Top 10 movies under 90 minutes (Leo Standards)

The length of movies dictates more than you’d think to analyze.

There is a wide range of movie lengths; ranging from short films that are less than 10 minutes to Brady Corbet’s newly released “The Brutalist”, coming in at 215 minutes including the 15-minute intermission.

But I am not here to encourage you to spend 3 hours of your day glued to a screen.

Sometimes, you want to indulge in a movie as if it’s a piece of candy. Something short and sweet.

I have curated a list of movies that all have a run time of less than 90 minutes. Now, I know the title says top 10 but don’t let that throw you off. These movies are top 10 by my own standards, which is personal enjoyment.

10: “Maradona’s Legs” (2019), directed by Firas Khoury, 24 minutes

Coming in at just 24 minutes, Firas Khoury directs the incredibly upbeat short about two young boys during the 1990 World Cup.

Paced incredibly, the movie follows our two young Palestinian football fans on a mission to complete their sticker album. Their reward: an Atari.

We see them seeking out one specific sticker, the lower half of one of the greatest soccer players of all time: Diego Maradona. They go on a quest throughout their town in an attempt to find their missing sticker and claim their prize.

With this movie having such a short runtime and a very simple plot, makes this a great watch if you have 24 minutes to spare.

9: “Rye Lane” (2023), directed by Raine Allen-Miller, 82 minutes

If you are looking for your next rom-com, then look no further.

“Rye Lane” follows Dom and Yas who are both recovering from bad breakups. They connect in an extremely spontaneous and humorous way and then spend the day together in South London.

We witness them helping each other deal with their exes with a build-up of restoring their faith in romance.

From the A Tribe Called Quest needle drop to the iconic waving to people on boat moments, Raine Allen-Miller significantly raises the bar on modern romantic comedies.

Oh, and did I mention there is a scene in which our two leads perform a karaoke rendition of “Shoop” by Salt-N-Pepa?

No?

Guess you got to check out the electric scene for yourself then.

8: "Chronicle" (2012), directed by Josh Trank, 84 minutes

Picture this.

It’s the peak of the found-footage-movie era, you and your friends stumble into a cave and leave with psychic abilities.

Sounds cool, right?

“Chronicle” portrays this perfectly with a touch of reality as we witness our main trio’s lives spin out of control, resulting in what I can only call a “friend group ending” situation.

From building Legos using their new abilities to learning how to fly, we are given a front-row seat as even the camera is controlled by our lead’s psychic powers.

I can’t recommend this movie enough. There are so many iconic scenes and insanely fun ways our characters use their powers building up to an epic climax.

7: “Boy” (2010), directed by Taika Waititi, 87 minutes

One of my personal favorites (Letterboxd top four worthy) and the first of two Taika Waititi movies on this list, “Boy” is a standout coming-of-age movie if that genre is up your alley.

Taking place on the east coast of New Zealand in 1984; we follow Boy, an 11-year-old obsessed with Michael Jackson, who finally gets to meet his father whom he had only heard exuberant stories about.

With some scene-stealing characters and gripping choices of dialogue, this movie will make you feel all the emotions on the emotional spectrum.

On top of that, if you are also a Michael Jackson fan like Boy, you will find immense pleasure in a variety of scenes honoring the late “King of Pop” such as Boy’s incredible dance moves he learned from the Thriller music video.

6: “Curious George” (2006), directed by Matthew O’Callaghan, 87 minutes

If you were ever a child and did not get the privilege of watching this movie, I feel sorry for you.

With crisp animation and a bright, vibrant color palette, “Curious George” is a movie that deserves to be framed and shown to kids until the end of time.

We follow The Man in the Yellow Hat named Ted, voiced by Saturday Night Live legend Will Ferrell, as he befriends George, a curious monkey, in the jungle. George follows Ted to the big city, where they set off on a chaotic journey to foster a new friendship.

Overcoming obstacles, painting a jungle on the neighbors' penthouse walls, and an ever-learning monkey, “Curious George” is an infectious movie that anyone of any age is able to enjoy.

