I Don't Want Your Snapchat, I Want Your Letterboxd
TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Every year, it seems a new app becomes the "trending" addition to the endless list of mindless, doomscroll-inducing apps. To stay in the loop and socially connected online, many of us spend hours on these apps. In fact, many of us find ourselves on these apps for no reason at all, just to pass the time. And hey, I am not a saint; I do just about the same as most other people, ending up in a ridiculous cycle of scrolling through my feed for hours on end. However, in the process of doing so, in 2025, I came across an app called Letterboxd. As someone who was moderately into movies, I figured it would be fitting to download this app to track movies. But, shockingly, I became quickly more invested in this app than I thought I'd be, finding it to be one of the apps I used the most compared to others. Just like other social media, I was able to follow, interact with reviews, and stay up to date on current releases in a simple form. In fact, I feel as though Letterboxd should become a more widely used social platform compared to others because of its simplicity, fun elements, and lack of social interaction actually required.
In most social apps, there can be a variety of differing tabs, elements, and features that can be included. In most cases, some of these features can be confusing or complicated as the app tries to outcompete other apps by offering the "newest features." The algorithmic feeds these apps have are developed based on how much time you spend on them, curating content meant to get you immersed. The app Letterboxd centers on movie viewing and tracking your media consumption, using a similar personalized algorithm technique. However, instead of becoming intrusive with its feed, it keeps its overall system quite simplistic. Many users of Letterboxd describe the style of the app to be similar to late-90s websites such as MySpace. In this way, Letterboxd does not try to curate a modern-day "meta" app, but instead a simple logging system for its users.
Whether you wish to write quick witty one-liners, or lengthy diary entries, you
are able to do either of those things. The unique aspect of Letterboxd is that it is designed to be completely personalized depending on what works best for you. Per movie logged, you rate based on a 5-star system and have the opportunity to add thoughts about the movie. While I prefer to use the space to brain dump after watching a movie, I know many people who only write one-to-two sentences. It all depends on what works best for you; either way you choose to do it is completely valid. When clicking on any movie, you are able to access thousands of reviews from other users, which often give humorous reviews, but insightful ones too. Truly, it is one of the best platforms to connect with other film enjoyers alike and see what others think of movies you also watch/plan on watching.
One of the biggest complaints about Letterboxd is that customizability is limited as a free user. The app itself offers a free, pro, and patron version that unlocks more features depending on which subscription level you have. Unfortunately, the cost of the patron version is a bit high: $48.99/per year. But for people who use the app often, the poster-changing, stats, and additional list features add to their enjoyment. Like most other app subscriptions, the subscription feature is optional, and most of the features on the app are completely free. Although there are some ad pop-ups on the free version, it is not overwhelming compared to some apps where it feels like every 5 seconds there is an ad. As someone who has patron I still enjoyed the app when it was the free version. Personally, I prefer the aesthetics when I get to change the posters, and I also enjoy supporting the app since I use it so frequently.
Compared to most social apps, the interaction you have with others is kept to a minimum. Uniquely, there are no messaging features, and the only way you can interact with other users is through viewing a review or commenting. In this way, it is a refreshing app in the social media world since no direct social contact is necessary to enjoy it. The only people I follow on Letterboxd are people I actually know (and a few celebrities), which limits the risk of interacting with strangers online. In fact, even if you choose to follow strangers you find on Letterboxd, many people do not comment on others' reviews, and it is a way to simply interact with other film enjoyers. As someone who finds answering messages a bit overwhelming at times, Letterboxd feels refreshing because I can share my reviews and see my friends' reviews without a never-ending chat flow.
Since Letterboxd experienced a recent surge in users, it is common to see celebrities sharing their "top 4" on this app on other social media. It seems this simple rating feature has become an iconic thing in the film world, stemming from the overall mutual enjoyment of this app. It is uncertain whether this app will continue to be as iconic as it is, or fall off when something new releases. But, for now, it seems this app will continue to be a space where movie watchers can personalize their page and review movies they watch.
Whether or not you frequently watch movies, or not at all, this app can be a fun way to keep track of media you have enjoyed, and inspire a more frequent watchlist. I understand not all people may care about movies, so take this with a grain of salt, but it is truly such a fun app. So, instead of asking me for my Snapchat...I would prefer giving Letterboxd: @cassycass
Until next time,
Between Scenes (Cassidy)
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