Serenity Now! (OMG spoilers!) [Archive]

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samuelk

10-04-2005, 05:29 AM

I haven't seen the final cut of Serenity yet, but it's got a pretty high score on RottenTomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/serenity/).

I'm sure they haven't changed too much since the preview cut I saw, but that doesn't mean I'm not seeing it again.

Have Any of you martians seen it yet?

Interestingly enough, science fiction writer Orson Scott Card had high praises for the film:

Serenity

For some of you, 30 September 2005 has been circled on your calendars ever since the release date of Serenity was announced. That's because you have seen the TV series Firefly and you love these characters and can't wait to see them again.

Some of you have no idea what all the hooplah is about.

Some of you didn't even know there was any hooplah.

And it's true that there hasn't been some massive hype campaign. Instead, the producers and the studio did something different.

They held special screenings of Serenity starting much earlier in the year, letting diehard fans of Firefly see the feature film and then talk about it.

And talk they have. I've been hearing buzz about how great the movie is for months.

But here's how much the fans love this movie and want it to succeed. Some massively important things happen in this movie, things that are emotionally devastating, things that it would be almost unbearable to know about without telling.

Yet as far as I know, nobody has told. I walked into this movie reasonably aware of the advance word-of-mouth (though not obsessively so) and only as the film actually began this afternoon, the day of its premier, did it occur to me that I had not heard a whisper of a breath of the actual plot of the movie. All I heard was, "It's great, you'll love it."

Well, guess what.

It's great.

I'm not going to say it's the best science fiction movie, ever.

Oh, wait. Yes I am.

Let me put this another way. Those of you who know my work at all know about Ender's Game. I jealously protected the movie rights to Ender's Game so that it would not be filmed until it could be done right. I knew what kind of movie it had to be, and I tried to keep it away from directors, writers, and studios who would try to turn it into the kind of movie they think of as "sci-fi."

Because I know that science fiction doesn't have to be all mindless action. Or even mindful action. I can praise a movie like I, Robot and mean it, without for a second thinking that what I'm seeing is great sci-fi.

I can enjoy the first Matrix and see it as a kind of magic sci-fi, but recognize that in the end, it's all about the mystical quasi-religious ideas and the special effects, and not about human beings at all.

Because for me, a great film -- sci-fi or otherwise -- comes down to relationships and moral decisions. How people are with each other, how they build communities, what they sacrifice for the sake of others, what they mean when they think of a decision as right vs. wrong.

Yeah, even comedies. Even romantic comedies -- it's those moral decisions.

Wow, that sounds so heavy. But great film is heavy -- out of sight, underneath everything, where you don't have to be slapped in the face by it. On the surface, it can be exciting, funny, cool, scary, horrifying -- all those things that mean "entertainment" to us.

Underneath it all, though, it has to mean something. And the meaning that matters is invariably about moral decisions people make. Motives. Relationships. Community. If those don't work, then you can gloss up the surface all you want, we'll know we've just been fed smoke. Might smell great but we're still hungry.

So here's what I have to say about Serenity:

This is the kind of movie that I have always intended Ender's Game to be (though the plots are not at all similar).

And this is as good a movie as I always hoped Ender's Game would be.

And I'll tell you this right now: If Ender's Game can't be this kind of movie, and this good a movie, then I want it never to be made.

I'd rather just watch Serenity again.

to be continued in next post...

samuelk

10-04-2005, 05:37 AM

continued from previous post...

Now, I'm fussy about my science fiction movies. For the past few years I've been telling people that there are only a handful of truly brilliant sci-fi movies, and most of them are by Charlie Kaufman. (I almost don't care who the director is -- Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are absolutely by the writer, Charlie Kaufman.)

Before Kaufman, I'd simply tell people that I don't much care for sci-fi films. Mostly because nobody actually made any sci-fi films. They made horror films or mysteries or westerns in spacesuits, but sci-fi? Uh-uh. Nothing that reached into the heart of the genre and breathed life into it.

