Apr 02
A quote:
“Our list features some really classic movies, many of which, like Serenity, launched to no praise or applause at the box office, but have lived on for many years thanks to the fans, and continue to influence today’s films and TV.”
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to think about it… i liked serenity …
OMG PLZ DONT SHOOT ME !!
i loved serenity. but even it owes a bit to Star Wars…its basically the Han Solo movie.
Serenity Now! Oh wait that’s Seinfeld.
Simply absurd. Serenity is a very good sci fi movie, yes. But Star Wars IV defined the genre. And Star Wars V made it grow up. 2001: A Space Odissey created the genre. Alien gave the genre the realistic aliens and Bladerunner gave it reality altogether. So Simply put Serenity should’ve been 6th, or even lower. And that’s not a disgrace at all.
Firefly was great, Serenity was good. Star Wars was excellent.
I guess this means there are more brown coats than jedis now…
Okay…
I did like serenity… but it wasn’t THAT good.
I think serenity is a bit overrated because of the “struggle” it has gone through. The fans think it “deserves” the praise because of what happened outside the movie… The fan effort and such. (This is just how I think it goes.)
If you just look at the movie, it’s good, but has alot of weak points. Alot of things in it could have been done better, and it suffered a bit from the fact that they tried to cram about 3 seasons of the series in one movie. As just a movie, Star Wars was better in my opinion.
Though would still absolutely love to see the 2 remaining parts of the Firefly trilogy.
Serenity is such an amazing movie…it definitely deserves to be in with the greats. Is it the best? That I can’t say for sure…but it’s a great movie.
Am I alone in thinking that Serenity was something of a travesty?
Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was a good film, maybe even a great film, but as the follow-up to Firefly I felt it really fell flat.
I thought the biggest failing was that it tried too hard to be an *epic* film, and lost so much of the sense of fun and adventure of the series. And the deaths in the film seemed like they were merely stuck in for shock value, and only served to make sure the franchise was truly beyond resurrection.
Wewt!
From a sci-fi reader standpoint i say the list is perfect. If we’re talking about who came first and who “defined the genre” i say Sci-Fi books were that, not Star wars, and a lot of the best books are about space travel in a ship with a crew, so for me at least Serenity tops Star wars any day.
As far as the characters and the story go, i think they’re both equal. Serenity as a movie, without the series doesn’t have much of either, but Serenity and the Firefly episodes together are great. You might say that’s not fair, since we’re talking about the movie, but think about this: Star wars isn’t just one movie, is it?
I liked Serenity, and i loved Firefly. I would take 5 more episodes (at least) of firefly instead of Serenity.
So, in conclusion, i hope all you wanna-be-jedi out there choke on that! Muahaha!
The thing with this question is it depends on which “star wars” that you refer to.
The first 2 movies (in terms of chronological release, not by the “episode” number) certainly hold an impressive amount of weight in the Sci-fi world. The following 4 releases however…had already fallen to the mass marketing generic sci-fi “make us rich” theme. “Return” had started the plunge (think ewoks, a word never spoken in the movies yet everyone knows it…and all the commercial crap that goes with it), with the last 3 movies plunging ever further into the world of mass-market commercialization and homoginized crap.
That being said, Serenity was a rough movie to judge. On the one hand, the story had great potential, but it had to be rushed to fit in a single movie which sadly killed a lot of the interaction that made Firefly so great. This, sadly, greatly harmed the value it could have attained. To be honest, the story for Serenity worked much better in a episodic format…something that doesn’t flow well on the big screen (or on the wallets of those who produce and market the movie).
Would I put Serenity on the same level as the first two Starwars movies? Not quite, but very close. Would I put Firefly series there? Without a doubt.
I think one of the huge points people are missing is that Star Wars was 30 years ago and serenity is now. I personally love both of them and squirm if someone were to make me choose. And while i do appreciate the roots of things i feel that the youth today want a captain that embodies us and our characteristics more than someone from another generation.
Film classic Star Wars has lost its crown as the world’s best sci-fi movie.
“Film classic Star Wars has lost its crown as the world’s best sci-fi movie.”
How *DARE* they?
The Empire Strikes Back is a better movie in my view. Much more depth. I enjoyed Serenity a lot as well. And no TREK on that list. BAHH!
