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NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. For more reviews go to the USCCB.

"Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem" (20th Century Fox)

Limp sequel to 2004's "Alien vs. Predator," set in a remote Colorado town having the misfortune to be near where a Predator spacecraft full of the slimy, fast-breeding, insectlike aliens (seen in five previous films) crash-lands. Directing brothers Colin and Greg Strause and screenwriter Shane Salerno opt for stale, predictable chaos rather than originality, and the Predator, a rogue warrior whose powers include invisibility, is reduced to plodding through a sewer. Brief partial nudity; rough, crude and profane language, nearly all of it by fighting teenagers; a very brief attempted seduction by a teenage girl; and aliens who, as expected, pop out of a couple of rubbery human midsections; but most of the gore consists of special-effects blood splashing on windows. 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 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.

“American Gangster” (Universal)

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

“Bee Movie” (DreamWorks)

Generally delightful animated feature about a scrappy bee (voice of Jerry Seinfeld) who decides to sue the human race for stealing the honey manufactured by his hard-working bee brethren and brings the case to court, with the help of a sympathetic florist (Renee Zellweger). An often very funny script (by Seinfeld and others), terrific voice work from a cast including John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, and many more, and ultimately, a valuable ecological lesson, make this film — directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner — above-average family fare. Mild innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Martian Child” (New Line)

Delicate, highly unusual story about widowed science fiction writer (John Cusack) who adopts a strange little boy (a perfectly cast Bobby Coleman) who insists he’s come from Mars. Director Menno Meyjes sustains a slightly surreal tone throughout which keeps you guessing whether the child is simply delusional or actually an extraterrestrial being, while an outstanding Cusack’s fervent sincerity helps makes the premise all the more plausible, as the poignant script underscores themes of nonconformity, loss, and the power of love. Mild profanity, innuendo, some peril. 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.

“Saw IV” (Lionsgate)

The fourth installment of this blood-saturated horror franchise offers more of the same mayhem, even though psychopath Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is dead. Having lost their antihero and much of the shock value, director Darren Lynn Bousman and company delve into Jigsaw’s past, providing a routine back story to explain what turned the talented engineer into an executioner and self-styled moral tutor. The furious editing technique used to link all the deadly moving parts can’t mask terrible dialogue and acting; it’s time for these killing games to cease. Pervasive bloody violence and gore, including bodily mutilations, much rough language and profanity, images depicting rape, frontal male nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Darjeeling Limited” (Fox Searchlight)

Quirky, bittersweet odyssey about three estranged siblings — the eldest, controlling brother recovering from a near-fatal injury (Owen Wilson), anxious father-to-be middle son (Adrien Brody), and the youngest, a writer (Jason Schwartzman) — who set out on a spiritual journey on a train through India after their father’s death, including a visit to a Himalayan monastery where their widowed mother (Angelica Huston) has become a nun. Though the colorful film, as per director and co-writer Wes Anderson’s usual style, is not conventionally structured, it becomes more involving as well as genuinely touching as it progresses, with some off-putting antics of the brothers at the start of their trip yielding to reflection and transformation after a tragic occurrence along the way. A nonmarital sexual encounter without nudity, brief rough language and profanity, and a drug reference. 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.

“Feast of Love” (MGM)

Moving but excessively graphic examination of romantic love as experienced by a college professor (Morgan Freeman), his wife (Jane Alexander), the owner of a local cafe (Greg Kinnear), the two women for whom he sequentially falls (Selma Blair and Radha Mitchell), a hardened businessman (Billy Burke) and a young, Romeo and Juliet-like couple (Alexa Davalos and Toby Hemingway). The film, as directed by Robert Benton, is beautifully atmospheric and features some excellent performances, yet its script offers the audience a set of false choices, making an idol of erotic love and portraying that love with an intrusive frankness. Extensive frontal, rear and upper female nudity, sexual encounters, some of them graphic and adulterous, same-sex coupling, some rough language, occasional profanity, drug use and pornography. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Freshman Orientation” (Regent)

Confusion, if not hilarity, ensues when a college freshman (Sam Huntington) poses as gay in order to befriend a sorority pledge (Kaitlin Doubleday) and win her away from her frat-brother-ex-boyfriend (Bryce Johnson); along the way, he’s instructed in gay culture by a local bartender (John Goodman), nearly exposed by an ex-girlfriend (Marla Sokoloff), and gains the unsought affection of his roommate (Mike Erwin). Writer-director Ryan Shiraki’s comic venture, a tale of sexual anarchy, suffers from a heavy-handed script and is more glum than amusing. Extensive sexual activity, rear and upper female nudity, brief pornographic imagery, a suicide and pervasive rough, crude and crass language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Game Plan” (Disney)

