Serenity

Serenity (2005)

How Long? 4 minutes 14 seconds

How Cool? Any four-minute tracking shot fronted by Nathan Fillion is going to be inherently cooler than your average. The real genius of this shot in Joss Whedon’s Firefly spin-off is that it’s as engaging for newcomers as it is for hardcore fans.

After establishing the Alliance’s dodgy intentions in the movie’s opening moments, Whedon (re)introduces us to the crew within the industrial bowels of the good ship Serenity, via a stressed-out Captain Malcolm, who’s having a bit of trouble with the Primary Buffer Panel.

It’s a superb moment of character economy that makes Marvel’s decision to give Whedon The Avengers look like a very sensible one indeed.