For those looking for a small sci-fi fix while eagerly awaiting the release of Tron: Legacy (starring "Oscar Winner – TM – Jeff Bridges"), might I recommend the audio-book version of Max Brooks' World War Z. Brooks is the son of Mel Brooks and apparently also a writer on Saturday Night Live. He created an earlier book, The Zombie Survival Guide, that I haven't yet read. But the second book is a post-apocalyptic faux-documentary detailing the aftermath of the Zombie War as told through the recollections of various different characters around the world. The Audio-Book version features an ensemble cast including both Carl and Rob Reiner, Alan Alda, John Turturro and Mark Hamill. It apparently won an Audie Award in 2007. I didn't even know about the Audies. They're like Academy Awards, but for audio books.
The narrator of the audio version of the book is Brooks himself in the guise of a journalist-type character who had been commissioned to write a report for the government documenting the Zombie War, but found at the end of the day that he had a whole lot of extra overly-personal/emotive material that he decided to put together into his own documentary version – which is what the book is. Really hard to characterize, but clever and biting (not sure if pun intended here!) and fun listening. Only about 6 hours long so if you're looking for something to do one wintry weekend, maybe try listening to this.
Marc Forster ("Monster's Ball," "Stranger Than Fiction," "Quantum of Solace") is set to direct the film version of "World War Z," with Brad Pitt attached to star. Sounds interesting. "The Zombie Survival Guide" was good, but I preferred "World War Z." I look forward to checking out the audiobook. Have you been watching The Walking Dead? I think it has been really good so far.
I haven't seen The Walking Dead, so I'll look it up. I had heard they were making World War Z into a movie – I wonder how they'll do it screenplay-wise? Flashbacks maybe? I can't imagine Brad Pitt in it, but I can't imagine him in much these days.