Nettle, a startup that has raised funding from Google Ventures, 500 Startups and others, is looking to make the act of going to the movies a more social experience. With the company’s free iOS app, MovieGoer, the startup wants to make the moviegoing experience more interactive.
The Moviegoer app allows you to view trailers, descriptions of the latest movies out in theaters and critics’ reviews. You can also see what movies are showing nearby your locations. Via the app, you can follow specific movies, sign in with Facebook and Twitter to see which movies your friends are going to, and comment on movies after viewing.
The app also includes a feature called MovieGoer Circle, which allows you to create a close network of friends and family with whom you share all of your moviegoing details. The thought behind this particular part of the app is that you may only value the recommendations of your closest contacts when it comes to choosing and rating movies. As the startup explains, the app wants to create a set of trusted influencers for your moviegoing experience.
Basically, the app aims to be a one stop shop for the moviegoing experience. Not only does MovieGoer include showtimes for movies, but also highlights those showtimes that your MovieGoer Circle are going to. And users can record brief 15-second video reviews using their iPhone.
Co-founder Brian Dear explains that he believes the concept of “check-in” doesn’t work that well for movies because when you arrive at a theatre, usually the movie is about to start, so it doesn’t do much good to tell friends you are there if you expect them to then meet you. What makes more sense in the MovieGoer world is declaring intent, he explains, by saying you want to “go” to a movie hours or days in advance, and recording relevant information (reviews, etc) afterwards.
Other companies playing in the space include Warner Bros.-owned Flixster.