Cool News
More Reviews From The SERENITY 35 (Including A Totally Objective One From The Author of That New SERENITY Book)!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
I am – Hercules!!
First. An excellent article in The Weekly Standard looks at what’s going on with all these nutty, early “Serenity” screenings.
Second. Ain’t It Cool’s sexy new webmaster Doc Falken - who, last I heard, was crawling the walls in anticipation of seeing “Serenity” (unlike some AIC staffers I could think of) - happened upon this nifty interview with “Serenity” writer-director and all-around boss dude Joss Whedon.
On to the reviews. NOTE PLEASE: FROM THIS POINT FORWARD? HUGE, UNINVISOTEXTED SPOILERS ABOUND. When I saw “Bones” bone last night’s version of “Serenity” this morning (so horrified by what he witnessed, “Bones” managed to draft his review before anyone else’s!), I had to assume Joss had somehow visited a fierce buggering upon the movie since its May 26 version screened. But the folks who waited just a little while longer to write in? They kinda seem just as happy with the new adventures of Mal, Kaylee, River, Inara and Jayne as most of the earlier reviewers! Huh!
Still, we should have discarded this particular review, as it was contributed by Robert B. Taylor, one of the fellers who wrote “Finding Serenity: Anti-Heroes, Lost Shepherds and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon's Firefly”
. Is it cool that he helped write a book by that title without having seen the movie earlier than this? I vote NO! It is not cool. Still, we foolishly publish his take – in which he declares, “If you enjoy smart science-fiction, you’ll like this movie” - for the record:
Hey Herc,
So another round of Serenity advance screenings, another round of reviews? I figured I’d submit one, as I caught the movie in Pittsburgh on Thursday. A Whedon devotee, I am well-versed in the world of Firefly having written an essay called “The Captain May Wear the Tight Pants, but It’s the Gals Who Make Serenity Soar” for the book “Finding Serenity,” which you’ve been so graciously hawking at the site.
Bottom line: If you enjoy smart science-fiction, you’ll like this movie. And if you were a fan of Firefly, you should LOVE this movie.
I’ll tiptoe around the spoilers and won’t bog this thing down with plot details. Not that it matters, since, like all of Joss Whedon’s work, this movie is more about characters than it is plot. Oh, sure, there’s a nice thematic throughline about protecting free will and human individuality at all costs, but the emotion of the story comes from Captain Mal Reynolds and his crew, not from any MacGuffin that drives the story.
Serenity is not a science-fiction film in the vein of Star Wars. It’s not epic. It’s not structured around mythic archetypes. Instead, if I had to compare Whedon’s first big-screen effort to another well-regarded outer space yarn, I’d equate it to Aliens, another movie about how a diverse group of people react when their backs are to the wall. After all, both Ripley and her marines and Mal and his crew are stalked by ruthless, shadowy killers. The step from the aliens to the Reavers is not a large one. Both have a female action lead. Both share a skeptical view on big government and/or greedy corporations. And, honestly, can’t Adam Baldwin’s Jayne be a distant cousin to Bill Paxton’s Hudson? (Maybe none of this comes as a shock given Joss’ rather notorious involvement in the Alien series.)
Serenity is joyfully thrilling, often hilarious, and occasionally moving. The Reavers also offer up a few good scares. I believe my butt even left the seat on one occasion. Whedon remains the master at mixing genres. The version we saw Thursday seemed to be almost complete. No placeholder scenes. The strong F/X looked mostly finished. About the only thing missing was end credits. (The music even seemed very Firefly-esque, what with the rootsy acoustic guitar, and I didn't recognize any of the themes from elsewhere. So were parts of this the actual score? I'm honestly not sure, but I wouldn’t bet against it.)
The cast stands out, which will be no surprise to anyone who’s ever watched the show. Baldwin is still knocking one-liners out of the park as the ship’s token wiseass. (A running gag about his tendency to overdo it on the weaponry … especially his fondness for a good supply of grenades … earns big smiles.) Joss often says Malcolm Reynolds is his Han Solo, and Nathan Fillion has that same rascally twinkle in his eye that Harrison Ford did back in '77. Yes, he’s slightly grumpier at the beginning of the movie than he was at the end of the TV series. But the man’s got to have an interesting character arc, and Fillion pulls it off nicely. Summer Glau cuts a mighty fine action-hero pose. The big new addition to – Chiwetel Ejiofor as The Operative – is a successful one. His merciless, government-employed assassin easily ranks among the Fireflyverse’s great villains.
Heading into the movie, I was aware that most Internet grumbling about the movie was directed at the movie’s two BDDs (Big Damn Deaths), although I was unaware which characters bought the farm until last night. I assure you, neither is as jarring as some would have you believe. The first is not surprising at all, being the deceased is probably the most expendable person in Joss’ large cast. His death is noble and organically fits with the story. The second BDD – the more controversial one – is, I will admit, a bit sudden. Not Anya-in-the-Buffy-series-finale sudden, mind you. But sudden none the less. And, yes, it seems the crew recovers a tad quickly from said character’s demise. But his death does actually serve a point in the movie by confirming that Reavers are not something you want to mess with, and by movie’s end, proper enough tribute is given to his passing.
Honestly, the only real problem with the movie (from a fan’s perspective) is that it constantly forces you to say to yourself, “Damn this is cool … but just think of how much cooler it would have been if Joss had five years to tell this story instead of two hours!” When Firefly fans say they aren’t pleased with Serenity, I’m pretty sure they’re not considering the concessions that must be made when fitting such a massively rich universe into a two-hour movie. As a result, some characters are glossed over, and the general public might find themselves sporadically lost. (If you were a Firefly newbie and watched this movie, I don’t think you’d even know that Inara was a prostitute.) The Reavers are fierce and frightening but still more of a “token movie menace” than they would have been if their mythology could have been slowly revealed over the course of several seasons. And, yes, I’m sure the deaths of beloved characters could have been handled much more to everyone’s liking if Joss had hours and hours to devote to such a painful loss instead of Serenity’s final 20 minutes.
Well, he didn’t. Fox gave up the show, and this is what we got in instead. Well, I’ll take it … and not just as a consolation prize. I’ll take it as a brilliant and charming bit of sci-fi from a first-time movie director. (Consider that for a moment. It’s a fact that is being overlooked since Joss is treated as a fanboy deity. But this is his first time working on a project of this scale, and he handles it deftly.) I’ll take it as a more-than-worthy expansion of a wonderful, little show that didn’t get enough time or support to find its audience. And, hopefully, I’ll one day be able to take it as the rip-roaring first act of a successful sci-fi trilogy.
If you’re a sci-fi fan, ignore the hype. Ignore the backlash. Ignore all that nonsense. Just go see it and judge the movie on its own strengths. Because there are many. And anyone who says otherwise isn’t really looking.
“Novagrass,” who – as far as I know – has written no “Serenity” books, labels the movie “one of the coolest movies I've seen. Ever.”:
Hi. This will be my second review for this site… both of which have
been Firefly related in some way. Way back before the show premiered,
I got a screener copy of the pilot, also titled Serenity. And my
review, published in the coax news section, was super-effusive. Now
I'm back with a review for the other incarnation of Serenity… but
first some background.
