45 Great Movies That You Can Watch in Under 90 Minutes
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Anyone notice that Hollywood loves a long movie nowadays? I get it. Directors need time to tell a good story, but do they need three whole hours? (I’m looking at you, Oppenheimer.) That’s too damn long!
How about 90 minutes? Most people only have a couple hours to spare anyway. If you’re in that boat—or simply can’t sit still for longer than that—congratulations, you’ve come to the right place.
Below, Esquire has rounded up 45 short movies that are quick but mighty. There are plenty of genres to choose from. Whether you want an action movie like Run Lola Run, a comedy like What We Do in the Shadows, or a romance like Along Came Polly, these 45 films are up to the task. Rest assured, none of these movies will eat up your afternoon. We know you don’t have time for that.
Frankenstein
You know Mary Shelly’s iconic story by heart: Dr. Henry Frankenstein embarks on a mission to create life. Instead, he makes a monster. At first, he’s able to keep the creature in check, but eventually, the monster escapes—causing a ruckus in a nearby town.
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The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a delightfully haunting animated film, created by Tim Burton. The movie follows the adventures of Jack Skellington, a pumpkin king who leaves Halloweentown for Christmastown. Shortly after, he hatches a plan to kidnap Santa Claus and bring spooky magic to the cheery holiday.
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Before Sunset
Before Sunset is the sequel to Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise. Set nine years after the original, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) returns to Europe for a book tour. He wrote about the night he met Celine (Julie Delpy)—and to his surprise, they reconnect. Now, they’re both in relationships, but their feelings for each other are as strong as ever.
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Toy Story
Toy Story is 81 minutes of pure joy. Tom Hanks voices Woody, a toy cowboy who belongs to a little boy named Andy. When Andy gets a new toy, the space cadet Buzz Lightyear, Woody is afraid he’ll be forgotten. In a turn of events, Andy’s family moves—and both Buzz and Woody are stolen by Andy’s neighbor, Sid. In order to make it back home, they have to look past their differences and work together.
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Fruitvale Station
Michael B. Jordan is Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station. The film is based on a true story, and depicts the events leading up to Grant's untimely death—a run-in with the law that became a precursor to the Black Lives Matter movement.
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Paranormal Activity
In Paranormal Activity, a couple moves into a new house. Spoiler alert: it’s haunted. As strange events unfold, the couple sets up a camera to record it all. If you haven't seen it yet, just know that there's a reason why Paranormal Activity is a found-footage classic.
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What We Do in the Shadows
Before What We Do in the Shadows was a hit TV show, it was a movie. The film follows a group of vampires who live together and allow a documentarian to record their lives. The result? A hilarious look at creatures of the night.
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Child’s Play
Chucky is not for everyone, but if you’re into killer dolls, then this movie is worth the watch. In Child's Play, a serial killer’s soul is transferred into a small, redheaded doll. When the toy is purchased for a young boy, the killer takes the opportunity to continue his murder streak—in deranged bite-sized, fashion.
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Fun Size
In Fun Size, a teenage girl is forced to babysit her kid brother on Halloween. She was hoping to go to a party, but when her brother goes missing, she spends the holiday tracking him down.
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47 Meters Down
In 47 Meters Down, sisters Kate and Lisa travel to Mexico for a vacation. During their trip, they go shark diving—an activity their tour guide insists is “totally safe.” Can you guess what happens next? One thing leads to another, and the girls are stuck in a shark cage, plunged 47 meters into the ocean.
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Crossroads
A Britney Spears movie? Sign us up. In Crossroads, Spears plays Lucy Wagner, a girl who reunites with her friends, Kit (Zoe Salda?a) and Mimi (Taryn Manning), after spending years apart. They come together for a cross-country road trip that changes all of their lives.
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She’s Gotta Have It
Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It follows the life of Nola Darling. She has everything…except a boyfriend, and she can’t figure out who to date. When three men come into her life, Nola is forced to decide what she wants in love and life.
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Along Came Polly
In Along Came Polly, Ben Stiller plays Reuben Feiffer, a man who’s terrified of taking risks. When his wife cheats on him during their honeymoon, Reuben decides he needs to make a change. Step one: go out more. Step two: find a girlfriend. When he opens his life to risks, Reuben crosses paths with his former crush, Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston).
