Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19th March 2025

19th March, 2025.

Yay!

Wednesdays!

Whoopie!

Ahem!

Yes: it’s Wednesday.

And, frankly, I’m up early.

Yes: I’m off to the hygienist, again!

~≈🦷≈~

It’s also try to say that my nephew, Jude, was over last night.

Yes: there’s another video made.

One that was something of a learning experience for us.

We now know exactly how long it takes to edit and upload  roughly thirty-seven minutes of 4k video to YouTube.

Quite a while!

~≈🎰≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19-3-2022: Bruce Willis

19th March, 2022.

Right … 

I had a phone call, yesterday.

Some time back, I put for extra help demo the Job Centre: for various extra benefits.

I had the assessment, late last year.

I’m still hoping to get them.

However?

I got turned for them on the 16th.

So … ?   I requested a mandatory reconsideration: the first stage in an appeal against the decision.

On the 17th.

I got the official phonecall — and a chance to offer extra evidence — yesterday.

That’s something I did with a certain amount of nervousness.

After all, I don’t know how much help it’s going to be: I’m fully expecting a second turndown, at some point.

We’ll have to see.

~≈Ÿ≈~

Looper: It’s Not About Your Joggers …

29/1/2013

You know, I think it has to be said, I’ve seen the Rian Johnson film, Looper, tonight.

And as impressive as it is is … ?

For starters, I’m thinking it’s not going to win any Oscars.

Secondly … ?   Secondly, the simple fact is that one of the film’s star — Hollywood veteran, Bruce Willis — is starting to look suspiciously like Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer.

Really.

There’s a thirdly, as well.   I’ve been mulling over the set of ratings I give the films I see: and how giving a four-star rating is increasingly attached to a film I believe you should see, regardless of any objective quality or what I think of it.   Any such film has to be seen: because I think it’s one that you have to make your own mind up about*.

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, right here and now … ?

I’m thinking Looper isn’t going to be one of those films.

Hmmm … 

Let me grab a good night’s sleep: and I’ll try and summarize … !

~~~~~

30/1/2013

Summarize being the word, I think …

Set in 2044, Looper is the story of Joe Simmons — played by Joseph Gordon-Levittº — who’s the Looper of the title.   In THIS particular universe, some thirty years ahead of the film’s date, time travel has been invented: and declared illegal.

And used quite extensively by the Mafia as a method of disposing of people.

By sending them back in time so they can be shot by the likes of Joe Simmons.

With each Looper being paid with solid silver bars tied to the bound, gagged and masked bodies of the their victims.   Of course, when the Mob feels that a given Looper is getting a touch to old … ?   They send him the masked and bound body of himself, complete with gold bars, to — as the characters call it — close the loop.

Jo Simmons problems start when his old friend Seth loop closing days comes: Seth lets himself go.

And, within a short while … ?

Within a short while, Jo faces the problem of having to deal with the same situation, when his older self —  played by Bruce Willis — is sent back though time to be killed.

Sent back, after having seen his wife killed …

And feeling mightily annoyed about it …

~~~~~

Now …

I was saying ‘… not going to win any Oscars’, wasn’t I … ?

Well … yes …

I’m going to try and avoid sounding harsh, here, so please bear that in mind.

Looper is a fantastic little film, with all four leads doing a fine job of their parts: Emily Blunt and Pierce Gignon rounding out the cast as Sara and her five year old son, Cid, who Young Joe has to protect from his older self.   The writing and dialogue is — likewise — excellent: managing to make what could have been a bloody mess of a time travel plot into something that was both meaty, and easy to follow.

It’s ALSO — in a sense — a very engaging film and watchable film

In that sense, it’s easy to see why Kim Newman — writing in Empire — described it as having “ … a brain, courage and a heart.”

However … 

However, the downside to this, is the simple fact that Looper is something of an exception amongst sci-fi films.

It’s good: but unfortunately attempting to set the bar for intelligent sf that’s already been set — many years ago — by things like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Silent Running and Bladerunner.

Speaking personally, I have to admit, I enjoyed Looper.

It’s a watchable one: but one that left me wanting more: that’s not something I’m totally happy about.

Looper   

★★★☆

*        Yes, Grub, Kevin: I’m talking to you, too … !

º        Who I’d last seen in The Dark Knight Rises: and who — in the makeup, and given I’m thinking having those sort of ideas about Bruce Willis — didn’t half make me think of Danny Dyer … 

Die Hard: Cowboys, terrorist, and Bruce Willis’ Extreme Need For Daz … !

You know, I’ve GOT to admit, I think — in a very minor way — Kevin D agreed with me, last night.

That there was absolutely nowt on TV!

Which, obviously means, as the both of us had a spare evening … ?

Well, obviously catching a movie … !