Yes, I am a fan of Firefly. So, I am not unbiased. I wish I could
be, but I can't. That said, I'm also a giant movie geek. And a
Dramatic Writing student at NYU… just so you understand how
pretentious and film-snobby I can be. And I'd say, if I really got
down to it, my movie-geekiness outweighs my Firefly-geekiness. That
said, I'll try to review in a movie geek kind of way.
I honestly believe Serenity is one of the coolest movies I've seen.
Ever. And I'll tell you why.
It is unabashedly innovative. It's like there was a creative valve in
the heads of each force behind this movie, a valve with the pressure
building, gradually increasing in intensity. And here, with this
movie, that creative valve has gone up flipped out exploded and
produced something new, something beautiful. Everyone from Production
Designer, Barry Chusid, to Director of Photography, Jack Green, work
to create an incredible visual world for these characters… a world
that is beautiful and dirty and broken. What's really cool is that
since Whedon has been creating really intricate and ornate visual
worlds for quite some time now, with a very small WB/UPN sized budget,
when given $50m to create something bigger… the team really soars. It
reminds me of people like Peter Jackson, who were making these
micro-budget horror films for so long, scrimping and saving, trying to
get the most out of a buck, so when they're given their mega-budgets
they still use that economy, and end up creating something really
remarkable. (And If anything, Serenity proves that you don't need a
Lucas-sized cash surplus to create great special effects, because what
Zoic has produced here, well, it's almost as good as anything in ROTS,
in some places better because the creative team still has a zeal about
them that imbues everything with a very powerful energy.)
The visual style of Serenity is really a strange amalgam of flashy 70s
American expressionism, Altman-esque fluidity (there is a beautiful,
like 3 minute long, tracking shot that moves from steady cam to
hand-held in one gorgeous, long single take, that introduces us to
each of the initial primary characters and the environment of the ship
itself), Western grit, and in places a kind of Croneberg/Lynchian
surrealism. If anything, Whedon here has succeeded most in elevating
this from the limits of TV to real big epic huge movie. No one can
fault this for looking "too TV." If they do, they've just got an axe
to grind.
I'm really not going to address much of the story here because others
have done that to death. The only thing I'm going to talk about is a
certain death. Others have been whining about how they didn't feel
enough for X-character's death. The film doesn't have a schmaltzy "oh
you're dead I'm so sorry… don't die don't die" cliché tear jerky
situation. A scene like that is not in line with the theme of the
movie. This movie is about people who have a lot of shit happen to
them, but keep on moving regardless. Pain is a part of their lives…
and to dwell on it damages everyone (though, that's not to say they
don't react. The most certainly do react). It's about moving on.
And that's what they do. The death works very gracefully, very
elegantly, and those who are angered by it, most likely, are angered
because they're sad X-character had to die, not because it doesn't
work for the story.
I wish I could say I went into this unbiased. But I can't. And no
one who has seen the series can. Which means they can't guess how a
larger audience will react to this movie. It is impossible because
they can't become someone who hasn't seen the show, cared about the
characters. The thing I worry about is that people won't care enough
about the characters to care about the story and what happens in it.
But in all reality, I have no idea how well Whedon sets them up, if he
makes the audience care. Maybe he does, I really hope he does, but
there is the . There's no way I can tell. No way any fan can tell.
Otherwise, it's awesome. It really is. It's an action movie at
heart, but it's also a comedy, a romance, a western, a space opera, a
character drama, a political yarn, and, believe it or not, a zombie
movie. It's got something for everyone, and while other movies claim
that they "have everything!", this movie IS everything. It doesn't
just go through the motions of these genres, it becomes them. And it
succeeds just about always.
“AnnaMorfick" says, "as sure as I know anything, I know this... SERENITY is one kickass film.":
Hey guys. I had the good fortune to see SERENITY last night in CT; it was my second time seeing the film. I attended the previous screening in Boston and you guys were good enough to post my review. Well now I'm askin' more of you, than I have before. I'm asking you to post my new review. Because as sure as I know anything, I know this... SERENITY is one kickass film.
(No major spoilers in here.) First off, the print. WOW! Unless my memory is really bad, last night's print looked AND sounded like a completely different movie. Lighting, effects, everything just seemed much more polished. I did find that the first half of the film looked better than the second half. Could be that's as far as they've gotten thus far in cleaning it up. There seemed to be less filler music this time around, but I could be mistaken. The first time we see Serenity (the ship), it's entering atmo to land on the planet below... the music here is awesome. Very Firefly-ish. I don't recall hearing that piece last time, but I loved it last night. (One of my chief complaints last time was that SERENITY wasn't Firefly-ish enough.) There were lots of scenes completely devoid of background music, or so it seemed. Didn't bother me a whit, because the action and drama here is plenty intense to stand on its own. Also, I don't remember seeing the actor credits on-screen last time during Mal's stumble through the ship. They looked very slick.
OK stop reading after this sentence if you're nervous about spoilers - I loved this film, a lot more than I did last time, and I think it's going to make a much bigger splash than the droves of Whedon naysayers will admit.............. still with me? OK. I just want to comment on a few goods and bads and then I'll be on my merry.
First, the goods. There are many of them. The effects look great. Having only just seen Star Wars III last week, it's incredible the difference between Sith's green screen-o-rama and SERENITY's subtlety. Like the show, exterior shots dart around and go out of focus, as if we're watching actual aerial photography. Nothing and I mean NOTHING in this film screams CGI.
This is River's movie, no doubt about it and Summer Glau is just amazing. She shimmers in this role and I fully expect her to become a household name before too long. In one shiny moment: she gets a Buffy-esque reveal shot that had the entire audience cheering. Great stuff.
The same goes for Nathan Fillion. Though I think Whedon hardened Mal a little more than I would have liked, and didn't show enough of his softie side, Mr. Fillion does his best work to date in this film. Adam Baldwin (looking mighty trim) is a joy to behold as Jayne. Ron Glass is phenomenal as Book but oh how I wish he'd had more screen time. His role here is great through and critical to the plot. And finally the humor. I complained last time that the film wasn't as light-hearted as the TV series. In point of fact, that is very true. It's a heavy, serious and sometimes shocking film. But there is also some of Whedon's funniest stuff in here and some of River's facial expressions alone are worth the price of admission. Several weeks of reflection have brought me to a different place re: the film's tone. Last night I completely embraced its darkness and loved every minute of it.
Now for the bads. The opening sequence re: Simon and River left me somewhat uneasy last time. Last night, I liked it better. However, I'm still not crazy about Simon's character in the film. SERENITY's Simon is a far cry from the frail and uppity Simon of Firefly. He doesn't have too much to do in the film, but the dynamic between him and the rest of the crew is just different. I don't want to say bad (granted we're in the "bad" section of this review), because it worked in the film. And it doesn't hurt the film. It's just a mild shock to the system when you're used to him behaving a certain way and SERENITY casts Simon in a different light.
