Top 15 Must-See Movies from the 2000s You’ll Want to Watch Again

Yet, what movies truly encapsulate the Y2K spirit? Which films have audiences returning time and again, whether through streaming, Blu-ray, or platforms like Netflix? This curated list, blending expert opinion with Rotten Tomatoes ratings, highlights the pinnacle of 2000s cinema. It features legendary blockbusters and beloved cult classics, painting a comprehensive picture of this vibrant decade.

The revival of the “Oceans Eleven” series as a star-studded, action-packed adventure was initially seen as a daring move. The original was steeped in Rat Pack and Vegas allure, but Steven Soderbergh, alongside Brad Pitt and George Clooney, reimagined it with flair. They injected a witty charm and a dynamic ensemble cast, making the film a lively affair. Although the sequels have their allure, the original stands out for its replay value, thanks to its sharp dialogue and thrilling heist plot. It’s no wonder it secured an 83% approval on Rotten Tomatoes.

On the other hand, “Kill Bill” showcases Quentin Tarantino in his element, brimming with style and high energy. The “Kill Bill” films are a vivid tapestry of his inspirations and passions. Part 1 is particularly noteworthy for its breathtaking fight sequences that demand repeat viewings. While Part 2 provides a satisfying end to Beatrix Kiddo’s (Uma Thurman) bloody quest for retribution, it lacks the intensity of its predecessor. For the full experience, watching both films back-to-back is ideal. Nevertheless, Part 1 remains a must-see masterpiece of the early 2000s, boasting an 85% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating.

Danny Ocean (Clooney), freshly sprung from a four-year stint in the pen, immediately returns to his con man ways. He reconnects with his former partner Rusty Ryan (Pitt), and the two of them plot a heist that will disrupt the businesses of big-time casino owner Terry Benedict (Andy García). They turn to Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) — Benedict’s former business partner and an old friend — for the cash they need to complete an assault on three of Benedict’s properties.

Tishkoff has been looking for an opportunity to claim revenge on Benedict for shoving him out of their shared casino business. Ryan and Ocean form a team and plan their heist, but for Danny the biggest obstacle to success is his ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts), who’s currently dating Benedict.

“Kill Bill” is Quentin Tarantino at his high-octane, highly stylized best. His every influence and interest is on display in the “Kill Bill” duology. Part 1 is an easy pick, due to the fact that it houses several incredible fights that require rewatches to truly enjoy. Part 2 contains a satisfying conclusion to Beatrix Kiddo’s (Uma Thurman) odyssey of blood-soaked revenge, but it’s not as strong as Part 1. To get the full picture, watching both movies together might be the most satisfying way to experience Beatrix’ adventure. Regardless, Part 1 is still an indispensable treat that comes with an 85% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating. It’s definitely an early 2000s movie that everyone needs to watch once.

Beatrix has been in a coma for four years when she awakens, kills a man who’s trying to sexually assault her, and immediately begins her revenge on the people who nearly killed her and took her baby daughter. Her enemies are the Deadly Vipers, led by Bill (David Carradine), Beatrix’s former lover and the father of her child. Beatrix was once part of the team, but her defection from the Vipers, her relationship with Bill, and an attempt at marrying into a normal life all led to the attack.

Now she’s going to pick them all off – Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox), who’s now a housewife; O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu), a deadly yakuza; Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah), Bill’s loyal right-hand woman who has failed in her attempt at killing Beatrix; and Budd (Michael Madsen), Bill’s brother, who comes closest to stopping Beatrix’s assault.

Dot, dot, dot! Audiences have been partying with “Mama Mia!” since 1999, when the jukebox musical made its Broadway debut. The ABBA-centered show made the natural jump to the big screen in 2008 and has become a comfort movie for thousands of viewers everywhere. Though Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it a splat with only 55% of them enjoying the free-spirited romp, audience approval and the movie’s legacy — which has included a sequel — demands a position on the list.

Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) has a major dilemma on her hands. She wants her father to walk her down the aisle at her upcoming wedding, but she has no idea who sired her. Sophie’s mother, Donna (Meryl Streep) raised her alone and has never told her the truth. Thus, Sophie has taken her mother’s old diary and figured out that one of three men might be her daddy — architect Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), sailor turned travel writer Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgård), and banker Harry Bright (Colin Firth).

