The2000s were diverse when it comes to cinema; the decadeushered in some iconic parodies, comedies, franchises, and new beginningsfor old characters. The decade was integral for cinema that moved boundaries when it came to storytelling and world-building; it seems that the new millennium and Y2K inspired filmmakers to go all in and give their best visions to the world. It resulted in them becoming some of the best movies of all time, and it was a pretty great time to grow up, with all its ups and downs.
The most important, or essential, movies of the 2000s are a bold mix of internationalfeatures that changed or impacted how audiences watch and experience movies. For many English speakers who hadn’t seen a foreign language movie until then, new opportunities came at every step. The new millennium obviously made a mark on filmmakers and moviegoers alike, which is best seen through some of the decade’s essential features.
10’Casino Royale' (2006)
Directed by Martin Campbell
TheJames Bondfranchise was once again revived withDaniel Craigas the titular character. Many people couldn’t warm up to Craig being James Bond at first, but the five movies he madebrought a modern and fresh perspective on the somewhat dated character. Movies about James Bond will always be popular and embraced by the fandom, butCasino Royaleengaged more than just the hardcore 007 fans. This could be because the 2006 hit “resets” Bond in a way, giving him a ‘licence to kill,’ or the title of 007 at the start of the movie, rather than him continuing from an uncertain starting point.
Casino Royalefollows Bond entering a high stakes poker game in a casino in Montenegro; his goal is toplay, and win, against a well-known private banker and terrorist, Le Chiffre(Mads Mikkelsen). Though it has very popular contenders,Casino Royaleis truly the best Craig movie in the Bond series, because it has elements of multiple genres: it’s a classic spy movie, but also an action thriller and a romance, with the femme fatale Vesper Lynd (Eva Green)as the second Bond girlhe was ever shown to actually love (afterDiana Riggas Tracy Bond).Casino Royalechanged the trajectory for Bond movies, raising the standard for many otheraction movie franchisesduring the decade.
Casino Royale
9’District 9' (2009)
Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Neill Blomkamp’s incredible sci-fi directorial debut,District 9, flips the classic alien-coming-to-Earth story onto its head. StarringSharlto Copleyin his international rise to fame, Blomkamp’s movie shows aliens who’ve come to Earth asprisoners trapped in a slum-like area in Johannesburg, South Africa, called District 9; as expected, the sentiment against the imprisoned aliens is hostile. When the government decides to relocate the aliens, they appoint a defense contractor, who in turn appoints his son-in-law, Wikus van de Merwe (Copley), to oversee the relocation.
The movie received high critical praise and was appreciated for a different kind of view on an alien invasion; though a bit depressing and not the classic sort of sci-fi story,the movie also gives justice to the creatures through the transformation of Wikusfrom a mild-mannered yes-man to the aliens' ally. The movie’s name wasinspired by District Six, a notorious area created during South African Apartheid.District 9was also uniquely filmed in a mockumentary style in some parts, giving it a more realistic feel; it’s a sort of grounded sci-fi/alien invasion that’s truly groundbreaking and has found its way into the ranks ofthe best cult sci-fi films of the 2000s.
District 9
8’Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy' (2004)
Directed by Adam McKay
Who knew a movie about news anchors would be one of the funniest (and best) movies of the decade?Adam McKay’s hilarious contribution to the cinematic world,Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundyhas a script that’s simultaneously absurd and clever,using social comedy and improv to depict a bunch of clueless news anchorsas self-proclaimed rock stars.Anchormancounts asone of the most beloved comediesandone of the most quoted movies of all time.Judd Apatowserved as producer, andDavid O. Russellas executive producer.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundyfollows news anchor Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and his team, weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), field reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), and sportscaster Champ Kind (David Koechner).They enjoy a high level of local fame, but embody stereotypeslike being vain, proud, highly competitive, and lacking self-awareness. When a woman, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) is hired to work alongside Burgundy, he develops a tumultuous relationship with her. The dedication to the jokes inAnchormanwas rarely seen before it came out; the gags run for minutes, and look and feel improvised, showing the cast had a lot of fun on set. This makesAnchormanlegendary and essential to 2000s lore.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
7’Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (2004)
Directed by Michel Gondry
How could any talk of essential 2000s movies exist without mentioning one of the biggest of the time,Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? TheJim CarreyandKate Winsletdrama blends science fiction and romance in an emotionally heavy story about love and memory. The movie follows Joel (Carrey) and Clementine (Winslet)who undergo a memory erasure procedure after a difficult breakup. The story evolves into a non-linear retelling of the two-year romance from Joel’s point of view, as the workers in the company called Lacuna, which offers memory erasure, start the procedure on him.
Charlie Kaufmanwrote the script, and it seems he modeled Joel after himself;Michel Gondry, the director, stood firmly by the choice of Winslet and Carrey as the leads, who were usually typecast untilEternal Sunshine. This movie simplymakes sense to anyone who’s ever been in love or had a bad breakup; sometimes, the two can’t be separated, but is it all better left forgotten?Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindremains one of the most beautiful and sentimental romantic movies that expertly blends multiple genres and defies the confines of each.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
6’Gladiator' (2000)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Gladiatoris one of the most influential movies of all time; it’s the feature gym bros and cinema fanatics quote to this day, uniting two (kind of) opposite sides into a united front. Jokes aside,Gladiatorreally didchange the landscape of cinema just after the turn of the century; it helped usher in a new standard for movies about the Roman Empire, inspiring the love that theHBOseriesRomegot about five years later.Gladiatoris oneRidley Scott’s gamechanging movies, afterAlien,Blade Runner, andThelma & Louise.