I loved Firefly and the movie Serenity…but compared to the original Star Wars? It’s no contest.
Prequel stank and all, the original Star Wars still holds its own.
The sad thing is, none of those movies would exist if it hadn’t been for Star Trek. I agree that Han is definitely an inspiration for Mal, but Mal has for more depth of character.
I really hate things like this. How can you compare movies that were made decades apart? Most of us grew up with Star Wars and it’s become an integral part of our past, but if I think about it completely objectively (or as objectively as possible), Serenity *is* better than Star Wars.
@MadAce: But that’s not what the article was about. Not which was more ground breaking or influential, just how good they are as is.
Star Wars is a Space Opera not Sci-Fi.
Mike is actually right (but i still consider it Sci-Fi)
Serenity was an awesome movie but 1st i don’t think so…
And kids, remember we are not discussing which one was most groundbreaking or legendary just which one was best..
I actually thought there would be more of a fight over what kind of movies you could call sci-fi..
for example i consider Donnie Darko Sci Fi
Hehe, you guys are just sore loosers!
Oh yeah almost forgot…
****************************!!!!!CHILDREN OF MEN FTW!!!!***********************************
@ Lifeisaglitch
true…
@Carver
The sad thing is, none of those movies would exist if it hadn’t been for Star Trek.
Uh dude did you even look at the so called top ten. Forbidden planet out dates Star trek, and a couple of the other movies were based on books that out date ST big time. The rest draw virtually nothing from ST at all (not that i have anything against ST but read the damn article before you comment guys)
1. Serenity (2005)
2. Star Wars (1977)
3. Blade Runner (1982)
4. Planet of the Apes (1968)
5. The Matrix (1999)
6. Alien (1979)
7. Forbidden Planet (1956)
8. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
9. The Terminator (1984)
10. Back to the Future (1985)
Blasphemy!
speaking as someone who had never seen firefly I rented Serenity from the local video store based on the hype it got on ELR, and i gotta tell you; I was dissapointed. I’m sorry, I know it has a lot of fans, but I just plain didn’t like it. I don’t think it deserves to be at the top of that list at all.
The rest of the list is pretty solid though
“… followed by Keanu Reeves’s film The Matrix and Sigourney Weaver’s Alien.”
That sounds like they directed it, imo.
this list won’t hold up for long. blade runner, the matrix, alien and some kind of star wars movie will ALWAYS be on every sci-fi top ten list. serenity was great, but there is no way it will be considered that much of a classic in the not-too-distant future (although it would be awesome if it grows in popularity as a cult classic). also, some people alluded to it, but i’ll say it now. empire strikes back needs to be on the list as a stand-alone and not as a part of the star wars franchise. i say it’s head and shoulders above the rest in the series. same goes for the second star trek movie.
Serenity was nice but it doesn’t belong on that list on any other place than number 11. It can’t hold a candle to any of those movies.
Anyone can make a list of movies they like or they think were a big influence. There is really only one movie on that list that had a huge impact on movie making – and that is Star Wars (I still prefer Empire). It truly did pave the way for the summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy blockbuster. Star Trek – The Motion Picture came out a couple of years later and paved the way for 9 more TREK movies and 4 more TREK TV series. And that paved the way for more Sci-Fi on TV.
Firefly/Serenity is my favorite sci-fi series of all time, and possibly my favourite series of all time in general… I’d choose it over any of those including the star wars movies, which arn’t as “HOLY SHIT AMAZING” as everyone claims they are, it’s the nostalgia and preset notion that it’s that good that makes people think those movies are ‘that good’
@Smitty
You really need to watch all of Firefly to Enjoy Serenity. I watched the movies first as well and while i thought i was cool it was SO much better once you have watched the series.