Endearing, though slightly implausible story of an egotistical football star (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, proving a surprisingly congenial comic) whose party-oriented lifestyle is disrupted by the arrival on his doorstep of the 7-year-old daughter he never knew he had (remarkably self-assured Madison Pettis). This event complicates his pursuit of the championship and his relationship with his agent (Kyra Sedgwick), as well as with some of his teammates and friends (Morris Chestnut, Hayes MacArthur and Brian White), but may also lead to romance with his daughter’s no-nonsense ballet teacher (Roselyn Sanchez). Director Andy Fickman’s film has great appeal for kids, though parents may be grateful for the presence of Sedgwick, whose tart character helps to keep the sweetness level from inducing diabetes. One instance of scatological humor and two mildly crass words may combine with scenes of a lost child and an allergic reaction to preclude very young children. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Good Luck Chuck” (Lionsgate)

Raunchy comedy about a dentist (Dane Cook) cursed with being a steppingstone for women seeking Mr. Right is obnoxious, humorless and often downright nauseating. Even with the charming Jessica Alba at his disposal, first-time director Mark Helfrich can’t make the vulgar material flow or soften its warped take on modern relationships and physical intimacy. Dozens of sexual encounters and pervasive explicit banter, frequent rough, crude and crass language, masturbation, bathroom humor, drug use, rear male nudity, and numerous shots of upper female nudity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Kingdom” (Universal)

Riveting but disturbingly violent drama in which a team of four FBI agents (Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) is dispatched to Saudi Arabia to investigate a major terrorist attack on Americans living there, a hunt they must pursue under the watchful and initially suspicious eye of a Saudi colonel (Ashraf Barhom). It’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad in director Peter Berg’s stylish, all-too-relevant film, and it’s also difficult to know whether the use of force is being glorified or denounced. Sudden, bloody violence with gore, torture and much rough, crude and profane 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. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Lust, Caution” (Focus)

Superbly crafted romantic tale of a young woman (Tang Wei in an extraordinary feature film debut) who becomes a spy for the resistance during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai in the 1930s and ‘40s, who must seduce a married collaborator (Tony Leung) in order to lure him to his death. Director Ang Lee’s glossy adaptation of revered Chinese writer Eileen Chang’s short story is a meticulously detailed, beautifully designed period thriller, recalling iconic Hollywood films of that era, with exquisite performances all around, making it all the more unfortunate that Lee felt it necessary to shoot the somewhat aberrant sex scenes so explicitly — even if just a few minutes out of a long, serious-minded film — precluding endorsement from a moral viewpoint. Subtitles. Graphic nonmarital sexual encounters, full-frontal and rear nudity, a violent stabbing death, adultery theme, vigilante justice, and a single use of the f-word. 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 Price of Sugar” (Uncommon)

Worthy documentary that recounts the struggle of a Catholic missionary to gain basic social and economic rights for Haitian workers exploited by the sugar industry in the Dominican Republic. Directed by Bill Haney and narrated by Paul Newman, the film provides a harrowing and unsettling look at slavery-like labor conditions in the contemporary Caribbean, but also celebrates the good that can spring from one individual’s deep religious commitment and from well organized, nonviolent methods of mass resistance. Graphic depictions of disease, children and adolescents bathing. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

“Resident Evil: Extinction” (Screen Gems)

When an international conglomerate unleashes a virus on the world, most people are turned into flesh-eating zombies and the earth into a desert, leaving a band of survivors, led by two men (Oded Fehr and Mike Epps) and two women (Ali Larter and Ashanti), to form a convoy in search of other uninfected people, their travels at length bringing them into contact with a superwoman (Milla Jovovich) who is out to fight the evil doctor (Iain Glen) who experimented on her and who still hopes to turn the virus to the corporation’s advantage. Watching director Russell Mulcahy’s gorefest may be the cinematic equivalent of combat: moments of jarring fear are interspersed with long periods of abject tedium. Nearly constant blood, gore and mutilation, cannibalism, brief frontal and upper female nudity, drug use, and much crude and some crass language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Trade” (Roadside)

Absorbing story of 13-year-old Mexican girl (Paulina Gaitan) kidnapped into the sex trade, after which her delinquent brother (Cesar Ramos) joins with a Texas cop (Kevin Kline) to rescue her before she is auctioned to the highest bidder online in the United States. Marco Kreuzpaintner’s gritty and uncompromising film — which also charts the parallel experience of an older Polish girl (Alicja Bachleda) kidnapped by the same gang — uses a standard TV procedural format to raise awareness of a problem that involves thousands of victims each year. Though the rough language and sexual content (no actual nudity) quotas are high, their inclusion is arguably justified in portraying the horrors these girls must endure, shedding light on the underpublicized issue of human trafficking. Extremely high quotient of rough and crude language and profanity, a brutal rape involving a minor, brief rear nudity, strong sexual content including implied situations with minors, brutal violence, a vigilante killing, pedophilia, drug use, suicide. 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.

