|
2004-04-05
Every week films get a second chance at success from the home market; or, in some cases, a first chance at success. Here is a list of wide releases, limited releases and a few from the growing TV on DVD section. An eclectic mix with an even mix of recent releases, older movies and TV series and the best pick being the complete Freaks and Geeks collection.
|
2004-03-15
Every week films get a second chance at success from the home market; or, in some cases, a first chance at success. Here is a list of wide releases, limited releases and a few from the growing TV on DVD section. It was another slow week as not one new release made it on Amazon's Top Ten Sales Chart. There are a couple of good DVDs, but they are special editions of older DVDs. That kept my 'To buy list' to just two: The Commitments and Married... with Children - Second Season - (Buy from Amazon.)
|
2004-01-26
There seems to be a pattern developing for 2004. The number one movie surprises, but the overall box office is lower than expected. This week was no different. The total box office was down from last weekend's 3-day total, which is not surprising as last weekend was a long weekend. But it dropped by a massive 24.7%. The performance compared to last year that is more troubling. Before the weekend 2004 was 7% behind 2003 and at first glance this weekend was almost flat compared to last year, down less than $200,000 or just 0.002%. But this weekend last year was Superbowl weekend, so the performance is really more equivalent to a 10% drop.
|
|
2003-11-28
This Thanksgiving is turning out to be rather disappointing. Early estimates are about on par with last year when all five wide releases failed to make a major impact at the box office. This year will be a little better, but only because of inflation.
|
2003-11-20
k 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.
Submitted by:
|
2003-08-28
k 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: None, just a redirect to the Universal Pictures movie site.
Anything Else
Current Content: The flash site was launched this week and it has a lot of multimedia. This includes the trailer and 10 minutes of interviews with the two main cast members. Also included were four clips and a short behind the scene video. It is interesting to note that much of the clips and behind the scene stuff is also in the trailer and interviews, so there's a lot of repetitiveness. It also has synopsis/production notes, cast and crew bios and an image gallery.
Cabin Fever
Current Content: The last two photos have videos now, but they make about as much sense as the first two. Watch the trailer on the regular site before coming to the flash site. Or check out the old site for a little more information.
Cheaper by the Dozen
Current Content: Just the placeholder site for now, with just the trailer and cast and characters (no bios.)
Civil Brand
Current Content: The old site is back with the trailer as its only content.
Elf
Current Content: The trailer is back on the site.
Honey
Current Content: As I have mentioned early, Honey is the first site I wrote about and in that time there have been no substantive changes, until now. Half a dozen more images were added to the gallery this week. That may not sound like much, but it more than doubled the content of the site. Late Update: The trailer was added today. See, having the column a day late was a good thing.
Jeepers Creepers 2
Current Content: The content of this site is told almost exclusively through multimedia. Each section starts with a short clip, and there are eight sections in all. These include the image gallery, e-cards and storyboards. Plus two trailers, four clips and character intro (in the form of short clips.) There is only one section presented in text and that's the 'About the Film' section. Although there are five parts and it is quite extensive. There is also sound effects and background music. Unfortunately the music, while moody, was too quite compared to the rest of the site.
Mambo Italiano
Current Content: This site has a lot of information, synopsis, cast, crew and character bios (character bios are almost always a plus), press kit, trailer and seven clips. What it doesn't have is any sound or animations. Because of that this site is an effective but simple site. A little more flash might have really helped.
The Matrix Revolutions
Current Content: Along with the content for the first two movies, the international trailer for the third movie was released. From now to its release expect plenty of updates to this site.
Mystic River
Current Content: The crew bios are now available, including Clint Eastwood. But the section on Clint Eastwood in the main menu is still marked coming soon. So I expect that to be much more detailed than the current bio.
