Originally, Letterboxd was a platform made for people to rate and leave thoughts and comments on recent and old films. But recently it has evolved into more of a social media platform than anything else. Now when people are reviewing movies, it’s gone from “Why did I like this movie?” to “What does liking this movie say about me?”, It’s become a personality grab.
Now don’t get me wrong, we all love Letterboxd. I love it just as much as the next person. Reading all the reviews people leave really helps me decide what I should and shouldn’t watch. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s become more of a personality test than a platform made for movies. Anyone’s top four favourite movies could be truthful, or a performative act of what they want people to think of them. Whether intentional or not, the “top four favs” can tell you everything you need to know about someone, from their values to their social identity.
Youtube thumbnail from Jonathan Fuji
For example, the people that fill their account with three-hour-long black and white French films, whether they genuinely like them or not, come across as a “movie person”. However, the problem isn’t so much that people love obscure films. The problem is that Letterboxd has created an environment where liking certain films carries more social value than others. Anyone who rates a new movie more than three stars without good reason could endure the wrath of the “Film Buffs” of Letterboxd for being “mainstream”, but recently with movies like Spiderman: Brand New Day and the Odyssey, it’s okay to give them more than 3 stars, because they’re “good cinema”. Seriously I wonder when they’re gonna pick a lane and stick to it.
“A lot of times, I’ll just go there to see how other people have perceived it,” she said. “It’s not limiting for me, because I love to watch movies people say are bad and judge for myself. But my boyfriend will see an average review of 2.1 and be like, ‘No, that’s a bad movie’ and not watch it.”
Content creator, GiGi Leal in an interview with the Guardian
Letterboxd becoming a personality app isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, people have always used interests to communicate identity — Books people read, movies we watch and clothes we wear are all indicators of our personal identity, The difference is that Letterboxd has turned that personal individuality into a public performance for everyone to see. For all you know, someone on the other side of the world could be judging your comments on the new Spiderman movie, just because you’re talking about how hot Peter Parker is.
Letterboxd review on Spiderman: Brand New Day
Links:
Film bro finds and ‘crash out cinema’: how Letterboxd became a review haven for the algorithm-averse: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/10/letterboxd-app-movie-review-social-media
Roasting Profiles on Letterboxd – Jonathan Fuji: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCcszdo6pT4&pp=ygUKbGV0dGVyYm94ZA%3D%3D
Debbie Choo 
Bethany Miguel 
Tarkyn Sharples