A Glean movie guide
Maximum Impact, Minimum Runtime
Short films, big stories.
The best feature films you can finish in under 90 minutes.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Toy Story
A groundbreaking animation that proves heart and humor don't need a long runtime.
Led by Woody, Andy's toys live happily in his room until Andy's birthday brings Buzz Lightyear onto the scene. Afraid of losing his place in Andy's heart, Woody plots against Buzz. But when circumstances separate Buzz and Woody from their owner, the duo eventually learns to put aside their differences.
- 02
Before Sunset
A masterclass in dialogue that captures a lifetime of longing in a single afternoon.
Nine years later, Jesse travels across Europe giving readings from a book he wrote about the night he spent in Vienna with Celine. After his reading in Paris, Celine finds him, and they spend part of the day together before Jesse has to again leave for a flight. They are both in relationships now, and Jesse has a son, but as their strong feelings for each other start to return, both confess a longing for more.
- 03
Rashomon
A legendary mystery that explores the nature of truth through four conflicting perspectives.
Four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.
- 04
Paths of Glory
Stanley Kubrick’s lean war drama remains one of cinema’s most powerful anti-war statements.
A commanding officer defends three scapegoats on trial for a failed offensive that occurred within the French Army in 1916.
- 05
The Lion King
An epic Shakespearean tale told with stunning animation and unforgettable music.
Young lion prince Simba, eager to one day become king of the Pride Lands, grows up under the watchful eye of his father Mufasa; all the while his villainous uncle Scar conspires to take the throne for himself. Amid betrayal and tragedy, Simba must confront his past and find his rightful place in the Circle of Life.
- 06
Run Lola Run
A relentless, high-energy thriller that reinvents itself with every ticking second.
Lola receives a phone call from her boyfriend Manni. He lost 100,000 DM in a subway train that belongs to a very bad guy. She has 20 minutes to raise this amount and meet Manni. Otherwise, he will rob a store to get the money. Three different alternatives may happen depending on some minor event along Lola's run.
- 07
Stand by Me
A definitive coming-of-age story that perfectly captures the bittersweet end of childhood.
After learning that a boy their age has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four boys decide to go see the body. Gordie, Vern, Chris, and Teddy encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, but they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys' adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.
- 08
A Quiet Place
A masterfully tense survival thriller that uses silence to create unbearable pressure.
A family is forced to live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.
- 09
Airplane!
A relentless barrage of sight gags and puns that remains the gold standard for parodies.
An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning.
- 10
Bicycle Thieves
A foundational work of Italian cinema that finds profound tragedy in a simple, desperate search.
Unemployed Antonio is elated when he finally finds work hanging posters around war-torn Rome. However on his first day, his bicycle—essential to his work—gets stolen. His job is doomed unless he can find the thief. With the help of his son, Antonio combs the city, becoming desperate for justice.
- 11
What We Do in the Shadows
A hilariously dry mockumentary that breathes fresh, comedic life into the vampire genre.
Vampire housemates try to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster some of the perks of being undead.
- 12
My Neighbor Totoro
A gentle, magical masterpiece that captures the wonder of childhood without a single wasted frame.
Two sisters move to the country with their father in order to be closer to their hospitalized mother, and discover the surrounding trees are inhabited by Totoros, magical spirits of the forest. When the youngest runs away from home, the older sister seeks help from the spirits to find her.