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

The first symbol after each title is the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification. The second symbol is the rating of the Motion Picture Association of America.

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.

Chicken Little (Disney)

Computer-animated comedy adventure based on the classic nursery rhyme about a little chick (voiced by Zach Braff) who, after humiliating himself by sounding the alarm that the sky is falling, gets a chance to save face (and his hometown) when his apocalyptic announcement later proves true. Directed by Mark Dindal, the movie's vibrant, though unremarkable animation goes for a more 3-D look, but the flat story and characterizations lack much emotion, charm or wit, undercutting the film's warm themes of family bonds and believing in oneself. Ratings: A-I (G)

Doom (Universal)

Unremittingly violent sci-fi action adventure set in the future about a team of Marine commandos (led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) deployed to secure a remote scientific research facility on Mars that is crawling with nasty mutant creatures unwittingly unleashed by the facility's genetic experimentation gone awry. Based on the popular video game of the same name, director Andrzej Bartkowiak's film aspires to the claustrophobic suspense of "Alien," but is little more than stretches of mindless mayhem strung together by an absurd plot, which completely crumbles during the movie's carnage-heavy climax. Excessive bloody violence and gore, including dismemberment and decapitation, pervasive rough and crude language and some profanity. Ratings: O (R)

Saw II (Lions Gate)

Repellent follow-up to 2004's "Saw," this time involving a hard-nosed police detective (Donnie Wahlberg) whose estranged teenage son (Erik Knudsen) --- along with eight other victims --- becomes the newest pawn in a sadistic game elaborately engineered by the homicidal mastermind known as "Jigsaw" (Tobin Bell). Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, the sequel follows the original's lead in conceiving ever more twisted ways to kill and maim while packaging torturous cruelty as shock entertainment. Pervasive bloody violence and gore, including bodily mutilation and a scene of someone burned alive, brief drug content, much rough and crude language and profanity. Ratings: O (R)