The summer blockbuster movie season is upon us. Well, maybe in a couple more weeks, but I’m going to give Oblivion credit for starting things off this summer. Here is the problem, I didn’t even know when Oblivion released. Sure, I could use the iTunes Movie Trailers app to watch the trailer, and even see the release date. But, what I cannot do, is set a reminder.
Thanks to the guys at TapHive, the newly updated and beautifully designed TodoMovies app solves problems caused by my memory deficient brain. TodoMovies helps discover new, upcoming, and past movies, while providing an elegant way to create a watch list and set release reminders.
After using TodoMovies for a while, I am thoroughly impressed. Not many dev teams are able to adequately combine beauty and useful function. Thankfully, TapHive knows how to produce useful content in a nice package…
For looks
TodoMovies is an extremely elegant app. Personally, I try to shy away from low designed UI, which is not to say I desire overly skeuomorphic design. By low design, I mean poorly designed or lazily designed UI. TodoMovies is on point with their layout and graphic interface. The simplicity is the beauty. Consequently, when movie posters are highlighted in the app, they stand out and pop, catching your eye in a pleasing manner, for example, the genre list pictured below.
When scanning for content, the app displays either genres, in theater movies, or upcoming titles. The later two sections provide a grid of movie poster thumbnails, very similar to iTunes Movie Trailers. Inside the iTunes store links, the products are displayed on small shelves with tiny lights projected over the cover art. Even the sharing buttons pan out with a small animation, producing well crafted sharing icons.
For function
The sole purpose of TodoMovies is to create a watch list and check off the movies you already viewed. TodoMovies does not help you purchase movie tickets, find local listings, or even find a theater near you. But, it does help you discover movies, track them, set reminders for upcoming movies, and provide a way to learn about movies.
When launching the app, the user is provided two options, either “To Watch,” or “Watched.” If it is your first time, obviously, neither will have content. Head into the To Watch section and tap the “+” button to get started. From here, you can choose movies to add by viewing the separate lists, genres, in theaters, and upcoming.
Tapping into a movie displays the primary movie poster, which looks great on the extended iPhone 5 display, I might add. The movie specific section provides a way to watch the trailer, natively, without having to exit into, say, YouTube. Also, a photo gallery is kept accessible in the app. When viewing an image, the user can share it through the usual outlets, or even save it directly to Dropbox. Possibly the coolest feature is the iTunes tab, which populates all related content pertaining to the movie, from apps to soundtracks.
Tapping the contextual menu button provides the specifics, gritty details such as length, rating, genre, release date, actor list, story synopsis, and view ratings, if available.
Adding the movie to your watch list is simple, just tap the big center tab. If the movie is yet to be released, the app shows a reminder screen. From the reminder option, set the reminder time, date, and even set a custom note for yourself. Most importantly, with iCloud sync, your watch list information will be the same across your iOS devices. To see it all in action, check out the video below.
Conclusion
There are a couple nuances that made me think twice. First, when looking for Oblivion originally, I could not find it in the In Theaters section or the Upcoming section. Odd. I had to search for it by name. Second, some of the movies in the Upcoming section were already released, confusing me a little when searching for new movies.
Overall, however, given the sleek interface harmonizing with content, movie discovery, and reminders, this $1.99 app is an easy purchase for me. I am a huge movie fan, but often forget when movies are hitting the box office. Worse, I cannot remember the name of the movie my friend suggested weeks ago. With TodoMovies, I can quickly find the movie, add it to my watch list, and even receive the all important reminder when it actually releases.