Flash MX is the program you want. It is, in my opinion, the most user friendly, powerful Flash creation tool around. I think you can find a 30 day demo of it from macromedia's site. You'll also want Dreamweaver MX and Freehand MX, along with Photoshop 7. Lot of programs, and they can really add up in cost. I would suggest Flash MX, and go all the way through every tutorial they have. It's a good starting point. Also helps to have a good programming background. The trial versions of all those programs should be enough to let you decide if you want to take it farther.
Link to Macromedia's demo download pages.
If you have any more questions, PM me and I will try to answer them, or post an answer here.