“Across the Universe” (Revolution)

At once spectacular and schizophrenic, this musical tribute to the Beatles chronicles the adventures of a Liverpool dockworker (Jim Sturgess) as he travels to America, befriends a rebellious preppy (Joe Anderson), falls in love with the preppy’s sister (Evan Rachel Wood), pals around with his Janis Joplin-like singer-landlady (Dana Fuchs), her Jimi Hendrix-like bandmate (Martin Luther McCoy), and a former cheerleader turned bohemian (T.V. Carpio). As conceived and directed by Julie Taymor, the film is a highly imaginative, visually stunning fantasia, employing the music of the Fab Four to elucidate the 1960s, though its contrived story line too often leaves both cast and audience bogged down in a mire of cliches. Partial, rear and upper female nudity, cohabitation, a sexual embrace, a disrespectful sequence with a priest, drug use, occasional rough and much crude and crass language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“The Brave One” (Warner Bros.)

Finely wrought but ultimately troubling tale of a radio personality (Jodie Foster) who gradually becomes a vigilante after her fiance (Naveen Andrews) is killed and she herself grievously wounded in an attack in New York’s Central Park, and of her complex relationship with a police detective (Terrence Howard) who is determined to hunt down the vigilante. An unsettling meditation on the effects of fear — and of its absence — director Neil Jordan’s film has virtually every element of a great work of art — except, ultimately, a steadfast commitment to humane values. Brutal violence with blood and gore, some graphic sexual activity, rear and upper female nudity, outbursts of extremely rough language, and frequent crude and crass language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Brothers Solomon” (Screen Gems)

Excruciatingly dull comedy in the clueless-protagonist vein, in which two brothers (Will Forte, who scripted, and Will Arnett) must become fathers to come into an inheritance from comatose father Lee Majors, and they pay a woman they’ve met online (Kristin Wiig) to be artificially inseminated. Director Bob Odenkirk’s slow pacing fails to propel the lifeless gags. Pregnancy out of wedlock; artificial insemination; rough, crude and crass language; one reference to pornography; and some mild sexual banter. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Eastern Promises” (Focus)

Taut, grippingly powerful story of the Russian underworld as a midwife in a London hospital (Naomi Watts) tries to locate the family of Russian girl who died giving birth; when she reveals she has the dead girl’s incriminating diary, she becomes the target of a restaurateur-mobster (Armin Mueller-Stahl), his alcoholic bully of a son (Vincent Cassel) and their taciturn chauffeur (Viggo Mortensen). Director David Cronenberg’s somber thriller is crafted with impressive artistry, and performances — including those of Sinead Cusack and Jerzy Skolimowski — are excellent, but though the violence is artistically valid extreme caution is advised as there are some graphic images and one intense sexual encounter. Brutal violence with bloodshed, the mutilation of a corpse, a graphic sexual act, rear and fleeting full-frontal-male and upper-female nudity, blood hemorrhaging, an extended tattooing sequence, rough language and profanity, and drug and rape 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 R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Hunting Party” (MGM/Weinstein)

Interesting though uneven black comedy based on actual events, about a washed-up broadcast journalist (Richard Gere), his former cameraman (Terrence Howard) and the nerdy reporter-son (Jesse Eisenberg) of a network executive who, five years after the Bosnian war, attempt not just to interview but to capture a notorious war criminal who has thus far eluded CIA and U.N. search efforts in and around Sarajevo. Writer-director Richard Shepard’s mix of drama and laughs works sometimes, but not enough of the time, and despite individual pluses and an implicitly strong indictment of governmental inaction in capturing war criminals it fails overall to convince. Much gratuitous rough language and profanity; crass expressions; rear and upper female nudity; some violence including torture; a fox hunt; sexual references; brief nongraphic scene of sexuality; and premarital situations. 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.