As they converge on the island, Sophie is soon dizzied by the attention of her potential pops, and Donna goes into a tizzy avoiding her former paramours. Fortunately they have good friends — and good music — to keep their spirits up.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of Peter Parker might be the Spider-Man of the 2020s, Tobey Maguire ruled the roost in Sam Raimi’s trilogy. Widely recognized as one of the best superhero movies of all time as well as one of the best action films of the 2000s, “Spider-Man 2” helped define the era for tons of heroes and heroines to come. It still holds a stellar 93% critical approval score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s also thrilling, touching, and funny years later, making it a worthy rewatch for one and all.

Two years after the first “Spider-Man” film, Peter Parker is trying to balance life as a college student, his relationship with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and his job at the Daily Bugle. He becomes overwhelmed by the intense pressure and scrutiny he’s under and tries to embrace normalcy.

Meanwhile, Harry Osborn (James Franco) seeks revenge on Spider-Man for killing his father, Norman (Willem Dafoe) and Oscorp scientist Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) becomes the rampaging Doctor Octopus after an experiment gone wrong bonds him with his handling equipment. Doc Ock goes mad in the wake of the accident when his wife is killed during the experiment, leaving Peter to defend his city once more.

“Shrek” is also a tone setter, fracturing fairytales and introducing a wave of pop culture hilarity in the process. Not only did the flick put DreamWorks animation on the map, it also gave birth to a soon-to-be five film franchise and a cottage industry of green-dipped, trumpet-eared ephemera. Critics loved it, awarding it an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. And it’s a fun rewatch for kids and adults, who will probably notice things that the kids just won’t understand.

Shrek (Mike Myers) is an ogre who dreams of being alone. Unfortunately, a mandate handed down by Lord Farquaad of Duloc (John Lithgow) results in fairytale characters being purged from the kingdom left and right. Donkey (Eddie Murphy) winds up in Shrek’s swamp (along with other refugees) and the twosome form a reluctant friendship. With Shrek hoping to get his privacy back and Donkey glad to be along for the ride, the pair head off on a road trip to Duloc.

Shrek’s mission is waylaid when he defeats all comers in a tourney invented by Farquaad to kill him. Farquaad then takes him on as a champion and tasks him with rescuing Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from imprisonment in trade for the refugees being placed elsewhere. Shrek doesn’t bargain on falling for Fiona — and doesn’t know that the princess has her own deep dark secret that’s bound to ruin her unwanted nuptials to Farquaad.

Stylish, outrageous, and easily one of the most quotable movies that Ben Stiller’s ever been in, “Zoolander” marked the end of the supermodel era with a laugh and a bang. Wild costumes and outrageous scenarios help make this a keeper, and its easy quotability keeps it in rotation in many a household. The film’s fresh at 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, which means it’s one of the best comedy movies of the 2000s, proving that sometimes beauty is much more than skin deep.

Derek Zoolander (Stiller) is at a career crossroads. He’s been usurped by Hansel McDonald (Owen Willson), a blonde contemporary, and his career is in the Dumpster after a Time Magazine article exposed all of his foibles. Derek knows he doesn’t belong back in New Jersey with his family, and has no one to lean on because all of his friends are literally dead. A miracle seems to drop out of the sky when he’s offered a chance to walk a runway for Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell), an influential fashion impresario. Derek doesn’t know that he’s been selected because Mugatu wants to hypnotize a model into assassinating the new Prime Minister of Malaysia, who plans to put an end to the child labor that keeps Mugatu’s factories moving.

Reporter Matilda Jeffries (Christine Taylor) — who wrote that Time article about Derek and feels bad about the negative impact she’s made on his career — is suspicious of Mugatu’s scheme and tips off Derek. They ultimately head to Hansel’s place for protection, and Derek and Hansel become close friends. Now it’s them and one determined journalist against a fashion industry that will stop at nothing to get what it wants.

What, it’s like, hard to make a totally rewatchable movie? An even better question: where would the world be without the ever-empowered fashionista with a heart of gold and nerves of steel, Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon)? A winning underdog comedy with massive appeal and a deep sense of love for its collection of outsider goofball characters, “Legally Blonde” helped define the chick flick for a generation — and proved that the subgenre didn’t have to lean on romance to make women feel seen and appreciated. Critics lauded the film, and it holds a 72% consensus score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Elle is a sorority president, a California college student, and believes that her boyfriend Warner Huntington II (Matthew Davis) is finally going to propose to her. Unfortunately, all of Elle’s faith in Warner falls by the wayside when he reveals he doesn’t think she’s serious enough for him. Elle decides to prove him wrong, studies hard, and ends up a student at Harvard Law School. 

