Let me describe a common situation that you’d rather avoid when going to see the latest blockbuster movie. You’re about midway through the film and you realize you need to pee. The internal debate begins, “Can I make it to the end? How much time is left in the movie? What if I try and hold it and by the end I’m in too much discomfort to enjoy the ending. I should go now. But what will I miss. What if…” You get the picture. We’ve all been there, some of us more often than others. There’s no easy solution, until now. The RunPee app solves this problem and more.
Description: RunPee is the Android application that lists the best times during each movie to go to the toilet – or grab a drink – without worrying about missing anything massively important. On top of that you can take a second to read the synopsis of exactly what you missed before you return to the movie theater. Now, when you relax back in your seat you’ll be able to slide right into the flow of the movie without worries. The family behind the app watch all the wide release movies on opening day. They look for a few 3-5 minute spans in each movie that don’t have important plot twists, or great action scenes or the funniest lines. That data is stored in a remote database that the RunPee app will automatically update itself with every time you start it. It’s a strange concept but, when you think about it for just a few seconds, the idea is so clear that it hits you hard. There’s nothing worse than walking back into the theater just as the funniest, or scariest, or most dramatic scene in the movie just ended. And yet it’s no fun sitting there for another hour or so needing to go to the restroom. With RunPee you can have the best of both worlds!
How it Works: There’s nothing too complex about RunPee and thankfully, it’s just a quick download from the Play Store.
Taking a look at the above screenshot, I think it’s important to be conservative when using the app. After all, you’re going to be looking at your phone in the theater, it doesn’t take much to turn that brightness down, and trust me, once you have it’ll make a whole world of difference. After this there’s something else that you should read to get a feel for the app and to understand just how much a small group of people put into RunPee – which I think makes the app feel more genuine.
Once you’ve been through all of this you’ll come to the main list of films, and as you can see there are some really up-to-date releases in there and all of the big films that people are going to flock to. There’s Skyfall, the latest Twilight release and of course, the new Lincoln film. Now, I’ve actually seen the Skyfall fim – it’s brilliant by the way – so let’s go and take a look at that:
From the above shot you can see that the app will let you know a good amount of info on the app and then as it goes on, it lists the “peetimes” during the movie. As well as this there are links on the bottom film reel you can scroll through that take you all over the web, including IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. Lets go ahead and take a look at the 5 minute peetime at the bottom of the above list. You’ll see that there’s a decent synopsis to let you know what you missed. These little bits of text are written well and plain enough for all to grasp, which is essential for getting across the facts.
As well as all of the latest blockbusters, the team behind the app has gone back to take a look at some of the best films ever made and they certainly have good taster in cinema, that’s for sure. With some cult classics in the list such as “The Thing” and of course, “Terminator” it’s a good chance to rediscover the films and know when you go on a safe bathroom break. Moreover I think that this list of classics affirms the team’s love for cinema.
Opinion: Honestly, I think RunPee is a fantastic app! Now, I’m the odd one out in my friends and family, in that I don’t pee too often, sorry if that’s TMI, but hear me out. See, while I might not run to the restroom every twenty minutes, my girlfriend does and it drives me INSANE. It’s not just that she has to go but, it’s that she always goes in the middle of something either pretty important or what feels like one of the best parts in the film. Unsurprisingly enough, it only happens during the films that I want to go and see, not during Twilight, of course not, glued to her seat through that. The Bourne: Legacy film from late summer? Oh yeah, twice. With RunPee you’re able to see what times in the movie are a good idea to go for your bathroom break. I don’t think it’s as crude as planning things out but, let’s get real, if you’re gonna miss something, you don’t want to miss something good. With this, you won’t have to.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – The app ran well and was a little jerky at first but there’s a lot of text to grab from the web.
- Features (5/5) – RunPee is an app that helps you go to the bathroom during a film, it does that and so much more brilliantly. It’s one thing to tell you when to pee but another to tell you what you’ve missed – genius!
- Theme (3/5) – It might not be the best looking app but the film reel throughout is a nice touch and I had no trouble on different display resolutions.
- Overall (4/5) – For those that go to the movies a whole lot, this is something that once you get used to using it, you’ll wonder how you lived without it. Also, it’s great for those that need that extra soda or hot dog halfway through the film.
Pros
- A lot of the biggest and latest films are already in here, ready and waiting for you to go and see, without fearing a bathroom break.
- Linking to Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB is a brilliant touch, especially if you’re smart enough to check this in the lobby while waiting for popcorn.
- It’s really quite cheap, for what you’re getting here, the price is really quite good. Consider that you’re paying for access to a lot of content here that’s constantly updated.
Cons
- Might look better with a fresh coat of paint.
Conclusion: For some time now I’ve been wondering whether or not there was an app for my phone that would somehow help in going to the cinema and with RunPee I now have it. It might seem a little silly at first but, when nature calls you’ll be glad for having the app installed. There’s something about being able to go to bathroom or get a snack and still not really miss anything that’s very appealing. RunPee is brought to you primarily by a family that just love films and if you love films as well, then this is something that you definitely can’t miss.