“In the Valley of Elah” (Warner Independent)

Inspired by true events, this is a powerfully understated drama about a patriotic ex-military man (Tommy Lee Jones) who, leaving his worried wife (Susan Sarandon) at home, searches for their missing son who’s just returned from duty in Iraq, and who joins forces with a police detective (Charlize Theron) to break through the military’s red tape, as they begin to suspect foul play. Writer-director Paul Haggis’s script ultimately delivers a strong anti-war message, and cast members — who also include Jason Patric, James Franco and Josh Brolin — give sensitive, nuanced performances. Rough language and profanity, rear shower nudity, upper female nudity, brief gruesome war and morgue imagery and verbal descriptions, suicide, drug references and violent scuffle. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Rape of Europa” (Menemsha)

Gripping documentary narrated by actress Joan Allen about Adolf Hitler’s plunder and destruction of thousands of Europe’s most famous artworks during World War II, and the subsequent efforts to find those which survived and restore them. Based on the book by Lynn H. Nicholas (who also appears), the film, written and directed by Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen and Nicole Newnham, tells a fascinating story as compelling as any dramatic film, and poignantly demonstrates the lengths to which ordinary people were willing to go to save these masterpieces, regardless of the danger to their physical well-being. Some disturbing war imagery. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

“Silk” (Picturehouse)

Picturesque but utterly vapid 19th-century period piece about a French ex-soldier (Michael Pitt) sent to Japan by a silk merchant (Alfred Molina) to purchase healthy eggs to restore the local silk business ravaged by a silkworm-egg epidemic; he becomes obsessed by a concubine (Sei Ashina) of the baron (Koji Yakusho) with whom he does business, while his schoolteacher wife (Keira Knightley) waits patiently behind. Francois Girard directs the story at an excruciatingly slow pace, and Pitt’s droning narration — he and the other French characters speak with flat American accents — together with dialogue that is less than inspired create a general tedium unredeemed by a final plot twist. Upper female nudity, nongraphic sexual encounters, adultery theme, a restrained brothel scene and the image of a hanging corpse. 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.

“Balls of Fury” (Rogue)

Exhausting comedy about a washed-up pingpong prodigy (Dan Fogler) who is asked by an FBI agent (George Lopez) to help catch a mysterious crime lord (Christopher Walken). Along the way the former champ turns to a blind pingpong master (James Hong) to regain his skills, falls in love with the master’s daughter (Maggie Q) and eventually must play in a tournament with life-or-death stakes. Frequently crude and always preposterous, director and co-writer Ben Garant’s film has some flashes of originality and gets in a few good satiric swipes, even as it revels in its own silliness. Much crude language, one instance of profanity, suggestive gestures, gross and scatological jokes, and mild gay-themed humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults (though it’s acceptable for older adolescents). The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“The Nines” (Newmarket)

This complex and challenging but ultimately flawed film tells three interlocking stories, all featuring one male protagonist (Ryan Reynolds) and two female protagonists (Melissa McCarthy and Hope Davis) who struggle to guide him in opposite directions, as well as a recurring cast of witnesses to the struggle (Elle Fanning, David Denman and Octavia Spenser). Writer-director John August’s film, a prolonged exploration of the nature of creativity, both human and divine, elicits some outstanding performances, though the script eventually gets bogged down in its own metaphysical woolgathering. Sexual activity, some of it adulterous; much rough, crude and crass language; two instances of profanity; irresponsible drinking; drug use; prostitution; and irreverent speech and behavior. 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.

“War” (Lionsgate)

In this brutal police thriller, an FBI agent (Jason Statham) has his hands full when the legendary assassin (Jet Li) who murdered his partner (Terry Chen) returns to San Francisco and sparks a war between the absent leader of the Japanese Yakuza (Ryo Ishibashi), who is represented locally by his ruthless daughter (Devon Aoki), and the very present commander of the Chinese Triads in the city (John Lone). Philip G. Atwell’s noisy, overblown film offers some interesting plot developments, but ultimately tries to substitute sound and fury for genuine drama. Extensive violence with gore, torture and mutilation, rear and upper female nudity, frequent rough and crude language, and occasional profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Daddy Day Camp” (TriStar)

A few years after the events of “Daddy Day Care,” the two entrepreneurial fathers (now played by Cuba Gooding Jr. and Paul Rae) buy a run-down summer camp and take up a rivalry with the big, mean bully camp next door. Director Fred Savage, the former child star now making his feature-film debut, runs through the checklist of crass jokes and heavy-handed messages about life and teamwork that would have been a lot more resonant if they had been grounded in reality. A few instances of crass language, some children’s brawls, bathroom humor, light cartoonlike violence and an offhand sexual remark. 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.

