Movie Music and More #23 : "Firefly" (2002-2003)

The soundtrack for Joss Whedon's tragically short-lived TV show Firefly is a lot of fun.  Composed mainly by Greg Edmonson, the music is a fascinating blend of east-and-west, like the show's culture.  You've got twangy banjos and ethereal flutes, pounding rhythm and delicate melodies.  It's got such a unique flavor, just like the rest of the show.

"Inside the Tam House" offers a good example of the more eastern music, with lyrical melodies from strings and a flute laid over a trickling piano.

"Mal Fights Niska/Back Home" represents what I think of as the classic Firefly sound -- lots of strings and wind instruments and percussion.  I like how this one starts a little slow, then switches to a more actiony vibe, because it definitely gives you the feeling of people facing each other, then starting to fight.  Around 1:22, it then flips to the more peaceful and gentle "home" theme that makes me feel cozy and happy.

Hands-down, my favorite track on the whole album is "River's Dance."  It's joyful and carefree, which the rest of the album isn't, for the most part.  Definitely makes me feel like dancing!

I'm so glad that, although Firefly was short-lived, the powers that be saw fit to release a soundtrack to CD, because I have had many hours of enjoyment from listening to this.  

If you've never heard this before, what did you think of it?

Agents of SHIELD Full Episode!

 

If you were unable to watch the premiere of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. last night, here is the episode in full from Hulu, and you do not need HuluPlus to watch it. Basically, if you have seen the Avengers, watch the show, simple as that. It is the new must watch show on network television. Except for a few subpar special effects, the pilot episode was fantastic. Hopefully tomorrow I will have my full review up for the show.

 

 

 

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Firefly Review Part 5: Episode Breakdown.

This is a breakdown of Firefly's episodes and ranking my Top 5 episodes at the end of the post. Since basically all of the episodes are fantastic, there is no real reason to give a number rating, but just a mini non-spoiler review of each and my impressions of Firefly as the series continued. This is mostly spoiler-free and I ample warnings before the spoilers.

 

 

 

Serenity (parts 1 & 2): The episode that started it all and was infamously aired out of order by the idiots at Fox! The first half of the episode was a little slow, albeit for good reason. It setup the characters gave the series a solid starting point to start from. While it was enjoyable, particularly the second half, the series did not immediately grab my interest. However, new comers be assured that the show continues to progress and become better later in the series.

 

The Train Job: Fun episode, it had a great classic western vibe to the whole thing. The action was good and the special effects where surprising impressive considering it was made top 10 years ago for TV. While I was not entirely hooked, I knew I was going to watch the series all the way regardless.

Bushwhacked: The introduction of Reavers that hinted at something grander and Shepherd Book had some good moments. Not much to say, one of the less memorable episodes.

Shindig: Now Shindig was when the started to get be hooked. Mal was hilarious in this one, and it was nice to see Kaylee gets some screen time. There was some action, Malcolm had good character development and I enjoyed the tension between Inara and Malcolm. At this point I was mostly hooked on the series.

Safe: River and Simon really came into their own in Safe. They solidified themselves as one of the best sibling teams in fiction. River is loony and loveable as ever in Safe as well. Also it had one of the many great quotes in the Gif below:

Our Mrs. Reynolds: After this episode I was 100% hooked, absolutely love this episode. Our Mrs. Reynolds is positively hilarious! It is one of those episodes that warrants multiple viewings. Saffron is one of the best characters. *Spoiler* When it turns out she is tricking everyone, it was unexpected and then she turned into an one of the best femme fatale villains. *End Spoiler* Who can forget all the quotes from this episode! Nearly every scene has a memorable line and we now know what happens to people who talk in the theater as well, just ask Book. Anything something in another culture or someone's opinion does not make sense, I now say: "Some people juggle geese."

Jaynestown: Another amazing episode and one of my favorites. Jaynestwon had everything, humor, action, character development, and so much more. While the episode is fantastic, there is not a whole lot that I can say other it was again, ridiculously quotable.

