Some films are just too long. Take The Batman, a really great two-hour movie that runs for three hours. So I'm delighted to see that Netflix has introduced a new "short-ass movies" section to help you find movies that'll move you, excite you and delight you without giving you a square backside from their too-long running times.
It started as a joke: on Saturday Night Live, Pete Davidson did a skit about the joys of "short-ass movies, a really short movie, at most an hour forty". "Good idea!" Netflix replied on Twitter, and the new Short-Ass Movies section (opens in new tab) was born. Although it was introduced by Netflix US, it's on Netflix UK too.
As far as I can see, every short-ass movie meets Davidson's criteria: they're at most an hour forty, and usually a good bit shorter.
Why short movies are sweet
The new category is packed with great films: Easy A, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Attack The Block, the Halloween movies and much more. There's a huge variety in terms of genre (and if we're being honest, quality) but you'll find psychological thrillers, slapstick comedies, Spike Lee joints and stone cold classics, all coming in at a backside-friendly hour and a bit.
I think that's great. There's nothing wrong with long movies – some of the best movies ever made weigh in at over three hours – but if you're like me and want something to watch on a school night that's just too much movie to cram into a single sitting, and I hate splitting films over two sessions. Big films are for big film nights; short-ass movies are for the nights when you want to watch something self-contained that won't keep you watching till the wee small hours.
I think the inclusion of a short-ass movie category is funny but also useful. So the next step is obvious: Netflix should also introduce a category for long movies and weekend watching. How about a big-ass movie section too, Netflix?
