My spouse and I watch a few movies a month and he reviews them in the film category on his blog (including notes about racism, women characters, links to watch the very old movies for free online, etc.). All of these are in English, although a few are silent movies. All of them are under two hours and most of them are around 90-100 minutes (I've noted the ones that are more like 110 minutes).
* The General (1926), only 67 min * Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) * Ball of Fire (1941), 111 minutes -- possibly the only movie I've ever seen that I specifically want to show to people interested in Wikipedia * Clueless (1995) * The Cheap Detective (1978) * How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) * A New Leaf (1971) [has some dark humor but you don't need to worry about it being a downer] * The Girl Can't Help It (1956) * Bowfinger (1999) [I remember not being super happy with the racial and sexual politics of this one but I still like it] * The Italian Job (1969) * The Big Kahuna (1999) [has NO women, FYI - more like a quiet play about three guys talking about work and life] * The Ref (1994) * The Jerk (1979) * Seven Chances (1925), only 56 minutes * Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) * Groundhog Day (1993) * The Awful Truth (1937) -- I do not remember seeing this movie (maybe I didn't? and Leonard saw it without me? but he liked it) * The Kids Are All Right (2010), 106 minutes -- has some tough stuff in it but is not a downer
Out of all of these I think Ball of Fire is the one that speaks to me the most, and Clueless is the one most likely to appeal to the people I imagine your friends to be (kind, can follow fast-paced dialogue and 80s/90s references, perhaps less into movies that are over 30 years old, not necessarily academically inclined, like seeing women characters foregrounded).
I only went back a few years in his reviews so there are probably more to be found in that blog category, but I figure this is long enough!
giant list follows
* The General (1926), only 67 min
* Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
* Ball of Fire (1941), 111 minutes -- possibly the only movie I've ever seen that I specifically want to show to people interested in Wikipedia
* Clueless (1995)
* The Cheap Detective (1978)
* How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)
* A New Leaf (1971) [has some dark humor but you don't need to worry about it being a downer]
* The Girl Can't Help It (1956)
* Bowfinger (1999) [I remember not being super happy with the racial and sexual politics of this one but I still like it]
* The Italian Job (1969)
* The Big Kahuna (1999) [has NO women, FYI - more like a quiet play about three guys talking about work and life]
* The Ref (1994)
* The Jerk (1979)
* Seven Chances (1925), only 56 minutes
* Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)
* Groundhog Day (1993)
* The Awful Truth (1937) -- I do not remember seeing this movie (maybe I didn't? and Leonard saw it without me? but he liked it)
* The Kids Are All Right (2010), 106 minutes -- has some tough stuff in it but is not a downer
Out of all of these I think Ball of Fire is the one that speaks to me the most, and Clueless is the one most likely to appeal to the people I imagine your friends to be (kind, can follow fast-paced dialogue and 80s/90s references, perhaps less into movies that are over 30 years old, not necessarily academically inclined, like seeing women characters foregrounded).
I only went back a few years in his reviews so there are probably more to be found in that blog category, but I figure this is long enough!