In Defense of the 90 Minute Movie
If you are a semi-regular movie goer (but not quite in the film-bro category) like myself, you have probably noticed that the majority of the blockbuster hits as of late have a run time of 2.5 hours plus. Taking part in this summer’s Barbenheimer double feature was out of reach for me, as the three hour run time of Oppenheimer was intimidatingly long. Discussions of Scorscese’s Killers of the Flower Moon at the lunch table of my corporate internship rendered me speechless, as I could not even consider sitting in a theater for 3.5 hours, not counting trailers. After seeing Bottoms a few months ago, my friend and I left the theater commenting on how refreshing and enjoyable it was to watch a film with a runtime under two hours. So why is it that these three hour movies are taking over the movie theaters? In this piece I will investigate the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the cinema industry in order to build my defense for the 90 minute movie.
There is no denying that the lockdown period of the pandemic transformed the way we as viewers interact with entertainment, indefinitely. The way film and television is produced and distributed has also been turned upside-down. During lockdown, studios were forced to decide whether they would delay the release of their films until after the pandemic restrictions were lifted, or sell movies straight to streaming services. This resulted in the delay of releases of films with high production costs, while smaller budget films were premiered on streaming services or VOD. In late 2021, and 2022, as audiences began to return to the theaters, the films being released in theaters were almost exclusively epic spectacles with incredible visual effects.
In order for studios and filmmakers to ensure audience attendance and decent box office numbers, the post-pandemic releases marketed themselves as theatrical events and experiences that viewers just HAD to see on the big screen. Therefore, Marvel films and other movies of the action-adventure genre dominated the box office. Films that rely on heavy visual effects, partnered with run times of 2.5+ hours perpetuate this genre of cinematic experience films as studios and theaters have prioritized making an event out of films in order to facilitate the return to cinemas. Additionally, studios are relying heavily on franchising, sequels, prequels, remakes, and any form of existing IP as a way to “ensure” success in the post-covid moviegoing landscape. All of these factors are especially relevant to economic tensions between the cinemas, video-on-demand, and streaming.
As a result of the financial impact of the pandemic, studios are much less likely to take risks on films that may not be associated with an already prominent franchise or successful talent. Romantic comedies and other so-called fluffier films which tend to hold a shorter run-time seem to be going straight to streaming at an incredibly high rate. If the films even make it to the box office, they do not tend to stay in cinemas for long, and are quickly available to stream. This is also due to pressures to appeal to a global audience, where action and cinematically impressive films dominate, though the idea that the movie theater must be such a serious place is tiring. The pandemic has taught us that entertainment is more important than ever, especially the visual media that is enjoyable and sometimes provides an escape.
Netflix offers a specific categorization of under 90 minute films, proving that there is an audience base for this genre of film. While my personal algorithm frequently suggests “90 Minute Laughs” there are plenty of highly regarded dramas and arthouse films that fit into this category as well. Effective and compelling storytelling does not always require three to four hour run times. While many visual epics are box office hits, and not critically praised, there is an impression that long runtimes equate to high art. In some cases, this is clearly true as complex narratives can take a while to properly and faithfully communicate the filmmaker’s vision. That being said, within the last decade of Academy Award Best Picture winners Nomadland (2020), CODA (2021), and Moonlight (2016) all clock in under 90 minutes.
I believe that there is a necessity for original content more than ever following the pandemic. Hopefully strike negotiations will allow for shorter form, original, independent content to succeed. The critical and financial success of A24 and other independent studios in the current movie landscape is not to be understated, as these companies prove that a large budget is not necessary in order to create a profitable, high quality, unique product. I also believe there is a growing fatigue in the longform superhero or action movie format, as Marvel has continued to (over)saturate the market. While the nearly three hour movie continued to dominate prominent cinematic releases in 2023, there is currently more flexibility in what is considered to be worthy of a theatrical release in contrast to 2021 and 2022. As we move further from the lockdown era, I can only hope that studios will realize the value in the 90 minute film and its appeal to current audiences.
