Roger Ebert once famously said: "A good movie is never too long, and a bad movie is never too short." Although there are always complaints about the length of movies, many of the most beloved masterpieces in film history are more than three hours long, such as "Titanic," "Lawrence of Arabia," "Seven Samurai," "Avengers: Endgame" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." However, there are also a large number of excellent films that are far less than three hours, or even tell gripping stories in less than half the time.
"The Evil Dead 2" (1987) 85 minutes
"The Evil Dead 2" is Sam Raimi's pinnacle work. As a sequel and remake of "The Evil Dead", this film not only upgrades the bloody scale, but also injects a crazy and absurd sense of slapstick comedy. It doesn't focus on scaring the audience, but is more like an immersive haunted house adventure, with blood and carnival flying together, and a narrative rhythm comparable to a "Looney Tunes" cartoon. The whole process was enjoyable and enjoyable, and the limited time was used to the extreme.
Orange (2015) 88 minutes
The film, directed by Oscar-winning director Sean Baker, tells the story of two transgender sex workers on the streets of Hollywood on Christmas Eve. "Tangerine" aroused heated discussion when it was released because it is a micro-budget film shot entirely with iPhone 5s. This shooting method just creates a documentary texture of "bystanders observe closely". The compact length allows for a natural transition between intense quarrels and quiet introspection. It is an excellent slice of life focusing on marginalized groups.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) 85 minutes
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" has long become a holiday classic and one of Disney's top-selling peripheral films. Ironically, when the film was released, it was distributed by Touchstone Films due to concerns about scaring children. The film has vivid characters and classic songs. Every second is not wasted, and the informative story is told in one and a half hours. Although not strictly a Disney Renaissance work, it perfectly captures the imaginative essence of Disney animation in the 1990s.
Blair Witch (1999) 81 min.
When it comes to iconic horror films, "Blair Witch" can be compared with "Dracula", "Psycho" and "Moonlight" as a work that changed the direction of genre films. This micro-budget pseudo-documentary film tells the story of a group of documentary filmmakers who went deep into the forest to search for ancient folklore but lost their way. It was not the pioneer of "Found Footage" (pseudo-documentary), but it polished this form to the extreme and spawned hits such as "Cloverfield", "Paranormal Activity" and "Superman" in the 2010s. The short length of the film reinforces the real illusion that the audience is watching a lost videotape. Even though 27 years have passed and the truth has long been made public, it remains as horrifying as ever.
Fruitvale Station (2013) 85 minutes
Ryan Coogler's "The Sinner" became the most nominated film in Oscar history, and the director himself finally received an Oscar nomination for Best Director. Anyone who has read his debut novel "Fruitville Station" knows that this day has long been destined. The film stars Michael B. Jordan, his first collaboration with Coogler, as Oscar Grant, a young man killed by police officer Johannes Meisel in Oakland, California. The film focuses on the last day of Grant's life, using daily slices of bitterness and joy to show how ordinary life can be suddenly cut off by tragedy. It is both an affectionate look back at a young man's life and a microcosm of an unfair law enforcement system. It is Coogler's powerful directorial debut.
"Love at Sunset" (2004) 80 minutes
The second part of Richard Linklater's "With Love" trilogy. Nine years later, Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) reunite in Paris. The entire 80-minute film progresses in near real-time, like a countdown – Jesse must leave before the flight takes off. The audience is immersed in the dialogue along with the characters, while the pressure of time is always hanging overhead. "Happy times are always short" is the core of this film. Like a beautiful moment with a close friend, it ends too quickly, but it is worth every second.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 89 min.
89 minutes, just one minute shy of crossing the 90-minute threshold. "Grave of the Fireflies" directed by Isao Takahata is set in Kobe after the US bombing at the end of World War II. It tells the story of a pair of orphans struggling to survive in the war. The film is recognized as a masterpiece of animation, with beautiful images and deep emotions. It confronts the cruelty of war from a child's perspective and has one of the most heartbreaking endings in film history. Although the film is short, the emotion is very high, so please prepare tissues when watching the film.
Toy Story (1995) 81 min.
"Toy Story" is an epoch-making work as famous as "Star Wars" and "The Matrix". Its influence often overshadows the excitement of the film itself, especially after sequels emerge one after another. Even after more than 30 years, the first "Toy Story" is still full of charm. It was it that made Pixar famous in one fell swoop. Woody and Buzz Lightyear are one of the most classic characters in film history, and the dubbing by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen is perfect. The film is packed with laughs and also has the emotional depth that will be the hallmark of subsequent Pixar films. With so much packed into 81 minutes, it's no wonder it launched one of the most successful animated franchises in film history.
Paths of Glory (1957) 88 min.
Before Stanley Kubrick made three-hour epics such as "Spartacus" and "Barry Lyndon," he first made his shortest but equally great work: "Paths of Glory." In fact, "The Hitman" is also fully qualified to be on the list, but for the sake of diversity, we chose this 1957 anti-war classic. Starring Kirk Douglas, it tells the story of a French commander during World War I who defended soldiers who refused to carry out a suicide charge and faced a military court. "Paths of Glory" caused controversy when it was released: it was banned in France for 18 years because of its portrayal of the French military; it was also banned on U.S. military bases for many years. It is now recognized as one of the greatest anti-war films of all time. Such a heavy theme was expressed in only 88 minutes, which is even more impressive.
Rashomon (1950) 88 minutes
Even if you haven't seen Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon," you must have heard of its influence. The film revolves around the murder of a samurai in the forest. Through the narrations of multiple parties involved, it shows that each person's perspective will rewrite the understanding of the event. From this, the famous "Rashomon effect" was born: the same event is narrated by different people, and subjective, opposing and even contradictory versions appear. This technique can be seen everywhere in films such as "The Last Duel", "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and "Head of the Family". "Rashomon" won the Golden Lion Award at the 12th Venice Film Festival and the Best Foreign Language Film Award at the 24th Oscar (today's Best International Film), and its status has become more and more noble with time. It’s hard to imagine that one of the most important works in film history would be shorter than a single episode of the fifth season of “Stranger Things.”
Is your favorite 90-minute masterpiece on the list? Which one would you like to add? Welcome to leave a message in the comment area!