You can move models around on the screen all you like. Just because you whoosh up your spaceships doesn't make it science fiction as it's supposed to be.

Now, a lot of people called Firefly a western masquerading as science fiction, and I can see why -- they rode horses sometimes, and they rode into town, shot things up, and then rode back out of town, and the only difference between them and the Lone Ranger was that the "horse" was a clunky old spaceship named Serenity.

But that's not really all that was ever going on. There was nothing "lone" about these rangers. On that ship we had an interlocking community with a history, rather like what has been a-building with Lost and what was developed over the years with Friends (but what never existed in Seinfeld because the main writer, Larry David, doesn't seem to believe in anything, and you can't build a powerful community on a sneer).

The key to this kind of movie is that you create a community that the audience wishes they belonged to, with a leader that even audience members who don't follow anybody would willingly follow. That will be the key to Ender's Game if the movie is ever successfully made; and it is the key to Serenity.

If you've seen Firefly then you don't need me to tell you a thing -- you're probably already in the theater.

This movie might be too strong for you. Or, just maybe, it's the movie that is finally strong enough that you feel like there's something there.

It won't be obvious in a literary-novel kind of way, where the writer is sure to point out his trivial little "central metaphor" and all his "deep" characters who are for some reason still mad at the writer's Mommy and Daddy.

It will feel like adventure, like a bunch of macho strutting, like a lot of whizbang and dead bodies and violence and vaguely weird language until all of a sudden you realize: I care about these people. I like these people. Even the unlikeable ones, I care about. Even the villain really is somebody.

Think about this: Hamlet has a lot of violence and death, intrigue and betrayal; it's downright gothic. In fact, if you hadn't already been told it was a "great work" and somebody told you the plot, you'd think, what a bunch of junk.

Only it isn't, is it? And why? Because, of course, it's very well written -- but more than that, it's about something. Relationships and moral dilemmas and -- oh, wait, I've already given you that list.

Lots of sense-of-wonder (oooooh, a ghost!) and sudden shocks (don't kill the man behind the curtain!) and grim deaths (Ophelia did what?) and the gratuitously macabre (oh, look, let's play with a dead friend's skull) -- but it holds together because it's about something.

Well, not only is Serenity about something, it's also extremely well written. Joss Whedon has invented a kind of weird future slang that is still perfectly intelligible but is different, with snatches of foreign languages and obsolete English words that make it clear that it's not ordinary English they're speaking.

The effect of this -- at least in Whedon's deft hands -- is to allow himself something of the kind of heroic language that was possible for Shakespeare -- and for Tolkien. It allows him to be eloquent.

And then he turns around and deliberately clanks with some humorously abrupt language that makes us laugh for the sheer startlement of it. Just as Shakespeare did, when he'd drop from blank verse to the funny coarseness of comic prose.

Will everyone like it? Not a chance. It really is too strong for some people -- there are indeed dead bodies and cruelty and unspeakable violence, and you don't want to deal with the nightmares that young children will have. Plus the storyline is smart enough and mature enough that some people simply won't get it. Can't be helped -- it's all there on the screen, though.

For those of you who love the TV series, keep this in mind: They can't give equal time and importance to all the characters you know and love. They're all there, but the story centers around -- and resolves -- the mystery of River. In fact, it's fair to say that the two central characters in this movie are River (played by Summer Glau) and Mal, the captain and owner of the ship (Nathan Fillion). But everyone else is there and every gets some great moments and every single actor does a splendid job.

Heck, they even have Tamara Taylor, the actress who plays Walt's mother on Lost -- you know, she of the lovely face who tears her son's father apart while always looking so kind. A bit part in this movie -- but one that is brilliantly done.

Charlie Kaufman's movies have been great science fiction, but without being completely open and accessible to the mainstream audience.

