The power of a good story is that the audience can place the story into its own context.  This is where, I believe, Joss Whedon’s wild west space adventure shine, it is a great story.  And Joss Whedon is a great story teller.

I didn’t watch one bit of Buffy or Angel, and that part of the tag-line for this movie to draw more audience, so I can’t comment on Joss’ talent in those series.  I have watched all the Firefly episodes, and listened to all of the director commentary, and in that thread I can read a bit of the genius in Whedon’s mind. 

That is prelude to the preview I watched tonight of Serenity, the motion picture based on a television series, canceled in mid-season.  The fans’ belief in Whedon’s story is what has carried this on to the big screen. 

For that, I feel, we are all blessed.

Like a leaf on the wind.

This story, called Firefly in the beginning, and now continued as the aptly titled Serenity, has its ups and downs, bends and turns, dips and veers.  Not just the movie that played on the screen tonight, the story of the failed series, resurrected by the fans, picked up by another studio that gave it back to Whedon to complete the story.  This movie fulfills the vision, and sets the stage for the step after.  The taste, for this fan, is bitter-sweet, like the last bite of a bowl of chocolate ice cream, it is delicious and I’m a bit sad that it is over.

The action is intense, the story intriguing, love (requited and unrequited) lost and found.  Belief. Faith. Loyalty. Wrath.  Good. Evil.  Whether you’ve never seen one bit of the Series That Was, if any of those themes strike a chord, than see this movie.  You won’t be dismayed.

I’ll be seeing this movie again, on Friday.

“I aim to misbehave,” says Captain Malcolm Reynolds, as the climax of the film cresendos on the screen.  On the drive home I contemplated that theme.  The humanity of that premise, the power of that belief.  While even misbehavin, still doing what is right.  Belief and faith doesn’t always mean God, as Shepherd Book reminds us, all too often those virtues are largely personal and selfish, and in the end, there lies redemption.

Joss Whedon doesn’t disappoint the fan in this movie either.  There are parts in this movie that will bring the fans to the feet in cheers, rolling in the aisle in laughter, and digging for a kleenex in grief.  The fan shout-outs are there for the plucking, so if you’re a fan, go see this movie (I know you will)

More detailed review (perhaps with spoilers) after Friday, for now, I’m left grasping for words.  I’m a pretty easy movie-goer, I even enjoyed ‘The Core’, still I haven’t enjoyed a movie this much in a long time. Highly recommended.

Credits and links below the fold.

UPDATE: 
Glenn saw it too, and also thinks it is a good movie. (thanks for the link Glenn!)
Kimberly has her ticket for Friday.  I need to arrange child care, so I can go see it again!
Ga Mongrel has his review (also at Instapundit) with shiny pictures.
G. Bob’s review.
Stephen Green (Vodka Pundit) compares it to ESB, yes it is that good (and Stephen made a Lego Imperial Destroyer, so he should know!)
A weather man reports that it is cloudy.  But then again, how many times are weathermen right about anything?  I mean their job is weather, not movies.

Dean Esmay (who rightly corrected my spelling of Joss’ last name) didn’t get a blogger ticket, but has a page dedicated to Serenity, with the Firefly lyrics, which Joss also wrote. (thanks for the link Dean)

MORE:
Combs sputs off more on the experience he had at his ‘Blogger Bonanza’, than on Serenity, though he plugs the movie well too.  I’ll make another post on my Grace Hills Media Blogger Bonaza.
Booklore has a great review with high praises for Whedon, even though Joss doesn’t mind ‘killing the dog’ (*weep*)
ResurrectionSong‘s zomby boy gives a glowing review.