Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-9-2025 — Sam Neill (Ten Questions.)

14th September, 2025: Sam Neill.

Right … 

It’s Sunday.

And … ?

I’m going to be working on a video, today!

Yep: my last review of a Star Trek: Star New Worlds episode — or, at least, of a third season episode — will be being worked on, today.

It has to be said, Anson Mount put in one hell of a performance … !

~≈👨‍✈️≈~

There’s a teacher in Southend called Jude Nzemeke: who teaches computer science to primary school children.

In a recent BBC News article, Mr Nzemeke has gone on the record to say he feels teaching computer games — or, at least, how to play computer games — would be a good way of interesting children in computer science.

Is he right … ?

I don’t know.

But playing a lot of Tetris could have made lessons fun … !

~≈👨‍✈️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14th September, 2018

14th September, 2018.

It’s officially true: I have an ear worm.

And it’s not even the whole damn song … !

No.

Normally?

I’d get the whole of Billie Piper’s Because We Want To banging around my brain.

No.

I’ve got the duck-call noise at the start of the thing on repeat!

Why, I don’t know.

There’s something els I don’t know, either.

Why the hell is the bouncer at the end of the video a rhino?

Oy … !

~≈§≈~

While we’re here … ?

I notice there’s technology news, over at the BBC’s website.

Yes, OK: I’ve been following it for years.

You’ve possibly worked that out.

One piece I noticed?

Was this one: telling Microsoft has introduced an experimental feature in some of the developer versions of its Windows 10 operating system.

Warning people who install Google Chrome or Firefox not to do so: and that their own Edge browser is a more secure option.

Personally?

I hope that feature isn’t one that’s introduced into the main consumer version of the operating system.

I’ve felt for a long time that you and I should have a choice in what software to use.

This — to me — makes Microsoft look like it’s thinking very gently, of discouraging end users from trying alternatives.

Little bit sneaky, that … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-9-2016

Bloody HELL … !

It’s silly o’clock in the morning.

My usual time to get up and post the Teaser, in other words.

But I’ve just got off the phone … booking up another interview: for Saturday.

The fact yesterday’s interview was cancelled?   Due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ … ?

Is something I can happily overlook … !

Especially as, not long after it got cancelled … ?

I got contacted for another: for today.

There’s two things I think I should say.

• Walking the streets, handy your CV out, helps.
• I’m nervous about all these interviews!

Wish me luck!

~≈Ç≈~

Event Horizon — Still DAMN good!

28th June, 2016.

You know, I’ve — currently — got some free time on the go, right now.

I’m not complaining.

Really.

It lets me get on with some stuff I want to do: writing, mostly, but a little shopping, as well.

Including a blu-ray.

Now, you’re going to be thinking two things, aren’t you?

Why on earth didn’t you just rent the film from iTunes, as you usually do?   

Well, frankly, I didn’t have enough credit in my iTunes account.

And frankly?   Some of the specials that came with the disc look impressive.

OK, that’s maybe not an excuse to go seeing Event Horizon again.

But when a film’s this good, I want every excuse I can.

~≈Â≈~

In The Mouth Of Madness: That’s An Experience … !

In The Mouth Of Madness

5th January, 2015.

Hmmm … 

That’s … frustrating … 

I’ve been watching a movie, tonight: and patient letting my computer back up to an internal hard drive.

Which — for some reason — is now, suddenly full!

Oh, at least, not backing up, as Time Machine suddenly need more space than it used to, under Snow Leopard.

Money being what it is … ?

I can’t actually afford the £60 to buy a new internal drive of the size my machines telling me it needs.

It’s FRUSTRATING!

Especially when you consider I HAD the money … 

And had to spend it on the extra drive — and the associated carrier — in the first place … !

Effectively, if you’ve got £60 you can spare … ?   I’d LOVE to hear from you … !

That’s if moving my iPhoto library doesn’t work*!

~≈Â≈~

The Daily Teaser — 14-9-2014

Who the hell was that … ?

I have to admit, I got something of a late night, last night.

Or, at least, a late night for me.

After blogging about last night’s episode of Dr Who, I should add.

I got myself off to bed: and nicely comfortable.

Slowly nodding off: as you do.