Out of Gas: Out of Gas is the episode that most people consider the best and while it was just as excellent as most other episodes, it did not seem that much better than most episodes. It would certainly rank in the upper half of my favorite episodes, but not quite Top 5. Seeing the background of the character was great and completely necessary and, it had some great suspense. If it is your favorite episode, please explain why did it your favorite episode and why everyone loves it so much.

Ariel: Fantastic episode, pure genius. Suspenseful, great action, and a perfectly placed dark moment near the end. Basically perfect, another re-watchable episode with movie quality production.

War Stories: Not exactly my favorite episode, it had its moments and Wash was given some great moments, but one of the weaker episodes in general. But it did have one particularly awesome quote:

Trash: Probably my second favorite episode of the series. *Spoiler* The return of Saffron or as Mal called her at one point, "YoSaffBridge." Saffron is such a great antagonist, even when she seems so innocent. Tons of humor and a perfect twist at the end with Inara helping the crew keep their loot. *End Spoiler*

The Message: Not the best nor the worst episode by any means, just an excellent addition to the series. There is not much to say without spoiling it, so I will say no more.

Heart of Gold: One of my least favorite episodes, however it did have some of the best action of the series and, it had a classic western feel to it. I felt Malcolm was acting out of character a few times and thought it could have been done better.

Objects in Space: Best episode ever. Even though it is saddening that this was the final episode, Objects in Space is pure brilliance, perfect humor, acting, and dialogue. River was at her best in the episode and the villain introduced, Jubal Early, was awesome. You really hate him, yet he is entertaining to watch. There scene is one scene (gif below), that is so freaking hilarious that is kills me every time I watch it, but do not read the gif if you have not seen the series.

Top 5 Episodes:

5: Aerial

4: Jaynestown

3: Ours Mrs. Reynolds

2: Trash

1: Objects in Space

 

What are your favorite episodes? Please comment below.

 

 

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Serenity Review (Firefly Review Part 4).

To continue my Firefly post series, here is the review for Serenity, the film that mostly concluded the series.
Thoughts: Serenity, Joss Whedon's first theatrically released movie and the film continuation of his Firefly TV series. Serenity takes place sometime after the series tying up a few plot threads that the series left hanging. After a scene introducing Serenity's villain, it switched over to one continuous shot of the crew and gave fans the sense that yes, Firefly is back and you are home again. Does Serenity disappoint compared to Firefly? Nope, it is entirely awesome and everything a fan could ever want and then some. While it is possible to see the film without watching the series, it is imperative that you watch the series first. Unlike something like Star Trek, where there are literally hundreds of episodes to watch, Firefly only had 14, all of which are amazing and a must see. Watching the series adds so much emotional payoff that would otherwise be lost. On the subject of TV to film, Serenity actually warrants the big-screen adaptation because it does not have the episodic feel that TV to film often have. Even though it continues the story with all the characters you love, it answers questions and gives fans the big action scenes that only a film (or absurdly over-budget TV) could possibly deliver. To make the film, Whedon had to work with a smaller budget than most sci-fi action films, and with the exception of one dodgy CGI element, he made it work brilliantly.

There were only two minor things that I wish Serenity had, that Firefly did so well. One being the warm and comfortable feel of the ship and surrounding. Since it is a film, it looked more shiny and Hollywood like. The other thing is that the theme song was never used! Not even in the closing credits was the Ballad of Serenity used, that song is amazing, why wasn't used? Despite these minor things, they do not negatively impact the rating.

Directed by: Joss Whedon
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Western, Action Adventure,
Release Date: September 30, 2005
Running Time: 119 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13


The Good: Everything, Legitimately movie quality, Loveable characters, Awesome action scenes, Heart wrenching moments, Everything great about the TV show, Shocking moments, Answers questions, Fantastic soundtrack, Great villain, Top notch performances, More Firefly!, Joss Whedon's awesome direction and script, Endlessly quotable, Shiny,

The Bad:


Plot Summary: Since it would spoil the series, I will not post a plot summary or a trailer, just watch the gorram show and movie.