Unfortunately for Elle, Warner already has gotten back together with his old girlfriend Vivian Kensington (Selma Blair) by the time she arrives. Elle decides to prove she’s got the brainpower by studying her way into an internship with their highly esteemed teacher, Aaron Callahan (Victor Garber). Can she help solve her first major case, win the heart of Callahan’s partner, Emmett Richmond (Luke Wilson), and find a place for herself on the East Coast?

Elegant, poetic, engrossing, and a beautiful example of a martial arts film writ large, Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” made his name as an internationally viable director, brought faces like Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-fat back to the cultural forefront, and created a film that’s easy to watch again and again. Slick wirework marry a careful plotline and extremely committed performances, creating a movie that’s beautiful to observe. Critics were bowled over by the film, too, and it sits at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. That also makes it one of the best movies of the 2000s.

Li Mu Bai (Yun-fat) and Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) are deadly, talented members of the Wudang martial arts faction. Both of them work as members of a private security firm. When Mu Bai decides to retire, he gives an ancient jian weapon named Green Destiny to Shu Lein, telling her to deliver it to the esteemed Sir Te (Lang Sihung). While Shu Lein is staying at Sir Te’s home, the sword is stolen by a mysterious assailant. Shu Lien and Mu Bai tie the crime to Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei), who killed Mu Bai’s teacher while trying to learn the secrets behind the Wudang’s ways years ago.

It turns out that Jade Fox has been in hiding in plain sight for decades as a governess for Governor Yu’s (Li Fazeng) daughter, the soon-to-be-married Jen (Zhang Ziyi). But finding the real culprit turns out to be a complicated enterprise that will unearth hidden desires and strike at the heart of everything Mu Bai and Shu Lein have concealed from each other.

“Hot Fuzz” manages to be both a tribute to and a parody of action-comedies that ruled the box office in the 1990s. It includes plenty of tight action sequences, characters to care about — and a scene where bobbies chase after a swan. It’s funny and lighthearted, making it easy to enjoy repeatedly. Critics gave it a Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and it stands strong with a 91% score.

Hard-charging Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is reassigned from his London detail to Sandford, Gloucestershire. Angel has a hard time readjusting to life in a small village, especially when feckless Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), the son of the local police captain, ends up becoming his partner. But when Danny and Angel stumble on a genuine murder scene, they find themselves caught up in a wide-ranging fight with the Neighborhood Watch Alliance that brings danger, cool gun battles, and redemption to Danny. 

Some of the best comedy movies of all time were directed by Christopher Guest, and “Best in Show” is no exception to that rule. It’s a side-splitting story about ambitious, desperate, and sometimes completely incompetent dog owners who send their pooches to compete at the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It’s a fight for supremacy that leaves the audience giggling over and over again. “Best In Show” earned critical acclaim, and has a mighty 93% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Numerous duos team up to take on the Mayflower. Two include Gerry (Eugene Levy) and Cookie Fleck (Catherine O’Hara), who have little cash but a whole lot of faith in their dog — though not in each other, since Cookie’s got a whole host of ex-lovers under her belt, and Meg (Parker Posey) and Hamilton Swan (Michael Hitchcock), a yuppie couple whose dog functions as their child.

There’s also Sherri Ann Cabot (Jennifer Coolidge), a trophy wife and her stern taskmistress dog trainer Christy Cumming (Jane Lynch), who figure out some big things about themselves, and Scott Donlan (John Michael Higgins) and Stefan Vanderhoof (Michael McKean), the only functional couple in the group. The motion picture follows only one solo owner, and that’s Harlan Pepper (Guest), a sweet-natured Southerner who owns a bloodhound and dreams of being a ventriloquist.

Every decade spawns at least one memorable holiday film, and the 2000s were blessed with both “Bad Santa” and “Elf.” Between the two films, “Elf” gets the duke here for having a slightly higher Rotten Tomatoes score at 85% and becoming a yearly staple on TNT and TBS, with 24-hour marathons of the flick filling the network every year. That double-underlines the film’s rewatchability, making it a cozy visit for thousands of people every single year.

