Movies from 2000 that Have Stood the Test of Time
The year 2000 was a fascinating time for cinema, marking the dawn of a new millennium filled with both excitement and uncertainty. This transitional period was reflected in the movies it produced, which ranged from epic historical dramas that redefined a genre to groundbreaking independent films that challenged storytelling conventions. Audiences were treated to a diverse slate of stories that explored the past, wrestled with the present, and imagined the future. The film industry itself was on the cusp of major changes, with digital filmmaking starting to take hold and special effects reaching new heights of realism.
Decades later, many of these films have not only held up but have become cherished classics. They continue to be celebrated for their compelling narratives, memorable characters, and innovative techniques. Whether they made us laugh, cry, or think, these movies left a lasting mark on popular culture and influenced a new generation of filmmakers. They serve as a cinematic time capsule of what the world was feeling and thinking at the turn of the century, proving that a great story is truly timeless and can resonate with viewers for years to come.
‘What Women Want’ (2000)
A Chicago advertising executive, Nick Marshall, is a chauvinist who is skilled at selling products to men. After a freak accident involving a hairdryer and a bathtub, he gains the ability to hear what women are truly thinking. Initially, he uses his newfound power to his own advantage both personally and professionally. His primary target is his new boss, Darcy McGuire, who he feels stole a promotion from him.
As he continues to listen to the inner thoughts of women, from his colleagues to his own daughter, he starts to see the world from a completely different perspective. This newfound empathy causes him to reevaluate his behavior and his relationships. The film was a massive commercial success, becoming one of the top-grossing films of the year.
‘The Beach’ (2000)
A young American backpacker named Richard, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, travels to Thailand seeking adventure. He receives a map from a strange man named Daffy, who claims it leads to a hidden, idyllic island paradise untouched by tourism. Intrigued, Richard convinces a French couple to join him on his quest to find this legendary beach.
After a perilous journey, they discover a secluded community of travelers living in secret on the beautiful island. While it initially seems like a utopia, Richard soon learns that this paradise has a dark side, and the community’s efforts to protect their secrecy lead to intense conflicts and moral compromises. The film was directed by Danny Boyle and is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Alex Garland.
‘Coyote Ugly’ (2000)
Violet Sanford, a young songwriter from a small town, moves to New York City with dreams of making it big. To support herself while trying to overcome a severe case of stage fright, she takes a job as a bartender at a lively and famous bar called Coyote Ugly. The bar is known for its female bartenders, who are famous for their dancing and theatrical antics on top of the bar.
Violet becomes part of this wild crew and gains confidence, both in her personal life and in her performance abilities. The movie’s soundtrack was a huge success, with the theme song ‘Can’t Fight the Moonlight’, performed by LeAnn Rimes, becoming an international hit. The film itself developed a cult following for its energetic atmosphere and memorable musical scenes.
‘Bring It On’ (2000)
The Rancho Carne High School cheerleading squad, the Toros, are on top of the world as they prepare for the national championships. Their new captain, Torrance Shipman, is determined to lead them to their sixth consecutive title. However, her confidence is shattered when she discovers that their former captain stole all of their winning routines from a rival squad in a less affluent neighborhood.
Now faced with a crisis of conscience, Torrance must create an entirely new and original routine while competing against the talented squad they wronged, the East Compton Clovers. The film explores themes of plagiarism, privilege, and sportsmanship. It became a surprise hit and spawned a series of sequels, cementing its place as a beloved teen comedy.
‘Final Destination’ (2000)
High school student Alex Browning has a terrifying premonition of his flight to Paris exploding shortly after takeoff. His panic and insistence on getting off the plane cause several of his classmates and a teacher to be removed as well. Moments later, they watch in horror from the airport as the plane explodes in mid-air, just as he foresaw.
While the survivors initially believe they have cheated death, they soon find themselves being killed one by one in a series of bizarre and elaborate accidents. Alex realizes that Death itself is hunting them down to claim the lives that were meant to be lost on the plane. The film’s unique concept of an invisible antagonist led to a successful franchise of five movies.
‘Meet the Parents’ (2000)
Greg Focker, a male nurse, is ready to propose to his girlfriend, Pam. However, he first has to endure a weekend at her parents’ house to meet them and ask for her hand in marriage. Things immediately go wrong when he meets Pam’s intimidating father, Jack Byrnes, a retired CIA operative who is deeply suspicious of him.