Plot: 10/10- Perfect and flawless plot, there is nothing I would change. It answered questions and gave closure to the story, yet left it open enough for sequels, which seem unlikely at this time. I would have maybe given Kaylee and Book slightly more screen-time, but that is very minor compliant because the main plot is more important. There were moments in Serenity that utterly shocked me, which I will talk about in the spoiler section at the bottom. The dialogue is impeccable, no one writes and directs better dialogue than Joss Whedon; his script is perfect. Also the opening scene uses some impressive camera work since it had to be film in one or two continuous takes going throughout the ship.

Action: 9.6/10- There were some seriously awesome fight scenes in Serenity. The stunt work is fantastic, especially considering that the actors did most of their own stunts. A few of the scenes could have been edited ever so slightly better, but only an action critic like myself would actually notice that anything was lacking. Even with the smaller budget, the space battle was awesome, one of the better ones put to film.


Acting: 10/10- Just like the series, the actors captured their characters. Among Serenity's crew, they were not acting, they were the actual crew. Their performances were entirely believable. For more opinions on the cast and crew the links for Part 1 and Part 2 of my character analysis. Chiwetel Ejiofor as the antagonist "The Operative," was excellent in his role and his character had some unique character traits that I have not seen all that often.


Special effects: 8.3/10- Due to the film's tight budget, some of the CGI was a little lacking in one scene. Despite this, later in the film, the CGI was excellent, especially in the epic space battle. As for the sets, they were fantastic, very believable just like the series.


Soundtrack: 9.8/10- While it lacked the "Ballard of Serenity" song and a few of the western themes that made the TV series' soundtrack so great, it had a score entirely its own. There were many oriental influences mixed with some classic western and sci-fi. Very unique and original, something hard to find in most films.

Comedy: 9.9/10- Even though Serenity does not quite have the warm feeling of the series, due to the more serious tone of film, it was still hilarious! So many quotable lines of humorous, perfectly delivered dialogue. The wit in the film's humor is spot on every time.

Would I Watch This Again: Already watched it twice in one week, it is that awesome.

Overall: 9.9/10- Basically perfection for fans of Firefly! Serenity is almost everything, except for a continuation of series, that fans could ask for, one of my new favorite films and one of the best I have ever seen.

Closing comments: Watch Firefly, watch Serenity, simple as that, now go do it. Like, right now!

Recommended for: Everyone who has seen Firefly,

*Major Spoilers Ahead Skip to the bottom and comment if you have not seen the film*
Last warning..... OK, why did Wash and Book have to die! Two of the most shocking and painful deaths to watch ever. Joss Whedon is one sick man killing off characters that everyone loves. Some say that Wash's death was unnecessary, and while I almost wish it never happened because he needs to be on the show if it is ever revived, it was entirely worth it for the emotional shock value. When a film kills off a character that you connect with and like, it is so hard to watch.
*End Spoilers*

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Firefly Review Part 3: the Characters.

This is the second part of the Firefly characters analysis and the third part of my overall Firefly review, enjoy.

 

 

 

Dr. Simon Tam

Dr. Simon and his sister River are often the cause of trouble within the crew. Since that reason is a spoiler, I will say no more. However, Simon and River's brother/sister relationship is great to see, since siblings are so underuse. He is very protective and selflessly protects his little sister.

 

 

River Tam

River is a truly fascinating and complex character. Her background is mysterious and often the focal point of several episodes. At first she is just an odd, shy girl, but later she turns into a fantastic character. In the film, Serenity, and episode "Objects in Space" she becomes infinitely more awesome, and again, possibly my favorite character.

 

 

Shepherd Book 

Shepherd Derrial Book, is a Shepherd, a type of Christian pastor, however he seems to know a little too much criminal actives that a one would think a preacher should. Unfortunately, the series was cancelled so his backstory was never revealed, but he will always be one of my favorite characters. It was great to see a Christian on a show where one would not normally expect one. Shepherd is the moral compass of the crew and, like me, he enjoys a quiet theatrical experience.

