You've decided to start tracking the movies you watch. You've seen the options: generic "media log" journals on Amazon, dedicated movie journals, apps, spreadsheets, plain notebooks.
The question isn't whether to track. It's what system will actually work for you.
This comparison covers the main approaches, what each does well, and what each misses. The goal is to help you pick something you'll actually use, not abandon after two weeks.
What Actually Matters in a Movie Journal
Before comparing options, here's what separates a useful movie log from a frustrating one:
Pages per film. Too little space and you're cramming. Too much and you're staring at blank sections you'll never fill. The sweet spot is 1-2 pages per movie: enough room for details when you want them, not so much that brief entries feel incomplete.
Rating categories. A single star rating tells you almost nothing six months later. Did you like the acting or the plot? Was the soundtrack memorable or forgettable? Multi-category ratings preserve what a single score flattens.
Impressions capture. "Was it good?" isn't the right question. "Was it heartwarming? Predictable? Did I fall asleep? Did it leave an impression?" These nuances matter. Checkboxes work better than hoping you'll write them out.
Social tracking. Who recommended it? Who should you recommend it to? This context becomes valuable over time. It turns your log into a recommendation reference.
Capacity. How many films before you need a new journal? Watch 52 movies a year (one per week), and a 50-entry journal runs out before the year ends.
Design and durability. Will you actually want to pick this up? Will it survive a year on your nightstand or coffee table?
Option 1: Movies Remembered (Timeside)
Format: 2 pages per film, 60+ entries, 124 total pages
What's included per entry:
Left page:
- Title, date, year, runtime, genre, director
- Rating classification (G, PG, PG-13, MA, R, NR)
- Starring section
- Summary space
- Social tracking: Recommended by, Watched with, Recommend to
- 16 impressions checkboxes (Too Long, Heartwarming, Predictable, Didn't Finish, Great Ending, Scary, Surprising Twists, Fell Asleep, Original, Entertaining, Tearjerker, Bad Ending, Disturbing, Left an Impression, Confusing, Hilarious)
Right page:
- Open review space
- Memorable quote box
- 7 rating categories (Overall, Acting, Plot/Screenplay, Design/Effects, Soundtrack, Cinematography, Costumes)
- Watch Again? (Yes/Maybe/No)
Additional features: Numbered pages, movie index in back
Size: 6 x 9 inches, matte softcover
Best for: Movie lovers who want structured tracking without overwhelming complexity. The 2-page format hits a middle ground: enough space for thoughtful entries, not so much that quick logs feel incomplete. The 7 rating categories and 16 impression checkboxes capture nuance that single-rating systems miss. For a complete guide to movie logging, see how to keep a movie log book.
Limitations: Physical only. No integration with streaming history or databases. You'll need to look up director names and runtimes yourself.
Price point: Under $15
Option 2: Generic Amazon Movie Journals
What they typically include:
Most generic movie journals on Amazon follow a similar template: title, date, rating (single score), and a notes section. Some add director and genre fields. Few include multi-category ratings or impression checkboxes.
Common issues:
- One rating category. A single star score or 1-10 rating can't distinguish between a well-acted but poorly plotted film and the reverse.
- No social tracking. No fields for who recommended it or who you watched with.
- Inconsistent layouts. Some give too much space (half-empty pages for quick entries), others too little (cramming everything into one page).
- Generic design. Often designed for "any media" rather than movies specifically: same template for books, TV shows, and films.
Best for: Casual loggers who just want to note titles and quick thoughts. If you only want to answer "did I see this?" a simple journal works.
Limitations: Miss the depth that makes movie logging valuable long-term. No meaningful way to capture why you rated something the way you did.
Price point: $8-15
Option 3: DIY in a Blank Notebook
The appeal: Total freedom. Create your own format. No constraints.
The reality: Most DIY movie logs get abandoned. Here's why:
You spend your first few entries figuring out what to track. By entry five, you realize you forgot to leave space for something. By entry ten, you're frustrated that your format is inconsistent. By entry fifteen, the friction of recreating your template each time leads to skipped entries.
DIY works for people who genuinely enjoy the design process: bullet journal enthusiasts, visual thinkers who want to customize every page. For everyone else, it's more effort than value.
If you go this route:
- Decide your template before starting (what fields, how much space)
- Commit to the template even when you want to change it
- Accept that early entries will look different from later ones
Best for: People who already maintain other DIY journals successfully and want to extend that system.
