Hey there guys. Well, as you can see we changed the layout of The Movie Blog. I tend to do this once or twice a year. Personally I was starting to feel like the last design was getting too busy and rather messy with too much stuff going on and too many contrasting colors. I wanted to get back to a more simple layout that just emphasized the content, posts and video.
Now, I won’t ask what you think of it… because the one thing I’ve learned in the 7 or 8 design changes I’ve made over the last 5 years is that no matter what… most people HATE change. I put in a new design, and everyone hates it… then when I change it again a year later, everyone tells me how much they liked the old design. We’re weird creatures that way.
In the end, the design and layout are just the containers for the real stuff… the content, and that hasn’t changed. So I do hope this layout will be easy to navigate and easy to read. That’s all I’m really going for. I hope we accomplished that. SPECIAL THANKS TO WORDPRESS NINJA PIA FOR ALL HER WORK IN HELPING ME GET THIS UP AND ONLINE.
I like it! Looks wicked. Nice one guys!
I second that! It looks great but it sucks to have to scroll back up to the top of a post to access the comments link. Functionality is king.
Love the new look, but one suggestions from a usability point of view:
The link to the comments are better accessed when they were located at the bottom of each news post on the front page. This way I can read a post (some longer then others) and if I feel I want to comment on it I can then click the link without having to scroll right back up and find it burried in the header zone.
John, I just have two complaints –
1. The comments button should be at the bottom of each post. Reason being is we read the blog, then we have to scroll BACK UP to hit the comment button…very annoying.
2. Your posts need to be in black in the comments section….like they used to be.
I like it. I’d like it more if it helped us get the audio podcast daily though…
Looks good, John!
Great Layout, you need to change the Logo however, looks a little dodgy.
At least have the “all time favorite links” navigation bar to the right of the posts instead of all the way down below the posts.
I love the new template. Much cleaner. Great job John!
I think it looks quite nice.
One thing I miss is “recent reviews”. It would be nice to just add back the list on the front page.
Like the grey, but the content is still way to narrow. My screen is 1/3 content and 2/3 grey, what a waste.
This new layout makes me feel sexy!
Hmm, looks good. Nice work.
Nice. Very clean. I really like this layout.
Just a suggestion…when you go to the sub-pages (favorites, funny, etc) you should lose the “top stories” window. Personally, I think it should only be showcased on the main page.
For me it the new site works well in FF, but is somewhat buggy in IE.
Otherwise, great job.
HA!
that…is just lazyness at its highest!
lmfao!
just scroll up!
lol!
I agree with the poster above, I’d love to see the link for comments on the bottom of the articles instead of at the top.
Other than this small issue, I think the layout is fantastic.
I think the link for comments should be at the bottom, because after youve read the article if you want to comment you have to scroll the whole way back up to the top. Its not a huge deal, but it doesnt make sense functionally.
I like it, but there are a lot of wordpress plugins I would like to see you get before that headline one. You should go through the plugin section of their site one day and see what yours is missing.
I like it. Very easy to get around. The heading of “The Movie Blog” is a bit to simple, but that just my thoughts.
lol. I thought I went to Cinematical for a second. But this layout is pretty cool.
Very nice, clean, simple and to the point
no i take it back..i really like it…after going through it i like what you did on top giving it the recent posts thing that you can look through and i really like it
great job TMB
i just hope the uncut podcast will be done the same way and that the “what peopel are saying” part gets back
but i like this better
I like it. I’m one of the people that HATED the last format change when it first happened, and it never really did grow on me too much. I feel much happier about the site now that it’s not that format.
However, I don’t like the flash at the top. But other then that, I love it.
The site looks a whole lot better now.
Yes, folks hate change…but only if that that change is a cluttered strain on the eyes and a pain in the ass.
This is one change for the better.
Hey John,
Good job on the redesign.
Question: are you still going to have Uncut available for audio downloading? I love burning it onto a CD and listening to it while I drive to work.
Thanks – keep up the good work.
I think it works…simplicity usually is the best way to go.
Nice look man
Its a good change, most people hate change.
last time you changed it i hated it but ended up loving it. this one im sure ill get used to because i go on this site 9 times a day
question…will the podcast still be in the corner of the page? will any of those basic things change?
the what peopel are saying section needs to be brought back up!! lol
You’re right I do hate the new Layout.
Change the dark grey navbar to red and in my opinion it would be perfect!
I like the new layout. Simple, clean, uncluttered. Possibly the best design yet, in that respect.
I agree with a few others that maybe it could use a tiny bit of extra color, and the “Q” in “F.A.Q.” in the top menu goes a little past the shaded background (in Safari anyway), but otherwise, it’s perfect.
Good job, and not just with the new design. This continues to be one of my favorite sites to check on a daily basis.
love the new design…I’ve been thinking of changing my blog’s layout and i love this guys work
I think this redesign is simple, smart and very easy on the eyes. Good job John and team. I have always loved the simplicity of The Movie Blog
SWEET, I like it.
OMG JEAN_BAPTISTE the colour doesn’t cover the whole word, SCREENPRINT, SCREENPRINT lol SERIOUSLY man?
I liked the old design’s NERDINESS but this new one gives off the QUALITY that this site gives us everyday.
I like it.
Great new design, John. We will inevitably prefer the old design just because we’re used to it, as, like you said, we hate change. But this is a slick and easy to read design and I’m sure we will grow to love it like the old one.
Btw I LOVE the menu bar of different catagories, makes browsing the site even easier.
nice design, but I don’t like that sliding effect of the flash teaser. also, in ff3, it’s kind of buggy: http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/2622/tmbcm2.jpg
I really like the change, well done :)
Nice design. Has a rottentomatoes feel to it.
I like it! Classic and mature at the same time. Good luck, John!
not bad. it’s a nice change, but it isn’t radically different. and yeah, people will definitely fucking complain about it, irrespective of what you do.
lol i am one of those people that doesn’t like change….
but i mostly like this layout, however, i miss the old blue color at the top of the page & the font on the top banner looks too formal…. but over all, it looks good
(sorry for giving my opinion… i know you didnt ask for it…..)
gray and boring, give it some colour!
I like this one John!
Hey John. Love the new “Featured Stories” part. What plugin/code did you use?
I kinda a like the old one cause it was plain, but hey nice design …
Very Clean !
nice design change, it’s a classy look.