"The Proposal" (PG-13, 1 hr. 44 min.)

"The Proposal" is a trifle, and about as original as corn flakes, but it has the advantage of a first-rate comic cast and some crackling repartee. Director Anne Fletcher ("27 Dresses" PG-13, 2008 ; "Step Up" PG-13, 2006) is a choreographer by training and that shows in the film's slapstick silliness, which suits the talents of star Sandra Bullock. Teens with a romantic, slightly older sensibility may find "The Proposal" amusing.

However, it has a naughtiness of tone that could give parents of younger teens pause. There is a lot of sexual innuendo and a sort-of-but-not-really nude scene (which gets a big laugh) in which Bullock and co-star Ryan Reynolds, each thinking he/she is alone, crash into one another naked. The moment is so digitally doctored that no "naughty bits" are visible, as if the actors were in body stockings, but the intent is to titillate. An heirloom blanket is referred to as "the baby maker," and there is other midrange sexual slang and innuendo, including a threat to castrate someone, and a scene with a male exotic dancer in a G-string. The movie includes moderate profanity, a tasteless remark about immigrants, and a scene in which an eagle swoops down and grabs a dog, but the dog is OK.

Bullock plays Margaret, a selfish, tactless, hard-driving top editor at a New York publishing house. Reynolds plays Andrew, her harried assistant. Margaret is a Canadian whose visa has run out. Facing deportation, she coerces the horrified Andrew into marrying her to get U.S. citizenship. The immigration officer (Denis O'Hare) believes they're perpetrating a fraud, so to convince him of their sincerity, they travel (bickering all the way) to Andrew's hometown, Sitka, Alaska, to meet his folks. His prominent family tries to embrace the brittle Margaret. His mother (Mary Steenburgen) just wants his crusty father (Craig T. Nelson) and recalcitrant son to get along, and his grandmother (Betty White) wants a grandchild. Of course, Margaret thaws into an actual human being in Alaska, and the process is amusing enough.

"Year One" (PG-13, 1 hr., 37 min.)

Finding the yucks in the Book of Genesis can be a broad and silly enterprise. What it shouldn't be is boring and that, alas, is the problem with "Year One." There are amusing skit-like passages with co-stars Jack Black ("Tropic Thunder" R, 2008; "Kung Fu Panda" PG, 2008) and Michael Cera ("Juno" PG-13, 2007; "Superbad" R, 2007) as Bronze Age buddies Zed and Oh, wandering through a sort of early-Old Testament cyclorama, but the film doesn't so much flow as hiccup along. Still, high-schoolers who already love Black and Cera may be perfectly willing to go along with "Year One," and some of their enjoyment will require at least a passing knowledge of Genesis. The film is too bawdy for some middle-schoolers.

Zed (Black) eats the forbidden fruit of Knowledge and then accidentally burns down his village. He's exiled and his pal Oh (Cera) joins him. On their trek they see Cain kill Abel. They stop Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), and they get to Sodom, where they're torn between dissipation, love and righteousness.

The film contains lots of strong, silly sexual innuendo. There is an implied but nonexplicit orgy (in the cursed city of Sodom) and considerable homophobic humor. There is nongraphic violence, as when Cain (David Cross) kills Abel (an uncredited Paul Rudd) and when a soldier beheads someone. There is midrange profanity, sexual slang, crude sexualized hand gestures, a protracted comic discussion of circumcision and gross toilet humor. There is also a theme about sacrificing virgins to pagan gods (one young woman is pushed into a fiery pit), and some characters are sold into slavery.

Director Harold Ramis owes much to John Belushi's and Bill Murray's cave men shtick, and to Mel Brooks and his groundbreaking 2000-Year-Old Man routines and his movie, "History of the World: Part I" (R, 1981). Somehow, though, "Year One" lacks the heretical shock value those earlier pieces had. The idea of two characters in ancient times who talk like modern guys doesn't seem as original or quite as funny.

Beyond the Ratings Game: Movie Reviews for various ages

-- OK FOR KIDS 6 AND OLDER:

"Up" PG -- A near-total delight, despite its too-convoluted second half, this wildly imaginative Pixar animated film tells the tale of a little boy, Russell (voice of Jordan Nagai), and an elderly widower, Carl (Edward Asner), who float to South America in a balloon-propelled house and on the way forge a deep friendship. Kids under 6 may fidget or get confused during the film's quieter moments. And there are genuinely scary scenes for under-6s, in which threatening dogs chase Carl and Russell. The villain, a crazed old explorer (Christopher Plummer), goes after them with a dirigible, dart-shooting planes, and a shotgun. Scenes showing how Carl met his late wife Ellie when they were kids and a wordless montage about their loving marriage are mini-masterpieces. After Ellie dies, Carl, a retired balloon salesman, clashes with his neighbors and is court-ordered to a retirement home. Instead, he rigs his old house with balloons and floats up, up and away -- only to find Russell, a lumpy kid who's been trying to earn a "help the elderly badge," clinging to the porch. In South America the old explorer sics his dogs, wearing hilarious "talking collars," on them. They meet one friendly pooch and a bumptious exotic bird. "Up" is preceded by "Partly Cloudy" (G), a charming short about little clouds who make babies, puppies and kittens, and one cloud who makes alligators, sharks and such.

"Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" PG -- Bursting with special effects and plot, this lively, charmless sequel to "Night at the Museum" (PG, 2006) will keep kids 6 and older engaged, if not in stitches. Despite its often deliberately scrambled facts, the film could spark kids' interest in everything from aviation history to art. The littlest ones may briefly cower at a roaring T. rex skeleton, a giant squid, Egyptian warriors with shrieking eagles' heads, the statue from the Lincoln Memorial coming to life or planes zooming around the National Air and Space Museum. Guns, swords and clubs are wielded, but no one gets hurt. Larry (Ben Stiller), the night security guard from the New York museum in the first film, hears that the old exhibits, which came to life only while he was on duty, are being sent to the Smithsonian to be mothballed. He gets a tip that the ancient pharaoh Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria) is wreaking havoc. Larry and a spunky Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) save the day on the National Mall.

-- OK FOR KIDS 8 AND OLDER:

"Imagine That" PG -- Eddie Murphy plays Evan, a high-powered Denver investment whiz and divorced dad who can't relate to his 7-year-old daughter, in this marginally entertaining family comedy. The story has a cobbled-together feel, and there are long bits about Evan's office life that could make kids super-fidgety. The film's central premise is cute enough: Evan discovers that his little girl Olivia (Yara Shahidi) and her imaginary friends, whom she conjures while under her beloved "Goo-Gaa" blanket, offer better investment advice for his clients than he does. His rival at work is a slick broker named Johnny Whitefeather (Thomas Haden Church in a role that's borderline offensive), as a probably fake Native American. The movie never decides whether Olivia's friends are "real" or imaginary, which shortchanges the story. The concept is strictly mechanical -- a way to get Evan to bond with his daughter. The movie has rare mild profanity, brief toilet humor, a divorce theme (Olivia lives with her mother) and an awkward scene in which Evan sneaks into a little girls' slumber party to grab Olivia's "magic" blanket. Intermittently amusing for kids 8 and older.

-- PG-13s OF VARYING INTENSITY:

"The Proposal" (NEW) -- This romantic comedy trifle is about as original as corn flakes, but it has the advantage of a first-rate comic cast and some crackling repartee. Teens with a romantic, slightly older sensibility may find it quite amusing. However, there is a lot of sexual innuendo that might give parents of younger teens pause -- including a sort-of-but-not-really nude scene (which gets a big laugh) in which Bullock and co-star Ryan Reynolds crash into one another naked. The moment is so digitally cleansed of "naughty bits" that the actors could be in body stockings, but the intent is to titillate. An heirloom blanket is called a "baby maker," and there is midrange sexual slang and innuendo, including a threat to castrate someone, and a male exotic dancer in a G-string. There is moderate profanity, a tasteless remark about immigrants, and a scene in which an eagle swoops down and grabs a dog, but the dog is OK. Bullock plays Margaret, a selfish, hard-driving editor at a New York publishing house. Reynolds plays her harried assistant, Andrew. A Canadian whose visa has run out, Margaret faces deportation and coerces the horrified Andrew into marrying her. They travel (bickering) to Andrew's hometown, Sitka, Alaska, to perpetuate the fraud. Andrew's mom (Mary Steenburgen) wants him and his crusty dad (Craig T. Nelson) to reconcile, while his frisky grandmother (Betty White) wants a grandchild. Margaret eventually thaws into an actual human being and the process is amusing enough to watch.

"Year One" (NEW) -- Finding the yucks in the Book of Genesis can be a broad and silly enterprise, but it shouldn't be boring. That is the problem with "Year One." There are amusing passages with co-stars Jack Black and Michael Cera as Bronze Age buddies Zed and Oh, wandering through a sort of early-Old Testament cyclorama, but the film doesn't so much flow as hiccup along. High-schoolers may go along with "Year One" for the sake of Black and Cera, but some of their enjoyment will require a passing knowledge of Genesis. It's too bawdy for some middle-schoolers. The film contains much strong comic sexual innuendo. There is an implied but nonexplicit orgy (in the cursed city of Sodom) and much homophobic humor. There is nongraphic violence, as when Cain (David Cross) slays Abel (an uncredited Paul Rudd) and when a soldier beheads someone. There is midrange profanity, sexual slang, crude sexual gestures, a protracted discussion of circumcision and toilet humor. There is a theme about sacrificing virgin girls to pagan gods, and some characters are sold into slavery. Director Harold Ramis owes much to John Belushi's and Bill Murray's cave men bits, to Mel Brooks' trademark 2000-Year-Old Man routines, and to Brooks' film, "History of the World: Part I" (R, 1981). But the idea of two guys in biblical times who talk "modern" doesn't seem nearly as irreverent or quite as funny in "Year One." Zed (Black) eats the forbidden fruit of Knowledge and then accidentally burns down his village. Oh (Cera) joins him in exile. They see Cain kill Abel, stop Abraham from sacrificing Isaac (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), and wind up in Sodom, where they're torn between dissipation, love and heroism.

