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Shorter runtimes and engaging plots are perfect for when you don’t have many hours to spare
Weekends might be for indulging in cinema at leisure but what if you want a quick binge-session on a weeknight? Movies with a shorter runtime come to your rescue when you want an engaging plot but don’t have much time to spare. Apart from classics such as When Harry Met Sally and Run Lola Run, there are many recent capers that have engaged the viewers with their emotionally-charged and riveting narratives. Here are a few of these, with a runtime of 90 minutes or less, that are perfect for a weeknight binge.
In her first lead role, comedian and podcaster Jessica Williams won hearts with her performance as a struggling playwright in New York. The rom-com sees her falling for the charms of an Irish app designer Boone (Chris O-Dowd). The movie has its premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
Streaming on Netflix
If you’re up for thrills of the best kind, look no further than this post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror movie directed by John Krasinski, starring Emily Blunt. The plot revolves around a family of four who must live their lives in silence as blind extra-terrestrial monsters with an acute sense of hearing, and hunt for anything that makes a sound. The critically-acclaimed movie won several nominations, winning quite a few at prestigious award shows.
Streaming on Netflix
When three petty thieves break into an old, blind man’s house with the intention to rob him, they think they are up for an easy job. But the trio cannot even begin to imagine the weird and twisted horror that lies ahead for them. One of the reviews terms it the ‘best American horror film in twenty years’.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Shyam (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) plays a married teacher in a village, and seduces his teenage student Sandhya (Shweta Tripathi). Kamal (Irfan Khan) is Sandhya’s classmate and has a crush on her. Crisis is imminent and events implode by the end. The movie packs some riveting performances by the lead cast.
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
Good crocodile horrors are hard to come by, but in this Alexandre Aja-directorial, a whole lot of tension and thrills are packed in its 87-minutes runtime. Dave Keller (Barry Pepper) gets trapped under the crawlspace in their house in the midst of a hurricane with his daughter Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario) and a couple of large alligators (you read that right). The movie is a tension-filled ride as the father-daughter duo try to survive the fury of nature as well as the predators.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Mothers are bound to be suspicious of their daughters’ boyfriends, but this movie takes on a sinister turn when the mother, Usha Kharti (Sarita Choudhury), believes her daughter Pallavi’s (Sunita Mani) boyfriend, Sandeep, has a dark connection. According to her, Pallavi's abusive ex is manifested in Sandeep. The film has a mysterious premise that promises to get sinister.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
This So Yong Kim directorial revolves around two girlfriends who meet after a long time, only to discover that they both actually love each other. The leads, Riley Keough and Jena Malone, bring a beautiful chemistry and an emotional connect to this movie about friendship, intimacy and sexuality.
Streaming on Netflix
The ‘white’ in the title does not refer to the colour of skin, but cocaine, which is central to the plot. Elizabeth Woods’ first feature is about a New York college freshman Leah (Morgan Saylor) who gets involved with a Puerto Rican drug dealer Blue (Brian Marc), and is willing to go to any lengths to get him released from jail. The semi-autobiographical movie had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016.
Streaming on Netflix
A tragic accident leaves two-year-old Pihu (Myra Vishwakarma) trapped in a house with very little food and water at her disposal. There is tension and uncertainty as the toddler tries to survive the ordeal of being on her own. Director Vinod Kapri is said to have been inspired by a real-life incident that he read in the newspaper.
Streaming on Netflix
The Babysitter starts as a comedy but very soon, spirals into something much more sinister as Cole (Judah Lewis) finds himself falling for his babysitter, the charming Bee (Samara Weaving)— except that the latter is the leader of a fanatical blood cult. The gory delight won many hearts and remains a go-to for fans seeking an enjoyable horror-comedy.
Streaming on Netflix
When two best friends, played by Anna Hutchison and Andrea Whitburn, decide to take a road trip to a desert, their encounter with a psychopathic tow truck driver leaves them terrorised. Director Michael Bafaro packs in action, thrills and tension in the movie's 83-minute runtime.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Inspired by the 1980 cult-classic of the same name, this newer version stars Manav Kaul in the titular role. Albert Pinto is an angry young man whose life has been an amalgamation of injustices and frustrations. The story is unveiled when he goes missing and his girlfriend Stella (Nandita Das) files a missing police complaint.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video