Lion's Den
Slick. Very very slick. Each and every page of the movie maven MGM is a
well-designed, well-organized near-masterpiece. The graphics appear to be
high res, but take only moments to appear, and when they do, they seem to
flow instead of blur (adding a nice sheen to the creation). They cover the
spectrum well, with information on the motion pictures, television, video,
and interactive projects that MGM produces and sponsors. There is also some
background data on the corporate history of MGM and its executives. Oh yes,
and don't forget the "Studio Store." With official t-shirts, crew
bomber jackets, mugs, and polo shirts, it's as fun as any Hard Rock cafe,
and there are no lines! (Though the site warns that it is not secure yet
and that MGM will not take responsibility for any transaction problems.
You might want to wait a few months before ordering stuff.)
The site's treatment of current and upcoming movies is well-executed. Besides the usual sound, video, and still clips, MGM has interviews with main characters, reviews from national journalists, and phenomenal graphics. Meet the directors, too! I was especially impressed with MGM's treatment of the movie "Leaving Las Vegas," which featured interviews with both Nicholas Cage and his character, the estranged alcoholic and lovelorn Ben.
MGM's also done a nice job promoting its successful television show, "The Outer Limits," and it's probably the most impressive aspect of the site. It's creative, a bit more interactive, and offers episode profiles and features so that active fans can stay current and also glimpse the future. And, super kudos to the animated eye ball! If you enter the rock (no secrets revealed here, you'll have to visit to see what I mean), you could win "Outer Limit"-related prizes! Contests are always tasty bait. Monster fans should take note that the monster gallery is indeed worth serious attention, with still clips of creatures that have graced the set of "Outer Limits."Clever. Captivating. And while you're lurking around the site, stop in to the dialog area and exchange "thought-provoking" ideas, not necessarily about "Outer Limits."
Overall MGM is informative, rich in content, and worth frequent visits from
Hollywood movie go-ers.-SK
A
Audrey
Hepburn
I must admit that my knowledge of Audrey Hepburn is rather limited; I recall
that she starred in the shallow film adaptation of "Breakfast at Tiffany's,"and I suspect she might be related to Katherine Hepburn. This site features
a collection of quotes by the famous extolling the virtues of being Audrey.
In addition, several of her movies are spotlighted, and links to other Audrey
hot spots are available. Most amusing are Audrey's remarks on Audrey - only
a genius could manufacture such banal insights and observations.-SS
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Chicago
International Film Festival
Strong, intuitive graphics lead you to useful and specific information about
the Chicago International Film Festival. For instance, you can learn what's
playing on a particular day, where the different shows are, what time they
start, and what each film is about. The highlight of the site is a poster
gallery of black-and-white photos, mostly by Skrebneski, of glamorous naked
people who have muscular bodies. There are also QuickTime movies to download,.
If you're a filmmaker, you can get an entry form; if not, there are coffee
mugs and t-shirts in the gift shop.
-KB
A
Cinevista
Videos An Excellent Selection of Foreign Films From Around the World Gay
Web
The American film industry is a global monster whose far-reaching influence
often dwarves other film traditions. Video has improved the situation but
most rental store stock is still overwhelmingly American. The Cinevista
site, by contrast, offers a (smallish) selection of foreign films, with
critical blurbs, plot summary, and running time for each work. If a film
appeals, you can order it online - provided you have a credit card and are
willing to suspend legitimate security concerns. This is a simple, single-service
site; its usefulness to the cinema lover will grow as the number of films
offered increases.-SS
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">CineWEB
CineWEB is an online resource for video and film professionals. No matter
what your equipment needs, I suspect the extensive index can put you in
touch with the right person. A BBS service allows messages to be posted
to other site visitors, and a $69 fee will get your resume posted for one
year. Online trade journals are promised. I found the location index most
engaging. So, you want to shoot some scenes in a church? Well, they've got
just the Unitarian setting for you - and such affordable rates!-SS
B
Coen
Brothers Homepage
This is your typical fan site, dedicated to two of today's most innovative
filmmakers. There are a few images from the films, trivia bits, and profiles
of associated actors and directors. I was ready to write this off as just
another bit of fluff until I stumbled across one of the most amusing profile
pieces I've seen, an Interactive Film Criticism that 's a must-read for
all Coen followers. Trust me - the piece makes the site worth visiting by
anyone who has ever pondered the significance of "The Hat" in
"Miller's Crossing."-SS
B
Feminist
Film Reviews
The creators of this site look at films with a feminist perspective, which
is very different from the one you'll find in your Sunday paper's arts sections.
No, these aren't man-hating rants (it's a sadly mistaken notion that feminists
hate men). Instead, there are thoughtful, insightful, and encouraging film
reviews, spanning the ranks from small art films to big-budget Hollywood.
The aesthetics of the site leave something to be desired (it would take
all of 15 minutes to add in some background colors and lose the ASCII type).
But that aside, it's a great site.-SK
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Gramercy
Pictures
At Polygram's Gramercy Pictures page, you'll find a menu of current releases,
coming attractions, and recent releases. Mostly, the films listed link to
a page of short synopses and not much more. "The Mall Rats" link
is substantial, but I'm not sure that's a good thing. Gramercy's films must
have gone over budget and the company couldn't afford to do much more.
