Serenity - the Movie

I have been invited to screen the new movie, Serenity, as a blogger, on Monday. It's like being treated as a member of the press. Me! Wow! Anyway, I'm not assured of a seat, aparently, but I'm still going to try. I totally love Science Fiction, so I'm really interested to see this movie.
Here's the official synopsis.

Joss Whedon, the Oscar® - and Emmy - nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide television phenomena of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE, ANGEL and FIREFLY, now applies his trademark compassion and wit to a small band of galactic outcasts 500 years in the future in his feature film directorial debut, Serenity. The film centers around Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family –squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal.

I'm hopeful I'll get in, so stay tuned for a review of the film later this week. I have been hemming and hawing about renting the video of the series, Firefly, for which the movie is just a completion of the story. However I was also thinking about approaching this from the standpoint of someone watching it cold. You know, evaluate it to see if it stands on it's own.
Some people, who have already apparently screened it, have great things to say.