Serene

So I’m somehow on the list to go see a press screening of Serenity tomorrow night (I was probably going to go see the movie anyway, based on buzz I’ve heard, so why not save $10.50?). And I’m telling people that I’m on the list, and they’re like, “well, what’s the movie about?” And I’m like, “well, as far as I can tell, it’s a space opera about a renegade space ship captain who’s smuggling a wanted passenger through space while on the run from the galactic empire.”

And then I paused and realized that plot summary sounded awfully familiar (no link—you kids should be able to figure it out). The buzz around the film has been very high, and Whedon has an established track record for reinvigorating seasoned tropes—most notably the vampire genre—so I’m definitely looking forward to it. Plus it’s apparently got a babe who likes to play with large bladed weapons, and that’s always a plus. Admittedly, I’ve never seen Firefly, the show it’s based on, but then again, neither did anyone else, so in that sense, I’m a fair test of the impartial viewer. Anyway, the PR firm that’s setting up this screening was kind enough to provide a more official synopsis (they were also kind enough to provide access to the Universal Art Department FTP server, where I pulled the above image with the abovementioned babe from):

Joss Whedon, the Oscar® - and Emmy - nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide television phenomena of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE, ANGEL and FIREFLY, now applies his trademark compassion and wit to a small band of galactic outcasts 500 years in the future in his feature film directorial debut, Serenity. The film centers around Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family –squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal.

Hm. I wonder why “Emmy” isn’t a registered trademark.