-KB
C-
Hype Movie
World Polls Surveys Reviews & Cool Links
The strength of this site is not its polls or reviews, but its links and
resources. There is a great link list called "The Mother List of All
Film-Related Web Sites," which includes everything from Cannes, Sundance,
and Berlin to the Lo Res Film and Video Festival in San Francisco. Entries
are in Super 8, Hi-8, as well as Mac-based tools. Hype also does the Canadian
Film Centre site, and has a related link to the Toronto International Film
Group. These resources provide gobs of information about Canadian film culture.
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B
James
Bond Agent 007 OHMSS
This site is a fine example of what the Web can become when someone with
a fanatical devotion to an imaginary spy learns HTML. I found the amount
of Bond-related information overwhelming: images, sounds, the films, actors,
books, cars - and links to real-world espionage-related sites! You can even
find the rules for the James Bond Drinking Game - illegal in Utah, kids.
Some might argue the page creator has too much free time. I say, "Good
for her!" In this passionless era, it gives me hope to learn someone
is so clearly inspired.-SS
A
Judy
Davis
Considering this data was pulled together by one person and then archived
"just for the fun of it," the site is pretty good. It's valuable,
at least to fans of actress Judy Davis, (*My Brilliant Career*, *Husbands
and Wives*, *Impromptu*, and *Where Angels Fear To Tread* were among her
more famous films). There's a picture and sound file gallery, lists of upcoming
Judy Davis projects, and a live link to join the Judy Davis mailing list
(which the Web site creator also maintains). It could be bigger, but everything
could always be bigger. It's pretty good as is.
-SK
B+
Miramax Films
Miramax's role in the manufacture of culture guarantees an interesting site
- its film collection is extensive and includes some of the most challenging
works of the past decade. This site has blurbs and images from the latest
offerings, faux-insider chat about the actors involved, and such. The heart
of it is the Vault, which contains images and video from many of the Miramax
films. I know too many people with a hard drive full of one-minute clips,
and Miramax will only feed their sickness. The company's made an effort
to give the Web surfer reason to visit again.
-SS
B
More
Barrymore Than Ever Before
If you're up late in your dorm room eating rice cakes and Cheetos and have
a thing for Miss Barrymore, this site may suffice. There's an offering of
pictures of her in various sultry poses, ranging from a topless shot of
her as a prepubescent in boxing gloves to Drew dressed up in a corset and
hoop skirt. The best part is the site's link to David Woodward's Drew Page,
a nicely structured site with icons and lots of content. The worst thing
is the obnoxious blinking "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" and "COMING
SOON" signs.
-KB
A
MovieLink 777FILM Online
MovieLink is a glimpse of the future, demonstrating how smoothly the Web
can be integrated into daily life. If you are lucky enough to live in one
of the included cities, show times and places are online. Select your city
and neighborhood, then search what's playing by genre, title, or location.
Some theaters even allow you to buy tickets online - with a credit card,
though the transaction is insecure. This is a great use of the Web, one
whose value will increase as more cities are added to the database.-SS
B+
Occasional Movie
Reviews
It's small, but the author has no qualms about this. On the front page,
he states: "I write a review when I see a movie, and I see a movie
when I feel like it. Low pressure, right?" The approximately 20 movie
reviews here range from *Quiz Show* to *Howard's End*. They're well-written,
and organized in the order in which the author saw them. The layout is also
pretty nice. If you want a second opinion about a film, this might not be
a bad place to check.
-SK
B-
Teen
Movie Critic
I initially reacted with horror to this page. Cute kid learns HTML, puts
up some movie reviews, mom and dad are proud, his 14 (!) siblings are proud,
Roger Ebert enters the picture - a recipe for disaster. Imagine my consternation
when I found myself agreeing with the kid's reviews - he can be sharp, articulate,
and insightful. Admittedly, the cute factor is high here: profiles of various
siblings were particularly upsetting to my jaded sensibilities. Still, I'm
comfortable recommending this site to anyone wanting to peek in on the life
of a 16-year-old movie lover. I like this kid.-SS
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The
Film Festivals Server
Like fashion, film has inspired a year-long circuit of shows, reviews, and
non-stop partying around the globe. This site gives the unwashed masses
a chance to intercept the latest buzz. Was Martin's latest work previewed
in London? Who took best of show in Moscow? Major film festivals are covered,
nominees and awards listed, and city guides are provided to facilitate day-dreaming.
Ahh, I remember Ghent - how soothing I found the Veldstraat.-SS
B
The Internet
Movie Database at Mississippi US
This Mississippi State site really doesn't look very good, but that lends
it an air of authority as an archive. I had some trouble at first using
the search mechanism, but when I searched with less characters in my string,
I was successful. You can search for a whole variety of cast/crew members,
as well as by character.You can find out that Charles Laughton, Trevor Howard,
and Anthony Hopkins all played Captain Bligh in *Mutiny on the Bounty* and
*The Bounty*. But then you would have to know how to spell Bligh.
-KB
A-
The
Official Grade B Productions TM Homepage
This site's a bit sketchy. There are a few glitches - pages that might not
load, some that aren't quite finished... But gads, the pages that *do* work
and that *are* complete are well worth it. Woo woo. These kidz are cool,
making films, writing their own scripts, playing all the parts themselves,
and then exporting scenes and still clips (with captions) to the Internet.
I can only assume they'll master HTML in time and get some super-great content
up (maybe even by the time you read this.) Check it out!-SK
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The
Super 8 Home Page
This page isn't very pretty or encyclopedic, but its creator clearly loves
the Super 8 format. The buy-and-sell section is a nice feature, and the
update index makes it simple to identify what's new and improved. If you're
not already a Super 8 fan, this site won't convert you, but those already
in the know could find this a useful gathering place.-SS
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