In the film, Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell) learns that he’s not the biological son of Papa Elf (Bob Newhart), but a foundling. Papa gives Buddy the names of his parents and, learning that his father, Walter (James Caan), is a publisher in New York City, decides to head to America to find him. As Buddy becomes acquainted with Walter’s family and falls in love with a department store employee named Jolie (Zooey Deschanel), he must decide if he really belongs with Walter’s family or if his true home is back at the North Pole. 

There’s nothing like a good old fashioned love story to get you smiling. “Love & Basketball” has that by the yard; a deeply romantic tale about two childhood friends who find true affinity with each other — and also have a deep and abiding passion for hooping. That sense of cozy familiarity keeps audiences coming back. Critics, too — it’s a Certified Fresh hit on Rotten Tomatoes, standing at 86% and making it one of the best movies by a Black director.

Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have known each other since they were kids. They’re wild about basketball — and about one another — though Monica has a hard time keeping her feelings in check and often butts heads with on-the-court authority figures. Both she and Quincy have troubled pasts, and the pressure they must operate under tends to pull them apart.

As adults, Quincy is an NBA player and Monica is forced to work overseas in an international women’s league in the days before the WNBA is formed. They still love each other, but Quincy is engaged and a burnt-out Monica is considering giving up on her dream. Will luck and time bring them closer together?

The megatalented Hayao Miyazaki has graced the world with dozens of painstakingly beautiful animated films. In the 2000s alone, he created the playful “Ponyo” and a stately adaptation of “Howl’s Moving Castle.” One of his finest projects is “Spirited Away,” which combines a fascinating plot about a little girl who does battle with malevolent spirits to save the lives of her greedy parents. Coming in at 96% on the Tomatometer, it’s a feast for the eyes, soul and heart that won’t soon be forgotten.

Chihiro Ogino (voice of Rumi Hiiragi and Daveigh Chase) and her parents drive through a tunnel that connects to an abandoned resort town on their way to their new house. Chihiro’s parents cannot resist indulging in the plates of tempting but unlikely food that they find there — but they are transformed into pigs.

Chihiro quickly learns that this locale is actually a dwelling place for various spirits, some of whom are held in thrall by Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette and Mari Natsuki), a witch who owns a bathhouse in the resort. She’s who has cursed her parents. Chihiro signs a labor contract with Yubaba that threatens her very existence unless she manages to figure a way out of it — but a girl as clever as Chihiro might beat the odds.

The list concludes with this rousing, funny, and heart-tugging coming of age tale all the way from England. Even its title, “Bend it Like Beckham,” immediately sucks the reader back in time to the 2000s when David Beckham was the king of soccer (or football, if you know). Feisty and lively, it’s become a popular flick with teenagers everywhere. At 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, it definitely a keeper.

Jesminder “Jess” Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) is a talented soccer player, but her parents would rather she stick to her books than become a kicker. Jules Paxton (Keira Knightley) spies her playing the game in the park and asks her to try out for her amateur team, the Hounslow Harriers. Jess is accepted to the group but must keep her hobby a secret from her family. The ups and downs of league play set in, and Jess must learn to be true to herself, keep her friendship with Jules alive and deal with her crush on her coach, Joe (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). 

Two for you Glen Coco! There are dozens of memorable lines in “Mean Girls,” and without a doubt it’s one of the best — and easiest to rewatch — movies about teenage life to be released in the 2000s’. With a razor sharp script by Tina Fey and incredible performances by a cast that’s filled with stars and stars-to-be, it’s become a staple for fans who count down the hours to Mean Girls Day — October 3rd, for neophytes to the flick. Rotten Tomatoes critics agree with the movie’s rabid fanbase, giving it an 84% approval score.

Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) grew up in the wilds of Africa and has been homeschooled since she was a child. Landing in North Shore High School and attending a public high school for the first time in her life, she finds herself struggling with the cliques that rule the school. There’s the popular Plastics –snobby Regina George (Rachel McAdams), desperately insecure Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert) and dunderheaded Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried, in her first movie). And then there’s Janis Ian (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian Leigh (Daniel Franzese), two outsiders who take to Cady right away. 

Cady soon finds herself caught between the Plastics and Janis, who uses Cady to infiltrate the popular clique hoping to take them down by learning their secrets. Will everyone learn how to coexist, or will North Shore erupt in strata-based strife?