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Zombieland
Zombieland is a brilliant horror comedy. (We have a whole list of those, by the way.) When a virus takes over the world, mankind are turned into zombies. There are only a few humans left, and when they learn about a safe haven in Los Angeles, they embark on an epic journey to get there.
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Run Lola Run
In Run Lola Run, a woman is tasked with getting 100,000 Deutschemark (roughly $58k) to her boyfriend, Manni. Oh, and there’s a catch—she only has 20 minutes to do it. If Lola fails, Manni’s boss will...kill him.
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Cloverfield
Cloverfield is a cult classic for a reason. In the Matt Reeves-directed film, a group of friends gather for a going-away celebration, but the festivities are interrupted by a giant monster that's descended on the city. With little information or help available, the friends must rely on each other for survival—and they catch the terrifying attack on camera.
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Ice Age
Ice Age follows a group of prehistoric animals—a sloth, a woolly mammoth, and a sabertooth tiger—who are supposed to be migrating south toward warmer weather. Along the way, they find a baby and try to bring the kid to its family before the Ice Age begins.
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The Simpsons Movie
Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie embark on an adventure in The Simpsons Movie. When Homer accidentally pollutes his hometown, the residents of Springfield find themselves in grave danger. In order to reverse the damage, Homer goes on a quest to save his home from destruction.
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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a classic horror film that gets to the point quickly. When Marilyn Burns (Sally Hardesty) learns that her grandfather's grave has been vandalized, she grabs her brother, Franklin (Paul A. Partain), and their friends to assess the damage. Along the way, they find a deserted farmhouse and come in contact with a chainsaw-wielding killer.
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11:14
Life can change in a minute. 11:14 follows five people who are involved in a devastating car crash. The movie is told from their individual perspectives, showcasing each character's life and how a twist of fate forces them to collide.
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Scary Movie
If Scream was a bit too scary (and too long!) for you, then try Scary Movie. This spoof of the Woodsboro murders casts Anna Farris as Cindy, a teenage girl who’s hunted down by a knife-wielding Ghostface. It’s the same setup as poor Sydney Prescott—only this time, Cindy gets the last laugh.
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Disaster Movie
Disaster Movie follows a group of young adults who try to survive a series of inexplicable disasters. Along the way, they run into celebrities, like Iron Man—who is crushed by a cow!—and Hannah Montana, who gets stuck under a meteor. It’s as ridiculous as it sounds...and it earned a whopping 1% from Rotten Tomatoes. But hey, if you’ve got 87 minutes to spare, you might just find that Disaster Movie is so bad that it's good.
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Attack the Block
I know you’ve seen Boyega in Star Wars, The Woman King, and They Cloned Tyrone, but before that, he surprised us all with his stellar 2011 sci-fi adventure, Attack the Block. Boyega stars as an inner-city kid named Moses. When a group of aliens invade his neighborhood, Moses and his friends band together to ward off evil.
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Rye Lane
Rye Lane is a touching love story between two heartbroken strangers. When Yas (Vivian Oparah) meets Dom (David Jonsson), he’s crying over his ex-girlfriend, who cheated on him with his best friend. Coincidentally, Yas is reeling over her ex, too. She and Dom decide to help each other get over their past partners.
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Old Yeller
A boy, his dog, and a tragic ending that’s haunted people for decades. If you haven’t seen Old Yeller yet, consider this a sign. But do yourself a favor and grab a box of tissues.
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Friday
Never underestimate the power of a Friday. In this comedy, Ice Cube stars as Craig Jones, a down-on-his-luck man who’s fired on his day off. To make matters worse, his friend, Smokey (Chris Tucker), owes a local drug dealer money—and now, Craig is guilty by association. If they want to make it to Saturday, Craig and Smokey have to come up with $200—which is much harder than you’d expect.
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Stand by Me
Stand by Me is an exploration of boyhood starring River Phoenix, Will Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, and Kiefer Sutherland. When they learn of a nearby death, the boys try to find the body. Their morbid curiosity turns into a touching adventure that shapes the course of their lives.
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Prom Dates
For many high school students, finding a prom date is the most stressful part of the year. Thankfully, Jess (Antonia Gentry) and Hannah (Julia Lester) have a plan. Or, wait, they had a plan. When their dates fall through, the girls try to find replacements 24 hours before the big day.
