Movie Night Planner
Add your films, set a start time, and see exactly when the credits roll.
Why plan a movie night by runtime?
Most abandoned movie nights fail for a boring reason: the maths. A double feature that starts at 8 p.m. with two 140-minute films and a snack break does not end "around eleven" — it ends after half past midnight. Knowing the real end time before you press play helps you pick films that fit the evening you actually have, instead of bailing out halfway through the second act.
How to use this planner
- Set your start time. Be honest — include the time it takes everyone to actually sit down.
- Add each film's runtime in minutes. Runtimes are printed on tickets, listed by every licensed streaming service, and shown in our reviews.
- Add a realistic break. Ten to twenty minutes between films covers refills and debate about the ending.
- Check the end time. If it lands later than you'd like, swap a long film for something tighter.
A few runtime rules of thumb
Feature runtimes cluster in predictable bands. Tight thrillers and comedies often land between 90 and 110 minutes. Mainstream dramas tend to sit between 110 and 135. Epics, ensemble crime sagas, and awards-season biographical dramas regularly pass 150 — Michael Mann's Heat, which we cover in our Heat (1995) review, runs 170 minutes and earns them. If your evening only has two hours in it, a deliberately paced film cut short is a worse experience than a shorter film finished; our guide to slow burn movies explains why pacing changes how a film should be scheduled, not just how it feels.
Planning a double feature that works
Order matters as much as length. Put the heavier, slower film first while attention is fresh, and follow it with something lighter — pairing two demanding films back-to-back is how second features end up half-watched. For more on how a film's cut shapes its perceived length, see our craft piece on how editing changes pacing.
Frequently asked questions
Do runtimes include the credits?
Official runtimes include the full credit roll, so the "story" usually ends five to ten minutes before the listed runtime is up. If your plan is tight, that's your buffer.
Where do I find a film's runtime?
The distributor's official page, your ticket, or the details panel on any licensed streaming service. Our reviews discuss when a film earns its length — and when it doesn't.
Does the planner store my data?
No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you enter is sent to our servers or saved.