The following are capsule reviews of movies by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. (Ratings in parentheses are from the USCCB and Motion Picture Association of America.)

Brokeback Mountain (Focus)

Over-the-years love story between two emotionally fragile cowboys (Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal) who begin an intimate relationship during a solitary sheepherding assignment. Though shortly after, they try to go their separate ways, with one marrying his fiancee and the other a former prom queen, they continue to be drawn to each other. Director Ang Lee's well-crafted film, superbly acted, treats the subject matter --- which a Catholic audience will find contrary to its moral principles --- with discretion. Tacit approval of same-sex relationships, adultery, two brief sex scenes without nudity, partial and shadowy brief nudity elsewhere, other implied sexual situations, profanity, rough and crude expressions, alcohol and brief drug use, brief violent images, a gruesome description of a murder, and some domestic violence. (L, R)

The Family Stone (20th Century Fox)

Bittersweet Christmas comedy-drama as a New York businessman (Dermot Mulroney) brings his controlling but socially awkward fiancee (Sarah Jessica Parker) home to New England to meet the family (played by Diane Keaton, Luke Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Craig T. Nelson among others), but sensing that everyone dislikes her, the woman invites her sister (Claire Danes) to join her for moral support, leading to romantic complications. Writer-director Thomas Bezucha's low-keyed film takes its time getting started, and is not devoid of contrivances, but the cast is excellent, and the plot ultimately leads to a moving, life-affirming conclusion. Some profanity and crude language, light sexual banter, partial nudity, a same-sex couple and their adopting a child, premarital situations, and drug references. (A-III, PG-13)

King Kong (Universal)

Visually staggering remake of the 1933 classic about a giant ape smitten by a blonde-haired beauty (Naomi Watts), captured from his lost world island home by a maverick filmmaker (Jack Black) and taken in captivity to New York where, breaking free, his rampage climaxes atop the Empire State Building. Though the film runs too long, director Peter Jackson's strong storytelling masterfully blends stunning action sequences, humor and pathos-tinged emotion, paying reverent homage to the original while fleshing out the tragic story and raising the movie-magic bar to dazzling new heights. Intense action violence, some frightening and disturbing images, fleeting burlesque images and a few instances of profanity make it inappropriate for younger adolescents. (A-II, PG-13)

Memoirs of a Geisha (Sony/Columbia)

Beautifully filmed and finely acted adaptation of Arthur Golden's best-seller about a girl sold by her family into being a geisha in pre-World War II Japan, and her over-the-years love for a businessman who bought her ice cream as a child. Director Rob Marshall has crafted what is basically an unrequited romance of the kind Hollywood used to make, though one must make cultural allowances for the concept of a geisha --- strictly speaking, a woman trained to converse with and entertain men with dance and music --- but there is a discreetly portrayed sexual component to the story as related here. Some sexual banter and discreetly filmed sexual situations, including a sexual assault, and a couple of violent episodes. (A-III, PG-13)

Mrs. Henderson Presents (Pathe/BBC)

Patriotic true-life story of a wealthy widow (Judi Dench) who refurbishes London's dilapidated Windmill Theatre, and with the help of an artistic manager (Bob Hoskins), decides to produce topless musical revues --- with the showgirls remaining stationary by order of the Lord Chancellor --- to entertain the troops during the blitz. Despite the seeming raciness of the theme, and several artfully posed tableaux of bare-breasted showgirls, Stephen Frears' well-made film, with a script by playwright Martin Sherman, is as decorous as a "Masterpiece Theatre" production, with predictably fine performances by the leads. Partial female nudity throughout, a fleeting scene of full-frontal male and female nudity, a premarital affair with tragic results, some innuendo, a smattering of profanity and rough language. (A-III, R)

The Producers (Universal/Columbia)

First-rate filming of Mel Brooks' Broadway megahit about a losing-streak producer (Nathan Lane) and a stage-struck accountant (Matthew Broderick) who hatch a scheme to bankroll a show that's doomed to failure --- an Adolf Hitler musical --- and walk away with the investment. Director Susan Stroman makes an auspicious film debut, faithfully re-creating her original staging, while members of the Broadway cast are joined by a funny Will Ferrell and Uma Thurman in this throwback to 1950s-era movie musicals. Some bawdy and outrageous humor including gay stereotypes, cross-dressing, sexual innuendo, suggestive costuming and dancing, some crude language and comic violence. (A-III, PG-13)