Over the course of the weekend, Greg finds himself in a series of increasingly disastrous and humiliating situations, all while Jack subjects him to lie detector tests and intense scrutiny. The film was a major box office success, praised for its relatable humor and the comedic chemistry between Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. It was followed by two successful sequels.
‘Big Momma’s House’ (2000)
FBI agent Malcolm Turner is a master of disguise. For his latest assignment, he must go undercover to track down a ruthless bank robber who has recently escaped from prison. Malcolm sets up a stakeout across the street from the home of the criminal’s former girlfriend, Sherry, and her grandmother, an overweight southern matriarch known as Big Momma.
When Big Momma unexpectedly leaves town, Malcolm is forced to impersonate her to continue the investigation and get close to Sherry. He dons a fat suit and a convincing disguise, leading to a host of comedic situations as he tries to maintain his cover while navigating family life and his growing feelings for Sherry. The film’s success led to two sequels.
‘Miss Congeniality’ (2000)
Gracie Hart is a tough, unrefined FBI agent who is more comfortable in combat gear than in an evening gown. When a terrorist threatens to bomb the Miss United States beauty pageant, Gracie is the only agent who can plausibly go undercover as a contestant. She is horrified by the assignment but agrees to do it for the sake of the case.
With the help of a pageant consultant, she undergoes a complete transformation from a clumsy agent to a poised beauty queen. As she navigates the world of pageantry, she learns to appreciate her fellow contestants while trying to identify the bomber. The movie was a huge commercial success, and Sandra Bullock’s performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
‘Cast Away’ (2000)
Chuck Noland, a FedEx systems analyst, lives a life ruled by the clock. His fast-paced career keeps him constantly traveling and away from his girlfriend, Kelly. On a Christmas Eve flight, his plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean during a violent storm. Chuck is the sole survivor, and he washes ashore on a remote, uninhabited island.
Stripped of all modern conveniences, Chuck must learn to survive by finding food, water, and shelter. His only companion is a volleyball he names Wilson, which he paints a face on using his own blood. The film follows his long and arduous struggle for survival and his eventual attempt to return to civilization, where he faces an uncertain future.
‘The Emperor’s New Groove’ (2000)
In a mythical Incan kingdom, the young and arrogant Emperor Kuzco is transformed into a llama by his power-hungry advisor, Yzma. Stranded in the jungle, his only chance of getting back to his palace and reclaiming his throne rests with a kind-hearted peasant named Pacha. However, Kuzco has recently ruined Pacha’s life by announcing plans to build a summer home on his village’s land.
The unlikely duo must overcome their differences and work together to navigate the dangers of the jungle and get back to the palace before Yzma can hunt them down and finish the job. The film is known for its distinctive art style, fast-paced humor, and for breaking many of the traditional Disney animation conventions.
‘Scary Movie’ (2000)
A year after covering up an accidental death, a group of teenagers finds themselves stalked by a mysterious killer in a Ghostface mask. The film serves as a broad parody of the horror, slasher, and mystery genres that were popular in the late 1990s. Its primary targets are the ‘Scream’ and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ franchises.
The movie relentlessly lampoons classic horror tropes, from the ominous phone calls to the shocking final reveals. It was a massive commercial success and became a cultural phenomenon, leading to a long-running franchise of parody films. The film’s blend of slapstick, pop culture references, and raunchy humor connected with audiences worldwide.
‘X-Men’ (2000)
In a world where a small percentage of people are mutants with extraordinary abilities, there is a growing fear and distrust of them. Two powerful mutants, Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto, have opposing views on the future of mutant-human relations. Professor X believes in peaceful coexistence, while Magneto believes mutants are superior and should rule.
The story follows two new mutants, Wolverine and Rogue, as they are drawn into this conflict. They find a home at Professor X’s school for gifted youngsters, where they join his team of superheroes, the X-Men. They must fight to protect a world that fears them from Magneto and his evil Brotherhood of Mutants. The film is credited with helping to launch the modern era of superhero cinema.
‘Remember the Titans’ (2000)
In 1971, a Virginia high school is integrated for the first time. The school board’s decision to appoint a black head coach, Herman Boone, to lead the newly mixed football team, the T.C. Williams High School Titans, is met with resistance from both the white and black communities. The former white head coach, Bill Yoast, agrees to stay on as an assistant.
