These classic movies turn 20 in 2024

Happy 20th anniversary to the 2004 slate of movies! A year in which sequels dominated the box office, it continues to hold a special place in film history because Mel Gibson’s The Passion Of The Christ somehow made more than $600million. Million Dollar Baby swept the Oscars the following year, a movie that has not been rewatched in any household since then. Well, at least not in ours.

Those films are far from certified classics 20 years later, which begs the question, are there any movies from 2004 that have stood the test of time? Read on to find out.

‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’

Before Adam McKay began making films about current sociopolitical issues, he started his career by directing Anchorman, one of the most quotable movies of all time. The show belongs to Will Ferrell, of course, in a go-for-broke performance as San Diego anchorman Ron Burgundy. He made teenagers everywhere want to have a catchphrase. And introduced a crop of would-be journalists to teleprompters. It’s hilarious, absurd, over-the-top, and features an all-star cast of comedians. Rewatch it any day of the week and the laughs won’t stop until the credits roll.

Does it still bang? Definitely. It remains funny 60 per cent of the time, all of the time.

‘Before Sunset’

The best of Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy, Before Sunset finds Ethan Hawke’s Jesse and Julie Delpy’s Céline reuniting after nine years apart, still fizzing with chemistry. They walk the streets of another European city, this time Paris, and fall back in love. The perfect movie to show how people change in small and big ways, Before Sunset spends 80 minutes in bright, real conversations. And Linklater absolutely nailed the ending, an image and song burned into memory.

Does it still bang? If you’re looking to feel both wildly in love and wretchedly heartbroken at the same time, then it slaps harder than any movie since 2004.

‘Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban’

The Harry Potter movies allowed auteur directors free rein, each one making their unique mark on the franchise. Alfonso Cuarón took on the third instalment with darkness in his mind, shifting the series deeper into the depths of Hogwarts and the fury and evil of the wizarding world. The kids are forced to grow up quickly, dealing with dementors (terrifying), time travel (odd), and shape-shifters (bad CGI). Also, Gary Oldman and David Thewlis show up. What could be better?

Does it still bang? Are dementors creepy? Hint: they are!

‘Layer Cake’

This British crime thriller gave audiences a serving of Daniel Craig in his cool-noughties pomp. Craig plays an unnamed drug dealer hoping to leave that world behind, interacting with characters named Slasher, the Duke, Tiptoes, Shanks and Crazy Larry. It features all the hallmarks of a good crime movie, like double-crosses, feuding gangs, and a missing drug stash. Then there’s that nightclub scene where Craig’s stylish alpha meets Tammy, played by Sienna Miller – legitimately electric.

Does it still bang? It’s the definition of a movie that rips.

‘Mean Girls’

Tina Fey and Rosalind Wiseman’s script for Mean Girls was remarkable, the reason it became a high school classic almost immediately after release. Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams are perfectly pitched as teen frenemies, but the entire cast nails every one of Fey and Wiseman’s killer lines. Humming along with more vim than a high school pep rally, it also never overstays its welcome at a speedy 97 minutes. Can it ever be topped? A recent so-so musical reboot suggests not.

Does it still bang? Does high school still suck? You bet.

‘Napoleon Dynamite’

Has Napoleon Dynamite stood the test of time? Debatable. The goofy teen became a box office sensation and a perennial Halloween costume, but he doesn’t seem to have had the same staying power as his comedy contemporaries. The film only made a star of Jon Heder for about three years. However, if what you’re after is a sweet, simple story about fitting in and finding yourself in the process (with lashings of nostalgia), then you can’t go wrong.

Does it still bang? Like Uncle Rico, it won’t always throw a tight spiral, but it’s fine for passing the time with a couple of giggles.

‘Shaun Of The Dead’

The first in Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy, Shaun Of The Dead spins classic horror and zombie tropes on their loosely attached heads for a romp around London, starring dynamic duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Buoyed by their unique chemistry, it has unlimited fun with the genre. Wright always makes energetic movies – and the apocalypse gives him the craziest of situations to pour his irreverent wit into. Definitely still funny.

Does it still bang? Not as much as it once did, but that’s a high bar to get over.

‘Spider-Man 2’

Often cited as one of the great superhero movies, Spider-Man 2 is unabashedly cool. Doe-eyed Tobey Maguire remains a great Peter Parker, Kirsten Dunst the ultimate Mary-Jane, and Alfred Molina cooks as Doc Ock. The CGI remarkably rarely looks cheap, and even when it does, it’s played for laughs. You can really feel director Sam Raimi’s excitement and joy pulsing through the on-screen action.

Does it still bang? It’s not a question of if, but how much.

‘The Bourne Supremacy’

The sequel to Matt Damon hit The Bourne Identity, Supremacy is a more chaotic action movie than its predecessor. Director Paul Greengrass takes over from Doug Liman, often chucking the tripod aside in favour of a handheld camera which gives everything a more kinetic energy. Paranoia, memory and regret are smashed together in sometimes confusing but always exciting fashion.

Does it still bang? A decent amount.

‘The Village’

One of M. Night Shyamalan’s greatest twists comes in The Village, as a blind girl from the 19th century runs past the woods filled with dangerous creatures. It’s a complete reversal of the story by the director, a perspective shift that has left critics and audiences divided. Like all of Shyamalan’s films, it’s a mixed grab-bag of ideas, thrills, and scares.

Does it still bang? If it’s your first rodeo with M. Night, hell yes. Otherwise, he has more to offer elsewhere..

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