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App Friday: iPhone apps for film fans


 

We’re getting right into film fever here at Recombu HQ and this week’s App Friday is no exception. For everything from predicting next week’s Oscar winners to an app that tells you when to pop to the loo, here are our top apps for iPhone owning cinephiles.

The Oscars (free)

The American film industry’s orgy of self-congratulation is but a week away, so it’s time to get in on the prediction action. Just how many Oscars will Avatar take? Will Colin Firth replicate his BAFTA’s victory to steal Best Actor from the Yanks? Whatever you reckon, you can make your predictions in the official app and keep a track of how many you got right on the night itself. With a complete list of nominees from Best Film to Best Sound Mixing, the app also has film synopses and trailers included so you can bluff your way through even if you haven’t seen any of the films. [iTunes link]

Run Pee (£1.19)

With cinemas only really providing drinks in sizes Large, XL and XXL, it’s no surprise that halfway through the film you start wishing you’d sat closer to the aisle for a quick getaway to the bathroom. But what if you miss a crucial twist in the plot? You could end up spending the remainder of the film in abject confusion. But if you don’t go, you’ll spend the rest of the film jiggling your leg and driving everyone around you insane. Dilemma. RunPee has the solution – it tells you how many minutes in to the film you can make your getaway and gives you a cue and even a time limit. You won’t miss anything essential and will be free to enjoy the rest of the film in comfort – depending on how strong your bladder is, of course. [iTunes link]

Lovefilm (free)

This free app is great for Lovefilm subscribers. As a by-post movie rental service, users cultivate their DVD and Blu-ray rental lists on the website and receive discs through snail mail. The iPhone app is free to download and allows users to search for a specific film, browse new and popular releases and add discs to their rental list as well as seeing what they currently have at home. It can be a little slow, but invaluable for when a friend is raving about that latest French movie in the pub and you know you’ll never remember the name of it when you get home – you can add it to your list there and then. [iTunes link]

IMDb (free)

If you’ve ever needed to find out anything about who stars in what film and what other films they’ve been in, you’ve probably been on IMDb.com – it’s the Internet Movie Database and contains more information, memorable quotes and trivia about moving pictures than anyone will ever truly need. It’s finally available in app form for speedy access to interesting but useless film facts – like that Pretty In Pink was filmed in the same LA high school as Grease, or that Emile Hirsch once had a bit part in Sabrina The Teenage Witch. [iTunes link]

Orange Wednesdays (free)

Obviously this app’s killer feature – 2-for-1 cinema tickets on a Wednesday – is only available to Orange customers, so if you have your phone, broadband or mobile broadband with the colourful company then you’re quids in. If not, you’ll have to make do with the other features, including film reviews, nearby cinemas and schedules and a calendar of upcoming releases. If you have an Orange account, you can get your Orange Wednesdays ticket code through the app, but it will still cost you one 35p text message. If you’re not on Orange, we’d recommend Flixster as another cinema listings alternative. [iTunes link]

Other apps we recommend for film fans:

The Movie Almanac (£1.79) – contains synopses of thousands of films – ‘almost every movie ever made’, or so the makers claim [iTunes link]

Skip or Stay (free) – tells you whether or not it’s worth waiting until the end of the credits for a secret bonus scene [iTunes link]

Movies by Flixster (free) – brilliant cinema location and movie times app [iTunes link]

British Film Locations (free) – shows you all kinds of iconic movie locations to visit around the British Isles [iTunes link]

Film Glossary (£0.59) – ever wondered what ‘It’s a wrap’ really means, or what a Best Boy actually does? This is the app for you [iTunes link]

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