Nola
Current Content: As long time readers of this column know I feel the most overlooked aspect of movie websites is sound, specifically background music. Many sites have no background music whatsoever, others have only short clips, (much of which is too short or poorly looped.) This site has not one, but two full songs. Right away that puts it ahead of the pack, and many weeks it would be enough to win the weekly website awards. But this site has even more. There is plenty of content with all the regular features present, (synopsis, trailer, image gallery, cast and crew bios) and some lesser used features like production notes, directors statements, wallpapers and e-cards, an interview with the director and 3 clips from the movie. Add in animated segues and you have this weeks winner of the inescapable Weekly Website Award. And it's the first winner with the new graphic.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Current Content: This is a week of double shots. First two movies with Emmy Rossum and now two movies that take their name from the classic Sergio Leone movie Once Upon a Time in America. The Flash site opened this week and it is a very well done site. The main part of the site has animated intros that rotate through the three main characters. There is also very good use of animation and sound effects for each section. For example, the options are shown as bullet holes complete with gunshots are they are created. The content is also well done with the synopsis, trailer, cast and crew bios (the three main stars also have a few images) and production notes. And most of this information is given in both English and Spanish. It's a very nice touch indeed.
Once Upon a Time in the Midlands
Current Content: The second movie to borrow its title from Sergio Leone, this time the homage extends to the trailer (especially the fonts) and the background music for the website. It's a nice touch. The site also features a bit of animation to introduce the sections, which include all the major features (synopsis, cast and crew bios, production notes, and image gallery.) It’s not very flashy, which is probably for the best.
Something's Gotta Give
Current Content: Just the typical Sony placeholder site for now. Just the synopsis and the trailer and that's all for now.
Underworld
Current Content: The new, full trailer was added.
Wonderland
Current Content: Got an error message about the flash animation for this site, something about a slow script. So I can't give a review of the site.
Submitted by:
|
|
2003-08-07
k 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. Felt like a slow week, I don't know if that's cause it is a slow week, or that fact that I moved this week meant I didn't have time to really research website updates. If you know of any new movie websites not on this list feel free to e-mail me with the details.
Beyond Borders
Current Content: None, just redirects you to Paramount's movie page.
Calendar Girls
Current Content: The movie is still months away but there is considerable content on the site already. Synopsis, trailer, poster and cast and crew (no bios.) There's are background music and a few audio clips, but they don't repeat so you only hear them once.
Cabin Fever
Current Content: New design, new URL. Right now there are only two clips and without any context they make no sense. There are two other clips coming soon so hopefully they will help explain things.
Cheaper By the Dozen
Current Content: None, just redirects you to Fox's movie page.
Cold Creek Manor
Current Content: None, just redirects you to Touchstone's movie page
Envy
Current Content: The VaPOOrizer site was removed last week and now we know why. Its theatrical release has been pushed back to 2004, or perhaps never. Word is it could go direct to video at this stage.
Freaky Friday
Current Content: Just in time for its release the last few features were added. These include the bios and party planner and lots of clips, (a few scenes, some behind the scenes and two music videos.) Overall, this site has a good format and good content to match. The only thing its missing is background music, but it has plenty of sound to make up for that. It's this week's winner of the inescapable Weekly Website Award.
Le Divorce
Current Content: While lacking any really unusual features, this site does present the usual features in a good fashion. Also, the background music fits well with the theme of the movie and avoids becoming repetitive.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Current Content: You can now submit questions for the cast interviews that will be part of the site when it launches later on.
Passionade
Current Content: The seafood recipes are finally up. A bit beyond my cooking expertise, but they look good.
The Princess Blade
Current Content: This site has quite a bit of features, but none that are really unique. However, the way they all come together helps. Sound effects, a bit of animation for the segues and good background music are all pluses.
S.W.A.T.
Current Content: I can't give a review of this site since some features do not work with my browser, and some actually cause it to crash.
School of Rock
Current Content: Just a placeholder site with no actual content.
Step into Liquid
Current Content: Because this is a documentary some of the regular features aren't here, like synopsis. But they do have the trailer and cast bios of sorts. (There's bios in the surfers shown in the movie.) Besides the trailer there is a clip of behind the scenes shoots. Definitely a plus is the background music, it's long enough and loops well enough to not become repetitive and is effective without being overwhelming.
Thirteen
Current Content: The old placeholder site is gone and now it redirects you to the trailer on Apple.com.
Timeline
Current Content: Right now there is just the trailer and several audio clips. But their presentation is very cool and hopefully as new content is added this site it will only get better.
Submitted by:
|
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