“Rocket Science” (Picturehouse)

Quirky and sublime first-love dramedy about a stuttering young high-school boy (Reece Daniel Thompson) and the driven debating champ (Anna Kendrick) who to his surprise wants him as her debate-partner protege. Writer-director Jeffrey Blitz, without being preachy or obvious, shows us how family can come through when you least expect it, and how sometimes we can become better by going through what seems like the absolute worst. One instance each of rough language and profanity, several instances of crude and crass language, three scenes of young teens smoking or drinking, rude gestures, brief nudity in classical-art drawings, some pubescent sex talk, much debate-club discussion of abstinence policies and one instance each of implied sexual groping and off-camera sex sounds, both by adult characters. 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.

“Rush Hour 3” (New Line)

The third installment of the action comedy franchise puts the dour Jackie Chan and frantic, wisecracking Chris Tucker in Paris on the trail of a secret crime syndicate called the Triads. Director Brett Ratner and screenwriter Jeff Nathanson, who both made “Rush Hour 2,” keep the car chases taut and lovingly choreograph the swordplay, gunplay and martial arts, but the rapport between the two leads is forced, and the best of the comedy seems borrowed from the “Naked Gun” spoofs. Nearly bloodless violence, crude and crass language, skimpy female costuming, implied female nudity, implied sexual activity and mild sexual banter. 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.

“Skinwalkers” (Lionsgate)

Werewolves-on-motorcycles action movie pits four biker-werewolves (including Jason Behr) against good werewolves (Elias Koteas among them) protecting a 12-year-old boy (Matthew Knight) who was prophesied as being the one to end the curse afflicting them. Director Jim Isaac’s low-budget horror film is hardly a classic, but he provides intentional comic-book stylings and pointedly “cool” flourishes, and, admirably, there are no graphically gory effects. One example of rough language and a few instances of crass language, two lengthy gun battles, some supernatural violence that includes a broken neck, the aftermath of torture with the victim tied onto a cross, and one brief nongraphic sex scene. 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.

“Stardust” (Paramount)

Eventful fairy tale based on a popular book by Neil Gaiman about a star that falls to earth in human form (Claire Danes), and how she’s pursued by a witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) who hopes to acquire eternal youth, a murderous prince (Mark Strong) trying to secure his late father’s (Peter O’Toole) throne, and a young man (Charlie Cox) who promises the maiden (Sienna Miller) he loves that he’ll bring her the star to prove his love. Matthew Vaughn directs the multistrand narrative with conviction, and there’s a good deal of welcome humor and an interesting cast (also including Robert De Niro, Rupert Everett and Ricky Gervais) but some of the story elements veer more toward adults — or older teens — than the youngsters who might most enjoy this sort of yarn. Intense action violence, implied premarital sex, a flamboyantly gay character, another born out of wedlock, some innuendo and brief crass 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.

“Underdog” (Disney/Spyglass)

An ordinary dog is given extraordinary powers in this charming film adaptation of the classic 1960s television cartoon series. Director Frederik Du Chau’s updated, live-action adventure combines the best of 21st-century special effects with a genuinely engaging story line, some wry humor and unimpeachable family values. Occasional crass language, some mild innuendo, and scatological humor and cartoon violence perhaps preclude the film for very young children. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Becoming Jane” (Miramax)

Interesting speculative drama, based on only a few known facts, about the bittersweet romance between writer Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) and an Irish lawyer (James McAvoy), and how the experience might have influenced her writings. Julian Jarrold directs with an authentic 18th-century feel, performances are good (with American Hathaway holding her own reasonably well among such British acting pros as Maggie Smith, Julie Walters and Ian Richardson) and though the film is somehow not entirely satisfying it nonetheless holds your interest up to its bittersweet ending. Though possibly acceptable for older teens, this film contains a couple of boxing sequences, a frisky but nongraphic husband and wife encounter, some prostitutes, an implied premarital encounter, mild innuendo and brief sexual allusions. 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.

“The Bourne Ultimatum” (Universal)

This lightning-paced, globe-trotting follow-up to “The Bourne Identity” and “The Bourne Supremacy” wraps up Bourne’s (Matt Damon) quest to discover his true name and history even as CIA project head (David Strathairn) orders his immediate termination, but is continually stymied by Bourne’s lethal skills at evasion and unexpected help from female CIA operatives (Joan Allen and Julia Stiles). Director Paul Greengrass orchestrates sustained and eye-popping action-excitement throughout while a top-notch cast (including a climactic appearance by Albert Finney) manages to flesh out their characters, resulting in a satisfying if somewhat exhausting thriller. Much intense and fierce violence and intermittent profanity. 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.

