The new millennium posed a seismic change for the industry. Following the indie-friendly decade of the ’90s, the 2000s saw the rise of the franchise as the main engine powering Hollywood. The last days of auteurial power stayed behind in the 20th century, as the 2000s instead favored IP and franchise-starters. Superheroes began their steady rise in relevance with movies like Spider-Man and X-Men, while long-running franchises like Fast and Furious and Pirates of the Caribbean took their first steps. Meanwhile, the fantasy genre saw a rebirth with the success of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
Overall, the 2000s were one hell of a decade for cinema, producing more than a few genuine classics that have stood the test of time. Some were instantly successful out of the gate, while others slowly but surely picked up steam to become bona fide giants of the silver screen. If you aren’t particularly interested in this pivotal time of cinematic history, then this writer urges you to at least watch these five(ish) masterpieces from the 2000s. They cover everything from epic fantasy to romantic comedy, from small and intimate to grand and opulent. These five movies aren’t the only bangers from the 2000s, but they sure are the best encapsulation of this glorious decade.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)
Contrary to what many believe, the fantasy genre actually did great in the ’90s — well, in the early half, at least. It did indeed suffer a few blows in the second half, so hardly anyone expected New Line Cinema’s ambition adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s iconic trilogy The Lord of the Rings to do as well as it did. Firstly, fantasy seemed on life support, and a daunting, complex, lore-heavy epic didn’t seem the way to go to resuscitate it. Secondly, the man behind the camera was Peter Jackson, then best known for low-budget B-horror movies like The Frighteners and small-scale dramas like Heavenly Creatures. Suffice it to say, he wasn’t the man one might relate to words like “epic” or “grand.”
Boy, did Jackson prove his naysayers wrong. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a towering cinematic achievement that excels in every way a movie can excel. Jackson brings Tolkien’s immersive, expansive, and enthralling world to life with the perfect blend of spectacle, mysticism, emotion, and the occasional dose of humor. The now-iconic ensemble cast, led by Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, and an Oscar-nominated Ian McKellen, is sheer perfection in the roles, while the production values around them enhance their already impressive work. Jackson used both CGI and practical effects, taking advantage of New Zealand’s expansive beauty to bring Middle-earth to the 21st century. The Fellowship of the Ring is pure, unadulterated fantasy, the kind that casts an unbreakable spell on you.
‘Muldolland Drive’ (2001)
Today, enough words have been written about Mulholland Drive to fill a small encyclopedia — and you might need one to make sense of David Lynch‘s deceitful, alluring tale of fame, dreams, and broken spirits. A tremendous Naomi Watts plays aspiring actress Betty Elms, who forms a near-instant bond with the amnesiac and vulnerable yet mysterious Rita (Laura Elena Harring). In broad strokes, that’s the plot for Lynch’s masterpiece; to explain more would not only be a disservice to the film’s deliberately elusive nature but also an utter waste of words — you don’t understand Mulholland Drive; you confront it.
Mulholland Drive hovers above, ethereal and incorporeal, a surrealist illusion that takes different shapes, depending on who is watching.
Originally meant to be a TV series before becoming a movie, Mulholland Drive was quickly canonized as something important upon release. Some hated what they perceived as a pretentious and self-indulgent exercise in mystery that was confusing for the sake of it. Others, however, labeled it Lynch’s finest, a powerful cinematic effort that defied rules, expectations, and boundaries. Everyone could agree, though, that it was something unique and instantly iconic, the type of film event that shaped its time and place, marking a true before and after. The truth is that Mulholland Drive isn’t one or two steps ahead; it isn’t even treading the same path. Instead, it hovers above, ethereal and incorporeal, a surrealist illusion that takes different shapes, depending on who is watching, and that’s why we keep coming back to it. Its true genius lies not in what it shows but in what it keeps revealing. Mulholland Drive is not a puzzle to be solved but a phantasmagoria to be experienced, its truth too abstract to ever be interpreted.
‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ (2004)
Arguably the greatest screenwriter of the 21st century, Charlie Kaufman has blessed us with many beautifully subversive, disruptive stories that blend the thoughtful and philosophical with the offbeat and the off-putting. His undeniable masterpiece is 2004’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, directed by Michel Gondry and led by career-best work from Jim Carrey and an Oscar-nominated Kate Winslet. A tale of forgiveness, regret, and the inevitability of true love’s erosion, the film was a success upon its original 2004 release but has become an outright landmark in modern cinema.
Today, many consider Eternal Sunshine not only the best romance movie of the new millennium, but one of the most thought-provoking and powerful the genre has ever produced. True to his confrontational nature, Kaufman opts for a challenging, non-linear story that mixes a quirky sense of humor with a poignant exploration of themes like free will, fate, and the intricacies of human connections and dynamics. Eternal Sunshine is an unconventional love story that is no less meaningful or sweeping, even if it’s also decidedly un-romantic. Here, love is a force of nature, inevitable and devastating; no one leaves it unscathed. Yet, it’s so vital and borderline transcendent that it becomes almost necessary. It’s whimsical but cynical, cerebral yet warm, grounded but unafraid to muse; in short, it’s full of contradictions, much like life itself.
‘Children of Men’ (2006)
Few directors are as consistent in as many different genres as Alfonso Cuarón. Throughout his filmography, the five-time Oscar winner has delved into magical realism, romantic drama, coming-of-age, high fantasy, and science fiction, all with a remarkable understanding of the power of cinema as a medium. In a career full of certified bangers, perhaps none is more relevant or resonant now than the 2006 sci-fi action thriller Children of Men. Set in one of cinema’s most brutal dystopian worlds, the film sees civilization on the verge of collapse following two decades of infertility.
On a technical level, Cuarón is operating on a level that is simply masterful. The deliberate, careful, seamless editing, collaborating in tandem with Emmanuel Lubezki‘s stunning cinematography, creates a sense of chaos and gritty realism that makes the film feel more like a documentary. The now-famous long-takes are a thing of precise beauty, hectic and brutally real, enveloping and almost overwhelming. Few films are as immersive as Children of Men, and Cuarón’s firm grasp on the elevated sci-fi concept makes it seem scarily possible. Thematically, it deals with everything, from faith and religion to autonomy, individualism, immigration, and the duty of the few regarding the many. Yet, Children of Men‘s true triumph is how perfectly it summarizes the human experience as a whole: it’s bleak yet strangely hopeful, painful yet no less purposeful, a sort of sorrowful ode to the inescapable trappings of existence itself. Now more than ever, Children of Men‘s discussions are relevant and resonant, making it one of the most prophetic films of the 21st century.
‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)
It’s not an overstatement to call Daniel Day-Lewis the greatest living actor by a considerable margin — arguably, no one comes close. The three-time Oscar winner has delivered many timeless performances, but his crowning achievement is, without a doubt, his performance as oil baron and tycoon Daniel Plainview in Paul Thomas Anderson‘s ruthless take on the American Dream, There Will Be Blood. Based on Upton Sinclair‘s 1927 novel Oil!, the film is both an epic tale and a scathing condemnation of capitalism and the heartless powers that built the United States.
“Masterpiece” falls short of describing There Will Be Blood, a cinematic gem that is uncompromising, unrestrained, and unafraid to show the oil and blood that shaped the first half of the 20th century. The film is a titanic cinematic achievement and an instant 21st-century all-timer that soars on the back of Day-Lewis’ performance and Anderson’s confident approach. Visually, There Will Be Blood is lush and striking yet sharp and concise, favoring direct, simple framing and employing blocking and staging to their fullest to build a sense of urgency, tension, and occasional cruelty. Thematically, it’s all about the struggle to get power and the inherent clash between humanity’s two greatest faiths: religion and money. As much a character study as it is an indictment of capitalism and how it erodes the soul, There Will Be Blood is a bleak yet painfully realistic triumph that perfectly encapsulates the main concerns of a world close to a breakdown, staring into the abyss of recession with little hope for a better future.
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