"L'Auberge Espagnole" (Miramax)
Patchwork comedy about a French exchange student (Romain Duris) who travels to Spain and learns about life and love, while sharing an apartment with seven European students. While the Benetton-poster faces and kinetic style chosen by director Cedric Klapisch are fresh, the film's acceptance of casual sex and promotion of personal moral autonomy is more than a bit off-putting. Subtitles. Adulterous sexual encounters with nudity, lesbian kissing, recurring substance abuse, and much rough language and profanities. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Ladder 49" (Touchstone)
Above average -- if overly sentimental -- action drama and paean to firefighters concerning a young fireman (Joaquin Phoenix) as he progresses over the years from rookie to seasoned professional, with the unusual feature of there being as much screen time devoted to his domestic life as to the "Towering Inferno"-like fire sequences, which are generally more enervating than truly exciting. Director Jay Russell's drama -- which also features John Travolta as the paternal fire chief -- boasts a solid, appealing and down-to-earth performance from Phoenix and an authentic-seeming portrait of firehouse life with middle-class workers (mostly Catholic, as it happens) that compensates for the more conventional aspects of the plot. A couple of instances of crude language, an implication of premarital sex and some intense firefighting scenes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" (Paramount)
Entertaining action film about globetrotting archeologist and adventurer Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie), who must find Pandora's Box before a maniacal scientist (Ciaran Hinds) can unleash its power and destroy the world. Though Jolie shines, director Jan De Bont's roller-coaster sequel, while a marked upgrade from the 2001 original, deviates little from its predecessor's recipe of repetitive action sequences at the expense of story and character. Much action violence, brief sensuality 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.

"The Last King of Scotland" (Fox Searchlight)
Morality tale set in the 1970s based on the novel by Giles Foden, about a young Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) who, in search of adventure, travels to Africa, where he becomes the personal physician and eventually the confidant of the charismatic but ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). Initially blinded to the despot's atrocities by the seductions of power, he later opens his eyes to the heinous truth and his own complicity. Director Kevin MacDonald blends fact and fiction to mostly riveting effect, with Whitaker delivering a towering performance. Though dramatically justified, the brutality is quite gruesome at times. Intense scenes of violence including a graphic depiction of torture, brief grisly images of massacre and dismemberment, several sexual encounters with nudity, an abortion subplot, recurring rough and 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 R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"The Last Kiss"  
Uneven drama set in Wisconsin about four friends, each at emotional crossroads as they near 30, focusing mostly on an architect (Zach Braff) with commitment jitters whose fling with a college student (Rachel Bilson) jeopardizes his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend (Jacinda Barrett), whose own parents' (Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson) marriage has gone sour. In holding up a mirror to postmodern love and its accompanying anxieties, director Tony Goldwyn provides some modest observations about flawed humanity -- especially the way we learn from our mistakes and how actions have consequences -- but, on a whole, the situations are contrived and the characters read as more selfish than sympathetic. Several racy sexual encounters, some with partial nudity, lesbian eroticism with partial nudity, a tacit approval of premarital living arrangements, a gay sight gag, much rough and crude language, scattered profanity, some sexual humor and brief drug content. 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 Last Samurai" (Warner Bros.)
An embittered Civil War veteran (Tom Cruise), retained by the emperor of Japan to train a newly formed conscript army in the ways of modern warfare, finds himself torn between duty and honor when he befriends the man he has been hired to destroy, a Samurai general (Ken Watanabe) who is leading a band of renegade warriors against the imperial forces in an attempt to preserve their fading traditions and halt the encroachment of Westernization into the country. Lavishly shot with painstaking attention to historical detail, director Edward Zwick's epic 19th-century costume drama is, at its center, an intimate tale of one man's search to reclaim his soul; unfortunately, despite lofty platitudes about honor, the film's romanticized portrayal of the samurai's militaristic lifestyle results in an at times exalted view of war. Strong battlefield violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"The Last Shot" (Touchstone)
An FBI agent (Alec Baldwin) poses as a film producer in Providence, R.I., to uncover mob corruption in the Teamsters union, but gets caught up in the thrill of making a movie, as he hires a frustrated would-be director (Matthew Broderick) to fulfill his lifelong dream of filming a long-gestating script about Arizona. This quirky, fitfully funny, sweet-natured film infused with an infectious love of filmmaking by director/writer Jeff Nathanson is about realizing one's possibilities, with excellent performances by the two leads and a scene-stealing turn by Toni Collette as an egocentric B-level film star. Some rough language and violence, fleeting sexual activity and a crass scene of urination. 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.

