"Unaccompanied Minors" (Warner Bros.)
Yuletide clunker about an early teen (Dyllan Christopher) and his little sister (Dominique Saldana) separated while waylaid at an airport during a Christmas Eve blizzard, with the former recruiting several other stranded juveniles (Gina Mantegna, Tyler James Williams, Brett Kelly and Quinn Shephard) to reunite them, while evading the airport's Scrooge-like security chief (Lewis Black). Full of mayhem and slapstick silliness and capped with a contrived sentimental payoff, this inane comedy -- directed by Paul Feig -- insults the intelligence of youngsters and will be a chore for grown-ups "accompanying" their minors. Some mildly crude language and humor, as well as divorce themes. 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 Ultimate Gift" (Fox Faith)
Modern-day parable about a self-absorbed young man (Drew Fuller) who, to inherit his tycoon grandfather's (James Garner) fortune, must first accomplish a series of tasks intended to teach him significant life lessons. His learning curve is accelerated by a plucky, terminally ill girl (Abigail Breslin) and her single mom (Ali Hillis), whose gift of friendship provides the catalyst for his eventual transformation. Director Michael O. Sajbel's heartfelt adaptation of Jim Stovall's novel avoids excessive sentimentality as it imparts positive messages about gratitude, forgiveness, family and altruism that overcome its uneven script and some average performances. Mature thematic elements, some brief violence and a few instances of crude 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. Some material may not be suitable for children.

"Uncle Nino" (Lange Film)
Big-hearted if formulaic comedy about a disconnected suburban family (headed by Joe Mantegna and Anne Archer) brought together by an elderly, eccentric relative visiting from Italy -- Uncle Nino (Pierrino Mascarino) -- who, through his love of food, flowers and music instills in his American kin Old World values and a deeper appreciation for life's simple pleasures. Directed by Bob Shallcross, the heartwarmer imparts a breezy, feel-good message about family and forgiveness which makes it easy to applaud in spite of its overly sentimental tone and cliche-laden script. Some mild swearing, a scene of vandalism and a few instances of teen smoking. 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.

"Uncovered: The War in Iraq" (Cinema Libre)
Candidly critical documentary which both chronicles and deconstructs the Bush administration's grounds for going to war with Iraq following the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, alleging that the president misled and deceived the American public in order to rally support through misinformation which exaggerated the threat Saddam Hussein's regime posed to national security. Filmed with detached passion by Robert Greenwald, the film is, by turns, insightful and incendiary -- though ultimately one-sided -- in methodically making its case, relying on straightforward talking-head interviews with intelligence experts, former CIA operatives and weapons analysts which are juxtaposed with contrapuntal news footage. Some war images. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

"Under the Tuscan Sun" (Touchstone)
Standard but enjoyable yarn about a recently divorced San Francisco author (Diane Lane) suffering from depression and writer's block who impulsively buys a Tuscan villa with the hopes of recharging her life. Based loosely on Frances Mayes' travel memoir, writer-director Audrey Wells' film is light on believable plot, but packed with lovely Italian vistas with Lane's appealing performance elevating an otherwise predictable fairy tale. An implied sexual encounter, references to a lesbian relationship, brief crass words, and an instance of rough language and 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.

"Under the Same Moon" ("La Misma Luna") (Fox Searchlight/Weinstein)
Touching story of a 9-year-old Mexican boy (Adrian Alonso) who, following the death of his grandmother and temporary guardian (Angelina Pelaez), pays two American siblings (America Ferrera and Jesse Garcia) to smuggle him across the border so that he can reunite with his mother (Kate del Castillo), working in the United States illegally to improve his future. Along the way he forms an unlikely friendship with a tough, go-it-alone farm laborer (Eugenio Derbez). Director Patricia Riggen's restrained feature debut movingly dramatizes a real-life plight affecting millions of children, with all three leads turning in luminous performances. In Spanish. Subtitles. Occasional crude, crass and profane language, and a sexual reference; probably acceptable for older teens. 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.

"Undertow" (United Artists)
Anxiety-provoking film about two brothers (Jamie Bell and Devon Alan) fleeing from their recently imprisoned uncle (Josh Lucas) who has just murdered their father (Dermot Mulroney). As they travel through the woods and swamps in the deep South, they encounter all sorts of colorful characters. David Gordon Green's thriller features good performances and the obvious suspense of a chase film, but the gritty realism, violent episodes and sordid milieu make this difficult viewing. Rough, profane and crude language, a brutally violent scene with copious blood, partial rear nudity, a fleeting instance of underage drinking, and some sexual talk and gesture. 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.

"Underworld" (Screen Gems)
Action-thriller about star-crossed lovers, one a vampire, one a mortal (Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman) caught in an ancient blood feud between warring clans of vampires and werewolves. Despite a visually stylish, neo-gothic moodiness, the film, directed by Len Wiseman, unravels into a bloodbath of glamorized carnage, undermining its cleverly disguised allusions to racial and class tensions. Excessive violence, fleeting shadowy rear nudity, as well as sporadic rough language and an instance of profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Unleashed" (Rogue)
Surprisingly engaging action drama centering on a lethal man-child (Jet Li), who is raised by a ruthless gangster (Bob Hoskins) and conditioned to kill on cue like an attack dog, and who experiences kindness and compassion for the first time when he is taken in by a blind piano tuner (Morgan Freeman), who helps him reclaim his humanity and solve the mystery surrounding his foggy past. Stylishly directed by Louis Leterrier and heavy on bone-breaking brutality, themes addressed include the depersonalizing effects of cruelty, the healing power of love, the malleability of young minds for good or evil, and the nature of free will, elevating it above most mindless action films. Recurring intense violence, including several vicious beatings, a brief sexual encounter, fleeting nudity and much rough and crude language and humor, as well as 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 R -- restricted.

"Up and Down" (Sony Classics)
Absorbing kaleidoscopic interweaving of several plot strands which combine to create a vivid picture of the present-day, post-communist Czech Republic: black-market smugglers who inadvertently steal a baby; a likable but loutish ex-soccer hooligan now on probation (Jiri Machacek) whose partner (Natasa Burger) is obsessed with having a child and "buys" the infant; and a seriously ill college professor (Jan Triska) who, after many years, summons both his grown son (Petr Forman) from Australia and his long-separated wife (Emilia Vasaryova) to meet the woman (Ingrid Timkova) he's been living with for many years -- and by whom he sired a child -- and hopes to marry. Jan Hrebejk's film, shot in actual Prague apartments and streets, brilliantly deals with heavy-duty issues like cultural assimilation, national identity, love and hate, and the effects of globalization in an entertaining Altmanesque way, and ties the disparate story elements together neatly by the conclusion. Rough, profane and crude language, racial epithets, a brief but sordid sexual situation, a short scene of violence with some blood. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Uptown Girls" (MGM)
Contemporary fairy tale about a spoiled rock 'n' roll heiress (Brittany Murphy), who, after having her inheritance stolen, takes a job as a nanny for a precocious 8-year-old (Dakota Fanning), only to find out they are both in need of emotional healing. Seesawing awkwardly between light-hearted comedy and drama, the film, directed by Boaz Yakin, imparts a positive message about the importance of family, especially the effects parental neglect has on children's lives, but the inclusion of a lewd subplot adds an unnecessary sexual element to the story which proves its cotton-candy facade is grossly misleading. Several implied sexual encounters and dark emotional themes, as well as sporadic 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.

"The Valet" ("La Doublure") (Sony Classics)
 Amusing French farce about a restaurant parking valet (Gad Elmaleh) who is paid to pretend he's having an affair with a supermodel (Alice Taglioni) to fool the suspicious wife (Kristin Scott Thomas) of a wealthy industrialist (Daniel Auteuil) who is actually involved with the model himself, and the sympathetic model helps the valet woo the childhood sweetheart (Virginie Ladoyen), now a bookstore owner, whom he truly loves. Writer-director Francis Veber is a master at this sort of concoction, and like most classic farces, though it seems to be about amorous matters, nothing happens at all, and everything is resolved morally by the final fade-out. Subtitles. An instance of the f-word and some other crude language, innuendo, a prior adulterous affair, and a chaste bedroom scene with an accidental groping. 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.

"Van Helsing" (Universal)
Dreadful action adventure about a notorious monster hunter (Hugh Jackman) sent to Transylvania by a secret Vatican agency and charged with helping a local vampire slayer (Kate Beckinsale) rid the world of Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh) and other fiendish creatures including werewolves and Frankenstein's monster (Shuler Hensley). Despite stylishly gothic atmospherics, this long, loud and ludicrous monster mash, directed by Stephen Sommers amounts to little more than overwrought special-effects sequences without any thought given to story -- let alone characters to sink your teeth into. Incessant comic-book violence, an implied sexual encounter, some innuendo and frightening images. 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.

"Vanity Fair" (Focus)
Splendid adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's classic about heroine Becky Sharp's struggles to survive in Regency England. Reese Witherspoon makes a captivating heroine and holds her own amid a top-notch British cast. Directed by Mira Nair with a sure hand, the story has all the elements of an epic: romance, a war background (the Napoleonic Wars), villains, misunderstandings, reconciliations and more. A slight flash of partial nudity, a little violence and some sensuality. 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.

"Vera Drake" (Fine Line)
Superbly written and acted period drama (circa 1950) of a lower-middle-class English housewife (Imelda Staunton) who, unbeknownst to her family, helps desperate women who have become pregnant by performing abortions, until a young woman nearly dies after Vera's ministrations, and the authorities apprehend her. Master filmmaker Mike Leigh's abortion theme will be troublesome for Catholic viewers, but his approach to the controversial subject leaves the moral judgments to the viewer. Staunton's performance is towering, and the human dynamics extraordinarily natural in the narrative of a woman who wants to help others, but who simply doesn't appreciate the consequences -- moral or physical -- of her actions. Abortion theme, and one sexual situation. 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.