Joss Whedon is not as artistically edgy, but is every bit as inventive, and he has the common touch. Like Shakespeare, he doesn't have to show off to prove himself an artist, he only has to tell the story his way, and the art takes care of itself.

So stop reading this. Go get your tickets. See this movie.

Or don't. Play it safe. Stay home. Watch reruns of Full House. That was a really funny, heartwarming TV series and it's just a shame the kids have all grown up and now we can never have the feature film with the original cast.

jackrabbit

10-04-2005, 06:30 AM

I saw it. It was great cause it was masterful writing, great characters, charismatic acting, and a nice fat budget. The TV show had everything but the budget and it was nice to see the setting as Whedon intended.

I do really encourage everyone to go see this film, whether or not you ever saw the DVDs. If you can, I'd recommend watching the DVDs first and THEN seeing the movies. Not because you'd need to, but because it invests you in the characters, and also the TV show was fantastic.

I'll probably see this movie in the theaters again next weekend. Normally, I won't see anything in the theaters; I'll normally wait for it on DVD.

The one thing that does trouble me is that the film had a real sense of finality to it. It's great cause it brings closure to the series that was abruptly and painfully ended , but it also indicates that this could be the last adventure for the cast.

Medic

10-04-2005, 08:00 AM

Saw it last night. Wow. Joss is amazing. The ending was a little expected (although some parts were VERY unexpected!!!), but all in all, a great movie, and a great addition to the series. I really hope they bring this series back.

PS #2 at the theaters this weekend; cross yer fingers!! XX

samuelk

10-04-2005, 09:43 AM

The one thing that does trouble me is that the film had a real sense of finality to it. It's great cause it brings closure to the series that was abruptly and painfully ended , but it also indicates that this could be the last adventure for the cast.

I wouldn't worry about that; Joss has stated that he WANTS to do a trilogy and anything else that might come about.

Universal has stated that if the film makes $80 million worldwide, they'll greenlight sequels. I don't think that's an unreachable goal.

samuelk

10-06-2005, 05:46 AM

I saw it last night, and very little was changed from the preview I saw in June.

Still had a blast watching the film. Here's hoping for a sequel.

Fitty

10-06-2005, 06:26 AM

It was just as good as the tv series and I enjoyed it very much and I am anxious to see it again.

Lucius also loved it considering he had only watched a couple of the shows.

Paladin

10-06-2005, 06:32 AM

Still haven't seen it. Hopefully this weekend...

The Digital Bits Rumor Mill says to expect an announcement this week that Serenity will be released on DVD 12/20. Tenetive extras include full length director's commentary and 4 "Making of" featurettes.

jackrabbit

10-06-2005, 06:42 AM

I'm planning on seeing it again this weekend after a brewery tour and a BBQ dinner with my brother.

I think his view of the film is what most people think of it: I've never heard of this, and it's sci-fi, and anonymous sci-fi is generally bad.

I've told him several times that he should check out the DVDs, but I don't want to come off as a fanboy. I figured if I just took him to the film after a buzz and a full belly he'd be more of a captive audience.

If not for the constant hype from the geek community, though, I'd have never gone to see it, or watched the DVDs.

samuelk

10-07-2005, 05:19 AM

For anyone who's interested, you can see the first 9 minutes of Serenity in high-res full screen here:

http://video.vividas.com/CDN1/3929_Serenity/web/index.html

jackrabbit

10-07-2005, 05:58 AM

You can see the first 9 minutes of Serenity in high-res full screen here:...

But it asks you to install a proprietary video player. :(

Shadowrat

10-07-2005, 02:54 PM

JR, i'll trade you my fullmetal alchemist dvds for the firefly's

samuelk

10-08-2005, 06:34 AM

But it asks you to install a proprietary video player. :(

I think it just stores the video player files in your browser's cache. The install takes only seconds.

Creole Ned

10-08-2005, 09:51 AM

(Plus it eats your babies.)

