And it was?

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Man, JZ's post about Wash just made me cry. *sob*

When the operative says he's a monster, and that his job is to make this better world that he believes in, but that he will have no place in it, he's basically articulating the last scene of The Searchers.

It made me think of Frodo at the end of The Return of the King: "We did save the Shire, Sam. But not for me." It doesn't map perfectly, but that's what it brought to mind.

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Well, the difference would be that the Operative didn't think it would be for him -- even when he thought that he could help create that perfect world.

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Now I almost wish I could see the preview again to see what of my reaction to the finished version is editing and recutting and adding, and what is just me being successfully manipulated by cleaner visuals and a soundtrack.

I didn't see the preview, and had the same reaction on my third viewing, last night, so I wonder if part of it might be just from rewatching. I like the second time much better than the first, and the third almost a level of magnitude better than the second. Everything makes so much more sense to me. I think it was improved for two reasons:

1) There was so much going on so much of the time, and the actors and writing are so damn good, that I just missed a lot of the subtleties the first, and even the second, time.

2) A lot of the discussion here has been really insightful, and has allowed me to sort out various things that I had problems with initially. This is especially true of the characters near the beginning. Last night, my only major problem was with the tombstones, which bug me more and more each time I see them. They are so cheesy, which is perhaps appropriate for Mr. Universe, but not for anyone else.

As a side note, does anyone know what the fourth tombstone, with the piece of gun or ship or whatever, was for? Some friends suggested Serenity, but they fixed Serenity, so that doesn't make sense to me.

It rewards repeated viewing. There's a lot in it.

Wrod. I'm hoping to go again tonight, and definitely Sunday matinee. I've got to say, though, that I don't envy JZ and Hec, because I really think that watching this on IMAX would just kill me. I would be the one puking in the aisle. Whitefonted for ick factor.

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And it was?

I'm glad you asked. I always feel like I'm the only one who doesn't know these things.

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Skipping lightly over 80+ posts here to mention that DH and I saw Serenity again. Shiny. Very fine movie.

I'm still adopting KateP's philosophy of maintaining distance between the Firefly 'verse and the movie 'verse. Seriously? The movie is very good. I actually enjoyed most of it, and was impressed all over again with how very pretty it is. I could--and probably will--go back and see it a couple more times, just to do my part to get the numbers up. But it's not my movie the way Firefly was my show, and it never can be. That's okay, it doesn't have to be, I'm just one person, and my personal feelings are just that--personal.

I was rather impressed by the fact that at a 2:00PM matinee the theatre was half-full, and there was a lot of good audience energy, a few chuckles, a few gasps in the right places. And several people stayed to watch the credits roll until the tv theme played and talked about both the series and the movie. I hope the evening shows are full--it looks promising. All crossables crossed.

And now, back to catch up.

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As a side note, does anyone know what the fourth tombstone, with the piece of gun or ship or whatever, was for?

It looked to me like a plastic rocket (hee!) that they were all hanging things on--prayers, perhaps?--and Zoe was going to light the fuse that shot it off. Now I wish I had the visual companion here at work with me...

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I could--and probably will--go back and see it a couple more times, just to do my part to get the numbers up.

Beverly, if you've already seen it twice, why do you see this as doing your part in anything, or maybe I mean why do you feel like you need to do any more than you've done? If we see it, I want us to see it on the weekend to help the numbers, but that's about it. I guess I'm just confused by the wording that implies you're somehow obligated, or that it's a good cause.

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Well, I do think it's a good cause. I want Serenity to be successful because I think it's a better movie than much of the dreck out there, and I want there to be more good movies. That my personal preferences weren't catered to is my problem, not Serenity's.

It's an obligation only so far as I'd like to support (in however tiny an amount a couple of ticket purchases can support) the movie, and movies I approve of.

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It looked to me like a plastic rocket (hee!) that they were all hanging things on--prayers, perhaps?--and Zoe was going to light the fuse that shot it off.

Exactly what it looked like to me. Old-tymey ESTES rocket. [link] hee.

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