It feels like only yesterday we were introduced to characters like Regina George, Ron Burgundy and Napoleon Dynamite. Low and behold, 10 years have gone by, but the characters and the movies they came from are just as popular now, if not more so than they were in 2004. Take a look at some flicks that left an imprint on our hearts, from the dramatic and heartbreaking to the insane and outlandish.
“The Notebook”
Adapted from the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, “The Notebook” follows Noah, played by Ryan Gosling, and Allie, played by Rachel McAdams, in an ultimate love story. After a summer romance in the 1940s, Allie’s condemning parents force her to leave the love of her life, Noah. They go their separate ways, but their connection is unwavering in this tear-jerker. This movie has made grown men cry; it’s that beautiful. One of the most iconic scenes from the film is their kiss in the rain, which McAdams and Gosling reenacted when they won the award for Best Kiss at 2005’s MTV Movie Awards.
“Napoleon Dynamite”
The movie that made you love tater tots even more and want to vote for Pedro brought the humorous Napoleon Dynamite to life. Jon Heder plays Dynamite, the social pariah of his high school. His friend, Pedro, played by Efren Ramirez, decides to run for class president, and Dynamite helps him conquer the title. Fans will remember Heder’s unforgettable dance number at the end of the movie to save Pedro’s chance of becoming class president.
“White Chicks”
If listening to Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” doesn’t make you think of “White Chicks,” I don’t know what will. Marlon and Shawn Wayans star as undercover FBI agents Marcus and Kevin Copeland, who pose as wealthy sisters Brittany and Tiffany. Between the blonde wigs and their transformation from black men into white women, the Wayans brothers’ antics are a joy to watch.
“Mean Girls”
Lindsay Lohan plays Cady Heron, a student from Africa, attending a public high school in the U.S. for the first time. There, she encounters The Plastics, the infamous mean girls of the school. Heron is befriended by other social outcasts, and they decide to make Heron a Plastic to sabotage the leader of the pack, Regina George, played by Rachel McAdams. Phrases like “On Wednesdays we wear pink” and “That’s so fetch” have made this film a classic high school movie that many devotees can’t stop watching on repeat.
“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”
Relive the magic of crazy newsroom antics where it all began with Will Ferrell’s role as news anchor Ron Burgundy. Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner and Christina Applegate’s comedic portrayals of reporters in the 70s have left “Stay classy, San Diego” imbedded in countless minds. The film has grown a fan base and the cast reunited with the 2013 sequel, “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.”
“Meet the Fockers”
The sequel to “Meet to Parents” brings Ben Stiller’s character, Greg, and his fiancée Pam Byrnes, played by Teri Polo, to meet the rest of the Focker clan in Florida. His parents, Bernie and Rozalin, played by Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand, are carefree and crazy, while Byrnes’ parents, Robert De Niro starring as Jack and Blythe Danner as Dina, are uptight and serious. All four together in one house ensures a wild week with the Fockers.
“A Cinderella Story”
In this modern twist on the classic fairytale “Cinderella,” Hilary Duff plays Sam, an unpopular senior trying to get into Princeton, while dealing with her evil stepmother Fiona, played by Jennifer Coolidge. After Sam’s father dies, she is forced to abide by her stepmother’s barbaric rules, like cleaning the pool and working at her father’s diner. She forms an online connection with Chad Michael Murray’s character Austin, the most popular guy in school, yet the two don’t know of each other’s real identities, since they go by the nicknames Princeton Girl and Nomad. Anyone who’s a fan of Duff emerging from her Disney Channel days and “One Tree Hill” can’t help but fall for this high school romance.
“13 Going on 30”
Jenna Rink, a 13-year-old social outcast, wishes to be “thirty, flirty, and thriving” on her 13th birthday and wakes up as her 30-year-old self, living in New York City, with her dream job as an editor for Poise magazine. Jenna, plays by Jennifer Garner, reconnects with her childhood friend, Matt, played by Mark Ruffalo, to help her go back to 1987 as she soon realizes her dream life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
“The Incredibles”
This Disney Pixar film follows a family of secret crime-fighters. Craig T. Nelson voices Mr. Incredible, and Holly Hunter plays his wife, Elastigirl, who both come out of retirement from their superhero days to save the world. Their children, Violet, Dash, and Jack Jack, must also help, and are especially effective with their own unique powers. It’s a family superhero film; what’s not to love?
