Listen, we don’t want to startle you, but the movies that had us quoting lines, sneaking into theaters, and scratching up Blockbuster rentals are officially two decades old this year. Yeah, 20 years. Let that sink in.
Whether they dominated the box office, introduced us to new stars, or became part of the culture in a way that still resonates, here’s a look back at the movies from 2005 that are officially hitting the two-decade mark.
The Box Office Heavyweights
Some movies made noise. These ran the year.
- ‘Hitch’ ($371.6M) – Will Smith playing a smooth-talking dating coach? One of the highest-grossing rom-coms ever, and for good reason.
- ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ ($487.3M) – A mix of action, comedy, and two leads with undeniable chemistry. The movie delivered, and so did the off-screen drama.
- ‘Madagascar’ ($542M) – An animated hit that had kids (and adults) quoting lines for years.
- ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ ($896.4M) – The Triwizard Tournament, the first major death in the franchise, and Voldemort’s full return? Easily one of the most pivotal Harry Potter films.
- ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’ ($868.4M) – The film that tied everything together. Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader? Still one of the most defining moments in cinema.
- ‘Batman Begins’ ($373.7M) – Christopher Nolan reset the entire superhero genre with this one. The dark, grounded take on Batman changed the game.
The Comedies That Defined the Era
2005 was stacked with comedies that still get quoted today.
- ‘Wedding Crashers’ – The buddy comedy formula at its best. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn were in their prime here, and the jokes still land.
- ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’ – Steve Carell’s breakout role, and arguably one of the best R-rated comedies of the 2000s.
- ‘Guess Who’ – A modern spin on Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, with Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher making it work in a way that was genuinely funny.
- ‘Beauty Shop’ – Queen Latifah took the Barbershop concept and gave it a fresh perspective. A solid, feel-good comedy.
- ‘Rebound’ – Martin Lawrence as a disgraced coach trying to redeem himself with a middle school basketball team? Pure 2000s comedy energy.
The Animated Staples
Some of these were the last great era of classic TV movies.
- ‘The Proud Family Movie’ – The moment in Black animation. The peanut clones were wild, but it was a perfect sendoff for the original series.
- ‘Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama’ – The end of an era for Kim Possible fans, and a solid finale.
Action, Drama, and Everything In Between
2005 gave us some serious standouts across genres.
- ‘Coach Carter’ – Samuel L. Jackson as a no-nonsense basketball coach who actually cared about his players’ futures? Still an all-time great sports drama.
- ‘Hustle & Flow’ – Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson made this one unforgettable. The fact that “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” won an Oscar? Iconic.
- ‘Four Brothers’ – A revenge thriller that deserved more love. Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, André 3000, and Garrett Hedlund delivered.
- ‘Roll Bounce’ – A roller-skating drama that captured Black teen culture in the ‘70s with a killer soundtrack.
- ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’ – The movie that introduced Madea to the mainstream.
- ‘The Gospel’ – A faith-based drama with Boris Kodjoe and Idris Elba that actually had depth and a great soundtrack.
- ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ – 50 Cent’s semi-autobiographical drama might not have been perfect, but it captured the era and his rise in a way that made it worth watching.
Then there were the genre flicks that added even more to 2005’s stacked lineup:
PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE USED SOLELY FOR ADVERTISING, PROMOTION, PUBLICITY OR REVIEWS OF THIS SPECIFIC MOTION PICTURE AND TO REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THE STUDIO. NOT FOR SALE OR REDISTRIBUTION.
- ‘Monster-in-Law’ – Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda going toe-to-toe in a rom-com that still holds up.
- ‘Are We There Yet?’ – Ice Cube getting terrorized by kids on a road trip. Simple but effective.
- ‘Miss Congeniality 2’ – Not as strong as the first, but it did have Regina King in it, and that is enough.
- ‘XXX: State of the Union’ – Ice Cube stepping in for Vin Diesel and bringing his own energy to the XXX franchise.
- ‘A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ – A quirky, ambitious adaptation of the beloved book. Either you loved it or you didn’t get it.
20 Years Later… Still Worth the Rewatch
Two decades later, these movies still hold up—some better than ever. Whether they shaped a genre, gave us unforgettable performances, or just remind us of a different era of filmmaking, 2005 was one of those years.
Which ones are you revisiting first?