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How to Build the Perfect Notion Movie Tracker

Notion Tips

October 12, 2025

My "watch later" list was a disaster. Like, we're talking about a digital graveyard of forgotten films I swore I'd get around to someday. Sound familiar? I'd bet good money it does.

After one too many nights spent scrolling endlessly through streaming services (only to rewatch The Office for the millionth time), I finally snapped and created something that actually works: a Notion Movie Tracker Template that's changed how I approach movie nights entirely. And guess what? I'm sharing it with you for free.

Introduction to Notion Movie Tracker Template

Why Traditional Movie Lists Fail: The Case for a Notion Tracker

Let's face it, there's something almost comically overwhelming about modern movie consumption. Between Netflix recommendations, that indie film your coworker won't shut up about, and the classics your partner insists you "absolutely must see," keeping track is practically a part-time job.

My breaking point? Finding "Parasite" on my watchlist three separate times while simultaneously not remembering if I'd already watched "The Lighthouse." (I had. Twice.)

The problem isn't just having too many movie options, it's that our brains aren't wired to manage sprawling, disorganized collections. We need systems, and the default "save for later" buttons on streaming platforms just don't cut it.

That's when I turned to Notion, not because I'm some productivity guru (trust me, I'm not), but because I desperately needed something that worked with my chaotic movie-watching habits rather than against them.

Key Features That Make This Notion Movie Tracker Practical for Daily Use

This isn't just another pretty-but-impractical template that you'll abandon after three days. I actually use this thing daily, and here's what makes it stick:

It shows what you're currently watching right at the top, no more forgetting you're halfway through that 3-hour epic
You can rate movies you've finished (and quietly archive the ones you abandoned)
Sorting by genre, category, or series happens with a click, perfect for "I'm in the mood for sci-fi" moments
It automatically timestamps your watching activity, weirdly satisfying to see your movie history
The visual layout doesn't make your eyes bleed, because aesthetics matter, especially for something you'll use often

The beauty of this system isn't its complexity, it's how naturally it fits into real movie-watching behavior. Let me walk you through it.

How Your Notion Movie Dashboard Organizes Your Film Collection

The "Currently Watching" Section: No More Lost Movies

The top section is basically my saving grace. It's where all those movies I started but didn't finish live, the ones that would typically get buried and forgotten.

This section has saved me countless times, especially with those movies that are brilliant but, let's be real, sometimes require a bit of willpower to finish. (Tenet, I'm looking at you. I'll get back to you someday, I promise.)

Currently Watching Section on the dashboard

Your Central Hub for Movie Tracking in Notion

Just below that is where the organizational magic happens. The main tracker breaks everything down into three simple statuses:

Haven't Started (the hopefuls)
Currently Watching (the in-progress)
Watched (the conquered)

There's also a View All option when you're feeling adventurous and want to see your entire collection at once.

What I love about this layout is how it gives you a bird's-eye view of your movie situation without overwhelming you with information. It's just enough structure without feeling like homework.

Visually Browse Your Movie Collection in Notion

Each movie gets its own card with all the important details:

Which series it belongs to (if any)
Categories and genres (crucial for those "what am I in the mood for?" moments)
Current watch status
When you last watched it
Your personal rating
Whether it's a favorite or not

I've found that having images for each movie makes scrolling through my collection feel like browsing a mini Netflix that's curated specifically for me. There's something oddly satisfying about seeing all your movies with their posters lined up.

Movie cards with detailed info on directory page

Track Your Movie-Watching Progress Visually

If you're more of a visual organizer (like me), the board view is where it's at. It gives you those satisfying Trello-style columns that let you drag movies between "Not Started," "Watching," and "Watched" statuses.

There's something weirdly motivating about physically dragging a movie card from "Watching" to "Watched." Small dopamine hit? Maybe. Effective? Definitely.

Board view for tracking movie watching progress

Filter Movies by Categories, Genres, and Series

Sometimes you just want to watch something from a specific genre or category. The dedicated pages for these make browsing by mood super simple.

What's particularly handy is seeing how many movies you've watched in each category. Apparently, I've watched way more horror movies than I realized, something I discovered only after setting up this tracker.

Real-Life Example: Using the Notion Movie Tracker

Let me walk you through how this works in practice. Last weekend, I decided to finally watch "How to Train Your Dragon 2" (yes, I'm late to the party, don't judge).

First, I needed to add it to my tracker. The quick-add buttons make this painless:

I clicked "Add New Movie," typed in the title, and then assigned it to the Animation category, Fantasy genre, and added it to the "How to Train Your Dragon" series. The cool thing? If any of these categories or genres don't exist yet, the template prompts you to create them on the spot.

Then I grabbed a movie poster image from Google to make it look nice:

Adding a new movie with category and genre selection

When I started watching, I clicked the "Watching" button, which automatically logged the date and time. Then life happened: phone call, dinner, the usual distractions, and I had to pause halfway through.

No problem! The movie now sits prominently in my "Currently Watching" section, so when I opened Notion the next day, there it was, waiting for me to finish. No more "wait, what was I watching again?" moments.

After finishing it, I marked it as "Watched," gave it a solid 8/10 rating, and added it to my favorites. The system logged the completion time automatically.

Example of adding 'How to Train Your Dragon 2' to the template

For TV shows that release weekly (looking at you, "Loki"), I just click the "Watching" button each week when I watch a new episode. The system updates the last watched time and keeps a running log of my viewing sessions.

Why This Notion Movie Tracker Stands Out

I've tried plenty of movie tracking methods before: spreadsheets, notes apps, even a physical journal at one desperate point. None stuck. Here's why this one does:

Low friction: Adding and updating movies takes seconds, not minutes
Visually rewarding: The clean layout and movie posters make it actually pleasant to use
Flexible: It adapts to both methodical planners and chaotic watchers (I'm definitely the latter)
Practical: It solves real problems like "what was I watching again?" and "what should I watch tonight?"

The template has become my go-to not just for tracking, but for deciding what to watch. Date night? Filter by romance and sort by unwatched. Feeling nostalgic? Check out my favorites from years past.

Grab Your Free Template

After friends kept asking me to share my setup, I decided to make it available to everyone. You can snag this template totally free.

Just head to the Notion Movie Tracker Template page and click the download button. Within seconds, you'll have your own copy ready to customize.

For more Notion templates and tips, check out the full collection. There's some pretty cool stuff there for everything from habit tracking to recipe management.

FAQ about the Notion Movie Tracker

Do I need to be a Notion expert to use this?

Nope! If you can click buttons and type movie titles, you're qualified. The template is designed to be intuitive even for Notion newbies.

Can I track TV shows too, or just movies?

Both! It works great for series. I use it for everything from limited series to long-running shows, tracking each watching session.

What if I want to add custom categories?

Absolutely. You can add, edit, or delete categories, genres, and series anytime using the quick add buttons on the dashboard.

Will this work on my phone?

Yep! Since it's built in Notion, it works seamlessly across devices. I often update mine from my phone right after watching something.

Can I share my tracker with friends or family?

Absolutely. You can invite others to view or collaborate on your movie tracker, perfect for couples or roommates who watch together.

Conclusion

Look, there's something deeply satisfying about having your movie life organized. Beyond the practical benefits, there's this unexpected joy in seeing your watching history laid out visually. The movies that shaped different periods of your life, the genres you gravitate toward, the hidden patterns in your watching habits.

This template isn't going to change your life dramatically, but it might just make your movie nights a little more intent.