Watch what The Rock is cookin’

It’s the end of another week, and that means a new slate of flickage to see at the local cinema. I’ve been a big fan of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for a long time (I lost a LOT of brain cells watching pro wrestling), yet I’m torn on his new family-friendly action movie, “Race to Witch Mountain.” First off, why is there another “Witch Mountain” movie anyway? Oh yeah, because Disney is in the remaking-movies-that-don’t-need-updating business. My bad. Secondly, Johnson looks like the only good thing, as a Vegas cabbie who has to protect a pair of souped-up kiddies from bad guys. Yawn. Maybe a Netflix option down the road. MAYBE.

What’s worse? A remake of a remake, which is what “The Last House on the Left” is. The one thing going for this thriller? Garrett Dillahunt, who — if you’ve seen him on “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” or “Life” — can do creepy really, really well. The artsy crowd may instead go for the documentary “Brothers in War” at the AMC Shirlington in Arlington, director Jade Rademacher’s three-and-a-half-year journey inside the experiences of his two bros serving in Iraq.

As good as this week was in the DVD world, it’s “meh” for next. If superheroes are your thing, “Punisher: War Zone” had iffy reviews and “Rome” star Ray Stevenson as the well-armed vigilante, but you may want to give it a shot. Newly minted Oscar winner Penelope Cruz stars in the indie drama “Elegy,” starring as a college student with a thing for her older professor, Ben Kingsley. Maybe this is the time to update an old favorite in your collection: Blu-ray owners will want to check out the hi-def version of “The Princess Bride.” It’s great, anyway, and just think how cool Andre the Giant looks in 1080p!

What’s on your list to see this week in the movie theater? Let me know in the comments section, and have a great weekend!

Tags: dvd, movies