Its just Joss Weedon fanboys – these lists and polls don’t mean jack squat. Thats part of the reason I had to leave the spacecast forums – there was always some stupid poll that the farscape mafia over there would rally around, getting everyone to flood the ballot box every 24 hours. It made them feel vindicated that that lame ass show got cancelled and it was their way of sticking it to the man as it were – even thought it really didnt
Serenity isn’t on that list as part of the Firefly series, and without that series the emotional impact of much of the movie isn’t there. That said, it isn’t a listing of the best sci-fi, just the most popular in that particular demographic. Nobody got robbed, because the poll is almost certainly true. More of those people polled liked Serenity than Star Wars, but the people being polled are probably being pulled from the subscriber list of SFX magazines…in general, it’s going to be the people CURRENTLY most dedicated to the genre being polled on what they CURRENTLY like. These people aren’t the casual moviegoer, who would probably name Star Wars with an overwhelming percentage. The people being polled have, it’s reasonable to assume, poured themselves into SCIFI television shows as well as movies, and put Serenity into a context most people can’t agree with.
Were I polled, I wouldn’t have voted for Serenity, but I also wouldn’t have voted for Star Wars. For all the popularity it contributed to the genre three decades ago, it can’t stand up to more modern effects and cinematography, and even characters are expected to be more subtle and complex than Star Wars fare. It was SUPERB for its time, but its time has largely past and there are more fertile fields waiting.
I think this is a case of the brown coats hijacking the vote somehow again ….they did a similar thing with the BBCs film of the year last year (iirc?).
A film no one had heard of suddenly became the BBC film of the year ‘cos the vote on it came from online voting.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Serenity, I love Firefly – but better than (the original) Star Wars? ….please.
@Lifeisaglitch
I didn’t say that they drew anything from Star Trek, but Star Trek made science fiction something more acceptible in the mainstream. Those movies wouldn’t have been made because no one would have been willing to risk the money in making them.
I guess it depends on who you ask. They are both great.
What I WAS surprised at was no Close Encounters in the top 10, or ET.
Close Encounters remains one of the best Sci-Fi movies of all time, completely ahead of its time, with special effects you could do now and they would still be great. Great acting, great plot and great music. It’s a shame that many people have forgotten this movie a little.
@Carver
I didn’t say that they drew anything from Star Trek, but Star Trek made science fiction something more acceptible in the mainstream. Those movies wouldn’t have been made because no one would have been willing to risk the money in making them.
Okay i get it, but i still wouldnt say
@Carver
The sad thing is, none of those movies would exist if it hadn’t been for Star Trek.
But i get what your saying without St Sci-Fi wouldnt be as popular as it is today
I actually saw the movie Serenity before I knew there was a FireFly.
And I was happy to find out about FireFly because I loved the movie.
As for Serenity being the “best sci-fi movie”, Well.., it definitely belongs on the list, just not at the top.
I too saw the movie, and about a year after I got the movie on DVD, I picked up the complete series of Firefly (which sadly is a one box deal…) In my opinion, Firefly was better then any other Sci-fi TV shows.
BTW: The director of Fireflly (Joss Whedon) kinda looks like, and reminds me of, David Jaffe of God of War fame.
David Jaffe: http://fp.scea.com/Content/NewsMedia/Editorials/1/Article/editorial_featured_kratos.jpg
Joss Wedon: http://www.nndb.com/people/721/000116373/joss-whedon-1-sized.jpg
The only way to make justice is naming “Serenity” a square in every city \o/
I agree with most others. Serenity deserves to be on the list, but not on the top. On that note, I believe Close encounters should have been on that list, and not Planet of the Apes, but I’ve never been a fan of ANY film adaptation of it.
Both films are great, I love both films. I do think for everything its worth Starwars should be the top
but all i really care abut is Alien is there
No ammount of spaceships can be as cool as a little squirmy thing bursting oout of a guys chest then devouring a crew.
Oh Godness. Star Wars can be beated, really.
In fact, there are lots of films much better than Star Wars. You are only nostalgic.
Just what I’m trying to say.
Serenity was junk, it was like a misc B scifi movie you watch at 2am, Star Wars was and still is right up towards the top, tho id probably say 2001 tops it.
Mwhahahaha, yes, yes, YES! Big hairy monster, a.k.a. Star Wars, was given a second place! Maybe old SW fans have simply died out because of old age? The new era is dawning
OK, seriously, I am glad that Serenity got the 1st place. I remember watching it with “OMG, it’s so better than all the New Trilogy combined” feel.
They are right. I present to you episodes 1-3 and the Special Edition films as to why Star Wars sucks.
Is this a genuine article? The date on it is 1st April, somebodies idea of a joke possibly?