Letterboxd, the social media platform where cinephiles share their opinions about movies, is entering the premium video-on-demand market. Beginning in December, users will be able to watch films directly on the site through a platform called Letterboxd Video Store.
Think of the Letterboxd Video Store like an online version of an old-school video-rental store, with an employee-picks shelf that’s worth sifting through. Instead of forcing people to spend hours scrolling through titles, Letterboxd will guide you to the cinematic experience you’re most interested in. You’ll be able to find film festival standouts, hard-to-find titles, restorations and rediscoveries and limited-time offerings.
You aren’t locked in with a subscription, but the movie rentals aren’t free. You pay for the ones you rent. Prices haven’t been announced yet. However, film buffs may prefer Letterboxd over more general online movie sources due to its reputation as a haven for film lovers and the curated nature of the films it offers.
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The only other streaming service I can think of that curates its film library in a similar way is the Criterion Channel, which also offers niche film collections for viewing, for a subscription fee.
Letterboxd says that the service will be compatible with iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast and AirPlay. Additional smart TV app functionality is “in the works.”