The movie follows the transformation of Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) into a gladiator after being betrayed by Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), Emperor Marcus Aurelius' son. With years of fighting experience under his belt and army strategies in his mind,Maximus aims to win the gladiator fights and avenge the deaths of his family and the emperor. He also develops a romance with the Emperor’s daughter, Commodus' sister, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). While Crowe is a huge part of why the movie was so successful, overall, great performances brought eternal fame to the feature. The sequel,Gladiator II, may not be an upgraded masterpiece, but it manages to continue the legacy of Maximus, one of the biggest cinematic heroes of the 2000s.
5’Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone' (2001)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Kids born in the 1990s predominantly understand the impact that the firstHarry Pottermovie in the franchise had on them. Sure, people in other generations can relate, but interestingly,90s kids carry the movies in their hearts as massive inspirations while growing up; the magical world of Harry Potter and his wizarding school, Hogwarts, was imagined firstly as a novel byJ.K. Rowling(a woman who is now a lot less admired anda lot more controversial). She created an elaborate world of wizards that’s developed into seven books, eight movies, a theme park, a video game, and so much more.
The first movie of the series isHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and it introduces the wizarding world of Hogwarts and its main character, the orphaned Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) who lives with his aunt and uncle. Harry is unaware of his heritage, andwhen he gets a letter to join the wizarding school called Hogwarts, he acceptsthe invitation that reveals more about his family. Harry also meets hissoon-to-be best friends, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson). The movie was a charming first installment in the complex story of thewizarding world of Harry Potter, and it changed the course of history in many ways.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
4’City of God' (2002)
Directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund
The Brazilian powerhouse of a film,City of God, came unannounced and swept viewers off their feet; it’s greatly the reason whyWagner Moura’sTropa de Elitewas even remotely popular, and, one could argue, the reasonI’m Still Here’sFernanda Torresis now an Oscar nominee. See, it’s all connected, and we haveFernando MeirellesandKátia Lundto thank forputting Brazilian cinema on the map. This epic crime moviecombines elements of the novel of the same name and real-life events that took place in Rio de Janeiro.
City of Godis a literal translation of the phrase Cidade de Deus, which is a ghetto area in Rio de Janeiro; the moviedocuments the rise of its crime ring, including the lives of its participants, down to the most innocent. The events take place between the 1960s and the 1980s, and the narrator is Buscapé aka Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), who documents the events in City of Godthrough his passion, photography. This epic is a powerful, dark, and brilliant depiction of life in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro; it’s often placed on lists of the best movies of all time, and it earns the title with each moment of its runtime.
City of God
3’The Dark Knight' (2008)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
WhenChristopher Nolantook on the colossal task of putting the story of Batman on the big screen,no one expected the trilogy to become a massive hit with a strongly devoted following.The Dark Knightis the second out of three movies, followingBatman Beginsand precedingThe Dark Knight Rises.Christian Balesteps into the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, whileMichael Caine,Nolan’s most frequent collaborator, slips into the shoes of Alfred, Wayne’s butler and father figure. It also has one of the best andmost memorable Joker iterations, played byHeath Ledger, who passed away just before the movie was released.
The Dark Knightfollows Batman’s struggle to defeat his new nemesis, The Joker. The Joker is a highly organized but unstable individual, and his motives for destruction don’t always seem to be rooted in logic. However,the more Batman fights against common criminals, the further Joker seems to escalate his attacks, mirroring Batman’s increasing war on terror with more terror. The movie carries various metaphors and mirrors some real-life events and situations, butit’s also open to interpretationsfrom viewers of all pedigrees. This is probably whyThe Dark Knightwas so groundbreaking when it came out - it’s a lot more than just a superhero movie or a black-and-white story.
The Dark Knight
2’Spirited Away' (2001)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Studio Ghibliis an irreplaceable part of cinema today, and in 2001,Spirited Awaybecame its most significant representative. Though there were plenty of Ghibli movies before it, equally iconic and magical,Spirited Awayhad an undeniable charm that opened the world’s collective heart and mind towardobserving anime as more than just a children’s genre(as opposed to the already aware few). It’s one ofthe essential anime movies, and a great representation of directorHayao Miyazaki’sdepictions of female characters.Spirited Awayis a visually stunning story about youth, life, death, and even work ethic, though the interpretations are wide and plentiful.
Spirited Awayfollows Chihiro, a little girl who moves with her parents to another home, and, while on a walk around the countryside with them, finds a way to enter the spirit world. Her parents fall for a trap that turns them into pigs andChihiro has to navigate her way around the confusing and complex world of spiritsto save her parents and avoid being stuck there forever. The colorful movie is acoming-of-age fantasythat many ‘kid adults’ and (surprisingly) first daughters could easily relate to. The impact ofSpirited Awayon people of all ages and backgrounds is still discussed today, which is why it’s an essential 2000s movie.
Spirited Away
1’The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001)
Directed by Peter Jackson
The movie that launchedPeter Jacksoninto the ranks of iconic filmmakers is the first of three,The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. No amount of words can describewhat this movie meant and still means to people everywhere; global audiences can surely unite in their love for theLOTRtrilogy, and if anything was a catalyst for increased visits to global cinemas, it wasThe Fellowship of the Ring. In a weird way, ifLOTRcould solve problems, it would end feuds around the world.
The Fellowship of the Ringfollows the journey of four residents of a place called The Shire: the Hobbits, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), “Pippin” Took (Billy Boyd), and “Merry” Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan). When Frodo gets visited by his uncle Bilbo’s old friend, the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen),he’s given a quest to carry Bilbo’s old ring to the center of the evil realm called Mordor. He must destroy the ring, because it’s not just any piece of jewelry - it’s the One Ring, the holder of the might of the dark lord Sauron, who needs it to return to power. The story is a fantastical and beautifuljourney that was based on the novelsby the “modern fantasy father,“J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
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