Wash and Zoe. Last time, I thought one could leave the film and not even know that these two were married. After last night, I think my criticism still applies, but to a lesser extent. I picked up on some dialogue and body language I had missed last time. But it's subtle. Their marriage on Firefly was a perfectly crafted thing. The fighting, the love, the need for each other. That's not as evident in SERENITY, but it's there if you know to look for it. The same could be said of Inara. Blink and you might miss her. Which is unfortunate. There is however one great (albeit brief) exchange with Mal that was pitch perfect. I'm really hoping we get a sequel because Mr. Whedon has shaken the chess board and the players are now arranged quite differently. I really want to see where we go from here.
In closing, I think SERENITY is perhaps Whedon's finest hour(s). This film is at times hilarious, at times brutal but there was not a single moment I wasn't captivated and entertained. And in the end, isn't that what it's all about? Mr. Whedon is asking, "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!" Yes sir. Completely sir. Bravo!
“Darth Homercles” says: “I drove for four hours to get to the Aventura Mall and gladly drove for four hours back home. This movie was well worth the trip!”:
I just returned from the Miami screening of SERENITY. I drove for four hours to get to the Aventura Mall and gladly drove for four hours back home. This movie was well worth the trip!
I'm sure you're getting flooded with other reviews, and in the interest of not repeating past reviews, I'm going to try to keep my reaction short and sweet.
STRONG POINTS
This movie is funnier than I thought it would be. There were one-liners and reactions that absolutely had me floored. None of the humor was cheap or stupid, however. It was all within character and it never took away from the drama and suspense of the film.
Nathan Fillion kicks ass! He reminded me of a harder edged ndiana Jones in this movie, if that makes any sense. He takes a licking and keeps on ticking! Much humor and angst was provided by one Mal Reynolds. I think Fillion is going to get a lot of film offers after SERENITY is released.
Summer Glau really shined in this movie. She could be frail and scared and also stone cold and deadly. She balanced both well. And River vs. the Reavers . . . *wow*
The plot wasn't anything mind blowing, but FIREFLY was never about plot: it was about characters. And each and every character has at least one moment to shine in this film. No one was left out in the cold. They all had their place and served their purpose well. I especially liked Jayne and Kaylee in this movie. I especially wish that there was more Kaylee!
This movie isn't built around action, but it has plenty of it. The fights were quick and dirty. The chases fast and furious. Everyone takes a bit of a beating in this film, which made the stakes seem all the higher. A couple of times during the film I turned to my buddy and wondered aloud if anyone was going to make it out of this movie alive!
The antagonist assassin guy was cool and calculating. He and Mal were like two sides of the same coin. Except Mal has a conscience whereas the assassion guy doesn't. "I don't murder children." "I do." Yikes. What I really liked about him was that, even if you didn't agree with his actions, you could understand his perspective on things and see why he was doing the terrible things he was doing. This wasn't a black hat. It was a black hat with shades of gray, which I liked.
The visuals for the most part were up to snuff. I noticed a couple of off kilter shots towards the end, but I figure it'll be fixed come release time. There wasn't much of a music score, so I can't comment on that.
BTW, did I mention the REAVERS?!
WEAK POINTS
I thought Simon should have been a little more prominent than he was, considering his relationship to River and Mal. I don't know if there are any extra scenes lying around that can beef his presence up a little (especially in the middle section), but maybe something can be reinserted. Also, I think the tether between him and Kaylee needs tightening a little. It's a bit oose and I can see where someone who isn't familiar with their history can get a little confused.
Speaking of history, there was a little history rewriting in this movie. Not a big deal, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the movie, but purists may scratch their heads. I think Whedon pushed a little hard for a happy ending. There's a gag at the end, while funny, that should probably be cut so the film ends on more of a dramatic note. Also, the gathering at the end to lay some fallen soldiers to rest could have been a bit more prominent. It was there, it served its purpose, but it didn't really carry the weight it should have. The loss of life should be more than acknowledged. It should be felt.
The plot concerning Miranda, while not bad, didn't exactly wow me either. It was interesting, and probably would have made for some good TV, but as a big reveal in a movie . . . not so much.
Maybe the fact that we didn't really see any effects of the incident afterwards plays a part in my feeling on this. We're told some stuff, bla bla bla, but we're not shown. It doesn't feel like victory. It's more like a small win. Maybe it is. I don't know. It just didn't seem like much of a climax.
Don't let my last sentence fool you: the climax of this film is pretty thrilling and suspenseful. It's just that the importance and the effect of the Miranda plot didn't really hit home. It could be a case of diminished expectations regarding River's story, but it seemed odd to me that the primary reason the Alliance was after her was because of a piece of info she had locked in her brain. The fact that she was lobotomized and turned into living weapon seemed to have no bearing. I hope this can maybe be addressed before the final release. It's not enough to sink the movie, but it's a bit of a headscratcher.
Finally, the editing seems a little loose, especially in parts of the middle. Actually, the first act seems a little too tight; there's not much breathing room. I wouldn't mind a couple of minutes of getting our feet wet in the first act to help keep the different environments and people straight.
CONCLUSION
Okay, so I have a wacky definition of "short and sweet," but I tried. Overall, I would give this film an A-. The weak points I listed above are questions and concerns I had coming out of the movie, but none of it is enough to sink the movie for me.
If some of those concerns are addressed I'm sure this very good film could become a great treat. I have no clue how this is going to play to the uninitiated. I had a blast because of my knowledge of this universe and the people in it. I don't know if much of the humor and drama would work without knowing a little history beforehand. I hope I'm wrong. I want this movie to be a success. I really enjoyed it and any fans of FIREFLY should. Let's just hope the rest of the country agrees!
Were Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader two different people in the early drafts of “The Empire Strikes Back”? All is revealed in The Annotated Screenplays (Star Wars, Episodes IV-VI)
Look! A new book co-edited by big-deal "Buffy"-"Firefly"-"Gilmore Girls"-"The Inside" TV writer Jane Espenson. She introduces each of the essays, and the whole book besides:
Finding Serenity: Anti-Heroes, Lost Shepherds and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon's Firefly
Now that you know how it ends, look for clues in the old episodes!! Lost: The Complete First Season on DVD!!
-
+ Expand All
-
I can't wait to see the movie. I just hope it appeals to movie goers unfamiliar with Firefly
-
...good in some ways but bad in others. I like when a character is just blatantly snuffed out instead of a whole lot of drawn out Jimmy Smits/NYPD Blue type crap or the one giant noble sacrifice to save everyone like Data in Nemisis. Trek did better when they killed off Tasha Yar. Land on a planet like we've done a thousand times before... WHOA! She's dead! Deal with it later... we got a villain to deal with. They would have dealt with the aftermath of Anya's death more if it wasn't the finale, but it did seem hollow as Xander should have just broke down, instead of somewhat casually brushing it off and making a joke seconds later. Serenity didn't deal with it as you may think it should, but it is the MOVIE, not the SHOW, so there is only so much time to cover things. Plus, as fans we relate more to the character, average movie goers will just see the character as "that one crew member who got impaled."
