Game Fox

Girly reviews and musings on games, art and culture, travel, movies, sport, cooking and many more.

[gamefoxblog-blog]

I have not published anything on the blog for a long time and I realized I’ve been missing this. It’s been a good way of expressing my thoughts and at the same time releasing a bit of the stress and forgetting about the everyday problems. The reason is maybe that I changed my job and was very busy trying to get used to my new, a lot busier schedule. Then, I gradually started losing inspiration, well… once you stop doing something it becomes harder and harder to start again.

Unfortunately, as much as I would like to say that I filled my time with quality movies that, let’s say, inspired me, this is not true…

I like quality movies of different genres, but I have always been somewhere in between – I am not a fan of the commercial blockbusters, but I am also not delving too much into independent projects. I have, of course, watched and admired representative headlines from both extremes. However, I have always liked a “good” movie… and the second I am writing this down, you’d say this is a very subjective statement, which it is. So, here is my definition of a good movie:

1. I do not think of anything else while watching.

2. I feel the urge to discuss it with family and friends afterwards.

3. I start reading interpretations and reviews after watching it, trying to learn more about the making of and motives.

4. I compare it in my mind with other movies I’ve seen belonging to the same genre, feel motivated to check other movies by the same director, with the same actors etc.

These are top 4 features that constitute a “good movie” for me in descending order with the disclaimer that all of them have to be present as well.

What are yours? Or maybe you can add some more to my list that you have experienced?

Unfortunately, none of the movies I’ve seen lately covers all the above criteria. Actually the only thing I watched recently and really can qualify as a “good movie” is the miniseries “Mindhunter”. Immediately when it was advertised to me by my sister with the fact that David Fincher was the director I knew I would see it. Although he directs only some of the episodes, all are pretty good, gripping and enticing in giving you a very real insight into the minds of serial killers. (The very term “serial killer” being invented by the detectives in the series. A very nice touch by the way.) As you can imagine the series is not the typical crime drama, CSI style, but rather a psychological thriller, focusing on how important the study of the mind is, even when the minds in question are so terrifying and sick. I see this idea as a triumph of science and observation over superficiality and action that dominate the popular titles on TV. It is great how every episode builds tension and adds to the overall story using not fast-paced action, but fast-paced dialogue, teasing the viewers with the brutality and the smart, but creepy operations of the mind, not with the tons of bloody scenes or banale detective talk. All the dialogue is intense, smart, providing food for thought and unexpected reactions. Sometimes you find yourself disagreeing with Holden Ford’s methods (one of the detectives and main character in the series) and then he somehow convinces you that this is the right way to do it, that you have to be brutal in order to talk to brutal people, that it’s a matter of speaking the same language, that every problem can be tackled only if and when you really understand and study the idea behind it.

I will not disclose more from the plot and the interesting moments, those were just a few thoughts that I find worthwhile and hopefully will get you hooked up. Whoever reads this, please check out a few episodes and give the series a chance. I think you won’t regret it, especially if you are into crime!

[gamefoxblog-blog]

Oh how I miss our time on Corfu, now when I am back to work, stuck in everyday problems. Only writing about it from time to time brings me closer to that happy place. So, our second day on Corfu we decided to spend exploring the island's sandy beaches. Since the whole day was dedicated to beach time, we first opted for the beach that was furthest away from us - Issos. It is to the south of the island and is one of the few long and wide sandy beaches. We travelled a lot along one of the main roads of Corfu until finally we ended up on yet another narrow dirt road. There were almost no buildings, except for a few houses, beautiful and wild. We reached the beach, a typical touristic place, except that it was actually quite empty and calm. We had rest, talked, played beach games, I even wrote a poem until at last we were bored and decided to try something more extreme and fly with something like a kite dragged by a motorboat. Unfortunately, it turned out very expensive and not that interesting so we got back in the car travelling to the next beach. And as usual the most exciting and pleasant things in life happen by chance. Somehow, while looking for Glyfada beach, we ended up in a small and charming village called Pelekas. It is situated on a hilly slope near the west coast of the island. The place offers yet another stunning view to the azure Ionian Sea and its coastline covered with rocks and small pebbled beaches as well as nice walks around two small squares nesting in the heart of the village, cosy cafes and shops offering handmade jewelry and snacks. We had lunch in one restaurant on the main square which honestly was not good at all but except for that we spent some quality time making photos, visiting the small shops (my boyfriend bought a nice knitted bracelet for me with a small shell on it). We got from here to there and then again to the square and again to the top of the hill to take photos and so the afternoon was slowly turning into evening. Only then we realized we will not have time for another beach for the day so my boyfriend suggested we continue exploring. While walking around the village we had noticed a sign pointing to some place called Kaiser’s Throne and although we had not read about it or planned visiting it in advance, we decided to check it out. It turned out to be a hill with a small fortress-like thing on the top offering yet another great view of the island. We were lucky to be there at sunset and experienced the full beauty of the place. No wonder that it was Kaiser Wilhelm II's favourite place on the island. There is also a hotel and a restaurant there (called "surprisingly" "Sunset") and we immediately decided that we will return for a romantic dinner one of the next days, which we did for our last evening on Corfu and did not regret it, but more about this in my last post about Corfu that is yet to come. So, this was the perfect ending of a second tiring, but exciting day which left my heart and mind full of beautiful memories bearing the colors of the sea and sunset.

