Death on the Nile

 So, this classic 1937 book by Agatha Christie has been brought to the screen for the third time.

After the Ustinov film in the 70s, the Poirot series starring David Suchet (still "my" Poirot), there is now Kenneth Brannagh taking on the mantle of the famous Belgian detective for the second time after Murder on the Orient Express.

Now, first things first, this film looks amazing in a retro styled way, so let's put that clear first and foremost, so it is a feast on the eye to watch.

Poirot encounters his friend Bouc in Egypt, after meeting up with him in a nightclub in London before.  here, they attend the upcoming wedding of Simon Doyl, and a rather suprising bride.  Linnet, youth friend of the Jackie with whom Simon was engaged last they met.  They board a cruiseship, the SS karnak, for a the couple to escape a scorned Jackie, and Poirot also finds out that his friend Bouc is dating a girl named Rosalie, despite her mother's objections.

But Jackie has also boarded the ship, and the morning after Linnet is found shot in the head, with a precious necklace stolen, while Simon has been shot in the leg.  Poirot begins the investigation, looking into the possible motives of all those who would benefit of Linnet, a heiress's, death.

Poirot actually reveals he was hired before the trip by one of the passengers to investigate Rosalie, whom he concluded was more then worth of the relationship.  Rosalie storms off angry by this reveal, and as Poirot follows her they find the body of Louise, who distrusted Simon.

Bouc, confronted by Poirot, confessed he witnessed the murder, but is shot before he can say who did it.  All the pieces in place, he confronts all the other survivors, and reveals Simon is actually the murderer, with Jackie his accomplice and mastermind.  They are still in love, and they did it for the money.  Faced with the proof, Jackie embraces Simon, and shoots him through the back, killing them both.

So okay, this was a good movie, but for certain for me mr Brannagh isn't that good a Poirot (see intro) to me.  He plays the role well enough, but contrary to David Suchet, his accent is off a lot (and being Belgian, I can say that in all honesty).

More are rumoured to be made, and tbh, I kind of like the idea of a "Poirot franchise" to be honest...

The Haul Report 321

 Slowly but surely, parcels from japan are dripping inside, as EMS has still suspended airfreight to Europe.

But while it takes FAR longer by boat, it is never the less coming around.

Though the first parcel to arrive actually came by DHL, as it contained my recent wins from TokyoCatch. a Strike gundam and Ichika.

 

 

Talking taking the long road by boat, my order from march over at Ami Ami also arrived.

 

 

So that makes for another great week of goodies!

 

 

On the Painting Desk 205

 A fresh session of painting, as I worked some more on the Freedom.

And this paint session, it was some more "middle layer"work, mainly on the wing area as I did Black Grey and Intense Blue this time round.

Next time, I`m aiming for the blueish grey parts, and perhaps all the smaller colour sections as well.

On another note, I also based the Gaza-C and Zaku 1 for MechaTop.  

Now, if my printer would return someday to the house, I can start churning out bases at the fullest again...

Blue Period

 Streaming now on Netflix, this original series is about... the discovery of art.

So with such a personal intresting premises, I really wanted to see this series and me and Noshi sat down.

Yaguchi is a bit of a hoodlum, unintrested but smart in school.  But one day he runs into the art class after helping a girl called Mori carry her equipment, and becomes captivated by the painting she is making.  After he makes a blue landscape of his town for an assignment, he more and more becomes enthralled by the beauty of painting, and how the brain let's go of all troubles when focussing on creating art.

Pushed along by his classmate Ryuji, a transvestite, he enrolls in the art club at school, and soon decides he wants to try out for the Tokyo University of Arts, or TUA, as his parents can`t affort a private university.  He goes to the preparation courses as well to try and reach his goal, and with the help of the people he meets there learns more on how to "build up" and appreciate once's art, no matter one's talent.

 

While he befriends some of his classmates, he also realises with the entrance exams ever looming closer that he has to learn to be less mathematical and pleasing to the teachers in his work, but find his pleasure back in painting like he had with his blue painting.   He passes his first exam, but then Ryuji gives him a big wake up call.  This results in them spending a night at the seaside, and making Yaguchi come to terms with himself and his true inner self.  