Sue has absconded with the Firefly DVD's because another friend wants to watch them before seeing the movie. I should have them back soonish and will probably catch the movie in a few weeks.

Paladin

10-16-2005, 07:48 PM

Saw it this weekend. I'll have to watch the show now, but I'm not 100% happy with something in the movie. I won't say any more to avoid spoiling anything, but I'm pretty sure the people who've seen the movie can guess what it was.

Definitely an above-average sci-fi movie, although the deliberately archaic dialogue in spots...I know it was there to add to the atmosphere... didn't go over with my girlfriend who isn't a sci-fi buff. I'm afraid that may be true of alot of non-sci-fi people who see it. Fans of the show will get it. Genre fans will get it. To everyone else (which is, unfortunately, a much larger portion of the movie-going public) it'll just confuse them more.

samuelk

10-17-2005, 05:41 AM

Paladin

10-17-2005, 05:43 AM

Yeah, my girlfriend doesn't like western's either, so that may very well be part of it.

samuelk

10-17-2005, 05:56 AM

Yeah, my girlfriend doesn't like western's either, so that may very well be part of it.

That would definitely have an impact on her enjoyment of the film. :)

Tai

10-28-2005, 08:20 AM

Saw it last night finally :) (last day in theaters here, so I finally got off my butt). I was very happy with it other than a single item at the beginning that I found confusing/didn't get from the TV series, but I'll ask my question somewhere else unless everyone who is going to see it has already done so?

Andri

10-28-2005, 02:05 PM

Even I saw it the other day (thanks to the hubby who is, BTW, an extremely critical movie goer and actually liked Serenity a lot). So you can prolly ask your question now. :bg:

LogRoller

10-30-2005, 04:40 PM

Saw it, loved it. We have not had much decent science fiction lately.

Reaver

11-11-2005, 11:43 AM

I saw this movie a few weeks ago. I liked it, mostly.

Although there were several scenes that I didn't care for, or just annoyed me ( Gov't Assassin dude getting into compound 2 minutes after landing escape pod), there were enough "Whedon" moments that I enjoyed the movie. I thought the storyline could have been tightened up a bit more.

Only other complaint was that sometimes it looked really low budget.

jackrabbit

11-11-2005, 11:47 AM

Reaver! Welcome to our new home on the "web".

Creole Ned

11-11-2005, 11:52 AM

I finally convinced that bastard to post. :bg:

armerius

11-15-2005, 05:58 AM

Finally saw this two days ago.

fantastic film, lots of turns I completely did not expect.... have we all seen it now so spoilers are not an issue?

Admiral

11-15-2005, 07:41 AM

Sorry Arm, I still haven't seen it...

btw: can you do a quick note of the hours I "observed" and sign the paper and mail it to me? I only need a basic time sheet countersigned by you with info like your school district/school info etc.

Thanks!
~Admiral

Medic

11-15-2005, 08:37 AM

Saw it, dug it, think Joss is God.

Creole Ned

11-15-2005, 09:55 AM

Unfortunately, it's only made about $36 million worldwide, so it seems unlikely any sequels will be made (Universal wanted to see $80 million to bankroll more).

Anyone want to speculate why it didn't do better, since most everyone thought the film was faboo? Did it rely too much on knowledge of the TV series after all? Was it too "different" than most science fiction films? Did the leads have bad and/or disturbing hair?

I never saw all the DVDs beforehand and then they got borrowed off to someone else, so that's my excuse. I wanted proper grounding first. :nod:

Medic

11-15-2005, 10:11 AM

I don't think it (or the series, for that matter) was marketed anywhere near enough. I hadn't even heard of it until you guys piped up.

I blame the executives, as usual.

jackrabbit

11-15-2005, 10:52 AM

What Medic said plus the fact that we are in an era of exceedingly bad sci-fi. Everything is either a rehash (Star Trek tv shows, remakes), utterly lousy and a rehash (Aliens vs. Predator, Star Wars I + II), overly complex and haughty (Solaris), Hollywood fluff (I, Robot) or just downright stupid (pretty much everything else).

