"The Big Question" (THINKfilm)
Curious documentary in which filmmakers Francesco Cabras and Alberto Molinari pose several direct questions to fellow cast and crew members on the set of "The Passion of the Christ" -- Mel Gibson among them -- about their personal religious beliefs, eliciting responses both poignant and pretentious from a diversity of creeds as well as from agnostics and atheists. Cleverly shot using the ancient Southern Italian town where Gibson's movie was shot as a backdrop, and with many of the respondents in full biblical costume, the film works for the most part, despite consisting of little more than people candidly discussing their ideas of the divine, interspersed with artsy images of a dog wandering the landscape. Subtitles. A brief drug reference. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Inside Man" (Universal)
Crime drama about a New York City police detective (Denzel Washington) who matches wits with a cunning armed robber (Clive Owen) holding hostages captive in a Wall Street bank, while a politically connected power broker (Jodie Foster) hired by the bank's owner (Christopher Plummer) muddies negotiations in trying to keep an incriminating secret buried in the bank's vault. Smartly written with nods to "Dog Day Afternoon" and just the right amount of humor, director Spike Lee's film puts an interesting spin on the heist genre while exploring themes of race and corruption, resulting in an intelligent caper that can be enjoyed on several levels, despite a morally ambiguous ending. Some discreet violence, violent video game images, pervasive rough and crude language, and a disturbing execution image, as well as some sexual humor, innuendo and racial epithets. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"Lonesome Jim" (IFC)
Depressed young man (Casey Affleck) goes back to his Indiana home to live with his overly doting mother (Mary Kay Place), distant father (Seymour Cassel) and confused brother (Kevin Corrigan), falls for a single mother (Liv Tyler) with a small son (Jack Rovello), and ultimately comes to a better understanding of himself and those around him. Director Steve Buscemi's film is sometimes slow and meandering, and its true-to-life candor won't appeal to all tastes, but the central protagonist develops as a person, and the overall message of accepting life for what it is, not what you want it to be, is a good one. Scattered instances of profanity, rough and crude language and expressions, some crass humor, rear and partial nudity, premarital relationship, sexual banter and lewd images, prostitute character, suicide theme and drug references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

-- CNS