Between political dramas like V for Vendetta and Syriana, or social commentaries like Brokeback Mountain and Transamerica, there’s no doubt that 2005 was a year loaded with films that meant to deliver a message. Movies like Coach Carter taught us the importance of academics, even to the most talented athletes. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants took us on a journey through the complicated interpersonal lives of young women. And Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith taught us that in a lightsaber fight, it’s over when your master has the high ground!
2005 did deliver a few great departures, with raunchy comedies like The 40 Year-Old Virgin and Wedding Crashers, plus topsy-turvy adventures in kids movies like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Nanny McPhee.
In this list, we dig into a banner year for movies that shaped the culture in the first decade of the 21st century, based on Certified Fresh movies, Fresh movies with at least 20 reviews and a 60%+ Popcornmeter, and Rotten movies with a 60%+ Popcornmeter and 20,000+ user reviews!
#1
Critics Consensus: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a subtly touching and wonderfully eccentric adventure featuring Wallace and Gromit.
#2
Critics Consensus: Beautifully photographed and majestically scored, Fateless is a haunting account of one boy’s experiences during the Holocaust and his journey to pick up the pieces in the war’s aftermath.
#3
Critics Consensus: This is an old-fashioned, richly textured family film that will appeal to children and adults alike.
#4
Critics Consensus: A passionate and concise cinematic civics lesson, Good Night, And Good Luck has plenty to say about today’s political and cultural climate, and its ensemble cast is stellar.
#5
Critics Consensus: A beautifully-made retelling of the classic collie tale, one need not be a dog-lover to fall for Lassie.
#6
Critics Consensus: This is a piercingly honest, acidly witty look at divorce and its impact on a family.
#7
Critics Consensus: This compassionate work of social criticism is also luminous, due to both its lyrical imagery and cast.
#8
Critics Consensus: Philip Seymour Hoffman’s riveting central performance guides a well-constructed retelling of the most sensational and significant period in author Truman Capote’s life.
#9
Critics Consensus: A creepy French psychological thriller that commands the audience’s attention throughout.
#10
Critics Consensus: This film delves deeply into the minds of suicide bombers, and the result is unsettling.
#11
Critics Consensus: The main characters are maturing, and the filmmakers are likewise improving on their craft; vibrant special effects and assured performances add up to what is the most complex yet of the Harry Potter films.
#12
Critics Consensus: A beautiful, epic Western, Brokeback Mountain’s love story is imbued with heartbreaking universality thanks to moving performances by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
#13
Critics Consensus: A History of Violence raises compelling and thoughtful questions about the nature of violence, while representing a return to form for director David Cronenberg in one of his more uncharacteristic pieces.
#14
Critics Consensus: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon add madcap, knowing performances to the mix, and the result is a fun, postmodern romp.
#15
Critics Consensus: Bill Murray’s subtle and understated style complements director Jim Jarmusch’s minimalist storytelling in this quirky, but deadpan comedy.
#16
Critics Consensus: Deft direction and strong performances from its all-female cast guide The Descent, a riveting, claustrophobic horror film.
#17
Critics Consensus: Sure, it’s another adaptation of cinema’s fave Jane Austen novel, but key performances and a modern filmmaking sensibility make this familiar period piece fresh and enjoyable.
#18
Critics Consensus: The Aura is a highly original and cerebral thriller that maintains its suspense from start to finish.
#19
Critics Consensus: Tongue-in-cheek satire blends well with entertaining action and spot-on performances in this dark, eclectic neo-noir homage.
#20
Critics Consensus: Brutal, unflinching, and violent, but thought-provoking and with excellent performances, this Australian western is the one of the best examples of the genre to come along in recent times.
#21
Critics Consensus: Stylish and visceral, this able remake is infused with realism, grit, and a taut performance by star Romain Duris.
#22
Critics Consensus: Slowly paced, understated, and exquisitely shot, these are three lovely odes to love and longing.
#23
Critics Consensus: Though the premise may be modest on the surface, Carrere uses a man and his mustache that may or may not exist as a springboard into psychological suspense and unsettling questions.
#24
Critics Consensus: Brooding and dark, but also exciting and smart, Batman Begins is a film that understands the essence of one of the definitive superheroes.
#25
Critics Consensus: Steve Carell’s first star turn scores big with a tender treatment of its titular underdog, using raunchy but realistically funny comedy to connect with adult audiences.