[disneymoviesanywhere]

Today we celebrate the cute and purrfect. #InternationalCatDay

[gamefoxblog-blog]

Before going on with our adventures during the next days of our trip, let me tell you about Palaiokastritsa, our home town during the vacation. It is a small touristic village alongside the west coast of Corfu Island. It has a traditional spirit around it and the scenery is amazing. Everywhere there are strangely beautiful rigid cliffs hanging over the emerald Ionian Sea. Small houses, hotels and restaurants are lined along a narrow street overlooked by the mountain on one side and the sea on the other. On the top of one of the hills above the village there is the old Theotokos Monastery founded in the 13th century. Later, at the end of our vacation, we were extremely happy that we had chosen Palaiokastritsa because most of the other towns did not have that spirit and cosiness. It was romantic and we were never bored walking the long main street because every time we were finding another new and amazing place to take photos of. If you happen to visit the town at night don't forget to stop by at the terrace overlooking a small bay hosting almost naturally a bar in its cliffs. If you are there during the day go down the stairs to the bar and use the cliff-jumping spots.

[gamefoxblog-blog]

The holiday of my dreams on Corfu Island started off at the beautiful villa Achillion, named after the Greek hero Achilles. In the villa there are two huge statues of him, one of which you can see on the photo we’ve taken there. Achillion was once the hide-away villa of Princess Sisi, Empress Elisabeth of Austria. She didn’t like the artificial and pompous life at the Austrian court, so she was frequently travelling and leading a secluded life far away from the noise and constant reproach of her husband’s family. She was fond of poetry, healthy and modern lifestyle and thus disapproved of her husband’s very traditional and backward family and surroundings. In return, they also didn’t like her much and it was for the best for both sides that they didn’t spend much time together. While I was walking around the lavish gardens I was trying to imagine what her life might have been like, I saw her writing poetry in the courtyard, watching the sunset over the horizon from the huge terrace, grooming her hair in front of one of the many mirrors inside the villa. I was myself a princess for a few hours.

[battlebadgerblog]

We both said a lot of things that you’re going to regret.

GlaDOS (via battlebadgerblog)

I totally agree with GlaDOS and will definitely use this one :P

[gamefoxblog-blog]

O my Luve's like a red, red rose That’s newly sprung in June; O my Luve's like the melodie That’s sweetly play'd in tune. As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve am I: And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry: Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun: I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o’ life shall run. And fare thee weel, my only Luve And fare thee weel, a while! And I will come again, my Luve, Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.

Robert Burns, 1794

What comes to mind when you hear “Scotland”? Maybe tartan (never knew it's called that way before by the way)? Or, maybe, it's the kilt, the pipes, or the greenery combined with chilly weather and high hills? Or, the sheep and their wool? Whatever it is Scotland has definitely had its mark on most people and it's a fact that the place has something special to it - now that I have read more about this place to me it's the language, the distancing and differentiating from the rest of the British Islands and Great Britain, its traditions, spirit and its people’s temperament. I recently started watching the TV series "Outlander" that takes place in Scotland and is dedicated to the the life and spirit of the Highlands. The show is light and predictable in its characters' development and romantic stories, but inspired me in its charming and interesting representation of life in Scotland in the 18th century, the historical events at the time and the spirit and mysticism of the Highlanders with their Gaelic language and traditions. Inspired by the show I started reading about Scotland and thus extracted here some facts about its history and traditions that I found particularly interesting. The greater part of the show takes place in the Highlands (A' Ghàidhealtachd, "the place of the Gaels") is a region in Scotland culturally different from the other part referred to as The Lowlands. It’s one of the most sparsely populated areas in Europe and its capital is considered to be Inverness. The Highlands were the cradle of the clan system which the British tried to destroy in any possible way in the 18th c. There were all kinds of bans most of which impacted the culture and traditions of the area - for example, there was a ban on wearing tartan and kilts. Tartan is a pattern of criss-crossing horizontal and vertical bands in different colours. Scottish kilts are made of this pattern. Another measure in this respect was the Highland Clearances consisting of enforcing farming population from the Highlands to other parts of the country. Those continued also through the 19th century and some waves were very brutal, making people leave by the minute without their belongings, leaving them homeless in the cold and harsh climate. Due to such peculiarities the Highlands are quite specific even today, charming in their traditional ways and romanticised by their wilderness and culture in that they are entirely different than all  the rest of Scotland. The Highlands is also the keeper of the Gaelic language. It is exactly the place where I imagine things like the “broch” - a special roundhouse unique for Scotland. still we don't know for sure its exact purpose, some claim it was a fort, a castle, others - that is was a farmhouse. It is not by chance that  Broch Tuarach is the name of Jamie’s family estate. It is said that from Gaelic this means “the north-facing tower”.

