A Glean movie guide
Under 90 Minutes: The Lean List
Short films, big impact.
Great films that respect your schedule without sacrificing quality.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Run Lola Run
A high-octane, stylistic 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 near real-time.
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 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.
- 04
A Quiet Place
A masterfully tense survival thriller that uses silence to build unbearable pressure.
A family is forced to live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.
- 05
Toy Story
The groundbreaking adventure that proved digital animation could have a massive 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.
- 06
Palm Springs
A clever, sun-soaked twist on the time-loop genre with sharp wit and great chemistry.
When carefree Nyles and reluctant maid of honor Sarah have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated when they find themselves unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other.
- 07
Shiva Baby
A claustrophobic and biting comedy 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.
- 08
Host
A terrifyingly efficient supernatural horror shot entirely over a video call.
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.
- 09
Airplane!
A relentless barrage of sight gags and puns that remains the gold standard for spoof comedy.
An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning.
- 10
Petite Maman
A gentle, magical-realist fable that packs an immense emotional punch into just over an hour.
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
Don't Breathe
A stripped-back, terrifying game of cat-and-mouse set in a single house.
A group of teens break into a blind man's home thinking they'll get away with the perfect crime. They're wrong.
- 12
Stand by Me
A timeless, nostalgic journey that perfectly captures the bittersweet end of childhood.
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.