Movie Website Updates for December 9 - December 15

December 15, 2005

During the past week promotional websites for several movies were launched and some older ones added additional content. We've hit another slow patch for movie websites, which is not unexpected since the most of the new site on this list are for films that open months from now so there's hardly any content, or open during the dead zone that is January. I would say the best of the rest would be King Kong - Official Site, but it is not strong enough to win the Weekly Website Award.

All the King's Men - Official Site
There is nothing to see here.

The Benchwarmers - Official Site
Just the trailer so far, but it doesn't sell the film effectively.

BloodRayne - Official Site
The site has been completely redesigned, and I must admit it is well done. All the regular features are there, there's plenty of sound and animation. To top it off, there's even a game, which is probably more fun than the actual movie will be.

Cache (Hidden) - Official Site
The site has all the usual features, (with the trailer marked coming soon), and there's an interesting feel, but it doesn't really sell the film well.

Casanova - Official Site
All the usual features are here, as are a couple of extras. Namely information about the real Casanova a Map of Venice and some audio clips.

Cheaper By The Dozen 2 - Official Site
The flash site is finally up, and all the usual features are here plus a couple of extras. The first is called the Audio gallery, and it contains all the images, including half that have audio clips as well. The second is the movie clips section, but that's marked coming soon. Overall it has exactly what a movie site should have to keep a surfer's attention, but not enough to be in the running for the Weekly Website Award. Last minute update: the seven clips were added to the site and quite frankly this film looks better than the original, but that's not that big of a compliment.

Clerks 2: The Passion of the Clerks - Official Site
Two more clips were added to the site.

The Da Vinci Code - Official Site
The first full trailer is online, but it's did sell the film very well. I think they are relying on the hype surrounding the book to sell the movie at the moment. Perhaps when the release date nears, then they will try and convert those that never read the books.

The Family Stone - Official Site
Not much has changed on the site since it first launched.

Freedomland - Official Site
The interactive section was improved upon and now it more interactive with some branching.

Happy Feet - Official Site
Just the teaser trailer so far, which was too much teaser and not enough trailer for me.

Hoot - Official Site
The rest of the placeholder site is up.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown - Official Site
There's a new trailer, but this one also spends more time on Scrat the Saber-Toothed Squirrel than it does on the film itself. Sure, a cute animal will get the people who liked the first movie excited, but eventually the studio will have to start trying to sell the movie on its own merits.

King Kong - Official Site
The flash site is up, finally. I was starting to think the placeholder site was all we were going to get in terms of an official site. Unfortunately, while the site has all the regular features and some cool extras, (like the Bestiary), it isn't quite up to the level of an award-winning site.

Marie Antoinette - Official Site
Just the teaser trailer so far. I wasn't impressed by this trailer as the music seems out of place, and then there's the complete lack of dialogue. Maybe the full trailer will change my mind.

Match Point - Official Site
It's not actually on the site, but there were a series of podcasts uploaded this week. Here's a list of all the links

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Miami Vice - Official Site
Just the synopsis and the trailer so far, which makes the movie seem a whole lot darker than the TV series. It also appears to have more substance, which it would have to.

Mission: Impossible: 3 - Official Site
The teaser trailer is up, but I'm not liking it. I like the first movie but hated the second, (the pulling the face mask off went from a cool effect to a really bad plot device quickly), so the studio needs to do a lot to sell me on the franchise again.

Over the Hedge - Official Site
Simple put, the digitally animated genre has jumped the shark. It is inexpensive enough that every studio wants to get into the act and the average quality has really dropped recently. However, this film actually looks pretty good. At least that's my initial reaction to the trailer. Other features on the site include the synopsis and the character bios.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - Official Site
Just a placeholder site, with just the image gallery and the trailer. It looks like everything that made the first film so much fun will still be present. Speaking of fun, the placeholder site has a floating treasure chest you can play with, I assume eventually there will be some content found within.

Poseidon - Official Site
The teaser trailer is online, but it didn't sell the film very well. All it did was introduce the characters and show the big disaster they face.

The Producers - Official Site
The quiz was added to the site, but I didn't do as well as I thought I would. Must watch the original again before this film opens in my town.

Pulse - Official Site
Another clip was added to the site, which is doing a good job at setting the mood.

Rocky Balboa - Official Site
Just a link to the production blog.

Stormbreaker - Official Site
The official site is now live, which means it has all the usual information. (Although it has character bios instead of cast bios and it only has the teaser trailer.)

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada - Official Site
The site has all the usual features, but the bios are just one big stretch of text.

Underworld: Evolution - Official Site
The full site is up with all the usual features, but the heart of the site is a section called Bloodlines. This section shows the connection between the characters and including video clips, character bios, images, and more. It is very well done, but the amount of animation is over the top and it detracts from the overall experience.

V For Vendetta - Official Site
The new trailer is supposed to be online today, but so far it is not. I'll check back just before I upload this column. The second trailer was added to the site, and it's even better than the first.

When a Stranger Calls - Official Site
Just a short intro, synopsis and small image gallery so far. There is also a submit your own scary stories or reader the submissions by others. .


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Filed under: Movie Website Updates, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, King Kong, The Da Vinci Code, Happy Feet, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Over the Hedge, Mission: Impossible III, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, V for Vendetta, Miami Vice, Underworld: Evolution, Poseidon, The Family Stone, The Benchwarmers, When a Stranger Calls, Clerks II, Match Point, Pulse, The Producers: The Movie Musical, Marie Antoinette, Freedomland, Casanova, Hoot, All the King's Men, Los tres entierros de Melquiades Estrada, Caché, BloodRayne, Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker