While it may seem like just yesterday to some people, the year 2004 has now been 21 years ago, with the year as a whole still largely remembered fondly by those who experienced it. Between pivotal moments in history like the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami as well as the expansion of the European Union, the year is fondly remembered for the various iconic films released. Many of these films have grown so widely beloved and acclaimed in the years since their release that they have entered the pantheon of wider film culture to be considered classics that are emblematic of the era as a whole.
Whether it be massive blockbuster successes that were seemingly inescapable for those living throughout the year or smaller-scale films that slowly but surely garnered a cult classic status, there is a wide variety of different influential classics released during 2004. While the year as a whole saw many other releases become classics aside from these 10, such as Napoleon Dynamite, Shrek 2, and 50 First Dates, these films simply stand out as the most prominent classics the year has to offer.
10
‘Collateral’
Directed by Michael Mann
While Tom Cruise is most commonly remembered nowadays for his charming and invigorating hero performances in the likes of Top Gun and the Mission: Impossible franchise, Collateral showed just how effective the actor could be in a villain role. The film follows taxi cab driver Max Durocher (Jamie Foxx), who inadvertently finds himself in the center of a high-stakes world of crime and drugs when his latest customer ends up being a deadly assassin (Cruise).
The film acts as one of many exceptionally sleek and compelling action thrillers from director Michael Mann, finding the perfect balance between compelling action and heightened tension to make for a generational viewing experience. Cruise and Foxx also add a lot of depth and entertainment value to the film, respectively, making each action scene more impactful and dynamic than the last as it evolves its intricate and engaging story. While the film was already successful upon release, it truly grew into its own and attained classic status after massive appreciation built up over the years.
Collateral
- Release Date
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August 6, 2004
- Runtime
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120 minutes
9
‘Before Sunset’
Directed by Richard Linklater
Richard Linklater‘s Before Sunrise was already one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved romantic dramas of the 90s, providing an honest and reflective showcase of love that is simply unmatched by other romance films. However, in a massive rarity and an exception to the norm, the unexpected sequel to the film released 9 years later, Before Sunset, manages to not only live up to the legacy of the original, but be even better in terms of emotion, filmmaking craft, and romantic storytelling.
The film follows its two wayward souls, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy), finding themselves unexpectedly reconnecting 9 years after their initial chance encounter. Their individual lives have blossomed and branched out into new loves of their own, yet there is still an undeniable passion and connection between the two that simply cannot be ignored. Few other films are so beautiful in their portrayal of love and human connection on-screen as Before Sunset, securing its classic status as one of the best romantic dramas of all time.
8
‘Saw’
Directed by James Wan
A gruesome and shocking horror experience that forever changed the genre as well as expanded the popularity of the “torture porn” subgenre, Saw is in a league all of its own in terms of mystery, dread, and gory content. The film follows a duo of confused and terrified victims waking up to find themselves trapped and forced to play a sadistic game to save their lives from the wrath of the deadly Jigsaw killer. As they attempt to solve the clues of their prison, they also recollect and attempt to figure out who the Jigsaw killer could be and why he’s subjecting them to this torture.
While the shocking content and alluring mystery of Saw certainly played a factor in its success and classic status, the film also made waves for accomplishing these feats on a ludicrously small budget. The film’s brilliant sense of personality, combined with the unyielding sense of tension and dread, quickly made it an essential horror film of the 2000s, as well as massively influencing the rest of the decade and beyond in terms of small-scale horror filmmaking.
Saw
- Release Date
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October 29, 2004
- Runtime
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103 minutes
7
‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’
Directed by Adam McKay
Few comedy actors were as largely emblematic and massively popular throughout the 2000s as Will Ferrell, who cemented himself as a comedy icon during the decade with the likes of Step Brothers, Elf, and a variety of other supporting roles. However, out of all the memorable comedies that he starred in during the decade, none have become such an impactful and memorable classic quite the 2004 smash hit, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
The film simply plays to all of Ferrell’s greatest strengths as a comedic actor, allowing him to fully embrace the chaotic lunacy of the character and satirical world of the film to create a non-stop array of comedy gold. Ferrell is far from the only exceptional talent in the film, as the entire supporting cast comes together to fill the film with instantly memorable quotes, hilarious moments, and an overall tone of lighthearted yet chaotic absurdism. The film has been endlessly rewatched by fans since its release, being a titan of home video and a certified comedy classic of the 21st century.
6
‘Spider-Man 2’
Directed by Sam Raimi
While superhero films and their massive blockbuster success are often associated with the 2010s, one of the most impactful and influential superhero movies of all time was released in 2004 with Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man 2. The film improves upon the original in nearly every way, with more engaging visuals, a dynamic and emotional story, and a fundamental understanding of how to make a high-budget Spider-Man story work so well.
