A Glean movie guide
The 90-Minute Masterclass
All killer, no filler.
Big stories that respect your time, all clocking in under an hour and a half.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Run Lola Run
A high-octane race against time that uses every second of its lean runtime to build incredible tension.
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
An intimate, real-time conversation in Paris that proves you don't need hours to tell a profound love story.
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 film that changed animation forever remains a masterclass in efficient, heart-filled storytelling.
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 riotous mockumentary that keeps the jokes coming at a breakneck pace without overstaying its welcome.
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 gritty debut is a twisty noir puzzle that packs a feature-length punch in just 70 minutes.
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
Primer
A mind-bending sci-fi mystery that demands your full attention and rewards multiple viewings in under 80 minutes.
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.
- 07
Airplane!
This legendary spoof is so densely packed with sight gags and puns that it feels twice as long in the best way.
An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning.
- 08
The Nightmare Before Christmas
A visually stunning stop-motion classic that creates an entire world in a remarkably brief window.
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.
- 09
Stand by Me
A poignant coming-of-age journey that captures the weight of childhood friendship with remarkable brevity.
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
My Neighbor Totoro
A gentle, atmospheric masterpiece from Studio Ghibli that prioritizes wonder and mood over complex plotting.
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.
- 11
Cloverfield
This found-footage thriller uses its short duration to maintain a relentless sense of panic and scale.
Five young New Yorkers throw their friend a going-away party the night that a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Told from the point of view of their video camera, the film is a document of their attempt to survive the most surreal, horrifying event of their lives.
- 12
The Evil Dead
A raw, high-energy horror landmark that delivers inventive scares and gore with zero wasted motion.
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.