Since I feel very much related to linguistics and languages, I found the use of Gaelic language in the show particularly nice and inspiring. There are three modern Goidelic languages: Irish (Gaeilge), Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) and Manx (Gaelg). The word Gaelic by itself is sometimes used to refer to Scottish Gaelic (especially in Scotland) because when we say Irish or Manx, it is meant Gaelic, whereas Scottish is come to be another (Germanic) language. It is the language mostly used by the Highlanders. And as they are defined as brutish and rough, so is their language. For example, when in “Outlander” season 2 episode 11 one of the main characters who's English writes a secret note in Gaelic, the English Duke in the scene comments on her using that language with pure disdain and condescension. This again reflects the somewhat "lowly" status of the Gaelic language at the time. In the years 1097–1153 Norman French became dominant and displaced Gaelic in court, Anglo-Norman names and practises spread around Scotland. This was the beginning of Gaelic’s status as a predominantly rural language in Scotland. This, of course, happened entirely due to political reasons after the dethroning of the so-called last Celtic king of Scotland and the beginning of the Anglo-Saxon rule of those lands. Nowadays there are efforts to revive the Gaelic language in Scotland.  Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is a public college on the Isle of Skye which is unique in that its medium of instruction is the Scottish Gaelic language. They teach Gaelic, history of the Highlands and other subjects typical for the area. A main historical issue the show is concerned with and I didn’t know about is Jacobitism and the Jacobite rebellion in Scotland in 1745. At the beginning of the 18th century Scotland entered in a Union with England due to the worsening economic conditions in the country it was better to enrich the trading market and economic reach. However, the Jacobite movement wanted to restore the Roman Catholic Stuart King James VII of Scotland, II of England and Ireland, and his heirs to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland. The term Jacobitism comes from Latin - Jacobus (Renaissance Latin for Iacomus which stands for James in original Latin). There were several attempts of the Jacobite movement to regain the rule in 1715, 1719 and 1745. The “Outlander” show is predominantly concerned with so called “The ‘Forty-Five”. Charles Edward Stuart, presented as a rather feeble monarch wanna-be, tried to regain the throne of Britain for the exiled Stuarts. History has it that it started with several successful battles, including the taking of Edinburgh. However, it was subdued by the English. The rest of the historical facts on that matter everyone can read online. What struck me, however, was that history has it that only a few of the Scottish clans and population supported Jacobitism while in the show, for example, I feel that is is presented as rather more dramatic and important for the local population as it actually was. But it’s a show after all, we can’t be too judgmental.

[battlebadgerblog]

[gamefoxblog-blog]

Great graphics and beautiful scenery in Uncharted Remastered for PS4! Pity it’s over, can’t wait to play Uncharted 4 :)

[gamefoxblog-blog]