"Veronica Guerin" (Touchstone)
Truth-based story about an Irish investigative journalist (Cate Blanchett) whose murder in 1996 for exposing high-level organized crime made her a national hero and helped turn the tide in Ireland's war on drugs. While Guerin's real-life martyrdom makes for compelling drama, the biopic, directed by Joel Schumacher, fails to offer any meaningful insights into what fueled its subject's passion, focusing almost entirely on a superficial documenting of the dangers she faced, hedging awkwardly between grittiness and gloss, and resulting in a stylistically schizophrenic -- yet ultimately engaging -- portrait of heroism. Recurring graphic violence and drug abuse, an implied sexual encounter, as well as much 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.

"A Very Long Engagement" (Warner Independent Pictures)
Bittersweet World War I drama about a crippled French woman (Audrey Tautou) who embarks on a quest to find out the battlefield fate of her betrothed (Gaspard Ulliel) who, along with four other soldiers, was said to have been killed under mysterious circumstances on the front lines. Part romantic tear-jerker, part mystery, part gritty war movie, the film reunites director Jean-Pierre Jeunet with his "Amelie" leading lady, Tautou, and combines an emotionally engaging story with mesmerizing visuals, resulting in a poignant parable about the absurdity of war and the power of love. Subtitles. Graphic warfare violence, including gory dismemberment and self-mutilation, several murders, an execution, a few sexual encounters, some nudity and an instance of masturbation. 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.

"The Village" (Touchstone)
Well-crafted but predictable film by M. Night Shyamalan about an isolated 19th-century village located in the middle of a forest inhabited by fearsome creatures, discouraging anyone from venturing to the outlying towns. Production values and performances are generally fine, and Shyamalan sustains a reasonably suspenseful mood throughout, but all the fine trappings can't conceal what is essentially a thin story, with a disappointing payoff. A very short violent episode, some smeared blood, some shots of skinned dead animals, and an intense atmosphere of impending doom. 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.

"Volver" (Sony Classics)
Engrossing story about a devoted mother (Penelope Cruz) who covers up the murder of her husband after her teenage daughter (Yohana Cobo) stabs him in self-defense, and then opens a thriving restaurant. Writer-director Pedro Almodovar has made one of his finest films, in which Cruz gives a multifaceted performance, while the other top-lined actresses are equally impressive: Lola Duenas as her hairdresser-sister, Carmen Maura as the ghost of their mother, and Blanca Portillo as a helpful neighbor with terminal cancer. Underneath the melodrama (leavened at times with humor) is a perceptive study of women, relationships, the Spanish culture of death and the vapidity of modern culture. Subtitles. Some rough language and profanity, innuendo, crass expressions, murder without consequence, bloodshed, a marital bedroom scene without nudity and incest. 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.

"Walk the Line" (20th Century Fox)
 Superior biopic about country singer Johnny Cash (a mesmerizing Joaquin Phoenix, who does his own singing). It traces the singer's childhood marred by the accidental death of his older brother, and his father's subsequent coldness, through an unfulfilling first marriage, and his budding romance with singer June Carter (Reese Witherspoon, who matches her co-star in the singing and acting departments), drug dependency, and ultimate survival. Director James Mangold deftly balances the personal drama with plenty of good music, making for first-rate entertainment, though the touching romance between the married Cash and Carter -- despite cautious treatment by scriptwriter Gill Dennis -- is naggingly problematic from a basic moral, as well as Catholic, perspective. Some rough and crude language, ethnic slurs, scenes of domestic violence, drug and alcohol use, and an extramarital relationship. 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.


"Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" (DreamWorks)
Frolicsome clay-animated adventure about a cheese-loving inventor (voiced by Peter Sallis) and his faithful pooch, who are hired by a batty blueblood (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter) to catch a monstrous rabbit terrorizing neighborhood gardens before it jeopardizes the town's annual vegetable competition. Co-directed by Nick Park and Steve Box (based on characters created by Park), the disarmingly whimsical and visually delightful film is an amusing family treat, despite a few "naughty" jokes that will go over the heads of most children. Some double entendres and a brief, mildly irreligious sight gag. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences.

"WALL-E" (Disney/Pixar)
Beautiful and deeply touching futuristic fable about a soulful-eyed waste removal robot (voice of Ben Burtt), the last on an abandoned, garbage-strewn earth, who falls in love with a visiting search robot (Elissa Knight) and follows her onto a spaceship manned by an ineffectual Captain (Jeff Garlin) and populated by earth's passively sedentary obese refugees. Using Pixar's breathtaking animation techniques, director and co-writer Andrew Stanton has concocted a canny mix of sharp humor, honest sentiment and surprisingly potent romance with (for those adults looking deeper) an underlying indictment of our consumer-oriented society and a timely environmental warning. An instant classic. 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.


"War of the Worlds" (Paramount)
Impressive but distressingly violent updating of H.G. Wells' classic sci-fi story, about (in this version) a deadbeat dad (Tom Cruise) who is jolted into responsible parenthood when he must struggle to survive and keep his two children (Justin Chatwin and Dakota Fanning) safe amid a hostile invasion by space aliens bent on exterminating humanity. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the decidedly dark and scary thrill ride delivers edge-of-your-seat excitement and knockout action sequences, which though visually stunning never drown out the human drama at its core about a father trying to reconnect with his children. Intense sci-fi violence, including mass destruction and slaughter, disintegrated bodies, a murder with extenuating circumstances, child peril, as well as scattered 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.

