Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 12-1-2026 — Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Batman! (Ten Questions)

12th January, 2026: Batman.

Right, then: today’s Monday: so I’m off to my weight loss group.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed: and hoping I’ve lost a little.

Here’s hoping!

~≈⚖️≈~

In other news?

My nephew, Jude, was over, yesterday.

No pizzas were injured in the process.

But videos were uploaded.

The second one, the FIFA one?

Had an issue: as one of the sounds effects Jude used for it, refused to transcode.

And thus, caused the rendering process to hang.

The solution was simple.

Force quit iMovie, dump the incomplete video, re-open iMovie and re-export the project: after removing the offending effect.

Job done: the resulting video is now the second of the two I’ve embedded, here.

Quite why the effect played up?

I really don’t know.

~≈✭≈~

As a final thought … ?

I caught this news-piece on The Register, yesterday.

One that tells us the European Commission — the European Union’s highest decision making body — is encouraging the use of more open source software.

If I’ve read the piece, correctly, that’s partly on the grounds of cost: the commission thinks there’s long term savings to be had.

But it also thinks there’s digital sovereignty issues.

In other words that the EU’s not in charge of their technology: US companies are.

I’ve long felt have European companies making software for use by European countries would be a good thing.

I’ve felt that, for as long as I’ve felt British software companies making software for the people and government of the UK, is a good thing.

I can only hope Brussels persuades EU members — and the EU’s apparatchik — to adopt more open source software.

Just as I hope the UK does.

It can only be a good thing.

~≈⎔≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 29th October 2025.

29th October, 2025.

News broke for Dr Who fans, yesterday.

A piece for the Radio Times confirmed, yesterday, that Disney will no longer be involved with the show’s production, after The War Between the Land and the Sea, airs.

And that a Christmas special, written by Russell T. Davies, will air in 2026.

I’m looking forward to the special.

I’ve mixed feelings about Disney pulling out.

Oh the one hand … ?

I got the impression some of the creative decisions were influenced by their involvement,

I also feel the deal was badly structured.

We should have got three series and associated Xmas specials: which would have given Ncuti’s Doctor a fuller story arc.

Rather than two series, spin-off and specials, that didn’t.

By contrast?

The extra funding was welcome.

As was the fact Disney+ gave the show a centralised home for international viewers.

Other all, though … ?

I’m glad to hear the show’s survived.

My only concerns?

What will happen for international fans?

Where will the show be internationally aired, from Christmas 2026?

Equally to the point?

Once the Disney deal is done, and War Between, aired?

Where will international fans find Ncuti’s episodes?

Questions, questions … 

~≈👨🏿‍⚕️≈~

The Flash — A Review

10th March, 2024: the introduction.

Right … it’s not often I have dinner at my sister’s … but I did.

And, frankly?

I’ve got back home early enough to make a cuppa … and start watching a movie.

I’ve been in a strange mood, recently … and fancied watching something that wasn’t my usual thing.

Frankly?

I fancied The Flash: as I not usually one for super hero films.

I’m be blunt: it looks interesting.

Either way?

I’ll have this review finished by Wednesday.

~≈🦸🏻‍♀️≈~

Joker — A Review

27th December, 2019.

You know, now Christmas is over … ?

I have to admit to feeling less stressed.

I get occasional bouts of depression.

The job situation doesn’t help.

I can mostly deal with it.

But Christmas does get one felling glum … 

~≈†≈~

On the upside … ?

On the upside, and courtesy of Christmas gift-cards?

I’ve got seem Dr Who blu-ray’s coming my way.

And a copy of Moorcock’s Oswald Bastable series.

And, sitting in the movie collection … ?

A copy of the 2019, Todd Phillips directed, Joaquin Phoenix film, Joker.

Do we have a good film?

Well … 

~≈†≈~

Batman: The Killing Joke — Ummmm … …

11th August, 2016.

You know … 

There are times when time off can be as … well … as boring a feck.

If you’ll excuse the language.

On the other hand … ?

On the other hand, getting the first visitors you’ve had for a while — thanking you, Jeanie, and Callum — can make a day go faster.

