Earl Brooks may be a serial killer, but he's no abortion proponent.

	Amanda Peet and Zach Braff star in "The Ex," in which she plays a lawyer who tries the life of a full-time mother. Click photo for larger image.

When an unplanned pregnancy is announced in the thriller "Mr. Brooks," Kevin Costner's character says, "There will be no abortion. ... We would love it and cherish it and help you raise it."

True, he uses the pronoun "it," but you get the idea. When it comes to the movies, Hollywood's real-life baby boom is mirrored on screen with a serious case of baby love:

"The Ex" -- Amanda Peet is a married lawyer who gives birth to a boy shortly after this movie opens. She and her husband, a just-fired chef portrayed by Zach Braff, move to her Ohio hometown, and she tries the life of full-time mother, complete with a mommy and baby group.

"Shrek the Third" -- Fiona may be ready for the pitter-patter of little feet, but Shrek doubts he will be a good father. His dad was a "real ogre," after all.

After learning Fiona is pregnant, Shrek has nightmares about baby vomit that spews with the force of a firehose, and a combustible mix of crawling, crying babies and knives, matches and other dangerous objects.

In the end, Shrek turns into a dandy dad, which is good because DreamWorks honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg told an Australian newspaper recently there will be two more sequels.

"Waitress" -- Wife and diner waitress Keri Russell is not afflicted with baby fever. Quite the opposite.

When Jenna discovers she's pregnant (the result of an ill-advised drunken night with Earl, her loutish husband), she creates something called, "I Don't Want Earl's Baby Pie," a quiche of egg and brie cheese with a smoked ham center.

And then there's the "Baby Screaming Its Head Off in the Middle of the Night and Ruining My Life Pie," which is a New York-style cheesecake with brandy-brushed pecans and nutmeg. The "Pregnant Miserable Self-Pitying Loser Pie" is lumpy oatmeal with fruitcake mashed in. Flambe, of course.

(Spoiler alert: Stop reading if you plan to see the movie.)

When the baby arrives, however, Jenna instantly is transformed and finds a reserve of strength that's tougher than an overbaked pie crust.

"Knocked Up" -- The raunchy title says it all. Yes, Katherine Heigl is a long way from that covered wagon in "Love Comes Softly" and "Love's Enduring Promise," based on the Janette Oke books.

Here, a night of drunken celebration and some confusion about condom use results in unplanned pregnancy. She and the father, played by Seth Rogen, field advice about whether she should have the baby or pursue another option, such as an abortion. A relative says, "This is a mistake," and mentions a stepsister in similar straits who "had it taken care of and now has a real baby."

If you doubt the pro-life stance of "Knocked Up," you need only watch the credits that roll along with dozens of photos of newborns.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" makes a bid for a new generation, and the prospect of a child provides a measure of consolation for the widowed, pregnant Mariane Pearl in "A Mighty Heart," coming later this month.