I just got back from the Philadelphia screening. The crowd was really difficult to judge. Attendance was sparse, with most people having passes courtesy of Philly CityPaper and others probably through WMMR radio because they were the sponsors running the pre-show stuff. I think I was one of the few people who got in via Townhall.com.

Some of the people were familiar with Firefly, while others were just there because they had a pass. The audience reactions weren't quite as intense as the May and June screenings, which was to be expected, but the proper moments "clicked" when they had to, and by the end, people seemed to be invested in the characters. I'm a bit worried that some of the wit seemed to go unnoticed, but it would probably play a bit differently in a more crowded theater where those kinds of reactions can be infectious.

I didn't get a pulse on the immediate after-movie feeling because I was one of about a dozen who stayed through the credits, but the lobby did seem happy, yet quiet. I was hoping to hear more chatter.

Mirrormask is opening the same day. In that interview, Neil Gaiman pronounces September 30th National Geek Day.

I loved that interview -- thanks for posting that link.

I just saw a Serenity trailer during on NBC and there was one on WGN between 6:30 and 7 pm. It's fun to see them. (There was one on during Grey's Anatomy last night.)

Is A History of Violence opening limited or wide on Friday? (I mean, did it open limited this weekend?)

It opened limited on the 23rd (here in Boston for instance). Hopefully will be seeing it tomorrow, since there is a show at the perfect time to still get home in time to watch whichever of LOST or VM I decide to.

Interview with Joss and the cast on scifi.com: [link]

Vaugely spoilery in the Joss part, as to what is the general focus of the film. I think even many unspoiled people won't be surprised, based on the previews and what-not, so maybe it doesn't even count as spoilery.

eta: Oh yeah, speaking of the SciFi channel, today is their Firefly marathon, and tonight at 10 (9 Central) they're showing their half-hour Serenity special.

[link]

Oh, good, they're rebroadcasting that special at midnight (central time)--I'll be in the middle of TAR during the first broadcast.

Me too -- so whew!

Another late night for me.

The Flick Filosopher, whose caption contest I linked to yesterday, has her initial thoughts on the overall series up.

It often leaves the viewer to infer meaning from context, and that puts Firefly in a league all its own: it assumes a degree of intelligence on the part of the audience that few shows dare to try to get away with. Which is perhaps why it crashed and burned before it had a chance to find its audience: which isn't to say that the mainstream audience is stupid (though it may be), but that network execs weren't willing to take the chance that it wasn't.

Tomorrow, she'll be posting about individual eps, and then either Thursday or Friday will have the Serenity movie review available.

A review from a friend:

I've realized I've actually been writing on things and not sending them out. Oh well. This one is important because I do want to get the word out. Serenity is a solid action sci-fi movie which lacks in WOW factor but has what all other Sci-Fi movies are missing (character development, interesting subtext, tasty dialogue). Now let's not confuse it, this is a TV show that has been made into a movie, This is not for people that are fans of FIREFLY, but those that are not. This movie will not do any insane amount of business, but it will get Joss Whedon noticed as a feature director. Better than the TV show it is based on, it is a good primer for those who are not in the cult of Whedon.

I know that some really hate writer/director Joss Whedon while others diefy him, but he is one of the better writers of sharp ensemble dialogue. While he trades heavily on genre cliches, like Nicholas Meyer before him, he relishes in humanizing these cliches and giving these old archetypes new life. You quickly to his characters, even if you are unfamiliar with them. Firefly the TV show has a large ensemble cast and it is all assembled here. The movie also benefits from Chiwetel Ejiofor (from Dirty Pretty Things) playing the calm and methodical "Operative." Unfortunately for non-show fans, one of the most interesting parts of his character is his character symmetry with a Sheperd who has a brief cameo in the movie. Many of the regular cast get lost in the mix, but luckily the rest get to shine (specifically the very Han-Solo-ish lead Nathon Fillion and his live-wire goon Adam Baldwin). One thing these two actors are exceptional at (which is Whedon's breed and butter) is to deliver hard-core pulp dialogue and then give it a spin of confusion or vulnerability. Like when Baldwin declares mutanous thoughts and Fillion barks at him, "Do you want to be Captain?" and Baldwin replies plainly, "Yeah, I do." Then Fillion pauses awkwardly, uncertain how to continue since he didn't expect Baldwin to stand up and remarks childishly, "Well, you can't!"

Even better is as the climax starts winding up, Whedon does his typical "no one is safe" routine and people you like get badly wounded and even die.

The action scenes are fine when its a one on one between characters (there's a nice organic smallness to the exchanges) , but whenever the action gets into large scale scuffles, the movie looks visually clunky. Now in truth, What Whedon needs is a good second unit director like a Mark Ellis or Vic Armstrong to punch his action. But this is a good $40 million dollar start. Let's see what he can do with more.

Serenity not doing well at Rotten Tomatoes (currently 57%).

eta: Though I saw this comment in place of one review:

SORRY - despite the fact that this film has already been screened to the general public at the Edinburgh Festival, Universal has slapped on an extra embargo, and the full review cannot appear here until two days before the film opens in the USA. No idea why, since it's actually rather good. All we can say is come back here on Sep 28th...

So the numbers might change dramatically tomorrow.