Firefly

Yeah, I saw Revenge Of The Sith, and when I walked out of the theatre, I felt pretty much nothing. It was more like accomplishing a task, checking something off a list, than seeing a movie. On the other hand, when I walked out of the movie after Serenity, I felt elation, excitement, and yes, a bit of anger at Joss Whedon (if you’ve see the movie, you know why). Serenity, the offshoot of Whedon’s much-abused and sadly-neglected Firefly series, is better than all of the Star Wars prequels rolled together.

Smart, engaging dialog? Check! Memorable characters and amazing ensemble performances? Check! Thrilling space battles? Check! Intriguing moral commentaries? Check! Extreme panic when you realize that characters you’ve come to know and love might not be walking out of the firefight alive? Check, check, and check! Nathan Fillion delivers more bravado and emotion in 5 minutes than most action "stars" do in an entire movie, and almost every one of the other lead actors - none of them terribly well-known - all have a moment or two to shine. The only disappointing thing about the movie is that one is left wanting to see so much more from these characters as they explore Whedon’s unique and wildly entertaining ’verse.