For all the movie buffs out there, here's TCM on your iPhone

The iPhone has been good for movie fans. There is the free IMBD, plus the Empire Magazine collection of reviews at $4.99, plus scads of apps that will find your nearest cinema and give you showtimes and trailers.

Of course real film fanatics are probably fans of the Turner Classic Movies channel on cable and satellite. TCM runs a lot of the best movies ever made, with great introductions and extras.

Now the info in the TCM library has come to the iPhone and iPod touch [iTunes link] with a US$2.99 app loaded with clips, blogs, trailers and information on the latest TCM fare.

When you start the app up it tells you what's showing on TCM this minute, the production details of the film, clips from the film, and a detailed essay on the movie.

You can do the same for any movie in the TCM schedule. I had a lot of fun going through the schedule and diving into all the information, trivia and clips.

I did think there was one serious problem. You can't search the database, which would seem an obvious feature to have. If you can't find the film on the TCM schedule, you'll get no info at all. That seems a shame, and it is a contrast to the TCM web page (which is free).

All in all, I'd rate the TCM app a good start, and it would go a long way toward perfection if it added search capabilities.