Monday, February 10, 2020

A Movie You Might Have Missed #4 - Serenity

It's been 10 years since I began this series highlighting movies I wished more people knew about. I'm rerunning it from the beginning because I still think these are movies you might have missed.

4. Serenity

Is it a western? Yes. Is it sci-fi? Yes. 500 years in the future, society is a mixture of "core" planets with all the luxuries and those on "the rim" where life is more like living in a old time Western. The Alliance, the totalitarian government, controls everything in the core and would like to exert the same control over all the planets.

Simon and River Tam are on the run from The Alliance. They take refuge on a spaceship whose crew will do anything, legal or illegal, to keep fed and in the air. As a survivor from the losing side in the recent civil war, the ship's captain, Mal Reynolds, doesn't mind going against the authorities but has to rethink his decision when the Alliance sends an assassin to track River down. What follows is a fantastic, fast moving adventure crackling with wit. It is also one that examines what different men choose to put their faith in, how strong that belief is, and what it means to live an unexamined life. (My complete review is here.)

13 comments:

  1. So glad you included this, Julie!

    I'm not a sci-fi buff by any means, but I am a hard core Firefly (requiescat in pace) fanatic.

    People who don't think this would be their cup of tea should definitely give it a look.

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  2. Although it is not necessary to enjoy the movie I recommend watching all the episodes of Firefly (the TV show Serenity is based on) first before watching the movie. It will definitely deepen your enjoyment. "Nothin' in the 'verse can stop me!"

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    1. This really needs to be emphasized. The movie answers many questions and mysteries raised by the TV show. Only 14 episodes and MUST be watched prior to Serenity.

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  3. I saw the movie before watching any episodes of the TV show.

    I thought the movie was distracted and jumbled.

    Watched the whole series and enjoyed it.

    Watched the movie again. It still stinks.

    This is a flat out stupid movie. Useless. It focuses on the dumbest parts of the series and ignores most of the elements that made it likable.

    I am still waiting for the Saffron spin off however. I'm backing that 1000%

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  4. Scott, it must be so lonely where you are ... all wrong and alienated about this movie! :-D

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  5. Obviously Scott is an agent of the Alliance. Notice you can't see his hands in his profile photo. I'm betting he's wearing blue gloves!

    That said, I'm totally with him on the Saffron spinoff!

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  6. Oh my gosh, yes! Hands of blue!

    I would be for anything that gets Captain Tight Pants back. Also, I loved Saffron's character ... she was so completely devious. Ahem. I doubt you gentlemen are going for character, but we will let it pass.

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  7. You, dear lady, are the reason why I finally watched both Firefly and Serenity a few months back. Not only had you talked about it on your blog on more than one occasion, but then you named your dogs Zoe and Wash! I just had to understand why. And now I do :)

    Bridget N

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  8. I am so happy to know that I was directly responsible for so enriching your life! :-)

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  9. Chances that this was a movie I might have missed are lower than a black hole forming in my keyboard.

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  10. True, but you are a rare and discerning individual ... :-D

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  11. I love this movie, in fact loving the firefly series was a prereq for any meaningful relationship that I got into in the last few years. My quality of dates went way up at that point.... which goes to show that standards are important.

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