A Glean movie guide
Short & Sweet: Great Movies Under 90 Minutes
All killer, no filler.
Proof that a masterpiece doesn't need a three-hour runtime to leave a lasting impression.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Run Lola Run
A high-octane, visual sprint through Berlin that never lets up for a 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.
- 02
Before Sunset
A breathtakingly intimate real-time conversation that captures a lifetime of longing in just 80 minutes.
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 digital animation could have a massive heart and universal appeal.
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 riotously funny mockumentary that breathes fresh, hilarious 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.
- 05
Paths of Glory
Stanley Kubrick’s lean, devastating anti-war masterpiece remains one of cinema's most powerful statements.
A commanding officer defends three scapegoats on trial for a failed offensive that occurred within the French Army in 1916.
- 06
Shiva Baby
A claustrophobic and razor-sharp comedy of manners that turns a family gathering into a high-stakes thriller.
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
Primer
A complex, low-budget sci-fi puzzle that demands your full attention and rewards every minute.
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.
- 08
Perfect Blue
A haunting and stylish psychological thriller that blurs the line between reality and obsession.
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.
- 09
Stand by Me
A definitive coming-of-age journey that packs immense emotional weight into its concise runtime.
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.
- 10
Petite Maman
A gentle, magical, and deeply moving French fable about childhood and 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 set the gold standard for parody films.
An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning.
- 12
Following
Christopher Nolan’s gritty directorial debut is a taut, non-linear noir that clocks in at 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.