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This week's PopMatters Picks from the pop-o-sphere:

1. "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy (Book)

Oprah is right on target with this one. The apocalypse is not to be tinkered with lightly, or given to writers of lesser caliber. McCarthy has long had a mean, or at least a cold-blooded, streak to him; here, he shows more of a heart than he has for some time. This is not just a litany of despair, it is a lament for all that was lost, and thusly, a celebration of the here and now. This may have the trappings of a horror film, but with his stubborn wanderers diligently batting their unanswerable questions back and forth in a godless waste, McCarthy enters the land of Beckett. _ Chris Barsanti

2. Fountains of Wayne, "Traffic and Weather" (CD)

A messy, dark, and defiantly askew center exists at the core of the candy-coated pop-sweetness of these songs, making them a recognizable take on American culture at its twisted best. "Traffic and Weather" carries throughout a preternatural gift for digging holy truths out of piles of throwaways _ it is full of people watching TV at really weird times, junky in-flight catalogs and torn GNR posters, scattered hopes and slapdash dreams, images that seamlessly marry the kitschy and the beautiful. _ Jeff Vrabel

3. "Children of Men" (DVD)

One of last year's most amazing films, Alfonso Cuaron single handedly reinvented the speculative fiction genre with this look at a world gone infertile. He accomplished the ideal immersion of subject matter and audience member, creating a perfect parallel universe where we recognize ourselves, and imagine our reactions to the situations occurring. _ Bill Gibron

4. "Company," by Max Barry (Book)

Barry's corporate world is both familiar and absurd. Zephyr is the company that follows every crackpot management strategy you thought was too ridiculous to contemplate. While the petty squabbles and managerial directives seem like the products of a seriously deranged mind, most working people will find them believable. It's a curious blend of a book: a confection that manages to provoke deep reflection; a contrived, superficial novel with something important to say. _ David Pullar

5. "Volver" (DVD)

In Almodovar's world, women are the unmistakable, undeniable and indelible colors of life _ they are the red splashed across the harsh grey landscape. "Volver" is a paean to all that is overtly and intrinsically female. From the powerful kinship of sisterhood to the unbreakable connections of motherhood this film is a celebration of life lived in spite of, in deference to, and in full acknowledgment of all the inherent complexities of being alive. _ Kate Williams

6. Stars of the Lid, "And Their Refinement of the Decline" (CD)

With their precise texturing and tendencies towards classical minimalism, Stars of the Lid straddle the line between popular and classical music. These tunes are melancholic and rooted in a love and understanding of slow, subtle repetition and alteration. Their work stands as some of the more original and evocative music being produced today; smart and technical without sacrificing atmosphere and feeling. _ Nate Dorr

7. "The Marriage" (PC Game)

A pink square, a blue square, and lots of different circles are all you get to play with in Rod Humble's new freeware "game" available at Rodvik.com. The intentional lack of music or sound allows one to concentrate on the canvas displayed on the screen, Humble's visual representation of what marriage is, or what it could be. This could be the intersection between games and art or it could be a simple, casual bit of zen; either way, makes for lovely and frank insights. _ Mike Schiller

8. "John Prime Live on Soundstage 1980" (DVD)

Prine puts the folksy in folk; his songs are insightful, emotional portrayals of regular people and their regular problems, and the songs' impact is due to the familiarity of their subject's plights. We can identify with his characters, laugh at their shortcomings, and cry for their sorrows because they're not too far removed from our own. _ Michael Patrick Brady

9. "Radio On" (DVD)

Shot in black-and-white, virtually plotless, constructed from static long takes of rundown landscapes and people engaged in everyday activities, "Radio On" runs against the grain of conventional Hollywood movie making. It will enrapture and fascinate some, bore and alienate others, and leave many with unanswered questions. _ Shaun Huston

10. "Orphans" (FILM – screened at South by Southwest 2007)

The winner of a Special Jury Prize at SXSW, "Orphans" tells the tale of two estranged sisters. Visually mesmerizing, the tale is told as much through the women's expressions and actions as through their words. Much as a relationship between siblings depends on mutual histories and shared memories that remain unspoken, the film's story reveals itself without speaking. _ Anita Schillhorn

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