-
Ok I'm gonna say it one more time.....I loved Firefly but this film, while a great ride, has way too many plot holes that just don't get resolved. Maybe in another film this would be fine, but not in a Joss piece. If someone has an answer for these let me know. 1. How the hell do the mindless zombie-like Reavers get it together enough to fly their ships? 2. Why didn't they wipe out the rest of the planet when they went mad? 3. Why doesn't the Alliance wipe em out and re-terraform the planet so there's no evidence? 4. Why aren't Mal's pants tighter? I'm serious about the first three.
-
I can't seem to get an answer. Pant, pant. Must have theme song. Argh. Skewer me dingus.
-
I think balancing the Serenity pimping with some Diana goodness would be a great thing. How about a list of your top 5 actress picks?
-
I was at the screening of Serenity in Indianapolis. The print we saw DID NOT have The Ballad of Serenity a.k.a. the Firefly theme song. I don't know if the music in the movie was the final score, but if it was then the theme wasn't in the movie. Like someone mentioned, the end credits were not shown so maybe they will play The Ballad of Serenity sometime during the end credits.
-
Has it changed since May?
-
The orchestra played "Happy Birthday" for Joss. So, no, the music for Thursday night's screenings was temp, as they say.
-
Put the song in! Put the song in! Over the closing credits would be fine.
-
1. How the hell do the mindless zombie-like Reavers get it together enough to fly their ships? They aren
-
No, the theme song is not in the film
-
Everyone on the planet stopped doing anything and then died giving the Reavers at least three days to have a nice buffet. C'mon, the reavers they show in the movie don't exactly act like they are up to doing anything but screaming "BRAINS". I'm just saying it would take all of 3 seconds to do a shot of a reaver captain of some sort. I'll give ya number 3 but just barely...it would seem a nice planet might offshoot the cost they would eventually pay.
-
Favourite moments in the show were when Mal told Simon that Kaylee was dead in the pilot (and the aftermath of that small dialogue). That was the moment when I fell in love with the show and yikes did I really type that? I need a girlfriend. Also, I liked the River kills three bad guys within in second-bit in Warstories. Fucking brilliant. SERENITY NOW!
-
The threads on both these movies really bring out the best in people...
-
Seriously. To Whedon's cult members he could make a whole movie of SMG doing weak circle kicks and cracking out smart-ass one-liners, and they'd be thrilled. How does it stand up to people who aren't halfway up Whedon's ass?
-
There have been a lot of non-fans dragged along this time. You can even read about their reactions on fan boards, but some of them need to be talked into writing a review for this site.
But there are a couple of blogs, like http://www.drewprops.com/mt-weblog/turbo.php4
If you can be bothered to register at the official site or just reade the reviews at whedonesque (trusting that they won't just keep all the negative reactions a secret) you would get the impression that even most non-fans liked it. -
Jun 25, 2005 4:53:49 AM CDT
Am I the only Firefly fan who has not yet seen Serenity?
by spectrebeeyatch
I need a screening pass badly.
-
... and totally freaked out. It's even being released on her birthday, so I can take her as a present. I am sooo getting layed on Sept. 30th. Wait a minute, that's a long way off... DAMN YOU JOSS WHEDEN!!!!
-
Naaah. You can't spoil this film, that implies that there is something there to spoil.
-
There's rumblings that the actor to play Joker has been chosen, and that actor is Paddy Considine. The guy who starred in and co-wrote Dead Man's Shoes among others, I think it's fucking genius casting myself.
-
Firefly always came off like a low-rent Cowboy Bebop anyway.
-
Jun 25, 2005 7:52:11 AM CDT
Hmm, I have most of the series there that I haven't seen.
by scrumdiddly
Just gave up on it, it had no potential, very few stories to tell, fuzzy narrative and uninteresting characters. But then, I find "old west" stuff absolutely mind-numbing.
-
Thanks for running my review. Just to make you aware, however -- no one who contributed to "Finding Serenity" had seen any of the movie before writing (with the possible exceptions of Keith DeCandido, who is writing the novelization; Jewel Staite ... um, obviously; and, one presumes, Jane Espenson). All of our essays were due late last year before the first edit of the "Serenity" was even complete. Jane even says in her introduction -- "The authors of the essays in this book haven't seen the film." SO QUIT BUSTING MY BALLS! Oh, and don't listen to the whiners in TalkBack. One of Aint' It Cool's mission statements has always been to push great little movies on a public that might otherwise miss them. Serenity is one of those movies.
-
Jun 25, 2005 8:06:18 AM CDT
So, I introduced to Firefly. He purchased tickets to a screening
by negative man
Seriously... I don't know to be happy there is another convert or Hulk-style mad that I still have to wait until September... Please advise me to 'Chill or Kill'...
-
Jun 25, 2005 8:09:32 AM CDT
Er...So, I introduced A FRIEND to Firefly... Man, I must be blin
by negative man
-
AnnaMorfick -- Yeah, our audience exploded with applause as well when River strikes her Buffy pose. That seems to be the big cheer-worthy moment in the movie. Summer Glau is quite fantastic in this film.
-
"Yeah, our audience exploded with applause as well when River strikes her Buffy pose. That seems to be the big cheer-worthy moment in the movie".
No offense intended, but this is the kind of thing that has Non-Whedonites collectively putting our fingers down the back of the throat and vowing to avoid this film at all costs. -
Any other reviewers want to compare Nathan to Harrison Ford? No? 2600AD you're entitled to your opinon but Anne Rice fans? Why? Because there's vampires in it? I'll stop ending everything in a question I swear But you're way off there. In fact I'd call Spike the anti-Anne Rice vampire, Angel.. hmm, maybe, at times, in the beginning he's all lace and manners but come home Angelus and you've got something else, vampires who really don't give a fuck about romance and would rather tear off your head than quote you Byron. Also comparing Firefly to enterprise is cause for a major flaming war with fans (of both series no doubt) dramatically different shows.
-
Chewbacca? I always considered Jayne to be the likeable rogue archetype of the group. Mal reminded me of . . . well Mal. His moral compass seemed to skew to the side of idealism more than his words would suggest. Jayne on the other hand, always skewed to Jayne. Someone want to help me out on this? I'm missing this whole Solo/Mal thing?
-
I jokingly called it a "Buffy pose." I would by no means say River was "imitating" Buffy. HOWEVER, she does indeed assume a I-just-kicked-some-serious-ass stance while holding a hatchet aftering slaughtering a bunch of Reavers. So, yeah, in as much as she's a chick who just disposed of a myriad of baddies with pointy weapons ... that does happen. And the crowd went crazy about it in my theater. Of course, based on where Firefly was going, it seemed like this is the place Joss was trying to take River to all along. To me, it fits perfectly with the Fireflyverse (and makes for a a great scene), although I will admit that it could invite some "Joss is going back to the Buffy well" arguments ... FOR JUST THAT ONE SCENE. This movie is NOT about River kicking ass for two hours. She gets two scenes of it, including the one with the big finale.
