A Glean movie guide
Short & Sweet: Bedtime Features
Big stories, small time slots.
Great movies under 90 minutes that won't keep you up all night.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
My Neighbor Totoro
A gentle, visually soothing masterpiece about childhood wonder that is the gold standard for relaxing cinema.
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.
- 02
Before Sunset
An intimate, real-time conversation through the streets of Paris that feels like a warm, evening embrace.
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
Petite Maman
A quiet and deeply moving modern fairy tale with a remarkably lean runtime and a meditative atmosphere.
After the death of her beloved grandmother, eight-year-old Nelly meets a strangely familiar girl her own age in the woods. Instantly forming a connection with this mysterious new friend, Nelly embarks on a fantastical journey of discovery which helps her come to terms with this newfound loss.
- 04
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
A whimsical mockumentary that finds immense heart and humor in the smallest, most charming details.
Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. When a documentarian discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, his resulting short film brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope at finding his long-lost family.
- 05
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson’s signature style brings a fast-paced but cozy energy to this visually stunning stop-motion adventure.
The Fantastic Mr. Fox, bored with his current life, plans a heist against the three local farmers. The farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with the sly fox, seek revenge against him and his family.
- 06
Toy Story
A nostalgic, perfectly paced classic that delivers a complete emotional journey in just over 80 minutes.
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.
- 07
Frances Ha
A breezy, black-and-white look at friendship and finding one's way that feels both episodic and effortless.
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.
- 08
The Iron Giant
A beautifully animated sci-fi fable that packs a massive emotional punch into a very tight timeframe.
In the small town of Rockwell, Maine in October 1957, a giant metal machine befriends a nine-year-old boy and ultimately finds its humanity by unselfishly saving people from their own fears and prejudices.
- 09
The Triplets of Belleville
A nearly silent, visually inventive journey that is as eccentric as it is relaxing to watch.
When her grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madame Souza and her beloved pooch Bruno team up with the Belleville Sisters—an aged song-and-dance team from the days of Fred Astaire—to rescue him.
- 10
Airplane!
A rapid-fire comedy classic that keeps the stakes low and the laughs constant from start to finish.
An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning.