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

The Class (Sony Classics)
Thoughtful docudrama re-creating the experiences of an idealistic French literature teacher (Francois Begaudeau), over the course of an academic year, as he tries to connect with a class of ethnically mixed students in a depressed Paris neighborhood. Director and co-writer Laurent Cantet's innovative approach -- using actual students, and combining their stories with incidents recounted in real-life instructor Begaudeau's fact-based novel to shape the script --- yields an engrossing meditation on social and class divisions and on the possibilities, and limits, of an educator's vocation. In French. Subtitles. Probably acceptable for older teens. Some rough and crude language, sexual references, at least one use of profanity. (A-III, PG-13)

New in Town (Lionsgate/Gold Circle)
Quirky, low-key but ultimately endearing romantic comedy about an ambitious Miami-based executive (Renee Zellweger) sent to downsize a food manufacturing plant in New Ulm, Minn., who learns to adjust her values from the eccentric locals and a good-looking union rep (Harry Connick Jr.). Danish director Jonas Elmer helms an engaging cast, which also includes J.K. Simmons, Siobhan Fallon Hogan and Frances Conroy, in this refreshing departure from the usual Hollywood gloss; though more amiable than outright funny, the script nicely stresses the fundamental decency of this overtly Christian community. A few crude and crass words and a single profanity. (A-II, PG)

Taken (Fox)
Formulaic and contrived but effectively tense thriller about an ex-government operative (Liam Neeson) hunting for his missing teenage daughter (Maggie Grace) who's been kidnapped by Albanian sex traffickers in Paris. Director Pierre Morel keeps things moving with a flashy visual style, and Neeson plays with a genuine intensity that almost, but not quite, makes you overlook the improbable setup and ludicrous plot developments. Intense but nongraphic action violence including torture, multiple killings, vigilante justice, some crude language and expressions, and a single profanity. (L, PG-13)

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Screen Gems)
Relentlessly violent horror action prequel in which a part-human, part-werewolf Lycan (Michael Sheen) leads a slave revolt against a cruel vampire king (Bill Nighy) while romancing the sovereign's daughter (Rhona Mitra). Director Patrick Tatopoulos' grim feature debut uses the slaves' longing for freedom as an excuse for mindless bloodletting. Pervasive violence, much of it with gore, torture and nongraphic premarital sexual activity. (O, R)

The Uninvited (DreamWorks)
Restrained psychological thriller in which a mentally unstable teen girl (Emily Browning) and her sister (Arielle Kebbel) suspect their late mother's nurse (Elizabeth Banks) of murdering Mom to marry their father (David Strathairn). Directors Charles and Thomas Guard's mostly gore-free adaptation of a 2003 Korean film inspires a few chills the old-fashioned way, but its twisting plot is somewhat predictable. Brief nongraphic sexual activity, adultery, cohabitation, moderate violence, underage drinking, sexual and contraceptive references, occasional crass language and a few uses of profanity. (A-III, PG-13)

---CNS

USCCB 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.