Top 10 Movies of 2000
Though some feared Y2K would be the end of the world, now it's hard to believe that the decade of the '00s has come and gone already. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top 10 movies of the year 2000.For this list, we've looked at the lasting cult status of some of the biggest hits of the year in question, as well as the films that were loved by critics and audiences. Some hold up nicely over time, others maybe not so much. Either way, sit back and enjoy this blast from the past.
Special thanks to our users TheDude and David Ram for submitting the idea on our Suggestion Tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
#10: “X-Men” (2000)
The first instalment of the now huge Marvel franchise also marked the Hollywood debut of Australian beau, Hugh Jackman. It is hard to imagine Wolverine being portrayed by any other actor, but Jackman was actually one of the last choices for the part. The movie was well received by audiences and critics alike, and many not only anticipated the sequels, but saw them as necessary to tell the full story of all the emerging characters. Empire Magazine voted director Bryan Singer the best director of that year for the superhero flick, and he went on to direct several more instalments of the “X-Men” franchise throughout the early 21st century.
#9: “O, Brother, Where Art Thou?” (2000)
This offbeat musical adventure comedy comes from the minds of none other than the Coen brothers. Inspired by Homer’s “Odyssey,” the movie follows the charming Ulysses Everett McGill, played by George Clooney, and his two inmate friends as they make an escape from their chain gang. They set out to find the treasure that Ulysses promises he buried before being sent to jail. The film’s terrific folk soundtrack was written by T Bone Burnett and went on to win the Grammy for Best Album of the Year. Today, the Oscar-nominated film remains a charming and re-watchable Coen brothers classic.
#8: “Requiem for a Dream” (2000)
Darren Aronofsky’s first film, “Pi”, made the director known in film circles at Sundance in 1998, but it was this 2000 movie that introduced him to audiences and cinephiles at large. Following four addicts from Coney Island, the psychological drama tells the story of their respective downfalls as their dependence on drugs becomes stronger and stronger. Actress Ellen Burstyn received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her turn as a woman obsessed with regaining her youthful physique. Unapologetically dark and using addiction as the only form of freedom the characters ever experience, “Requiem for a Dream” remains one of the best films about drug dependence and delusion out there.
#7: “Traffic” (2000)
Our next entry is a movie by another talented director, Steven Soderbergh. The crime drama depicts the illegal drug trade from various vantage points, seeing things from the POV of a drug addict, a police officer, a trafficker and a politician. The movie has a unique storytelling style with the plot lines intertwining without necessarily involving all characters. With an incredible ensemble cast that includes Benicio del Toro, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Don Cheadle, the movie also won four Academy Awards. That same year, Soderbergh was nominated for Best Director for two separate movies: “Erin Brockovich” and “Traffic,” and he deservedly took home the gold for the latter.
#6: “Cast Away” (2000)
There are certain films that feel much older than they really are. Our next entry feels like such a timeless classic and the kind of movie that is always being shown on TV – but in a good way, of course. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks in one of his most iconic roles, the adventure drama tells the story of an engineer who resolves FedEx depot issues who becomes stranded on an island for four years. His only friend is Wilson, a volleyball who is probably the most important inanimate character in the history of film. Though Wilson wasn’t nominated for an Oscar, Hanks was and it was a nomination that was certainly well-deserved.
#5: “American Psycho” (2000)
This next movie opened to mixed-to-positive reviews, but with time has become a cult classic. Based on the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name, the psychological thriller stars Christian Bale as a rich and extremely attractive investment banker with an exceptionally deranged hobby. That is, he likes killing people with an axe - a lot. The film is quite literally a gutsy horror comedy, and it is often forgotten that it was directed by a female director – Mary Harron, a fact that probably reinforces its snarky tone and its parody of misogyny.
#4: “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000)
This foreign film became an overnight success and remains one of the best martial arts films to this day. Directed by Ang Lee and starring a cast of Han actors, it tells the story of two warriors who take on a journey to recover a stolen sword and an infamous outlaw. The wuxia (wu-sha) film features stunning cinematography and visual effects and has been credited for its grandiose take on the martial arts genre. At the time, the Oscar-winning “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” became the highest-grossing foreign movie in American history.
#3: “Almost Famous” (2000)
Can you imagine writing for Rolling Stone magazine back in the 1970s? Our next entry is Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical comedy-drama, which follows 15 year-old William Miller on his way to becoming a rock journalist while going on tour with the band Stillwater. Through the eyes of this baby-faced teenager, the experience is both overwhelming, and everything he’s ever wanted. The film co-stars Kate Hudson in her most memorable role as a mysterious self-proclaimed “band-aid” named Penny Lane. The film flopped at the box office but was well received by critics; Roger Ebert named it the best movie of the year and Crowe earned an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
#2: “Memento” (2000)
Before completely revamping the “Batman” franchise for the better, director Christopher Nolan made this small movie, which was shown for the first time at the Venice Film Festival. Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, a man with short-term memory loss who relies on numerous notes and tattoos in order to help him hunt down the man responsible for his wife’s death. The neo-noir psychological thriller is an unprecedented depiction of grief and loss, with a protagonist who is both reliable and not, because of his condition. It became a surprise box office success in the States and received nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Film Editing at the Academy Awards. Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honourable mentions: - “In the Mood for Love” (2000) - “Chicken Run” (2000) - “High Fidelity” (2000) - “Snatch” (2000) - “Amores perros” (2000)
#1: “Gladiator” (2000)
Hollywood is the master of dramas of epic proportions and our number one pick is no exception. Set in Rome during the time of the Roman Empire, “Gladiator” follows betrayed general Maximus who becomes a slave after the emperor’s son, Commodus, seizes the throne by killing his own father. Maximus seeks revenge for his family’s death by coming back to Rome as a gladiator. Russell Crowe may have won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role, but Joaquin Phoenix’s turn as the conniving Commodus is also still engrained in our memories. Meanwhile, the film sparked a renewed interest in the epic drama and remains a classic of its genre. Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite movie from 2000? For more entertaining top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.