A Glean movie guide
Short & Sharp: Under 90 Minutes
Big impact, small runtime.
Great films that respect your time and deliver a complete experience.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Run Lola Run
A kinetic, high-stakes thriller that uses its short runtime to maintain relentless momentum.
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.
- 02
Before Sunset
This dialogue-driven masterpiece captures a profound, real-time connection between two people in Paris.
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
What We Do in the Shadows
A hilarious mockumentary that finds endless comedy in the mundane lives of ancient vampires.
Vampire housemates try to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster some of the perks of being undead.
- 04
Frances Ha
A charming, black-and-white portrait of navigating adulthood and friendship in New York City.
An aspiring dancer moves to New York City and becomes caught up in a whirlwind of flighty fair-weather friends, diminishing fortunes and career setbacks.
- 05
Locke
A masterclass in minimalism, this entire film unfolds through a series of phone calls during a single car ride.
Ivan Locke has worked hard to craft a good life for himself. Tonight, that life will collapse around him. On the eve of the biggest challenge of his career, Ivan receives a phone call that sets in motion a series of events that will unravel his family, job, and soul.
- 06
Following
Christopher Nolan’s debut is a lean, gripping noir that proves you don't need much time to build a mystery.
Bill, an idle, unemployed aspiring writer, walks the crowded streets of London following randomly chosen strangers, a seemingly innocent entertainment that becomes dangerous when he crosses paths with a mysterious character.
- 07
Stand by Me
An iconic coming-of-age story that perfectly captures the bittersweet nature of childhood friendship.
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
The Nightmare Before Christmas
A visually stunning stop-motion classic that is as whimsical as it is brief.
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.