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‘Better Than The Movies’ by Lynn Painter is a teen romantic-comedy about a girl falling for her next-door neighbor. And just like the title, it is laden with movie reference, most of which are romantic comedies. If you’ve read the book and were looking for all the movies mentioned in it, here they are. Or at least, this is a list of all the movies I remember spotting in the novel.

Also Read: ‘Better Than The Movies’ Book Review

1. Notting Hill (1999) – A humble London bookseller’s life flips when a world-famous actress strolls into his shop. Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts

2. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) – A single woman’s hilarious quest for love, self-improvement, and too much wine. Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth (Also among the lead’s fav movies)

3. Sweet Home Alabama (2002) – A New York fashionista returns to Alabama to untangle her small-town past. Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, Patrick Dempsey

4. Pretty in Pink (1986) – High school romance collides with class differences and killer ’80s fashion. Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy

5. When Harry Met Sally (1989) – Can men and women ever just be friends? This film argues with laughs and love. Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan

6. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018) – A teen’s secret love letters get exposed, turning her quiet life upside down. Lana Condor, Noah Centineo stars in these movies.

7. Kate & Leopold (2001) – A 19th-century duke falls through time into modern Manhattan—and into love. Hugh Jackman, Meg Ryan

8. You’ve Got Mail (1998) – Online pen pals fall for each other, unaware they’re real-life business rivals. Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan

9. The Ugly Truth (2009) – A romance skeptic and a cynic spar their way toward unexpected chemistry. Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) – Shakespeare gets a high-school makeover with snark, sass, and charm. Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

11. Pretty Woman (1990) – A businessman hires an escort, only to discover love is the real deal. Richard Gere, Julia Roberts

12. Superbad (2007) – Two awkward teens set out for one epic night of booze, parties, and chaos. Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Emma Stone

13. Back to the Future (1985) – A teen travels to the past and almost erases his own existence. Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd (one of the few movies in the book that’s not a romance)

14. Pillow Talk (1959) – A shared phone line sparks a witty battle of wits, and romance. Doris Day, Rock Hudson

15. She’s All That (1999) – A makeover bet turns into a genuine love story at high school. Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook

16. (500) Days of Summer (2009) – A bittersweet, non-linear tale of romance and heartbreak. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

17. Gone With the Wind (1939) – Epic Civil War romance where survival and passion clash. Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable

18. Titanic (1997) – Star-crossed lovers meet on the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet

19. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010) – A slacker must battle seven evil exes to win his dream girl. Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

20. Gone Girl (2014) – A missing wife turns into a media storm of secrets and lies. Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike

21. The Hangover (2009) – A bachelor party in Vegas spirals into wild amnesia-fueled chaos. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis

22. American Pie (1999) – Four friends make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation. Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Seann William Scott

23. Miss Congeniality (2000) – An FBI agent goes undercover at a beauty pageant, heels and all. Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine

24. The Wedding Date (2005) – Hiring a fake boyfriend for a wedding turns into something real. Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney

25. Two Weeks Notice (2002) – A lawyer quits her job but can’t quite quit her boss. Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant

26. 27 Dresses (2008) – Always the bridesmaid, but maybe not for long. Katherine Heigl, James Marsden

27. Forrest Gump (1994) – One man’s simple perspective weaves through decades of American history. Tom Hanks, Robin Wright

28. Love Actually (2003) – Nine intertwined stories prove love comes in every form. Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley

29. The Sandlot (1993) – A ragtag group of kids spend a summer full of baseball and mischief. Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar

30. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) – A journalist and ad exec duel in a hilarious dating experiment. Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey

31. My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997) – Like the title suggest, a woman tries to sabotage her best friend’s wedding, because she is in love with him. Duh! Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz

32. Long Shot (2019) – A speechwriter reunites with his old babysitter, who’s now running for president. Charlize Theron, Seth Rogen

33. He’s Just Not That Into You (2009) – An ensemble cast movie about love, rejection, mixed signals and the chaos that comes with dating. Jennifer Aniston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson

Well, that’s a wrap on the list of movies that make it through the novel. How many have you seen?!

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