 

 

Inara Serra

Inara is a companion (high class and educated prostitute), which gives the ship legitimacy on land core worlds. With the decline of morals I suppose it makes sense in a wild west type future. As for her character, Inara is perfectly written as are all the characters. Her romantic tension with Mal was spot-on, their scenes and banter, and nice character moments were fantastic. 

 

 That was Serenity's crew, now for my two favorite side characters.

 

Saffron

Among the side characters in the series, Saffron is my favorite. Her debut episode, "Our Mrs. Reynolds" has some of the funniest moments in the series. Spoiler* After discovering Saffron's identity was just a ruse to steal the ship, she turned into one of best femme fatales ever. She is manipulative and cunning. Her reappearance in "Trash" was great to see because is such a fun character to watch. *End Spoiler*  

Jubal Early

Eearly is said to be partially inspired by the universe's best bounty hunter, Boba Fett and there are certainly a few similarities. Early is one of those very entertaining, yet completely despicable villains, where he so a lot of fun to watch but you hate him for what he does to your favorite characters. Even though he was in one episode, his was so memorable, even more so than many movie villains.

 

Who are your favorite characters? If you have not seen Firefly, does this make you interested to see it? Please comment below and always remember: "Some people juggle geese."

 

Note: When I first watched Firefly the second half of the first episode "Serenity" failed to record, however it will be airing again soon. Therefore my plan is to hold part 4 about reviewing each episode of the series and skip to my review for Serenity the movie and then post my episode review of Firefly.

 

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Firefly Review Part 2: the Characters.

As I said in my Firefly review, the series has some of the best and most likeable cast of characters ever. Joss Whedon knows how to make characters mesh and work perfectly together like no other filmmaker and Firefly is a shining example of his skill. For this post I will go into detail about each character without spoilers, unless given warning. 

If had to choose a favorite of the series, I would have to say the entire crew. They are some of the most loveable group of outlaws ever banded together. Below characters are not in any particular order. There was one problem I had while writing this, I started to run out of positive adjectives to describe things about the franchise and characters.

 

 

 

Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds

  

Captain Malcolm Reynolds, kind of the star of the series since it revolves around his ship Serenity. Basically he is Han Solo and just like Han he will shot first. There are certainly differences, but the similarities are hard to ignore. Mal is what Han would be if he lost the Rebellion more bitter and even more ruthless at times. However, Mal does have a "Heart of Gold" when it comes to keeping his crew safe.

Hoban "Wash" Washburne

At first Wash seemed more like a background character getting very little screen time. Towards the later half of the series and the film, Serenity, he became one of my favorites. Wash is a funny and likeable kind guy, and actually reminded me of Agent Coulson from The Avengers. Something very underrated in fiction are husband and wife relationships, and Wash and Zoe are one of the best. *Major Spoilers* His death in Serenity was one of the most shocking in cinema. *End Spoiler*

 

Zoe Alleyne Washburne

As stated above, Zoe and her husband are great together and it is refreshing to see a married couple in fiction. They are polar opposites, Zoe being tough and dead serious and Wash being lighthearted and often joking, that is why they work so well together. As for Zoe, she is a really awesome bada**, similar to Ellen Ripply and Sarah Conners. Don't mesh with her or her husband, she will take you out.

 

Jayne Cobb

Jayne is a mercenary and, at first, only cares about money. He has some of the funniest moments of the series and he plays a major role in two of the best episodes, "Jaynetown" and "Aerial." Also he is not very bright, but he is always good with a gun.

 

  

Kaylee Frye

Kaylee is the sweetest most cheerful character ever and that I why I love her. She is not good in a fight, but she knows her way around an engine, that is why she is the best mechanic in the verse.  In many ways she reminds me Tali from the Mass Effect franchise, being so cute and nice, and good with tech.

  

Who are your favorite characters? Please comment below and check back soon for the next part of my Firefly review and character discussion.

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Firefly Review: Part 1.