As can something else.

Yep.

I’ve caught myself a movie.

Yep: 2016’s VOD/theatrical release of the Alan Moore/Brian Bolland Batman story, The Killing Joke.

Personally?   I’ve always felt Alan Moore’s habit off keeping his name OFF film versions of his work could be good: or bad.

In this case … ?   Well … 

~≈Ê≈~

Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice — Oooh …

1st August, 2016.

You know, I have to confess, I like a film, now and again.

Really.

And, while I don’t have a Netflix account?

I DO have an iTunes store account: with a little credit in it.

AND a series of movies, backed up from the DVDs I used to own and stored on an extra hard drive.

Tonight?

Tonight, I had a spare evening.   One I wanted to spend with a good film.

I don’t know if I got that.

When you consider I rented Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice

That’s a gobful of a title: for a long film.

One I’m STILL not sure about.

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 30-3-2016: Batman

Hmmm … 

A few days ago, now, I remember telling fellow Mac users of a nasty piece of ransomware that targeted people using a corrupted version of Transmission.

An issue since solved.

Lincolnshire County Council was ALSO attacked: again, an issue since sorted, but still worrying.

Something that DID catch my eyes, in the BBC’s Technology news, though … ?

Was this piece: telling us about a new piece of ransomware, doing the rounds … that infected small networks.

I don’t think something like that will target my machine: after all, it’s one individual Mac: and the variants are targeting Windows based networks.

But I can at least be careful.

However?

I’ve been talking to at least two local Councillors about this: and will be forwarding the piece, as and when … 

~≈Â≈~

The Daily Teaser — 27-12-2014

Right … 

That’s officially it.

Christmas is — finally — over.

Although we could technically say “It’s 363 days until Christmas: and some of us have our lights up, already!”

Possibly.

At any rate … ?

I’m starting to think I’m going to need an extra external or internal drive.   For no other reason that the terabyte I’ve got … ?   Is slowly filling up.

Partly because I’ve been given an external optical drive: one capable of reading and burning to blu-ray discs.

The results are rather big … 

Like I say, an extra external drive.

Or possibly a crow-bar … !

~≈Ò≈~

The Dark Knight Rises: Hmmm …

3/12/2012.

You know, I’ll happily confess, I’ve started this post with the date: as I’m intent on STARTING this particular post at something of a late hour on a Monday night.

With, frankly, the intention of finishing it off, tomorrow.

And with the EXTRA intention … of something else that’s ACTUALLY slipped my mind, at this point.

Oh, Yes!

The intention of making sure I’d tell you of how impressed I was — comparatively — with a film I’ve rented from iTunes, tonight.

Frankly … ?   I’m willing to bet you’ve had a good guess at what the film actually is.

The 2012 film that is the Christopher directed The Dark Knight Rises.

I’m possibly impressed with this … 

~~~~~

4/12/2012.

And please note I say possibly.   But let me try and explain the film to you.

Set some eight years after The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises opens with a charity event run by the Wayne Foundation: one that the man himself doesn’t attend, as he’s been in seclusion for quite some time.

After both the death of Harvey Dent, AND pulling out of a Wayne Enterprises deal into clean fusion energy, on learning the reactor could’ve been used as a weapon.

That changes.

As a valuable necklace is stolen from a safe owned by Bruce … by a cat burglar called Selina Kyle.

A cat burglar who then sells Bruce’s lifted fingerprints to a Wayne business rival, called John Dagget: a rival who’s hired the terrorist, Bane, to do a lot of dirty work for him.

~~~~~

Hmmm … 

Which is actually simplifying the plot by quite a hell of a lot … 

The Dark Knight Rises is a rich piece of work: possibly too rich for me, although it is a beautifully made piece of work.   Frankly, I think Nolan and co are incapable of making a bad Batman movie.

Personally, though … ?

Personally, I have to admit, I found this a stunner, but not as much of a stunner as The Dark Knight, although that could be just well be Heath Ledger’s death leaving its mark.

Whatever … 

I’ll leaves you seeing stars …

The Dark Knight Rises   

★★★☆

Why So Serious?

