Movie Websites Launches for November 7 - November 13

November 13, 2003

During the past week promotional websites for several movies were launched and some older ones added additional content. Here’s a list of highlights, plus one last look at websites for films opening this week. If you know of any new movie websites not on this list feel free to e-mail me with the details.


Anything But Love
Current Content: For a movie that has music as such a central theme, for there to be no background music on the site is a very large oversight. There are four clips along with the trailer, synopsis, small image gallery and a few e-cards. But the lack of music is what stood out the most.


The Big Bounce
Current Content: Placeholder site with just the synopsis, photo gallery and some downloads. The trailer is marked coming soon, as is the flash site.


The Big Empty
Current Content: This movie opens this week in L.A. and opens wider next week. The site has just an image of the poster with 'more information' coming soon. The production company as more details on their site including the trailer. This is one of those movies that is so intriguing that you want to know more, but is probably so uncommercial that few will ever get to see it.


Chasing Liberty
Current Content: Typical Warner Bros. placeholder site with just the synopsis.


Fog of War
Current Content: This site's format is one of the most compelling I've seen. The timeline of events with audio clips, video clips, images, text and sometimes even a talking Mac. (You really have to see it to believe it. It seems so out of place on a website for a serious documentary, but it works.) There are more traditional features like the trailer and such, but it's the timeline that's the focus of this site.


Garfield
Current Content: The placeholder site now says the trailer will be online in December, not November as it previously said.


Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban
Current Content: The teaser trailer for the third film was added to the site this week.


Honey
Current Content: After months and months of the same placeholder, there was a redesign not too long ago, and now the flash site has finally been launched. And it was worth the wait. Content wise, it has all the regular features, with more than a few extras. In fact, it's the extras that make this site stand out. There are a couple of quizzes, short bios on how some stars started out, a video remix, a game called Six Degrees of Missy E and others. Each of these sections starts with an audio clip from the movie, and while that is playing the volume for the background music is lowered so the clip is easier to hear, which was a very nice touch. Speaking of the music, not only is there six clips that can be listen to in the background, the full music for 'I'm Good' by Blaque was added to the site. It was a close call for the award this week with this site just missing out to The Missing. But when the two TV Spots and two Interviews are that are marked coming soon are added to the site it has an excellent shot at winning.


Looney Tunes: Back in Action
Current Content: No real changes since it won the weekly website award.


Love Don't Cost a Thing
Current Content: The flash site has launched, but there's very little content. It does have the trailer and a image gallery and some downloads; but there's no synopsis or other information about the movie. Also, while there's animation, there's no sound and that's never a good sign.


Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Current Content: Like the other movie opening wide this week, this site has previously won the weekly website award. Unlike the other movie opening wide this week, there were extensive updates on this site. All the material previously marked coming soon , (synopsis, Cast and Crew Bios, Production Notes and Featurettes) were all added to the site. Two more international sites, the German and one of the Spanish ones also launched this week.


The Missing
Current Content: Every site should have a hook, something that sets it apart from the pack. This site's hook is the commentary by Ron Howard, which is broken up into a dozen segments and sprinkled throughout the site. (You can also listen to them all in the Media section, but just exploring the site with the commentary on works better.) Another unusual feature is the Characters section. Each of the five main characters has a flash animation introduction that helps set the mood. These two features combined with the more standard fare, (synopsis, trailer, cast and crew bios, extensive behind the scenes information) and excellent use of animation and background music help set this website apart from the others this week. And because of that, this site wins the enduring Weekly Website Award.


Something's Gotta Give
Current Content: Just a small change to the placeholder site.


Tupac: Resurrection
Current Content: The movie opens this week, but there were no changes in the site this week.


Troy
Current Content: The trailer was indeed added to the placeholder site.


Watchful Eyes
Current Content: So far the only content on the site is a flash intro that ends with, 'Website coming soon.'


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Filed under: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Troy, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Garfield: The Movie, Honey, The Missing, Love Don't Cost a Thing, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Chasing Liberty, Tupac Resurrection, The Big Bounce, Anything But Love