Recommended viewing

Here are some things I've been watching/ have watched recently.  They are all Sci-fi type things.  I am a big sci-fi & fantasy fan.  Not quite big enough to dress up like my favorite characters and go to conventions, but I love the sci-fi and fantasy genres.  One of the main reasons is their capacity for story telling.  They allow the storyteller to set aside realty (even more so than normal authors do) and lend to a broader capacity for invention.  Some of the best things I've ever read (like Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro) and seen (like Primer) are not great just because they are sci-fi or fantasy, but because the stories are amazing.  And the sci-fi and fantasy elements are merely the backdrop for the storytelling.  Having finished my long winded introduction, here are some recommendations for your viewing pleasure.

Moon

How I missed this when it came out is beyond me.  Moon is the type story that I described above - it has elements of sci-fi which are merely a backdrop for telling a powerfully good story.  Set on the moon's surface, starring Sam Rockwell and directed by Duncan Jones (David Bowie's son), Moon is a fantastic film.  I would put it on a par with intelligent sci-fi films like 2001, Alien and Sunshine.  With a 90% Rotten Tomatoes rating, this is one of my recommended must see movies. 

Battlestar Galactica
I tried to watch this a couple of times while it was on the air but could never get into it.  BG has lots of characters and lots of plot lines so I could never get into it.  But this past week, it came up on Netflix instant so I immediately began watching it.  I watched the first season this past week and am most definitely hooked on it. 

The Walking Dead
I'm not sure which genre zombies fit into, sci-fi, fantasy or if they are their very own genre, but who cares.  The Walking Dead tells the story of a local lawman waking up from a coma and finding the world overrun by zombies.  Sounds cliche, but this original show from AMC is very watchable.  The 4th episode airs tonight.  Watch the first episode here.