I have been planning this post for a long time since I consider myself a huge movie and TV shows fan and "expert". The TV show nowadays is an artistic genre on its own. First, episodes are shorter than a whole motion picture which allows people more time and flexibility when watching, truth is we are all very busy during the week and don't have the time to see a nice long movie every evening, so one or two episodes of a good TV show is often the better option. Second, themes, topics, genres are equally diverse and the quality and cast invested are much better than they used to be, the same or even better than some full-fledged motion pictures. Mini-series have also become very popular and highly appreciated as an artistic genre, having about 10 long episodes at the most, allowing the screenwriters to tell their stories in an even more gripping way, allowing for more time for the characters and plots to develop. Viewers can get really involved in the stories and characters they are continuously watching, being a part of the story that gets in their minds and homes every day. One of the reasons behind this urge in TV shows and mini-series is the rise of streaming media (like Netflix) and high-quality TV channels on demand reserved only for movies and special editions (like HBO), available in hundreds of countries in hundreds of different languages all around the world. The high demand and popularity of TV shows quickly spurred investment and those programmes and services started even producing their own quality shows - some of my favourite such examples being HBO's "True Detective" and Netflix's "Narcos". I googled the issue and found out a nice compact article that I think describes the special qualities of TV shows very well: http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/oct/23/10-reasons-tv-better-movies. Another positive tendency about TV shows and mini-series is that there are some very good examples that come from Europe, offering another perspective, different from the American one that we've gotten so used to - here some of my favourite examples include UK's "Luther" and "Downton Abbey" and Swedish/Danish "Bron/Broen". There is a rich variety of genres and I have my personal favourites from each one of them, but here are a few examples to illustrate my point: My top favourite genre is the crime/thriller, where my first place goes to season 1 of "True Detective". Perfect cast, perfect acting (Matthew McConaughey), perfect script (Nic Pizzolatto), perfect cinematography and directing (Cary Joji Fukunaga). Characters are very well-written and especially Rust can get you completely mesmerized. He is both realistic and dreamy in his logical black&white clear, but pessimistic view of the world and of humanity. As he himself insists he is a realist although some might call him a pessimist. His character is very well complemented by both the story and the voodoo magical and creepy setting of Louisiana. It's a story well told that transcends the boring detective TV shows flooding the small screen that mostly focus on finding hairs and other DNA samples of the killers. In "True Detective" one can really enjoy things characteristic of good movie making - inspiring and realistic character development, discussion of psychological and existential issues, suspense, beautiful dreamy setting, perfectionism on every level of movie making (artistic and technical). I will not bother you anymore with details, just see for yourself, but before that my favourite quote coming from Rust at the end of the final episode that represents his revelation and change of mind: “There was a moment, I know, when I was under in the dark, that something… whatever I’d been reduced to, not even consciousness, just a vague awareness in the dark. I could feel my definitions fading. And beneath that darkness there was another kind—it was deeper—warm, like a substance. [...] Well, once there was only dark. You ask me, the light’s winning." Now, as a second example, I have selected something on a brighter note, a breadth-of-fresh-air on contemporary TV, very funny and cute - "Jane the Virgin". I am not sure how to determine the humour in that show, it's so unique (at least for me). It's following the life and adventures of Jane (who gets pregnant although she is a virgin, as absurd as it sounds, it really happens and is well-grounded in terms of the story) and her Mexican family, composed only of women (her mother and grandmother) who are obsessed with telenovelas and thus Jane sees all that happens to her through the prism of the cheesy telenovela styling and as if she herself is the telenovela star of her story. The actual implementation of this idea turned out to be very subtle and fresh without being too rude or making fun of such people and their lifestyle. On the contrary, it's cute, genuinely funny and refreshing. Gina Rodriguez (Jane) is absolutely hilarious and the typical telenovela structure with a narrator's voice who is commenting solemnly on some of the more important twists and turns is a great idea. I am not fond of comedies that much, but this one is worth it. A third example worth mentioning in my opinion belongs again to the genre of the crime/thriller (my favourite after all), this time, however, the production is European. It's the Swedish/Danish show "Bron/Broen" ("The Bridge"). Scandinavians have long-lasting traditions in the crime genre, especially when it comes to literature. Fans will surely remember Stieg Larsson's "Millenium" trilogy which turned into a bestseller worldwide, was made into Swedish movies and a Hollywood adaptation by master of the genre director David Fincher. "Bron/Broen" is an absolute jewel among all TV shows going on at the moment. Main character Saga Noren is absolutely gorgeous, her behaviour being awkwardly weird and charming at the same time. It is implied that she has some kind of a disease that makes her always tell what she thinks to everyone no matter how delicate the situation is. Although this is often problematic in terms of her relationships as a person, it is helpful in her job as a homicide detective and thus she excels in what she does. It's a very empowering role for women (it is known for a fact that Sweden and maybe other Nordic countries have matriarchal societies where women don't often ask for help, but rather take control of the situation by themselves). Saga is exactly this woman, very professional, smart, concentrated and for better or worse "emotionless". It is often implied that she has no emotions, which might be easily true in most of the cases, especially work-related, but when it comes to her personal relationships with her male colleague friends, she is conflicted between her friendship and feelings for them and her professional and moral duties of what she knows is right or wrong. These nuances in her character and the fact that she is very peculiar make the show so special. But the qualities of "Bron/Broen" are in no way limited to Saga Noren's character, the supporting characters, plot and stylistic devices are also very strong. For example, every episode usually introduces one or two new plot lines or characters that will impact the overall plot on a later stage in the series development. This way viewers are introduced with new characters who trigger some chain of events which are only gradually revealed once there has been enough information and the time has been right. This is a very smart choice because it creates suspense in an intelligent and logical way, as if you are discovering new people involved somehow in the crimes investigated, but you have to find out how exactly they are related to the crimes gradually, hand in hand with the detectives themselves. It's like you are finding the pieces of the puzzle, one piece at a time, until finally you are able to see the full picture.

[gamefoxblog-blog]

