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There are so many must-see movies and so little time; luckily, there are plenty of great films that are 90 minutes or less and won't take up your entire afternoon or evening to watch. While there are, of course, movies that merit an epic length like Lawrence of Arabia, there's also something refreshing and wonderful about a movie that can get in and get out in under an hour and a half.
Here are 32 of the best movies that are 90 minutes or less. Despite the breezy runtime, not all of them are light fare. Some short movies deal with big themes, while others are just a fun hour and a half of cinema. Animated kids movies and horror movies tend to lend themselves to short runtimes. It would be easy to solely focus ust on those two genres, but for the sake of having a varied list, you won't find too much children's fare or horror below. You also won't find shorts, which the Oscars define as films that are less than 40 minutes. (There are some movies on this list that are south of an hour, though.)
Finally, while these 32 films are among the best to ever do it in 90 minutes or less, there are countless incredible movies that are just a minute or two over this arbitrary time limit. Pour some out for all the 92-minute-long masterpieces that are ineligible for our purposes.
32. Hester Street
Year: 1975
Director: Joan Micklin Silver
Set in Manhattan's Lower East Side in 1896, Joan Micklin Silver's restrained, charming comedy-drama follows Carol Kane as Gitl, a recent Jewish immigrant who arrived from Eastern Europe. Gitl and her son are ostensibly coming to join her husband, Yankel, who crossed the Atlantic some time earlier. However, Yankel now goes by "Jake" and is trying to assimilate in a way that Gitl might not be ready for—if she wants it at all. It's a deeply sympathetic and enjoyable American tale.
31. Miracle Mile
Year: 1988
Director: Steve De Jarnatt
When Harry (Anthony Edwards) meets Julie (Mare Winningham), the girl of his dreams, it seems like things are finally looking up for him. That is, until he oversleeps and is late to meet her when her night shift ends for their date. Things get even worse when he answers a payphone call from somebody claiming to be in the military who dialed a wrong number—and who says the nukes have launched and will hit Los Angeles in just over an hour. Now, Harry must race to find Julie and try to get her to safety (if that phone call is to be believed).
30. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Year: 2021
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Actress-comedian Jenny Slate and director Dean Fleischer Camp reteam for a feature-length adaptation of the beloved series of web shorts they made in the early '00s, following the titular Marcel as they go on a series of twee, cute stop-motion adventures. The film, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, is a quirky and emotional story about grief, moving on, loneliness, and community. And it's all starring a little shell with shoes on.
29. March of the Penguins
Year: 2007
Director: Luc Jacquet
This sensational Oscar-winning documentary follows Antarctica's emperor penguin population over the course of a breeding season, one of the most astounding and impressive feats in all the animal kingdom. As Morgan Freeman narrates, we watch the penguins waddle more than 60 miles inland—far from the oceans where all their food swims—where they lay their eggs. Then, the males huddle together to keep the eggs (and themselves) warm in temperatures that reach minus 80 degrees, all without eating anything, for four months. Nature, man!
28. Liar Liar
Year: 1997
Director: Tom Shadyac
In this classic '90s family comedy, Jim Carrey stars as Fletcher Reede, a defense attorney who is constantly lying, whether it's in court or little fibs to his son, Max, whenever he breaks promises. So, Max makes a birthday wish that his dad would be unable to lie for one full day. This, understandably, causes problems, and Carrey is exceptional as he contorts his face and tries (and fails) to lie. It's a super fun little premise, and one that feels just right for its 86-minute runtime.
27. Duel
Year: 1971
Director: Steven Spielberg
Duel, Steven Spielberg's directorial debut, was originally released as a TV film that ran 74 minutes long. When the powers that be realized that the movie was better than an average TV movie (perhaps because it was directed by Steven Spielberg!), they put together a 90-minute cut and released it theatrically. Both runtimes qualify for this list, and Duel, which follows a man as he tries to escape the irate driver of a semi-truck who is trying to run him off the road, is well worth watching.
26. Zola
Year: 2020
Director: Janicza Bravo
This A24 movie has the unique distinction of being based on a Twitter thread, as it's a dramatization of a famous 148-tweet thread by Zola, a waitress and stripper, retelling the story of how a trip to Florida with another stripper turned into chaos and debauchery. Taylour Paige stars as Aziah "Zola" King, while Riley Keough plays her companion, Stefani. It's a funny and weird tale of a specific slice of American culture born from a particular time period in internet culture, all in a tight 90 minutes.
