Allrighty, I am back, very sleepy still, since the drive to Columbus is about 3 hours long, and we got there early to wait in line for good seats, saw the movie at 10pm and then drove back home – got in bed about 4, got up around 9ish with Jeanne and the kids.
I enjoyed the movie quite a bit. It starts out with a fun message from Joss Whedon, the writer/director, who thanks everyone for coming to the advance screening. Funny guy. He talked about believing in what you’re doing, and it’s interesting in how much that is in the film; belief, faith – not in God, but in something, anything, a worthy cause, yourself, an idea.
The movie looks good. For a fan of the series (Firefly), some great moments, funny, action packed, heartbreaking, moving. The audience was clearly made up of fans of the series, and one of the things that I’m interested to see is how the film does with non-Firefly fans. It’s not quite done, there are still edits/effects being done, but it’s in good shape, moves nicely. As with the series, the acting is really fine. Nobody going over the top, deadpan funny with hysterical moments that drop right into jawdrop-can’t-breathe-type-of-drama moments. Plenty of room for sequels, let’s hope, and some other stuff that I won’t talk about because I don’t want to give away any plot secrets for those of you who will be seeing it! (By the way, anyone who lives nearby, feel free to ask about borrowing my dvd’s to watch the series before September 30th, then we’ll all go see the final version of the film together!).
SO, overall, very cool – completely worth the 6 hours in the car for an advance screening! A nice continuation of the series in big screen form.
And now, on to a reading in Williamston tomorrow! Then packing for NYC!
But first, any other movies out there you’ve seen worth seeing or renting recently? Share with the group!
Tony Caselli 
…if you have yet to see Batman Begins, drop whatever it is you are doing and run for the nearest multiplex…i, and many of my cohorts agree, am an avid movie fan…and i would go out on the frailest of limbs to say that this movie has surpassed all others in its genre…don’t get me wrong, i love X Men, X-2, both Spidey’s, the original Superman and Batman…but there is somehting in this movie that added a quality i have yet to identify…i hadn’t been this rivetted or glued to a film like this, since i was mezmerized by Die Hard nearly 20 years ago…if you are making a superhero/comic book movie, be warned, the bar has been raised…
Batman Begins SPOILERS!!!!
SPOILERS FOR BATMAN AHEAD – READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL! I enjoyed Batman Begins quite a bit, although not as much as you did, I think. I did like Christian Bale, and I’m looking forward to the next one – this one was sure as hell better as those Schumacher things they passed off as Batman Movies a while back – the thing for me, though, was “Didn’t we just have a Batman franchise? (I mean, it was 1989, but that’s not THAT long ago!)” and the end of the movie sets up the Joker, and we just saw Nicholson do that…that’s not really a reason to dislike this movie as a movie, more of this movie as an idea, I suppose…Still, I loved seeing the discovery of the batcave, the mansion burning and discussions of rebuilding to include a secret lair, watching him create equipment – that was cool. And the acting was top notch, although I’m not a Katie Holmes fan, and her anger/tough girl scenes in this film felt whiney. Aside from her, some great performances. I’m interested to see what they do with the next one!
Re: Batman Begins SPOILERS!!!!
…true, we did just have a batman franchise, but, aside from the Tim Burton movies, they were nothing in comparison to the grit which drew me deeply into this movie. this movie really hit home with me…i didn’t even mind Katie…although the question of “why was she even there” keeps popping up in conversations…i’m glad you enjoyed it as well…and as for the Joker…regardless of how well or poorly the Joker in this new series is portrayed, Jack Nicholson brought Joker to life in a way no one had ever conceived and he will be forever remembered as such…and i think that’s ok…and coming from our own field…how many different versions of Hamlet have the both of us seen, or Death of a Salesman…i think it’s healthy to remake movies, i don’t think it’s healthy to have a whole summer devoted to remakes as this one has become…but new takes on old (or not so old) ideas keep everyone aware that there isn’t just one right way to do things…my two cents…