Letterboxd is one of the best factor to occur to movie nerds since IMDb, which is sort of shocking given how easy it’s. Just like the Movie Twitter reply to Goodreads, it’s a social community/on-line catalogue the place you possibly can fee or evaluate films, choose just a few of your favorites to spotlight in your profile, and observe your folks and favourite critics. But, Letterboxd is extra than simply “what if social media, however for films?” Dig just a little deeper and you will find some helpful instruments for managing your cinema obsession.
If you have not used Letterboxd earlier than, it is accessible for Android, iOS, or on the online. Anybody can entry it to browse films, learn critiques, and see person rankings, however so as to make a watchlist or depart your individual critiques, you will must create a (free) account.
And that is the place the enjoyable begins. You possibly can assemble and share your individual lists of flicks group by any classification you need, from WWII films in chronological order to films with the best kill counts. You possibly can add tags to arrange your collections of movies you’ve got watched or need to watch, get suggestions from the neighborhood, and (with a paid subscription) even customise the show web page for each film and get notified when stuff in your to-watch checklist arrives on streaming.
Listed below are 5 methods to get extra out of Letterboxd.
Create customized watchlists
An enormous a part of what makes Letterboxd so interesting is that whenever you discover a film you need to see, you possibly can add it to your Watchlist to recollect for later. (Simply press the large + button on the underside proper, then faucet Watchlist.) That is additionally type of the app’s greatest weak spot. It is good at first, however as your Watchlist grows, it turns into simply as tough to decide on one thing to observe from it as it’s scrolling endlessly by means of Netflix.
That is the place customized lists come in useful. A bit beneath the Watchlist button, you will see “Add to lists,” which helps you to create your individual public or personal lists. As a substitute of dumping all the things into your commonplace Watchlist, it is best to create lists for various genres, completely different actors, completely different a long time, and even solely primarily based on vibes.
I am unable to advocate this observe sufficient. It is a few further steps, particularly as you first begin to create lists, nevertheless it makes Letterboxd a lot extra helpful. My associate and I exploit a shared checklist for films we need to watch collectively when we have now a film night time. I maintain a separate checklist for horror films I do know they will not need to see, and one other checklist for my favourite films I do know I can rewatch time and again. This straightforward characteristic turns Letterboxd into your individual private Spotify for films, albeit one the place you might be in sole management of the “algorithm.”
Get higher suggestions with public lists
Your personal lists are a good way to arrange your assortment of flicks you’ve got watched or need to watch, however chances are you’ll not even must trouble creating them, since Letterboxd customers love to create their very own lists and share them. If the almighty algorithm in your favourite streaming service is not developing with a very good advice, browse Letterboxd’s public lists.
Once I say customers love making these lists, I imply it. Take, for instance, this checklist of flicks “for whenever you need to really feel one thing” that not solely has nice recs like Up or Parasite, however is organized by poster shade. Or this inventive checklist that pairs basic romantic movies with comparable trendy counterparts that can assist you discover older movies you may like.
Since these public lists are created by precise people, should you discover an individual whose tastes you want, you possibly can observe them. If somebody places a ton of labor into curating one checklist, there is a first rate probability they’ve others you may additionally like. Not like most algorithm-controlled social media apps, Letterboxd makes it simple to see an actual, human connection to a different individual.
Separate lists are higher than one large Watchlist, however for my cash, tags are a superior organizing system (although they each serve their functions). You possibly can create your individual customized tags when including or modifying a evaluate of a film—as many as you need—and provides as many films these tags as you deem vital.
Tags work greatest for marking genres or traits films have in frequent, however that do not essentially want their very own devoted checklist. For instance, you may tag a few of your films as “healthful” or “intestine wrenching” relying on what occurs to the canine ultimately.
You too can get extra inventive along with your tags. For instance, certainly one of my favourite tags is “psychological well being metaphors,” for movies which have fascinating allegories for psychological sickness; or “eat the wealthy,” a really specific subgenre that’s surprisingly sturdy. I even have the tag “haha what the f” for these films which can be simply too incomprehensible to clarify.
What do you assume to this point?
You possibly can add tags by choosing to “Evaluation or log” a film, although you possibly can depart the evaluate textual content clean. As you add extra tags, you possibly can browse and type films with them. In your profile, you will discover a tab on your tags, and you may browse all of the tags you’ve got created and see all the flicks that match them.
Get notified when films hit streaming (with a Professional subscription)
The free model of Letterboxd is fairly nice, however a Professional subscription takes it a step additional. The Professional tier prices $19 per yr, which averages out to about $1.58 per thirty days. (Although there isn’t any month-to-month choice, solely an annual plan.).
On the Professional tier, you will not see any adverts on the service, which is already a win—typically Letterboxd’s advert placement is so bizarre that it obscures the positioning’s key options. (Sizzling tip: scroll previous the advert in your profile to seek out your critiques and lists!) In case you use the app loads, eliminating adverts is already well worth the entry payment.
The star of the Professional present, although, is the streaming service filter: Add the streaming providers you employ, and any time any film in your watchlist involves a type of providers, you will get a notification within the app.
Choose your posters and get your title featured (with a Patron subscription)
One stage above the Professional tier is the Patron subscription, which prices $49 a yr. That is the tier you need to go along with should you’re feeling Letterboxd a lot you need to throw further assist to the builders. Which is honest—it is type of unimaginable how a lot of this app’s performance is totally free.
On the Professional tier, you do get a few further perks. You possibly can customise the poster that’s displayed for the flicks you’ve got logged or added to a listing. These alternate posters will likely be seen to you, in addition to some other customers who’ve opted in to seeing completely different posters of their settings. You too can add backdrops to your profiles, lists, and critiques to make them look a bit flashier.
Talking of, since this can be a social website, you will even have a blue “Patron” label subsequent to your username (Professional supporters get an orange “Professional” badge). It is nothing greater than a beauty addition, however it’s a good strategy to really feel part of a neighborhood of movie nerds all sharing what they love. In case you’re obsessive about films and need to share that keenness with everybody else, Letterboxd is for you.
