23 of the Best ‘Bottle’ Movies

Sometimes the greatest films involve the characters staying put
23 of the Best ‘Bottle’ Movies

Have you ever heard the term “bottle movie”? It’s not quite what it sounds like — i.e. a movie so bad you have to drink through it or possibly one where all the characters have been shrunk down and stuffed in a bottle like a ship, which admittedly seems very specific for a whole genre. It’s actually a movie that takes place entirely in one location, like said ship in a bottle, and it’s a real challenge for filmmakers. After all, it’s hard to make people sitting around seem interesting.

It’s one of Redditor func_backDoor’s favorite types of movies, though. “I don’t know why, but these movies seem so comforting to me,” they said, listing Identity, The Storm of the Century and The Autopsy of Jane Doe as particular faves, which don’t seem comforting so much as super creepy, but to each their own. 

They then asked r/Movies, “What is your favorite bottle movie?” for new recs, and they definitely got them.

23Phone Booth
22Clue
21Sleuth
20The Shining
19My Dinner With Andre
18Misery
17Ready or Not
16Buried
15Locke
14Exam
13Sanctuary
12The Menu
11Bodies Bodies Bodies
10The Man From Earth
9The Outfit
8Rear Window
7The Breakfast Club
6Reservoir Dogs
5Cube
412 Angry Men
3The Hateful Eight
2The Thing
1Bottle Rocket
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