And the movie in question … ?

Was the complete fun that was …

Die Hard.

And when I say fun …

»»·««

The Fifth Element: Blood, Guts, and Art Deco Decoration …

That was fun … !!

No, seriously … !

That was fun … !

Hmmm …

That’s a lot of exclamation marks, isn’t it … ?

Just a touch … !

Lets get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, I think I should, shouldn’t I … ?

At any rate, you’re probably aware by now that — usually on Tuesdays and Saturdays, but occasionally on other days, as well — I’ll have some friends over to catch a film.

Which is something that happened, last night.

Bless ’em, I had both Kevin D and his wife, Tootles Sarah over.

And the film we were watching … ?

Was something Kevin was keen to share: the Franco-US funded, Luc Besson directed, The Fifth Element.

And I’ve got to admit, I’m thinking The Fifth Element isn’t exactly serious hard core sci-fi.

But I don’t think it’s supposed to be.

Let me explain, if I can …

»»·««

Last Man Standing: A very Western gangster film …

Oh …

Blimey, I keep forgetting that.

Usually, Halloween is roughly the same time of years as the Hindu festival of Divali.

The reason I got reminded … ?

Is simply that BBC 1’s showing a brief documentary about it!

||»»•««||

Which isn’t why I started this post …

Because while Movie Night Adrian, Squeaky and I haven’t managed to get together for a movie night for a couple of weeks.

But did, tonight.

The film in question … ?

Was the 1996, Walter Hill directed film, Last Man Standing …

Which, even though it’s a couple of years old, now, still look’s rather good.

||»»•««||

3/11/2010

Oh, that’s better …

Managed to grab a night’s sleep, there. Now, where was I … ?

Oh, yes, Last Man Standing …

Which is definitely an entertaining movie, I know that much!

Last Man Standing sees Bruce Willis as gun-for-hire, John Smith, on the run from (unnamed) troubles, and ending up in the small Texan town of Jericho.

A town in trouble, as many of it’s population are fleeing from the two prohibition-era gangs in the area: an Italian Mafia group led by Fredo Strozzi — Ned Eisenberg — and an equally murderous Irish-American gang, led by a gangster called Doyle, played by David Patrick Kelly.

In the midst of all those, Sheriff Galt — Bruce Dern — and saloon owner, Joe Monday — William Sanderson — are trying to do the best they can.

At least, until Smith shows up …

||»»•««||

Now, did I mention that this was entertaining … ?

Yes, I did.

It’s also got a very interesting fell to it, as well.

Ever hear of Film Noir … ?

Now I’ll admit to not knowing that much about the genre.

But, from the little I do know … ?

Last Man Standing seems to fit quite nicely into the canon.

And what’s more … ?

It does seem to be very reminiscent of a western: to the point I could swear blind I could just see Clint Eastwood delivery some of the lines …

||»»•««||

Phew … !

Here’s what I think I’m going to suggest you do.

I’m going to happily suggest you check out Last Man Standing.

That heady mix of hard-boiled crime-thriller and western — along with a script based on Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo — is something both rare …

And well worth catching.

Surrogates: Hmmm … possibly …

You know, I think I’ve had a good evening …

No, I’ll modify that, slightly, we’ve had a good evening!

Because — as you’ve probably noticed — it’s a Tuesday, which, of course means a movie: which was a bit crowded!

Bless, I had had Adrian, Saz, both Kevin’s, and Gwen, Stefan, and their eldest, Kieran!

Who was having a whale of a time on a Nintendo DS … !

But I’ve got to admit, I’m unsure about tonight’s film, though.

And I think I’m speaking for near enough everyone, there.

Tonight’s film … ?

Was the 2009 Bruce Willis film, Surrogates.

Which sees Bruce Willis playing FBI Agent Tom Greer, in a near future that’s sees much of humanity using robotic substitutes of themselves.

Which is an interesting idea, actually: very relevant to today’s world, where people have been known to get addicted to things like Facebook and Second Life.

Hmmm …

Which does get me looking at how I treat my ’net connection, I know that …

•••••

At any rate …

Hmmm …

Well, for starter’s, I’m not going give you a summary of Surrogates: others have done that a lot better than I have.

And it is getting late.

But I think me and the rest of the gang have seen an … interesting film, tonight …

One that’s worth watching, but that’s not sure if it’s an out and out action thriller.

Or an art house sci-fi film with a message about technology.

And has a bit of an abrupt ending …

Bruce Willis as Agent Tom Greer.

Radha Mitchell as Agent Jennifer Peters.

Rosamund Pike as Maggie Greer.

Ving Rhames as The Prophet.

Boris Kodjoe as SAIC Andrew Stone.

Jack Noseworthy as Miles Strickland.

James Cromwell as Dr. Lionel Canter.