Nine Mobile Apps Every Movie Lover Should Own
There’s an endless running-time’s worth of movie-themed apps these days, but only a precious few are worth the download time. Here’s our rundown of the cinematic essentials, from the perfectly practical (maintaining a list of your must-see films) to the whimsically weird (when do I take a bathroom break?).
IMDb (Android, iOS; free)
If you somehow still haven’t downloaded the pocket version of the indispensable online database, now’s the time: It recently freshened its interface with updates that include better showtime features, tiled photo galleries, and the ability to scan Amazon Prime and television listings.
RunPee (Android, iOS, Windows; $0.99)
The name pretty much explains it all: RunPee clues you in on which parts of a movie are skippable so you can hit the head without fear of missing something important. It also fills you in on the scenes you missed (for closure), offers end-credit details, and syncs with the screening so you’ll get a vibrating reminder that relief is in sight. Sure, we could have called this our number one pick, but we’re too classy for that.
ToDoMovies 3 (iOS; free)
ToDoMovie is a popular example in the so-called “movie-discovery” category — one-stop apps that let movie lovers search out information about upcoming films and keep track of those they might want to see. The latest iteration — think of it as a reboot rather than a sequel — offers super-fast search and comprehensive title listings. Now available in 15 languages, you can share your watch-lists with friends around the globe.
Reel Estates (iOS; $0.99)
Add a cinematic dimension to your travels with a map-based app that identifies nearby movie landmarks. Among the iconic locations in its nationwide database: Joel Goodson’s house from Risky Business (in Highland Park, Illinois) and the Dude’s bungalow in The Big Lebowski (Venice Beach, California). You’ll never have to waste your time at a national landmark again!
Anything After (Android/iOS; $0.99 to $1.99)
It’s a problem only a movie nerd can appreciate: Are there any end-credit scenes worth waiting around for or can you make your exit immediately? Anything After has the skinny on past and current releases: a simple task, executed flawlessly. The newest version offers additional info on audience enthusiasm and any sequel hints that are dropped. You’ll never again have to leave a theater mumbling, “I sat through three straight minutes of visual-effects-artist names and I didn’t even get a blooper?”
MovieCat2 (Android/iOS; $1.99)
An entertaining movie-trivia app in which the questions aren’t about kitties, but rather the wider-ranging movie questions are posed by cartoon kitties. Don’t question it, just give into it. The new quizzes — on themes ranging from posters and quotes — are catnip to any cinema nerd. And they’re creatively done: In a costume quiz, three cats are slowly revealed wearing outfits from a particular movie. The more costumes it takes to guess (“Hey, that cat is wearing Cameron’s Red Wings hockey jersey from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off!”) the fewer points you get.
Film Study (iPad; free)
Developed by a film student, the app offers users a means to closely analyze a growing catalog of older movies in the public domain (including some early Chaplin). Would-be scholars can “freeze” scenes and add (shareable) notes.
Limopo (Android; free)
Curious about that intriguing teaser poster you passed in the theater on the way to a movie? Use your mobile-phone camera to scan it and Limopo will instantly furnish you with trailers (and key info) for the corresponding film.
Cinotic (Android; free)
This is the perfect app for movie fans suffering from Tip of the Tongue Syndrome, trying to remember the name of a movie that had two actors in it. No more driving your friends crazy yelling, “You know! It was a dumb comedy! It starred Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy! What was it called?!” Just enter their names, and before you can say “2005’s The Man, directed by Les Mayfield!”, Cinotic tells you the project(s) they worked on together. It works the other way, too: If you can’t remember “that guy in those movies,” just input the titles and it shows you the common co-star. You’ll never be at a loss for Zeljko Ivanec’s name again.
Screenshots by Yahoo