Thoughts: Before Joss Whedon made The Avengers, he made the sci-fi TV series Firefly, also known as, one of the best gorram shows in the verse!
Firefly was, unfortunately, canceled after only one after one season, for reasons which will be discussed later, since then it has become a cult hit and hailed as one of the best in the sci-fi genre and rightfully so, because it is ruttin' awesome!
The show revolves around the exploits of the crew of a Firefly class spaceship named Serenity. While Captain Malcolm Reynolds is the main character, Firefly is more of a ensemble, revolving around the entire crew of the Serenity and giving each character roughly equal time and development. No one writes and directs characters better than Joss Whedon and Firefly is a shining example of his unmatched skill. Every character is perfectly cast and acted, delivering Whedon's superb dialogue flawlessly. Firefly has one of the best crew/team/group ever assembled, and because of this, the characters require a separate post their own, which I will hopefully post in the near future. It imperative, however, to emphasize that the series has some of the best and most well written ever created.
Another thing important to mention is how hilarious can be. Whedon's is often humorous and witty, making me laugh several times throughout most episode, yet it never felt out of place.
Firefly takes two of my favorite genres, sci-fi and western, and seamlessly blends them together into entirely unique experience. It is somewhat difficult to explain, but makes more sense after watching the series. At first the genre blending can be a bit jarring, after a few episodes however, it flows perfectly into a cohesive universe.
Although the series is amazing as a whole, the series starts a tad slow; it was not until after the first four or five episodes that I really started to love the show and get onboard with the characters. Also, as with everything Joss Whedon makes, the dialogue is pure awesomeness! Firefly's future world uses a lot unique words and slang that brings its universe to life. There is a distinct difference between how the Core worlds and outer rim talk, and the expressions they use. Most of the "swear" and slang words are made-up for the series like "gorram" and "rutting (or ruttin')" and the crew uses a variety of occasional Mandarin (Chinese)(not subtitled).
Now, as to the reason of the series' cancellation. From what I have read, the executives at Fox thought the series was far too expensive to make, so it was aired on Friday, a death sentence for TV shows. What really put the nail on the coffin is that the series was inexplicably aired out of order! When asked the Fox executor kind of avoided the question and never gave a real answer, other than "it would have failed regardless," which is probably bull.

Something else Firefly handled well was the romance. Usually television series get annoying with the romance it is so drawn out in a "will they, won't they" type junk, however never let the romantic tension overpower the story and it believably slow. Also there was already a married couple on the ship, Wash and Zoe, and married couples are rarely in fiction as they should be. They were believable and, it was fun to watch their banter.

The Good: Almost everything, Loveable characters, Fantastic theme song, Unique sci-fi universe, Often hilarious, Memorable quotes, Tons of excellent world building without unnecessary exposition, Great soundtrack, Original genre blending, Gets better as the series progresses, Comforting atmosphere, Perfect chemistry between the crew, Occasionally great action scenes, Joss Whedon made it, Endlessly quotable,

The Bad:


Setting: The series is set roughly 500 years in the future where everyone has left earth to colonize new worlds. Even though the series is set in the future, it is just as much a western as it is science fiction, because the newly colonized worlds often live in rudimentary houses, similar to those who first colonized the wild west in the 18th century. The Core worlds, on the other hand, live in technologically advanced cities.


Acting: 10/10- Every cast gave an excellent performance, there was not a single weak performance in the show, not even by minor characters. I will go into more detail is another a later post about the characters and actors who portrayed them.

Special effects: 8.4/10- Considering that the series is over ten years old, the effects are often better than what is on TV today. Nearly all of the sets were not computer generated and where actually real sets that looked fantastic.

Soundtrack: 10/10- The theme song written by Joss Whedon is positively brilliant, one of my favorite songs ever composed. It perfectly captured what the series is about and made me want to listen to it and not skip in every episode. As for the TV show's score, it too perfectly gives the show the right feeling that it needed. Many of the western themes worked so well, basically a perfect score for the series.

Comedy: 10/10- While not a comedy, Firefly has the some of the best and most perfectly placed humor ever, either for a TV series or film. All of the character's banter is often humorous, in Whedon's typical witty fashion. It is difficult to stress how well executed the humor is, because the writing and character mesh perfectly. There are so many times where I just burst out laughing!

