Movie Website Updates for September 30 - October 6, 2007

October 6, 2007

We are starting to get full websites for some of the massive holiday season releases, which should mean there will be at least one award worthy website on each week's list. As for this week, there were a few that have potential assuming the sections marked coming soon live up to the rest of the site. But just one site, The Seeker: The Dark is Rising - Official Site, that was worthy of the Weekly Website Award.

American Gangster - Official Site
The flash site launched this week, and outside the a few basics, (synopsis, images, trailer), most of the regular features are marked coming soon. On the other hand, there's an extensive semi-interactive section that you can explore and that features a lot of audio and video clips and it sells the film well. Perhaps when the rest of the regular features are in, this will be an award-winning site.

Be Kind Rewind - Official Site
Just the synopsis and the trailer so far, with three backgrounds, but I expect big things from this site.

Bee Movie - Official Site
The characters bios are up. So far its building up to be a great site for its target audience.

Beowulf - Official Site
New look with a lot more flash, but nearly nothing in terms of new content. There's a lot of features marked coming soon but until they are added, it's hard to judge the site.

Broken - Official Site
All the usual features, but no real style.

Charlie Bartlett - Official Site
First the movie was pushed back, and now the site is dead. Hopefully this is just temporary.

Desert Bayou - Official Site
All the usual features are here, as well as several clips, but the site lacks style. This is not uncommon for a documentary site.

Enchanted - Official Site
Another site with a new look. This time we have some new features including a behind-the-scenes video clip. Maybe when more of the features are added, and there's more than two images in the gallery, it will be in the running for the award.

Feel the Noise - Official Site
All the usual features are here, with an emphasis on the music, (including a section for the soundtrack and a music video). However, outside the clips acting as intros for each section, there's not much in term of extras.

Finishing the Game - Official Site
No new updates this week, but there's quite a bit of information here.

For the Bible Tells Me So - Official Site
This is a typical site for a documentary. There's plenty of information, but little style.

The Good Night - Official Site
Just the basics.

The Heartbreak Kid - Official Site
The site lacks any real sense of style. There are a couple of clips and a few games, but nothing that makes the site stand out.

I Am Legend - Official Site
Potentially the biggest hit of the holiday season, the full site launched this week. So far the content is rather limited with just the very basics. But there is a six-screen view of the city that contains enough animation to suggest a top notch site when it is fully flushed out.

Lars and the Real Girl - Official Site
The official site is online, mostly. So far there's just the synopsis, bios, and trailer on the site with the Home Town all marked coming soon. On a side note, I was expecting Bianca to have a bio of her own.

Michael Clayton - Official Site
Not much was added in the past few weeks, but it has all of the usual features plus a character section with video clips.

The Mist - Official Site
Just the trailer so far. I remember the short story this is based on, even though I haven't read it in probably 10 years, and I think it could make a great movie. I'm not sure this is that great movie, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

Mr. Untouchable - Official Site
The trailer was added to the site.

My Kid Could Paint That - Official Site
Good content, but I liked the old menu system better. Hunting down the matching pictures may not have been completely functional, but it was unique and when you check out as many website as I do, you want something that keeps your interest.

One Missed Call - Official Site
Just the trailer so far. I have mixed opinions. On the one hand, it isn't Torture Porn. On the other hand, it's a remake of a Japanese horror film, and quality wise, those haven't done very well recently.

P2 - Official Site
New look with more of the regular features added, (synopsis, bios, image gallery). So far it is either a really good placeholder site, or a sub-par full site.

Saw IV - Official Site
Aparently the Movie Gods don't want me to review this site. First I got no sound, then I got too much sound, and now it crashed my browser.

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising - Official Site
At least the site really good. The movie may have bombed this weekend, but the site is great with all of the usual features like synopsis, bios, image gallery and trailer, as well as significant extras. These extras include character bios and six games, (there's a nice mix of action and puzzle games and while they are simple, they are addictive). Finally, there's an interactive Seek the Symbols game. Overall, it hits all of the right notes and if the rest of the marketing campaign was this strong, the film wouldn't have struggled as much as it did. Worth checking out and worth the exploration Weekly Website Award.

Skid Marks - Official Site
Wow. There's actually quite a lot of content on the site, including several P.S.A.s; however, it is certainly a case of quantity over quality. The number of failed attempts at cheap laughs was overwhelming and by the time I was halfway though them, I was in physical pain.

Sweeney Todd - Official Site
We have a trailer. It's offsite but the link is there. I'm still weary of the marketability of the movie, but those who enjoy Tim Burton, especially his collaborations with Johnny Depp should be very excited by what they see.

Things We Lost in the Fire - Official Site
The rest of the usual features were added, as were a couple of interview featurettes.

Wall-E - Official Site
There's a new teaser trailer floating around the internet but it is not yet on the site. It can be found here, among other places. On a side note, they call it a theatrical trailer, but it is clearly another teaser trailer. It takes nearly half way through the 2-minute before we see anything from the movie at all. However, it still looks amazing and I'm eagerly awaiting the next tidbit that will be released.

Wedding Daze - Official Site
The website still says coming this August. I'm starting to think this movie will be coming direct-to-DVD.


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Filed under: Movie Website Updates, I am Legend, WALL-E, Enchanted, Bee Movie, Beowulf, Saw IV, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Michael Clayton, The Heartbreak Kid, One Missed Call, The Mist, Be Kind Rewind, The Seeker: The Dark is Rising, P2, Lars and the Real Girl, Feel the Noise, Charlie Bartlett, Things We Lost in the Fire, For the Bible Tells Me So, My Kid Could Paint That, Mr. Untouchable, Finishing the Game, The Good Night, Skid Marks, Desert Bayou, Broken, Wedding Daze, American Gangster