Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 12th February 2023.

12th February, 2023.

I am officially knackered!

Well … at least, I’m thinking about going back to bed!

I had a late night, last night: writing — and recording — my review of The Warlords: the last episode of the classic Dr Who series, The Crusade.

Quite what everyone’s going to make of it — and the playlist it rode in on — I don’t know.

~≈Ù≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 12th February, 2022.

12th February, 2022.

Right … I’ve got a cold.

Or possibly ’Flu.

I know for a fact it’s not COVID-19: whatever variant of the condition that’s doing the rounds at the moment.

How?

I’ve just done a Lateral Flow Test: what Australians call a Rapid Antigen Test, or RAT.

It’s negative.

It means I don’t have to self-isolate for however long it is, at the moment.

Which is nice.

It means I don’t have to self-isolate for however long it is, at the moment.

Which is inconvenient.

It means I have to go to my Restart meeting, on Wednesday: I’m not looking forward to it, so any excuse is helpful.

Heigh-ho!

~≈🦠≈~

Gangster Squad — Sometimes, Old School’s the best Way to Go …

1st June, 2013.

You know, sometimes, it’s good to catch a movie.

No, really: it’s good to catch a movie, it really is.

Usually, there’s only one thing better, sometimes.

That’s catching a movie, in company.

If you run that past Kevin D, he’ll hopefully tell you exactly the same thing.

And, given it’s been a while since he was over, I’m glad he happened to mentioned he had both a free evening: and had spotted a couple of titles on the iTunes store that he felt would make for entertaining watches.

I’m glad he did.

I know I was glad of the company, tonight.

Actually … ?

I’m both glad of the company … and the movies he thought of.   One of which, the 2012, Ruben Fleischer directed, Gangster Squad.

I have to say, they don’t make them like that anymore.

So it’s nice to see SOMEONE give it a go!

~≈Ï≈~

2nd June, 2013

Now, you’re probably wonder about that phrase, aren’t you … ?

Let me try and summarise.

Gangster Squad sees Josh Brolin as Sargent John O’Mara: a tough and unconventional LA cop who’s given one job: that of assembling a team of equally tough cops, in order to use the most unconventional methods possibly to take down Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn.)

Very unconventional: including raiding several of Cohen’s casino’s and nightclubs: sans warrants, but with blazing machine guns, and masks.

Until, one day … ?   One day, Cohen realise’s he’s being bugged … and set up … 

And decides to break out the heavy mob … !

~≈Ï≈~

Now, I said they don’t make them like that any more … ?

I’m right, I think: they don’t.

That is — depending on your taste for these things — either a good or bad thing.

But I think both myself and Kevin agreed, last night: that Gangster Squad is a very old school gangster film, with parts broadly reminiscent of The Magnificent Seven*, and the original TV version of Dragnet†.

Old school.   Possibly mildly unoriginal.   And with more blazing machine guns than you can shake Edward G Robinson at … 

But, my God, it was fun … !

Gangster SquadPaul        ★★★☆Kevin      ★★★☆

*        Where O’Meara parts the squad together: I have to admit, I was seriously tempted to wave assorted amounts of fingers around.

†        Something I know I mentioned to Kevin.

Jonah Hex: Blood, Guts and interrogating the Dead in a Steampunk Way …

Funny, but true: sometimes movies happen.

Well, obviously, they happen.

I’d not be writing this, if Movie Night Adrian, Kevin D and I hadn’t watch the results when one had, tonight.

Well …

I’m assuming you’d guessed that, hadn’t you … ?

The one we’d actually managed to see, tonight … ?

Was the fairly recent DVD release, the Josh Brolin/John Malkovich/Megan Fox film, Jonah Hex, based on the comic book of the same name.

Hmmm …

«•»

Jonah Hex sees Brolin playing the title character of Jonah Hex, a former confederate soldier driven to bounty hunting after the US Civil War ended.

And ended badly for him: after being accused of treachery by his former commanding officer, Quentin Turnbill, played by John Malkovich, murders his family.

He survives: in part comforted by his girlfriend, Lilah, played by Megan Fox.

And in part … ?

In part, because after the injuries Turnbill inflicts on him, his wounds are treated by Crow Native Americans.

Leaving him scarred …

But with an ability to talk to the dead …

And with a desire to inflict a terrible revenge on the man who’d killed his family.

«•»

Which is where I sort of get into explaining the ‘Hmmm … ’ comment I made, earlier.

You see, I’m thinking — and I know both Adrian and Kevin agree, here — that Jonah Hex is a bit …

Problematic …

You see, what you actually get on screen is …

Nice …

Let me try and clarify, here …

Jonah Hex is nicely shot, well acted, with a steampunk* look and feel that’ll will play well.

But …

Hmmm …

We all of us agreed that Jonah Hex is a fantastic looking trailer for the film that possibly should have been made.

And just over 80 minutes … ?

It could have been a touch longer, telling us more about the characters and their motivations for doing what they’re doing.

As it stands … ?

Jonah Hex is much like Megan Fox’s costume.

Nice to look at.

But definitely a touch skimpy.

Actor	Character
Josh Brolin	Jonah Hex
John Malkovich	Quentin Turnbill
Megan Fox	Lilah

Director	Jimmy Hayward
Writers	Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor

Jonah Hex.

Watchable. ★★☆☆

* Trust me, we had to give Adrian a quickie potted definition and history …

No Country For Old Men: Blood, guts, and a touch of dissatisfaction.

Hmmmm …

Can I make a confession, here … ?

I’ve just seen a Coen Brothers movie.

The first one I’d seen.

And — cinematic geniuses though they may be — I’m not too sure that I can say I’m entirely happy about it …

Seriously …

Now, as you’ve probably worked out that — as it’s Tuesday — tonight was Movie Night: and us regulars — myself, Movie Night Adrian and Kevin D — were joined by both my niece, Squeaky, and Kevin’s wife Sarah.

And the Coen Brother’s film in question … ?

Was the 2007 No Country For Old Men, based on the 2005 Cormac McCarthy book of the same name.