5 Must-have Apps for the Pinoy Movie Buff

So many good movies, so little time! With the barrage of new films getting released one after the other (not to mention the volley of Marvel movies and other book-to-movie adaptations that we are getting bombarded with), movie buffs like me would definitely appreciate whatever help we can get in keeping track of the cinemas, and knowing what flick sucks and what rocks.

A lot of movies come and go really quick, and to help me manage my time between my little hobby and my day job, I got a special folder in my phone dedicated to apps for watching movies. You wanna make sure you’re not bringing your date to a snooze fest, right?

Listed below in no particular order, imma share with you 5 of the must-have apps for the Filo movie-goer (like me!):

5. RottenApp – For a quick, one-glance look at a movie’s rating

Okay this one’s pretty basic. One of the websites that are on top of mind when you wanna know if a movie is good or not is Rotten Tomatoes, so it just makes sense that you should also have an app of it on your phone. Sadly, Movies by Flixter, which is RT's app version of sorts, is not available for download in the Philippines as of writing. However, I've found the RottenApp by Alberto Polidura which gives me movies' ratings as show in the Rotten Tomatoes website. Every movie in the app also has links that direct to search results about the film in other websites like Google, Youtube, IMDB, and Amazon for added reference.

Personally though, I only open this app when I want to have a quick, one-glance look at a movie’s rating. Open the app, look for a movie, see how it does in the Tomatometer, then that’s it. I trust more the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes because it’s an aggregate of both professional movie critics, and the regular audience. For my other needs though like knowing a film’s release date, I use a more localized app, which leads us to our next item on the list.

RottenApp in Play Store

4. ClickTheCity - to check out movie schedules and release dates in Metro Manila malls

ClickTheCity is a lifestyle website in the Philippines where you can check out what’s new and hot in the Metro. Its mobile app is pretty handy to me because I don’t only get to check out what’s showing in the cinemas, it’s also a good reference when I’m on the hunt for good food. Most of time though, I open it to check out movie schedules in the different malls in Metro Manila. You can search by movie, by mall, or you can use it to find the nearest cinema to you. Since ClickTheCity is Philippine-based, this is where I check for the release dates of upcoming films, given that the dates indicated in other apps and websites refer to either US or UK. Plus, you get to check out local films too!

But there’s more to this app than my immediate needs. You can also check out events, sales, news, shopping, and creating an account allows you to earn points. Personally though, I’ll just stick to the movies and food.

ClickTheCity in Play Store and  iTunes

3. IMDB – for creating a list of old movies to watch

IMDB also has the basic movie app features like trailers, schedules, and ratings but in my case, I only use this app to create a list of must-see old movies. The classics have a perennial charm and if you still haven’t seen Pulp Fiction, Clockwork Orange, or The Shining, then I will have to ask you what you have been doing with your life all this time. Shamefully though, it was only recently that I got to see Schindler’s List and Donnie Darko, but I will have to give the credit to the IMDB app for suggesting movies that I might like to check out.

You’ll also have to make an account to be able to create a “Watchlist” and get movie recommendations. Don’t get me wrong though, I only use the app to look for good classic movies that suit my taste, not to actually watch movies on the app. For that, I’m using something else;

IMDB in Play Store and  iTunes

 2. Blink– For watching movies in your phone, desktop, or tablet.

Blink is pretty much the Pinoy version of Netflix. It’s a video-on-demand streaming website that lets you instantly stream your favourite Hollywood Movies and TV Shows over the internet – right after you get a subscription, of course. Thing is, Blink’s service is currently available only in the Philippines (although the last time I checked, there weren’t any Filipino movies or shows available in the app).

This has been particularly handy to me on moments when I needed to re-watch a movie before seeing its sequel in the cinemas. You know, just to refresh my memories about a film before I move on to its successor.

Blink-now in Play Store and iTunes 

1. GMovies – for hassle free reservation of seats and buying tickets

Aside from ClickTheCity, GMovies is probably the most used app in my Movies folder. GMovies is a mobile app by Globe Telecom that not only lets you check your local cinema schedule, it also lets you buy your movie tickets right from your phone! It’s pretty much like Sure Seats, but what’s neater about GMovies is that you no longer need to fall in line in the cinema counter to get a physical ticket – you head right to the cinema entrance, show the digital ticket on your phone (even a screenshot would do), and you get right in! You can also get first dibs on the seats you want right from your phone!

My only frustration about the Gmovies app is that you can only buy tickets from select cinemas (mostly the ones in Ayala malls). For the rest, you can only check out the schedule. Works for me though since there’s an Ayala mall close to where I work.

GMovies in Play Store and iTunes 

There are tons of other apps available for download out there to make movie-going easier. Android’s native Google Play Movies app alone already gives you access to a lot of good films right on your phone. The apps I mentioned above are my favorites, but that’s given that I watch movies in the Philippines. How about you? You got any other suggestions you might like to share? I heard ClickPlay was also pretty decent.

All the images and materials  used in this post belong to their respective owners. I do not own these materials. No copyright infringement intended.