthy) who shares her love of a bygone musical era. Co-written and directed by Robert Cary, the film's romantic predictability is balanced by its low-budget plucky spirit, colorful production design and appealing follow-your-dream theme. Occasional profanity and fleeting homosexual innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Anything Else" (Dreamworks)
Romantic comedy about an aspiring New York writer's (Jason Biggs) rocky love affair with a sexually free-spirited ingenue (Christina Ricci). Though frequently funny, the film, written and directed by Woody Allen (who also appears in a supporting role), retreads material from many of Allen's earlier movies, and its observations about interpersonal relationships are undermined by the filmmaker's angry, fatalistic cynicism. A nihilistic view of morality, several sexual encounters, recurring sexually crude and religiously irreverent humor, an instance of drug abuse, as well as a few instances of profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-IV -- adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Apocalypto" (Touchstone)
Visually bold but extremely bloody action-adventure set in 15th-century Central America about the desperate odyssey of a jungle tribesman (Rudy Youngblood) to get back to his pregnant wife (Dalia Hernandez) and child after he and other members of his tribe are taken captive by the ruling Mayans following the massacre of his village. In what is essentially a chase movie, director Mel Gibson impressively re-creates the world of the Mayans -- the sights, sounds and savagery -- using an indigenous cast speaking entirely in Mayan dialects, but the intoxicating imagery and human drama are undermined by so much gore that, even if historically accurate, the cumulative result registers as gratuitous. Intense and graphic violence, including scenes of slaughter, human sacrifice, beheadings and a man being mauled by a jaguar, disturbing images, some sexual humor and innuendo, a suggested marital encounter, partial nudity, an instance of rough language and a few crude expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"Apres Vous" ("After You") (Paramount Classics)
Affecting and funny French comedy about a do-gooder (Daniel Auteuil) who rescues a suicidal sad sack (Jose Garcia) who's been dumped by his girlfriend (Sandrine Kiberlain), and attempts to secretly bring the couple back together, but finds himself falling in love with her instead. Director Pierre Salvadori's film, with perfectly judged performances, gets off to a leisurely start, but as the story builds so do the plot complications and the laughs, buttressed by good Samaritan messages about caring, generosity, friendship and kindness. Subtitles. Sporadic rough and crude words, mild profanity, some sexual banter, casual premarital relationships. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Are We Done Yet?" (Columbia/Revolution)
Only fairly amusing sequel to 2005's "Are We There Yet?" as a couple (Ice Cube and Nia Long), along with her two kids, relocate to the great outdoors and a huge house desperately in need of refurbishing. Director Steve Carr trots out every cliche imaginable and relies too heavily on slapstick humor, but the film does carry a strong affirmation of family and friendship and virtually no objectionable material. Brief innuendo, a comedic physical scuffle and other slapstick violence, scenes of drinking, marital discord and a tense nongraphic birth scene. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

"Are We There Yet?" (Columbia)
Leaden road comedy about a smooth-talking skirt-chaser (Ice Cube) with no patience for kids who gets more than he bargained for when he falls for a pretty divorcee (Nia Long) and volunteers to taxi her two mischievous children (Philip Daniel Bolden and Aleisha Allen) from Portland, Ore., to Vancouver, British Columbia, where she is staying on business, so they can all be together on New Year's Eve. Directed by Brain Levant, this film runs out of gas early, leaving viewers to endure a bumpy ride of scatological sight gags and mean-spirited mishaps (making it unsuitable for younger adolescents) which, unfortunately, dampens its sincere, albeit sentimental, message about the importance of family and parenthood. Recurring crude humor and comic violence, and some mildly crass language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.

"Around the Bend" (Warner Independent)
Offbeat but appealing story of intergenerational bonding as ex-con grandfather (Christopher Walken), single dad (Josh Lucas), and young son (Jonah Bobo) travel to Albuquerque spreading the ashes of great-grandfather Henry (Michael Caine). Though writer-director Jordan Roberts's film -- which, at its core, is all about reconciliation and forgiveness -- is not without its flaws, he has fashioned a winning film with excellent performances, touching sentiment, considerable humor, an eclectic soundtrack, and pretty scenery to counterbalance what could otherwise have been a downbeat story. Some rough and crude language, brief bloody images, and an irreligious dispersal of ashes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Around the World in 80 Days" (Disney)
Entertaining extravaganza set in Victorian times about an eccentric English inventor (Steve Coogan) who, along with his trusty, chop-socky valet (Jackie Chan), embarks on a globetrotting steam-age adventure in order to win an outrageous wager that they can do what the title says. Based on the classic yarn by Jules Verne, the film, directed by Frank Coraci, combines lavish action sequences, romance and madcap comedy in serving up a family-friendly spectacle that is both campy and clever -- and, as an added attraction, quite fun for all but the youngest viewers. Recurring action violence, some mildly crude language and humor, and brief drunkenness. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-- parental guidance suggested.

"Arctic Tale" (Paramount Classics)
Queen Latifah delightfully narrates an absorbing story charting the parallel journeys of a polar bear cub and a walrus pup in the Arctic Circle from birth to maturity, and showing how they manage to survive a changing environment with ever-decreasing ice seriously impeding both their natural habitat and their ability to obtain food. Co-directors and cinematographers Adam Ravetch and Sarah Robertson have fashioned an impressively photographed "fable" out of the challenges facing these creatures in light of global warming, rendering the film a vivid animal counterpart to Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth." Though restrained in its presentation, the film includes some images of animal violence and death, perhaps precluding viewing by the very young. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences. All ages admitted.

