You made it through another month, and December is upon us. That means it's a great time to celebrate (or just chill out after the work week). Our latest lineup of movie, music and book recommendations features picks that are a perfect pair for some quality downtime.
If you don't see anything you like in this list, the link below contains a wealth of recommendations from weeks past.
More media recommendations from Windows Central
Movies
Blindspotting
Recommended by Al Sacco, managing editor
For obvious reasons (at least if you live in the U.S.), there are a lot of films being made these days about race, race relations and racial discrimination in America in general. Blindspotting is one of those films, but it's different in that it's a comedy. And it's really funny. But it takes on some serious subject matter that is anything but humorous.The movie is set in modern Oakland, Calif., a city with a clear racial divide that's being swept up in the Gentrification Wave that's making its way through countless American cities these days. The two lead characters are best friends. One is African American, the other is white. Otherwise they're much the same. But their experiences in daily live in Oakland differ dramatically.I really like this movie because it had a strong message—a disturbing one, even—but it told its story in a disarming, comedic way, which is definitely unique. And the cast, particularly the two leads, was memorable and believable. It's well worth a watch.
MOON
Recommended by Jez Corden, games editor
Ever felt like living on the Moon? Ever wondered what it would be like to do so while completely alone, save for a creepy A.I. for company? Well, Moon will teach you all about it.Set on the eponymous celestial body, Moon follows the tail of a space engineer tasked with overseeing a lunar mining base which holds some dark, dark secrets ...This slick indie thriller is fun and memorable, and is great for fans of sci-fi tropes.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
After I was stuffed full of Turkey and mashed potatoes this past week, I embarked on the annual post-Thanksgiving tradition of putting up the Christmas tree and watching a holiday classic: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
I don't think I've gone a year without watching Christmas Vacation since I was at least ten years old, and there's good reason for that. The movie is an absolute riot and, no matter what you think of Chevy Chase now, his role as Clark Griswold is one of his best.
Christmas Vacation has its heartwarming moments for sure, but the sheer amount of memorable lines and Randy Quaid's hilarious turn as Cousin Eddie make it a must-see comedy for every holiday season.
Music
Wave — Colde
Recommended by Matt Brown, games writer
Recently kicking off a solo career, Wave is the first eight-track album from indie hip-hop vocalist, Colde. While defined hazy vocals and a groovy flow, the album packs considerable variety from chill tempos to sharper rap. It's one of the few albums I keep returning to, especially when kicking back while on the move. "Freedom" and "Space" are personal highlights, but there's something to enjoy throughout.
DOOM Soundtrack
Recommended by Richard Devine, reviews editor
DOOM isn't just an amazing game, it has an amazing soundtrack that puts most others to shame. Mick Gordon pulled out all the stops on this one, with some shredding metal that sounds great on its own and makes you want every game to sound like DOOM. The blood red vinyl release is pretty spectacular, too.
Books
An Unwanted Guest — Shari Lepena
Recommended by Al Sacco, managing editor
The new novel An Unwanted Guest is a traditional murder mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, with a cast of unique characters thrown into an isolated environment where a series of murders occurs, and the culprit is clearly one of the people in the group.The setting is a secluded luxury hotel in New York's Catskill mountains during a massive and crippling snowstorm that kill the power, cuts off all communication with the outside world, and make escape an impossibility.The book's not exactly original, but it's not supposed to be. It's an homage to classic mysteries from Christie and her ilk. And it's done quite well. An Unwanted Guest is fun, light, easy-to-read page turner that's perfect for a chilly almost-winter evening.
The Adventures of Tintin
Recommended by Asher Madan, gaming news writer
Tintin is a graphic novel series by Hergé, one of the most famous Belgians authors in the world. The internationally successful Adventures of Tintin are his most well-known and beloved works. They have been translated into almost forty different languages and have inspired such legends as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Hergé wrote and illustrated for The Adventures of Tintin until his death in 1983. This deluxe special edition boxed set of Tintin classic graphic novels, collected in seven hardcover volumes, is the definitive collection. Tintin's adventure take him all over the world, from dangerous Congolese rain forest to the yeti-plagued peaks of the Himalayas.