"Laurel Canyon" (Sony Classics)
Repellent drama about an uptight Harvard med school grad (Christian Bale) who takes his straitlaced fiancee (Kate Beckinsale) home to Los Angeles, where his hip, hedonistic mom (Frances McDormand) initiates her into the epicurean joys of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Despite competent performances, writer-director Lisa Cholodenko's suggestion that self-indulgence and promiscuity are liberating is more than a bit off-putting. Sporadic sexual content, fleeting nudity, several instances of same-sex kissing, recurring recreational drug abuse, intermittent rough language and profanities. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Laws of Attraction" (New Line)
Underwhelming romantic comedy in which two rival divorce lawyers (Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore) wake up married after a drunken evening and must continue as opposing attorneys on a bitter court case while carrying on a spousal charade. Director Peter Howitt's attractive cast and sumptuous production design can only compensate so much for the paucity of witty dialogue and obvious plot contrivances. Implied sexual encounters following inebriation, impersonation of a cleric, a few crude expressions and an instance of 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.

"Layer Cake" (Sony Classics)
Technically proficient but unpleasantly seamy story of a cocaine dealer in London (Daniel Craig) who prides himself on the efficiency of his methods, only to be caught up in the machinations of honcho Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham) and Price's high-powered cohort, Eddie Temple (Michael Gambon), and a stolen shipment of Ecstasy pills after which everyone is scrambling. Matthew Vaughn's thriller is too complex for its own good, with its difficult-to-follow plot (to the point of "who cares?"), tricky-to-decipher accents, flashy but empty presentation, and -- though perhaps appropriate for the underworld milieu -- more expletives per minute than any film in recent memory. One brief but graphic sex scene, nudity, brutal violence with attendant gore, pervasive rough and crude language, and 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.

"Le Divorce" (Fox Searchlight)
Superficial drama in which a young American woman (Kate Hudson) travels to Paris to be with her pregnant sister (Naomi Watts), who is going through a divorce, where she begins an affair with a much older man (Thierry Lhermitte). As directed by James Ivory, the disappointingly shallow and surprisingly dark story isn't involving as underdeveloped characters fail to convincingly convey subtle cultural differences, and the mostly casual tone toward marital commitment is depressing. Some subtitles. Extramarital affairs, a few implied sexual encounters, brief violence and fleeting profanity and crass 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. 

"Leatherheads" (Universal)
Diverting romantic comedy, set in 1925, about a veteran professional football player (George Clooney) who hires a celebrated college star (John Krasinski) to revive his team's fortunes, only to find himself in a rivalry for the affections of a sassy, sophisticated newspaper reporter (Renee Zellweger) who's out to debunk his new teammate's heroic war record. Clooney, who also directed, evokes the tangy wit of the best screwball pairings of 1930s Hollywood and, despite a few inconsistencies in the plot and some objectionable language, creates an enjoyable period piece that thrives on the rough and tumble of the pro game's unregulated infancy. Some profanity, occasional crude and crass language, mild fistfighting, light sexual banter, innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults, though acceptable for older teens. Motion Picture Association of America rating, PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" (MGM)
Cotton-candy comedy about dizzy material girl and Harvard Law grad Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), heading off to Washington as an animal rights activist in order to pass legislation that will free her pampered pooch's mother from a cosmetics research lab. Director Charles Herman-Wurmfeld's predictable fish-out-of-water sequel rehashes many of the same can't-keep-a-dumb-blonde down situations, while continuing to plug the original's message of believing in oneself. Some mild sexual humor, a homosexual-themed subplot, as well as a smattering of crass language and an instance of 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.

"The Legend of Johnny Lingo" (Innovation Film Group)
Enchanting Polynesian fable about a boy orphaned by the sea, who leaves his adopted island home an outcast, is rescued by a mysterious trader and returns to the island a king. Set against the tropical beauty of South Sea islands at the turn of the 19th century and without the bells and whistles of a brawnier-budgeted film, director Steven Ramirez's movie focuses on character and narrative development to spin a heartwarming yarn for the entire family about love, adventure and a person's true worth. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences.