"Land of the Lost" -- Though it's packed with clever visual jokes and comedically adept actors, "Land of the Lost" is a bit of a bore. Teen Will Ferrell fans may be tickled by it, but only intermittently. Based on the 1970s Saturday-morning TV series, it follows the misadventures of crackpot scientist Rick Marshall (Ferrell) and his invention, which enables "sideways" time travel. Rick, a pretty British scholar named Holly (Anna Friel), and a crass, random guy named Will (Danny McBride) land in another dimension, where the detritus of human civilization -- a Viking ship, an ice cream truck -- keeps dropping in through a space-time portal. They dodge a charging T. rex, and meet a furry young man named Chaka (Jorma Taccone), the lizard-like "Sleestak" Enik (John Boylan) and his enemy The Zarn (Leonard Nimoy). There is much sexual innuendo, toilet humor, midrange profanity, an exploding dinosaur and a giant blood-sucking mosquito. The men sip a hallucinogenic drink, there is much gay humor and briefly implied toplessness. There's too much sexual content for grade-schoolers, and younger kids may find the T. rex scary.

"My Life in Ruins" -- So predictable is this lame romantic comedy, you can almost say the lines with the actors. A lonely Greek-American tour guide (Nia Vardalos) leads a group of stereotypically crass Americans through the historic sites of her ancestral homeland. Only Richard Dreyfuss brings a bit of zing to his role as a twinkly widower in the tour group. We know from almost the first frame that the scruffy tour bus driver (Alexis Georgoulis) will be Mr. Right. Vardalos wrote and starred in the fun "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (PG, 2002), but this tired concoction, written by someone else, is an unworthy follow-up. There are implied sexual situations, much sexual innuendo, some of it crude and/or homophobic, occasional sexual slang, rare profanity, and drinking. More for high-schoolers.

"Drag Me to Hell" -- Comedy and horror make inconsistent bedfellows in this sometimes droll, often gross parable from filmmaker Sam Raimi about a timid bank officer cursed by an angry customer. The film's deliberately cheesy horror images include demons, corpses vomiting maggots and embalming fluid, eyeballs and false teeth popping out, a projectile nosebleed, implied impalements and a wormy scene in a reopened grave. It's implied that a kitten is killed (off-camera) as a sacrifice. A prologue shows a boy pulled into a fiery abyss. Christine (Alison Lohman) refuses an extension to a mortgage holder, and the crusty old crone (Lorna Raver) jumps the young woman in her car and curses her. Soon, Christine is visited by a shadowy demonic tormentor. There is rare profanity.

-- R's:

"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" -- The dialogue and action crackle to heart-pounding effect in this re-imagining of the 1974 film (also an R) and original book by John Godey. Director Tony Scott's frenetic, showy style suits the subject matter, for once, to a tee -- a hijacking and taking of hostages on a New York City subway. Scott conjures a sharp sense of terror below ground and the churning, chaotic city above. Denzel Washington is terrific as Walter Garber, a subway dispatcher with his own complicated history, forced to deal via radio with Ryder (John Travolta, mixing pure panache and pure evil), the smart lead hijacker. The whole cast captures the film's scattered, hyper mood exactly. High-schoolers who like intelligent thrillers ought to find this one gripping. There are bloody shootings of bad buys and innocents. Children are among the hostages. Phobics note: There are rats in the subway tunnel. The script contains strong profanity, brief crude sexual innuendo and a couple of ethnic slurs.

"Away We Go" (LIMITED RELEASE) -- In this sweet, wise, well-acted little comedy-drama, Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) are a nice 30-something couple soon to have a baby. Devoted to each other, but unmarried (Verona's the hold-out), they have yet to put down roots. Burt's parents (Catherine O'Hara and Jeff Daniels) have decided to move to Belgium, and Verona's are dead. So she and Burt set out to visit friends and relatives in search of anchoring relationships. Verona's former boss (Allison Janney) is inappropriate and horrid to her kids; Burt's cousin (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and her mate (Josh Hamilton) are obnoxiously New Age-y; college friends (Chris Messina and Melanie Lynskey) have a big happy family, but private sadness; and Burt's brother (Paul Schneider), abandoned by his wife, faces life as a single dad. There is sexual language and innuendo, homophobic humor aimed at a child, talk of miscarriages, rare strong profanity, and drinking. Great for thoughtful high-schoolers.

"The Hangover" -- A frat comedy for grown-ups that will also attract teens, "The Hangover" is very funny, but many parents would find it too crudely sexualized and profane for under-17s. It follows the adventures of sarcastic Phil (Bradley Cooper), dweeby Stu (Ed Helms), and jerky Alan (Zach Galifianakis), who bachelor-party so hard in Las Vegas that they wake up to realize they've lost the groom (Justin Bartha). In their trashed hotel suite they also find a baby, a chicken and Mike Tyson's pet tiger. We then watch the guys retrace their steps. The film features very strong profanity, rear-view nudity and toplessness, crude sexual language and innuendo, implied sexual situations, homophobic slurs, gross toilet humor, drug humor, and a poor joke about a grandmother's "Holocaust ring."