Amid the lockdowns of 2020, many people discovered newfound passions and hobbies. While some turned to baking or drawing, one individual fell in love with movies all over again. While always enjoying films, their appreciation deepened during the lockdown. They immersed themselves in the art of cinema, appreciating the structure, form, cinematography, and auteurism. As the pandemic waned, this newfound passion translated into regular visits to their local movie theater.
In the course of a year, this cinephile watched 200 movies, ranging from “The Matrix Resurrections” to “Carol.” The top three directors gracing their screen were Stanley Kubrick, Paul Verhoeven, and Sam Raimi. Yet, what truly facilitated this movie-loving journey was an app called Letterboxd.
Letterboxd: The Ultimate Movie Companion
Letterboxd serves as a movie database, a personal journal, and a social network rolled into one. Its primary function is straightforward: users can log the movies they watch, recording when they watched them, effectively maintaining a film diary.
Beyond this fundamental feature, users can add star ratings, like movies, or leave written reviews—all for their personal use. However, the social aspect of Letterboxd becomes evident when you explore other users’ reviews, liking or commenting on them, and following those whose reviews resonate with you. This social interaction creates a dynamic film community.
Letterboxd also resolves a common streaming dilemma. Users can track the availability of movies on their subscribed streaming services. If a movie on their Watchlist becomes accessible on one of their streaming platforms, Letterboxd sends a notification.
Additionally, the app offers a wealth of movie-related information. Users can access details about cast and crew members, clicking on names to view their entire filmography. This feature is invaluable for discovering new directors or actors whose work aligns with your tastes.
Furthermore, Letterboxd enables users to create personalized lists of movies, curating collections or rankings and adding comments to enhance the experience.
The Power of Letterboxd Pro
While the basic version of Letterboxd is free, the Pro version offers additional perks for movie enthusiasts. For a modest fee, Pro users gain access to a treasure trove of movie-watching statistics. This feature enables users to delve into their film preferences, such as identifying their most-watched actor or discovering the cinematographer with the highest average rating.
Moreover, Letterboxd Pro presents a practical solution to the challenges posed by multiple streaming services. Users can input the streaming platforms they subscribe to, and the app will inform them whether a movie is available on any of them. It even notifies users when a movie on their Watchlist becomes accessible on a subscribed service.
Letterboxd: A Movie Lover’s Companion
Letterboxd caters to a wide range of preferences, offering users the freedom to keep their movie experiences private or embrace the platform’s social networking features. This flexibility allows users to use Letterboxd as a personal diary or immerse themselves in a thriving film community.
In summary, Letterboxd has transformed the movie-watching experience, providing a platform for journaling thoughts, discovering new films, and solving the streaming dilemma. It’s an app that empowers cinephiles to deepen their love for cinema while offering practical tools to navigate the ever-expanding world of streaming services.
