A Glean movie guide
Short & Sweet: Great Movies Under 90 Minutes
Big stories, small runtimes.
Masterpieces that respect your time without sacrificing impact.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Run Lola Run
A high-octane race against time that feels like a shot of pure adrenaline.
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 beautifully intimate conversation that unfolds in near real-time on the streets of 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
Toy Story
The groundbreaking adventure that proved animation could have immense heart and wit.
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.
- 04
What We Do in the Shadows
A hilarious mockumentary that finds the mundane absurdity in the lives of modern 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.
- 05
Following
Christopher Nolan’s lean directorial debut is a twisty noir that packs a punch in just over an hour.
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.
- 06
Shiva Baby
A claustrophobic and razor-sharp comedy about a young woman navigating an increasingly awkward funeral.
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 and visually stunning psychological thriller that blurs the line between reality and delusion.
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
Paths of Glory
Stanley Kubrick’s powerful anti-war statement is as efficient as it is devastating.
A commanding officer defends three scapegoats on trial for a failed offensive that occurred within the French Army in 1916.
- 09
The Evil Dead
A low-budget horror masterpiece that redefined the genre with its raw energy and inventive scares.
In 1979, a group of college students find a Sumerian Book of the Dead in an old wilderness cabin they've rented for a weekend getaway.
- 10
Petite Maman
A gentle and profound French fable about childhood, grief, and the magic of connection.
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.
- 11
Airplane!
A relentless barrage of sight gags and puns that remains the gold standard for movie parodies.
An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning.
- 12
Primer
A complex and rewarding time-travel puzzle designed for viewers who love a mental challenge.
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.