Last winter I tried skiing for the first time. To me it was, and still is, very scary and strange, because I am afraid of steep places and because I have never been to the mountains during winter as a child and to me all the cold, snow and clothes felt very unnatural. However, I loved it, because it makes me very active during a season when I used to mostly spend my time indoors and because I get to have more holiday time, travelling and exploring new places with my boyfriend and friends. This winter, since it was my second skiing season, we decided to treat ourselves and go skiing abroad. In Bulgaria there are a lot of skiing resorts, for such a small country, we have a lot of mountains. Although our mountains have very good natural conditions, the skiing resorts themselves have not been managed very well during the last couple of years - it's very expensive, overcrowded, service is not very good, you have to wait a lot in order to buy your skipass, etc. This is due mainly to the bad management and to the ever growing ski resorts which used to be small villages and have now turned into huge commercial resorts with a lot of hotels and houses that are empty most of the time. Anyway, last year we went skiing in Borovets, in Rila Mountain, where it was nice, our hotel was just on the ski piste and we had fun. This year, however, we decided we will try the famous Alps! We quickly decided we will go to Austria because first, we wanted to travel by car from Bulgaria and the route to Austria in this case is the fastest and most convenient and second, skiing in the Austrian Alps is cheaper than in France and Switzerland. The minute we made this decision I did a quick research where more precisely we could go and I stumbled upon an informative article describing skiing resorts in Austria and sorting them by categories - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/austria/articles/Best-Austrian-ski-resorts/. Based on the article and some more research we decided on Soll in SkiWelt. Soll was listed under the category "best for value" and indeed skipasses were the cheapest, plus there were a lot of different slopes and lifts on the map and we quickly found a nice and not very expensive place to stay. The distance between Sofia, Bulgaria and Soll, Austria is 1259 km which ideally amounts to about 13 hours of car travel. However, we knew that with all the waiting at the borders, toll stations on highways, breaks, stops at gas stations, etc. it will be much more. So, we planned overnight stays in Zagreb on the way to Austria and in Belgrade on the way back. It was a great choice not only because we managed to have some rest, but also because we did some sightseeing and additional exploring. So, the whole thing turned to a road trip, not simply a ski trip! At first we were a bit worried if everything will be ok with the car (we took it from a friend of ours because we don't have our own car), if finances will be enough, if we are going to like the accommodation and the slopes, but once we were on the road, listening to music and chatting in the sunshine, curious about what's around us, everything was fine. We started early in the morning on March, 5th and arrived in Zagreb late in the afternoon. We stayed in hostel "Casablanca" (http://www.hostel-casablanca.com/) which I highly recommend. It was very nice, quiet, romantic and cosy with extremely nice staff, situated near the centre. We quickly checked in, freshened up and went out for a walk and dinner. We went to see the Zagreb Cathedral, the most famous landmark of the city. It was already dark and the cathedral was beautifully illuminated so we managed to take some nice shots. The square around the cathedral was quiet and deserted mostly because it was dark, cold and on Saturday evening people were more interested in the restaurants and bars than in the cathedral. This only made our experience there better. After we had enough of the cathedral we went on to explore the nearby pedestrian streets (e.g. "Tkalčićeva" Street) in the Old Town of Zagreb, full of old buildings, cafes and restaurants. It was cosy and at the same time lively and exciting, everyone was out having fun, smiling and enjoying the evening. We had a hard time finding a place to eat because most of the places were full to the brim and/or very touristic. In the end, however, with a bit of luck and map orientation skills we had the most amazing dinner at a small and cosy semi-traditional semi-innovative restaurant called MUNDOAKA streetfood. It was the perfect end of a tiring but exciting day. In the morning of March, 6th we said our goodbyes with beautiful Zagreb and went on with our road trip. We had some great time on the road that day, four seasons changed before our eyes during the whole trip. We had sunshine, rain and then heavy snow. The mountains and small villages we passed by that day were charming and we couldn't help but stop in one of them - Gmund in Austria. We were attracted by a road sign for a Porsche Museum in Gmund (later we learned Porsche had some facilities for car manufacturing there) and we spontaneously made a detour to check it out. It turned out the museum was not working that day but we had a refreshing walk in the streets and around the old castle (also closed). In fact, everything was closed and the village was empty and quiet, probably because it was Sunday, but anyway we made some more nice shots with the the camera and quenched our thirst for exploration and adventure. The quiet atmosphere, the rain patting on the rooftops, the small colourful houses lining up the main square were enchanting, evoking both loneliness and some kind of inner peace. Smoke was going out of chimneys everywhere and the view to the village from atop the castle was as if taken out of a fairy tale. We felt like the village was our own to explore and at the same time alien and so we peeked here and there into hidden gardens and small streets. After a snowy and tricky ascent with the car in the mountain we finally reached our destination - Soll. It was dark when we first had a glipse of the village and the surroundings but it was exactly what we had expected - a small centre with a few pubs, a church and small buildings, surrounded by more houses all around and of course mighty mountain ranges and snowy peaks. Everything looked compact and provincial, but in a good way that makes you feel you are finally on a holiday, rested and happy, all your worries and daily routines left behind, substituted by the sweet skiing routines, early mornings in the mountain, chill on the cheeks, shimmering snow and that pleasant tiredness you can feel after an active day in the snow. We stayed in Kaiserstube, a guest house outside the centre. It was decorated in somewhat traditional Tyrolean mountain style with a lot of wood. It was quiet and we managed to have good rest with a glass of cold Paulaner beer, my favourite! The rest of our days were full of what I call ski routine - get up, have breakfast, go to the ski slopes, have a short walk in town, dinner and rest with a nice chat, beer and a movie. At first I was a bit disappointed with the pistes, but then when we started going to the mountain earlier in the morning I realized that for 2-3 hours in the morning they are pretty nice and well maintained. After that, however, they get ruined and skiing becomes more difficult, especially for a beginner like myself. My personal favourites were numbers 44 and 47, they were wide, not steep and well maintained in the mornings. On Wednesday, March, 9th, one of the two amazing sunny days, we decided to visit the neighbouring resort Scheffau and check out the pistes there. It turned out they were more difficult than those in Soll, even the blue tracks had some tricky and steep places. At one particular spot there was no way for me to go down on a blue track and I got very scared. In order to calm down and brace myself we stopped at a pub and enjoyed some good weiss beer and Wiener schnitzel in the sun. It was a beautiful day and we also used the time to make some nice photos of the landscape around. Although it helped a little, I had some very difficult time getting down with the skis after that. The middle of the ski trip was a kind of a transition, a very stressful day, because I had managed to practise what I already knew but had not managed to level up. The next and last two days, however, were great, because I learned new things and managed to improve. I got useful advice from my boyfriend and his cousin who are advanced skiers. I was so happy, I really love to learn but when it comes to skiing I am very insecure because of all the fear and anxiety. Now I can gladly say I am already skiing, making turns and feeling a lot better. Those last two days I was so happy and confident that I even had the courage to voluntarily try out a red track. It was so amazing for me, I find it difficult to describe it in words, I felt accomplished, enriched, confident, I felt the approval of my beloved teacher - I felt happy.