Overall: 10/10- Overall Firefly is deserving of every bit of praise it receives, it is that amazing. While it is not my favorite TV, it certainly cracks the Top 3 and earns it spot among the greatest works of science fiction ever created. If it only had more season, it might have ended up the TV series of all-time. For those old enough, do yourself a favor and watch Firefly, it may start slow, but it is truly a classic that will be remembered for years to come.

Closing comments: Fox can cancel Firefly, but they "can never take the sky from me!"

In the next parts of this Firefly/Serenity review I will go into detail about each episode and character, along with my review of follow-up film Serenity.

Recommended for: Sci-Fi fans, Western fans, People how enjoy entertainment, Anyone old enough, Joss Whedon fans,

My only slight problem with the series is that there was necessary amount of sexual content in some episodes, particularly: "Heart of Gold", "War Stories", and a few of the earlier episodes. Normally I do not take note of this in my reviews, but I felt it necessary to recommend the series for more mature viewers, depending upon one's opinion.

Please check back tomorrow for an update to my Top 100 Movies list and the next lists that are coming to this blog.

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Avengers TV Series Part 1.

As I have said in yesterday's post, not only is Joss Whedon writing and directing The Avengers 2 he will be making a TV series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although it would highly unlikely that many of the cast from The Avengers would make an appearance in the TV series, except for maybe a cameo. Although the series will be set in the same universe as The Avengers, that does not necessarily mean that it will influence the movies. IGN.com had a few possible comics Whedon could make a TV series about and I will give my opinion of what I think he should make.

S.H.I.E.L.D.



*Warning Avengers Spoiler* If Agent Coulson had not have died, Clark Gregg could have stared in a TV series about S.H.I.E.L.D. *End of Spoilers* Cobie Smulders, who played Maria Hill in The Avengers, could star in a S.H.I.E.L.D. series but she is currently on a TV named "How I Met Your Mother", which she is signed on for at least the next year. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that a S.H.I.E.L.D. series would be made because of the high budget.

Damage Control

Now Damage Control could actually work as a TV series. Damage Control is a construction company that specializes in repairing damage caused by superpowered beings. The cast would be mostly human but a few guest appearances from The Avengers or other Marvel could make their way onto the series. Most likely the series would be very comical, considering Whedon's ability to write witty humor and create a team dynamic, it would seem a good fit. Plus the series would not have to have a large budget to work.

She-Hulk



Jennifer Walters, cousin of Bruce Banner aka The Hulk, received a blood transfusion from her cousin, which turned her into the She-Hulk. However, she does not loose control of her powers like the Hulk but is not near as strong as the Hulk. It would seem very difficult to make the series because She-Hulk would have to be a CGI character or paint the actor in green skin, which would not really work. Also She-Hulk is a lawyer and the series might be a crime drama as well. I really hope this never ends up happening.

Young Avengers

The only real reason this could be a possible choice, is that it has the word "Avengers" in the title, which would be a good marketing ploy. However, I have read a couple of Young Avengers issues, including the origin, and it would be very difficult to make into a series, unless it is changed drastically from the comic. First the series would have to introduce Kang the Conqueror, time travel, and many other things that just do not fit into the current Marvel Universe at this time.

Blade

Although Joss Whedon has already made two TV series about Vampires, it is unlikely that would try to make a Blade and I very much hope that he does not make the series. There has already been a failed live-action Blade TV series and the character is really not that interesting.

What do you think? Please comment below and check back tomorrow for part 2.

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Whedon Back for Avengers 2 and TV Series!

Joss Whedon is back for The Avengers sequel! Time for Avengers fans to rejoice! Also he will be helping develop a TV series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, hopefully it will be awesome as it sounds. The man who did the impossible with The Avengers is coming back to direct and write the sequel. The Avengers 2 is set to be released sometime in 2015 but there is not much information about the movie at this point. However, IGN.com had some possible TV series that Whedon could make, which I will be posting soon. Are you excited to see Whedon back for the sequel? Please comment below.

Just about everyone's reaction after watching The Avengers.

 

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