A Glean movie guide
Short & Sweet: Great Movies Under 90 Minutes
Maximum impact, minimum time.
Proof that a masterpiece doesn't need a three-hour runtime to leave an impact.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Run Lola Run
A high-octane, pulse-pounding thriller that literally never stops moving.
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
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
What We Do in the Shadows
A hilariously dry mockumentary that breathes fresh, comedic life into vampire lore.
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
Toy Story
The groundbreaking animation that proved digital characters could have massive hearts.
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.
- 05
Rope
A tense, experimental Hitchcock thriller filmed to look like one continuous shot.
Two young men attempt to prove they committed the perfect murder by hosting a dinner party for the family of a classmate they just strangled to death.
- 06
Shiva Baby
An expertly crafted comedy of anxiety that turns a family gathering into a pressure cooker.
College student Danielle must cover her tracks when she unexpectedly runs into her sugar daddy at a shiva - with her parents, ex-girlfriend and family friends also in attendance.
- 07
Perfect Blue
A haunting psychological thriller that brilliantly blurs the line between reality and fame.
Rising pop star Mima quits singing to pursue a career as an actress. After she takes up a role on a popular detective show, her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima's reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia.
- 08
Airplane!
A relentless barrage of slapstick and puns that remains one of the funniest films ever made.
An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning.
- 09
Paths of Glory
A searing anti-war drama that showcases Stanley Kubrick’s early mastery of the craft.
A commanding officer defends three scapegoats on trial for a failed offensive that occurred within the French Army in 1916.
- 10
Primer
A complex, low-budget sci-fi puzzle that respects the audience's intelligence at every turn.
A group of fledgling inventors discover a complex method to manipulate reality. At first, they successfully game the stock market with it, but the consequences of the invention start to catch up with them.
- 11
Petite Maman
A gentle and profound modern fairy tale that explores grief and childhood with immense grace.
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.
- 12
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
A raw, visceral horror landmark that relies on atmosphere and dread rather than gore.
Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way, they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.