Month: August 2010

Brothers

I’ve heard  quite a few positive reviews of the “Brothers” movie.  By chance I got my hands on a copy of it, so I watched.

My feelings about this film are mixed.  On one hand, I think that there should be more war movies out there.  Pretty much any kind will do – hero stories, the ugliness of war, political intrigue – anything.  War is something that people should know more about and think more about.  Maybe then we’ll have more peace.

And “Brothers” movie fits the bill.  There should be more films like this.  It’s just that I didn’t quite get this one in particular.  The beginning and middle of the film were nice and engaging, but it got somehow messed up by the end.  Or I just didn’t get it.  I don’t know.

There was plenty of good acting, especially for the main characters.  The score was fine.  The dynamics were pretty good, and the switching between the peaceful times and the war zone.  The horror of war was illustrated nicely.  But, as I said, the ending didn’t do it for me.  So I’m sort of lost there.

Overall, still recommended, even with 4 out of 5.

Russia in color, 100 years ago

Big Picture has yet another amazing collection of photographs.  This time it consists of color pictures of Russia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and a few other areas a whole century ago.  Some of these images are beautiful.  Like this picture of Nikolaevskii Cathedral from southwest in Mozhaisk in 1911.

When I see things like this, it often makes me think about the church and how it abuses and explores the poor people.  It’s not only now, it must have always been like this.

Or here is another picture. Pinkhus Karlinskii, eighty-four years old with sixty-six years of service.  Photo taken in 1909.

Just think about it! It’s not a painting, but a photograph, and a colored one at that, of someone who was born around 1825!  Almost two centuries ago.  Wow!

Sideshow – Cyprus web design company

For years I’ve been complaining about the web design situation in Cyprus.  Most web design companies here suck.  And most of the websites that they do suck even more.  Once in a while, though, I’d mention this or that website that was standing out.  Finally, I can mention a web design company that stands out and that makes websites that stand out too – Sideshow.

Yes, like every other company, they have their problems (front page of their website doesn’t validate clean) and they don’t do everything the way I would have done it (they are using Vimeo for videos, not YouTube), but I am still impressed with their work.  They use Drupal CMS extensively.  They truly know what social media is about, with Facebook and Twitter integrations and team tweets, their own blog, RSS feeds, and more.  Their design work is fresh and modern.  And their portfolio is shining.  Remember, when I was praising the new Cyprus Mail website? That’s the company who did it.  They even print their business cards with Moo, what more can I say?

I’m so glad I found them.  I have people left and right asking me where to go for a new website, and until now I have been very reluctant to refer them to any of the webdesign companies I know.  But now I have a proper reference.  And even though I haven’t worked with them personally, I think I am in the position to judge their work.  And as I said, I am impressed.  Respect!

P.S.: no, this is not a paid ad.  I truly am glad and impressed.

P.P.S.: if you are a web designer or web developer in Cyprus, they are hiring.  If there is one web company to work for in Cyprus, that’s this one.