25. But I'm a Cheerleader
Year: 1999
Director: Jamie Babbit
Natasha Lyonne leads this cult classic comedy as Megan Bloomfield, a seemingly typical high school senior and cheerleader. However, her parents suspect that she might be a lesbian, so they send her to a conversion therapy camp in an attempt to turn her straight. It's a delightful, heartfelt, and kitschy flick, and it should be considered telling that even back in 1999, the idea of conversion therapy was so ridiculous that a movie like But I'm a Cheerleader could spoof the very concept.
24. Zoolander
Year: 2001
Director: Ben Stiller
One of the most beloved and best comedies of the '00s (if not the most beloved), Zoolander stars director Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander, a male model who was once at the top of the industry but is now verging on being over-the-hill. In an effort to stay on top, Derek finds himself caught in a potential assassination plot as well as some high-stakes underground catwalks. Zoolander is an absurd comedy, taking something inherently a little silly like the fashion industry and making it even more heightened, dumber, and funnier. Owen Wilson co-stars as Derek's up-and-coming rival model Hansel, while Will Ferrell plays Jacobim Mugatu, the film's villain (and inventor of the piano key necktie).
23. The General
Year: 1926
Directors: Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman
Buster Keaton's most iconic movie, The General, is a flabbergasting display of physical comedy, action, and insane practical stunts even a century after its release. Keaton stars as a train engineer during the Civil War who must single-handedly try to reclaim a stolen train when the soldiers who ride off with it also take the girl he's in love with as a captive. To watch Keaton do stunts on and around an actual, real-life train that is very much moving down tracks and could easily kill him if something were to go wrong is a magical cinematic experience. And, unlike a lot of silent movies, which are surprisingly long, The General is a brief 79 minutes total.
22. Host
Year: 2020
Director: Rob Savage
At just 56 minutes long, Host is the shortest movie on this list. It's also one of the most impressive. Made during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when everybody was in lockdown, Host is a horror movie told entirely through a Zoom call, following a group of friends in lockdown who are trying to hold a virtual séance for fun, only to inadvertently actually summon a demon. Host is a shockingly inventive and effective movie, especially considering that it was directed remotely, every actor was isolated and in charge of their own special effects, and the entire thing was made in 12 weeks.
21. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
Year: 1989
Director: Stephen Herek
Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves star as William "Bill" S. Preston, Esq., and Ted "Theodore" Logan in one of the most delightful comedies of the '80s; a time-traveling romp all so two SoCal slackers can try to pass their high school history class. Bill and Ted are fated to unite the world into a utopia with their music, you see, but that won't happen if they fail and Ted gets sent to military school. That's why an envoy from the future, Rufus (George Carlin), goes back in time to give the duo the help they need. It's a silly, excellent film about being excellent to each other. (And party on, dudes!)
20. The Daytrippers
Year: 1996
Director: Greg Mottola
Hope Davis leads this charming '90s indie comedy as Eliza, who, on the morning after Thanksgiving, finds evidence that suggests that her husband (Stanley Tucci) might be having an affair. So, to assuage fears that she hopes are unfounded, she decides to make a surprise visit to his Manhattan office. Her parents, sister, and her sister's boyfriend (Anne Meara, Pat McNamara, Parker Posey, and Liev Schreiber) decide to pile into the station wagon with her. It's a very sweet movie about how family drives you crazy and is there for you when you need 'em.
19. High Noon
Year: 1952
Director: Fred Zinnemann
One of the great Westerns plays out nearly in real-time, following Will Kane (Gary Cooper) as he prepares to retire as the marshal of a small New Mexico town now that he's married his bride, Amy (Grace Kelly). However, a dangerous criminal whom Kane sent to jail has gotten out, and he's aboard the noon train looking for revenge. It's up to Kane to gather a posse to protect the town… except nobody seems to have the courage to stand alongside him. With the clock ticking, Kane's got to prepare for a showdown.
18. Look Back
Year: 2024
Director: Kiyotaka Oshiyama
Look Back, an anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga of the same name, is just an hour long, but it packs a lot into those 60 minutes. The film follows a young girl who fancies herself an artist and is the best at making manga in her elementary school. However, when she encounters another girl who seems to be more talented than she is, it sparks a rivalry and a friendship that lasts into their young adulthood. Featuring a gut-punching twist and beautiful magical realism, Look Back is one of the more profound explorations of creativity that you'll ever see.