[gamefoxblog-blog]

A lot of my friends and acquaintances, who saw only a Bear-Gryills-kind-of-movie in "The Revenant", inspired me to write this review and try to prove them wrong and appreciate at least part of the beauty of the Oscar-nominated feature. To begin with, I also entered the movie hall expecting nothing much. The hype around Leo's long-awaited Oscar had already bored me enough so that I had finally lost a great deal of the interest in the movie itself. At the same time I also hadn't read much about the story or the art behind the movie so the only thing I knew was that there would be an epic fight between Leo and a bear... and that was about it. Well, there was a fight, but it was over pretty quickly and the rest was a startling sequence of beautiful imagery and a story not so much about the survival of the body, but the survival of the soul and made me think how lucky all the people who have someone or something to live for are. Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) has lost everything, his wife, his home and finally his son and thus, his life. He doesn't belong to any place or any community anymore, he is no less а half-blood than his son (his half white, half Native American troubled boy). He is not so much scared of what bodily harm has already struck him or will come in future, but of the fact that he is comeletely lost and alone. Nothing to live for anymore apart from the thirst for revenge. We see this at the end when we are left to wonder if he has finally given up, because he has avenged his son and fulfilled his mission. I would rather think that he gives up, the revenge and hatred adrenaline is drained out of his body and he is left alone again, realizing it is all over - his final mission and his life. At least this is how I see it. All the violence and graphic content in the movie, people killing other people as if it's the most natural thing to do, highlights the emptiness and the meaninglessness of their lives, and Glass' life. It seems it is easier to kill people, kill yourself even, when there's nothing else left but emptiness. The story itself is pretty simple. Hugh Glass, a trapper, had once loved and taken as a wife a Native American girl, they loved each other, had a child and lived happy lives until their village was set on fire by white soldiers and his wife was killed, he was then left to take care of his son. We are introduced to this prequel of events only through the dreams and hallucinations of Glass while he is badly injured and struck with fever. Glass has taken as good care as he possible could for his son, joined a fur trading expedition into the New World in the company of harsh men for whom this is the last chance of survival. While scouting the perimeter of their camp he sees some cubs in the forest and is attacked by their mother bear. The episode of the attack is very realistic, professionally written and implemented. Yes, we all can imagine how scary and awful a bear attack might be, but it is entirely different when you watch it from beginning to end, how simple it is, how clear, it is just nature, it is one animal against another, just fighting for their lives. The bear is not evil, it only wants to protect its babies, it is not even close to the excessive violence and abominable things humans do to other humans only for fun or greed (enough such episodes during the rest of the movie). In this respect, this episode does not simply differ from the rest of the violence in the movie, but contrasts it.The bear attacks Glass to protect its cubs, for he is an intruder in its world, a threat for the survival of her little ones. On the other hand, a lot of the other, human characters in the movie who commit atrocities against other humans are doing it out of greed, lust, for power and alike, they are not obliged to do it simply to survive. For example, a company of French traders have abducted and abused a Native American girl just for fun. Here, in a way, we can find a parallel between Glass and the bear, later on in the movie he will do anything to avange his son. Glass, however, manages to kill the bear and is then found by his companions, mutilated and on the the verge of dying. Although, not all of them agee on that, they finally decide to take care of him and carry him along on their journey home. However, weather conditions become extreme and they have to cross the mountain. At this point they realize they can't go on if they don't leave Glass behind. Of course, his son will stay with him until the end, but their captain makes two other men also stay behind and help Glass until they either come back and fetch help or Glass dies in which case they have to give him a "proper burial". One of them is Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), a sturdy, greedy man who once lost his scalp to a Native American tribe attack and thus hates those people, their lands, his life and basically everything. He is another soul lost in a meaningless and empty existence. I almost felt for him when he told the story of his scalp being removed, of his life without happiness, of his harsh childhood, you begin to understand why he is what he is and realize he can't help it. Fitzgerald wants to leave Glass behind because of greediness and selfishness, but also because of some kind of stubborn envy and a desire to prove that he is better than Glass, that he will survive and Glass will not. While alone with Glass in the woods he tells him that Glass has to only blink and he will take his life and spare him the misery and pain. Since Glass' thoat is badly hurt and he can't talk he tries his best not to blink but eventually succumbs. Fitzgerald immediately tries to kill Glass. This manipulatory episode is very psychological, Fitzgerald manipulates no one else but himself, convinces himself that Glass was the one who wanted to die and he was only doing him the favour. At this point Glass' son enters the scene, tries to stop Fitzgerald from killing his father and is himself killed by Fitzgerald. Glass witnesses all of this helplessly and is then left to rot and die. And here his survival begins... or  his death. Of course, there are more characters and colour to the story (e.g. a major part of the movie is dedicated to the Native Americans and the hardships they suffer), more relationships and conflicts, but this is the main plot and trigger of the rest of the events. Secondly, apart from the psychological and existential aspects of the story, I would like also to write about the cinematography, this being another major merit of the movie. While watching it I felt the same mystical, dreamy atmosphere I had felt in some of Terrence Malick's movies (more specifically "The New World"). I thought this was strange but when I read more I found out those movies have the same director of photography - Emmanuel Lubezki. In terms of cinematography for me "The Revenant" is a piece of art. The use of light, 90% natural light, makes the scenes dreamy and mysterious, it creaes an atmoshere reminiscent of both the physical and mental state of Glass - somewhere between life and death, between light and dark, between meaning and emptiness. Another impressive visual aspect is the use of wide-angle shots - the starry night sky, the vast expanse of land covered with snow and ice, the mountain ranges, the running bisons, etc. This is not only due to the use of the right equipment for the movie (Alexa 65 digital camera), but also to the exceptional choice of location, filming time and Lubezki's artistic view. All the locations and the way they are presented - vast, unyielding, extreme, harsh, empty, dead and violent - mimic the same emptiness and meaninglessness in Glass' soul and in the world full of violence, the New-Old World that at that point belongs neither to the Indian tribes, nor to the conquerors. This No one's World is just as empty and murky as the lives of our characters, it is tragic and beautiful in its natural light, vast forests and conflicts that are rather human vs human, not human vs animal. So, if the only thing you saw in "The Revenant" was how a bear steps on Leonardo DiCaprio's back, I urge you to look again, this time notice the meaning behind the scenes and all the violence, the reason or the lack of reason, the meaning of life or death, notice the beutiful shots, hear the original language of the Arikara tribe and simply enjoy cinema as the unique art form it is.

