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  #1  
Old 05-29-2010, 08:12 PM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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Best Movies of the 90s: Help me compile a master list

We did this before with movies of the 00s. let's try it again. I am trying to come up with my list of the best 50 movies of the 90s. To do that, I need to first compile a master list of good movies from the 90s, which I can then winnow down to get my 50. In my view, the 90s was one of the best decades in film, so the list could be pretty long.

Below are the movies that have occurred to me so far. I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of good ones. As you can see from my list so far, the movies don't have to be high-brow. Just good, entertaining movies. Help me out, please. What am I missing?...

A River Runs Through It
A Few Good Men
A Civil Action
American Beauty
American Pie
Amistad
Apollo 13
The Apostle
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Awakenings
Barcelona
Basquiat
Before Sunrise
Being John Malkovich
Benny & Joon
The Big Lebowski
Boogie Nights
Bottle Rocket
The Boxer
Boyz ‘N the Hood
Brassed Off
Braveheart
Bugsy
Can’t Hardly wait
Candyman
Casino
Chaplin
Chasing Amy
Clerks
Clueless
The Crucible
Crumb
Dances With Wolves
Dark City
Dazed and Confused
Dead Man Walking
Dead Alive (Braindead)
Deep Impact
Doc Hollywood
Dogfight
Donnie Brasco
Dumb and Dumber
The Edge
Ed Wood
Edward Scissorhands
Election
Elizabeth
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
The English Patient
Farewell My Concubine
Fargo
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fifth Element
Fight Club
Flirting
Forrest Gump
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Friday
The Fugitive
The Full Monty
Funny Games
Galaxy Quest
Gattaca
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Glengarry Glen Ross
Good Will Hunting
Goodfellas
Grosse Pointe Blank
Groundhog Day
Heat
Heavenly Creatures
Hoop Dreams
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Hunt for Red October
The Ice Storm
In the Name of the Father
Interview With the Vampire
Into the West
It Could Happen to You
Jerry Maguire
Jurassic Park
Kingpin
Kolya
L.A. Confidential
The Last Broadcast
Last of the Mohicans
Leaving Las Vegas
Léon (The Professional)
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lone Star
Mars Attacks
The Matrix
Men in Black
Men With Guns (Hombres Armados)
Miller’s Crossing
Murder in the First
My Cousin Vinny
Mystery Men
Notting Hill
Office Space
Outbreak
The People vs. Larry Flint
Philadelphia
Pretty Woman
Primal Fear
Primal Fear Restoration
Primary Colors
Princess Mononoke
Pulp Fiction
Quick Change
Raise the Red Lantern
The Ref
The Remains of the Day
Reservoir Dogs
Ride With the Devil
Run Lola Run
Rushmore
Saving Private Ryan
Schindler’s List
Scream
The Secret of Roan Inish
Se7en
Shakespeare in Love
Shawshank Redemption
The Silence of the Lambs
Singles
Sirens
The Sixth Sense
Slacker (not to be confused with Slackers)
Sling Blade
So I Married an Axe Murderer
Speed
Stir of Echoes
The Straight Story
Sweet and Lowdown
The Sweet Hereafter
Swingers
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Thelma & Louise
There’s Something About Mary
Three Kings
Titanic (I know, I know...)
Tombstone
Total Recall
Toy Story
Trainspotting
Trekkies
Tremors
True Romance
Twelve Monkeys
Unforgiven
The Usual Suspects
Waiting for Guffman
Waking Ned Devine
Wayne’s World
What About Bob?
When We Were Kings
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  #2  
Old 05-29-2010, 08:15 PM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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By the way, feel free to give me your own top 50 list. I would be interested to see it.
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  #3  
Old 05-29-2010, 08:24 PM
MPB in Salt Lake MPB in Salt Lake is offline
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I think I see a lot fewer movies than the average Doper, but I really liked the movies "Go" and "Best In Show" (I saw that you included Waiting For Guffman in your list) which were both from sometime in the mid 1990's if I recall correctly.........

Your list has several all-time favorites of mine including Kingpin, 12 Monkeys, Waking Ned Devine, Waiting For Guffman and Being John Malkovich, all of which I think are excellent films.

Last edited by MPB in Salt Lake; 05-29-2010 at 08:26 PM.
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  #4  
Old 05-29-2010, 08:29 PM
MovieMogul MovieMogul is offline
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My Top 20 (in chronological order):

La Belle Noiseuse
The Double Life of Veronique
Vacas
*The Last of the Mohicans
Simple Men
*Groundhog Day
The City of Lost Children
Dead Man
A Moment of Innocence
*Se7en
Smoke
Underground
*Lone Star
A Summer's Tale
*When We Were Kings
*The Sweet Hereafter
Out of Sight
Show Me Love
Belfast, Maine
Topsy-Turvy


And the best short: The Wrong Trousers

* = already on your list
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  #5  
Old 05-29-2010, 08:30 PM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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Best in Show came out in 2000, so it doesn't quite qualify. Great move, though.