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Serial Mom
Kathleen Turner stars as Beverly Sutphin in this wacky comedy. When a teacher speaks poorly about her son, Kathleen...runs them over. Later, when more bodies pop up, Kathleen becomes the prime suspect in a string of unsolved murders. Is she really a serial killer, or just a cooped-up suburban housewife?
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Lord of the Flies
Based on William Golding's novel of the same name, Lord of the Flies follows a group of young boys who are stranded on an island. As time passes, the children turn feral and divide into factions for survival. But when tragedy strikes, they’re all forced to confront the consequences of their actions.
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Bad Trip
In Bad Trip, Eric André and Lil Rel Howery star as Chris and Bud, who embark on a road trip to New York City. Along the way, they pull real people into their pranks and leave a trail of mayhem behind them.
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Shiva Baby
Shiva Baby stars Rachel Sennott as Danielle, a young woman who runs into her sugar daddy (and his wife!) at a funeral. Chaos unfolds as Danielle's personal and family lives meld, leaving her at the center of a very awkward encounter.
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Vampires vs. the Bronx
In Vampires vs. the Bronx, a group of friends realizes their neighborhood has been overthrown by bloodsucking monsters. Can a group of kids take down a league of vampires? You’re about to find out.
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The Breaker Upperers
Breakups are hard—which is exactly why Mel (Madeline Sami) and Jen (Jack Van Beek) turn them into a business. In The Breaker Upperers, Mel and Jen help their clientele end their relationships. At first, their tactics are ruthless and unflinching—but when they question their methods, the business model falls apart.
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Murder Mystery 2
In Murder Mystery 2, Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) and Nick (Adam Sandler) Spitz are back and ready to solve another mystery. This time, they have their own detective agency and can get the job done in just 89 minutes.
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Paddleton
Ray Romano and Mark Duplass star in Paddleton as Andy and Michael, two neighbors who form a unique friendship. When Michael learns he has a terminal illness, he asks Andy to assist in ending his life. But first, they have to take a six-hour road trip to get Michaels's euthanasia pills.
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The Guilty
In this action-thriller, Jake Gyllenhaal plays a 911 operator named Joe Baylor. When a woman calls to report an abduction, Joe is roped into a twisted mind game to get her home safely. Antoine Fuqua, the director of Training Day and The Equalizer, created The Guilty—so prepare for a few plot twists.
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The After
The After is an Oscar-nominated short film starring David Oyelowo as a driver named Dayo. When a tragedy takes the life of a loved one, Dayo is paralyzed by grief. That is, until one of his customers helps him confront his feelings. With an 18-minute runtime, this film is the shortest on the list, but it packs a punch.
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March of the Penguins
March of the Penguins is a documentary about one of nature's oldest mating practices. Every year, Emperor Penguins march across the snowy tundra to find a mate. The remarkable process takes 20 days—which, in this film, are narrated by Morgan Freeman.
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Frances Ha
Before Greta Gerwig made a name for herself as a director, she tried her hand at acting. In Frances Ha, Gerwig plays an aspiring dancer who lives in New York City. It’s a touching coming-of-age story that’s full of heart and shot entirely in black and white.
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Safety Not Guaranteed
Sometimes, writing assignments can get weird. In Safety Not Guaranteed, three magazine employees respond to an ad for a man who wants a time-travel companion. Sounds like the makings of a good story…right?
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Crank
Jason Statham plays hitman Chev Chelios in Crank. One morning, Chev learns that he’s been poisoned. Here’s the kicker: the venom relies on adrenaline. If he runs out of adrenaline, he’ll die within an hour, which means he must keep his heart rate up as he scours Los Angeles for an antidote.
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Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is an A24 production starring Jenny Slate as Marcel, a tiny shell who lives in an abandoned community with his grandmother, Connie. When a documentary filmmaker discovers Marcel and Connie, they become a viral sensation. Marcel then opts to use his newfound fame to find his missing family.
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Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox is a star-studded animated film about a fox (George Clooney), who, despite his wife’s (Meryl Streep) advice, raids his human neighbor's farm. Naturally, it doesn’t go well—but don’t get caught up in the plot. Come for the intricate animation and stay for pitch-perfect performances from Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Willem Dafoe.
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Blackfish
Blackfish is a documentary about the orca Tilikum. While in captivity, Tilikum killed numerous people, but that didn’t deter his owners from making him perform at SeaWorld. Blackfish sets out to investigate the dangers of animal captivity.
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