When the doorbell went off … 

I’ll be frank, I didn’t answer.   Well, it was 12·30!

I still have NO idea who on Earth that was.

And will apologise to any of my neighbours, if it was urgent.

But banging on my door in the morning would’ve been nice … !

~≈Â≈~

Possession - 1981: A Review

18th February, 2014.

You know, I like a film, now and again.

As anyone who’s followed me for some time will have no doubt noticed.

Many of the ones I’ve seen over the years … ?

Have been fairly mainstream: some more than others.

Some … ?

Well, some have been downright obscure: although I’m not usually one for seriously way-out films.

Exactly how one defines ‘way-out,’ sometimes, I really couldn’t tell you.   David Lynch’s Eraserhead, maybe — or his daughter, Jennifer Lynch’s, Chained — are usually as strange as I get.

Saying that, I’ve managed to rent Andrej Zulawski’s 1981 film, Possession, tonight: turning down a possible stroll in the process.

Possibly a mistake.

Right now, I’m thinking Possession is possibly a little bit TOO odd for my tastes.

~≈Î≈~

Event Horizon: Terror In Deep Space

 I’ll admit it!

 I’m a film fan.

And, while I’ve not recently had company for a film or two, I’ll also admit that, sometimes, that mean’s digging up a film I’ve not seen in years.

Purely because no-one’s around to complain, or suggest an alternative.

To be frank … ?

That was the case, tonight.

Nobody else around … 

So I managed to dig up a film that’s something of an old favourite: the 1997 piece that is Event Horizon … 

☱☴☱

Daybreakers

You know, it’s not that often Movie Night Adrian and I get together on a Friday night to catch a movie.

But, given that neither of us are football fans — and with nothing else on TV that caught the attention of either of us — we both thought a film would be something to catch.

Handy Adrian had a copy of the 2009, Spierig brothers directed, Daybreakers going begging, really …

Which, if you’ve a taste for a vampire movie, or two, is a rivetingly good watch.

And one that had me, at least, playing my usual game of ‘Spot the Reference’, as well!

‹‹‹•›››

Not that I’m a trainspotter!

Having an anorak, half a dozen pen-protectors, and at least 18 technical manuals for The Flying Scotsman doesn’t count, before you say anything, Adrian … !!

‹‹‹•›››

Because Daybreakers is a vampire movie that is both a well thought out modern-day take on the idea of fighting this particular movie monster, one that hack’s back to earlier vampire movies — cult Kathryn Bigelow vampire film, Near Dark comes to mind, there, as does the 1971, Boris Sagal film, The Omega Man — and one that has a lot of internal consistency in its world building: something I know I’m always impressed with.

Daybreakers sees vampire hematologist, Dr Edward Dalton, working for pharmaceutical company, Bromley Marks: a pharmaceutical company headed by Charles Bromley — Sam Neill being even more devilish than he was in The Omen 3: The Final Conflict — and one that’s coming more and more to prominence, in the near-future setting of 2019.

Because this near future is one that sees the Earth, after a plague hasn’t exactly killed everyone: the Earth’s population has, instead, all turned into vampires.

And the company that Ethan Hawke’s character, Dr Dalton, works for is desperately searching for a substitute for human blood, as more and more people are becoming vampires.

Food’s running out.

And the company’s supplied of battery-farmed humans is slowly dwindling …

‹‹‹•›››

Which is where the influences really can be felt, actually: because, in a way I thought was definitely reminiscent of Near Dark, there’s a cure.

Or a couple of them.

Helpfully supplied by the Willem Dafoe character, Lionel ‘Elvis’ Cormac, and Edward’s younger brother, Frankie — played by Michael Dorman — both cure’s come into play towards the end of the film …

‹‹‹•›››

Which is where I think I can leave it …

After all, I’d rather not spoil thing’s totally for you … !

All I think I need to say, though, is that this is a very watchable film, for those of us who’d like to see a very well thought out vampire flick.

Granted, that idea of an ostensibly evil being redeemed may be a bit old hat for some*, but Hollywood can do these things rather well.

That makes Daybreakers well worth the money.

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* One of these day’s, we’ll see a European or Bollywood take on the idea: that might just make everyone’s eyes pop out …