I haven't seen Go. The description on IMDb looks interesting. I will have to check that out. Thanks.
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  #6  
Old 05-29-2010, 08:41 PM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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Just thought of another good one: Smoke Signals.

And ArchiveGuy, I was hoping someone would come in with some foreign films I need to see. I notice a few on your list that look promising.

Last edited by Spoke; 05-29-2010 at 08:43 PM.
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  #7  
Old 05-30-2010, 12:00 AM
ZipperJJ ZipperJJ is offline
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Looking at the IMDB top 50 of the 1990s I think you left off Magnolia and The Truman Show. I didn't compare your list to theirs 1:1, I just noticed those are 2 movies I liked that you didn't list.

American History X is amazing. And missing.

What about What Dreams May Come? Babe? Wag the Dog?

What is Primal Fear Restoration? Did you mis-paste that?

The '90s WERE a great time for film. Damn
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  #8  
Old 05-30-2010, 12:02 AM
MovieMogul MovieMogul is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZipperJJ View Post
What is Primal Fear Restoration? Did you mis-paste that?
Nah, he just forgot to hit the return key to split the two titles up.
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  #9  
Old 05-30-2010, 03:07 AM
mhendo mhendo is offline
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It's not quite clear, from the massive list, exactly what the OP is after here. Some of the movies listed in the OP are, IMO, rather awful. Deep Impact? Notting Hill?

Anyway, i thought i'd add a few Australian movies that i liked. None of them are in my Top 10 movies of all time, but i found them all entertaining and worth watching.

Two Hands
The Sum of Us
Shine
Bad Boy Bubby
Babe
Kiss or Kill
Doing Time for Patsy Cline
The Boys
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
Romper Stomper
The Interview
Children of the Revolution
Kiss or Kill
Strictly Ballroom
Muriel's Wedding
Cosi

Some of these, like Babe, made it big in the US; others, like Bad Boy Bubby, were only ever cult hits even in their home country. Some are serious and dramatic or violent; others are very light fare.
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  #10  
Old 05-30-2010, 03:48 AM
6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast 6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast is offline
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How about A Simple Plan?
Oh, and Walk the Line..
__________________
Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, & Derision

Last edited by 6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast; 05-30-2010 at 03:52 AM. Reason: forgot sumthen..
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  #11  
Old 05-30-2010, 10:37 AM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mhendo View Post
It's not quite clear, from the massive list, exactly what the OP is after here.
As I said, I am compiling a master list of good movies from the 90s (from which I - or anyone else - may then create a Top 50 list). Yes, the master list will be massive, because the 90s produced a lot of good movies.

Quote:
Some of the movies listed in the OP are, IMO, rather awful.
OK, well tastes vary I suppose. I don't think any of the movies in the OP are rated less than 6 on IMDb, and most are north of 7. Like I said, the 90s produced a lot of good movies.

Quote:
Deep Impact? Notting Hill?
Notting Hill gets a 6.9 on IMDb, and is a very well-reviewed movie. 82% at Rotten Tomatoes. Are you sure you're thinking of the right film?

Deep Impact gets a 6 on IMDb. I'll admit that it's more of a stretch, but it's a personal favorite. Possibly because I really like Tea Leoni. And the movie also features a strong performance by Robert Duvall. Plus Morgan Freeman as President! Had to include it. Tastes vary, I suppose.

Quote:
Anyway, i thought i'd add a few Australian movies that i liked. None of them are in my Top 10 movies of all time, but i found them all entertaining and worth watching.

Two Hands
The Sum of Us
Shine
Bad Boy Bubby
Babe
Kiss or Kill
Doing Time for Patsy Cline
The Boys
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
Romper Stomper
The Interview
Children of the Revolution
Kiss or Kill
Strictly Ballroom
Muriel's Wedding
Cosi

Some of these, like Babe, made it big in the US; others, like Bad Boy Bubby, were only ever cult hits even in their home country. Some are serious and dramatic or violent; others are very light fare.
I thought about Babe, but didn't include it. (Personal prejudice against cute animal movies.) I'm willing to admit it deserves a spot on the master list, though. A lot of people love it.

