The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Appaloosa (Warner Bros./New Line)
Well-acted throwback to the westerns of yore as a city marshal (Ed Harris) and his deputy (versatile Viggo Mortensen) try to bring order to the titular fictional New Mexico town by daring to take a powerful rancher and gang leader (Jeremy Irons) into custody, while the sheriff's fickle fiancee (Renee Zellweger) brings minor triangular complications to the men's rock-solid alliance. Harris also co-wrote and directed this overlong but quality production adapted from a Robert B. Parker novel, and though it falls short of truly gripping, there's much to admire. Moderate gun violence, vigilante justice, brief long-shot rear nudity, implied nonmarital relationships, some innuendo, one use of the F-word, and some other crude words and profanity. (A-III-R)

Bangkok Dangerous (Lionsgate)
Grim shoot-'em-up about a solitary hit man (Nicolas Cage) who travels to the titular city to carry out four contract killings for a local crime boss (Nirattisai Kaljareuk), but finds his emotional isolation thawed by his friendship with the petty thief (Shahkrit Yamnarm) he hires as an assistant and his feelings for a pretty pharmacy clerk (Charlie Young). As directed by the Pang brothers, this remake of their 1999 Thai film features considerable violence and muddled moral values, with its hero instructing his protege in the art of killing even while ostensibly reassessing his own viciousness. Brief graphic sexual activity, upper female nudity, intense action violence with gore, a suicide, and occasional rough and crude language. (L, R)

Burn After Reading (Focus)
Witty dark caper comedy about hapless Washington-based gym employees (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt) who find the memoirs of a fired CIA analyst (John Malkovich) on a computer disc and believe they're in possession of classified information they can sell to the Russians. Joel and Ethan Coen have written an extremely clever script, directed with assured timing, and their film showcases a top-flight cast including George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and Richard Jenkins, all of whom reveal surprising comic chops. Overt sex and violence are minimal, but many will be disturbed by the strong language. Pervasive use of the F-word and some profanity; two brief instances of violence, one gruesome; implied nonmarital sexual activity; and a sexual sight gag. (L, R)

The Duchess (Paramount Vantage)
Lavishly mounted, compellingly acted but somewhat morally lax costume drama, based on real events, recounting the tangled lives of the late-18th-century Duchess of Devonshire (Keira Knightley), her coldly indifferent husband (Ralph Fiennes), her best friend (Hayley Atwell), who becomes his live-in lover and the statesman (Dominic Cooper) for whom she falls. Director and co-writer Saul Dibb's adaptation of Amanda Foreman's biography, "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire," delineates the plight of aristocratic yet powerless women, but also tends to legitimize its subject's adultery. Strong sexual content, including a nongraphic but intense rape scene and adulterous sexual activity, brief rear nudity, domestic abuse theme and sexual references. (A-III, PG-13)

Fireproof (Goldwyn)
Modest but heartwarming drama about a small-town fireman (a fine Kirk Cameron) who, under the guidance of his born-again father (Harris Malcom), works to save his seven-year-old marriage, despite the unyielding obstinacy of his wife (Erin Bethea). The message --- that a successful marriage is grounded in the knowledge that God loves us with all our faults --- is the overriding virtue of co-writers and directors Alex and Stephen Kendrick's nicely shot, evangelical-flavored film in which the former "Growing Pains" star is supported by a mostly volunteer but surprisingly capable cast. Domestic discord, extramarital flirtation and pornography references. (A-II, PG)

Ghost Town (DreamWorks/Spyglass)
Bittersweet romantic comedy set in New York in which a misanthropic dentist (Ricky Gervais) finds he has acquired the ability to see ghosts after he is clinically dead for seven minutes during a routine medical procedure and is persuaded by the spirit of a recently deceased husband (Greg Kinnear) to break up the engagement of his widow (Tea Leoni), falling for her himself. A melancholy tone pervades director and co-writer David Koepp's cross between "A Christmas Carol" and "Topper," but the laughs are there, along with an overriding message about living life in service to others, and ultimately "letting go" of our deceased loved ones. Some rough language and brief profanity, sexual humor, partial male nudity and drug references; acceptable for older teens. (A-III, PG-13)