[gamefoxblog-blog]

Here is to a delicious weekend. #weekenddelights #cooking #homemade #mushroomsoup #salmon #cheesecake

[gamefoxblog-blog]

Ninjas in Borovets #skiing #winter #fun #bulgaria (at Markudjik Ski Centre)

[gamefoxblog-blog]

I have some extra time on my hands with Christmas and all so I decided to post a game review I’ve been preparing for quite some time, but haven’t had the time to finalize.

It is my first review about a game I played on PlayStation and it’s a special game for me, because it was the first game I actually liked and that touched me and made me think. It’s called BioShock Infinite. I have always had a thing about good stories, I like good books and movies, gripping and engulfing, but I never thought that a game can evoke the same emotions. So, surprise surprise, what I liked most about BioShock Infinite, what I loved actually, was the story. It is unusual and imaginative, it is both like a fairy tale and a horror story, it is full of twists and turns, adventures, inspiration and food for thought. I will say no more here to avoid spoilers. Here is the big surprise though - I also loved the shooting! It was so scary and real for me and at the same time exciting, it was pure adrenaline. It evoked memories from my childhood when my parents bought us the first computer and my father played Return to Castle Wolfenstein (or another game from that series) and me and my sister watched and fretted if someoone’s going to shoot at us.

Some time later, after I had finished BioShock Infinite, I played BioShock, its predecessor, and it wasn’t that good. The overall founding ideas were the same (utopian world turned into dystopia by greed and power in the wrong hands) but the actual setting was very similar to many things I have seen before, in horror movies, music videos, etc. On the other hand, the setting of BioShock Infinite was very beautiful, mild colours, sunshine, calmness, “happiness”. This seemingly calm and beautiful place, however, was hiding a lot of secrets and thus the stark contrast between the beautiful shiny setting and the evil behind it all made the game truly and uniquely scary and memorable.

[disneymoviesanywhere]

Happy 45th Annviersary to the cool cats of The Aristocats!

[gamefoxblog-blog]

@sendinthebasterds

[gamefoxblog-blog]

Long time and no post! Despite the fact that I haven’t posted anything for the last couple of months, there’s been a lot going on in my life, a lot worth posting – new games in my games-I-already-finished list, movies I watched, delicious things I cooked, work done and nice places visited. So, for a warm-up post after the break I decided to share my experiences from my business trip to Cagliari, Italy.

Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, part of Italy’s territory. Truth is I have been there before, in 2011, but was excited to visit it again because it is like a breath of fresh air to go there at the end of September, beginning of October when in Bulgaria is getting cold already and in Sardinia the weather still resembles spring or early summer. I adore the feeling of being on an island in the south – the mild climate, the friendly people, the tropical nature, the casual way in which everyone works, the small buildings and narrow cobbled streets, the smell of the sea, the fresh food, the cosy cafes and shops. 

