SERENITY NOW

Though it's supposed to be released in September, the movie Serenity is already making news with a ton of pre-screenings and Internet messaging by director/producer/writer/everyman Joss Whedon. Though this is probably a publicity move on the heels of cult-attitude in the media right now because of Star Wars, it's still nice to hear about.

For those of you unaware, Serenity is the movie-adaptation of the cancelled FOX series Firefly. The show itself is hard to distill into a few sentences -- A show about a crew and passengers aboard a space freighter that operates on the fringes of the known galaxy combining the genres science fiction with the old west and a little Chinese language. One of the passengers has a mysterious past that even she doesn't know about -- but the ever-present "Universal Alliance" does know and does want her back. Oh - and on the other side of the known galaxy are the Reavers - a space-canibal race that will eat your face off and tie your body to the hull of their ship, should you cross paths.

Confusing? Yes, at first. Worth your time? Hell yes. The movie comes out in September, and you can find a few weekends in between now and then to watch 14 blissful episodes. This is truly an original show that relies heavily on its characters and stories, rather than cheaply and easily falling back on special effects and naked women. Check it out.