The two coaches must work to overcome their own prejudices and unite the racially divided team into a cohesive and successful unit. As the team begins to bond and find success on the field, their journey inspires the town to come together and look past their differences. The film is based on a true story.
‘The Patriot’ (2000)
Benjamin Martin is a veteran of the French and Indian War who is now a peaceful farmer and a widowed father of seven children. When the American Revolution breaks out, he is reluctant to join the fight, wanting to protect his family. However, his oldest son, Gabriel, enlists in the Continental Army against his father’s wishes.
When the brutal British Colonel William Tavington brings the war to his doorstep and threatens his family, Martin is forced to take up arms. He becomes the leader of a colonial militia, known as the “Ghost,” and a reluctant hero in the fight for American independence. The film was noted for its large-scale battle sequences and dramatic storytelling.
‘American Psycho’ (2000)
Patrick Bateman is a wealthy and handsome New York City investment banking executive in the 1980s. He lives a life of luxury, obsessed with high-end fashion, exclusive restaurants, and maintaining a perfect public image among his equally shallow and materialistic peers. However, beneath this polished exterior lies a dark and violent secret.
Bateman is a serial killer who preys on strangers and acquaintances alike. The film follows his descent into madness as he struggles to control his homicidal urges while blending into the superficial world of Wall Street. The movie is a satirical critique of consumerism and yuppie culture in the 1980s, and it has since gained a significant cult following.
‘Chicken Run’ (2000)
On a bleak chicken farm in 1950s England, a group of chickens is desperate to escape their grim fate of becoming chicken pies. The determined and resourceful Ginger has led numerous failed escape attempts. Their hopes are renewed when a charismatic American rooster named Rocky crash-lands in their coop.
Rocky claims he can fly, and the chickens see him as their ticket to freedom. They strike a deal with him to teach them how to fly so they can escape over the fence before the evil farm owner, Mrs. Tweedy, can turn them all into pies. The film was the first feature-length project from Aardman Animations, the studio known for ‘Wallace and Gromit’, and was praised for its charming stop-motion animation.
‘Pitch Black’ (2000)
A commercial transport ship crash-lands on a desolate desert planet. The few survivors, including a skilled pilot, a religious man, and a dangerous convicted criminal named Riddick, must band together to survive. They soon discover that the planet is inhabited by vicious, flying creatures that are nocturnal and fear the light.
The survivors realize they are in grave danger when they learn that a total solar eclipse is imminent, which will plunge the planet into darkness and unleash the creatures. Their only hope for survival may lie with the mysterious Riddick, who has surgically altered eyes that allow him to see in the dark. The film introduced audiences to the popular antihero character and launched a successful franchise.
‘Erin Brockovich’ (2000)
Erin Brockovich is an unemployed single mother who is struggling to make ends meet. After losing a personal injury lawsuit, she persuades her lawyer to hire her at his firm as a file clerk. While organizing files for a real estate case, she stumbles upon medical records that lead her to uncover a massive cover-up.
She discovers that a major power company has been contaminating the local water supply for years, causing devastating illnesses in the community. Despite her lack of a formal legal education, Erin’s tenacity and ability to connect with the residents lead her to build a massive case against the corporation. Julia Roberts won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of the real-life Erin Brockovich.
‘Almost Famous’ (2000)
In 1973, a 15-year-old aspiring rock journalist named William Miller is given a dream assignment from Rolling Stone magazine. He is tasked with profiling the up-and-coming rock band Stillwater as they embark on their cross-country tour. William joins the band on the road, getting a firsthand look at the world of rock and roll.
Along the way, he navigates friendships, romance with a captivating groupie named Penny Lane, and the challenges of reporting on a band that has accepted him as one of their own. The film is a semi-autobiographical story from writer and director Cameron Crowe, based on his own experiences as a teenage writer for Rolling Stone.
‘Chocolat’ (2000)
During the season of Lent in 1959, a mysterious woman named Vianne and her young daughter arrive in a tranquil, traditional French village. They open a chocolate shop just as the town is observing a period of fasting and self-denial. The shop’s delightful creations begin to awaken the hidden desires and passions of the rigid and repressed townspeople.
Vianne’s free-spirited nature and her magical chocolates challenge the strict moral code of the village, which is fiercely upheld by the town’s conservative mayor. As she helps the villagers embrace life’s pleasures, she finds herself in a battle for the soul of the town. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ (2000)
In rural Mississippi during the Great Depression, three escaped convicts are on a journey to retrieve a hidden treasure that their leader, Ulysses Everett McGill, claims to have buried. Their adventure becomes an epic odyssey filled with strange encounters and challenges. Along the way, they meet a variety of colorful characters inspired by Southern folklore and history.