But when he arrives for the second exam, his hives start playing up harshly.  His friends from preparation class come through for him tough, and on the second day he gets a revelation, finally realising his strengths to make his personal style of art.  To his own amazement, he passes the entrance exam...

This was a SUPER relatable series, as I also have that feel good zen moment when I`m painting my figures or other things, letting go of stress.  So yeah, for that reason alone already I`m rating this series quite high, and the manga are now on my short list as well to obtain in the future.

I`m hooked.

May 2022 Loot

 Lot's of "local" sourced stuff came in this month!

The import charges are driving me away for the moment from ordering outside the EU, so local (online) shopping is becoming more and more the norm here.

So, let's have a look at the obtained goods!

And as always, here are all the links of the featured items:

 

Mikazuki: he was obtained through the Geek Market group on Facebook.

No Game No Life Practical Wargames: ordered from Amazon.nl

Goku Oceanbomb Orange Lemonade: again from the local asian supermarket Kamyuen.

Bulbasaur Cap, Z1, Free Comic Book Day bundle, Terra 8, Slime 5, Gigant 7: from the Belgium online store Archonia.

Shion and Shuna WCF figures: ordered in a sale from La Cité des Nuages.

So that has been a nice month never the less, even though perhaps not as huge as the previous ones so far.

 

What I Painted in May 2022

 Wait, WHAT?

At last this series is back???

Yup, although it won`t be such a turnout as in earlier years, at least I got painting again to do some wargaming in the future.

And this month, it has been modest, with some 1/400 Gundams for Mechatop being finished.

The first of these was the Calamity Gundam from SEED, a suit I personally like a lot.

The second one to get finished is a classic, Haman Karn's custom Gaza-C.

And the third one, the humble Zaku I suit.

 

 

So from a nearly yearlong still, at least now we have 3 models done. Which is more then the whole year after 2021's AHPC (I painted a full 2 models before this month then)

Unboxing Azur Lane Z1

 A Keep from the Archonia Mystery Box I opened in the beginning of this month, comes this lovely Z1 figure from Azur lane.

An anime I enjoyed, though I keep away from the video game though.

So without further ado, let's open this box.

A nice figure, with a pretty impressive base I must say.  While I have no intention of actively chasing after models from the series like I don`t with Fate or Miku's this figure has the feel I won`t mind when i ever get a chance to grab some of them, I won`t let it pass.

Because, battleship girls, what's not to like...

On the Painting Desk 204

 Got some painting time in the past week, as the sweltering heat went away a little.

So I took that opportunity to spend some work on the Freedom gunpla, going for the Sky Grey layer first.

I managed to get that whole layer done, and as that is the base colour compared to the darker grey that was the shading colour, the model already comes to life a bit.

I also did some work on my Quintuplets painting, so that means it has been a very productive week indeed, and I HOPE to get both finished in the coming months.

Until the next update!

Disenchantment season 4

 So we almost caught up to the series.

And the fourth season is hopefully as fun as the third, where our heroes where stuck in all kinds of hard situations.

Lucy, together with Jerry, escape from heaven to save Bean from a forced marriage with Satan.  But she tricks her mother into the marriage instead, making her Queen of Hell.  Back on the surface, Elfo finds out his mother is the queen of the ogres, while Zog regains his sanity and after finding himself in a monastery returns to Dreamland.

 

Upon their arrival, it seems Cloyd and Becky have taken over the land.  While they drive them off, they possess a couple of dolls, working together with an awakened Freckles. Elfo learns about how humans stole Dreamland from the elves in an old sunken castle, while Zog himself finds out he has a child with the bear selkie from season 3, Ursula.  When she perishes in a fire, he takes Jasper with him back home.

But the elves in the meantime demand their castle back, taking up arms and resulting in reuniting with the Trogs as a single people.  The "Goo" is drank by a nightmare ridden Beanie, and as a result her dreams reveal her evil self to her, bend to take her place.

So, after the dip of season 2, I really enjoyed the next seasons including this one.  Now to wait for the fifth one to see how the cliffhanger resolves...