Five Great Group Watches Under 90 Minutes
A film that ends at 9.45pm is a different proposition from one that ends at 11.30pm, especially on a Thursday. Plenty of movie nights are lost not to disagreement but to a quiet calculation: "I've got work in the morning."
Short films solve that, and they have another advantage. With less running time, a film has to earn its place, so these tend to be tight, quick and easy to talk about afterwards. Here are five that come in under 90 minutes, each for a different kind of evening.
Runtimes vary a little between prints and sources, so treat the figures below as approximate and check the version you are about to play.
Pick by the evening you have
Duck Soup (1933), about 68 minutes
The Marx Brothers at their most anarchic, with Groucho running a fictional country into the ground. The jokes come at a pace that rewards a group, because somebody always catches the line you missed.
The tradeoff: it is black and white and 1930s in its rhythms, so a few people may need ten minutes to tune in. Once they do, it is one of the easiest older comedies to enjoy together.
Airplane! (1980), just under 90 minutes
A parody of disaster films that fires gags constantly, so the film never sits still long enough to lose anyone. It is a good choice when the room wants to laugh and nobody wants to concentrate.
The tradeoff: the humour includes innuendo and some dated jokes, so check the classification before you press play if younger viewers are involved.
Chicken Run (2000), around 80 minutes
Aardman's prisoner-of-war-style escape comedy, with hens plotting their way out of a farm. It works for mixed ages because the adults get the film references and the children get the slapstick. The BBFC classification is U, for mild threat and mild bad language.
The tradeoff: the tone is gentle, so it will not satisfy a group that wants real tension.
My Neighbour Totoro (1988), about 86 minutes
Hayao Miyazaki's film about two sisters and the spirits near their new countryside home. It is calm, warm and low on conflict, which makes it a good choice for a quiet evening or a group that wants to unwind. The BBFC classification is U.
The tradeoff: it is a film of atmosphere rather than plot, so it suits a relaxed room better than one that wants to be kept guessing. Decide in advance whether you will watch the subtitled or dubbed version, so there is no argument once it starts.
Following (1998), about 69 minutes
Christopher Nolan's first feature is a black-and-white thriller about a young man who gets into the habit of following strangers. It runs barely over an hour, jumps around in time, and gives a group plenty to piece together.
The tradeoff: it is a low-budget film, and the story rewards close attention, so it is not one for a chatty room. It is a good option if somebody in your group has seen the famous things already: our guide to choosing when someone has seen everything explains why an early work from a well-known director can be a fresh pick.
Make the most of the spare time
A short film leaves room for the rest of the evening. Use it deliberately:
- Start earlier, finish earlier. A 7.30pm start means the credits roll before 9.00pm and everyone gets home at a sensible hour.
- Talk for ten minutes afterwards. Short films leave energy for a conversation, which a three-hour epic rarely does.
- Do not treat it as a warm-up. If the group enjoys the first film, suggest a second next time rather than extending tonight's session.
Add runtime to your filters
Length is the easiest limit to agree on and the one most often left until it causes trouble. When you build a shortlist, set a ceiling first and every film on the list will already fit the evening.
In MyMoviePoll, you can start a poll, have everyone nominate films that fit the time you have, and let the group vote on the result.