Movie Website Reviews for Weekend of September 19, 2008

September 21, 2008

After the Oscars are handed out, the opening of The Duchess this weekend might be seen as the unofficial opening of Awards Season. However, regardless of how many awards the movie wins, its Official Site was able to take home the Weekly Website Awards, and I'm sure that will make someone very proud. That is if anyone involved in the movie ever hears about the award.

All of Us - Official Site
Lots of information, almost no style. This is common of documentary sites, especially site for advocacy documentaries.

Appaloosa - Official Site
There's a lot more sound and animation on this site than on most limited release sites. However, while all of the usual information is here, there are no extras on the site. It's effective, but not award worthy.

Battle in Seattle - Official Site
All the usual features are here, but the heart of the site is a section called Take a Tour, where you can watch numerous video clips films at sites from the WTO protests from 1999. There is also additionally information on the protests, and a storyboard to screen comparison. This is better than most limited releases, but not enough to truly stand out.

The Duchess - Official Site
All the usual features are here, as are a couple extras. Firstly, there are a few clips, but the main attraction is the section on the costumes (this is a costume drama, after all). There are nine costumes that you can rotate, zoom in on, pan around, each with a bit of text explaining it. There is another section dedicated to the era, mostly its styles. Clearly a site made for a movie that is expected to attract attention and expand. Overall this is the best site on this week's list, but I'm not entirely sure it's award-worthy. This is much like the movie, as it was clearly made to win Oscars, but I don't know if it will get there. Let's start its Awards Season quest off in the right direction by awarding it the Bouffant Weekly Website Award.

Elite Squad - No Official Site
There's no official site, but there's a page on IFC's official site, and the original site can be seen here.

Ghost Town - Official Site
There's nothing wrong with a site that as all of the usual information, as well as several clips (most of which are used as intros to each section). However, that's not enough to really stand out.

Hounddog - Official Site
A lot of this site deals with the controversial nature of the film and tries to explain the choices the filmmakers made. This might be worth reading for those interesting in seeing the movie, but I'm not sure it will sell the project to those who are more ambivalent.

Igor - Official Site
One of the best sites on this week's list, it is packed with background animation, there is more than enough sound effects, and all the usual features are present. (I also love the song they choose for the background music.)

Lakeview Terrace - Official Site
Just the absolute basics; in fact, there are not even bios, just cast a crew lists. (You can download the production notes, on the other hand.) Disappointing.

My Best Friend's Girl - Official Site
All of the usual features are here, and there are some hints at style (mouseover animations) but it is only average. Perhaps if some of the features were on the site, and not off site, it would have been better.

The Pink Conspiracy - Official Site
Just the basics. In fact, there's not real image gallery. There is a store where you can buy T-shirts.

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers - No Official Site
No real site, but there is a page on the distributor's site.

Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived - Official Site
All of the usual information is here, as well as a few audio clips, but there's not enough here to make it stand out.


-

Filed under: Lakeview Terrace, Igor, My Best Friend's Girl, The Duchess, Ghost Town, Battle in Seattle, Hounddog, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, Tropa de Elite, All of Us, Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived, Appaloosa