Welcome 2025! With the beginning of a new year I think we should take a look back at some of the cinema from 20 years ago. Some real good blockbuster hits were released that I still watch on the regular to this day!

1. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Clone Wars rage across the galaxy. The sinister Sith Lord seizes control of the Republic and corrupts Anakin Skywalker to be his dark apprentice, Darth Vader. Obi-Wan Kenobi must confront his fallen friend in an epic lightsaber duel.

2. Batman Begins

After training with his mentor, Batman begins his fight to free crime-ridden Gotham City from the corruption that Scarecrow and The League of Shadows have cast upon it.

3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

When Harry Potter’s name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, he becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools – the Triwizard Tournament. Now, Harry must confront a deadly dragon, fierce water demons, and an enchanted maze only to find himself in the cruel grasp of He Who Must Not Be Named. In this fourth film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, everything changes as Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave childhood forever and take on challenges greater than anything they could have imagined.

4. Mr. and Mrs. Smith 

After five (or six) years of vanilla-wedded bliss, ordinary suburbanites John and Jane Smith are stuck in a rut the size of the Grand Canyon- until the truth comes out! Unbeknownst to each other, they are both coolly lethal, highly paid assassins working for rival organizations. And when they discover they’re each other’s next target, their secret lives collide in a fun, explosive mix of wicked comedy, pent-up passion, nonstop action, and high-tech weaponry that gives an all-new meaning to “Till death do us part!”

5. Fantastic Four

After exposure to cosmic radiation, four astronauts become the most remarkable, if dysfunctional, superheroes of all time. Unfortunately, the mission’s sponsor has also been transformed – into the world’s most lethal super-villain – setting the stage for a confrontation of epic proportions. Packed with nonstop action, awesome special effects, and irreverent humor, Fantastic Four is exhilarating fun from start to finish. 

6. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter, four siblings who step through a magical wardrobe and find the land of Narnia. There, they discover a charming, once-peaceful kingdom that has been plunged into eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Aided by the magnificent lion Asian, the children lead Narnia into a tremendous, cinematic battle to be free of the Witch’s glacial powers forever! Meet talking beats, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs, giants, and more! Meanwhile, every sound – from the roar of Asian to the echo of battle trumpets and the gentle rustling of leaves – comes alive with spectacularly enhanced audio quality. 

7. Wedding Crashers

Guided by a set of “wedding-crashing rules,” John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey can charm their way into any wedding… and into the hearts of every bridesmaid. But at the biggest nuptials of the year, John breaks the rules and falls for the daughter of the US Secretary of Treasury, and Jeremy is left at the mercy of her “stage-five clinger” sister. Being there for his buddy, Jeremy follows John to the family’s huge estate for a weekend that may even be too wild for those professional party guys.

8. Pride and Prejudice

When Elizabeth Bennet meets the handsome Mr. Darcy, she believes he is the last man on earth she could ever marry. But as their lives become intertwined in an unexpected adventure, she finds herself captivated by the very person she swore to loathe for all eternity. Based on the beloved masterpiece by Jane Austen, it is the classic tale of love and misunderstanding that sparkles with romance, wit, and emotional force.

9. Corpse Bride

Set in a 19th-century European village, this stop-motion animated feature follows the story of Victor, a young man whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious Corpse Bride, while his real bride, Victoria, waits bereft in the land of the living. Though life in the Land of the Dead proves to be a lot more colorful than his strict upbringing, Victor learns that there is nothing in this world – or the next – that can keep him away from his one true love. It’s a tale of optimism, romance, and a very lively afterlife, told in classic Burton style. 

10. Hoodwinked

So, you think you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Don’t be so sure… One of your favorite fairy tales is turned upside-down and inside-out in what the LA TIMES called “High energy, imaginative entertainment” With irreverent storytelling, spunk, and wit. Hoodwinked delivers a comedy caper for the young, the young at heart, and everyone in between. When the police arrive at Granny’s cottage in the woods to answer a domestic disturbance call, it looks like just another open-and-shut case. But Red, Granny, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Woodsman are not your usual suspects, as they have their own dark secrets, wily deceptions, and conflicting accounts of the crime.`

11. Madagascar

When four pampered animals from New York’s Central Park Zoo accidentally find themselves shipwrecked on the exotic island of Madagascar, they discover it really is a jungle out there!

