Star review ratings on platforms like Letterboxd are reductive and don’t accurately portray our connection to the work, so why do we have them in the first place?

Letterboxd is a haven for self-proclaimed ‘cinephiles.’ It’s a great way to engage with cinema online— to know what your friends are watching and what they think about it, find hidden gems, and keep track of your viewing habits. However, one of its key features, the option to rate a movie in stars on a scale of 1-5, undermines the art that it claims to celebrate.