“Bratz” (Lionsgate)

The sleazily dressed Bratz line of fashion dolls come to life in a fluffy, live-action movie about four empowered Southern California high-schoolers who are good to their parents and classmates, do well in school, follow their dreams, and stand up to the rigid and authority-abusing student body president, all while dressed like professional escorts or trashy music-video girls. Director Sean McNamara swerves from naturalistic drama to cartoon antics, and for all the girls’ good works and admirable camaraderie, the Bratz (as they name their singing-dancing girl group) are insufferably self-satisfied hyperconsumers. Much tight and skimpy costuming, two brawls and two instances of crude physical humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“El Cantante” (Picturehouse)

Lively but sordid life of Puerto Rican salsa star Hector Lavoe (Marc Anthony), who died at 46 of drug-related AIDS in 1993, and his tumultuous relationship with wife Puchi (Jennifer Lopez, exhibiting unaccustomed range), who relates their story in flashback. The stars are good, and co-writer and director Leon Ichaso re-creates the era convincingly in this over-the-decades saga (starting in the 1960s), with a fine musical earful throughout, but the couple’s endless fights and the nonstop barrage of expletives are repetitious and ultimately wearying. Pervasive rough language, drug and alcohol abuse, attempted suicide, premarital situations, some nongraphic sexual encounters, innuendo, implied adultery and a brief suggestion of sexual kinkiness, and some skimpy costuming. 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.

“Hot Rod” (Paramount)

Sweet-natured, occasionally surreal comedy about an aimless youth (Andy Samberg of “Saturday Night Live”) who aspires to be a professional stuntman and wants nothing more than to raise enough money so his abusive stepfather can have a heart transplant — so he can beat him up. Director Akiva Schaffer (also of “Saturday Night Live”) and screenwriter Pam Brady (lately of “South Park”) adorn this flimsy plot with pop-culture references and dark satire, but unless you find every twitch and utterance of Samberg screamingly funny you’re likely to miss some of the humor. Much cartoonish and bloodless violence, all played for laughs, and some coarse and 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 strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“I Know Who Killed Me” (TriStar/360)

Perfectly dreadful thriller about a college student (Lindsay Lohan in a big career misstep) abducted and tortured by a serial killer (who amputates several of her body parts), and how, when she finds herself waking up in a hospital, she must convince everyone she is not the young woman everyone thinks she is. Chris Sivertson’s direction, Jeffrey Hammond’s ludicrous script, and the level of acting (by Lohan, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough and Brian Geraghty) is as crude as a grindhouse movie of the 1970s, with heaps of trashy violence, sex and bad language. Graphic violence and torture, gore, grisly images, pervasive rough language and some profanity, upper female nudity, skimpy costuming, a graphic sex scene, drug and alcohol use, and condom use. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Simpsons Movie” (Fox)

Full-length, glossier version of long-running TV series with many clever gags has doltish Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) running afoul of the EPA head (Albert Brooks) after he dumps his pet pig’s droppings in Springfield’s pollution-free lake, resulting in the town being quarantined under a giant dome, which incites the townspeople to rise against Homer who flees with his family — Marge (Julie Kavner), Bart (Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (Yeardley Smith) — to Alaska. Director David Silverman generates plenty of chuckles, but for all the foolery and family dysfunction, there’s an underlying pro-family agenda, and the satiric jibes are generally not malicious. The content is slightly more permissive than the TV series, so parents will have to decide whether the film is acceptable for their youngsters. Fleeting frontal male nudity, an instance of profanity, irreverent worldview, some innuendo, a couple of vulgar gestures, crude expressions, brief sight gags ranging from a same-sex kiss to bigamy to underage drinking, and light cartoon 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.

“Who’s Your Caddy?” (MGM)

Witless attempt at a comedy about a rap mogul’s (Antwan Patton, Big Boi of Outkast) entry to a South Carolina country club where his late father had been a caddy. Director Ron Paul, who co-wrote with Bradley Allenstein and Robert Henny, puts a competent cast through a series of uninspired sequences contrasting raucous hip-hop behavior and sedate, clueless white elites (for some unexplained reason, always male). Skimpy costuming in a brief filming of a hip-hop video, marijuana fed to a horse, some crude language, fleeting use of the n-word, partial female nudity, rear male nudity, and some mild sexual banter and frequent scatological humor. 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.

“Hairspray” (New Line)

Highly enjoyable adaptation of the hit Broadway musical based on a 1988 film of the same title about an overweight 1960s Baltimore girl (Nikki Blonsky) whose parents (Christopher Walken and John Travolta, the latter in a cross-dressing role) support her dreams of competing on a racially segregated local dance program which the girl helps integrate. Director Adam Shankman keeps the pace moving and strikes a sensible balance between heightened realism and more fanciful elements. There are entertaining performances from a well-chosen cast, including Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, Zac Efron and James Marsden, and strong messages about racial tolerance and self-respect. Some crass expressions, innuendo, mild sexual banter and irreverence, and brief teen smoking make this best for older adolescents. 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.