Add in the fact that most people can get a better theater experience from their living rooms (no crying kids, farting elderly, or teens on cellphones) and it raises the bar for what people are willing to leave their homes to see.

If it weren't for the geek word of mouth, I don't think I'd have gone to see it until it was available for Netflix.

Tick

11-15-2005, 02:50 PM

They do realize that it's going to sell like gangbusters on DVD, right? 36 million in sales is something like 4 million tickets (at 9 bucks a pop). I would hazard that they'll sell at least 1.5 million DVDs just to those 4 million people. The majority of people who saw the movie were fans going in, and probably already own the series on DVD.

Oh, and the movie killed off the most interesting character....so that annoyed me. It didn't seem like the start of a series, it seemed too complete. I still enjoyed the hell out of it, but I would have liked them to do something less epic to start off with, that could lead to either more movies or to another attempt at TV (I can't imagine that SciFi couldn't make Firefly work on Friday Nights with Battlestar Gallactica)

Reaver

12-15-2007, 01:16 AM

I'm watching Firefly on Sci Fi channel.

Fuck those fucking fucks who cancelled this show. This would have been the best show on TV for a long time had it been given the time needed to get the kinks out.

This is actually making me angry watching this show again. Fuck you, Fox execs. :ginormousmiddlefinger:

Tai

12-15-2007, 10:47 AM

I would like to add my own fuck those fucking fucker FOX fucks statement as well.

I rewatch the entire series two or three times a year, and force the disks upon my friends when they tell me they never heard of the show.

When they do the reruns on TV, do they include the episodes that never aired originally? There 3 or 4 of them on the DVDs.

Paladin

04-08-2008, 06:02 PM

Not sure how, but apparently Firefly is being remastered in high definition for release on Blu-Ray later this year.

Dg3Nr8

04-09-2008, 08:44 AM

Not sure how, but apparently Firefly is being remastered in high definition for release on Blu-Ray later this year.

I have it on HDDVD :(

Dg3Nr8

04-09-2008, 10:19 AM

Clarification: I have Serenity on HDDVD. :[

Creole Ned

04-09-2008, 10:26 AM

Physical media is dead!

Kermit

04-09-2008, 10:46 AM

I finally finished both the series and the movie about a week or so ago, so as the official Last Guy to Get it Done... feel free to spoilers away.

I would also like to echo the previous "Fuck the fucking fuckers" style statements from several of you.

Dg3Nr8

04-09-2008, 11:18 AM

I stand by my previous statement that I'm glad it was canceled when it was and I hope that it stays dead. It's not that I don't like it, I loved it then and still do. I've watched the full series twice and the movie three or four times. I'm positive that I'll watch both of them again several times. I bought the series and movie on DVD for myself. I bought the movie again as soon as I got my HDDVD player. I bought the series set and movie on DVD two more times as gifts for other people. I can make a lot of consecutive sentences that start with I. I can also make two consecutive sentences that start and end with I.

My reasoning for this stance is simple, too many shows go on way past their prime and become pathetic shells of what they used to be. People keep watching them because of the time they've invested in the characters and they love what the show used to be. Every week they sit down hoping to see the start of the revival into what they originally loved and got them hooked or maybe even just to catch brief glimpses of their long lost show in all its former glory. Since people keep watching, ads keep selling and the show continues to live on. Three perfect examples of this happening are The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live and Joe Montana signing with Kansas City as a 68 year old starting QB.