Well …

To be frank, there’s a reason …

I can’t say I’m upset that the late Heath Ledger has managed to bag the Screen Actors Guild Best Supporting Actor award and a Golden Globe, as well for playing the Joker.   It seems a good way to commemorate his death, as well as honour the performance he gave in the part.

But I’m certain in myself that his death was a sort of double – possibly triple –tragedy.

Obviously, it’s is a HUGE loss to those who loved him.

And to his fans, and those who valued his film appearances.

But I’m also very aware that his death adds both poignancy to, and overshadows other performances, both in “Dark Knight”, and quite probably in other films.

As I said in my earlier post, Gary Oldman and Aron Eckhart both put in equally good performances.

It’s a shame those have been overshadowed.

A shame, overshadowed by a tragedy.

A Dark Knight … Returns.

Well there’s a thing …

It seems that “Dark Knight”, which I posted about, a couple of weeks ago, is up for the Best Film gong, from the Producers Guild of America, at their awards ceremony, soon.   It’s generally considered to be a GOOD indicator of what’ll be up for the Oscars.

Combine that with the fact the late Heath Ledger has been nominated for the Best Supporting Actor gong, at the upcoming Screen Actors Guild do, and things look good for it.

I’ll admit my immediate cynical thought was that Heath Ledger made a damn good career move, the night of his death, considering it gave his last completed film a lot of free advertising, but thats not necessarily a side of myself I like that much.

Obviously, it’s a hell of a loss; — to his immediate family, and daughter, his fans, and to the movie going community, as a whole.

And this seems a fairly good way to offer some form of commemoration.

But the mixed feelings I have about this, are compounded by the simple fact that I’m a bit of a science fiction fan.   It’s nice to think a science-fiction-ish film could follow “The Lord Of the Rings”, by bagging one of the big ones at a certain Gong Show …

A quiet knight in: The Dark Knight — A Review

Saturday nights can be quiet, if your on a budget. But that doesn’t have to be a problem, with a branch of Blockbusters nearby …

Oh, and company. Company’s good, as well. It‘s just a shame we couldn’t head over to another friend’s place, but I was semi-expecting more people to turn up.

That’s countered, though, if you’ve got good company, and if you’ve managed to get your hands on a reasonably good movie: as it turns out, The Dark Knight is definitely a good movie.

I know it’s had a lot of hype —it’s hard not to be cynical and not define the death of one of the leading actors as a tragic, but very convenient, free advert— but Dark Knight deserves at least some of the positive comments I’ve seen in the media about it.

It’s beautifully shot, tightly scripted and nicely directed by Christopher Nolan. The actors give an all round great job, and I think I’ll put in a good word here, for three people.

I was very impressed by the late Heath Ledger, as the Joker.

Usually, I’m rather fond of Jack Nicholson: and his cut of the Joker has stuck in my mind for years, as being a standard to aim at. Admittedly, a comic book Byron to aim for, but none the less, the standard to aim for.

As Adrian and Paul both agreed, last night, Heath did a very good psychopath. I don’t know if he’d read Alan Moore’s “The Kiling Joke”, but I certainly felt that his interpretation had hints of it, but that could well be the scripting. I don’t know if he’ll get a posthumous Oscar for the role, but it’d be a strange universe if he didn’t get a posthumous Oscar nomination for it.*

Another standout, for me, was Aaron Eckhart, as Harvey Dent. Two Face, in other words, long a recurring villain in the comics themselves. And wonderfully portrayed, in this film, as a tragic figure, rather than the very cartoony villain played by Tommy Lee Jones, back in the day.

It must have been hard to keep up with the Heath Ledger post-mortem hype, but I feel that Aaron Eckhart, and Gary Oldman as Commissioner Jim Gordonº, both did.

I’m just hoping Paul and myself can persuade Adrian to not grow a ’tache — that would just be strange …

* I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I care for the idea of a posthumous Oscar, however deserving … but a posthumous Oscar nomination, now …

º I’m also going to mention Michæl Caine, as Alfred: rivetting stuff, but this is Michæl Caine we’re talking about.