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Iconic Black Movies That Are Celebrating Their 20th Anniversary This Year

Time may fly, but Black don't crack.

Amatullah Shaw
by Amatullah Shaw

BuzzFeed Staff

1. You Got Served

Group of dancers battling in a dance-off scene, with onlookers surrounding the area
Screen Gems / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: January 30, 2004

Synopsis: In order to achieve their dream of opening a recording studio, two friends (Omarion and Marques Houston) must first win their city's dance contest — a fierce competition that pits them against a group of tough street dancers. 

Watch the trailer here.

2. Man on Fire

Dakota Fanning as a child and Denzel Washington look at one another
20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: April 23, 2004

Synopsis: Ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Denzel Washington) seeks vengeance after Lupita (Dakota Fanning), the 9-year-old daughter of a wealthy businessman he swore to protect, is kidnapped in Mexico City.

Watch the trailer here.

3. Breakin' All the Rules

Gabrielle Union and Jamie Foxx sitting beside each other on a bus
Screen Gems / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: May 14, 2004

Synopsis: Inspired by his fiancée (who dumped him), editor Quincy (Jamie Foxx) publishes a breakup handbook for men, becoming a best-selling author in the process. But the problems start when the book moves his cousin (Morris Chestnut) to break up with his girlfriend (Gabrielle Union) who later falls for Quincy.

Watch the trailer here.

4. Soul Plane

Method Man pointing and Kevin Hart looking in that direction
MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: May 28, 2004

Synopsis: After a terrible experience with another airline, leading him to win $100,000,000 in a lawsuit, Nashawn Wade (Kevin Hart) starts his own airline, catered to the Black community.

Watch the trailer here.

5. White Chicks

Shawn and Marlon Wayans undercover as two heiresses engaging in a dance battle
Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: June 23, 2004

Synopsis: In this cult classic, two FBI agents (Shawn and Marlon Wayans) go undercover to protect two hotel heiresses, the Wilson sisters, from a targeted kidnapping.

Watch the trailer here.

6. I, Robot

Will Smith, in a leather jacket, converses with a humanoid robot in a futuristic setting
20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: July 16, 2004

Synopsis: Del Spooner (Will Smith) investigates the death of US Robotics founder Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), believing that a robot named Sonny (Alan Tudyk) killed him, which later leads to other robots like him rising up against the humans. 

Watch the trailer here.

7. Catwoman

Halle Berry as Catwoman, standing behind a chain-link fence
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: July 19, 2004

Synopsis: Based on the DC character of the same name, Patience Phillips (Halle Berry) becomes Catwoman after discovering a dark secret about her employer.

Watch the trailer here.

8. She Hate Me

Anthony Mackie stands addressing a group of seated women in an indoor setting
Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: July 30, 2004

Synopsis: After getting fired for false fraud accusations, a former executive (Anthony Mackie) becomes a sperm donor for lesbians who each pay him $10,000 to get them pregnant.

Watch the trailer here.

9. The Manchurian Candidate

Denzel Washington and Liev Schreiber in a serious conversation, one in a trench coat, the other in a suit and tie
Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: July 30, 2004

Synopsis: A remake of the 1962 film of the same name, Bennett Marco (Denzel Washington) is a soldier who begins to have nightmares of his time serving in the Gulf War. Unable to discern what's a dream vs. what actually happened, he begins questioning his fellow squad-mate Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber), and later finds a mysterious implant in the back of his head.

Watch the trailer here.

10. Mr. 3000

Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett in a scene from 'Mr. 3000,' wearing casual clothing and conversing
Buena Vista Pictures / Everett Collection

Release date: September 8, 2004

Synopsis: A baseball player (Bernie Mac) retires after believing he's made 3,000 hits, enough to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. But a clerical error finds that he missed it by three hits, so he comes out of retirement to re-earn his title, "Mr. 3000"

Watch the trailer here.

11. Taxi

Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon in a scene, with Fallon holding a gun, Latifah by a police car
20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: October 6, 2004

Synopsis: A taxi driver (Queen Latifah) is dragged into a case regarding a series of bank robberies after the cop leading the search (Jimmy Fallon) has his driver's license suspended.

Watch the trailer here.

12. Hair Show

Mo'Nique in a law office scene, wearing a dramatic feather boa
New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: October 15, 2004

Synopsis: After owing $50,000 in back taxes to the IRS, Peaches (Mo'Nique) heads to LA to get help from her sister, Angela (Kellita Smith). The two team up to compete for a cash prize at LA's annual hair show.

Watch the trailer here.

13. Ray

Jamie Foxx in a tuxedo playing the piano and singing
Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: October 29, 2004

Synopsis: The biopic of Ray Charles (played by Jamie Foxx), who after losing his sight at age 7, rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s as an iconic rhythm and blues singer.

Watch the trailer here.

14. Blade: Trinity

Jessica Biel, Wesley Snipes, and Ryan Reynolds walk beside each other
New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

Release date: December 8, 2004

Synopsis: The third (and final) installment of the Blade trilogy (from Marvel comics), Blade (Wesley Snipes) teams up with vampire hunters (Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds) to take down the biggest threat to humanity: Dracula.

Watch the trailer here.

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