Weekend Picks: ‘The Cabin in the Woods,’ ‘The Three Stooges,’ & ‘Lockout’

This weekend's new releases have a behemoth to compete against: "The Hunger Games," poised to dominate the box office in the No. 1 spot for its fourth consecutive weekend.

While "The Cabin in the Woods" has all the right ingredients to be a sleeper hit, even a cult classic, all the buzz its getting may not be enough to propel it to the No. 1 spot out the gates--especially since the film's enjoyment hinges on the secrecy surrounding the plot.

[Related: Find showtimes and tickets for movies near you]

Here is this weekend's breakdown:

The Cabin in The Woods

Rated R for strong bloody horror violence and gore, language, drug use and some sexuality/nudity.

What's the Story?
While I refuse to reveal any spoilers in this movie, I do believe the above rating just sort of did! "Cabin" stars Chris Hemsworth and was written by Joss Whedon--both of whom worked on the upcoming "Avengers" (in theaters on May 4th). "Cabin" has been a film festival hit, eliciting great buzz in the movie geek world. It's a horror film about five friends who—you guessed it—venture out to a cabin in the woods. Eeriness ensues. Keeping your viewing satisfaction in mind, I'll abstain from saying more.

Who Will Dig it?
Horror/thriller buffs and cult film nerds need to see this opening weekend before everyone spoils the secret premise for them!

[Tickets: See when 'Cabin' is playing]

Lockout
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and language including some sexual references.

What's the Story?
Starring Guy Pierce and Maggie Grace (who you may remember from ABC's "Lost"), this sci-fi thriller takes place in a prison floating 50 miles above earth. Considered the world's most dangerous criminals, the prisoners are kept asleep. The president's daughter is in peril after they are unexpectedly awakened, and only a wrongly-convicted government agent can save her.

Who Will Dig It?
With high-octane action sequences, cool special effects, and lots of smelly prisoners, this is a manly film for manly men.

[Tickets: See when 'Lockout' is playing]

The Three Stooges

Rated PG for for slapstick action violence, some rude and suggestive humor including language.

What's the Story?
Larry, Curly and Moe are back... but in present time. Directed by the Farrelly Brothers ("Dumb & Dumber," "Kingpin," "Shallow Hal"), this updated "Three Stooges" aims to be just as asinine... in all the right ways. In the updated misadventure, the Stooges—played by Sean Hayes, Will Sasso and Chris Diamantopoulos—stumble upon fame and a murder plot amid efforts to save their childhood home.

Who Will Dig It?
The teen boys and young men who didn't get enough off-the-wall humor from last weekend's "American Pie" will gain bonus chuckles from "The Three Stooges."

[Tickets: See when 'Stooges' is playing]