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

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (Picturehouse)
Cinematically inventive fictional take on photographer Diane Arbus (a luminous Nicole Kidman), circa 1958, on the verge of transformation from being her photographer husband's (Ty Burrell) stylist and becoming a trendsetting pictorial chronicler of societal pariahs and those with physical abnormalities. The catalyst for her transformation is her upstairs neighbor (Robert Downey Jr.), a mysterious figure covered with voluminous hair from head to toe, who unleashes her inhibitions and her artistic vision, and with whom she enters into a mostly platonic, but sensually charged, relationship. Director Steven Shainberg uses elements of "Beauty and the Beast" and "Alice in Wonderland" for this absorbing allegory which, if viewed in that light, tempers some of the undeniably problematic elements which will severely limit its appeal to Catholic audiences, and necessitate the restrictive classification. Full-frontal nudity, a sexual encounter along with several highly suggestive if nongraphic encounters, adultery, suicide, profanity, rough language and crude expressions, mortuary image of dead woman, alcohol and drug use. (L, R)

A Good Year (Fox 2000)
Picturesque, leisurely paced comedy about a career-driven British bond trader (Russell Crowe) who inherits a dilapidated chateau and vineyard in France where as a child he had spent time with his raffish uncle. He decides to sell the property, only to fall for the charms of the locale and a pretty cafe owner (Marion Cottilard), while a young American shows up and announces she's the uncle's illegitimate daughter. The film represents a laid-back change of pace for both Crowe and director Ridley Scott, but though old-fashioned romantic comedy is all too rare the often lame humor and workaday script, adapted from Peter Mayle's book, make for indifferent viewing. Frequent conversational expletives and some profanity, a nongraphic premarital encounter, some crass humor and innuendo. (A-III, PG-13)

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (Disney)
Lame third go-round in which an overwhelmed Santa (Tim Allen) must balance family responsibilities (including a pregnant Mrs. C and visiting in-laws) and his stressful seasonal duties, while a jealous Jack Frost (Martin Short) tries to usurp Santa by sabotaging his North Pole operations and tricking him into giving up the red suit. The movie's sweet message about the importance of family and the power of love, unfortunately, comes wrapped in a slapdash script clumsily directed by Michael Lembeck, who, in rightly criticizing the crass commercialization of Christmas, forwards a secular view of the holiday that ignores its religious underpinning. Brief mildly rude humor and a minor divorce theme. (A-I, G)

Stranger Than Fiction (Columbia)
Quirky dramatic comedy about a lonely and neurotic IRS auditor (Will Ferrell) who wakes to find his life being narrated by a seemingly omniscient voice only he can hear, which turns out to belong to a famous reclusive author (Emma Thompson) working on a new novel in which he is the protagonist and that predicts what will happen to him, including his death. By turns sentimental, funny and, in the end, modestly profound, director Marc Forster's existential farce touches on issues of fate and free will, while imparting a wonderful message that the little moments --- the smiles, hugs and small acts of kindness --- we often relegate to footnote status in the narrative of our daily living are what give life its meaning. An implied sexual encounter, brief locker-room rear nudity, a jarring traffic accident, crude expressions and profanity. (A-III, PG-13)

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. MPAA ratings: G -- general audiences. All ages admitted; PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children; PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13; R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian; NC-17 -- no one 17 and under admitted. --- CNS