Capsule reviews of current local movies. Opinions are by Los Angeles Times reviewers. Ratings by the Motion Picture Association of America are: (G) for general audiences; (PG) parental guidance urged because of material possibly unsuitable for children; (PG-13) parents are strongly cautioned to give guidance for attendance of children younger than 13; (R) restricted, younger than 17 admitted only with parent or adult guardian; (NC-17) no one younger than 17 admitted.

One Missed Call — People begin receiving cellphone calls that broadcast their final moments, and it's up to a traumatized woman (Shannyn Sossamon) and a police detective (Edward Burns) to solve the mystery before they get calls themselves. With Ana Claudia Talancon, Ray Wise and Margaret Cho. Screenplay by Andrew Klavan, based on a story by Miwako Daira and Yasushi Akimoto. PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and terror, frightening images, some sexual material and thematic elements.

''Alvin and the Chipmunks'' — Don't call it a comeback. The Chipmunks, those high-frequency crooners of yore, hardly ever went away — they released music and videos right up through 2004. Now the rambunctious rodents are the latest franchise to get a reboot, bouncing and warbling through multiplexes in ''Alvin and the Chipmunks,'' a live-action/computer-generated holiday movie aimed straight at kids. And, dang it, the little animated rodents are cute. Not as cute as the uber-rendered daemons of ''The Golden Compass,'' but they'll do. (1:31) PG for some mild rude humor.

''Charlie Wilson's War'' — This is the wrong movie at the wrong time. Not only does it tell its tale in a style that feels dated and artificial, its story of how American aid helped free Afghanistan from the Soviets also focuses on events that history has overtaken. Not even the combined star power of Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, writer Aaron Sorkin and director Mike Nichols can do anything about that. (1:34) R for strong language, nudity/sexual content and some drug use.

''Enchanted'' — This is one film that lives up to its name. An adroit combination of wised-up and happily-ever-after, its story of an animation princess thrust into New York's gritty reality gently mocks the mighty Disney fantasy machine without losing the core of the franchise's family appeal. Amy Adams is as good as it gets in the princess role. (1:47) PG for some scary images and mild innuendo.

''The Golden Compass'' — The first of the novels in Philip Pullman's landmark ''His Dark Materials'' trilogy, about an alternate England where souls manifest themselves as creatures and a mysterious group plots to control the world, is turned by writer-director Chris Weitz into a formidable piece of craftsmanship, as some 1,100 effects shots are used to create a physical world that has the ability to take your breath away. The voice of Ian McKellen as a fighting bear is the icing on the cake. (1:54) PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence.

''I Am Legend'' — This film is ostensibly based on Richard Matheson's much-adapted 1958 science-fiction novel about a last man on Earth living among vampires, but the latest version, written and produced by Akiva Goldsman, directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Will Smith, has a lot more in common with Danny Boyle's ''28 Days Later.'' In fact, ''Legend'' is ''28 Days'' on steroids. Or on Hollywood, which amounts to the same thing. A doomsday scenario wrought by scientists trying to cure cancer (those meddling do-gooders), the movie imagines an apocalypse in the form of a genetically engineered virus that mutates and turns the world's population into zombies. (1:40) PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence

''Juno'' — Ellen Page plays a pregnant teen who tries to find the right set of adoptive parents for her unborn baby in this seriocomic tale from writer Diablo Cody and director Jason Reitman. With Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner and Allison Janney. PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content and language.

 ''P.S. I Love You'' — A young widow gets some unexpected assistance in coping with her husband's untimely death. With Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Gina Gershon and Lisa Kudrow. Written by Richard LaGravenese and Steven Rogers, based upon the novel by Cecelia Ahern. Directed by LaGravenese. PG-13 for sexual references and brief nudity.

''Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' — Director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp team for the sixth time in an adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical about a murderous London barber. R for graphic bloody violence.

''The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep'' — This enchanting tale of friendship and evolving relationships engagingly grafts coming-of-age movie chestnuts onto a Scottish folk tale. Though most of the narrative won't surprise anyone who has seen ''E.T. The Extraterrestrial'' or numerous similar stories, director Jay Russell and screenwriter Robert Nelson Jacobs create a realistic world where the fantastical is credible. (1:51) PG.