The Interview, Muriel's Wedding, Strictly Ballroom and Romper Stomper definitely deserve spots on the master list. Thanks for mentioning them. I've always thought Shine was seriously over-rated. Still, I suppose it deserves a spot. The others may deserve spots, but alas I haven't seen them.
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  #12  
Old 05-30-2010, 10:40 AM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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Thought of a few more:

The Castle (Speaking of Australian movies.)
SLC Punk
Shallow Grave
Cube
O Que É Isso, Companheiro? (Four Days in September)
October Sky
The Commitments

Quote:
Originally Posted by ZipperJJ View Post
What is Primal Fear Restoration? Did you mis-paste that?
Yes, sorry.

Primal Fear
Restoration

Two different movies.

Last edited by Spoke; 05-30-2010 at 10:44 AM.
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  #13  
Old 05-30-2010, 11:28 AM
mhendo mhendo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spoke- View Post
OK, well tastes vary I suppose. I don't think any of the movies in the OP are rated less than 6 on IMDb, and most are north of 7. Like I said, the 90s produced a lot of good movies.
You know what else rates above a 6 on IMDb? Matrix Revolutions.

There are plenty of people out there willing to give any piece of dreck a score of 6 or 7 out of 10.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spoke- View Post
Notting Hill gets a 6.9 on IMDb, and is a very well-reviewed movie. 82% at Rotten Tomatoes. Are you sure you're thinking of the right film?
The piece of stupid fluff with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts? Yes, that's the one. The fact that a whole bunch of lobotomy patients gave it 82% on Rotten Tomatoes doesn't change my mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spoke- View Post
Deep Impact gets a 6 on IMDb. I'll admit that it's more of a stretch, but it's a personal favorite. Possibly because I really like Tea Leoni. And the movie also features a strong performance by Robert Duvall. Plus Morgan Freeman as President! Had to include it. Tastes vary, I suppose.
You're right, tastes do vary. No problem at all with that concept.

But this leads me to further confusion about what you actually want. You say you're looking for "a master list of good movies from the 90s," but it's not clear what qualifies a movie to make the list.

On the one hand, it seems to qualify if the dunderheads on IMDb gave it more than a 6; on the other hand, you reject Babe (which gets a 7.3) because you don't like cute animal movies. And we also learn that there are films that "may deserve spots, but alas I haven't seen them." Is that a disqualifying criterion, or can movies you haven't seen make the list under certain circumstances? I've never gotten around to seeing The English Patient, but i wouldn't cavil too much if someone had it on a list of good '90s movies., because i know that it was well-received by audiences and critics.
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  #14  
Old 05-30-2010, 11:37 AM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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You seem to be a bit prickly about this whole thing mhendo, and I'm not sure why. But thanks for your participation anyway.

I am not restricting what movies people may mention. And if they mention them, they have effectively made the master list. This thread in effect comprises the master list.

So, any other 90s movies worthy of inclusion?
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  #15  
Old 05-30-2010, 01:02 PM
Little Nemo Little Nemo is online now
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Some that I don't think have been mentioned:

Aladdin
Antz
The Blair Witch Project
Bowfinger
The Brady Bunch Movie
A Bronx Tale
Buffalo ’66
But I'm a Cheerleader
Carlito's Way
City Slickers
Clay Pigeons
Coming Soon
Cop Land
Cruel Intentions
Dave
Defending Your Life
Delicatessen
Dick
Dogma
Empire Records
eXistenZ
Exotica
La Femme Nikita
The Fisher King
The Fugitive
The Grifters
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Immortal Beloved
The Iron Giant
Jumanji
Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.
Kalifornia
Kids
Killing Zoe
The Krays
L.A. Story
The Last Days of Disco
A League of Their Own
The Limey
The Lion King
The Madness of King George
El Mariachi
Menace II Society
Metropolitan
Mulan
Mulholland Falls
The Mummy
New Jack City
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Once Were Warriors
The Player
Pleasantville
Poison Ivy
Porco Rosso
Rambling Rose
Reality Bites
Romeo Is Bleeding
Shakes the Clown
She's All That
Short Cuts
Single White Female
Sneakers
Stargate
The Thin Red Line
To Die For
Toy Story 2
Trois Couleurs: Blanc
Trois Couleurs: Bleu
Trois Couleurs: Rouge
True Lies
The Truth About Cats & Dogs
Two Days in the Valley
Ulee's Gold
Under Siege
The Waterdance
Welcome to the Dollhouse
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
Wild Things
Zero Effect
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  #16  
Old 05-30-2010, 01:05 PM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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Wow. as long as my list was, can't believe I still missed so many good ones. (Iron Giant! How did I forget that? The best animated movie of the 90s IMHO.)

