Loving films in the age of social media: An intro to Letterboxd
If you're like me and have a million ever-changing interests, chances are your social media algorithm is not doing them all justice. Talk about the wrong thing too close to your phone, and the next day, it might be your worst nightmare on Instagram. You might follow a few amateur film critics, some TikTokers, and a handful of curators. But what you might not be doing is using Letterboxd.
Loved the last movie you watched, but don't want to be that guy on your Instagram stories? There's an app that's made just for that. From rating and reviewing your newest watch to curating watchlists to pick your next, this is a one-stop solution for any film enthusiast's needs. This guide will give you a rundown on how to best utilise the platform.
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Curating your feed
The most important part is following the right people. This could be anyone – a friend with honest takes or a random hilarious user, a try-hard with detailed analysis or even your objectively annoying cinephile friend who only watches obscure movies with no discernible plot – the world of Letterboxd is your oyster.
The people you follow make up the most interesting part of this app, its activity page. This is every film enthusiast's dream come true. Almost everything you do is logged for your followers to see. This means your friends know when you rate Sinners two stars (for the sake of being a contrarian), what movies you add to your watchlist, and whose reviews you've liked.
In retrospect, it might sound intrusive, but the whole point of using Letterboxd lies in its ability to make space for a community that enjoys the act of connecting through shared tastes. Instead of being a doomscrolling medium, your feed is meant to encourage the consumption of more art by allowing for a place to share your opinions and to find others.
Browsing lists and reviews
There are thousands of rated reviews for just about any film left by Letterboxd users, ranging from one-liners, jokes, and quotes to full-fledged, detailed breakdowns. You can like your favourite reviews, read the reviews your friends have left, and even the ones they've liked. This turns out to be a great way to debrief when the end credits start rolling in, giving you a more unique chance to relive and react to your newest experience.
Letterboxd also houses hundreds of user-made lists that compile films of similar themes, genres, vibes, and just about any other factor. Find lists of people's favourite movies by genres, ranked lists of their favourite directors, top picks, tearjerkers, and even most hated; you name it and it exists.
Ever wanted a list of movies that feel like Hozier songs? There's probably a list out there with Phantom Thread on it.
Compiling the ultimate watchlist
It's time to delete the messy watchlists on your notes app and invest your time in adding to your Letterboxd watchlist instead. It's not just more fun to be able to scroll through all the posters and pick, but it's also significantly more efficient since you get to filter and sort your list in multiple different ways to find exactly what scratches your itch.
Just like most things on Letterboxd, you can view other people's watchlists, maybe steal a film or two, and even filter your watchlists with your friends to save the hour you'd otherwise spend arguing on what to watch.
Decking out your profile
The more you use the app, the more it builds onto your profile, where your friends can see what you've watched recently, how many movies you've logged, and your top four favourite picks. And just like other medium that curates art, each year they send you an overview of your year in film, much like a Spotify Wrapped.
More than a social media profile, Letterboxd allows you to use it as a personal diary, a way in which you can revisit and remember your journey in film. In a world where we often consume more than we have the capacity to recall, Letterboxd allows you to be more intentional in your film consumption.
Faiza has an ungodly screentime on Letterboxd, indulge her hyperfixation with suggestions on IG @fizouis.
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