October favorites

Date: idk anymore

Time: who cares

Mood: 5 out of 10 smiley faces

I'm in between jobs right now. I've sent in my application to Doctors to the Barrios, but I probably won't hear from them until a month from now. So it's just a waiting game right now. 

Been trying to snag a moonlighting gig but they go so quickly, what with all the new doctors also scrambling to get a job. The really juicy, high-paying ones are in places other than Metro Manila. It's making me slightly rethink my decision to stay in Manila versus moving back in with my parents in Cagayan de Oro. Then I remember those horrible bedbug bites I got from my previous two visits home and I just feel so relieved to be here. I may be unemployed and bored but at least I don't feel constantly itchy.

I've moved out of Ortigas and back to Katipunan Avenue. I deeply loved Ortigas. And every day that we were together, I showed my appreciation for it. I spent many hours walking its clean, paved sidewalks, marveling at the concrete wonders that surrounded me. I found comfort in the midst of dizzying skyscrapers and dazzling electric signs. The rainbow lights of St. Francis Square guided me home each night. Whenever I needed something, I was a 5-minute away from the likes of SM Megamall, Podium, and Robinson's Galleria. They were close enough that Rap and I made a tradition of catching the last full screening of movies we wanted to see. They always ended a little past midnight, and walking home through the dark, deserted mall past closing time was an adventure on its own.

Anyway, I didn't mean to get sentimental. This was supposed to be a short, light post on my October favorites, meant to distract me from this dreary state of vegetation known as unemployment. Before I get any more nostalgic, let's get right to it. 

Movies

My horror lineup so far: Hereditary, mother!, and Ash vs. the Evil Dead

• Been watching a lot of horror recently to get into the Halloween spirit. First in the line up was Hereditary. A brief prelude to this film: I saw Midsommar in cinemas when it was released around July this year (during the start of boards review actually) and I absolutely loved it. But every time I enthused about the film to someone else, the follow-up reaction I would always get was, "But have you seen Hereditary? You need to watch Hereditary!" So some nights ago, I finally did. And my honest, but unpopular, opinion is: Midsommar was so much scarier, had a more satisfying ending, and was just a better movie overall. Sorry.  
• mother! was a disappointment too. I thought it was off to a good start, but the plot twist that (spoiler alert!) Jennifer Lawrence is actually Mother Earth and her husband is God was just too corny for me to stomach. I was surprised to learn that this had a measly 15%* rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It wasn't that bad! Would've given it a passing 75% for quality. (*Update 11/3/2019: It's rated 69%, not 15%. Thanks for pointing this out, Anon!)
• Ash vs. Evil Dead on Netflix was not funny to me and not engaging. While it stayed faithful to the gore and silliness that made the original movie a cult success, the characters were dull and the gags played out like they were written for an older generation. I didn't make it past episode 1, nor could I be persuaded to plod on to Episode 2. (Note: This technically should fall under "television" and not "movies" but it's a horror thing so it makes more sense to lump it in here.)

Yeah, the horror movie binge did not exactly live up to expectations. So I to cleanse my palate from the bitter taste of disappointment, I watched the critically-acclaimed 2019 film Parasite, directed by Bong Joon Ho. My verdict: Possibly the best film I've seen ever. It's shockingly brilliant. If you haven't seen it yet, stop what you're doing and go watch it!!!

My face for most of the movie. (Parasite, 2019)

Television

• Shirobako. I've been crazy for Japanese culture ever since I got back from a trip to Osaka mid-October. As part of this obsession, I took a chance on this anime that showed up on my Netflix recommendations. It turns out, it's amazing. Shirobako is an anime about five young girls trying to survive the daily grind of the animation world. Yes, it's an anime about making anime. Genius, right? Even though I'm not a huge anime fan myself, I was fascinated with seeing how an anime goes from an idea in the creator's mind, to a couple of sketches on a page, to a full-blown TV show. 10/10 recommend! 

Shirobako (2015), literally translates to "white box," a reference to the white containers of VHS cassette tapes on which anime was recorded.

• Living with Myself. Paul Rudd stars as a 40-year-old branding agent who's stuck in a rut, until he decides to try a new spa treatment that leaves him with (surprise!) a clone of himself that's better than him in every way. The show plays to that common fantasy of having a clone to do all your homework and chores while you play Sims 4 or binge TV shows and the like. It's a really juicy concept. Add Paul Rudd, multiply by two, and you have yourself a winner. 



It's like Parent Trap but with clones. (Living With Yourself, 2019)

• Interior Design Masters. Reality TV. Interior design. British accents. It's everything I love rolled into one show. What more could you ask for?

Bedroom goals. (Interior Design Masters, 2019)

Music

• Joji has long been on my playlist, guiding me through the darkest days during boards review. So technically he isn't exclusively an October favorite. But he did release a new song a couple of days ago, so I guess he still counts! Watch him being an awkward city-smashing lobster in this music video with Jackson Wang. 

That's it for October! It's a long list, owing mostly to my unemployed vegetative state. Hopefully November will be slightly busier. Wish me luck!