Choke ***

A strange and delightful fable about a sex-addicted theme-park actor who supports his mother's assisted living by preying on strangers who save him from choking. Off-beat, weird, and strangely involving.

Rated R. 109 minutes. Clark Gregg - Director / Writer (screenplay), Chuck Palahniuk - Writer (novel), Johnathan Dorfman - Producer, Temple Fennell - Producer, Beau Flynn - Producer, Tripp Vinson - Producer, Tim Orr - Cinematographer, Nathan Larson - Composer, Roshelle Berliner - Production Designer, Joe Klotz - Editor.

Principal actors: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Brad William Henke, and Kelly Macdonald.

Ghost Town ***

Tea Leoni makes the whole thing work, as the Egyptologist who falls for the inept dentist (a lovable Ricky Gervais) who tries to save her from a scoundrel with the help of her late husband's ghost (a suave Greg Kinnear).

Rated PG-13. 102 minutes. David Koepp - Director / Writer, John Kamps - Writer, Gavin Polone - Producer, Fred Murphy - Cinematographer, Geoff Zanelli - Composer, Howard Cummings - Production Designer, Sam Seig - Editor.

Principal actors: Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Kristen Wiig, Tea Leoni, and Billy Campbell.

The Women **

What a waste of talent in this flat remake of the 1939 George Cukor classic. Only Jada Pinkett Smith has any fire.

Rated PG-13. 114 minutes. Diane English - Director / Writer (screenplay) / Producer, Clare Boothe Luce - Writer (play), Anita Loos - Writer (1939 screenplay), Jane Murfin - Writer (1939 screenplay), Mick Jagger - Producer, Bill Johnson - Producer, Victoria Pearman - Producer, Anastas Michos - Cinematographer, Mark Isham - Composer, Jane Musky - Production Designer, Tia Nolan - Editor.

Principal actors: Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Eva Mendes, Cloris Leachman, Candice Bergen, and Bette Midler.

Burn After Reading ***

A lighthearted spy vs. spy vs. rank amatuer story in a departure for the Coen brothers, this star-studded bit of fluff is diverting and as filling as a tub full of popcorn without the butter. Watch it for a terrific turn from Brad Pitt as a gym dandy sucking on his water bottle.

Rated R. 96 minutes. Ethan Coen - Director / Writer / Producer, Joel Coen - Director / Writer / Producer, Tim Bevan - Producer, Eric Fellner - Producer, Emmanuel Lubezki - Cinematographer, Carter Burwell - Composer, Jess Gonchor - Production Designer, Roderick Jaynes - Editor, Roderick Jaynes - Editor.

Principal actors: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, and J.K. Simmons.

The House Bunny ***

A romp from the writing team that brought us "Legally Blonde" (2001), "She's The Man" (2006), and "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999), this predictable airhead-Bunny-saves-loser-sorority tale has life lessons for the ladies and enough skin to keep their boyfriends amused. Anna Faris carries the picture with her Goldie Hawn-like combo of knockout looks and spot-on comic timing.

Rated PG-13. 97 minutes. Fred Wolf - Director, Karen McCullah Lutz - Writer, Kirsten Smith - Writer, Allen Covert - Producer, Jack Giarraputo - Producer, Heather Parry - Producer, Adam Sandler - Producer, Shelly Johnson - Cinematographer, Waddy Wachtel - Composer, Missy Stewart - Production Designer, Debra Chiate - Editor.

Principal actors: Anna Faris, Colin Hanks, Emma Stone, Kat Dennings, Dana Goodman, Katharine McPhee, Rumer Willis, Christopher McDonald, and Beverly D'Angelo.er Willis, Christopher McDonald, and Beverly D'Angelo

Brideshead Revisited ***

Finely acted, beautifully photographed, sumptuously appointed, and well-condensed from the novel, "Brideshead Revisited" is one of those dramas that the English do so well. This story about the many shapes of love plays out against a background of class division, religion and irreligion, youth and age in 'thirties England.

Matthew Goode as protagonist Charles Ryder is particularly good at portraying a character who sometimes seems as formless as one of his blank canvases, but whose infatuations and choices deeply affect those closest to him. Emma Thompson brings a steely reserve to her Lady Marchmain. Hayley Atwell is a seductive Julia. But it's Ben Whishaw's charming and ultimately dissolute Sebastian who commands the screen.

A feast for the eyes and the mind, "Brideshead Revisited" charms and intrigues, and leaves interesting questions to discuss afterwards.

Rated PG-13. 113 minutes. Julian Jarrold - Director, Andrew Davies - Writer, Jeremy Brock - Writer, Evelyn Waugh - Writer (novel), Kevin Loader - Producer, Douglas Rae - Producer, Jess Hall - Cinematographer, Adrian Johnston - Composer, Alice Normington - Production Designer, Chris Gill - Editor. Distributed in the U.S. by Miramax Films.

Principal actors: Matthew Goode, Ben Whishaw, Hayley Atwell, Emma Thompson, Michael Gambon.