Movie Websites Launches for August 28 - September 3

September 3, 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. It seemed like a slow week this week, not for a lack of site updates, (there are two dozen of them.) But most of them were either placeholder sites, or minor changes. This made handing out the weekly award more difficult. If you know of any new movie websites not on this list feel free to e-mail me with the details.


Carnage
Current Contents: Another silent, still site. In fact, as of writing this, there wasn't even a trailer yet (it is marked coming soon.) This site could also use some additional formatting to split up some of the longer sections into separate pages.


The Cat in the Hat
Current Content: Placeholder site with the synopsis, teaser trailer and cast and crew (no bios.)


Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Current Content: With the movie opening this week, this site hasn't changed much since it first launched. A few clips were added to Dickie's Family Diary, and some more might be added later on. One feature I neglected to mention last time was the audio clips. There are a few audio clips that play when you visit the site, some are from the movie, while others were made specifically for the site.


Dogville
Current Content: This site is very unusual, which makes it match the movie quite well. While the usual features are all present most of them are presented in an avant-garde way. Not sure if this is good or just strange for the sake of being strange. It does have some nice background music that is long enough not to become repetitive.


Dummy
Current Content: Just the placeholder site with the trailer, however, there's also another page with additional clips. Both pages are worth checking out.


Good Boy
Current Content: The placeholder was replaced by the flash site this week, although the flash site is still incomplete. Every section introduces one of the dogs that were in the movie, including facts about its breed. Every section also has animation and a short clip from the movie. Sections on the site include synopsis, trailer and image gallery and downloads. Two more sections (Scoop and Playtime) are still marked coming soon.


Home Room
Current Content: Like too many other sites, this one has no sound or animation outside the trailer. This is too bad cause it is otherwise a good site. It hits all the major areas a site should have and does it in a compelling way. But it needs music to set it apart.


In the Cut
Current Content: Redirect to Sony Pictures movie page.


Jersey Girl
Current Content: It's a Miramax site. Hopefully Kevin Smith will make a more elaborate site before the release date.


Kill Bill
Current Content: The old site is gone and has been replaced with e new placeholder site. Of all the content of the previous site, only the teaser trailer and the message boards came across.


The Last Samurai
Current Content: The second trailer has been added to the site.


Luther
Current Content: More information has been added, mostly in the History section.


Millennium Actress
Current Content: There is plenty of animation and music in the background of this site. The music even matches what is happening in the background animation, a very nice touch. In addition, all the regular features are here, synopsis, trailer, cast and crew bios, and production notes. There's also an interview with the director and screenwriter, but it is just a transcript and not a video clip.


The Order
Current Content: Nothing has changed since the site was last reviewed and the problem with the sound levels is still there.


Out of Time
Current Content: Placeholder site with just the synopsis and trailer.


Party Monster
Current Content: For a movie focused so much on the New York Party scene, this is one quiet website. Outside the trailer there are no sounds at all, and the trailer is the only animation on the site as well. The most unusual, and biggest, feature on the site is the production diary. These are not just a few notes, this is page after page of text (and quite a few images) detailing the making of the movie from the initial idea to the wrap party. Still, without sound or animation it is hard for a site to rise above the rest.


Prey for Rock and Roll
Current Content: I love a site with music and this site has three complete songs. Hell, you can even play all three songs at once. The site also has the usual features, synopsis, cast bios, trailer and three clips. If there were just some animated intros it could have been an award winning site.


The Run Down
Current Content: The flash site launched this week, and it has almost everything a site should have. Synopsis, trailer (including one in Spanish), cast, crew and character bios, image gallery, sound board, it even has a game. And there is another features marked coming soon, and some additional clips should be added before the release date. With animated intros, audio clips, background music and interactive features this site takes home the unpretentious Weekly Website Award.






School of Rock
Current Content: The trailer, which was released a while ago, was added to the placeholder site.


Shaolin Soccer
Current Content: Despite being a Miramax site, this is not the same as all other Miramax sites. But somehow there is less content than usual. Just the two trailers, no synopsis and cast and crew (no bios) like other Miramax sites.


Spider-Man 2
Current Content: The full site is now up, but a lot of features are still marked coming soon, and there should be regular updates till the movie opens in mid-2004. So far the synopsis is up and so are the cast and crew bios, character bios are marked coming soon. Just a note, many features require you to sign in before you can view them. This includes the polls and webisodes, but it's worth it.


Taking Lives
Current Content: Typical Warner Bros. placeholder site, this time without any pictures. Release date is early 2004, so there's plenty of time for more features to be added.


Zero Day
Current Content: This film opens tonight, however, the website is very Spartan with just the synopsis and trailer. Most of the information is 'off-site' at the Essex County Sheriff's Report. This helps give the film a more real feeling.


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Filed under: Spider-Man 2, The Last Samurai, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, School of Rock, Kill Bill: Volume 1, The Rundown, Out of Time, Good Boy!, Taking Lives, Jersey Girl, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, The Order, In the Cut, Dogville, Party Monster, Shaolin Soccer