17. Run Lola Run
Year: 1998
Director: Tom Tykwer
Along with the 1950s movie Rashomon (which is also less than '90 minutes and is directed by the acclaimed Akira Kurosawa), Run Lola Run is the shorthand for an entire mini-genre of story, the sort that retells the same events from a different perspective or with a slight change that leads to a big butterfly effect. In Run Lola Run, a German movie from 1998, Franka Potente has 20 minutes to find 100,000 Deutsche Mark and get it to her boyfriend, otherwise the crime boss they've been doing petty work for will kill him. Three times we see Lola run through Berlin, leading to three very different outcomes.
16. Palm Springs
Year: 2020
Director: Max Barbakow
One of the best movies of its year, Palm Springs is a Groundhog Day-style time loop with a fun twist. While at a wedding in the titular California desert vacation hot spot, Sarah (Cristin Milioti) realizes she's somehow stuck reliving the same day over and over again. Nyles (Andy Samberg), has already been in the loop for what seems like an eternity and has made peace with it, giving up on getting out. As the two bond during their shared repetitions of November 9th, they grow and mature, even if the next morning never comes. It's a clever, funny rom-com with a great genre twist.
15. Shiva Baby
Year: 2020
Director: Emma Seligman
Despite not being a horror movie by any sort of genre classification, Shiva Baby might have your heart racing and you gripping the armrests of your chair as though you were watching one. Rachel Sennott stars as a young woman who goes to a shiva observance (a Jewish mourning ritual) with her parents, only to discover that her sugar daddy and her ex-girlfriend are both in attendance. As her secrets and personal life all find themselves in close contact with one another, Sennott's Danielle wants to squirm out of her skin. Viewers might also want to. Shiva Baby is great, but it's a good thing that it's only 78 minutes long. You might not be able to take much more.
14. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Year: 1974
Director: Tobe Hooper
This nasty, gnarly slasher is one of the most influential horror films of all time, and it made its mark with a chainsaw in just 83 minutes. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, like so many slashers that would follow it, tracks a group of teen- or college-age friends as they go on a rural road trip, one that has them encounter the dark, forgotten side of American society. Although much less bloody and graphic than its reputation (and name!) would have you believe, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is still incredibly upsetting and scary, and Leatherface is one of the all-time horror baddies.
13. Flow
Year: 2024
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
To say that Flow is a unique movie,or to say that its victory at the 97th Academy Awards was unlikely,is an understatement. A dialogue-free Latvian movie that was made over the course of five years not by a legion of animators using special programs, but on free and open-source software Blender, Flow follows a little kitty cat in a seemingly post-human, possibly post-apocalyptic world. When the water starts rising and it doesn't stop, the cat must try to find safety with a few other animals in a boat, including a friendly dog and a capybara. It's beautiful to look at and shockingly intense and gripping for all 84 minutes of its runtime.
12. Cat People
Year: 1942
Director: Jacques Tourneur
The Wolf Man, released in 1941, is probably better known than Cat People, which was released the following year, but the latter is by far the superior '40s movie about a person transforming into a dangerous mammal. While the werewolf movie boasts good makeup and special effects, Cat People is so great because of its restraint, telling the story of a newly married woman who fears she may be turning into a black panther whenever she's aroused. Suspenseful, beautifully shot in shadowy black and white, and boasting what might be the first jump scare in cinema history, Cat People is a horror classic.
11. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Year: 1956
Directors: Terry O. Morse and Ishirō Honda
The first Godzilla movie, an absolute masterpiece that was released in 1954,is a few minutes too long to qualify for this list of films. The American edit, though, is somehow shorter despite the addition of new footage of Raymond Burr as an American reporter who served as a new PoV character for Western audiences in the '50s. Although King of the Monsters! is not as good of a movie as the Japanese original (would you believe that the country that dropped the atomic bombs has a slightly more cavalier take on them than the country that was bombed?), it's still a gripping and exciting monster movie worthy of your time.
10. The Iron Giant
Year: 1999
Director: Brad Bird
The Iron Giant could be considered a spiritual sequel to E.T., as it also is about a young boy's relationship with a strange alien that comes to Earth. However, in the 1999 animated cult classic, the alien is not a little guy but a massive robot. The Iron Giant was built as a weapon of interstellar war but has amnesia due to damage sustained when he crashed on Earth, and instead he's a big sweetie. The Iron Giant is a beautiful movie about choosing to be good against our natures, wrapped up in a heartwarming tale of friendship amidst a Cold War setting.