12. Herbie Fully Loaded

Lindsay Lohan does the driving when Herbie – the fun-lovin’, freewheelin’ ‘63 VW Beetle with a mind of its own – returns better than ever in Disney’s all-new, revved-up comedy adventure! Though a third-generation member of a NASCAR family, Maggie Peyton has always been forbidden from following her racing dreams by her overprotective father. But she has no idea her life is about to take a huge u-turn! After discovering the irresistible Herbie in a junkyard, they form a magical team that will save her family and rewrite the racing record books! 

13. Sky High

The son of legendary heroes, Commander and Jetstream, young Will Stronghold carries huge expectations as he enters a high-tech high school known for molding the heroes of tomorrow. With no apparent superpowers of his own, however, Will seems destined to grow up a mere sidekick. But as he discovers his true strengths, he’ll also learn that it takes loyalty and teamwork to truly become a hero.

14. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

What wonders await you in Willy Wonka’s factory? Explore fields of soft, minty sugar grass in the Chocolate Room…Sail along the Chocolate River in a pink sugar boat… Experiment with Everlasting Gobstoppers in the Inventing Room… Observe talented squirrels in the Nut Room and travel to the Television Room by a glass elevator. You’ll find a lot that’s funny, a little that’s mysterious… and an adventure as sweet and satisfying as a Wonka Whipple Scrumptious Fudgemellow Delight bar. This dazzling film, adapted from Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johhny Depp and Freddie Highmore, is your Golden Ticket to a world so inventive, so imaginative, you won’t want to miss a delicious moment!

15. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

Continuing the storyline based on the hit Playstation game Finaly Fantasy VII, two years have passed since the ruins of Midgar stand as a testament to the sacrifices made in order to bring peace. However, the world will soon face a new menace. A mysterious illness is spreading fast. Old enemies are astir. And Cloud, who walked away from the life of a hero to live in solitude, must step forward yet again.

16. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is about a special summer in the lives of four lifelong friends who are separated for the first time. On a shopping trip, the young women find a pair of thrift-shop jeans that fit each of them perfectly and decide to use these pants as a way of keeping in touch over the months ahead, each one wearing the jeans for a week to see what luck they bring her before sending them on to the next. Though miles apart, the four friends still experience life, love, and loss together in a summer they’ll never forget. 

17. The Pacifier

Lt. Shane Wolfe is a tough-as-nails Navy SEAL who has controlled combat action in every corner of the globe. Now the ultimate test comes when he’s assigned to protect the home front… in a house loaded with five out-of-control children. It’s a hilarious assault on suburbia as the clever children show Lt. Wolfe that he’s finally met his match.

18. Yours, Mine, and Ours

A widowed Coast Guard Admiral and a widowed handbag designer fall in love and marry, much to the dismay of her 10 and his 8 children. As the children plot to separate their parents they come to realize that family is what matters most.

19.  Cheaper by the Dozen 2

Tom Baker and wife Kate bring their clan together for a memorable summer getaway. But their dream vacation turns into an outrageous competition with the overachieving, overzealous family of Tom’s long-time rival, Jimmy Murtaugh. 

20. The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Andy Stitzer has gone 40 years without “doing it”. Now his pals are making it their mission to help him score… fast! Can he survive their hilariously bad advice? Will he land in the arms of the way-too-experienced or the way-too-drunk? Or can he find true love where he least expects – from a gorgeous grandmother?

21. The Longest Yard

After former NFL quarterback Paul “Wrecking” Crewe gets thrown into a maximum security prison, the warden orders him to put together a team of hard-core inmates to play a fixed warm-up game against the brutal prison guards. But little does he know that the “Mean Machine,” led by a tough-as-nails coach, have plans to settle their own score in this rib-busting, unforgettable, laugh-out-loud rot directed by Peter Segal.

22. The Dukes of Hazzard

Any day the sun rises is a day Boss Hogg tries to hoodwink the Dukes and other folks in Hazzard county. Now he’s scheming to grab everyone’s land. Which means he and good ol’ boys Bo and Luke Duke are going to be feudin’ like tomcats stuck in the same barrel.