"The Weather Man" (Paramount)
Cheerless dramedy about a melancholy Chicago TV weatherman (Nicolas Cage) who, while mulling a career move, struggles to salvage his relationships with his ailing father (Michael Caine), his soon-to-be-remarried ex-wife (Hope Davis), and their two emotionally disconnected children. Directed by Gore Verbinski with an oddly sympathetic performance by Cage, the film's message that life, like the weather, is highly unpredictable, is weighed down by excessive profanity, a shapeless script and an insufferably gloomy tone. Pervasive rough and sexually explicit language, a sexual encounter with partial nudity, brief violence, an ongoing vulgar gag, a subplot involving abuse of a minor, as well as underage smoking. 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.

"Wedding Crashers" (New Line)
Raunchy romantic comedy directed by David Dobkin about two lifelong friends (Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn) who infiltrate weddings as a hobby and a way to seduce women, and who find themselves entangled in comic and romantic complications when they con their way into a high-profile D.C. wedding and wind up spending the weekend with the bride's dysfunctional family (headed by Christopher Walken). Despite considerable chemistry between Vaughn and Wilson, the farce makes light of casual sex and promiscuity, mucking up what could have been a smart screwball buddy film with lewd sight gags and foul-mouthed dialogue. Much crude sexual humor and situations, some involving partial nudity, a brief irreverent comment, as well as pervasive rough and vulgar language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"The Wager" (Pure Flix)
Honorable but labored message movie in which an evangelical Christian actor (Randy Travis) tries to live by the tenets of the Sermon on the Mount, even as his wife (Nancy Valen) is suing for divorce, his sister (Nancy Stafford) is seriously ill and his agent (Jude Ciccolella) is trying to tamp down a scandal about the Oscar-nominated star based on a misunderstanding. Director Judson Pearce Morgan's film strains credulity at times, and its tone is painfully earnest, but its spiritual values are fine. References to child molestation and an attempted seduction. Some themes, while treated discreetly, may not be appropriate for younger teens. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

"Waitress" (Fox Searchlight)
A young woman (Keri Russell) with a talent for baking delicious pies finds the strength to deal with her unhappy marriage in this sweet-and-savory independent comedy. Writer, director and co-star Adrienne Shelly -- who died under tragic circumstances months prior to the movie's premiere at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival -- balances tart humor and mature themes with likeable characters and an affirmation of the joy of motherhood. Brief glimpse of partially nude pregnant women, groping, sexual innuendo including a condom reference, an instance of spousal abuse, some crass language and one use 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 strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Walking Tall" (MGM)
Remake of the 1973 cult classic, about a retired soldier (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), who upon returning home finds himself waging a one-man war against the crime and corruption that has overtaken his boyhood community -- most of which is the direct result of a casino operated by his old high school rival (Neal McDonough). Transplanting the action from Tennessee to the Pacific Northwest, director Kevin Bray's film stays faithful to the original's good-man-taking-a-stand premise but also follows its predecessor's lead in promoting a dangerous message that violence is the most effective way to fight injustice. Due to recurring violence, an implied sexual encounter, drug content, a striptease scene, crude language and humor. 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.

"Washington Heights" (MAC)
Low-budget ethnic drama about an aspiring comic illustrator (Manny Perez) who must weigh ambition against responsibility when his bodega-owning father (Tomas Milian) is shot and paralyzed during a robbery. With a contrived plot not worth emotional investment, director Alfredo de Villa's cliched narrative is undermined by the protagonist's all-too-familiar dilemma: how to escape his dead-end existence while maintaining his cultural identity. Sexual situations with nudity, violence and recurring rough language and vulgarities. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-IV -- adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"We Are Marshall" (Warner Bros.)
Moving true-life story about the aftermath of a 1970 plane crash in West Virginia that killed 70 players, coaches and fans of a college football team, and how the grieving university town came to recover its spirit by the formation of a largely new team galvanized by the leadership of a new coach (a dynamic Matthew McConaughey), working in tandem with the Marshall University president (David Strathairn) and the assistant coach of the former team (Matthew Fox). Director McG's (actually Joseph McGinty Nichol) film, though to some extent formulaic and predictable, is several notches above average, bolstered by solid performances including that of Ian McShane, and a script that mostly avoids cliche, with good messages about winning not being everything, accepting loss, and healing from it, with a good sense of this being a faith-based community. Several uses of the s-word as favored by the coach, a few other crass expressions and discreetly handled plane crash. 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.

"We Don't Live Here Anymore" (Warner Independent)
Dour but grimly absorbing story of two unhappily married couples living in a university town who end up having affairs with each other's spouses. Though told with compassion and perception, astutely scripted, and superbly acted by Mark Ruffalo, Laura Dern, Peter Krause and Naomi Watts, the film is almost unrelievedly downbeat. Much rough and crude language including profanity, intense sexual encounters, and an unconventional view of marriage and adultery. 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.

