Limited Time Frame

A Single Man (2009)

Based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood, this film was created by fashion designer Tom Ford, whose exquisite taste is very visible in this beautiful adaptation. Set in L.A. in the 60ies, it shows a professor who's mourning his partner's death, and spends time with his best friend and - by chance - with one of his students. Wonderfully poetic like the novel, and stunningly played by Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode and Nicholas Hoult. 

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

The play-like quality of this film stems from its origin, the wonderful play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams. It shows the tensions in a wealthy family, whose patriarch is mortally ill. Brick, the son struggling with alcoholism and his secrets, is unwilling to spend time with either his family nor his wife Maggie, to tries to improve their position in the family. Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman in one of the great classics, still stunning to watch.

Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

At a hotel built on the border of California and Nevada, several individuals turn up to spend the night. They all have their own, mysterious motives as they engage with each other...Great writing and an illustrious cast including Jeff Bridges, Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm and the spectacular Cynthia Erivo make this film an exciting experience.

Training Day (2001)

A day in the life of two police officers, painful to watch but memorable and engrossing. A young cop is getting his first training day on the side of an experienced officer, but the day goes much deeper than that. Denzel Washington won an Oscar for his tough performance, and Ethan Hawke as the naive rookie is a great sparring partner.

PS: If you like this one, consider watching the recent French film Les Misérables (2019) by Ladj Ly.

1917 (2019)

A visionary masterpiece, which shows a dangerous mission of two soldiers during WWI. It is told in a chronological way without any cuts that omit passing time, so the time frame is naturally very short. This adds to the intense drama of the film, which is mainly achieved through an unusual cinematography which follows and surrounds the two young protagonists. The soldiers are portrayed by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chaplin, and the elite of British acting such as Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch has wonderful cameos.

Rebel without a Cause (1955)

One of James Dean's few performances and the last one before his untimely death, this film has become iconic. It shows the games and shenanigans of a group of teenagers in L.A. who have nothing to do and get into trouble. The short time span makes the events of the night more intense and thrilling, and the performance by James Dean equals his Oscar-nominated one in East of Eden shortly before this film.

Before Sunrise (1995)

One of Richard Linklater's charming masterpieces, this film about a chance encounter of a young woman and a young man who are travelling around Europe tells the events of a few hours only. Having a plot that lack action, the most important elements of this films are dialogue and chemistry. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's performance was so convincing that two more films about this couple were created later on.*

* see my list on trilogies in the film section (Trilogies & Sequels)

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Based on the true events of a day in the life of Oscar Grant, who struggled with several things in his life, but on that day everything else became irrelevant when getting arrested. Named Fruitvale Station after the location of the main event, this film is intense because of the drama building up quickly, and because the audience knows the events actually happened. Michael B. Jordan is the soul of this film, and Octavia Spencer gives a great performance as his mother. Gripping.

High Noon (1952)

 A marshal in a small town is planning to give up his post after getting married, but he must deal with one last dangerous task. At high noon, he will face off with a gang of killers - and the passing time is an important element of suspense. The short time frame makes this film all the more tense, and the wonderful music adds to it. Gary Cooper won as Oscar for his role, and Grace Kelly adds her magic to the screen beautifully. 

Hail Caesar (2016)

 An unusually funny film by the Coen brothers, this gem is set in the 50ies in Hollywood. When a film star is abducted by a communist group, a fixer of the film studio is tasked with solving the problem quietly. Filled with absurd comedy and clichés about the film business, this is a film for cinephiles. The all star cast with Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johannson, George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Tilda Swinton and many more is in great shape and brings Hollywood to life.