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Welcome to Marquee History, the weekly column that takes you back to a time when you - or your parents - were younger. Prepare to become nostalgic (and shocked) at how much time has passed when you recall what was new in theaters 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years ago.

This week's highlights are the 10th anniversary of Serenity and a trio of top films from 2000: Remember the Titans, Best in Show, and Girlfight.

Here are the movies that premiered on theater marquees this week...

10 years ago - September 30, 2005

Serenity
I have to admit, I’m in the fan level for this series, which is below the superfan or ultrageek or browncoat or whatever level, so I always mix up the name of the movie versus the tv series name. No confusion among those true fans, though; Serenity is the movie that show creator Joss Whedon pursued after the TV series Firefly was cancelled after less than one season on Fox. Whedon had already had a strong following thanks to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, so the sci-fi/western series was instantly popular among his fans, but struggled for ratings when it premiered in 2002. All the major stars from the show are in the film, headlined by Nathan Fillion as Mal Reynolds, who faces off against a ruthless assassin played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. The movie earned good reviews, but despite strong fan anticipation, it only opened at #2 behind holdover Flightplan with $10 million on 2,188 screens (over 1,000 fewer than Flightplan and Corpse Bride). Its $25 million final gross also fell short of the $39 million budget, but the movie and series continue to be a strong presence at conventions and cosplay events.

A History of Violence
Initially released on 14 screens the prior week, A History of Violence was given a 1,340 screen release this week. David Cronenberg’s crime thriller stars Viggo Mortensen as a former criminal who has settled into a peaceful family life until his past comes looking for him. Maria Bello, Ed Harris, and William Hurt costar. While Mortensen received critical praise for his acting it was Hurt who would receive an Oscar nomination for his performance. Screenwriter Josh Olson also received an Oscar nomination. A History of Violence grabbed the #4 box office spot with $8.1 million and the strongest per-site average of the wide release movies this weekend. It eventually earned $31 million. With DVDs now dominating the home video market, A History of Violence was the last major Hollywood movie to be released on VHS.

Into the Blue
The physiques of Jessica Alba and Paul Walker star in this action thriller about a couple who get caught up in a drug scandal in the Bahamas. Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, and Tyson Beckford costar. Reviews were poor and Jessica Alba received a Razzie Award nomination for her performance. Into the Blue opened at #5 with $7 million on 2,789 screens. It went on to earn $18 million.

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