"We Own the Night" (Columbia/2929)
Powerful character-driven drama set in 1980s New York about a drug-taking nightclub manager (a splendid Joaquin Phoenix) who changes his dissolute ways when his police-officer brother (Mark Wahlberg) is shot -- and their police-chief father's (Robert Duvall) life threatened -- by the Russian mobsters who control the venue. Writer-director James Gray sustains a taut, tragedy-drenched mood, the action secondary to the human drama; performances are fine, including Eva Mendes as Phoenix's girlfriend; and the narrative has an admirable gravitas, marred from a moral standpoint only by a revenge killing that is out of step with Catholic teaching. Sporadic but strong violence, rough language, some crude expressions and profanity, vigilante killing, some grisly crime images, drug use, sexual encounter and upper female nudity. 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 Wedding Date" (Universal)
Flat and flavorless romantic comedy directed by Clare Kilner about a single New York woman (Debra Messing) who hires a professional "male escort" (Dermot Mulroney) to pose as her new boyfriend -- in a desperate attempt to save face and make her ex-fiance jealous -- when she travels to England to attend her sister's wedding. Even putting aside its ethically dubious conceit, this low-wattage love story is weighed down by a watery and witless script and performances as bland as British cuisine. A sexual encounter, a shower scene involving fleeting rear nudity, as well as 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.

"Welcome to Mooseport" (20th Century Fox)
Lukewarm comedy about a local handyman (Ray Romano) who, in an attempt to win back his girlfriend (Maura Tierney), decides to run against a former president (Gene Hackman) for mayor of his quaint New England town. Part triangular romance, part political satire, director Donald Petrie's flat farce pokes fun at the electoral process and media scrutiny of candidates' private lives while espousing a belief in the basic decency of Main Street America, but fails to make good on its campaign promises of comedy. Some sexual humor, instances of rear nudity and minimal 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.

"The Wendell Baker Story" (ThinkFilm)
Minor but engaging story of a con artist (appealing Luke Wilson) who, paroled from prison after forging driver's licenses for Mexican migrant workers, takes a job at a senior retirement home run by corrupt administrators (Owen Wilson and Eddie Griffin) and helps the exploited residents (including Harry Dean Stanton, Seymour Cassel and Kris Kristofferson), while trying to win back his former girlfriend (Eva Mendes) now involved with a jealous supermarket manager (Will Ferrell). The quirky story from quadruple threat Wilson -- who also wrote, co-executive-produced and co-directed (with brother Andrew) -- has an intentionally ragtag feel, but some flagged material notwithstanding, keeps its heart firmly in the right place. Scattered profanity and crude language, sexual banter and innuendo, implied premarital situations and brief punching episodes. 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.

"Whale Rider" (Newmarket)
Evocative coming-of-age tale set among contemporary New Zealand Maoris where a 12-year-old girl (Keisha Castle-Hughes) secretly trains to become the warrior-like tribal leader against the fierce objections of her tradition-bound grandfather, the aging chief (Rawiri Paratene). Writer-director Niki Caro sensitively weds the ancient culture's rites to hardscrabble times, in the process dramatically exploring the role of community, change, and father figures in the formation of youngsters. Brief sexual and drug-related reference. 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.

"What a Girl Wants" (Warner Bros.)
Contemporary fairytale about a spirited American teen-ager (Amanda Bynes) who travels to London in search of the father she has never known only to find out that she is the daughter of a blueblood politician (Colin Firth) running for Parliament. Directed by Dennie Gordon, this delightful modern Cinderella story celebrates the bonds between parents and children and the possibility of second chances that love affords. Instances of mildly offensive language and scattered sexual innuendoes. 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.

"What Happens in Vegas" (Fox)
An inebriated couple -- a commodities trader (Cameron Diaz), dumped by her longtime boyfriend, and a womanizing slacker (Ashton Kutcher), fired from his closet-building job -- get married in Las Vegas, much to their later regret, and must live with the consequences when they return to New York and a judge orders them to try to make the marriage work for six months, if they are to decide who keeps the $3 million jackpot they won at the slots. Director Tom Vaughan's romantic comedy is lame, tasteless and unfunny, despite a premise that could work in better hands, while the warm-if-predictable ending fails to erase the sophomoric ineptitude of what has come before it. Pervasive vulgar humor, implied premarital cohabitation, scatological elements, some skimpy costuming, much crude language and brief profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"What The Bleep Do We Know?" (Lord of the Wind Films)
Part documentary, part narrative film which uses a loose story line about an unfulfilled wedding photographer (Marlee Matlin) as a launching pad for discussions of quantum physics, the intersection of science and spirituality, and the underlying nature of reality. Directed by William Arntz, Betsy Chasse and Mark Vicente, the docudrama incorporates amusing animated segments and interviews with academics to explore its difficult subject matter in a lively and engaging manner. However, while the film raises some interesting questions, its arguments often become muddled by New Age mysticism which promotes private spirituality over traditional organized religion. Mild sexual content and a few crude expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

"White Chicks" (Columbia)
Painfully inept comedy in which two FBI agents (brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans) go undercover to protect a pair of young white socialites at an exclusive summer resort from kidnappers by pretending to be the women. Director Keenen Ivory Wayans' preposterous premise quickly grows tiresome as do the unconvincing prosthetics and heavy makeup, while an actual story line is jettisoned in favor of flat jokes, well-worn gags and a handful of misogynistic jabs. A few sexual references, fleeting drug content, some scatological humor and fisticuffs, a few crass words 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.

