In case you contemplate your self an avid film watcher or continuously go to an area independently-owned theater — or just can by no means determine what film to observe — there’s a social app that you just may be keen on. Letterboxd, the app for followers to log, evaluation, and create “playlists” of previous and new films, was invented by New Zealand builders Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow in 2011 however has shortly gained recognition in the previous few years.
On the finish of 2022, I seen that I used to be unfamiliar with a majority of the flicks that had been nominated throughout awards season, and I needed to vary that. Between my consideration span and time administration, it was simpler to binge watch tv reveals, however I felt remorse and FOMO for the entire highly-rated films that I haven’t seen. Because of Letterboxd, I entered a contest with myself to observe as many films as attainable this yr, and that turned even simpler as soon as I bought a month-to-month membership for AMC A-Listing, the movie show’s subscription service. As of this month, I’ve watched 120 films in 2023.
Seven months later, I’ve logged over 100 films on Letterboxd, and it’s been entertaining to maintain up with this yr’s widespread films like Godzilla: Minus One, Previous Lives, and TMNT: Mutant Mayhem. In the event you’ve heard of the app on social media and haven’t understood why persons are so obsessive about it or methods to get use out of it, I’m right here to let you know extra about Letterboxd and possibly even persuade you to make use of slightly further weekly display time on it.
Think about Letterboxd like Goodreads however for cinephiles. It helps you create a to-watch listing, log opinions of movies you’ve watched, and see what your mates and anybody else is testing. I don’t contemplate myself a lot of a cinephile, however I do suggest this app to anyone that sometimes watches something from animation and romantic comedies to A24 dramas. It’s an attractive social community that additionally retains observe of any blockbuster film, impartial movie, or quick documentary. Much like different social networks, you possibly can simply end up scrolling by way of different person profiles, curated watchlists, or infinite remark sections.
It’s free to hitch Letterboxd on iOS and Android, however there’s a premium subscription service starting from $19 to $49 a yr for those who wish to take their loyalty to a different stage. Between “patron” and “professional,” premium customers have ad-free entry to options like cloning lists, displaying a background photograph in your profile, and including particular movie posters to your account.
Now that you just’ve downloaded Letterboxd, right here’s a number of methods to start navigating the app.
Though you possibly can keep on with the fundamentals by including a profile image and username when you create an account, the enjoyable begins when you listing your 4 favourite films. Generally often called the “prime 4,” consider this as a enjoyable technique to present some persona similarly to sharing your zodiac signal. For instance, my 4 favorites are Spirited Away, Charlie’s Angels, Spider-Man: Throughout the Spider-Verse, and Josie and the Pussycats. You too can add a brief bio, location, and an internet site hyperlink within the settings.
After watching a film, seek for the title and click on the “Price, log, evaluation, add to listing + extra” button. Don’t take this half too critically — you possibly can have as a lot enjoyable with it as you need or be utterly critical about it. Evaluations can include witty one-liner jokes, references to a scene, or a wordy love letter (or criticism) of the film. Whereas writing, you possibly can add tags to explain your assertion, point out the those who accompanied you to the film, or censor any spoilers. As soon as your evaluation is posted, it’ll be seen in your profile and shared to your mates’ feed.
Let’s say you find yourself receiving a stellar film advice from a good friend, however you’re not keen on watching it but. Letterboxd’s watchlist function means that you can create an easy-to-view listing of flicks that you just wish to watch, plus you possibly can evaluate lists with a good friend to see what you’re each keen on viewing for a film night time.
If none of your family members use Letterboxd, suggest it to them! It’s labored for me, and truthfully, it’s how I ended up downloading the app. At first, I used to be satisfied that Letterboxd is solely for movie college students and film critics, however the social facet of the app simply persuaded me to have enjoyable with it, plus I really like having a month-to-month diary to maintain observe of what I’m watching. Compared to different social media like Instagram, TikTok, or X (previously often called Twitter), there’s zero stress to constantly use it, and you can not submit any pictures or movies to maintenance a web-based persona.
In addition to following pals on Letterboxd, you possibly can observe celebrities like Ayo Edebiri, Bowen Yang, or Martin Scorsese on their public accounts.
Much like following a playlist on music streaming platforms, 1000’s of film lists are curated by Letterboxd customers, and you’ll create your personal, too. Whether or not you’re attempting to rank your favourite films from this yr or growing an inventory of nostalgic classics, the lists function is handy for organizing what you’ve watched.
Along with following lists created by Letterboxd customers, the corporate itself has ranked films in particular classes like the highest 250 narrative options and highly-rated movies by customers. There’s even off-the-wall lists like films to observe throughout breakfast or movies which may spark an array of feelings.
Fortuitously, Letterboxd is the long-awaited resolution to the infinite search of discovering one thing to observe throughout a film night time. And if you happen to’re a fan of this app, simply wait till you hear about Serialzd, its twin within the universe of monitoring tv reveals. Now, you simply may be ready to win any movie-themed trivia.
Supply: House Remedy