(Photo by WB/ Courtesy Everett Collection. BATMAN BEGINS.)
2005 brought some ground-breaking action to the big screen (literally and figuratively). In War of the Worlds, alien machines burst through the Earth’s crust in a coordinated attack on humanity. It’s up to Tom Cruise to track down and save his estranged family. This was Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise’s second film together after the success of Minority Report in 2002.
A giant gorilla terrorizes New York City in Peter Jackson’s remake of the classic King Kong. The action sequences on Skull Island make it an important text for visual effect geeks! Bruce Wayne is back and this time a whole lot grittier, in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. The shift in tone in this film shaped a new era in superhero movies. Sin City, a uniquely artistic neo-noir film based on the Frank Miller comics, ushers in an era of highly stylized action and hero movies. Constantine, another DC Comic cult favorite, makes his screen debut, in a moody, spooky “occult classic”.
And, perhaps the landmark action movie of 2005 is Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. The conclusion to George Lucas’s prequel trilogy, it continues to be a polarizing picture in the franchise fandom. Though you probably already know that from your movie fan friend who can’t stop having the conversation!
Kids had a pretty good roster of fun flicks to watch in 2005! The young ones got frenetic favorites like Madagascar, Nanny McPhee, and Pooh’s Heffalump Movie. And adolescents got a taste of adventure and oddity in pictures like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
#26
Critics Consensus: Finding the right balance between subtle and sentimental, Sweet Land moves beyond other similarly-themed dramas with evocative cinematography that plays an equal role to the talented cast.
#27
Critics Consensus: Complex, human characters and on-location shooting give Beyond the Gates palpable tension and urgency.
#28
Critics Consensus: This anthology contains brutal, powerful horror stories by three of Asia’s top directors.
#29
Critics Consensus: Featuring state-of-the-art special effects, terrific performances, and a majestic sense of spectacle, Peter Jackson’s remake of King Kong is a potent epic that’s faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original.
#30
Critics Consensus: As can be expected from a Tim Burton movie, Corpse Bride is whimsically macabre, visually imaginative, and emotionally bittersweet.
#31
Critics Consensus: Tommy Lee Jones’ directorial debut is both a potent western and a powerful morality tale.
#32
Critics Consensus: The Dardennes continue to excel at presenting works of rigorous naturalism, with detached observations of authentic characters that nevertheless resonate with complex moral issues.
#33
Critics Consensus: Closer to the source material than 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is for people who like their Chocolate visually appealing and dark.
#34
Critics Consensus: Superior acting and authentic crooning capture the emotional subtleties of the legend of Johnny Cash with a freshness that is a pleasure to watch.
#35
Critics Consensus: The Constant Gardener is a smart, gripping, and suspenseful thriller with rich performances from the leads.
#36
Critics Consensus: Hustle & Flow is gritty and redemptive, with a profound sense of place and exciting music.
#37
Critics Consensus: This starkly minimalist nail-biter of a thriller relentlessly builds up the tension and keeps the audience guessing.
#38
Critics Consensus: Snappy dialogue and goofy characters make this Wild Wild West soap opera in space fun and adventurous.
#39
Critics Consensus: With surprisingly touching earnestness, The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants follows four best friends as they try on adulthood — and though it isn’t an easy fit, their journey becomes bearable thanks to the threads they share.
#40
Critics Consensus: Overcomes its formulaic storyline thanks to Anthony Hopkins’ warm and endearing portrayal of an age-defying thrill seeker.
#41
Critics Consensus: Chweneyagae’s powerful performance carries this simple yet searing tale of a shantytown teenager’s redemption.
#42
Critics Consensus: Miranda July’s debut feature is a charmingly offbeat and observant film about people looking for love.
#43
Critics Consensus: A charming and delightful walk through the Hundred Acres Woods for young viewers.
#44
Critics Consensus: With Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas brings his second Star Wars trilogy to a suitably thrilling and often poignant — if still a bit uneven — conclusion.
#45
Critics Consensus: With grittiness and an evocative sense of time and place, Cinderella Man is a powerful underdog story. And Ron Howard and Russell Crowe prove to be a solid combination.
#46
Critics Consensus: With solid performances and tight direction from Wes Craven, Red Eye is a brisk, economic thriller.
#47
Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed with wonderful performances, this Brazilian tale deftly explores the passage of time and prolonged isolation in several decades of a mother and daughter relationship.