Does it suck that Firefly was canceled when it was? Hell yes it does. I would have loved at least one more season to give the story and characters a chance to grow a bit more. The more important thing that a second or even third season would have done though is given them a chance to wrap up the story. Luckily they were able to do the movie which let them dish out a small amount of closure. Of course at the same time they also raised some other possibilities and left other things totally unanswered. >:(

That's the thing that annoys me the most about shows like this being killed pre-maturely. When you decide that a story based show is going to be canceled give them a minimum of three episodes to wrap everything up and put it to bed please. :(

Dg3Nr8

04-09-2008, 11:20 AM

sorry, I didnt realize that was gonna be so long. :[

I guess you can tell that I'm totally slacking at work today.

Creole Ned

04-09-2008, 03:50 PM

I'm still waiting to find out what happened to Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks. :|

Kermit

11-28-2009, 08:37 PM

Ok, I'm posting here because I couldn't find the post debating the relative hotness of the female cast members on Firefly.

I was watching V (I'm up to episode 3 and catching up fast) and it was bothering me that I recognized Anna but couldn't figure out from where. An IMDB search resulted in my hitting my own forehead when I found out that she's Morena Baccarin (Inara from Firefly).

I'm not really good at recognizing women. They can change hairstyle and hair color and look completely different to me. I usually pick out actresses by voice more than they way they look, but this one got me good and I think it's because of the chest.

I'm a leg man by nature, but looking at pictures of Inara in Firefly and then Anna in V... they were either using some amazing push-up Vicki Secret somethings on her in that show, or they are taping those puppies down for V.... or both. Between the changed hair and upper body, it took me 3 episodes to decide that I'd seen her before and that I needed to figure it out.

I liked all the actors/actresses in Firefly and I wish them all luck in whatever they work on. Summer Glau was on Terminator, Adam Baldwin was on Day Break (it was pretty damn good so it never had a chance) and Nathan Fillion was on Desperate Housewives and now Castle. It seems like Sci-fi shows have about a 1-2 year life span on TV tops. I'd like to see if V ends up with a decent run.

samuelk

11-29-2009, 05:23 AM

Alan Tudyk (Wash on Firefly) was in the first episode of V. I haven't seen any more of the episodes, so I'm not sure if he's in any more of them.

Kermit

11-29-2009, 07:03 AM

I got caught up to real time last night. New episodes won't be out for months. Perhaps I should start a new V thread full of spoilers?

Tai

11-29-2009, 07:33 AM

Inara also showed up in the SG-1/Atlantis series as the daughter of that woman who was in farscape...

LogRoller

11-29-2009, 09:13 AM

along these lines, am i the only one who likes dollhouse and is angry that it was cancelled?

Kermit

11-29-2009, 11:23 AM

I never watched it. Was it any good? I mean, obviously you liked it so it must have been decent, but what was the premise and did it have legs or was it doomed to fail?

samuelk

11-29-2009, 12:51 PM

along these lines, am i the only one who likes dollhouse and is angry that it was cancelled?

I liked it, but I wasn't sure where it was going (although the unaired episode "Epitaph One" kinda showed where it was ultimately going).

It was definitely holding my interest.

LogRoller

11-30-2009, 09:20 PM

They hadn't really given it a chance to develop the characters. I think everyone watching tv has ADD now or something, because this happens to Whedon every time.

samuelk

12-01-2009, 06:24 AM

They hadn't really given it a chance to develop the characters. I think everyone watching tv has ADD now or something, because this happens to Whedon every time.

I'm wondering when Joss will learn not to trust Fox.

I mean one the one hand, you can't blame Fox for cancelling the show when the ratings are low.

On the other hand, STOP PUTTING NEW SHOWS IN THE FRIDAY NIGHT TIME SLOT.

armerius

12-01-2009, 10:07 AM

I had read an article about whedon distancing himself completely from the fox production of dollhouse. apparently only the pilot followed his vision and the rest of the series was ruined by other writers and producer "ideas" From what i can tell, he was probably glad to see it cancelled.

Kermit

12-01-2009, 11:57 AM

What was it about? I mean, I saw the teaser commercials from which I gathered that the premise was that hot women lounged about and gave really sexy looks at the camera. Not much of a plot, but it works for Sports Illustrated.