23. Hitch

Meet Hitch New York City’s greatest matchmaker who will get you the girl of your dreams in just three easy dates, guaranteed! And that’s exactly what Albert Brennaman is hoping will happen with gorgeous society heiress Allegra Cole. When tabloid gossip reporter, Sara Melas decides to uncover more about the legendary date doctor, she soon discovers to her horror that the charming young man she has been dating, is the man himself. Which only goes to show that just when you think you’ve found true love, there’s always a HITCH.

24. Elektra

Restored to life after sustaining mortal wounds in Daredevil, Elektra now lives only for death as the world’s most lethal assassin. But her latest assignment will force her to make a fateful decision in the ultimate battle between good and evil! Marvel’s deadly Elektra proves that she was born to fight and trained to kill as the sexiest action hero ever to burst from the pages of comic books. 

25. The Wedding Date

Kat Ellis is determined to attend her younger sister’s wedding with a date. Rather than face the ridicule of her family and in order to show up her ex-fiancé, she resorts to the Yellow Pages to find a last minute escort, Nick. His dashing good looks and quick-witted charm may win over her family. But will they win over Kat? Filled with unexpected twists and endless laughs, The Wedding Date is the one date that you’ll want to keep!

26. Beauty Shop

When Jorge, the egotistical boss at a posh salon, pushes his star stylist, Gina, a hair too far, Gina leaves and opens a beauty shop of her own. Inheriting an opinionated group of stylists, a colorful clientele, and a sexy upstairs neighbor, Gina proves that you can’t keep a good woman down – and you can’t keep a shopful of outrageous women from speaking their minds!

27. Monster-in-Law

Charlie thought she’d never find the man of her dreams until she meets Kevin. However, poor Charlie is in for a shock when she finally meets his overly possessive mother, Viola. Determined to scare off her son’s new fiancée, Voila hatches a scheme to become the world’s worst mother-in-law! With the help of her loyal, wisecracking assistant, Viola does everything she can to break up the happy couple. But when Charlie gets wise to her schemes and decides to fight back, a wild and hysterical battle of wits begins!

28. Miss Congeniality 2 Armed and Fabulous

Sandra Bullock returns as Special Agent Gracie Hart in a funny, fabulous Miss Congeniality follow-up. This time, she’s the bureau’s new celebrity face, making the rounds of talk shows “her heroics at the Miss United States Beauty Pageant made her too famous for field work). She also has a new partner, an agent with anger-management issues and a dim opinion of pampered Gracie. But when Gracie’s friends are kidnapped, nothing can keep Special Agent GS13 out of the action. Look out, world. The cover girl is going back undercover!

29. Bewitched

Egomaniacal star Jack Wyatt casts unknown Isabel as his co-star in order to monopolize the limelight and regain his top spot on Hollywood’s A-list. When Isabel, a real witch, discovers Jack’s self-centered scheme, she conjures a sidesplitting spell the mere mortal will never forget!

30. King Kong

Get ready for breathtaking action in this thrilling epic adventure about a legendary gorilla captured on a treacherous island and brought to civilization, where he faces the ultimate fight for survival. Experience the movie that critics are hailing as a “rousing, exciting cinematic adventure!”

31. Hide and Seek

At their new home in upstate New York, newly widowed psychologist David Callaway tries desperately to help his traumatized daughter Emily deal with her mother’s death. But before long, both David and Emily are being terrorized by someone-or something-named Charlie: a “friend” who may or may not be imaginary but is definitely the stuff nightmares are made of! Ready or not…

32. The Skeleton Key

When Caroline Ellis takes a job in Louisiana’s bayous, she unlocks a deadly secret involving magic, conjure, and sacrifice that pulls her into a terrifying world of strange, frightening, and unexplained incidents. The key to escaping may lie in a decrepit attic, but if she dares to believe in what she discovers, everything she fears will become real!

33. Brokeback Mountain

Set against the sweeping vistas of Wyoming and Texas, the film tells the story of two young men – a ranch-hand and a rodeo cowboy – who meet in the summer of 1963, and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection, one whose complications, joys, and tragedies provide a testament to the endurance and power of love.

Planning your next movie night? Because I am! Some really great movies were released 20 years ago and there are still a few I watch regularly. Batman Begins is definitely one of the movies in our rotation. What movies will be apart of your next movie night?