The trio inadvertently becomes a musical sensation when they record a song as the Soggy Bottom Boys, which becomes a huge hit across the state. The film is a loose retelling of Homer’s epic poem ‘The Odyssey’, set in the American South. Its bluegrass and folk soundtrack was a massive success, winning the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
‘Battle Royale’ (2000)
In a dystopian near-future Japan, the government has passed a law to combat rising juvenile delinquency. Every year, one high school class is chosen at random and sent to a deserted island. They are each given a bag with a random weapon and supplies, and they are forced to fight each other to the death until only one student remains.
The film follows one such class as they are thrust into this brutal and terrifying game. The students must grapple with fear, paranoia, and the breakdown of their friendships as they are forced to kill or be killed. The movie is known for its controversial and violent subject matter and has had a significant influence on popular culture, inspiring numerous other works in the “battle royale” genre.
‘Best in Show’ (2000)
This mockumentary follows the eccentric and competitive owners of five different dogs as they travel to and compete in the prestigious Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. The film introduces a cast of quirky characters, including a yuppie couple, a mild-mannered man from a small town, and a mismatched pair with a long history of winning.
The movie hilariously captures the behind-the-scenes drama, tension, and absurdity of the competitive dog show world. Much of the dialogue was improvised by the talented ensemble cast, which includes many frequent collaborators of director Christopher Guest. The film is celebrated for its clever and witty portrayal of its passionate and often delusional characters.
‘Dancer in the Dark’ (2000)
Selma is a Czech immigrant and single mother working in a factory in rural America. She is saving money to pay for an operation that will prevent her young son from going blind from a hereditary disease that is also slowly causing her to lose her own sight. To cope with the harsh realities of her life, she frequently escapes into elaborate daydreams inspired by Hollywood musicals.
When a desperate neighbor falsely accuses her of stealing his money, Selma’s life takes a tragic turn. Her unwavering determination to protect her son leads her down a devastating path. The film, directed by Lars von Trier and starring the musician Björk, won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
‘High Fidelity’ (2000)
Rob Gordon is the owner of a struggling record store in Chicago who is obsessed with making top-five lists for everything. When his longtime girlfriend, Laura, leaves him, he decides to revisit his past relationships to figure out where he keeps going wrong. He seeks out his top five most memorable ex-girlfriends to understand why they broke up with him.
Alongside his two quirky employees, Rob navigates his romantic failures and his fear of commitment, all while sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of music and pop culture. The film is based on the popular 1995 British novel of the same name and is praised for its witty dialogue, relatable characters, and its iconic soundtrack.
‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ (2000)
In 19th-century China, a legendary warrior named Li Mu Bai decides to give up his life of fighting and entrusts his famous sword, the Green Destiny, to his friend and fellow warrior, Yu Shu Lien. However, the sword is stolen by a mysterious thief, setting off a chain of events that involves a young aristocrat with a secret life as a skilled fighter.
The film follows the intertwined stories of these characters as they navigate love, honor, and duty in a world of martial arts masters and breathtaking landscapes. It is renowned for its beautifully choreographed fight sequences, which feature characters gracefully flying through the air. The movie was a massive international success and won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
‘Traffic’ (2000)
The film explores the complex and multifaceted issue of the illegal drug trade through three interconnected storylines. A conservative Ohio judge, who has just been appointed as the nation’s new drug czar, discovers that his own daughter is addicted to drugs. Meanwhile, two DEA agents work to take down a major drug cartel on the U.S. and Mexico border.
The third story follows the wife of a captured drug lord who is forced to take over her husband’s illegal business to protect her family. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film uses distinct color palettes for each storyline to create a unique visual style. It was a critical success, earning four Academy Awards, including Best Director.
‘Amores Perros’ (2000)
The film tells three distinct stories that are all linked by a single, tragic car crash in Mexico City. The first story involves a young man who enters the brutal world of dogfighting to raise money to run away with his brother’s wife. The second follows a supermodel whose career is jeopardized after she suffers a serious leg injury in the crash.