#48
Critics Consensus: Munich can’t quite achieve its lofty goals, but this thrilling, politically even-handed look at the fallout from an intractable political conflict is still well worth watching.
#49
Critics Consensus: This entertaining homage to noirs past has been slickly and compellingly updated to a contemporary high school setting.
#50
Critics Consensus: Woody Allen’s sharpest film in years, Match Point is a taut, philosophical thriller about class and infidelity.
(Photo by Lionsgate/ Courtesy Everett Collection. CRASH.)
Crash, which took home three Oscars this year including Best Picture, was a commentary on racial tensions in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. While some critics found it’s character portrayals controversial, it resonated with voters enough to take home Best Original Screenplay as well.
Best Director went to Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain. While also controversial in its time for its portrayal of same sex romance between two cowboys, it has since been added to the National Film Registry for its cultural and historical significance.
Both lead acting awards went to portrayals of real-life subjects: Philip Seymour Hoffman as a literary legend in the biopic Capote, and Reese Witherspoon as beloved country musician June Carter in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. George Clooney would receive the Supporting Actor award for Syriana, a political thriller about oil and energy in the Middle East. Rachel Weisz would receive Best Supporting Actress for her work in The Constant Gardener, a thriller about a foreign diplomat attempting to solve the murder of his Amnesty International activist wife.
Some other Academy Award winners of note: Memoirs of a Geisha won Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Costume Designed, making it a must-see for visual art fanatics. King Kong broke the mold with wins in Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects, for the fans of spectacle. And music fans should check out Terrence Howard hip hop transformation in Hustle & Flow, which won Original Song for “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp”.
#51
Critics Consensus: Dazzling special effects for the kids + well-crafted storytelling for the ‘rents = cinematic satisfaction for the whole family.
#52
Critics Consensus: A terrific performance by Felicity Huffman carries this unconventional but touching transgender road movie.
#53
Critics Consensus: First-timer Duplass offers a realistic and thoughtful romantic comedy.
#54
Critics Consensus: Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of War of the Worlds delivers on the thrill and paranoia of H.G. Wells’ classic novel while impressively updating the action and effects for modern audiences.
#55
Critics Consensus: Visually groundbreaking and terrifically violent, Sin City brings the dark world of Frank Miller’s graphic novel to vivid life.
#56
Critics Consensus: Stylistically flashy and gruesomely violent, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance fits in nicely with the other two films of Park’s revenge trilogy.
#57
Critics Consensus: Nine Lives is bolstered by a strong cast and features many insightful glimpses into the lives of women.
#58
Critics Consensus: With first-rate special effects and compelling storytelling, this adaptation stays faithful to its source material and will please moviegoers of all ages.
#59
Critics Consensus: Wedding Crashers is both raunchy and sweet, and features top-notch comic performances from Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.
#60
Critics Consensus: George A. Romero’s latest entry in his much-vaunted Dead series is not as fresh as his genre-inventing original, Night of the Living Dead. But Land of the Dead does deliver on the gore and zombies-feasting-on-flesh action.
#61
Critics Consensus: A comedy/ drama for grown-ups, with fine performances by Joan Allen and Kevin Costner.
#62
Critics Consensus: Honesty and solid performances make In Her Shoes a solid fit for all audiences.
#63
Critics Consensus: A bit alarming at first, Nanny McPhee has a hard edge to counter Mary Poppins-style sweetness, but it still charms us and teaches some valuable lessons.
#64
Critics Consensus: Matt Dillon’s performance is the highlight of this somewhat slow but fascinating portrayal of Charles Bukowski’s alter-ego.
#65
Critics Consensus: The poignant humanity on display in Joyeux Noel makes its sentimentality forgivable.
#66
Critics Consensus: A reflective look at our own mortality through the experience of a middle-aged French man, Time To Leave manages to pull at our heart strings without resorting to cliches, and leaves a lasting impression.
#67
Critics Consensus: Visually stunning and thought-provoking, V For Vendetta‘s political pronouncements may rile some, but its story and impressive set pieces will nevertheless entertain.
#68
Critics Consensus: This shocking pre-teen drama manages, through realistic performances and a sense of empathy, to avoid exploitation and instead deliver something honest and haunting.
#69
Critics Consensus: Loggerheads is an understated, quietly moving character study, bolstered by great performances.