"The Legend of Suriyothai" (Sony Classics)
Lavish historical epic about Queen Suriyothai (M.L. Piyapas Bhirombhakdi), the heroic first lady of medieval Siam who died in battle, valiantly trying to save her people from Burmese invaders. Directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol, the visually sumptuous film is weighed down by a cumbersome, at times tedious, narrative, heavy doses of brutality and a myriad of characters with exotic names which change throughout, making it difficult to keep score. Subtitles. Recurring gory violence, on and off the battlefield, as well as some fleeting nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-IV -- adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" (Paramount)
Delightfully macabre tale of three Baudelaire orphans -- one an infant -- navigating their perilous way through various guardians into whose dubious care they've been entrusted after the death of their parents in a mysterious fire: evil Count Olaf (Jim Carrey) who has an eye on their fortune; kindly but dimwitted reptile collector Uncle Monty (Billy Connolly); and hyperphobic Aunt Josephine (Meryl Streep) who lives in a house perched high on a cliff. Director Brad Silberling's adaptation of three books by Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler; here voiced by Jude Law) makes for excellent Edward Gorey-like family viewing for all but perhaps the very youngest children who might find some of the situations scary, though the action is played humorously tongue-in-cheek throughout. Some mildly intense situations and a smattering 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.

"Levity" (Sony Classics)
Somber drama in which a newly released convict (Billy Bob Thornton) who judges himself irredeemable seeks out the needy sister (Holly Hunter) of the youth he impulsively killed 23 years earlier and is taken in by a mysterious self-styled pastor (Morgan Freeman) who pushes him to help those around him. Writer-director Ed Solomon's sorrowful, character-driven film explores accountability and the consequences of violence, ultimately suggesting the hope of redemption for its troubled characters. Recurring rough language, minimal profanity, an implied sexual encounter and some crass expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"License to Wed" (Warner Bros.)
Woefully unfunny tale about an engaged couple (chemistry-free Mandy Moore and John Krasinski) who undertake an arduous marriage preparation course run by their local Protestant minister (Robin Williams in subpar form) before he'll agree to marry them. Director Ken Kwapis' putative comedy plays like a B-level TV sitcom, but even in this comedic context, the reverend character is far too lenient about matters such as premarital cohabitation, is tiresomely irreverent throughout, and, though ostensibly all for the good, engages in such questionable behavior as wiretapping the couple's home and grilling them about their sex lives in a way that borders on prurience. Overall irreverent tone, acceptance of premarital living arrangement, sexual banter and innuendo, crude language and mild profanity, crass expressions and scatological humor. 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.

"The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (Touchstone)
Offbeat tragicomedy about a washed up Jacques Cousteau-like oceanographer (played in delightful deadpan by Bill Murray) who, along with his oddball crew, sets out on an open sea adventure - which he chronicles on film as part of his latest documentary - to hunt down the shark that ate his partner, while at the same time coming to terms with a new deckhand (Owen Wilson) who may, or may not, be his long-lost son. Directed by Wes Anderson, this Melvillian revenge could use more wind in its sails, but stays afloat thanks to its cleverly quirky script, imaginatively animated aquatic life and good performances from its eccentric ensemble. Some strong violence, recreational drug use, an implied sexual encounter, an instance of brief gratuitous nudity, 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.

"Little Black Book" (Columbia)
Leaden romantic comedy about an aspiring TV journalist (Brittany Murphy) who decides to snoop into her live-in boyfriend's (Ron Livingston) past love life, only to discover that the embers of some of his former flames are still burning. As directed by Nick Hurran, the lackluster film waffles between being a relationship farce and a show-biz satire, both of which fall flat. Some sexual humor and scattered rough and 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.

"Little Children" (New Line)
Sharply observed suburban story of an unhappy wife (Kate Winslet, in peak form) and a stay-at-home dad (Patrick Wilson) who gradually fall in love and commence an adulterous affair after meeting at the local playground against the backdrop of a community all aflutter because a convicted sex offender (Jackie Earle Haley) has moved into his mother's (Phyllis Somerville) house there. Director and co-writer Todd Field's black comedy, with its pitch-perfect performances (including those of Noah Emmerich, Jennifer Connelly, Jane Adams and Gregg Edelman), is one of those films that illuminates the human condition, even as it presents characters whose behavior is deeply flawed, while capped by a deeply moral and redemptive ending. Some rough and crude language and expressions; profanity; several brief sexual encounters, one particularly graphic with rear male nudity; upper and rear female nudity elsewhere; adultery; some implied aberrant sexual activity; and bloody self-mutilation. 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.