"White Noise" (Universal)
Schlocky supernatural thriller by director Geoffrey Sax about an architect (Michael Keaton) who, while mourning the tragic death of his wife, becomes obsessed with trying to contact her spirit through electronic means, resulting in unforeseen consequences from beyond the grave. Badly written, acted and directed, this paranormal potboiler makes almost no sense at all and with nary a ghost of a chance of a long screen life, should be haunting video store shelves soon. Some frightening episodes and grisly crime images, an attempted suicide, an instance of rough language and a few crass 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.

"The Whole Ten Yards" (Warner Bros.)
Laugh-free comedy sequel in which a former hit man and his would-be assassin wife (Bruce Willis and Amanda Peet), along with a dentist (Matthew Perry) married to the hit man's ex-wife (Natasha Henstridge), are on the run from a murderous mob boss and his dopey goons. Noisy, witless and fraught with hammy performances, director Howard Deutch's movie goes out of its way to paint its unrepentant hit man as a self-described "devout Catholic" who insists on wearing the crucifix he treasures only to trash it once he's shot his way out of trouble and made off with millions in dirty money. Glamorization of crime, jokey treatment of deadly violence, sexual situations, rear nudity, and an instance of profanity and rough language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Wicker Park" (MGM)
Uneven drama set in Chicago about a lovelorn advertising executive (Josh Hartnett) who, after sighting someone he thinks is his former girlfriend (Diane Kruger), becomes obsessed with tracking her down and finding out the truth as to why she suddenly walked out of his life two years earlier. Director Doug McGuigan's remake of the French film "L'Appartement" awkwardly shifts gears between romantic melodrama and suspense, neither providing enough emotional torque to power the story beyond the overall lackluster material. Several sexual encounters, as well as sporadic crude 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.

"Wild Hogs" (Touchstone)
Four middle-age biker buddies from suburbia (Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy) seize the day by taking a cross-country road trip and suffering various humiliating mishaps as they attempt to recapture their youthful vitality. The sputtering comedy of director Walt Becker ("National Lampoon's Van Wilder") subjects the audience to an exhausting barrage of crude humor and off-color banter. Pervasive crude language, much sexual innuendo, rear male nudity, fleeting images and sounds from Internet pornography sites, bathroom humor, a drug reference and some violence. 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.

"Wimbledon" (Universal)
Appealing love story about retiring thirtyish British tennis pro (Paul Bettany) who, frustrated by his losing streak and encroachment by the younger set, is about to play his final Wimbledon tournament. But when he meets a rising American star (Kirsten Dunst), and they begin an affair under the disapproving eye of her father (Sam O'Neill), his luck miraculously improves. Director Richard Loncraine's film, though basically lightweight, has a good moral at heart, as it pits true love against the competitive rat race of the game. Implied sexual situations and innuendo, fleeting rear nudity, some crude language and a brief violent incident. 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.

"Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!" (Dreamworks)
Breezy but slight teen romantic comedy about a small-town grocery clerk (Kate Bosworth) who enters a fan contest and wins a date with her idol (Josh Duhamel), a Hollywood heartthrob who warms up to her homespun charm, and, pledging to clean up his act, decides to follow her back home to rural West Virginia, much to the dismay of her best friend (Topher Grace) who happens to be hopelessly, though secretly, in love with her. Despite its formulaic script and flat characters, director Robert Luketic keeps his adolescent soap opera relatively well scrubbed, avoiding for the most part, the gross-out potty jokes and stock sexuality rampant in many teen films. Some crass humor and innuendo, as well as sporadic crude language and a few instances of alcohol abuse. 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 Wind That Shakes the Barley" (IFC)
Powerful war drama about two brothers (Cillian Murphy and Padraic Delaney) fighting against British forces in 1920s Ireland. Director Ken Loach, demonstrably on the side of the Irish, vividly illustrates the pitfalls of violence without casting the conflict in sectarian religious terms while espousing a socialist political philosophy that doesn't obscure the narrative's historical or moral complexity. Pervasive rough and crude language including one anti-Catholic slur, extensive wartime violence, including multiple shootings and executions, a torture scene, and an unmarried man and woman kissing briefly prior to an implied encounter. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

"Winged Migration" (Sony Classics)
Spectacular documentary that follows the annual journey of various birds as they often travel more than 10,000 miles between the tropics and the Arctic to ensure their survival. With minimal dialogue and exhilarating cinematography, director and narrator Jacques Perrin's quietly thrilling film provides a heady vicarious experience as it captures the migratory patterns of birds, uplifting the spirit and eliciting awe at God's perfection in creating such wondrous creatures. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences.