#70
Critics Consensus: Ambitious, complicated, intellectual, and demanding of its audience, Syriana is both a gripping geopolitical thriller and wake-up call to the complacent.
#71
Critics Consensus: This rigorously stripped down, seemingly mundane little film still manages to be engrossing and creepy.
#72
Critics Consensus: Though sometimes melodramatic and formulaic, North Country is nonetheless a rousing, powerful story of courage and humanity.
#73
Critics Consensus: Though quirky coming-of-age themes are common in indie films, this one boasts a smart script and a great cast.
#74
Critics Consensus: Despite Hitch’s predictability, Will Smith and Kevin James win praise for their solid, warmhearted performances.
#75
Critics Consensus: Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins shine in this warm, witty period piece.
(Photo by Tartan/ Courtesy Everett Collection. OLDBOY.)
Fans of American political history may enjoy Good Night and Good Luck. In the film based on real events, CBS News journalist Edward R. Murrow uses the power of the Fourth Estate to expose wrongdoing in Senator Joseph McCarthy’s ultimately bogus Senate investigation into Communism in America.
Israel and Palestine were top of mind in 2005. Paradise Now, a Golden Globe winning psychological drama, follows two young Palestinian men recruited to commit a suicide attack on Israel. The story follows the boys’ inner conflict with their mission vs. their humanity. In Steven Spielberg’s Munich, a Mossad agent disavows his agency to covertly assassinate 11 Palestinians accused of carrying out the 1972 Summer Olympics bombing. The movie contains a mixture of fiction and historical accuracy, and would also garner controversy from several interest groups and critics, though it would also receive five nominations for Academy Awards.
Park Chan-Wook, director of hit thrillers like Oldboy and Decision to Leave, delivered the final chapter of his Vengeance Trilogy in 2005, with Lady Vengeance. With Park’s signature blend of mystery and violence, the film would go on to compete for the Golden Lion at Venice International Film Festival.
#76
Critics Consensus: Disturbing, controversial, but entirely engrossing, Hard Candy is well written with strong lead performances, especially that of newcomer Elliot Page. A movie that stays with the viewer long after leaving the theater.
#77
Critics Consensus: While not a home run, Fever Pitch has enough charm and on-screen chemistry between the two leads to make it a solid hit.
#78
Critics Consensus: Jet Li gets to emote in some emotionally awkward scenes, but the gritty fight sequences come through in what is Li’s best English language film.
#79
Critics Consensus: Roll Bounce dazzles us with a classic late 1970’s feel, but this coming of age film could have been more than just a spin around the roller rink.
#80
Critics Consensus: Although it excises much from its famously dense source material, Everything is Illuminated is a quirky, ambitious debut film from Liev Schreiber.
#81
Critics Consensus: Even though it’s based on a true story, Coach Carter is pretty formulaic stuff, but it’s effective and energetic, thanks to a strong central performance from Samuel L. Jackson.
#82
Critics Consensus: Though formulaic, this horse story’s saving grace is its strong performances.
#83
Critics Consensus: While Lord of War is an intelligent examination of the gun trade, it is too scattershot in its plotting to connect.
#84
Critics Consensus: Despite all the underdog sports movie conventions, the likable cast and lush production values make The Greatest Game Ever Played a solid and uplifting tale.
#85
Critics Consensus: A frantic and occasional funny adaptation of Douglas Adams’ novel. However, it may have those unfamiliar with the source material scratching their heads.
#86
Critics Consensus: Polanski’s version of Dickens’ classic won’t have audiences asking for more because while polished and directed with skill, the movie’s a very impersonal experience.
#87
Critics Consensus: With fine performances and a dark, dry sense of humor, The Weather Man is mostly cloudy with occasional rays of sunshine.
#88
Critics Consensus: Well-acted if monotonous drama about a transvestite prostitute in London during the 1970s.
#89
Critics Consensus: Though its story is problematic in spots and its humor is hit-or-miss for the adult crowd, Madagascar boasts impressive visuals and enough spunky charm to keep children entertained.
#90
Critics Consensus: Lords of Dogtown, while slickly made and edited, lacks the depth and entertaining value of the far superior documentary on the same subject, Dogtown and Z-Boys.
#91
Critics Consensus: While visually dazzling, there isn’t enough story to hang all the fancy effects on.
