A Glean movie guide
The 90-Minute Masterclass
No filler, all killer.
Big impact, small time commitment: the best films that clock in under an hour and a half.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Run Lola Run
A high-octane, sensory-overload sprint through Berlin that never lets up for a single 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 masterclass in dialogue that captures a lifetime of longing in a single, real-time 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
Toy Story
The groundbreaking adventure that proved digital animation could have a massive, enduring heart.
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 hilariously dry mockumentary that breathes fresh, funny life into ancient 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
Following
Christopher Nolan’s lean directorial debut is a twisty, noir-soaked puzzle that respects your time.
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
Paths of Glory
Stanley Kubrick’s searing anti-war drama remains one of the most powerful and efficient films ever made.
A commanding officer defends three scapegoats on trial for a failed offensive that occurred within the French Army in 1916.
- 07
My Neighbor Totoro
A gentle, magical escape into childhood wonder from the masters at Studio Ghibli.
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.
- 08
Phone Booth
A claustrophobic, real-time thriller that squeezes maximum tension out of a single location.
A slick New York publicist who picks up a ringing receiver in a phone booth is told that if he hangs up, he'll be killed... and the little red light from a laser rifle sight is proof that the caller isn't kidding.
- 09
Host
A terrifyingly efficient horror film that turns a standard Zoom call into a modern nightmare.
Six friends hire a medium to hold a séance via Zoom during lockdown — but they get far more than they bargained for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realise they might not survive the night.
- 10
Perfect Blue
A haunting and visually stunning psychological thriller that 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.
- 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
Fruitvale Station
A devastatingly intimate portrait of a life cut short, anchored by a powerhouse performance.
Oakland, California. Young Afro-American Oscar Grant crosses paths with family members, friends, enemies and strangers before facing his fate on the platform at Fruitvale Station, in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 2009.