Picking the top movies

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

Every year Hollywood releases scores of movies that range in quality from excellent to abysmal. Sorting out the must see from the don't waste your time - or mind - can be hard.

Fortunately, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Office for Film and Broadcasting has compiled lists for best films and best family-friendly films for 2006.

Here is the overall Top 10 list: Akeelah & the Bee (A-1; PG), Babel (L; R), Flags of Our Fathers/Letters From Iwo Jima (both A-3; R), Joyeux Noel (A-2; no rating), Little Miss Sunshine (L; R), Miss Potter (A-1; PG), The Painted Veil (A-3; PG-13), The Pursuit of Happyness (A-2; PG-13), Sophie Scholl (A-2; no rating), United 93 (A-3; R).

Here is their Top 10 for Families: Aquamarine (A-2; PG), Cars (A-1; G), Charlotte's Web (A-1; G), Eight Below (A-2; PG), Everyone's Hero (A-1; G), Flicka (A-1; PG), Happy Feet (A-2; PG), Lassie (A-1; PG), The Nativity Story (A-1; PG), Opal Dream (A-2; PG).

The USCCB rating code is A-1, general patronage; A-2, adults and adolescents; A-3, adults; L, limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. For reviews of these and other movies go to www.usccb.org/movies. And happy viewing.