Netflix Your Weekend – Serenity

After a long week you want to sit down and be able to watch a quality movie that will make you laugh, cry, sit at the edge of your seat, and have fun.  Netflix Your Weekend is Reel World Theology’s weekly pick for a movie currently available on Netflix Instant that will not only entertain but make you think and engage the story you are watching.  If you have a suggestion for a Netflix Instant movie, email Josh at J.A.Crabb22@gmail.com with the subject line “Netflix Your Weekend”.

SERENITY – directed by Joss Whedon; starring Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk

I know that this is Joss Whedon’s tip of the cap to the fans of Firefly (and a fine tip of the cap it is), but man do I wish these characters were still on TV! Such good characters and a fantastic story with the normal witty, Whedon-esque dialogue, this was Whedon’s Avengers before there was The Avengers.

There were pretty strong indications that Whedon actually had some pull and input into James Gunn’s direction with Guardians of the Galaxy, and I could see how Whedon would have some valuable input. From the smart and comical dialogue and the depth of Mal’s character arc, Serenity is also Whedon’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The comparisons don’t need to be exhaustively explored here, but, needless to say, it is borderline criminal that Whedon had to see the Firefly cast not do anything beyond this movie.

You don’t need to have seen Firefly in order to appreciate and love this movie, but it definitely helps and fills in some of the gaps and stories left open after the one season of Firefly (namely River’s story). If you have not seen Firefly, my personal suggestion is to watch the first and only season of Firefly (frowny face), which you can watch on Netflix, and then watch Serenity as the icing on the cake.

I could glow forever on this movie, but suffice it to say this has to be one of the best Sci-Fi movies around and definitely the most underappreciated Sci-Fi movie. How often does a Sci-Fi movie not only have awesome Sci-Fi moments but has some amazing pathos and depth and thoughtful character arcs? WATCH THIS MOVIE!