“I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry” (Universal)

Brooklyn firefighters Chuck Levine (Adam Sandler) and Larry Valentine (Kevin James) pose as a gay couple to qualify for domestic partnership benefits in a crude exercise that makes a mockery of comedy more than matrimony. Homophobic and yet pro-gay marriage, the harsh and raunchy movie is overly long and inadequately funny, as three screenwriters and director Dennis Dugan strain to cover all the bases with lifeless and predictable tangents. Pervasive sexual content and references, frequent crude and crass language, one instance of profanity, vulgar gestures, some bathroom humor, fondling of a woman’s breasts, rear male nudity, much skimpy female costuming, frequent racial, gender and homophobic slurs, a drug reference, and much violence including fisticuffs. 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.

“Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)

Powerful contemporary science fiction tale set a half-century in our future when the sun in dying and an international expedition (Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Michelle Yeoh, Cliff Curtis and Troy Garrity among them) hopes to regenerate the once powerful star. Director Danny Boyle pays homage to past cinematic space stories like “2001: A Space Odyssey” as the film delineates the consciences, fears and heroism of the crew, while generating admiration for the wonders of creation. Violence and strong 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. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Arctic Tale” (Paramount Classics)

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

“Captivity” (Lionsgate/After Dark)

Nasty tale about a model (Elisha Cuthbert) abducted and subjected to unrelenting torture by a masked figure. Director Roland Joffe’s film eventually comes up with some interesting elements and plot twists, but by then it is too late, demonstrating he has come a long way from earlier and loftier achievements such as “The Killing Fields” and “The Mission.” Graphic sex, violence, sadism and torture. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Moliere” (Sony Classics)

Engaging tale that speculates about what might have happened when actor and aspiring author Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (Romain Duris), who would become the playwright Moliere, disappeared from Paris in his youth, showing him enlisted by a wealthy businessman (Fabrice Luchini) to help him seduce a potential mistress, though the playwright ends up falling in love with the man’s wife (Laura Morante). His farcical and ultimately morally redeeming adventures end up giving him the inspiration for his greatest plays in which comedy and moral purpose meet, allowing director and co-writer Laurent Tirard’s film to give an amusing twist to the theme of art imitating life. Some crude and sexual language, some liturgical and doctrinal irreverence, as well as mild sexual scenes of a somewhat romanticized adulterous relationship. 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.

“No Reservations” (Warner Bros.)

Sweet story, adapted from the 2001 German film “Mostly Martha,” now set in New York, about a work-obsessed master chef (Catherine Zeta-Jones) who takes in her orphaned 9-year-old niece (Abigail Breslin) and her subsequent rivalry with and then growing admiration for the restaurant’s happy-go-lucky sous-chef (Aaron Eckhart) who helps open her up to life. Despite formulaic and overly sentimental moments, director Scott Hicks’ excellent adaptation maintains a sensible tone, and allows the engaging story to unfold at an unhurried pace, while the performances are immensely appealing. Apart from a handful of expletives and crass expressions, including an instance of profanity and some remarks that imply the acceptability of premarital living arrangements, and one such implied encounter, the film may be acceptable for older adolescents. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“This Is England” (IFC First Take/Red Envelope)

Interesting semiautobiographical story by writer-director Shane Meadows about the England of a quarter-century ago, as a lonely 12-year-old boy (Thomas Turgoose) who lives with his widowed mother after his father has died in the Falklands War, joins a group of skinheads to have a sense of belonging, and comes under the tutelage of a bigoted ex-con (Stephen Graham). The resulting film is a document of hope that one need not be trapped forever in one’s past. Menacing violence, graphic war footage and racist slurs. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” (Warner Bros.)

Teenage wizard Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his intrepid Hogwarts chums (Emma Watson and Rupert Grint) face an unexpected obstacle in their ongoing struggle with the malevolent Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes): a repressive teacher (Imelda Staunton) from the Ministry of Magic who won’t allow the practice of hocus-pocus that they need to defend themselves against the evil forces. With director David Yates at the helm, this fifth installment is arguably the best yet with its excellent performances, superior special effects, coherent narrative and sensible balance between action sequences and human drama, not to mention a meaningful subtext about the power of love and personal choice in doing good versus evil. Some scenes of peril, moderate fantasy violence and scary imagery may preclude very young viewers. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“Talk to Me” (Focus)

Formulaic but still touching and inspiring biographical drama of a prominent Washington radio personality and activist (a fine Don Cheadle) from the Vietnam-Watergate era to his death in 1984. Director Kasi Lemmons uses the redemptive power of friendship and strong performances by a cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor as a radio-station executive, Martin Sheen, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Cedric the Entertainer to create an evocative period piece about second chances. Pervasive rough, crude and crass language and several instances of profanity, sexual encounters with partial nudity, innuendo, alcohol abuse, rioting, infidelity, domestic discord and assorted fighting. 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.

