DVD releases: Not exactly superbad

If you’re not a fan of Jack Black or cheap horror thrills, you’re not likely to find this a great week of home viewing. The week’s top releases include:

“Year One” : Michael Cera (“Juno,” “Superbad”) and Jack Black (“School of Rock,” “Tropic Thunder”) star as members of a primitive tribe who end up witnessing some of the world’s most pivotal historical moments. This debuted in theaters when I was out of the country and is one of the films that do want to see.

“My Life in Ruins” : I did see this Nia Vardalos film, though I can’t remember where, and to say I was disappointed is giving the film too much credit. Vardalos gaimed fame as the star of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” and this film lamely tries to cast her, again, as the attractive loser who ends up finding the keys to happiness. Among others, Richard Dreyfuss should be ashamed – and be forced to return his Academy Award.

“Imagine That” : It’s hard now to remember that Eddie Murphy once was a comic genius. Remember “Trading Places”? “48 Hrs”? “Beverly Hils Cop”? All the skits he did for “Saturday Night Live”? Here is another of his recent efforts that teams him up with either animals or some cute kid.

“Audition” : It was 10 years ago that I first saw this creepy little modern horror film at the Seattle International Film Festival. Director Takashi Miike tells the story of a mild-mannered Japanese businessman who uses his connections to conduct fake job auditions in search of a woman he can date. The woman he ends up with comes equipped with some fairly big and frightening emotional baggage. Don’t watch this one alone.

“From the East” : Characterized as a “cinematograhic elegy,” this documentary film by Belgian filmmaked Chantal Akerman is told by Akerman’s cameras as she voyages from East Germany to Moscow. The film boasts no dialogue or commentary, just Akerman’s experience of recording “everything that touched me.”

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition” : Disney’s animated classic is now available in Blu-ray.

And, finally, a couple of obligatory horror offerings:

“Staunton Hill” : A group of hikers chance upon the Staunton family, “a depraved, diabolical brood that will stop at nothing to rid their property of ‘trespassers.’ ”

“Trick ’r Treat” : Four interwoven stories tell little tales of horror revolving around Halloween. Ooooooh, kids, scary!

Happy viewing.