"Winter Solstice" (Paramount Classics)
Engrossing domestic drama about a blue-collar widower (Anthony LaPaglia) coping with his two teenage boys -- one who announces he's leaving home (Aaron Stanford), and the other a troublesome, moody student (Mark Webber) -- and the compassionate woman (Allison Janney) who moves into a nearby house and reaches out to them. Writer-director Josh Sternfeld, in his feature-film debut, has crafted a sensitive slice-of-life story that rings absolutely true. The performances, especially LaPaglia's, are extraordinary, and a good pro-family message and a hopeful ending give a somber story a positive uplift. Rough and crude language, a couple of brief violent episodes, tobacco use. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Without a Paddle" (Paramount)
Fitfully funny comedy about three lifelong friends (Seth Green, Matthew Lillard and Dax Shepard), inspired by the untimely death of the clique's fourth amigo, who impulsively set out to make good on a childhood pact and search for a hidden treasure in the Pacific Northwest wilderness. But their canoe trip downriver hits some comical rapids -- including run-ins with a grizzly and a pair of heavily armed backwoods marijuana farmers. As directed by Steven Brill, the film is full of forced frat-house humor and gross-out sight gags, which, while balanced by a positive though schmaltzy message about friendship, leaves the story up the creek. A few sexual encounters, drug content and some violence as well as recurring coarse language and crude humor. 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.

'WMD-The Murderous Reign of Saddam Hussein' (Stonegate Media)
This documentary by concerned U.S. citizen and first-time filmmaker Brad Maaske asks whether the U.S. was justified in going to war in Iraq and answers yes by offering many violent images and survivor testimonies from Saddam Hussein’s torturous 25-year regime. The film suffers from flat narration but is effective when Maaske lets the interviews and historical footage do the talking. Viewers who oppose the war may dismiss “WMD” as Bush propaganda, but it should at least make them admit that Iraq is in a better situation now without Hussein. Language and graphic images of violence. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office of Film has not reviewed this film. This film is not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. -Bill Howard, TC Online

"Woman Thou Art Loosed" (Magnolia Pictures)
Soul-inspiring drama about a young woman (Kimberly Elise) who, with the help of a compassionate evangelical minister (T.D. Jakes), struggles to come to terms with her troubled past and find redemption, while awaiting execution for murder. Based on the best-selling novel by Jakes, the hope-filled film deals with difficult subjects -- including sexual abuse, addiction and murder -- though in a way which challenges viewers of faith to take seriously the Christian imperatives of love and reconciliation. Several instances of violence, including the implied rape of a young girl, a sexual encounter with blurred nudity, recurring drug content and some crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Wonderland" (Lions Gate)
Fact-based story of porn-movie king John Holmes' involvement in a grisly quadruple homicide which took place in the Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1981. Full of graphically disturbing violence, director James Cox sets out to explore a morally bleak landscape so devoid of redeemable features that it is nearly impossible for viewers to invest any emotional interest, let alone sympathy, in the film's mostly repellent characters. Excessive graphic violence, sexual encounters with partial nudity, recurring drug abuse, much rough and crude language, as well as profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"The Woodsman" (Newmarket)
Somber but mesmerizing film about a convicted pedophile (Kevin Bacon, in a terrific performance) who, after serving his 12-year sentence, attempts to reform his life by taking a job in a lumberyard, forming a romantic relationship with a tough but understanding woman (Kyra Sedgwick), while coping with harassment from his outraged co-workers, a suspicious police detective (Mos Def) who hounds him, subtle and overt ostracism by his family, and his own personal demons which threaten to bring him back to his old ways. First-time director Nicole Kassell's compelling drama (based on a play by Steven Fechter) provides genuine insight into the mind-set of a pedophile, without glamorizing the crime or making Bacon's character unduly sympathetic, though the occasionally stagy dialogue betrays the script's theatrical origins. Rough and crude language, partial nudity, a couple of sexual situations involving adults and thematic material. 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.

"Wrong Turn" (Fox)
Schlocky slasher flick about a foursome of oversexed twentysomethings (including Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku and Jeremy Sisto) lost in the West Virginia wilderness and hunted by a trio of flesh-hungry, homicidal hillbillies. Buckets of blood flow in this clunky formulaic gorefest directed by Rob Schmidt, who leaves no cliche unturned and succeeds in killing off viewers' interest as quickly as he kills his cardboard cast members. Much graphic violence, recurring rough language, an implied sexual encounter, lewd humor and drug abuse. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"XXX: State of the Union" (Columbia)
Odiously overwrought follow-up to the 2002 action film about an ex-Navy SEAL (Ice Cube, stepping in for Vin Diesel) serving time, who is recruited into a supersecret government agency by a former team member (Samuel L. Jackson) in order to prevent a rogue arm of the military -- headed by a hawkish secretary of defense (Willem Dafoe) -- from assassinating the president (Peter Strauss). Directed by Lee Tamahori, this tedious testosterone-revved sequel is twice as violent, twice as ridiculous and twice as pointless as the original. Excessive violence, sexual innuendo, an instance of rough language and recurring crude expressions and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"X2: X-Men United" (Fox)
Entertaining sci-fi actioner about outcast humans whose mutated genetics endow them with superpowers with which they battle evil counterparts bent on world domination. Directed by Bryan Singer and based on the enormously successful Marvel Comics series, the sequel, while continuing the original's positive message of tolerance, relies too heavily on imaginative special effects and action sequences at the expense of character and narrative development. Recurring comic book-style violence and some crass language. 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.

