The last twenty years have presented a monumental shift in Hollywood content, production, and delivery. With the benefit of hindsight, it becomes apparent that by 2005, a lot of these changes were already taking shape. While the streaming services were still a decade away, mainstream Hollywood’s wholesale pivot to blockbuster filmmaking was already being calcified. Following the template set byX-Men,The Lord of the RingsandSpider-Manat the start of the century, over half of2005’s ten highest-grossing filmswere franchise films or based on pre-existing IP.
However, despite the industry’s aggressive shift to IP and franchise filmmaking, 2005 still produced some gems that have stood the test of time. Visionary filmmakers likeChristopher NolanandSteven Spielbergcreated great works within the IP sandbox, and trusted old hands likeAng LeeandWerner Herzogdelivered characteristically excellent films. The year also saw the directorial debuts of filmmakers likeJudd Apatow, who would prove influentialin the coming years.This list will discuss ten movies from 2005 that can be considered perfect, thanks to their plot, characters, and other elements that have contributed to their flawless legacies.
10’Batman Begins'
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Eight years after the mostly deridedBatman & Robin, Warner Bros. tappedChristopher Nolanto reboot theirBatmanfranchise. Teaming up with co-writerDavid S. Goyer, Nolan sought to re-tell Bruce Wayne’s transformation from a wealthy orphan to the crime-fighting vigilante Batman.Batman BeginsseesChristian Baledonning the iconic cowl and a stacked supporting cast that includesMichaelCaine,Morgan Freeman,Gary Oldman,Liam Neeson, andCillian Murphy.
Nolan and Goyer sought a more grounded approachto the story and succeeded in giving the comic-book characters a human-like psychology and understanding. Coming at the advent of the superhero boom, but after the debuts of the more fantasticalX-MenandSpider-Man,Batman Beginsprovideda new approach to adapting superhero stories for film. In many ways, it becamethe perfect blueprint for future comic book movies, which sought to replicate its tone and eventual success.
Batman Begins
9’Brokeback Mountain'
Directed by Ang Lee
Ang Lee’sBrokeback Mountainis widely considered a modern Western masterpiece and alandmark piece of Queer cinema. Adapted from a 1997 short story byAnnie Proulx, the film starsJake Gyllenhaaland the lateHeath Ledgeras two cowboys who enter a complex romantic and sexual relationship with each other despite their attempts to lead heteronormative lives.Anne HathawayandMichelle Williamsco-star as their female love interests.
Brokeback Mountainutilizes our universal feelings of love, acceptance, and sacrificing parts of ourselves to fit into society tointerrogate ideas of masculinity, the American cowboy, and heteronormative ideals. The film was a commercial and critical success and received eight Academy Award nominations, including acting nominations for Ledger, Gyllenhaal, and Williams. Today, it’s fondly remembered asa perfect piece of queer cinemaand a true breakthrough in LGBTQQ+ stories on a mainstream level.
Brokeback Mountain
Directed by Michael Haneke
Michael Haneke’s psychological thriller,Caché, starsDaniel AuteuilandJuliette Binocheas a married couple, Georges and Anne, who receive anonymous tapes showing them being watched. The videos reveal links to Georges’s childhood and his resistance to his parents' adopting an Algerian orphan.
Partly inspired by the French Government’s denial of the 1961 Seine River Massacre, the film is a biting social critique that confronts a range of issues. In line with that 1961 massacre, the filmengages with the horrors of French colonialism and its treatment of refugees, especially Algerian refugees.Cachéalso ponders the idea of collective memory and was ahead of its time with its discussions of the, at the time, the nascent idea of constant surveillance.
7’Grizzly Man'
Directed by Werner Herzog
In October 2003, bear enthusiast and conservationistTimothy Treadwelland his girlfriend Amie Huguenardwere attacked and killed by a bear in the Katmai National Park, Alaska. In 2005,renowned filmmaker Werner Herzogreleased a documentary documenting Treadwell’s singular life and tragic death.
Using Treadwell’s footage and interviews with his colleagues and acquaintances,Grizzly Manpresentsa complicated portrait of a manwho dedicated his life to a worthwhile cause but whose actions could be accused of leading to his and his partner’s death. Herzog also gives his opinions of the footage throughout the documentary, even praising Treadwell’s filmmaking. However, he concludes that Treadwell’s sentimental view of nature led to the tragedy. Herzog asserts that, by believing that nature was tameable as opposed to cold and harsh, Treadwell underestimated the danger, eventually leading to his death.
Grizzly Man
6’Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'
Directed by Shane Black
After a career of writing landmark buddy action films,Shane Blackmade his directorial debut with the buddy black comedyKiss Kiss Bang Bang.Starring Robert Downey Jr. as a criminalwho stumbles into an audition andVal Kilmeras the private investigator hired to train him for the role, the film has all the hallmarks of Shane Black’ssharp dialogue and eccentric characterizations.