"Live Free or Die Hard" (Fox)
Action-packed Washington-based thriller as detective John McClane (Bruce Willis in good, sardonic form) teams with a computer geek (Justin Long) to outwit a dastardly hacker (Timothy Olyphant) and deadly femme fatale cohort (Maggie Q) who intend to cripple the nation with a catastrophic computer breach. The fourth installment in the durable series starts in formulaic mode, but builds in excitement, with director Len Wiseman generating some first-rate chase sequences, but repeated profanity and one outrageously vulgar line are unfortunate detriments. Some crude and vulgar words and expressions, gratuitous profanity, a couple making out in a car, innuendo, pervasive nongraphic violence including explosions and shootings, albeit with little gore. 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 strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"The Lizzie McGuire Movie" (Disney)
 A perky teen's (Hilary Duff) trip to Rome leads to a case of mistaken identity and a romance with a handsome Italian pop idol. Directed by Jim Fall and based on the popular "Lizzie McGuire" TV series, the harmless fluff unfortunately feels like an episode of the show stretched thin in order to fit the longer format. Minor romantic complications. 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.

"Look at Me" (Sony Classics)
Finely acted French film about Etienne (Jean-Pierre Bacri), a self-centered, celebrated writer and publisher; his unhappy overweight daughter, Lolita (Marilou Berry), an aspiring classical singer attracted more to the ex-boyfriend who cares little for her than the new one who does; and Sylvia (Agnes Jaoui), the girl's singing teacher, who takes a special interest in the girl mostly to help her writer-husband Pierre (Laurent Grevill) cultivate a friendship with Etienne to advance his career. Writer-director Jaoui's perceptive film -- co-written with co-star Bacri -- says much about youthful angst, fathers and daughters, celebrities and the sycophants who surround them, all in a marvelously real way. Subtitles. A few instances of rough and 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 Lookout" (Miramax/Spyglass)
Unlikely crime thriller is a compelling character study about a Midwestern town's golden-boy athlete (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), brain-damaged after a car accident and guilt-wracked over the death and injury of his friends, persuaded to serve as lookout for a bank heist, with first-rate performances by Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode and Isla Fisher. Writer and first-time director Scott Frank admirably shows us the sordid reality of criminal behavior, and offers a redemptive message of how, paradoxically, letting go of the past and forgiving yourself can help you rediscover your true self. Nongraphic premarital encounters, sexual innuendo and banter, violence including shootings and murder in self-defense, a brief violent car crash, fleeting rear nudity, skimpy female attire, drug and alcohol use, pervasive rough and crude language, crass expressions and some 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. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"Looney Tunes: Back in Action" (Warner Bros.)
Screwball adventure in which Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck help a Hollywood stuntman (Brendan Fraser) and studio executive (Jenna Elfman) recover a mysterious gem before it falls into the evil clutches of a madman (Steve Martin) bent on turning all human life into monkeys. With more falling anvils than plot twists, director Joe Dante combines live action and traditional animation to craft an entertaining comedy, and though its Acme brand of roughhousing may give some parents pause, it faithfully echoes the clever wit and wacky tenor of the original Looney Tunes, making it suitable for all but the youngest children. Cartoon violence, minimal mildly crude language and innuendo. 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 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (New Line)
Lavish final chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy trilogy set in the mythic realm of Middle-earth. The third film brings to completion the quest of a humble hobbit (Elijah Wood) to destroy the Ring of Power coveted by the dark lord Sauron, while his comrades (including Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen) stave off the annihilation of mankind by leading a last-stand resistance against an army of Sauron's evil minions. Seamlessly blending grand-scale special-effects sequences with dramatically nuanced performances, director Peter Jackson scores a crowning achievement, as visually spectacular as it is emotionally satisfying. And though the good-versus-evil, sword-and-sorcery saga touches on transcendent themes such as mortality, free will and divine providence, the crowded narrative affords little time for clarifying exposition, which may leave those unfamiliar with the books or the two earlier movies overwhelmed. Extended battlefield violence and a few frightening scenes. 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 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (New Line)
Visually spectacular second installment of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy trilogy about the struggle between the forces of good and evil, set in the mythical realm of Middle-earth. Director Peter Jackson seamlessly blends breathtaking locations with cutting-edge effects to tell the timeless tale of Frodo (Elijah Wood), the humble hobbit and unlikely hero, and his companions as they continue their perilous quest to destroy the One Ring, an amulet of unspeakable, seductive power. Many gory scenes of battle violence with several frightening images. 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.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (New Line)
Visually splendid adventure tale set in the mythical realm of Middle-earth where a humble Hobbit (Elijah Wood), assisted by eight faithful companions (including Ian McKellen), embarks on a perilous quest to destroy a ring which possess the ultimate source of dark power. Based on the first book of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy, director Peter Jackson's fantasy is true to the epic struggle of good versus evil and uses magnificent effects and location shots. Yet its myriad characters prove daunting and the narrative grows repetitive. Many scenes of battle violence with several frightening images. 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.