"You Don't Mess With the Zohan" (Columbia)
Typically vulgar Adam Sandler comedy centers on Zohan Dvir, a lethal Israeli commando who abandons an illustrious army career in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a New York hairdresser. Perhaps the best that can be said about this inanity is that a message of intercultural harmony and understanding seeps through the sex-related raunchiness, rendering it less harsh and marginally less offensive than Sandler's last effort, "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry," also directed by Dennis Dugan. Pervasive sexual content (much of it involving senior citizens), numerous sexual references (many spoken in Yiddish), countless obscene gestures, frequent crude and crass language, rear male and female nudity, some toilet humor, mildly disparaging racial and religious slurs, and a modicum of action violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"You Got Served" (Screen Gems)
Slight hip-hop musical that follows a dancing crew led by two friends (Omari Grandberry and Marques Houston) who must put aside their recent feuding to triumph at the biggest dance competition of the year. High-energy, acrobatic dance scenes and all-the-rage pop singers may attract a young crowd, but the boilerplate script and the shoddy direction of Christopher B. Stokes misses a step and falls flat. A few crude dance moves, minor drug content, brief violence and some crass words. 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.

"Young Adam" (Sony Classics)
Bleak tale set in Glasgow during the 1950s about a young Scottish drifter (Ewan McGregor) working and living on a coal barge, who becomes entangled in a web of adulterous seduction and death when the discovery of a drowned woman opens the book on a dark secret from his past. Underneath its fashionably somber nihilism, faux literary weightiness and exploitative eroticism, director David Mackenzie's feature debut is little more than a cheerless exercise in existential gloom, which suffocates under the weight of its own self-importance and, despite a superb cast, quickly plummets into a dyspeptic fog of pretension and pessimism as bleak as the gray Scottish sky. Recurring explicit sexual encounters with full frontal nudity, a pervasive nihilism, intermittent rough and crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is NC-17 -- no one 17 and under admitted.

"The Young Black Stallion" (Disney)
Feel-good family adventure set in 1946 North Africa about a young Bedouin girl (Biana Tamimi) who befriends and tames a fiery wild stallion, which she eventually rides to victory in an important tribal horse race in order to restore her grandfather's reputation among the regional clansmen after losing all his wealth in the war. Based on the late Walter Farley's children's book series and shot in supersized Imax format; director Simon Wincer reins in character and narrative depth in favor of protracted, albeit stunning, panoramic desert vistas; nevertheless, despite a predictably sentimental payoff, the film still wins your heart -- if only by a nose. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences.

"Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg" (International Film Circuit)
Warmhearted documentary celebrating the life and career of Gertrude Berg, the creator, principal writer and star of "The Goldbergs," a popular radio series about a middle-class Jewish family that became one of TV's first sitcoms in 1949. Filmmaker Aviva Kempner's accomplished profile of this media pioneer, whose scripts promoted familial relationships over possessions, offers insights into the early history of broadcasting, the widespread anti-Semitism against which Berg courageously struggled, and the anti-communism crusade of the 1950s which temporarily drove the show off the air. Mature themes, including suicide, and incidental but negative treatment of Catholic historical figures. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

"Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie" (Warner Bros.)
Incoherent animated action adventure about a teenager named Yugi (voiced by Dan Green), whose invincible alter ego -- an Egyptian pharaoh whose spirit he channels through a mystical amulet he wears around his neck -- faces off against an ancient evil demon in a high-stakes card duel, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Based on the Japanese comic book and trading-card phenomenon, this dizzying and disjointed mess is little more than a 90-minute commercial for "Yu-Gi-Oh!" products. Animated violence and some scary images. 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.

"Zelary" (Sony Classics)
Poignant WWII love story set in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, about a cosmopolitan medical student (Ana Geislerova) involved in the Resistance movement, who escapes the Gestapo by hiding in the eponymous mountain village where she starts a new life with a goodhearted but unrefined peasant (Gyorgy Cserhalmi). Directed by Ondrej Trojan and inspired by actual events, the old-fashioned tale of wartime romance -- masterfully crafted and buttressed with stellar performances -- weaves timeless themes into a beautiful tapestry of love, life and death, which celebrates simple values, community and the nobility of the human spirit. Subtitles. Recurring violence, including an execution and several rapes, as well as sexual situations with nudity. 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.

"Zodiac" (Paramount) 
Solid, well-acted crime story about the hunt for San Francisco's so-called Zodiac killer who terrorized the region beginning in the late 1960's, focusing on an investigative reporter (Robert Downey Jr.) and cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal) at the San Francisco Chronicle and two police detectives (Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards) whose obsession with catching the killer wreaks havoc on their personal lives. Director David Fincher handles the murders, horrific though they are, with admirable restraint and minimal on-screen gore and though the plot, which spans a couple of decades, is at times complex, the nearly three-hour film holds one's interest. Rough and crude language and profanity, brutal -- though brief and nongraphic -- shootings and stabbings, a vulgar gesture, alcohol and drug use, reference to child molestation and fleeting images of porn magazines. 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.