Movie Websites Launches for November 14 - November 20

November 20, 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.


21 Grams
Current Content: First of all, your body doesn't lose 21 grams when you die. That's just one of those urban legends about death, (another one being your hair and finger nails continue to grow after you die.) Now that that's out of the way we can talk about the website, which launched this week. Unfortunately, the urban legend surrounding the title is more interesting than the site itself. There are no sounds and only a tiny amount of animation outside the trailer. And while there was quite a bit of information in the synopsis, cast and crew, and production, it seemed to take an unacceptably long time to load. Other, flash heavy sites, loaded in a fraction of the time it took to load just the production notes.


Along Came Polly
Current Content: Just the placeholder site so far with the synopsis, trailer and photo gallery.


Anchorman
Current Content: Placeholder site with some exclusive clips.


The Barbarian Invasions
Current Content: Typical Miramax site. The movie opens tomorrow and the trailer isn't even up.


The Big Empty
Current Content: As promised last week, this site added a lot more information. It's mostly just text, with dozen or so images and the trailer. Considering the unusual nature of the movie, one would hope that the website would be less static.


Cat in the Hat
Current Content: The movie opens on Friday, but not much has changed since the flash site first launched.


Cheaper by the Dozen
Current Content: The flash site launched this week and to no one's surprise much of it is dedicated to introducing the characters. The rest of the site has all the regular features, including synopsis, both the teaser and full trailers, cast and crew bios and so forth. There are a few extras, like wallpapers, AIM icons and two e-cards, as well as movie clips that are still marked coming soon. Unlike many of the site on today's list, this one has plenty of sound and animation. There are also clips from three songs that play in the background, which takes care of the repetitiveness although makes the looping a bit harder.


Cold Mountain
Current Content: What's this? A Miramax site that isn't just a short synopsis on a dull beige background? How can this be? Of course the current site isn't much better than the ordinary Miramax site, as it only has the trailer while the Enter Site button only takes you to the Miramax home page.


The Cooler
Current Content: The background music for this site really sets the right mood. Sort of a depressing, smoke filled lounge atmosphere. The site itself is understated, which fits well with the style of the movie. Only the most common of features are there, synopsis, cast and crew bios, trailer and image gallery.


Envy
Current Content: The old VaPOOrize info site is back, with a new flash intro and opening page. Right now the only other feature is the trailer.


Gothika
Current Content: Just in time for tomorrow's release, two clips were added to the already award winning site.


The Great Raid
Current Content: It's a Miramax site. That's all you need to know.


Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Current Content: The site just launched and so far there's only the trailer and Sirius Black sightings.


The Hebrew Hammer
Current Content: This site is something that has to be seen. An exploitation film, The Hebrew Hammer uses a lot of stereotypes in the same vein as Shaft did. So there's a lot here that could offend those who take it too seriously. While there's almost all the usual suspects, (the trailer is marked coming soon) it's the extra's that steal the show. Including a parody of Space Invaders called Gentile Invaders in which you're a menorah that shoots Star of Davids at 'Gentiles' that drop Swastikas for matzo balls. You can also test how Jewish you or look up important Jewish words like, ' Tuchis' and 'Boca Raton.' I also recommend downloading the theme song to listen to later. The sheer audacity of the site makes it this week's winner of the Meshugge Weekly Website Award.


Laws of Attraction
Current Content: Placeholder site with just the trailer so far.


The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra
Current Content: The film is a parody of the 50's low budget sci-fi horrors and the site takes advantage of that genre. It's so cheesy, but in a good way. I especially like the virtual collectibles, or skelectables as they call them. The site has all the usual features, including very extensive production notes and a F.A.Q. in case you were confused about the parody aspect of the movie.


Pride & Prejudice
Current Content: This site has most of the usual features, synopsis, trailer, image gallery and cast bios, (but no crew bios.) There are still a few things marked coming soon, for instance, not all the cast bios are on the site yet. Also marked coming soon is the behind the scenes, video clips and additional downloads. The site has good animated menu / intros with sound effects, audio clips and background music. Background music is just a little too happy for my liking, but that's a matter of taste.


Timeline
Current Content: Some more features were added, but it's getting more and more difficult to spot them on such a huge site. There's still some interview clips and the Donner Q&A yet to be added.


Torque
Current Content: Typical WB placeholder site with quite a few images, including the poster.


Win a Date with Tad Hamilton
Current Content: None. It's just a placeholder site with only the name and the release date.


You Got Served
Current Content: Typical Sony placeholder with just the trailer so far.


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Filed under: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Cheaper by the Dozen, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, Cold Mountain, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Gothika, Torque, Timeline, Laws of Attraction, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!, Envy, The Cooler, The Hebrew Hammer, 21 Grams