DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Serenity (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) (1 Viewer)

[Tino]

As soon as I finish it, I'll be more than happy to discuss it in the **official discussion thread** since this is the DVD review thread.

 

[Max Leung]

I think Tino is channeling the ghost of Ernest Rister. (Those who followed the earlier pre-release Serenity thread will know what I mean!)

 

[Tim Glover]

What's happening???? I am agreeing with Lou! I too found the "awkward" dialogue one of the film's stronger points and the humor actually made the film stronger. Normally I am in favor of less cheezy stuff that pulls me out of the film...but in Serenity it strengthens an already good film.

Now I'm really wanting to see Firefly.

 

[Will_B]

Interesting dialogue stylings can throw people. Look at David Mamet - some absolutely hate his style, some groove on it. Some hate the expression "groove on it". It's nothing to worry about. More worrysome to me is people who watch movies while being signed online. Put yer feet up and make some popcorn!

 

[Yee-Ming]

Dang. If I'd known about it, I might have been tempted to hold off buying the DVD, and Serenity would then be the "killer app" for me to jump into HD immediately -- I wasn't planning to (I didn't get into DVD until The Matrix), and I would rather wait for a dual-format player as well, but this might have been tempting enough. Oh well.

 

[Tino]

For the record, the awkward dialog is just one of the many problems I'm having with Serenity so far.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Tim it must be the New Year!

 

[BrandonJF]

Are there two versions of this movie out there?

 

[Chuck Mayer]

I don't know. Is there a version where she delivers the lines naturally? Or the lines are a bit less Hee-Haw?

I'd love to see it, as that's one of my few gripes.

 

[GarySchrock]

It doesn't really surprise me that some people have problems with the dialog in the movie. That was one of several things that turned some people off of the series.

I'd almost be curious to see what the reaction one of the professors I work for would have to it. She does research on speech production and comprehension, and the dialog on the show might just drive her nuts. (Then again, one of her grad students loves the show, so who knows).

 

[Henry Gale]

There may be at least three versions!

1)The best version involves reading any number of raves about Firefly at HTF and elsewhere, buying the DVD box of that series, watching it over a weekend, repeating a few months later, going to the early preview of Serenity, seeing it a couple more times during the regular release (don't worry, I have plenty of commas) and then buying the Serenity DVD and really hearing it on your killer surround system.
That just happens to be the version I watched and I highly recommend it.

2)Another version, not nearly as effective, is the one where you blow off Firefly but see Serenity.

3)A third, totally bleeping inexplicable version of the movie is to watch a few minutes of it, post in this thread, watch a little more, post again....:frowning:

 

[dailW]

good thing kaylee didnt say "capitan , your son is dead" in the movie.

 

[Shane_M]

Since getting and reviewing Serenity I've watched the movie about 10 times, which is a lot considering how many DVDs I have yet to review. I can't get enough of it. In fact, I may squeeze it again this weekend.

BTW - Here's a link to the Easter Egg for anyone who hasn't found it yet.

 

[CraigF]

The positive side: the sound is very good. I liked the movie well enough.

The PQ was not excellent IMO, very digital looking. No mistaking the transfer for a film. At least there were no annoying artifacts. Considering there was so much CGI, I guess a digital look is to be expected, but it's been integrated in a more film-like presentation much better before.

Content: I've said this before of TV series I've liked, and in this case, not having viewed Firefly, if this is reminiscent of the TV series then I have no doubt why it was cancelled. This was NOT an engaging character presentation. It's like everything was an inside joke. Or was it? The type of humor tried for in the dialogue, assuming it was tried for and anality wasn't the objective, was funny IIRC a few decades ago when it was NEW. Now it just seems stupid and juvenile. To me. Having watched lots of innovative funny shows, and virtually nothing else from TV. I wonder what the mainstream movie viewer thought? Maybe I'm just too old. Could be a generational thing, where old stuff comes back around and is glommed onto by a new generation to whom it's all new.

