Joss Whedon

There’s one thing you need to know about fans of Joss Whedon: They’re hardcore. So much more hardcore than you. They love Whedon’s creations—TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the sci-fi film Serenity, and Firefly, the TV series Serenity was based on—with an intensity most reserve for their own children. Which is cool, for a few reasons. First, Whedon’s work is some of the best in recent memory. Second, his fans do some serious good with their almost religious fervor.

This year’s the second in what’s shaping up to be an annual tradition: Last year, the idea of a Portland charity screening of Serenity spread to other cities, eventually raising over $69,000 for Equality Now, a foundation "for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world." This year, Portland has two Serenity charity screenings, and they’ll be joined by over 50 other screenings around the world—from Canada to New Zealand—with the proceeds benefiting Equality Now. (Tickets: $13 in advance, $18 day of show.)

And this year, Cinema 21 gets in on the action with two midnight, sing-along screenings of Buffy’s musical episode, "Once More with Feeling." Out of the $10 admission—for an event that promises to include "singing, dancing, shouting, and laughing"—a dollar will be donated to Equality Now.

For those who haven’t seen Serenity—one of the best films of 2005—this is as good of an opportunity as ever. (Big screen. Plus, that whole "doing good for other people" thing.) And for those who might shrug off Buffy’s musical episode, don’t be so hasty: I’d rather pour boiling acid into my ears than suffer though most musicals, but this one’s a blast. See you this weekend, Whedonphiles.