The Best of 2017

It`s time for that yearlong tradition on christmas eve, and that is to have a look at the "Best of" for the past year... for me personally.

Yes, this is a highly subjective list, as it is what it says... the stuff I liked the most over the past 12 months.

I can usually do this thing as it`s rare there is something I want to watch or finish in the coming hectic week anyways... so without further ado, here we go, category by category.

Best Movie - Blade Runner 2049

Sure, it isn`t a high voltage action sci-fi flick, but just like the original it is a smart movie, and it builds fantastic on the original story.  While I like mindless entertainment as well as the next guy, this was just a damn smart movie.

Best Series - Godless

A late entry as I just finished it last week, as right until that point the second season of The Expanse held this place.  But Godless, carried by the awesome performance of Jeff Daniels, is a bloody good western series.

Best Performance - Toby Stephens (Captain Flint from Black Sails)

Yes, I loved Black Sails, and this selection is perhaps one more of the four seasons of joy that brought me, then the actual fourth season.  But Toby did play him fantastic over all the years.  It was a close call, as both Jeff Daniels in Godless, or Benedict Wong and his AWESOME Kublai Khan performance in Marco Polo where close contenders.

Best Book - The Making of Middle Earth

A very in formative book that looks into HOW Tolkien made his fantasy world, as it chronicles his teaching and school days and where he did get inspiration.

Best Toy - Generation 1 Transformers Jazz

I always had a weakness for Jazz, not helped by the fact he changes into a Porsche.  When a Facebook friend of mine sold part of his collection, I picked up this iconic figure to replace the one I parted with two decennia ago when that thing called puberty hit... yes, it was a pure nostalgia buy.

Best Anime - Iron Blooded Orphans season 2

Not because I`m biased towards Gundam series, but the child soldier theme, the very un-Gundam-ly ending, and the hardness of the series show perfectly that anime isn`t what unknowing westerners call childrens cartoons.

Best Videogame - Final Fantasy Online

I`m putting that down here, as I have been playing this quite consistently between august and november.  Now I just need to paint like hell, but I -hope- to pick it up again somewhere in january.   Though my good old Total War: Empire has seen once again many play hours the past year as well...

Best Wargame Figure - Stormcast Eternal

A choice not made by the awesomeness of the model or so, but just because it was the first model I painted since taking up the hobby again.  But the Creature Caster demoness definitly is an "honourable mention".

Best Music - Batzorig Vaanchig and Zorigoo

"What is that?" I hear you cry.  Well, it`s Mongolian Throat Music.  I got in touch with this music when watching Marco Polo, and it has a strange effect.  At first you think what kind of noise is that, but it`s monotonous droning sound really gets in your head and under your skin.  An honourable mention definitly goes to Caledonia, a drums and pipes band and another great discovery I made this year.

Best Deal - Teutogen Guard on foot

These guys, going apparently around 8 GBP each on eBay, where obtained at TSA for 10 euro for a squad of 10.  Honourable mention goes to the Knight for which I paid 40 euro instead of 120, but the Empire blokes take the crown due to their rarity, you can just walk into a store and pick up a Knight after all.

Best Convention -  Comic Con Brussels

I picked up a lot of signatures there (just look at my Vault tab on this blog), but it was also the ONLY geeky convention I did this year.

Biggest Disappointment - Emerald City's cancellation

While some might have hoped to read here the dirty stories of how me and my fiancee broke up, or the why I quit LEGO, I fear that might be a disappointment.  In both cases I vowed to keep my lips sealed to the outside world, and I don`t break that oath.  Hell, they pushed me back to two old loves for me... my hobby and club and the girl I had a crush on ages ago already.
No, for me it was the cancellation of Emerald City, the Wizard of Oz based series.  It really was well made, and it is a great shame it will never be resolved.


And those are my pickings for the year 2017.  Now it`s time to look forward and make sure I don`t loose my notes somewhere during the year so I will return to you with the Best of 2018 in 12 months time!