9. Rashomon
Year: 1950
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Compared to Seven Samurai's nearly 4-hour runtime, Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon is a breeze at 88 minutes. The film, also considered one of the great director's great works, takes place in the wake of a samurai's murder. A bandit, the samurai's wife, and the late samurai himself (via a medium who claims to speak with the dead) all recount their version of how the killing went down; all three have a very different story. It's a great conceit that has been imitated many times, and it's tremendous fun.
8. The Wicker Man
Year: 1973
Director: Robin Hardy
Perhaps the greatest (or at least the most famous) example of folk horror, The Wicker Man follows a stiff Scottish cop as he goes to investigate the supposed disappearance of a young girl on Summerisle, a island whose inhabitants are cheery, insular, and follow pagan beliefs. His investigation takes him to some unexpected places, culminating in a reveal that things are very much not all sunshine and rainbows for this sun-worshipping community. (Do not confuse The Wicker Man with the Nic Cage remake. The '70s one is a great film, the remake can only be enjoyed ironically.)
7. Toy Story
Year: 1995
Director: John Lasseter
Pixar's first film is only 81 minutes long, including credits, a brevity demanded in part because making a feature-length computer-animated film was already a challenging feat given the still-nascent CG technology. That only makes Toy Story more of a wonder, as it's amazing how efficient and effective the story is with every minute of its runtime, telling the now-beloved story of how Woody the toy cowboy and Buzz Lightyear the toy spaceman overcame their initial animosity to become fast friends.
6. Perfect Blue
Year: 1997
Director: Satoshi Kon
Satoshi Kon's debut film is astounding in how prescient it is, accurately predicting a lot of the disturbing realities of internet culture and how it impacts our psychological relationships with celebrity and fandoms. It's also a film that will have you question the very concept of "self" and have you jumping every time you see your own reflection. Mima is a pop idol who is leaving singing behind to pursue acting, but she soon finds herself losing her grip on reality. Is she being stalked by a fan who doesn't like her career change, or does she know, deep down, that she made the wrong call? Or worse yet, does she have something to do with a series of murders?
5. Beauty and the Beast
Year: 1991
Directors: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
It's no wonder Beauty and the Beast was the first animated movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture—a feat it accomplished back when there were only five nominees instead of ten. It's a masterpiece. Following the beautiful bookworm Belle (Paige O'Hara) as she finds herself living in an enchanted castle with the Beast (Robby Benson), the Disney movie is gorgeously animated, has several of the greatest songs in cinema, and is basically a perfect fairy tale, all in 84 minutes.
4. My Neighbor Totoro
Year: 1988
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
The anime legend Hayao Miyazaki has made many masterpieces, but none are as purely joyful and magical as My Neighbor Totoro. A beautiful exploration of childhood and nature, the movie takes place in rural 1950s Japan as sisters Satsuki and Mei move with their dad to an old house in the country. Once there, they begin to encounter mysterious (but friendly!) wood spirits. It's a fun, thoughtful film that doesn't have any real sense of urgency or a focused plot. Instead, My Neighbor Totoro just envelops you in its warm, wonderful world.
3. Airplane!
Year: 1980
Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
"Surely you can't be serious?" The great disaster movie spoof Airplane! is a mere 87 minutes long, but it's so joke-dense that it packs in more goofs, gags, and quips than you'd expect from a comedy twice its length. Taking place on a commercial airliner whose pilots (one of whom is played by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) have been taken out by food poisoning, Airplane! is high stakes and highly silly. Leslie Nielsen notably co-stars, and although he's better remembered as a comedic actor, prior to Airplane! he actually was a much more straightforward and serious leading man.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Year: 1993
Director: Henry Selick
Though associated with Tim Burton, who came up with the idea for the movie and produced it, The Nightmare Before Christmas was actually directed by Henry Selick, one of the greatest stop-motion directors of all time, as evidenced by this masterpiece. It's frankly astounding that The Nightmare Before Christmas is only 79 minutes long; in that little amount of time, it creates the fully realized world of Halloween Town, makes you love every one of its residents, and be happily along for the ride as Jack Skellington tries to become Santa Claus. Not a single frame is wasted or superfluous.
1. Paths of Glory
Year: 1957
Director: Stanley Kubrick
One of the great anti-war movies, Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory stars Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax, a French officer in World War I who is ordered to lead his men out of the trenches and into what he knows is a doomed attack, which will surely result in complete failure. The first half of this short movie is one of the most spectacular battle scenes ever put to film. The second half, a military trial where Dax attempts to defend three of his men who are facing death—scapegoats for the unit's supposed cowardice that caused the attack to fail—is a gripping (and infuriating) legal thriller.