-
Yes, I did enjoy the show, but not to the point of obsession. I think I may have been the most average person at the screening I attended, short of having never seen the show or disliking ALL that's Whedon-related.
I thought the film was good, BUT...
It still doesn't quite feel like a large scale movie event to me. It simply feels like a great season finale.
Not to say, folks unfamiliar with Firefly won't enjoy it. It's quick-paced and engrossing enough to keep folks' attention. I just hope whatever additions they make, sharpen the quality enough to make it theater worthy. If that makes sense.
Of course, most folks at the screenings will give in to over-the-top hyperbole. Those people ARE the obsessed fans who have seen it multiple times, wear costumes, and worship at Whedon's alter. AND...they contribute to overall feel at the screenings themselves. The laughter, jumps, "oh's" and "ah's" are that much bigger (or simply exist in the first place) than they would be at a regular screening... I think what needs to happen is a screening where the passes are given away randomly, with no idication of what the movie is.
THEN we'd see what kind of movie, on it's own merits, this is and then perhaps, correct the true issues it has without regard to fandom pandering...Yeah, I said it.
I think the pre-announced screenings need to stop, in favor of the above. The one thing I will say is, if they do start doing random unannounced screenings, the one aspect I hope isn't changed is clarification for those not observant enough to "get things".
For example, when the first reviewer says: "(If you were a Firefly newbie and watched this movie, I don -
Jun 25, 2005 1:19:23 PM CDT
Has the studio decided to put this straight to DVD yet? If not,
by swarmy
Nobody is going to see this movie. Nobody.
-
1. I've heard fans complaining that Simon's rescue of River in the movie contradicts what Simon says about it in the series. It doesn't. The underground group most likely helped him gain access to River in the first place and once he rescued her, he couldn't freely roam the streets of a core world where they were looking for her so he had the same group put her in cryo and ship her to him in the seedy section of the world, where he then caught a ride on Serenity. 2. Some are bewildered by the fact that the Alliance was only after River for the secret she discovered about the Reavers' origins but there's more to it than that. Remember the "two by two, hands of blue" fellows from the series? They worked for the Blue Sun corporation and they were the ones conducting the experiments on River. The Alliance is in bed with the Blue Sun, as seen in the episode "Ariel" where the Alliance feds defer to the "blue hands" (and later are slaughtered by them). I suspect Blue Sun is still very much after River.
-
joe public ain't gonna give a monkeys about Serenity...B.O. is gonna stink guys...
-
Serenity, as seen in the movie, has had some modifications made to it since the series. The reason: they finally sold the antique laser pistol they stole in the episode "Trash".
-
Nick reviewed the Firefly DVD set for CHUD and, suprisingly, he didn't think much of the it. Now with that tidbit in mind, here's what he had to say about Serenity on his message board, "Pretty good little flick."
-
Sorry about that.
-
Jun 25, 2005 3:36:08 PM CDT
So I read the Weekly Standard article and this non-Firefly fan (
by bocozero
I'm totally intregued. The article's comparisons to a mature level Star Wars are interesting... Except I've seen Joss Whedon television before, and I was not impressed. Which isn't to say that it's crap, etc. I can tell that its youthful, pop cultural self-referencing will appeal to a select group of fans. Whedon clearly makes quality shows that treat their subject matter with respect. I just found the storylines and the dialogue for Angel/Buffy/Firefly..... rather dorky. I remember wanting to like Buffy, but it was just so UPN/WB hip sitcom America to me. And that guarantees that anything Whedon does, if it's like this, can never touch the worldwide appeal of something like Star Wars ("bad dialogue" and all), and it's not just because people didn't tune in or Fox doesn't give it an chance or whatnot......... I would be happy if this movie proved me wrong, however, and what I'm thinking of is Whedon's Teen TV style of work.....
-
I have a friend who doesn't really like Buffy (doesn't hate it, either...just doesn't get into it) and she fell head over heels for Firefly. I think SERENITY is definitely about "grown ups" -- gone is the witty teen banter and adolescent dramatizations of really adult stuff. I love BUFFY, it'll probably always be my favorite. But that said, I think SERENITY is definitely different. I've been lucky enough to see two of the US screenings, and it's great. I don't think it'll compete with STAR WARS or anything, because as countless reviewers have said, it's not functioning on the epic level. (though, I have to say, it IS epic when one looks beneath the surface! ) It's altogether a very realistic, sci-fi movie -- and by that I mean, it's a bleak look at what the future could look like. The lefty in me even wants to draw comparisons to current political topics, but I won't, because that would be...er...heavyhanded. ;) I'll just say this -- it's definitely for grownups.
-
I can hold out until the next TREK incarnation.
-
Angel season 5, Wesley, dead. Gunn dying as the credits rolled. Fred, dead never coming back. Cordelia, already dead. Yeh Joss nver kills leads does he? Jeez man so you don't like it dont just make stuf up!
-
Jun 25, 2005 5:41:05 PM CDT
It Sounds Like This Movie Is Going To Be The Upset Of The Year
by mark twain
If Serenity claims the opening week, there is going to be a lot of head scratching and coverage about this "phenomenon." It feels good to be in on something that is completely below the mainstream public's radar. Almost like having a secret with a few close friends.
-
Mark Twain I do hope so. I don't think it will be but hell it would be great if it was. Plus alot of people would just come and moan about the box office meaning nothing andt the film was crap. Probably all the people who are now saying it will tank and using that as some sort of barometer of quality.
-
It takes opening week. Nobody is expecting anything from the box office of this film. It will be seen as "coming out of nowhere" if it pulls its opening week. After that, the media will coverage will give it legs enough to be a modest hit. Now are there enough Browncoats to give it that week? That's a hard one to call. I have no idea what Serenity is up against. If it's a heavy hitter, forget it. If the field is weak, I think the Browncoats may be able to pull this off. Certainly that has to be in the mind of Universal with all the advance screenings. Browncoats and Whedon fans are a different kind of geek, they have a circle of friends, spouses, significant others, etc. that they can pull into the theaters with them. I think there's a great shot at a box office surprise and I won't be stunned if it happens.
-
Jun 25, 2005 6:53:48 PM CDT
Agreed. Although the end of september spot does trouble me. Whed
by tonywilson
I think there is a good chance that there won't be any heavy hitterS around that time. The Browncoats could do it, but i'd like to see another trailer for it just to whet non-fans appetites.
-
There's going to have to be some marketing to get the non fans in. Plus, the films gotta deliver to get that word of mouth going.
-
Jun 25, 2005 7:16:13 PM CDT
When I think about the marketing, I can see how it can be a toug
by tonywilson
I would not, personally go for the huge space battles of effects, they are good but the effects are not top quality (not that i care too much) The characters and plots are what make me love Firefly. And that is what is difficult to market in the sci-fi genre.
