December favorites

My unemployment is almost at an end. I've been accepted into Doctors to the Barrios. Deployment is two or three weeks away (DOH has been keeping us in the dark about our schedule). The days of Netflix binges, unlimited snacking, and random video games are coming to a close. I haven't been this relaxed in years, and I will sorely miss bumming around the house. Change terrifies me, but I'm ready to put my best foot forward for my future barrio this 2020.

Anyway, I'm excited to write about my December favorites. I've seen so many good films and played so many good games lately and I'm raring to share them with you. So, without further ado:

Movies

• Marriage Story. Despite its title, Marriage Story is a movie about separation, specifically the divorce of Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson). What's refreshing about this movie is how its central characters still treat each other with so much love, despite going through the breakup. (In fact there is only one scene where they raise their voices and scream at each other.) This film will have you believing in love again, but perhaps not in the traditional sense. Rating: 5 out of 5 packs of tissues. 

• Dead Kids. Based on true events, the story centers on a group of high school kids who kidnap their supremely assholic classmate for ransom money. As Netflix's first original Filipino film, the stakes are pretty high, and the film is not without its stumbles. Often the dialogue felt stilted, and try as I might, I couldn't turn off that voice in my head asking "Do high schoolers really talk like that???" One of the scenes even included a food fight in the school cafeteria, and food fights never happen in the Philippines! But what it lacks in character development, the film makes up for with its talented leads, punchy visuals, and laugh-out-loud gags. Still worth watching until the bittersweet end. Rating: 4 out of 5 raw sienna duffel bags

• Two Popes. At first glance you would think this was a documentary about Popes Benedict and Francis, with how eerily the actors resemble their real-world counterparts. It's a charming movie based on the events that led to Benedict resigning from the papacy and Francis being chosen as his successor. Cute, funny, delightful, and artfully shot, this is the perfect film to watch when spending Christmas with the family. Rating: 5 out of 5 pizzas  

• Sorry to Bother. In this dark comedy, Cassius Green (Lakeith Smith) works his way up the corporate ladder using his "white voice" to land sales. It's a funny, provocative commentary about racism and capitalist greed in corporate America, packaged with zany visuals and well-developed characters. Rating: 

• Knives Out. As a huge fan of mysteries, I loved this modern whodunnit about the mysterious death of a crime novelist. Gripping from start to finish!

That's it for December! I was going to review some more video games (namely Terraria, Broken Age, and Disco Elysium) but this post has been sitting for too long in my drafts.

In my next post: the end of my unemployment, and the beginning of my journey as a Doctor to the Barrios! Abangan!