Also, to hype this animated movie up even more, Jack Johnson leads the film's soundtrack with iconic hits such as “Upside Down” and many others you are sure to recognize.

If all of these aspects appeal to you, watch this as soon as you can. It can even just be background noise because the visuals are enough to satisfy.

5: “Funny Pages” (2022), directed by Owen Kline, 87 minutes

Another coming-of-age story follows Robert, an aspiring cartoonist on a quest for soul.

We watch as Robert rejects the comforts of his suburban life in order to grow as an independent artist.

With many intentionally awkward scenes, we experience the cruel reality that comes with independence in a niche community.

Definitely a slow burn; Owen Kline displays the innocent yet hopeful sides of Robert through the different obstacles he must overcome, including his new friend Wallace.

The movie builds into a tense climax which I am not going to spoil. But, if you like awkward characters, cartoons, and weird situations, this 87-minute movie may just be for you.

4: “Black Dynamite” (2009), directed by Scott Sanders, 85 minutes

“He’s super bad, He’s outta sight. He’s Black Dynamite” (Letterboxd).

Scott Sanders directed this American blaxploitation action comedy and I would write my own depiction of the film, but I believe that I will never be able to word it as well as the movie's own listed plot:

“This is the story of 1970s African-American action legend Black Dynamite. The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House” (Letterboxd).

Having one of the most quotable dialogues ever, this self-aware movie leans into the genre it’s paying homage to in an extremely entertaining way with crazy characters and an even crazier story.

3: “Zola” (2020), directed by Janicza Bravo, 86 minutes

“Zola” is one of the best biopics ever made and I’ll tell you why.

In October 2015, A’ziah “Zola” King posted 148 tweets containing details about a trip she took to Florida with her new friend Jessica.

Yep.

The entire movie is depicted based on the viral Twitter thread and when I tell you it’s one of the craziest stories you’ll ever hear, I swear I’ve never said something more truthful.

I don’t want to say too much to spoil it. But if you plan on checking it out, I definitely recommend finding and following the Twitter thread as the movie plays. It truly is one helluva ride that’ll have you on the edge of your seat.

Oh, and there’s a scene where Cousin Greg from “Succession” raps Migos’ “Hannah Montana”. That honestly should be the only thing I needed to say in order to convince you to watch this movie.

2: “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014), directed by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, 86 minutes

A fresh take on the mockumentary genre follows a group of vampire roommates living in modern-day New Zealand.

With compelling characters and a great take on the lore, Waititi and Clement decide to display centuries-old vampires dealing with modern-day issues such as doing the dishes, bidding for items online, and having a chaotic night out on the town.

The hidden gem this became, inspired Waititi and Clement to create a spin-off show of the same name. But this time, following vampire roommates in modern-day Staten Island. Spanning six seasons, the show builds on the format the movie provided as well as incorporating tons of new elements.

I believe this is one of, if not, the best mockumentary to date. Unfortunately, my No. 1 ranked movie takes this feat.

1: “Surfs Up” (2007), directed by Chris Buck and Ash Brannon, 85 minutes

I don’t think anyone will disagree with me on this one. If this caught you by surprise, I hope it was a pleasant one because this is one of the most timeless movies ever.

Cody, a penguin surfer, is eager to escape his harsh reality of home and make it to the big leagues: the Big Z Memorial Surf off.

Followed by a documentary crew, Cody embarks on a life-changing adventure meeting various iconic characters such as the legendary Chicken Joe.

With takes on live sports event coverages, the mockumentary style of filmmaking, and the coming-of-age trope, “Surfs Up” brings the heat.

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who dislikes this movie. The rewatchability factor is immensely high, the characters and dialogue are infectious, and the cast of voice actors is pristine consisting of Shia Labeouf (Holes, Transformers), Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski), Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), and Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, 500 Days of Summer).

This is an all-time movie that, like Curious George, should be framed in some sort of hall of fame.

Leo Weisfelner is a third-year majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email lhw5076@psu.edu.