Sex, sin, and Catholic guilt. If there’s a better recipe for cinematic troublemaking, I don’t want to know about it. “Into Temptation” dives into the deep end of collar-tightening, rosary-fingering unrest, creating a riveting momentum as it looks to articulate the push and pull between the obligations of religion and the overwhelming sway of sexuality. Sharply constructed with a heavy spray of noirish aroma, “Into Temptation” is a uniquely accomplished indie film, wielding salacious material sensitively, building an intoxicating sense of intrigue and discomfort.

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There have been several attempts to dramatize the life of fashion icon Coco Chanel, leaving “Coco Before Chanel” no choice but to travel deeper into history, not only to discover how she became a wizard of fabric, but to witness her struggles with abandonment and heartache. It’s juicy fodder for a period soap opera, but “Before” doesn’t squeeze hard enough. It’s a gorgeous picture, but one that rarely demands attention.

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Sandra Bullock has been making movies like “The Proposal” for quite some time now. The romantic comedy is her Jedi power, and while the majority of her output has been either strained or downright intolerable (“Two Weeks Notice,” “While You Were Sleeping”), Bullock deserves some credit for her refusal to give up on the genre. “The Proposal” is harmless fluff, but it’s a dull routine, somehow lassoing the jumping bean charisma of co-star Ryan Reynolds to help liven up a confused screenplay. Regardless of the changes in setting and leading men, this is still Bullock running off the same old battery, and the fatigue is becoming increasingly difficult to cover up.

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One of the final shots of “Couples Retreat” is a toddler defecating into a display toilet at a home improvement store. This image perfectly sums up the filmmaking here. A classic Hollywood trainwreck, “Retreat” is without laughs or heart, with director Peter Billingsley taking a possibly experimental route by mounting a comedy without any identifiable humor. “Retreat” is dreadful, but to consider just how many gifted performers are here treading water makes the heart sick. Ralphie, how dare you.

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Here’s a reaction sure to be popular at “Ong Bak 2: The Beginning” viewings near and far: huh? Clarity is in short supply here for this unexpected prequel, an abstract action bend that has no time for coherency. Appreciate the feature as more of a silent film adventure and it’s a blast, furthering the curious career of Tony Jaa, who steps behind the camera to co-direct this often exhilarating but supremely baffling martial arts picture.

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One doesn’t have to be a slavish follower of English football to appreciate the nuances of “The Damned United.” More of an intimate drama than a sports film, director Tom Hooper has made sure the exclusionary details have been softened, allowing audiences near and far a shot at comprehending and enjoying this terrific film. As an evocative depiction of football industry mechanics, it’s one of the best features on the subject in a long time.

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Watching “Bronson” is like being tickled with a razor blade. An unnerving, barking-mad black comedy surveying the fractured mind of “the most violent prisoner in Britain,” the picture is a divisive beast, shimmying between cracking wise and cracking skulls, often erratically so. Still, attention must be paid to star Tom Hardy, who consumes the controversial title role whole, spitting out the shrapnel with sniper-scope aim. It’s not a pleasant film to spend time with, but Hardy’s work is intoxicatingly smothering and electric, smoothing over the rough tonal edges left behind by director Nicolas Winding Refn.

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It’s been five years since the release of “The Yes Men,” the Chris Smith/Sarah Price documentary that brought Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno (the titular devils) to the mainstream. In the intervening years, their prank efforts have been ingenious and dangerous, but they’ve failed to make a lasting impact. Growing frustrated, the Yes Men have returned to the big screen, armed with a new round of hoaxes and misdirection, hoping to achieve their ultimate goal: changing the world.

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I’ll give director Drew Barrymore this: she made Ellen Page appealing. “Whip It” takes the tart-tongued “Juno” star to the crashin’, smashin’ world of roller derby for a coming-of-age dramedy that bites off a little more than it can chew. Energetically woven by Barrymore, the film suffers from an acute case of the adaptation blues, trying to cram in as many plot points as possible to fill its belly with caloric melodrama. It’s a diluted journey of feminine self-realization, better with bruises and teamwork than it is with pliable matters of the heart.

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There’s no anniversary or birthday to celebrate here. Disney is just taking the “Toy Story” franchise out for a test drive, kicking the tires while “Toy Story 3” prepares to assault family moviegoing budgets next summer. Redressed in the trendy 3-D format, 1995’s “Toy Story” and 1999’s “Toy Story 2” are invading theaters again, this time as a snazzy double feature — a multiplex value meal if you will. This rerelease allows audiences not only a chance to reacquaint themselves with lovable old friends, but also to view the vibrant Pixar-crafted toy world with an extra dimension, refreshing dusty animation with a welcome high-tech polish. 

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