Bugzy

12-01-2009, 01:32 PM

samuelk

12-02-2009, 04:30 AM

Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, and Alan Tudyk all played voices of three main characters in the game Halo:ODST. Best. Game. Ever.

Nathan Fillion was Buck, Adam Baldwin was Dutch, and Alan Tudyk was Mikey.

They also were the voices of three marines in Halo 3 on the level "Tsavo Highway".

Nathan Fillion's character in Halo 3 was actually called "Captain Reynolds".

And one of Adam Baldwin's line's in Halo 3 mentions calling a weapon "Vera", the name his character in Firefly gave to his favorite gun. I remember hearing him say it, I think, when a marine jumped on the back of a Warthog to man the minigun.

Temujin

12-02-2009, 10:10 AM

I like Nathan Fillion's new show Castle. It really wouldn't be good without him though, any other actor just couldn't pull it off. I did like their intro for their halloween episode, and any Firefly fan would appreciate it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q3pdj9p6yI

Kermit

12-02-2009, 10:44 AM

"Don't you think you should move on?"

Awesome.
I've seen most of the Castle episodes and you're right, it would be C- material with out Fillion. I thought I saw the halloween episode but I must have missed the intro.

Bugzy

12-02-2009, 11:26 AM

I suddenly want to watch Castle now...

Postal

12-02-2009, 12:48 PM

Fillion is turning out to be a pretty good actor. He was good in Dr. Horrible.

armerius

12-03-2009, 05:40 AM

Yea, he was good in Dr. Horrible, and it's not easy to carry yourself against talent like NPH

samuelk

12-03-2009, 01:12 PM

He was also in Saving Private Ryan. He played Private Ryan.

Kermit

12-03-2009, 05:33 PM

Not the Private Ryan, that was Matt Damon. The other Private Ryan, the one with the mistaken identity that they find first.

Captain Miller: Private, I'm afraid I have some bad news for ya. Well, there isn't any real easy way to say this, so, uh, so I'll just say it. Your brothers are dead. We have, uh, orders to come get you, 'cause you're going home.
Pvt. James Frederick Ryan: [starts sobbing] Oh, my God, my brothers are dead. I was gonna take 'em fishing when we got home. How - How did they die?
Captain Miller: They were killed in action.
Pvt. James Frederick Ryan: No, that can't be. They're both - That... That can't be. My brothers are still in grammar school.
Captain Miller: You're James Ryan?
Pvt. James Frederick Ryan: Yeah.
Captain Miller: James Francis Ryan from Iowa?
Pvt. James Frederick Ryan: James Frederick Ryan, Minnesota.
[the whole crew looks embarrassed]
Pvt. James Frederick Ryan: Well, does that - does that mean my brothers are OK?

samuelk

12-04-2009, 09:12 AM

Not the Private Ryan, that was Matt Damon. The other Private Ryan, the one with the mistaken identity that they find first.

Yes, I know. I was intentionally being vague. :)

Kermit

12-04-2009, 09:56 AM

Well then, it looks like I've completely ruined your joke.

Creole Ned

12-04-2009, 12:22 PM

Next you'll be ruining Citizen Kane!

Kermit

12-04-2009, 01:56 PM

Yes, turns out Rosebud was Luke's father.

I've started watching The Big Bang Theory on TV. How is this show not known and loved by everyone? It's awesome! Is it one of those shows like House where every episode is the same or something?

I've gotten the first disc of season 1 from Netflix.

Paladin

12-04-2009, 04:11 PM

Creole Ned

12-04-2009, 05:30 PM

I have never seen this show so I'm going to guess it's about sex. Now I'll check wikipedia to see if I was right.

After reading the entry it appears I might be right, sort of.

Postal

12-05-2009, 12:33 PM

I really like The Big Bang Theory. I think it was funnier for the first few shows though.