"Lords of Dogtown" (Columbia)
Fictionalized drama detailing the genesis of the 1970s' skateboarding counterculture in Southern California, focusing on three teenage friends -- timid Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), cocky Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk) and self-destructive Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch) -- who, through a combination of street moxie and surfer mentality, revolutionized the sport and were catapulted to rock-star celebrity. Despite fine performances from Hirsch and Rasuk and kinetic skateboarding sequences, the vapid film, directed by Catherine Hardwicke and based on Peralta's own 2003 documentary, "Dogtown & Z-Boys," never rises above a conventional study of adolescent rebelliousness, with its more interesting elements -- the characters' broken home life, the corrosive allure of fame and money -- receiving shallow treatment. Sexual situations involving minors, some violence, underage drinking and drug use, reckless and delinquent behavior, as well as recurring crude language and gestures. 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.

"Lord of War" (Lions Gate)
Thought-provoking, if at times contrived, morality play about an opportunistic and morally bankrupt Ukrainian emigre (Nicolas Cage) who rises from small-time gunrunner to international arms dealer, while living a double life as a respectable family man, all the while staying one step ahead of his rivals, his ruthless clients and the law, that is, until his own conscience catches up with him. By turns action drama and black comedy (neither completely successful), the film's serious social commentary and anti-violence themes are saddled with message-heavy melodrama and standard action cliches that bog down the otherwise effective narrative. Strong images of violence, sexual situations with partial nudity, recurring drug content, some racial stereotyping, and pervasive 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.

"Lost Boys of Sudan" (Actual)
Honest, moving documentary follows the relocation of two "Lost Boys of Sudan" -- orphans from the country's civil war -- from a refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya, to Houston. Each of the young men have dreams, but they are quickly cast aside as they embark on different journeys of survival. Filmmakers Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk powerfully show that moving to the "land of plenty" does not guarantee success and that of all the needs refugees have, community is the most desired. Instances of mild language. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has not classified this film. The Motion Picture Association of America has not rated this film. -- Bill Howard, TC Online

"Lost in Translation" (Focus)
Likable comedy about an actor and midlife-crisis candidate (Bill Murray) who befriends a lonely young American newlywed (Scarlett Johansson) while filming a liquor commercial in Japan. Wisely keeping the May-December romance chaste, director Sofia Coppola elicits nuanced performances in this well-crafted and ruminative meditation on loneliness and the emotional balm of friendship. Some crude language, an implied sexual encounter, as well as a scene in a strip club with brief frontal nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-IV -- adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"A Lot Like Love" (Touchstone)
Occasionally appealing but mostly forgettable romantic comedy about a button-down Internet entrepreneur (Ashton Kutcher) and an impulsive free spirit (Amanda Peet) who, after an anonymous sexual tryst on a cross-country flight, continue to wander in and out of each other's life as they search for love, only to be drawn closer together with each meeting. Directed by Nigel Cole, the kismet-themed love story is weighed down by a predictable opposites-attract plot and bland performances and its breezy message about "taking chances" is dampened by its casual attitude toward premarital sex. Several sexual encounters, including one with shadowy nudity, drunkenness 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.

