Zoe (the extraordinary Gina Torres), a curvaceous warrior who redefines womanliness as if it were a newly discovered muscle

I was discussing female action heroes with my friend before the movie started. He said he didn't like it when the chick took out the whole room of baddies. I said that it depended on choreography -- if she's waifish and punches them all out, then, no. But no guy can take that room out either -- we just have to get used to extending the suspension of disbelief -- it's all about the choreography.

Meanwhile, there's also the option of having the women look physically capable.

I have to say -- Serenity did a good job on both parts. River didn't go mano a mano -- she was toe to toe (or toe to face) and used weapons. And Zoe just looked like she could kick as much ass as any guy in the room.

I just like the idea that feminine now means lush and curvy and ass kicking without sacrificing the looking lovely in a (an admitedly perfectly gorgeous) dress.

You're in a really safe space (relatively speaking) when Wash buys it.

It's probably because I've seen the movie several times, but there's one line that I think is foreshadowy. On Miranda, Jayne has his little outburst, "She's right! Everybody's dead! This whole world is dead for no reason!" While he says that line at the left side of the frame, Wash is pretty much dead center and then the camera kind of hangs on him for a sec before he says "Let's go to the beacon." I have the feeling that shot composition was intentional.

I think the second best part of Serenity is how balletic and yet strategic River's fighting is.

The best part is Zoe in that dress. Clearly.

I wouldn't be comfortable omitting Simon's back, nor the meatiness of Mal's chest.

It's the completist in me.

There may have been some squirming at the sight of Mal in hips and bedhead, yes.

A friend asked me if Jayne ever was shirtless. I told here I didn't think so, but I have no complaints about the very nice skin we did see.

Mmmmmmmm.

Mal was shirtless in the movie? I'd forgotten. Oh well, guess I'll have to watcha few times this weekend to refresh my spotty memory...

I think Mal's hips and bedhead is my third favorite thing. And then Simon's back.

I still think he has a Back Double, yoga be damned.

And now, we've named all of the things I really liked about the movie. Oh, and you can put free below Simon's back.

The list of the things I disliked? Irksomely long.

Don't forget Mal's scars. The scars with the hips and the chest and the bedhead.