The third story centers on a mysterious hitman who is trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter. The movie, whose title translates to ‘Love’s a Bitch’, is a raw and unflinching look at the lives of its characters, exploring themes of love, loss, and betrayal in the sprawling urban landscape. It was the debut feature film for director Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
‘Requiem for a Dream’ (2000)
The film tells the parallel stories of four interconnected characters in Brooklyn whose lives are consumed by their addictions. A lonely, widowed mother becomes addicted to diet pills in her obsessive quest to appear on a television show. Her son, his girlfriend, and his best friend are all heroin addicts whose dreams of a better life are destroyed by their habits.
As their addictions spiral out of control, the film follows their harrowing descent into desperation, delusion, and despair. The movie is famous for its powerful and disturbing portrayal of drug addiction and its use of fast-paced editing and stylistic visuals to convey the characters’ mental states. It is widely regarded as a difficult but important film.
‘In the Mood for Love’ (2000)
In 1962 Hong Kong, a journalist named Chow Mo-wan and a secretary named Su Li-zhen move into the same apartment building on the same day. They soon discover that their respective spouses, who are often away on business, are having an affair with each other. Drawn together by their shared sense of betrayal and loneliness, they form a close but platonic bond.
They spend their time together, imagining how their spouses’ affair began and rehearsing their own confrontations. As their friendship deepens, they develop strong feelings for each other but struggle to avoid making the same mistakes as their partners. The film is celebrated for its stunning cinematography, beautiful costumes, and its subtle, restrained portrayal of love and longing.
‘Yi Yi’ (2000)
The film follows the lives of a middle-class family in Taipei, Taiwan, over the course of one year, beginning with a wedding and ending with a funeral. The father, NJ, is a businessman going through a midlife crisis who has a chance encounter with his first love. His wife, Min-Min, feels her life is empty and seeks spiritual guidance.
Their young son, Yang-Yang, uses his camera to help people see things they might have missed, while their teenage daughter, Ting-Ting, experiences her first love. The movie is a quiet and thoughtful exploration of everyday life, love, and family relationships. Directed by Edward Yang, it won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival and is considered a masterpiece of modern cinema.
‘Memento’ (2000)
Leonard Shelby is a man who is unable to form new memories after suffering a head injury during an attack that resulted in his wife’s death. He is consumed by a single purpose, to find and punish the man responsible for the crime. To compensate for his short-term memory loss, he relies on a complex system of Polaroid photos, handwritten notes, and tattoos to keep track of information.
The film is told in a unique, nonlinear structure. One series of scenes is shown in chronological order, while another is shown in reverse order. This narrative style puts the audience in a similar state of confusion as the protagonist, forcing them to piece together the mystery alongside him. The movie was the breakthrough film for director Christopher Nolan.
‘Snatch’ (2000)
The film features two intertwined storylines set in the criminal underworld of London. The first follows a small-time boxing promoter who finds himself in deep trouble with a ruthless gangster. He is forced to get his unpredictable Irish gypsy boxer to take a dive in a fixed fight, but things do not go as planned.
The second plot involves the search for a massive stolen diamond. A group of incompetent criminals, a deadly Russian ex-KGB agent, and a professional jewel thief are all trying to get their hands on the precious stone. The film is known for its energetic style, complex and clever plot, and its large ensemble cast of memorable and eccentric characters.
‘Billy Elliot’ (2000)
In a northern England mining town during the 1984 miners’ strike, an 11-year-old boy named Billy Elliot discovers a passion for dance. He secretly attends ballet lessons instead of the boxing classes his father, a struggling coal miner, has enrolled him in. His dance teacher recognizes his raw talent and encourages him to audition for the prestigious Royal Ballet School in London.
Billy must struggle against the stereotypes and prejudices of his working-class community and his own family, who believe that ballet is not for boys. The film is an inspiring story about following your dreams and challenging societal expectations. It was later adapted into a highly successful stage musical.
‘Gladiator’ (2000)
The powerful and respected Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius is betrayed when the ambitious son of the emperor murders his father and seizes the throne. Maximus is captured and sold into slavery, forced to become a gladiator. He must fight for his life in the arenas of the Roman Empire, driven by a desire for revenge against the corrupt new emperor, Commodus.
His fame as a gladiator grows, and he eventually arrives in Rome to compete in the Colosseum. There, he sees an opportunity to avenge his family and restore honor to Rome. The film was a massive critical and commercial success, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. It is credited with reviving the historical epic genre.
What other movies from the year 2000 do you think have held up well over time?