Whedon should have stuck to Buffy. I found it much more engaging. It seems funny to me how poorly his IMO good character development and presentation in Buffy translated into the poor ones in this film. And a film should stand by itself, otherwise why do it in a different medium. I often did get the feeling this was a TV movie, like an extended TV episode. Often looked like it too, to me.

Like I said, I haven't seen Firefly, but I don't think I should have had to. I think Dune was not a shitty movie, only because I had read all the books. So instead I think Dune's only a crappy movie, knowing the "inside" info. That's my idea of giving fair criticism. But I didn't dislike Serenity, it just doesn't stand out in any way. To me.

There were lackings in the Firefly realisation, I'd have to say, that make me typical of the TV-viewing and movie-going public. Geez, I hate to be included in that group, but this time I'm biting it.

 

[Brandon Klassen]

To some degree. More, it's Joss' signature witty style. Knowing Buffy, I thought you'd have a bit more recognition of that.

 

[CraigF]

I *loved* Buffy.

The movie I watched before Senerity was 40-Year-Old Virgin. Very similar pic quality...digital and processed looking. Not BAD. Just not what is possible. That's why I mark it down. There has to be some standard, and I have to set that as the BEST. Not the worst, or the average.

But the sound was VERY good. I think.

Just to mollify you, I tell you I'm watching Serenity right now, twice in a row. How many Firefly fans did that? I try to be fair. But sometimes (most times) TV adaptions to the screen do not go well. Of course the TV fans will love it, just because it's MORE. You have to consider how a neophyte, representative of the public at large, might view it. TV is not film, and what works on TV does not typically work in film. IMO this film was cut/edited like a long TV episode and has the TV episode feeling.

Hey, I said I didn't dislike it. I just feel like I'm an intruder while viewing this film, and I think a film should draw you in, make you feel like an insider.

 

[Dave>h]

This may be a bit off topic but I watched Serenity for the third time last night, with the Directors commmentary track on and noticed a significant amount of digital noise in the picture this time around, something I had not noticed in my previous two viewings of the film - oh, in case you can't tell, I loved the movie.

I did not have a chance to watch it again without the commentary track so I am not sure if the digital noise in the picture is a direct result of employng the commentary track or if the disk is somehow faulty.

I must admit, I have a very difficult time getting the disk out of the case. The ring holding the DVD in place is very difficult to disengage and I end up bending the disk to get the disk out of the holder. Anybody else having this problem? If not, is there an easy way to get the disk out? I am wondering if I have damaged the disk in my ham fisted attempts at getting the disk out of its case and that is what is causing the digitial noise I am seeing. Maybe I have bent the disk and the player is having a hard time reading it now. Is that possible?

Thanks for your help on this.

One of my favorite films for 2005 and I intend to watch a few more times. Just hope I don't have to go and buy another copy.

Dave

 

[Chad R]

Curious. I thought the characterization was very well woven into the plot. Mal, the captain, is an outlaw looking to escape the oppression of the current government. Therefore, his disocvery on Haven feeds directly into the very feelings which make him an outlaw.

The Operative (a new character for the film) is such a wonderful foil for Mal. One who believes in order, and will fight for it above all, including his own life.

These characters then play beautifully into the film's themes of personal freedom and free choice.

A good plot tells a story as well as develops the characters and take them on a personal, introspective journey. This one forced Mal to stop running from his ideals and start fighting for them.

If you think that all of the characters weren't fully explored, well, that's a problem with a two hour runtime. The rest of the ensemble can only support the main character's journey, which they do.

 

[Tino]

:rolleyes

Yeah? And what's your point? Sorry it's inexplicable to you Henry, but I thought I was free to comment on the parts of Serenity I have seen. And I made my reasons clear why I was doing so too. I have since finished it and, like I said, will be posting my comments in the discussion thread where they really belong.

In the meantime, maybe you should go dig up more of my old posts to throw at me to make yourself look silly again.

 

[BrandonJF]

I again have to wonder if that comment would ever have been made if you didn't know there was a series that preceded it.

What are some examples of some scenes that were cut/edited like a "long tv episode"? I watch alot of tv and there's nothing in this movie that felt episodic or made me feel like I was watching a tv show.