We were there for five days and although we had to work most of time, we had some time to walk around, eat some good Italian food, visit the local landmarks and once again feel the spirit of Sardinia. We arrived around noon and went to check in the Hostel Marina situated at the heart of Cagliari’s Old Town. It is well hidden in a small cosy square surrounded by old buildings and steep cobbled streets. I like to imagine that the building once was the town mansion of a big rich Italian familia. The flag of Sardinia is hanging above the front door of the hostel – called The Flag of the four Moors – because it is composed of a red cross and four heads of Moors which in the past were blindfolded and turned towards the luff. The heads are taken to represent the defeated Moors, first used in the seals of Aragonese kings and later transferred to the Kingdom of Sardinia. I have a special feeling about that flag because once, in an Italian restaurant in Maastricht, it was the subject of an interesting discussion with an old colleague who no longer lives. So, we quickly checked in and went for an afternoon walk in the Old Town. It was hardly a minute or two and I was feeling like I was part of a romantic movie – old buildings with crumbling facades, narrow streets, baby cars hardly passing by (Fiats, of course), people’s freshly washed underwear hanging from the balconies, warm brownish light. I was literally bathing in calmness and warmth. In the Old Town that day we passed by the Torre dell'Elefante (Tower of the Elephant, because there is a very small elephant sculpture on it) and Torre dell'Aquila (The Tower of the Eagle). We also saw the Cathedral, which was restored in the 1930s. I don’t like it very much, somehow I can’t find the spirit of Cagliari in its architecture although when restoring it they reportedly tried to revive the Medieval Pisan-style façade more akin to the original appearance of the church in the 13th century. 

Next few days were full of work, quick (and not so quick) Italian lunches and dinners and friendly conversations and games discussions with colleagues (we were at a training course about the use of mobile games for education!). During those days I managed to sneak out and find some time to walk around the shops and cafes. Italians are famous for their good design, well here it was no exception – even small shops were arranged beautifully, small cafes served coffee and sweets in nice plates and cups, people were well-dressed, cars were both practical and colourful and cute…good design was all around. And of course the coffee experience in Italy is one of a kind. I ordered latte and they gave me a tiny espresso (the Italian style) with a sip of milk inside. When I said I would like more milk they got grumpy and said I wanted it knocked up like in Starbucks. Then, when I asked our Italian hosts about the different types of coffee in Italy it turned out it is not so simple. What they gave me for latte was actually caffè macchiato (an espresso with small amount of milk) and it turned out I was right to order latte which is espresso with more steamed milk. So much during the days, as to the nightlife, we didn’t have much time for that kind of entertainment but even the brief experience of going to a bar only once was of a great quality. We accidentally went in a bar dedicated to peanuts where the manager and waitresses were constantly pouring peanuts on the tables and customers’ heads, clothes, etc. Imagine you are chatting and enjoying your beer and suddenly a handful of unpeeled peanuts crash all over you. Well, what can you do except take some and eat, the shells we had to throw away on the floor, so we had a natural peanut carpet! 

The afternoon of the last day was dedicated to sightseeing and our host Francesca had organized several visits for us. First we had lunch at the café of Mediateca del Mediterraneo – the new cultural centre and library in Cagliari. The café’s interior was again designed in a special way with giant book backs bulging from the walls. Good they hadn’t put authors’ names on the books covering the toilet entrance! Then, we went to Torre di San Pancrazio, 13th century, and climbed to the top from where you can see the whole city. No need to say that the view was stunning. Our next stop was La Galleria Comunale d’Arte – surrounded by a spacious park and alleys where you can sit in the shade and enjoy the cool breeze. The gallery’s various collections include an important exposition of modern Italian paintings offered to the city by its collector (Ingrao Collection), and an exposition of Sardinian artists. Francesco Paolo Ingrao was a passionate collector, who loved Cagliari, died there in 1999 and left his collection to be a part of the museum and open for the public. And finally what is Sardinia, what is Cagliari, what is an island without going to the beach? So, there we were at Puetto at sunset, a few people still trying to catch the last sunrays. We sat at a bar on the beach sipping Italian wine and beer, feeling the breeze and the last sunrays of the day – pure tranquility. What a farewell, Cagliari!

[gamefoxblog-blog]

I would describe myself as a social and mostly active person, I like living my life, hanging out with real people, talking, arguing, etc. That’s why the idea of playing a game that tries to simulate real life sounded dumb and boring to me. Why talking to my virtual non-existent friends or cooking my virtual non-existent dinner while I could do it for real? When I started playing The Sims 4, however, I found out the game offers much more than that. First, personalizing your character in such great detail gives you a sense of fulfillment, you are the sole creator of something from scratch and are also able to control its life. It is fun choosing the hair, clothes, even the ears, eyes and eyebrows of your Sim. Same goes for building and furnishing your own house, you can do whatever you want, especially if you use one of those special codes for getting rich in the game. Second, the fact that you can experience almost anything that you have never experienced before or will never experience in the near future is amazing. And only in a few hours, or days! It’s like fulfilling your dreams in the game! For example, I started a writing career, something I have been dreaming of but I never embarked upon in my real life and probably will never do. Third, I like the concept and way of skills development in the game. The player has the opportunity to develop any skill with practice and patience. The idea of completing 100% of a skill is inspiring.

However, in trying to resemble real life the game is very often annoying and monotonous. Having to perform the same activities over and over again thousands of times is not exactly my idea of fun, especially if those are mundane activities like going to the bathroom or having a shower. Also, some bugs were annoying, for example, when performing WooHoo with my boyfriend in the game one of the two Sims was always unhappy with the results, no matter what I did, which later I learned was simply a bug. Sometimes similar unexplainable moods happened to my Sim and I never understood why.

To sum up, The Sims 4 is a very rich game, having a lot to offer to the player in terms of simulation, detail, experimenting possibilities and inspiration. Although I got bored pretty quickly I enjoyed my time while playing and intend to continue working on my Sim in future.