Anchored by a chemistry-filled relationship between Downey Jr. and Kilmer,Kiss Kiss Bang Bangis a genre-bending detective story that boasts Robert Downey Jr. at the height of his powers and Val Kilmer in a surprisingly hilarious performance. Though an under-performer at the box office, the film has received constant retrospective inspection and, like Shane Black’sThe Nice Guys, hasgarnered a second life after the theater.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
5’Pride & Prejudice'
Directed by Joe Wright
Keira KnightleyandMatthew MacfadyenledJoe Wright’s directorial debut,Pride & Prejudice.An adaptation of theJane Austennovelof the same name, the film follows the five Bennet sisters dealing with themes of romance, marriage and family. Co-starringBrenda Blethynand the lateDonald Sutherland, the film was a box office success and received four Academy Award nominations, including a Best Actress nomination for Keira Knightley.
Initially criticized for some of its deviations from the Austen novel,Pride & Prejudicehas grown to be adored by fansand is widely regarded as on par or superior to the1995 TV version. Its more realistic depiction of sisterhood has been praised, as has its sympathetic portrayals of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Most importantly, the film version excels thanks to thesimmering, chemistry-infused, slow-burn romancebetween its leads, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.
Pride & Prejudice
4’The 40-Year-Old Virgin'
Directed by Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow’s directorial debut, which he co-wrote withSteve Carell, sees Carell in his first feature leading role as Andy, the titular 40-year-old virgin. The film follows the revelation of Andy’s secret and the efforts of his co-workers to help him lose his virginity. Co-starringPaul Rudd,Seth Rogen,Romany Malco, andCatherine Keener,The 40-Year-Old Virginwas a launching pad for the film careers of many of its stars.
The 40-Year-Old Virginstands out asa landmark film from the studio comedies of the 2000s. Along with launching the careers of its stars and writer-director, it propelled the bromance genre and trailblazed a generation of comedies that placed higher regard on tenderness and (male) emotions. Twenty years later, the film remains wildly hilarious with its famouslyimprovised chest-waxing scene, cementing it as a crucial part of pop culture folklore.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
3’The Squid and the Whale'
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Noah Baumbach’sThe Squid and the Whaletakes an honest, acerbic and surprisingly funny look at marital divorce through the eyes of the teenage children affected by it. The semi-autobiographical film featuresJeff DanielsandLaura Linneyas the divorcing Bernard and Joan Berkman andJesse EisenbergandOwen Klineas their adolescent sons.
By centering the perspectives of the two children,The Squid and the Whaleeffectively conveysthe unnerving effects divorce can have on children. This decision also helps Baumbach show the parents' actions in their full selfish and ego-driven light instead of the more sympathetic depiction a subjective portrayal might provide. Twenty years later,the film remains one of Noah Baumbach’s bests.
The Squid and the Whale
2’War of the Worlds'
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Steven SpielbergandTom Cruisecombined their considerable powers to create 2005’s fourth-highest-grossing film. An adaptation ofH.G. Wells' classic 1898 novel,War of the Worldsis ostensibly about an alien invasion. However, the film makes the curious decision to focus on a single, normal character’s desire to protect his family instead of the usual portrayal of a large-scale fight against the aliens.
Dakota Fanningco-stars alongside Cruisein another of her many excellent performances as a child actor. Equal parts disaster movie, family drama, and coming-of-age tale,War of the Worldsisa personal account of one family’s love and desperation to surviveamid the potential end of the world. Many might scoff at the idea of calling it “perfect;” it’s certainly not a flawless sci-fi movie. However, it’sa pretty perfect version of what it sets out to be.
War of The Worlds
1’Wedding Crashers'
Directed by David Dobkin
In their first film together as co-leads, comedy iconsVince VaughandOwen Wilsonstarred as two divorce mediators who crash weddings to meet and seduce the female guests. However, when John (Wilson) starts to develop feelings for a maid-of-honor, Claire (Rachel McAdams), it threatens to jeopardize their antics and friendship.Wedding Crashersco-starredIsla Fisher,Bradley Cooper,Jane Seymour,andChristopher Walken.
A commercial and critical hit,Wedding Crashersis widely credited withkickstarting the revival of the R-rated comedy that dominated the late 2000sand early 2010s. Vaughn and Wilson’s chemistry is expectedly undeniable. Rachel McAdams provides a stellar rom-com performance and delivers a fully realized character despite not being the film’s focus for large sections. These strengths, along with a highly quotable script, have establishedWedding Crashersasone of the century’s best comedies.
