Whenever you want to gauge audiences’ opinions on a certain movie, both IMDb and Letterboxd should be your go-to. Though they’re both practically equally popular, the audiences that they aim for are considerably different. While on IMDb, you’re more likely to find general audiences, Letterboxd is perfect for more hardcore cinephiles and niche groups.
Both of these platforms have a list of their 250 highest-rated films, and although quite a few movies are present on both, there are some others that don’t overlap at all. In fact, there are some films that have very high scores on IMDb, but are nowhere to be seen on Letterboxd’s Top 250 list.
10 ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)
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IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Generally speaking, IMDb is a much bigger fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe than Letterboxd. While users on the latter have often fallen victim to superhero fatigue, those on the former find that the biggest movie franchise in history still has more than enough gas left in the tank, as proved by the extraordinary rating of Avengers: Infinity War.
Infinity War was an unprecedentedly huge pop culture event at the time of its release, and fans of the MCU immediately fell in love with. Letterboxd audiences have also given it very high praise, but not nearly as much as people on IMDb.
9 ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knighttrilogy is still widely lauded as the greatest superhero movie trilogy of all time, and for good reason. However, the concluding chapter of the series, The Dark Knight Rises, was (and still is) generally agreed to be considerably weaker than its outstanding predecessor.
This epic superhero thriller is one of the movies with the biggest difference between its IMDb and Letterboxd scores, and it’s not hard to see why. Whereas IMDb was more forgiving of its writing and more appreciative of its exciting action scenes, Letterboxd was much more critical of its many issues.
8 ‘The Intouchables’ (2011)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
There’s something special about French comedies, some kind of secret formula that no other country’s cinema has been able to replicate. Both IMDb and Letterboxd audiences clearly agree, seeing as The Intouchables(typically regarded as one of the best French comedies of recent years) has an outstanding score on both.
While Letterboxd reviewers certainly love the film, however, its rating isn’t high enough to crack the social network’s Top 250. On IMDb, on the other hand, it’s among the 50 highest-rated movies, with users praising its earnest sense of humor and the delightful friendship of its two main characters.
7 ‘The Usual Suspects’ (1995)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Even after all these years, The Usual Suspects is still referred to as a paragon of the mystery crime drama genre, offering a variety of thrilling plot twists, an ensemble of memorable performances, and a story that’s gripping from start to finish.
Users on both IMDb and Letterboxd have a lot of praise to give to The Usual Suspects, though in noticeably different measure. While people on Letterboxd found the characters uninteresting and the disjointed narrative too messy, those on IMDb think that it’s one of the most dazzling and engaging thrillers of the ’90s.
6 ‘American History X’ (1998)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
American History X isn’t a drama for the faint of heart, but if you’re able to stomach its gut-wrenching story, chances are you’ll be among the people that think it’s among the most powerful films of the ’90s.
Though Letterboxd users highly praise what might be the best performance of Edward Norton‘s career and the provocative filmmaking style of American History X, they also find its story dangerously unsubtle and emotionally manipulative. IMDb users differ, showing how impressed they were by the thematically-charged story and its devastating conclusion.
5 ‘Gladiator’ (2000)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Ridley Scott is often a very hit-or-miss director, but when his movies hit, they hit hard. Gladiatoris what many would call one of his best works, thanks to its gripping story and grim, bloody depiction of the Roman Empire’s times.
Impressively crafted both visually and narratively, with a fascinating main character and a number of great performances, Gladiator made itself worthy of audiences’ praise. While both IMDb and Letterboxd gave the film a phenomenal score, only those on the former found it worthy of a spot in their Top 250.
4 ‘Léon: The Professional’ (1994)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
As one of the key players in the Cinéma du Look film movement, Luc Besson made a few great films during that time, but none have stood the test of time as nicely as his action thriller Léon: The Professional, one of the most popular French movies on IMDb.
The characters of The Professional are nothing short of enthralling, and the performances are really impressive. But while audiences on Letterboxd feel disturbed by the unsettling story behind the film and the sexualization of Natalie Portman, people on IMDb think that the impressive directing and polished script have too much merit to go unnoticed.
3 ‘The Matrix’ (1999)
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
No one had seen a sci-fi action film quite like The Matrixat the time it came out. Impressively choreographed, thrilling beyond measure, and surprisingly profound and philosophical, it’s a movie that’s just as shockingly good today as it was decades ago.
By sticking closely to Joseph Cambell‘s Hero’s Journey story archetype, the Wachowskis managed to tell one of the most entertaining stories in the genre. While it has a deservingly excellent score on both platforms, however, IMDb evidently remains more impressed by this sci-fi benchmark than Letterboxd.
2 ‘Inception’ (2010)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Still remembered as one of writer-director Christopher Nolan‘s most incredible and mind-bending achievements, Inceptionis the standard of quality for sci-fi heist movies. Exciting and fun, it has the perfect blend of action, thought-provoking elements, and emotional moments.
IMDb reviewers praise Inception as a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, with a bunch of shocking twists that keep getting better and better, and some of the best action sequences of the 21st century. Letterboxd users also greatly enjoy the movie, but think that Nolan’s poor writing skills bring the whole thing down a bit overall.
1 ‘Forrest Gump’ (1994)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Anyone who loves cinema is very likely familiar with Forrest Gump, and anyone who has seen it very likely enjoyed it to some extent. It’s that kind of dramedy: It’s funny and clever, but also deeply affecting when the situation calls for it.
Many people on Letterboxd, however, aren’t the biggest fans of the movie, calling its sociopolitical messaging highly problematic and its corny tone somewhat manipulative. IMDb users clearly disagree since they say that Forrest Gump is one of the most entertaining and moving motion pictures ever made.
