I’m Going Out

“Did you know that at http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org,
Bernd Schneider says that according to a source at ILM that the new
Enterprise from the Star Trek AU (Alternate Universe)
2009 film was originally designed to be 366 meters long?” So reads a
recent post by “LoyalStarTrekFan” on trekmovie.com, and this, for better or
worse, is how many hardcore geeks spend a fair amount of their time:
Debating the length of the USS Enterprise. And also arguing
about who would win in a fight between Wolverine and Superman.

Thankfully, there are also those über-fans known as the
“Browncoats,” who worship Joss Whedon as their messianic leader and
exalt his sci-fi/western TV series Firefly and its 2005
big-screen adaptation, Serenity. To be fair, Browncoats also
spend time debating their favorite sci-fi franchise—but between
message-board tiffs about whether Kaylee or River is cuter, these fans
have also raised over $250,000 for the civil rights organization
Equality Now.

According to Portland’s local group of Firefly and
Serenity fans, the PDX Browncoats, over $28,000 of that
quarter-million dollar worldwide total has come from Portland, where
annual benefit screenings of Serenity have been held since 2006.
This year, the event—which, alas, is saddled with the Yanni-ish
title “Can’t Stop the Serenity”—includes two screenings, with an
all-ages matinee and a late-night, 21-and-over shindig where booze will
be available and the audience can shout at the screen.

Because I’m one of those aforementioned Serenity and
Firefly nerds—both the film and the TV show, with their
sharp dialogue and excellent characters, are some of the best sci-fi to
come along in years—I have yet to miss one of the PDX Browncoats’
Can’t Stop the Serenity events. If you have yet to hit one, here’s your
chance—if you want to say hi, I’ll be at the one where, for once,
I won’t get in trouble for drunkenly shouting at a movie screen.

Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st, Saturday June 27, 3 pm (all ages), 10:30
pm (21+), $10-22 (all proceeds benefit Equality Now). More info:
serenitynow.pdxbrowncoats.com.