-
Since there are no name actors and the effects won't sell this film, I'd go for advance reviews and let the strength of the film carry the day. A few quotes like the one in my subject slapped over the trailer would be the way to go, I think. A trailer for the masses is tough, since I haven't seen the film. I agree that the focus should be on character. And they should ditch the "From the Creator of Buffy and Angel" line. It screams teen movie.
-
In hopes of a good film. But when Whedon is dealing with a direct plot and so many characters, it must be hard to make anything register. I think he can do it... I hope, at least. -- www.cafepress.com/thenewpulp
-
Is in my pants.
-
Jun 25, 2005 9:17:12 PM CDT
No stars, video game quality FX, small sci-fi channel fanbase, w
by i dunno
"I come in peace. I am no threat to you, I have no weapons." "Good." BLAM!!! Yeeeeah! America!!! Fuck YEAAAHHH! That fuking ownz!!!1!!1oneone!! Jebus. What fucking coked up Son of Abraham studio executive who makes more than most people who use their brain cells for a living made the decision to greenlight this during the summer season? Probably the same genius who thought putting out Land of the Dead between Batman and War of the Worlds was a good idea. Lay off the blow for two minutes, Saul.
-
If I can pick up Whateverman's torch: The term "Fireflyverse" can go right behind "Buffy pose" on that list. On second thought, I'm co-opting it for other shows..."That proposed Brad Garrett spin-off should really expand the Raymondverse." "Oooh, I heard that other characters from the Joeyverse, like Chandler, will be dropping in during sweeps." "Since she was only in a couple of eps, is Nell Carter considered to be a genuine part of the Rebaverse?"
-
Jun 25, 2005 11:41:58 PM CDT
I'm sorry, but I've seen ROTS and Serenity and I think t
by prozacmorris
I mean, Jesus people, fuckin' rollin' droids and lava worlds? Yikes. Keep on hatin' and miss a cool movie. And oh yeah, have a great live!
-
The only spelling I care about is Tori.
-
Jun 25, 2005 11:57:49 PM CDT
I would consider the leads of "Firefly/Serenity" to be Mal, Simo
by prozacmorris
-
Yeah, Sith
-
$60 mil. total gross? I'd love to see this one be the surprise hit of the year, but I might be asking too much. Browncoats unite!
-
60 Mil is a surprise hit for Serenity... it only caost 40 mil to make.
-
And then you add dvd sales and international market and the profit starts rolling in. If it makes 60 mil domestic we'll get a sequel for sure.
-
I should learn to change the Subject Title
-
Jun 26, 2005 1:44:05 AM CDT
Whedon sucks ass! How can you revere pseudo-horror teenage comed
by man of stool
Seriously.
-
He's the guy in "My Summer Of Love," isn't he? If so, you're right, brilliant casting -- he's great, and not obviously "Joker-y" (don't get me wrong, Glover would be good, but he is a bit cartoonish, and the idea of Hamill doing it is just horrible).
More tired Serenity wanking -- I guess this will be a weekly occurance until the damn thing actually opens. -
Who be dead?
-
Jun 26, 2005 5:31:21 AM CDT
Hated Buffy and never watched Angel but I love Firefly
by spectrebeeyatch
I hate that if I like the show or want to see this movie it automatically makes me a Whedon slave. Nice.
-
Jun 26, 2005 8:07:59 AM CDT
dressinribbons...you need some lithium and a bullshit enema.
by tonywilson
Whoa you seem a bit stressed there mate. I'd calm down a touch. After all my post was hardly a raging defamtion of you. I did'nt mention Buffy because i agreed with what you said. As for Angel, Wes is equivalent to Giles in that show so i guess your ideas on that one just went out the fuking window you iverheated prick. Second I DO watch Angel unlike yourself, obviously, as you would know Fred's soul was destroyed, sure Illyria can pretend to be Fred but that's different. So again you are wrong. And really killing off Mal or Zoe doesn't give you depth. You don't like Joss so you bitch about anything you can find wether it's logical or not. I'm not the biggest fan of Joss Whedon but he's done alot of good and I will always call on someone like you who dislikes him/his work but won't give any good reasons for it. Go home flameboy.
-
I have no idea what movie these people are watching but if you are NOT a fan of Whedon or his horrid shows (I hate every single one of them) then you will probably vomit while watching this pretentious piece of crap. Not that I am unbiased, I think that Whedon makes junk and that the sheep who love his crap are pretending to like his work because they think it is the new cool thing to do. I think that when the general public starts watching this movie that they will reject it the same way they rejected the TV show (which was actually better than this movie and yet I hated that too).
-
Jun 26, 2005 9:01:33 AM CDT
I also prefer JMS to Whedon, but I still LOVE Firefly and TOY ST
by man of stool
You wanna do a five-season Star Wars show that doesn`t suck? Get JMS! You wanna do a Star Trek show tat actually doesn`t suck at all? Get JMS!
-
This movie looks like ass.
-
Jun 26, 2005 9:03:43 AM CDT
I really hope that neither George Lucas nor the Star Trek Suits
by man of stool
I`m serious. Any opinions?
-
The question isn't so much who died now as who survived, isn't it? That enough main cast deaths for everyone?
-
I agree, if Serenity pulls 60 million it will defy the expectations of most, plus make a profit for Universal. This could be the My Big Fat Greek Wedding of the year. Not that the genres are similar, but the beneath the radar to the mainstream that gets the media going, "How come we never heard of this?" 60 million box office plus the DVD release virtually guarantees a sequel. If the film is what I hope, I'll see it in the theater at least 3 times and drag new folks in along the way.
-
I've never been a whedon fan but i appreciate his snarky sense of humor. Unfortunately, the trailer is all glib and silly, making it look like some kind of lame sci-fi TV-movie farce. I never saw the show and never even heard of it (watch almost no tv). My friends who have seen the trailer had the same reaction - god that looks silly...though silly can be fun.
-
I posted a statement in Dem Bone's review of Serenity where I said that Firefly was arguably one of the best Sci-Fi series ever. Now Bart of Darkness says Firefly wouldn't even rate in his top 50 sci-fi series of all time. I wanna see that list, and I put it to anyone to list 50 quality sci-fi series that they will stand by and defend are better than Firefly. I'm not saying there's nothing better, but I will go as far to say that there are not fifty somethings better, and it is arguably one of the best. So take this challenge...if you can. =P
-
Jun 26, 2005 5:46:54 PM CDT
I'm already building a fallout shelter in anticipation for t
by anthony w
I suggest the rest of you do the same.This movie will bomb so hard that anyone not living in a fallout shelter will be killed instantly.
-
I think towards the end of that list you'd be digging at the bottom of the barrel.
-
Jun 26, 2005 6:53:04 PM CDT
mholc68, you have proved a worthy recipient of the torch, my son
by whateverman
All that Buffyverse, Whedonverse stuff is also incredibly irritating. Canitgetanyverse?
-
Does that count as sci-fi? Cause that has to be on the list by default if you pick any 50 sci-fi shows.