#92
Critics Consensus: Delightfully sweet like a lollipop, Just Like Heaven is a dreamy romantic comedy that may give you a toothache when it attempts to broach difficult end of life issues by throwing a cherry on top.
#93
Critics Consensus: Zombie has improved as a filmmaker since “House of 1000 Corpses” and will please fans of the genre, but beware — the horror is nasty, relentless, and sadistic.
#94
Critics Consensus: A story of disjointed family members yearning for true emotional depth, An Unfinished Life teeters between overtly saccharine sentiments and moments of real intimacy.
#95
Critics Consensus: Despite striking a believable rapport among its principal actors, Four Brothers overwhelms with ultra-violent, vigilante-glorifying action and devolves into too many fractured, insubstantial thematic directions.
#96
Critics Consensus: This family holiday dramedy features fine performances but awkward shifts of tone.
#97
Critics Consensus: Fans of the stage musical may forgive Rent its flaws, but weak direction, inescapable staginess and an irritating faux-boho pretension prevent the film from connecting on screen.
#98
Critics Consensus: Despite solid production values and an intriguing premise, Constantine lacks the focus of another spiritual shoot-em-up: The Matrix.
#99
Critics Consensus: Loosely based on a true story, The Exorcism of Emily Rose mixes compelling courtroom drama with generally gore-free scares in a ho-hum take on demonic cinema.
#100
Critics Consensus: When it comes to the subculture of soccer thugs, Green Street Hooligans lacks sufficient insight, and instead comes off as a Fight Club knock-off.
(Photo by Focus/ Courtesy Everett Collection. BROKEN FLOWERS.)
Two female-led movies in 2005 shared some interesting similarities. Nine Lives is an ensemble drama about the complicated, interwoven lives of nine women struggling with life’s hardships. It stars an outstanding ensemble cast, including Sissy Spacek, Glenn Close, and Holly Hunter. In familiar format, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants also navigates the lives of four best friends who buy a pair of pants that miraculously fits them all. The heartwarming story about friendship follows the girls’ summer apart, as they confront and overcome their own personal teenage struggles. It also stars an outstanding ensemble cast: America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively, and Alexis Bledel.
Brokeback Mountain was not the only LGBTQ+ film of note in 2005. Rent, adapted from the hit Broadway show, tackles themes of sexuality, drugs, class, and AIDS in New York City’s East Village. Though it did not fully connect with critics, it resonated with audience, particularly fans of the musical. Transamerica, an indie film starring Felicity Huffman, is a road trip comedy-drama about a trans woman and her estranged teenage son. Huffman won a Golden Globe for her role, and the film received a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release. Breakfast on Pluto, also a comedy-drama, stars Cillian Murphy as a trans woman looking for love in and familial acceptance in Ireland and London. While polarizing for critics, it found its fandom among those in the general audience.
If you seek another notable comedy-drama, look no further than Broken Flowers. About an aging playboy who travels the country seeking his past conquests to find his long lost son, the Jim Jarmusch-directed film would go on to win the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. Bill Murray, star of the movie, said in a Hot Ones interview that he thinks it’s a “perfect movie” and that “(he) couldn’t do any better than that”.
Need to cleanse tha palate from all that drama? 2005 has a few gems for you. The 40 Year-Old Virgin stars Steve Carell in his first leading role. The raunchy comedy about “losing it” ,supported by Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogen, is one of those quote-machine comedies that defined the decade. Similarly, Wedding Crashers, starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as a pair of players who through a series of zany events fall for their marks, would help set the tone for an onslaught of bawdy, adult-targeted comedies that millennials still can’t stop quoting.
A couple comedies you could watch with grandma include Hitch, a charming rom com about a secret matchmaker (Will Smith) who falls for a gossip columnist (Eva Mendez) unwittingly writing an exposé on his romantic alter ego. In Fever Pitch, a baseball fanatic (Jimmy Fallon) falls for a corporate executive (Drew Barrymore), but struggles to balance his commitment to the relationship with his radical fandom for the Boston Red Sox. This baseball romantic comedy is a charmer for anyone! Unless you are a New York Yankees fan! And, for folks who are less sports superfan, and more into the supernatural, Just Like Heaven may be in the cards. An architect (Mark Ruffalo) moves into a San Francisco apartment, only to be haunted by the ghost of a doctor (Reese Witherspoon) who lived there previously. Naturally, they fall in love. No spoilers here, go see the movie! (Tyler Lorenz)
