Movie Websites Launches for January 23 - January 29

January 29, 2004

During the past week promotional websites for several movies were launched and some older ones added additional content. Here the list of this week's releases, a couple of new sites and few updates including the winner for the week. It was a two-way race this week as most sites on today's list had either small updates or launched flash sites that were mostly marked 'coming soon.' In the end, Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed took this week's top prize. If you know of any new movie websites not on this list feel free to e-mail me with the details.


13 going on 30
Current Content: The synopsis, cast and crew (no bios) and the trailer were all added to the placeholder site.


Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London
Current Content: The second phase of the Future Secret Agent Training is up. While there are a couple features common to most sites (like the trailer and photo gallery) the main feature is quite unique. Unfortunately, the feature is the training device and I can't help but think the Johnny English Official Site did the same thing, and did it better.


Barbershop 2
Current Content: A couple more of the character extras were added. Calvin has a Barbershop Hall of Fame and Dinka has valentine candies.


The Big Bounce
Current Content: The Sara Foster diary is up, but it's just a link to another site.


Breakin' All the Rules
Current Content: Typical Sony placeholder site with just the synopsis and the trailer.


Catch that Kid
Current Content: An image gallery was added to the placeholder site.


Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Current Content: The flash site launched sometime during the week, and it makes superb use of sounds. Each section has its own audio clip and the background music is excellent, the clip is very long and the looping is almost perfect, (the gap could have been shorten a bit.) Most of the regular features are there, synopsis, cast and crew (no bios), image gallery and the trailer. There are also some extras like downloads, Are You a Drama Queen Quiz and a message board of sorts. An almost equal amount of content is still marked coming soon, production notes, clips and a couple more games.


Eurotrip
Current Content: A couple of games and some downloads were added.


Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed
Current Content: Just in time for its Canadian premiere on Friday, the rest of the missing content was added to the site. Note: The Canadian premiere is tomorrow, those in American might have to wait till it comes out on DVD to see it. This site does a much better job at setting mood that most with the background music, sound effects, quick video clips between sections, etc. In fact, it was that little extra that really sets the mood when you're half-asleep in a quiet house checking site for tomorrow's column. It is important to remember I didn't squeal, I just jumped. Did I mention I was really tired at the time? As for the rest of the site, all the usual features are there including an image gallery which still has a few slots to fill. The overall startling nature of this site is what set it apart and what helped it win the startling Weekly Website Awards. And remember, being startled is not the same as being scared.


Latter Days
Current Content: The movie opens in limited release tomorrow but the director's notes have still not been added. That discussion board is interesting, to say the least.


Miracle
Current Content: Two of the three games were added to the site. And while I took home gold in Fastest Skater, my 17 goals weren't enough to make it to the NHL in the scoring Challenge. Next time I'll beat you Vladislav Tretiak. Next time.


The Perfect Score
Current Content: The movie opens tomorrow and the site is anything but standard. If a site is too standardized (like Miramax sites), then there's little to hold the surfers' attention. But if they are too out there, then the surfer can't easily find out the information that they want to know. And while this site crossed over into the latter category a few times, at least they dared to be different.


The Punisher
Current Content: The third section, Saints and Sinners, was added to the site. There is a phenomenal amount of background information on the site. My only concern is that this information will either be needed to understand what's happening in the movie or is giving away too much.


Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Current Content: The final poster was added to the site.


Spartan
Current Content: There was a new design to the placeholder site. The only new content was an image gallery that was added. But two additional sections, downloads and an interview, are marked coming soon.


Van Helsing
Current Content: After no updates in almost a year we have two updates in as many weeks. This time they added the cast and crew (no bios) and a synopsis.


Taking Lives
Current Content: The flash site launched this week and it spends a great effort on building mood over providing content. The background music is good and the animations help. But with the production notes, cast and crew bios and behind the scenes media still marked coming soon it is too soon to say if the site is effective or not.


You Got Served
Current Content: This is one of those sites that's probably more entertaining that the movie it's promoting. Then again, this site is probably more entertaining than You Got Served. The site as most of the usual features, (I couldn't find crew bios) and quite a few extras as well. Extras like character bios and games add something, but not enough to make we want to see the movie.


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Filed under: Van Helsing, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Miracle, You Got Served, The Punisher, Taking Lives, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Eurotrip, Catch That Kid, The Perfect Score, Spartan, Latter Days, 13 Going On 30, Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London