"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.

"Rescue Dawn" (MGM)

Uplifting film salutes the valor of rank-and-file military personnel by chronicling the real-life ordeal of German-born U.S. Navy pilot Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), who was shot down over Laos in 1966 and taken prisoner by soldiers allied with the North Vietnamese. Without hyperbole of any kind, German writer-director Werner Herzog presents a vivid, lyrical portrait of a courageous and compassionate man whose dream of becoming an aviator led him to America and then to the forbidding jungles of war-torn Southeast Asia. Powerful but nongraphic scenes of violence and torture, some crude language and profanity, some locker-room-style banter and scatological references appropriate to the context. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Transformers" (Dreamworks/Paramount)

Engineered to appeal to a wide cross section of the public, this lumbering, mindless summertime entertainment -- based on the Hasbro action toys from the 1980s -- follows a teenager (Shia LaBeouf) embroiled in a battle between two factions of shape-shifting alien robots, with the fate of mankind and the universe hanging in the balance. Director Michael Bay has evidently benefited from working with executive producer Steven Spielberg, because humanistic themes offset Bay's propensity to fetishize weaponry and explosions, but not the movie's large amount of gratuitous material inappropriate for children and teens. Numerous sexual references, some crude language, a vulgar gesture, disrespectful racial jokes, drug references and some moderately violent action sequences. 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.

“DOA: Dead or Alive” (Dimension)

Mindless but bloodless action movie, based on a video-game series, pitting four bikini-clad young women (Devon Aoki, Jaime Pressly, Holly Valance and Sarah Carter) and others in an “ultimate fighter” tournament where athletes battle not to the death, but to the “knocked-out,” while the master of ceremonies (Eric Roberts) has a secret agenda. Hong Kong action-movie director Corey Yuen fills the movie with wire-work stunts in which martial artists take superhuman leaps, and no one really gets hurt except for the bad guy. A few instances of crude language, frequent crass language, a couple instances of mild profanity, brief partial nudity, much skimpy costuming, crude humor, a morning-after bedroom scene and much action violence including explosions. 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.

“Evan Almighty” (Universal/Spyglass)

Delightful contemporary spin on the Noah story, as a TV anchorman turned congressman (Steve Carell) is instructed by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark in light of an impending flood, much to the skeptical consternation of his colleagues on Capitol Hill (John Michael Higgins, Wanda Sykes and John Goodman), his wife (Lauren Graham) and three young sons. Imparting an overall message about how one act of random kindness can change the world, director Tom Shadyac and screenwriter Steve Oedekerk skillfully combine slapstick, sentiment and surprising reverence — these elements beautifully embodied in Carell’s seriocomic central performance — while the paired animals and the flood effects are wonderfully done. A smattering of mildly crass language, humor, irreverence 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. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“1408” (MGM/Dimension)

Adaptation of a Stephen King short story has Mike Enslin (John Cusack), the writer of guides to occult phenomena, spending a genuinely frightening night in a haunted Manhattan hotel room during which he must confront a past tragedy and his skepticism about God, the afterlife and anything remotely otherworldly. Swedish director Mikael Hafstrom assaults the senses with a barrage of well-executed special effects, but this elaborate, discomfiting ghost tale — part horror story and part supernatural thriller — exploits the suffering of a child and ultimately undercuts itself with too many twists. Countless violent and morbid images and references, including many to suicide, frequent crude and profane language, and some sexual references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“A Mighty Heart” (Paramount Vantage)

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

“Sicko” (Lionsgate/Weinstein)

Michael Moore’s excoriating documentary expose of the American health care system, in which he sets out to demonstrate the superior medical treatment people receive in countries such as Canada, England, France and even Cuba, each with tax-based socialized medicine resulting in patients having seemingly few if any out-of-pocket expenses. Moore’s approach is audacious and unabashedly one-sided, but with his breezy, sardonic commentary, the film is highly entertaining and makes a strong case for our present system being strangely at odds with the otherwise humane aspects of the American character. However, he’s on shakier ground when he suggests the system is a nefarious plot to keep us in fearful submission. Brief shot of a man stitching his own wound. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.