"Love Don't Cost a Thing" (Warner Bros.)
Slack comedy in which a virginal high school senior (Nick Cannon) helps out the school's most popular senior (Christina Milian) in exchange for her pretending to date him so he will look cool. Although co-writer-director Troy Beyer's script moves in the positive direction of resisting peer pressure, it presents teen promiscuity as the norm and the boy's father firmly in favor of it. A parental figure encouraging casual sex and condom usage and crude sexual references. 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.

"Love in the Time of Cholera" (New Line)
Overlong, uneven adaptation of Nobel Prize-winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez's acclaimed 1985 epic in which a telegraph clerk (Javier Bardem) in late 19th-century Colombia at the time of a cholera epidemic continues an over-the-decades obsession with the woman (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) he courted as a young man, even though she's now married to an affluent doctor (Benjamin Bratt). Director Mike Newell's cinematic rendering of Marquez's exploration of love in its myriad forms cannot capture the emotional complexities of the book despite Ronald Harwood's intelligent adaptation, and the performances are a mixed bag. The protagonist's finding consolation in numerous sexual if loveless liaisons is morally problematic. Upper female and partial male nudity, several brief nonmarital sexual encounters, innuendo and some frank sexual talk, adultery, domestic discord and murder. 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.

"Love Forbidden" (Strand)
Leaden, gay-themed thriller about an emotionally fragile French filmmaker (Rodolphe Marconi) in Rome who becomes obsessed with a bisexual Italian intern (Andrea Necci) and has a fling with him, only to be dumped when the intern spurns him for an alluring American tart writing about serial killers. Also directed by Marconi and shot on video, the torpid meditation on desire feels -- and looks -- like a student film, wandering aimlessly and weighed down by interminable pacing, impassive performances, as well as its off-putting sexual content. Subtitles. A few homosexual encounters, an implied heterosexual tryst, as well as recurring rough and crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

"Love the Hard Way" (Kino)
Depressing drama about a promising young medical student (Charlotte Ayanna) who falls for a petty crook (Adrien Brody) and is dragged under by his self-destructive lifestyle. While exploring complex emotional issues, director Peter Sehr's bleak take on relationships is weighed down by a repugnant view of sexual intimacy and a near-toxic pessimism that makes viewing it about as edifying as a post-mortem. Recurring sexual encounters with nudity, some violence, much rough language and profanities. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"A Love Song for Bobby Long" (Lions Gate)
Lazily paced triangular drama set in New Orleans about a wayward teenager (Scarlett Johansson) who moves into the house left her by her late, estranged mother, only to find it occupied by two of her mother's friends: a former literature professor turned drunkard (John Travolta) haunted by past sins, and his young protege (Gabriel Macht), both of whom reform their broken lives to help her reclaim her future. As directed by first-timer Shainee Gabel, the uneven film is weighed down by too much Southern schmaltz, but has some good performances and imparts an ultimately redemptive message about family and forgiveness. Alcohol abuse and recurring rough and sexually crude language and humor, as well as some profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

"Lucky You" (Warner Bros.)
Mellow love story set in Las Vegas about an ace poker player (an especially good Eric Bana) who puts his randy ways behind him when he meets a decent young woman (Drew Barrymore) who gently encourages him to come to terms with his estranged father (Robert Duvall), also a poker champ. Director and co-writer Curtis Hanson gets appealing performances from his cast, but the emphasis is largely on the game (familiarity a plus) with several poker champs playing cameo roles, and though there are hardly any sex, violence or language concerns, and the values espoused -- honesty, fidelity, forgiveness, filial devotion and good sportsmanship -- are commendable (gambling notwithstanding), the result is only mildly involving. Acceptable for older teens. A couple of instances of crude language, an implied premarital encounter, brief sexual references and innuendo, and brief mild 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.

"Luther" (RS Entertainment)
Sweeping but flawed historical drama about the life of Martin Luther (Joseph Fiennes), the 16th-century German monk instrumental in triggering the Protestant Reformation. Though making the issues and personalities accessible to modern viewers, Eric Till's biopic veers from historical accuracy, oversimplifying complex religious and political issues, glossing over Luther's shortcomings with a revisionist glaze, while painting the church as worldly and self-indulgent. Recurring violence and theological complexities. 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.