Exorcist: The Beginning (Warner Bros.)
"Exorcist: The Beginning" is an underwhelming prequel to the 1973 horror classic set in 1949 Africa where the eponymous priest (Stellan Skarsgard), having lost his faith after witnessing Nazi atrocities, battles satanic forces released by the discovery of a mysterious Byzantine Christian church unearthed after centuries. While not without some cheap chills, director Renny Harlin has exorcised any real eeriness out the film, substituting more-silly-than-scary supernatural special effects for genuine suspense. Grisly scenes of demonic possession, two graphic suicides, some battlefield violence and associated gore, strong sexual references and rough language, and some instances of defiled religious symbols. (L, R)

Alien vs. Predator (20th Century Fox)
Sci-fi actioner about a team of scientists (including Sanaa Lathan) hired by a wealthy industrialist (Lance Henriksen) to explore a mysterious ancient pyramid discovered beneath the Antarctic who become live bait in a battle royal between the two eponymous space species slugging it out for bragging rights in the galaxy. Cross-pollinating two popular franchises, the extraterrestrial face-off, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, while peppered with some mild shivers and creepy atmospherics, is devoid of substance or style, its repellent cavalcade of slimy special-effects drowning out any real suspense and testing the boundaries of its PG-13 rating. Gory action violence, an instance of rough language and scattered crude expressions. (A-III, PG-13)

Benji Off the Leash! (Mulberry Square)
Family-friendly drama which finds the eponymous mutt teaming up with a shaggy stray and a young boy (Nick Whitaker) to save an ailing dog from a squalid backyard puppy mill run by a greedy breeder (Chris Kendrick). As directed by "Benji" creator Joe Camp, neither the film's heartwarming message nor its adorably scruffy stars can hide the doggone awful script and acting -- four-legged performers excluded. Some mildly crude expressions, implied spousal abuse and images of animal cruelty. (A-II, PG)

Mean Creek (Paramount Classics)
Involving drama set in rural Oregon about a group of teenage friends (including Rory Culkin and Scott Mechlowicz), whose plot to teach a schoolyard bully (Josh Beck) a lesson while boating down a river ends in tragedy when their prank springs unintended leaks. Director Jacob Aaron Estes elicits strong performances from his young cast, crafting a modest but engaging morality tale about revenge and remorse. A disturbing boating accident, fleeting rear nudity, underage drinking while driving and smoking marijuana, as well as some rough language and lewd humor. (A-III, R)

Vanity Fair (Focus)
Splendid adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's classic about heroine Becky Sharp's struggles to survive in Regency England. Reese Witherspoon makes a captivating heroine and holds her own amid a top-notch British cast. Directed by Mira Nair with a sure hand, the story has all the elements of an epic: romance, a war background (the Napoleonic Wars), villains, misunderstandings, reconciliations and more. A slight flash of partial nudity, a little violence and some sensuality. (A-III, PG-13)

Without a Paddle (Paramount)
Fitfully funny comedy about three lifelong friends (Seth Green, Matthew Lillard and Dax Shepard), inspired by the untimely death of the clique's fourth amigo, who impulsively set out to make good on a childhood pact and search for a hidden treasure in the Pacific Northwest wilderness. But their canoe trip downriver hits some comical rapids -- including run-ins with a grizzly and a pair of heavily armed backwoods marijuana farmers. As directed by Steven Brill, the film is full of forced frat-house humor and gross-out sight gags, which, while balanced by a positive though schmaltzy message about friendship, leaves the story up the creek. A few sexual encounters, drug content and some violence as well as recurring coarse language and crude humor. (L, PG-13)

-- CNS The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classifications: A-I -- general patronage; A-II -- adults and adolescents; A-III -- adults; A-IV -- adults, with reservations (this indicates films that, while not morally offensive in themselves, are not for casual viewing because they require some analysis and explanation in order to avoid false impressions and interpretations); L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling; O -- morally offensive.