-
Jun 26, 2005 7:31:53 PM CDT
Whedon would kill to write something with the stature of Knight
by whateverman
-
This thing at least smells like the Heathers of the sci-fi set, minimum. 60 mil? Well . . . it's doable. I agree with the other posters that it dpends on how deep the Browncoat enthusiasm runs and the new trailers. A fun one to watch either way. For that alone, my most anticipated film of the year.
-
Yes, but will it bomb as hard as that joke that you've recycled through several of these talkbacks now? Get some new material...
-
First time poster long time fan. I've never posted for anything before but this is now the time, if just to say THANK YOU! I've never heard of Firefly before, it came and went pretty fast I guess. After reading all these articles, I went and rented the DVD. Wow! I am totally hooked. I never would have heard of this series without you guys. Now I can't wait to see how the movie turns out. Keep on keeping on AICN. Hugs and kisses.
-
AICN at its best draws attention to these gems well in advance, I think we forget to give them a shout out all too often. Glad to see someone else making the Firefly discovery.
-
this looks like buffy--squibless and stupid choreography.somebody tell joss to rent a shaw brothers movie and stop watching old episodes of kung fu for his inspiration.
-
The TV Show with Richard Benjamin as a Trash Collector in space, not the little ferengi dude on DSN...although Armin Shimmerman is pretty damn cool. I would also add to a list of great cult Sci-Fi TV shows Max Headroom, Firefly, Something is out There (well, only the pilot), Probe, Babylon 5, Roughnecks:TSTC, Men into Space, Twilight Zone (versions 1 and 2), Outer Limits (both versions), Space: Above and Beyond (after the horrid pilot), the Men in Black cartoon, and that's just off the top of my head...this might be a good idea for it's own post, Herc...poll the fans and see what we can come up with as the Top Fifty Sci-FI tv shows of all time (Wizards and Warriors and Mr. Merlin don't count--that's fantasy my friends)...
-
Do you remember the tagline? "Man Oh Man Oh Manimal!"
Yikes. There was a time people gave Glen A. Larson money... -
They remake shit like The Dukes of Hazard and Manimal just sits on the shelf? Fucking Hollywood.
-
OK I'll jump in the pool. In no particular order and loosely defining Sci-Fi . . . here goes. Best is very subjective, but these shows make my list for different reasons, the biggest being shear entertainment value. 1)Firefly 2)Twilight Zone 3)Star Trek TOS 4)Star Trek TNG 5)Star Trek Deep Space 9 6) Time Tunnel 7) Space 1999 8) Battlestar Galactica (the new one) 9) Star Blazers 10) Quark 11) Dr. Who 12) Sliders 13) Quantum Leap 14) Max Headroom 15) Third Rock From The Sun 16) Babylon 5 17) Man From Atlantis 18) Incredible Hulk 19) Planet of the Apes 20) Knight Rider 21) Andromeda 22) Land of the Lost 23) Outer Limits 24) Alien Nation 25) Wild Wild West 26) Blake's 7 27) Six Million Dollar Man 28) My Favorite Martian 29) SeaQuest 30) Crusade 31) Futurama 32) Total Recall 2070 33) ALF 34) Roswell 35) Starman 36) Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 37) X-Files 38) Adventures of Brisco County Jr. 39) Misfits of Science 40) Dark Skies 41) Johnny Quest 42) Gemini Man 43) Amazing Stories 44) Twin Peaks 45) M.A.N.T.I.S. 46) Far Out Spacenuts 47) Cliffhangers 48) The Hitchhiker 49) The Jetsons 50) Ark II
-
I thoroughly enjoyed Manimal as a kid, man. I was overjoyed when I saw good ol' Simon MacCorkindale in Jaws 3-D and found him charming even in Wing Commander (being one of the few who stayed threw that dog after the Episode I trailer...
That TV show, along with the Mr. Roboto suit introduced me to the makeup effects work of Stan Winston, who I have always admired.
I will have to re-watch it if SciFi ever shows it again.
Speaking of which, that's a pretty good list Mark Twain. I have to ask though, is Knight Rider really a better series than the old Battlestar Galactica? Granted, It's hard to watch these days (and the new Galactica has real characters), but outside of the KITT/Michael Knight relationship, (and Bonnie, sweet Bonnie)it was so formulaic, even for an eighties show. Once again--I cannot say anything, since I watched it as my replacement for Buck Rogers as a kid, but I tried Netflixing both of those shows and the old Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew and had to stop...they should stay locked in my memory with "Electrawoman & Dynagirl" and "Wonderbug" -
I thoroughly enjoyed Manimal as a kid, man. I was overjoyed when I saw good ol' Simon MacCorkindale in Jaws 3-D and found him charming even in Wing Commander (being one of the few who stayed threw that dog after the Episode I trailer...
That TV show, along with the Mr. Roboto suit introduced me to the makeup effects work of Stan Winston, who I have always admired.
I will have to re-watch it if SciFi ever shows it again.
Speaking of which, that's a pretty good list Mark Twain. I have to ask though, is Knight Rider really a better series than the old Battlestar Galactica? Granted, It's hard to watch these days (and the new Galactica has real characters), but outside of the KITT/Michael Knight relationship, (and Bonnie, sweet Bonnie)it was so formulaic, even for an eighties show. Once again--I cannot say anything, since I watched it as my replacement for Buck Rogers as a kid, but I tried Netflixing both of those shows and the old Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew and had to stop...they should stay locked in my memory with "Electrawoman & Dynagirl" and "Wonderbug" -
I thoroughly enjoyed Manimal as a kid, man. I was overjoyed when I saw good ol' Simon MacCorkindale in Jaws 3-D and found him charming even in Wing Commander (being one of the few who stayed threw that dog after the Episode I trailer...
That TV show, along with the Mr. Roboto suit introduced me to the makeup effects work of Stan Winston, who I have always admired.
I will have to re-watch it if SciFi ever shows it again.
Speaking of which, that's a pretty good list Mark Twain. I have to ask though, is Knight Rider really a better series than the old Battlestar Galactica? Granted, It's hard to watch these days (and the new Galactica has real characters), but outside of the KITT/Michael Knight relationship, (and Bonnie, sweet Bonnie)it was so formulaic, even for an eighties show. Once again--I cannot say anything, since I watched it as my replacement for Buck Rogers as a kid, but I tried Netflixing both of those shows and the old Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew and had to stop...they should stay locked in my memory with "Electrawoman & Dynagirl" and "Wonderbug" -
I thoroughly enjoyed Manimal as a kid, man. I was overjoyed when I saw good ol' Simon MacCorkindale in Jaws 3-D and found him charming even in Wing Commander (being one of the few who stayed threw that dog after the Episode I trailer...
That TV show, along with the Mr. Roboto suit introduced me to the makeup effects work of Stan Winston, who I have always admired.
I will have to re-watch it if SciFi ever shows it again.