Even 21 years after its release, Spider-Man 2 is highly celebrated as not just the pinnacle of Spider-Man movies, but a perfectly directed superhero movie that stands tall as one of the heights that the genre has to offer. Its influence is still largely felt in superhero movies to this day, as many are constantly trying to recapture the magic and allure that Raimi brought into every sequence in Spider-Man 2. For what was already then considered the must-see blockbuster experience of 2004, Spider-Man 2 has aged gracefully and beautifully as a classic by all accounts.
5
‘Shaun of the Dead’
Directed by Edgar Wright
A beloved horror comedy cult classic that helped amplify the popularity of zombies in larger media throughout the 2000s and 2010s as a whole, Shaun of the Dead is an absolute blast to watch from beginning to end. The film stands tall as one of the greatest creative explorations of comedic potential within a zombie film, paying tribute to the genre’s conventions and trends in a hilarious love letter to the gruesome, living dead. Edgar Wright ingrains the film with so much personality and charm that it’s impossible not to fall in love with the film from beginning to end.
When originally released, the film was simply a moderate success and was far from the most impactful horror film of 2004, yet it slowly garnered its cult classic status in the years following its release thanks to word of mouth and the film’s undeniable strengths. Nowadays, the film is considered a massively influential staple of zombie movies in the modern day, as well as cementing Wright as a household name and one of the most beloved comedic directors of the 21st century.
4
‘The Notebook’
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Often one of the first films that people think of when considering sappy and tearjerker emotional dramas of the 21st century, The Notebook quickly became widely celebrated thanks to its compelling portrayal of love and passion. The simple yet impactful execution of separated love during World War II had a massive impact on audiences of the era, who instantly connected with its themes of lasting love persisting throughout the pains and interruptions of life.
The Notebook quickly attained a classic status and reputation beyond the contents of the film, being synonymous with the very notions of a 21st-century romantic drama as well as a quintessential “chick flick” experience. Even long after it became the must-see romance story of the 2000s, The Notebook still holds a resounding legacy as a classic of both the romance genre and the era as a whole. The film is still often brought up as the face of the type of sappy, highly dramatic romance movies that exploded in popularity following its success.
3
‘The Incredibles’
Directed by Brad Bird
Pixar, as an animation studio, was on a generational run throughout the 2000s, consistently releasing some of the greatest and most impactful animated movies of all time, year after year, as they rarely faltered in quality. 2004 specifically saw the release of one of their greatest achievements in animation, The Incredibles, a crowd-pleasing superhero film that still stands tall as one of the best films Pixar has ever released. The film’s compelling narrative and beautiful visual style still hold up in the modern day, despite the massive innovations made in 3D animation as a whole.
It’s difficult to imagine another family film that has achieved the same levels of unanimous praise and recognition from critics and audiences alike as The Incredibles, as many are quick to tout it as a masterpiece of the medium of animation. The film’s classic status and recognition have only continued to grow since its release, with continued praise of the characters and the release of a sequel in Incredibles 2 only compounding its status as an animation classic.
2
‘Mean Girls’
Directed by Mark Waters
Teen rom-coms as a genre were easily at the height of their popularity throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, with the sustained greatness of the genre reaching its heights with the instant cult classic, Mean Girls. The film acted as a culmination of all the massive strides that teenage rom-coms were making, featuring some of the best comedic strengths of the era, which made the film a highly memorable experience. It was already a massive hit when first released, yet it didn’t become the true cultural phenomenon until its home video release, where it cemented its status as a comedy classic.
Mean Girls is simply tailor-made to be endlessly watched and rewatched, much like the best comedies of all time, as it never loses its comedic edge thanks to an array of memorable quotes, subtle comedy, and entertaining characters. Especially in an era where DVD was exploring, and home video was at the height of its popularity, Mean Girls thrived as the figurative queen of comedy, becoming a classic that every other female-centric comedy film would be compared to going forward.
Mean Girls
- Release Date
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April 30, 2004
- Runtime
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97 minutes
1
‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’
Directed by Michel Gondry
A beautiful and exceptionally well-crafted exploration of love and human connection that simultaneously feels timeless in its execution as well as squarely emblematic of the era of 2004, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a film whose reputation precedes itself. The film features one of the most creative and emphatic premises for a romance film, utilizing sci-fi concepts to tell an otherworldly exploration of romance that could only be written by Charlie Kaufman.
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet provide perfect romantic performances, embodying the pure essence of connection and love that helps elevate the themes and essence of the story as a whole. Its distinct approach to romantic storytelling immediately gave it an edge over other, more traditional romance films, while the core emotional strengths of the film helped it achieve massive critical and audience praise. 21 years after its release, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is easily a defining classic of romance films and is often considered one of the greatest films of the 21st century.