Igor (MGM)
Slight but entertaining animated horror spoof in which the titular character (voice of John Cusack), a hunchbacked assistant to an evil inventor (voice of John Cleese), aspires to become a mad scientist himself and, with the bungling help of two sidekicks, a brain in a jar (voice of Sean Hayes) and a rabbit (voice of Steve Buscemi), mistakenly creates a nice monster (voice of Molly Shannon) with theatrical ambitions. Director Tony Leondis' family comedy, which also features voice work by Jennifer Coolidge, Jay Leno and Arsenio Hall, fails to capitalize fully on the wealth of talent on tap, occasionally ventures into needless potty humor, and contains some scenes of destruction that might frighten very young viewers. However, it does offer lessons about overcoming stereotypes, pursuing dreams and freely embracing goodness. (A-I, PG)

Lakeview Terrace (Screen Gems)
Tensely absorbing racial drama about mixed-race newlyweds (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) who move into a Southern California house next to a slyly threatening Los Angeles police officer (Samuel L. Jackson in top form) who deeply resents their union and proceeds to menace them. Director Neil LaBute slowly builds the suspense, but what starts as a fairly subtle psychological drama --- with some interesting observations on racism and stereotypes --- eventually morphs into a standard thriller. Rough and crude language, some profanity, moderate violence, murder, nongraphic sexuality, vulgar sexual allusions, birth control and drug references. (A-III, PG-13)

Righteous Kill (Overture)
Ludicrous police drama involving longtime partner cops (Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino) who, amid growing suspicion that the killer may be someone within the force, are on the trail of a serial killer who's bumping off felons who have eluded just punishment. Fans of the charismatic stars may welcome this chance to see them working in tandem, and they are both in characteristic form, but Jon Avnet's flashy but muddled direction, the wildly implausible plot, uninspired dialogue, intentionally choppy editing and an easy-to-guess denouement are serious detriments. Much rough language and crude talk, some profanity, moderately strong violence and sexual content, vigilante justice, reference to a pedophile priest, and brief drug use. (L, R)

Towelhead (Warner Independent)
Sensitively handled if extremely disquieting coming-of-age story of an alienated 13-year-old Arab-American girl (played by 18-year-old Summer Bishil) living with her divorced Lebanese father (Peter Macdissi) in Texas, who succumbs to a pedophiliac Army reservist (Aaron Eckhart) whose son she baby-sits, until an empathetic neighbor (Toni Collette) interferes. Writer-director Alan Ball's astute adaptation of Alicia Erian's novel is a sober-minded exploration of racism, politics and sexual confusion, impeccably acted by all, including Maria Bello as the father's ex-wife. Its weighty subjects are presented with requisite gravity and touching compassion for its flawed characters, but its redemptive ending involves an implicit endorsement of adolescent sexual activity. Strong sexual content including central pedophilia theme, upper female nudity, rough language and brief profanity, and strong domestic violence. (O, R)

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (Lionsgate)
Sudsy African-American domestic saga, set in Atlanta, charting the unlikely friendship between a white real-estate tycoon (Kathy Bates) and a hardworking and devout diner owner (Alfre Woodard) whose ambitious married daughter (Sanaa Lathan) is having an affair with the tycoon's son (Cole Hauser), who connives to take over his mother's business. As written and directed by Tyler Perry, the drama unfolds at a leisurely pace, often telegraphing the mostly shallow characters' schemes long before they are revealed and, though the restaurateur's Christian faith is overt throughout, the morally problematic climax is treated neutrally. Adultery theme, a suicide, brief domestic violence, tacit acceptability of divorce, some sexual references and occasional crass language. (A-III, PG-13)

Office for Film & Broadcasting classifications: A-I --- general patronage; A-II --- adults and adolescents; A-III --- adults; L --- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling; O --- morally offensive.