Movie Genie review

Frances Edwards

We review Movie Genie, an Internet Movie Database app that allows you to view the TV and movie website's content on your Apple iPhone

Published on Sep 4, 2009

It is one of the great mysteries of the App Store that web stalwart the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has yet to bring a client to the iPhone. Perhaps equally surprising is the paucity of third party alternatives looking to fill this gaping hole.

To this end Movie Genie is fairly comprehensive, it lets you search for any person, movie, TV title or video game on IMDB and provides detailed information on every listing including plot/episode summaries, trivia, goofs and cast and crew details for titles.

For actors, directors, writers, composures and crew you get full biographies, photos and their filmography (where the data is available). User reviews, certifications, quotes, parental guides and awards are in there as well.

Movie Genie also keeps a full history of your searches (which can have entries individually deleted) and a favourites list for bookmarking any regularly checked entry. The app can directly go to the IMDB website via mobile Safari integration too if needs be.

Features you won't find on Movie Genie are more than one photo per entry, trailers and a search history but overall Movie Genie is extremely comprehensive.

Given its primary use is representing a site regularly used to check out minutia or settle arguments with friends this is exactly what is required.

As for the custom UI itself it's good but not great. The search page is well done but in general it feels as if information has been broken up into too many separate pages.

Yes, an iPhone screen is much smaller than that of a typical PC monitor but do we really need to visit a separate page for every person's Bio, Awards, Trivia and filmography? That's five in total including their main page. Dear developer, a little tip: it's ok to scroll occasionally.

That said Movie Genie is very well optimised. It loads quickly, scrolls quickly (when you're given the chance) and it is far easier to use than the IMDB via Safari which is the main point.

There is definitely room still for an official IMDB app (hint, hint) and some third party competition but be happy Movie Genie does a good job since there's no other choice.