The 90s was an amazing decade for movies.
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  #17  
Old 05-30-2010, 01:13 PM
Little Nemo Little Nemo is online now
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The one that surprised me was you not naming Dogma, after you had named Clerks and Chasing Amy. All great movies, but in my opinion, Dogma is Smith's masterpiece.
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  #18  
Old 05-30-2010, 01:26 PM
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I didn't really care for Dogma. (In fact, I'm surprised to see it rated so highly at IMDb.) It was a little too didactic for me.
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  #19  
Old 05-30-2010, 01:48 PM
pope_hentai pope_hentai is offline
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no love for "city of lost children"?
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  #20  
Old 05-30-2010, 01:56 PM
MovieMogul MovieMogul is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pope_hentai View Post
no love for "city of lost children"?
Pssst. Post # 4

Last edited by MovieMogul; 05-30-2010 at 01:57 PM.
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  #21  
Old 05-30-2010, 03:08 PM
ZipperJJ ZipperJJ is offline
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Lotsa good ones on Little Nemo's list.

Seeing Antz made me remember A Bug's Life, which I liked way better (ok I never bothered to see Antz. But I bought toys from A Bug's Life!)
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  #22  
Old 05-30-2010, 06:47 PM
Little Nemo Little Nemo is online now
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Quote:
Seeing Antz made me remember A Bug's Life, which I liked way better (ok I never bothered to see Antz. But I bought toys from A Bug's Life!)
In my opinion, Antz was the better of the two. Check it out.

Heck, check it out just for the cast: Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Lopez, Gene Hackman, Anne Bancroft, Danny Glover, Christopher Walken, Dan Aykroyd - it's very unlikely you'll see this group working on another project together.
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  #23  
Old 05-30-2010, 06:52 PM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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Thought of another:

The Whole Wide World
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  #24  
Old 05-30-2010, 06:58 PM
MTCicero MTCicero is offline
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I'd like to humbly nominate Stuart Saves His Family. True, you click on that link, you won't see a very high score. But fuck that, it's a surprisingly moving, as well as funny, movie, featuring particularly incisive performances from Vincent D'Onofrio, Shirley Knight, and Harris Yulin.
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  #25  
Old 05-30-2010, 07:24 PM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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I would rather err on the side of including middling movies. The point of the master list is to make sure I don't overlook any reasonably good movies in compiling a top 50.

Oh, and another:

Mountains of the Moon

Last edited by Spoke; 05-30-2010 at 07:25 PM.
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  #26  
Old 05-30-2010, 11:53 PM
Little Nemo Little Nemo is online now
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Some I forgot off my previous list:
Army of Darkness
Bad Lieutenant
Braindead
The Bride with White Hair
Closet Land
Hard-Boiled
Henry Fool
Michael
Walking and Talking

Last edited by Little Nemo; 05-30-2010 at 11:55 PM.
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  #27  
Old 05-31-2010, 12:05 AM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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This one didn't do much for me, but a lot of people love it:

Rudy

...and for Beatles fans:

Backbeat
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  #28  
Old 06-01-2010, 06:19 AM
bramma23 bramma23 is offline
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You could keep going all day long and never finis this list.

JFK
Quiz Show
As Good As It Gets
Malcolm X
Scent of a Woman
Mr. Holland's Opus
Nixon
Jackie Brown
Sleepers
Starship Troopers
Waco: Rules of Engagement
Seven
The Insider
The Green Mile

etc.
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  #29  
Old 06-01-2010, 08:03 AM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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I think you're right bramma23. I really don't think any decade can match the 90s for good movies. And now your post, with it's mention of the Waco documentary, has reminded me of some documentaries I had overlooked:

Fast, Cheap & Out of Control

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
Brother's Keeper
The Big One
A Brief History of Time

Last edited by Spoke; 06-01-2010 at 08:06 AM.
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  #30  
Old 06-01-2010, 02:04 PM
25.1327 Octopi 25.1327 Octopi is offline
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Methinks any list that includes two Austin Powers movies, Notting Hill and Deep Impact ought to include Eyes Wide Shut
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  #31  
Old 06-01-2010, 03:00 PM
Spoke Spoke is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 25.1327 Octopi View Post
Methinks any list that includes two Austin Powers movies, Notting Hill and Deep Impact ought to include Eyes Wide Shut
I actually haven't seen that one, but yes, I'm sure it should be on the master list.
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  #32  
Old 06-01-2010, 03:23 PM
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By the way, I still don't get the hatred for Notting Hill. It won't make my top 50, but it's a very fine example of the romantic comedy. Well liked by viewers and very well-reviewed by critics. Two charismatic stars giving charming performances.

Is this just some tired old internet-hive-mind-Julia-Roberts-hate? Because otherwise, I really don't get it.
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