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (Warner Bros.)
Unusual and compelling Western dramatizing the circumstances that lead up to the shooting of notorious outlaw Jesse James (Brad Pitt) by Robert Ford (Casey Affleck), a member of his own gang, and the publicity generated afterward. Writer-director Andrew Dominik tells the story intelligently at a leisurely but controlled pace with penetrating close-ups of the excellent cast -- Affleck is particularly outstanding -- to probe psychological motivations, while the relatively restrained violence is presented with an admirable realism devoid of glamorization. Some crude language and profanity, innuendo, a nongraphic sexual encounter, several shooting deaths with blood and scenes of physical violence, suicide and brief rear male nudity, The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"The Assassination of Richard Nixon" (THINKFilm)
Fictionalized fact-based drama set in 1974 about a sad-sack salesman (Sean Penn), pushed over the edge by personal and professional failure, who decides to make his presence felt by attempting to do what the title says by hijacking an airplane and crashing it into the White House. Though many viewers may feel its tone and subject matter are too bleak, the film, written and directed by Niels Mueller and anchored by a bravura performance by Penn, paints a chilling portrait of despair, and through its exploration of the dark side of the American dream tries to offer a deeper understanding of what would drive a "normal" person to such extreme acts. A scene of graphic violence, sporadic rough and crude language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Assault on Precinct 13" (Rogue)
Brutal and violent -- though reasonably gripping -- story of a desolate Detroit police precinct under siege by crooked police who are out to silence a criminal (Laurence Fishburne) incarcerated there, to cover up what he knows about corruption within their ranks, effecting an unusual alliance between the police and criminals within the station house who must unite to defend themselves. Jean-Francois Richet's remake of the 1976 film features good performances by Fishburne, Ethan Hawke and Brian Dennehy, but the bloodshed and violence seem unnecessarily explicit, and the improbable story calls for major suspension of disbelief. Graphic and bloody violence and related gore, much rough, crude and profane language, and some sexual innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Assisted Living" (Economic Projections)
Poignant docudrama that follows a 27-year-old, pot-smoking slacker (Michael Bonsignore) through his final day as a janitor at a nursing home, during which he gains deeper maturity through an unlikely friendship he develops with an elderly resident (Maggie Riley) suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease who mistakes him for her absent son. Incorporating footage of real residents and staff at the facility where it was shot into the fictional story, this modest film by first-time director Elliot Greenebaum manages despite its no-frills look to offer a moving meditation on loneliness and the human need for contact and compassion. Some recreational drug usage and brief crude expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. It is not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

"The Astronaut Farmer" (Warner Bros.)
Sweet if improbable film about a Texas rancher (Billy Bob Thornton) with dreams of blasting off into space in a homemade rocket ship, while contending with the admiration and derision of the townsfolk, and his generally supportive but sometimes exasperated family (including Virginia Madsen as his wife) on the verge of financial ruin, and interference from the FBI, CIA, and others who would impede his would-be mission. Director/co-writer Michael Polish trots out every clich, imaginable, and the film is stately paced, but gets points for its strong affirmation of family, more than the "follow-your-dream" philosophy which, in this case, seems fairly wacky, and the capable supporting performances from Bruce Willis, Bruce Dern and Tim Blake Nelson. A few expletives and crass expressions, brief innuendo and some domestic strife. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. 

"Atonement" (Focus)
Moving World War II romance of a well-to-do young Englishwoman (Keira Knightley) serving as a nurse and the working-class soldier (James McAvoy) she has loved for years, but from whom she had been separated years before when her kid sister (Saoirse Ronan) wrongly accused him of a crime, an injustice that will haunt the accuser (now played by Romola Garai) ever after. Director Joe Wright, working from Christopher Hampton's adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel, persuasively limns an unusual story of betrayal, steadfast love, forgiveness and redemption with some surprising twists, and with further pluses in the sensitive performances and period detail. A fully clothed nonmarital sexual encounter, an implied encounter between an adult and an underage girl, use of the f-word among soldiers, brief profanity, wartime dead and wounded imagery, and a crude written sexual remark. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.


"Autumn Spring" (First Look)
Tender, bittersweet comedy about an old man (famed Czech actor Vlastimil Brodsky) who invents various colorful personalities in order to come to terms with his own mortality. Despite its at times heavy-handed fatalism, director Vladimir Michalek elicits virtuoso performances from his cast in this minor gem, resulting in a poignant meditation on life's fragility and fleetingness. Subtitles. Minimal rough language, as well as emotionally complex themes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"The Aviator" (Miramax)
Absorbing and entertaining epic detailing the dramatic glory days of legendary billionaire Howard Hughes, in his myriad roles as aviation innovator and visionary, daredevil pilot, Hollywood producer and airline tycoon, while charting his well-publicized relationships with Katharine Hepburn and Ava Gardner, and ultimately his appearance before the Senate on charges of defrauding the public through wartime airplane contracts. This film is a career highpoint for both director Martin Scorsese and star Leonardo DiCaprio, who is onscreen almost every minute and gives a highly charismatic performance; and the supporting cast is mostly first-rate. A smattering of profanity and rough language, implied sexual situations, a violent plane crash and brief rear nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.