Speaking of which, that's a pretty good list Mark Twain. I have to ask though, is Knight Rider really a better series than the old Battlestar Galactica? Granted, It's hard to watch these days (and the new Galactica has real characters), but outside of the KITT/Michael Knight relationship, (and Bonnie, sweet Bonnie)it was so formulaic, even for an eighties show. Once again--I cannot say anything, since I watched it as my replacement for Buck Rogers as a kid, but I tried Netflixing both of those shows and the old Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew and had to stop...they should stay locked in my memory with "Electrawoman & Dynagirl" and "Wonderbug"
-
Well, as I say, any list is subjective. Knight Rider was pure fun for me, while Battlestar Galactica made me cringe. Quite possibly because I expected more from Galactica than Knight Rider.
-
Awesome awesome film, near complete too, much more complete then Joss' outdated intro hinted at......
-
I went to the showing on Thursday in Toronto. And I loved it.
Wash's death particularly moved me. My father died suddenly last December, and it was just like that. Quickly, no warning, no meaning - just gone.
If I hear one more person say that Zoe's reaction wasn't appropriate, or enough, I think I'll scream. Nobody grieves in the same way. Nobody knows how they will react until it happens to them.
I took my husband to the film. He's only been watching Firefly for the last few weeks - I'm a member of the Canadian Browncoats and had told him he'd have to at least watch one episode before he could come out to dinner with us again. He watched them all. This man is not an SF fan. I've never seen him react this way before. He loved the movie too. Said he told all his co-workers the next day they'd have to see it.
Considering how much money Lucas rakes in for crap, perhaps Serenity won't do well. Because it's that damn good.
But I'm hoping there's some intelligent life out there in the audience-verse.
-
Jun 27, 2005 9:04:15 AM CDT
NONE of the Firefly characters are expendable enough to justify
by drath
I'm guess Book is the first death (because Book got to do the least on the show) and Wash is the second (because people have mentioned Zoe's reaction, and that's the only character after Mal whose death warrents much of a reaction from her--or mention there of). I can see Wash dying. I think it's terrific waste of a fun character, but I can see it. Book on the other hand has a lot of mystery around him, and if he's killed off then all that mystery goes to waste and I will not be happy. Any other character deaths would be equally crappy, but I'm really not thrilled with Joss's fetish for making me care about characters just so he can make it hurt when he kills them.
-
Jun 27, 2005 12:38:27 PM CDT
2600 AD, you just threw any credibility you might have had into
by bazooms
Or what part of Mr. Twain's "in no particular order" did you fail to understand? I would guess Firefly topped the list because this is a "Firefly" talkback. I'd also guess that high school education is not focused too much on the skill of READING these days. I'm sure Mr. Twain really liked the Star Trek series mentioned in exactly those positions and in that order (look up the word "irony" in a dictionary). Now that we're back from the unrewarding task of instructing the idiot, Mr. Twain that is an interesting list and you showed courage in putting it up. I'll admit I don't know some of the shows on there, but anyone who remembers The Man From Atlantis is good in my book. XOXOXO
-
Ow ow ow! Way to beat up that 14 year old! That was too funny. You made my day. Just a word of advice, if I may, you can't spend too much time correcting the idiocy on these boards, or you won't have time for anything else. Plus, you may have given him the most attention he's ever had from a chick so you may be only encouraging him to further heights of stupidity to get your attention. Sure was fucking funny though. :)
-
Damn, some of you bashers are a bunch of damned babies. "I hate Joss Asshat Whedon so that means the movie will flop!" Get a life, willya!
Anyone who thinks this movie is going to flop needs to get their head examined. It won't be a blockbuster by any strectch of the imagination, but with the fan reaction alone it should make a healthy profit, enough to warrant at least one or two more low-budget sequels. -
Jun 27, 2005 5:10:46 PM CDT
If we are lucky enough to get sequels--where do you think the st
by bones
I know this parallels my question in the other talkback--but I am interested in theories about what you think Joss has in mind for the overall story...Another Civil War? First contact with actual Aliens?
Steady work hauling Garbage--thus becoming a movie version of Quark?
What say you? -
"It won't be a blockbuster by any strectch of the imagination, but with the fan reaction alone it should make a healthy profit, enough to warrant at least one or two more low-budget sequels." In the same way that fan support for Firefly didn't get it recommissioned for another series?
-
Jun 28, 2005 7:19:26 AM CDT
SPOILER S ABOUT "CHARACTER DEATHS" FROM THIS DISSAPOINTED FAN
by eljibaro
I saw the screening and I'm trying to figure out from these reviewers how they FEEL a true fan will LOVE this movie.-----------------------------------------
I -
Book's death happened because Book served his purpose. He made Mal believe in something for once. What use is Book after that? It also made you realize that people can die in this movie, so it ups the tension for the rest of our heroes. So death is on the mind when the last act starts . . . but is it in your heart? I would wager for most people, no. You know there is risk, but you still expect everyone to make it out alive. But Wash's death changes that, doesn't it? It was sudden, pointless, and there was no time for remorse. It wasn't a noble or heroic death. He just got killed and they ran. Well, when you're fighting a war, this type of death happens often, no? And now we fear for the rest of the crew. If Wash died, who else can die? Watching the end battle, I openly asked my friend, "Is anyone going to make it out of this movie alive?" The tension was palpable. I was literally on the edge of my seat watching the screen. Things really started to look hopeless for a while, but then a funny thing happened: they all survived. And I was so relieved. Would I have experienced that emotion if Wash hadn't been killed? Probably not, because before then I would expect everyone to live. Wash's death tore that expectation away from and probably from most other people, too. Whedon does what he does best: he gives us what we need, not what we want. I liked Book. I really liked Wash. I'm sorry to see them go. But I deal with their deaths and I move on. I'm grateful for those who survived and I hope another adventure lies in store for them. These deaths made the threat real. It made you FEEL (vs. THINK) that no one was safe. It made the last act all the more exciting because of it. It always sucks when a beloved character is killed off, but I don't agree that the death was a cheap gimmick. It served a very distinct dramatic purpose and as far as I can tell from the theater I was in, it worked.
-
-----------------Great insight on your perspective of the whole death and Joss
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Kurtzman And Boborci Producing An Adaptation Of Anne Rice's Lestat Novel TALE OF THE BODY THIEF?? -- 233 total posts 233 posts
- Happy Birthday John Williams! -- 229 total posts 166 posts
- Are These Space Nazis Fighting Sarah Palin?? Behold The Unbridaled Dementia Of This New IRON SKY Trailer!! -- 103 total posts 103 posts
- THE BOURNE LEGACY trailer is a bit Saul Bassy -- 102 total posts 102 posts
- The JETSONS Movie Gets New Writers!! -- 96 total posts 96 posts
- HOUSE 2004-2012 -- 94 total posts 91 posts
- Significantly different 1 minute JOHN CARTER spot! -- 138 total posts 86 posts
- Mike Fleming confirms AICN scoop on Sly & Arnold teaming up in THE TOMB!!! -- 75 total posts 75 posts
- Jason Statham's In HEAT!! Brian De Palma And William Goldman Helped Put Him There... -- 59 total posts 59 posts
- DOUGLAS TRUMBULL is going to destroy our minds and reveal awesome beyond our mortal imaginations! -- 59 total posts 59 posts