Movie Website Updates for March 31 - April 7, 2007

April 7, 2007

It's the Saturday after Good Friday, which explains why this column was delayed one day. But while the Friday was good, this week's sites were mediocre, at least they were compared to high expectations. If this was January, it would be a great list. However, at this point of the year I'm expecting one potential summer blockbuster to have a major website launch each week, and that didn't happen this time. We still had an award-worthy effort with Grindhouse - Official Site.

28 Weeks Later - Official Site
I hate these sites. It doesn't look like a movie site just a page on Fox Atomic's home site. There's not enough here on the site at the moment with the trailer being the highlight. However, it was a really big disappointment for me. After seeing it, I have nearly no interest in seeing the movie.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters - Official Site
A video clip was added to the site called, "I Love Movies." Like the video game, it's bad. But for the most part it's bad in an entertaining way.

Are We Done Yet? - Official Site
Some clips were added to the site; a lot of clips, actually. There are 8 clips from the movie and a featurette on the premiere. However, like the rest of the site, while there's plenty of quantity there's not a lot here that makes me want to watch the movie.

Black Book - Official Site
Just the basics, (synopsis, bios, gallery, and trailer), and the animation is limited to the transitions. The closest there is to an extra is the links and reviews. Overall the site is effective, but not award-worthy.

Bug - Official Site
The revised trailer is online. Still creepy, but not enough to completely sell me on the movie.

The Dance - Official Site
Just the basics, but not much else.

Diggers - Official Site
Just the very basics, (synopsis, image gallery, and trailer).

Disturbia - Official Site
Several clips were added to the site. But I'm not sure when.

Evan Almighty - Official Site
The trailer and the second game were added to the site. If you beat all 19 levels of the game, you get to watch what is called an exclusive clip. However, it can also be seen on the trailer and on the site. Not really exclusive but at least you can say you beat the game.

Fighting Words - Official Site
The usual features are here, but there's not enough to make is stand out.

Firehouse Dog - Official Site
No real changes this week. Effective but not award-worthy.

Georgia Rule - Official Site
The flash site launched this week and it has all the usual features, (bios and production notes are marked coming soon). Each section also starts with a video clip, but that's the only extras there are.

Grindhouse - Official Site
All the usual features are here, in fact, there's twice as many as usual since there are two movies. In addition to the synopses, casts & crews bios, image galleries, and trailers, there are also a number of extras including text based interviews and several video featurettes. (Combined these featurettes would make a great extra for the eventual Unrated DVD release. To top things off, there's the interactive nature of the Grindhouse theater itself; by exploring the lobby, the projection room, and even the bathroom, the surfer can find little extras and this adds a lot to the overall value of the site. Overflowing with cool, just like the movie, it win the exploitive Weekly Website Award.

The Hoax - Official Site
The usual features are here, but the only extra is the section on the greatest hoaxes in history. They are fun to read, but not enough to make it stand out.

Hot Fuzz - Official Site
A section on the soundtrack was added to the site and it includes clips of several of the songs as well as a few image and nearly half-a-dozen clips. The more I see of this movie, the more I want to see it.

Live Free or Die Hard - Official Site
The flash site launched this week, but quick frankly I was really disappointed. It has just the basics, and even then the bios are M.I.A., and even the animated transitions are lame. There is a game that is marked coming soon, but they have a lot of work to get this site up to even the lowest standards for a potenital blockbuster.

The Martian Child - Official Site
The rest of the regular features were added. The site's still very basic and feels more like an overstuffed placeholder site than a full site.

Next - Official Site
A couple updates this week. The bios were added, as was the first part of the Experience and the second game. The Experience was just a clip and some downloads while the second game was a timed maze. With the maze, it was too easy to get caught on corners and it kept stuttering on me.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Official Site
You can get to the end of the interactive quest, but there's only one reward so far.

The Reaping - Official Site
No updates this week and that means the video is still marked coming soon. There's enough sound and animation to keep the surfer's attention, but not enough to stand out from the pack. Overall it's disappointing.

The Simpsons Movie - Official Site
The synopsis was added, but it really adds no details.

Spider-Man 3 - Official Site
The second game was added to the site, as were more blog entries. I like the second game. First you choose what type of attacks you want; you can select several types of smaller attacks or two or three powerful ones. Basically the choice is between power and versatility. Then you fight venom in a turn-based battle.

Stephanie Daley - Official Site
The full site is up and it has all of the basics. On the other hand, that is all it really has. The closest thing to an extra in the text based interviews.

Sunshine - Official Site
Forgot to give the link to the new site last week.

Superbad - Official Site
Just the trailer so far, which didn't sell me on the movie at all.

TV Set - Official Site
The site has all the basics, but nothing to make it stand out.

Vacancy - Official Site
The site finally worked this week and it was worth the wait. Each section is a room you can explore giving the site a much needed sense of interactivity. Granted, the content is a little low, but overall it is still better than the average site out there.

Whole New Thing - Official Site
It's been a long time since this site has been mentioned on this list, but it looks a lot more polished than I remember it. There's not enough here to stand out, but it's good for a small, indie film.

Year of the Dog - Official Site
All the usual features were added to the site including the trailer. However, I just couldn't get into it. I'm not writing it off, but I need more before I'm sold.

Young Triffie - Official Site
Just the basics, including a very quirky trailer. That's quirky even compared to other Canadian films.


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Filed under: Movie Website Updates, Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, The Simpsons Movie, Live Free or Die Hard, Superbad, Evan Almighty, Disturbia, The Reaping, Grindhouse, Hot Fuzz, Vacancy, Georgia Rule, Next, Firehouse Dog, Martian Child, The Hoax, Bug, Zwartboek, Sunshine, Year of the Dog, The TV Set, Diggers, Fighting Words, Stephanie Daley, Whole New Thing, The Dance, Are We Done Yet?, 28 Weeks Later, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters