New DVDs: 'Serenity,' 'Robocop' return

Pick of the week: Serenity: Collector's Edition
Dog of the week: The Dark Backward
Two cool movies about our planet's unhinged future get double-disc treatments this week: Joss Whedon's exhilarating "Serentity" and the original ass-stomping "Robocop." Both sets add DTS audio to the mix.

The upgrades in Universal Home Entertainment's "Serenity: Collector's Edition" are mostly in the extra features; the film transfer looks good, just as it did in the previous edition. The set does add a stomping DTS track and a new commentary with the director and some actors (to go along with Whedon's original chat of a few years back).

Fox Home Entertainment's "Robocop: 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition" brings back to market the unrated cut of the sci-fi action film, this time with a new DTS audio track. A trio of new featurettes (on disc 2) provide backup for the extras ported over from MGM's "Trilogy" set of 2004 (disc 1). The film's presentation appears to be the same.

It's the same story with both DVD sets: The new versions make the films more attractive to first-time buyers, but owners of the previous editions should check their fan-pulse before investing again. I'd buy either upgrade for a dollar -- or more.

New and notable:
Broken English (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
Dane Cook: The Lost Pilots(Sony)
The Dark Backward: Special Edition (Sony)
The Ex (aka Fast Track) (Weinstein Company/Genius Products)
Exorcism (Exorcismo) (BCI Eclipse)
House Season 3 (Universal)
House of Games (The Criterion Collection)
The Lives of Others (Sony)
The Milky Way (Criterion)
Perfect Stranger (Sony)
Reel Talent: First Films by Legendary Directors (Fox)
RoboCop 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Fox)
Serenity Collector's Edition (Universal)
South Park: 10th season (Paramount)
'Til Death: The Complete First Season (Sony)
Ugly Betty: The Bettyfied Edition (Disney)

Complete list of today's releases on my pal Harley's site, onvideo.org