Limitations: High friction. Inconsistent entries. No structured prompts to guide reflection.
Price point: $5-20 depending on notebook quality
Option 4: Letterboxd (Digital App)
What it offers:
Letterboxd is the dominant movie tracking app, with over 13 million users. Social features, film database, automatic filmography tracking, year-end stats.
Strengths:
- Comprehensive film database (auto-fills director, year, runtime)
- Social discovery through friends and curated lists
- Quick logging (seconds to rate and log)
- Beautiful stats and year-end summaries
- Free tier available
What it doesn't do:
- Multi-category ratings (one half-star score only)
- Impression checkboxes
- Social context tracking (no "Recommended by" field)
- Physical artifact to revisit
- Deep personal reflection (interface encourages brief reviews)
Best for: Discovery and social tracking. Knowing what to watch next. Seeing what friends are watching. Year-end statistics.
Limitations: Doesn't replace personal reflection. Reviews are brief by design. Old entries disappear into scrollable history rather than existing as a physical record.
For more on how Letterboxd and physical journals complement each other, see our comparison of movie log books versus Letterboxd.
Price point: Free (Pro version $19.99/year)
Option 5: Spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel)
The appeal: Infinite customization. Sortable. Filterable. Shareable.
What you can build:
- Any columns you want (ratings, genres, recommendations, notes)
- Formulas for average ratings, genre breakdowns, watch statistics
- Sorting by date, rating, genre, director
- Conditional formatting to highlight favorites
The reality:
Spreadsheets are excellent at data. They're terrible at encouraging use.
You've tried tracking in a spreadsheet. The formula for average ratings works great. But you never open it to actually read your notes. It becomes a database you update rather than a journal you revisit.
Best for: Data-focused trackers who want analytics over reflection. People who will actually open a spreadsheet regularly.
Limitations: Cold format. No prompted reflection. Easy to fall behind. Rarely revisited as a reading experience.
Price point: Free
Comparison Table
| Feature | Movies Remembered | Generic Journals | DIY Notebook | Letterboxd | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pages per film | 2 | 1 (usually) | Variable | N/A | N/A |
| Multi-category ratings | 7 categories | Usually 1 | DIY | 1 only | DIY |
| Impression checkboxes | 16 options | Rare | DIY | No | DIY |
| Social tracking | Yes | Rare | DIY | No | DIY |
| Capacity | 60+ entries | 50-100 typically | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Physical artifact | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Discovery features | No | No | No | Excellent | No |
| Setup required | None | None | High | Low | Medium |
| Price | ~$15 | $8-15 | $5-20 | Free | Free |
The Recommendation
If you want structured reflection without complexity: Movies Remembered. The 2-page format, 7 rating categories, and 16 impression checkboxes capture what matters without requiring essays. 60+ entries means it lasts over a year at one movie per week.
If you just want a quick record: A generic Amazon journal or Letterboxd will do. You'll lose nuance but gain simplicity.
If you want the best of both: Use Letterboxd for discovery and social features. Use a physical journal for personal reflection. Rate on the app, log in the journal. They complement each other.
If you love building systems: DIY or spreadsheet. But be honest about whether you'll maintain it.
The best movie journal is the one you'll actually use. Pick based on your actual behavior, not your aspirational self.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many movies can I log in most journals?
Capacity varies widely. Most dedicated movie journals hold 50-100 entries. Movies Remembered holds 60+ with its 2-page format. If you watch 52 movies a year (one per week), make sure your journal can handle at least that.
Is a movie-specific journal better than a general media log?
For serious movie tracking, yes. General media logs try to cover books, TV, movies, and podcasts with the same template. Movie-specific journals include fields that matter for film (cinematography ratings, director tracking) that general logs skip.
What if I watch more than 60 movies a year?
You'll need a second journal. Some people track by year; others fill journals and start fresh. Movies Remembered's index helps you find entries quickly even as you accumulate multiple journals.
Should I track TV shows in the same journal?
Different format, different needs. A movie is a complete experience in one sitting. A TV show unfolds across episodes and seasons. Mixing them in one journal creates inconsistency. Consider a separate tracking system for TV.
What about tracking movies I watched years ago?
Add entries from memory for films that mattered. You won't remember all the details, but capturing what you do remember is better than nothing. Note that it's a retrospective entry.
Do I need to buy more than one journal?
Eventually, yes. Any physical journal has finite capacity. Think of each journal as a volume in an ongoing record. Date your entries so you can reference across multiple journals over time.
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