The 2000s were an exceptional decade for film, producing incredible rom-coms, memorable franchises, and acclaimed, prestige dramas that have become some of the best movies of all time. But for all those titles we all know and love, some films have fallen by the wayside.
The decade pushed the limits of storytelling—with big Hollywood blockbusters and independent filmmaking each holding their own, and international releases earning more love in the U.S.. Enough time has passed that many of these films have been given a second chance at success, and even become cult classics. But if there are some movies on here that you've missed, each of these hidden gems is worthy of your time. Below, we rounded up the most underrated '00s films.
'16 Blocks' (2006)
This is the last film from Richard Donner, who helmed hits like The Omen, Superman, and the Lethal Weapon franchise. It's a non-stop real-time thrill ride centering on a detective (Bruce Willis) tasked with escorting a witness 16 blocks to the courthouse—a task that's much, much harder than it sounds.
'25th Hour' (2002)
This Spike Lee film about a dealer (Edward Norton) who's about to begin serving a prison sentence and still embroiled in the local drug world, is a masterclass of acting and a riveting portrayal of New York. It makes a lot of "best of" lists, but not many people have never heard of it.
'Amélie' (2002)
This was an enormous commercial success, so moviegoers who were around when this movie was released remember it fondly. But it doesn't always get as much notice today, which means that this tale of a shy French girl determined to help her neighbors is still underrated.
'Battle Royale' (2001)
This one might not have immediately resonated with American audiences, but it slowly developed a positive reputation. Before we all knew about The Hunger Games, this premise of Japanese children fighting to the death at the hands of a dictatorship is as terrifying and riveting as it sounds.
'Best in Show' (2000)
This Christopher Guest mockumentary has about a million jokes, which means it benefits from the rewatch. With a stacked cast and a terrific concept—five extremely quirky families participate in a dog show—the film reaches a higher level because most of the dialogue is improvised.
'Children of Men' (2007)
Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) achieved critical notice with this dystopian film penned by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Civil War) about a future when women can no longer bear children and society is on the verge of ruin. If you're a fan of prestige sci-fi films, you probably know about this one, but to everyone else: Seek this one out.
'Down with Love' (2003)
This film isn't perfect, by any means. But Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor have never been more likable in this '60s satire, which centers around a playboy falling for a staunchly feminist author. There's a pretty significant twist we won't spoil that doesn't totally work, but the film is entertaining despite that.
'Eagle Vs. Shark' (2007)
If you like Taika Waititi (and who doesn't), his first feature film will be a treat. There are the seeds of greatness; even though this film isn't perfect, it features a sweet and quirky romance and plenty of offbeat humor—not to mention brilliantly drawn characters.
'The Fall' (2006)
This film is extremely hard to find, but if you can access it, it's worth the watch. A young Lee Pace stars as a bedridden stuntman who tells a young girl a fantastical story. The content can get heavy, but it's a gorgeous and surreal experiment in storytelling.
'Fearless' (2006)
This late Jet Li film was a box office success, but martial arts films have been considered "niche" among some moviegoers. The choreography and set pieces are exceptional, so whether you're a devotee or a first-time viewer of the genre, it's worth a watch.
'The Fountain' (2006)
This Darren Aronofsky movie is epic in every sense of the word. It's a little hard to explain, but it centers around love and (im)mortality, giving us three distinct storylines featuring two lovers in different roles (Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz).
'The Girl Next Door' (2003)
This premise could have easily gone sideways: high school senior (Emile Hirsch) falls for the girl next door (Elisha Cuthbert), who (spoiler alert) used to be an adult film star. Complications ensue. Believe it or not, this film is quite sweet. It underperformed at the box office but has been reclaimed by subsequent audiences.
'Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle' (2004)
Despite its modest box office success, this film was really well-reviewed—and critics noted at the time that the subversion of stereotypes and casting of John Cho and Kal Penn in the lead roles helped elevate the movie. It helped that there were a ton of amazing cameos, too, and it inspired an entire buddy comedy franchise.
'House of Flying Daggers' (2005)
This Chinese action movie is one of those films that underperformed at the box office but found success in home video release. It has martial arts elements but is ultimately a love triangle with a handful of solid twists. No spoilers: It's better if you go in without knowing anything.
'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' (2005)
This film was seen as Robert Downey Jr.'s second act, and rightly so: This Shane Black noir comedy is as good as it gets. RDJ is a con man pretending to be an actor, playing opposite Val Kilmer playing a private investigator, as the two attempt to solve a murder.
'Lars and the Real Girl' (2007)
This movie was perhaps too edgy for audiences at the time of its release: a shy young man buys an adult doll and starts treating her like his real-life girlfriend. If you like Ryan Gosling, this is an exceptional performance—and you'll be surprised by how sweet the film is.
'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' (2004)
This often tops the list of Wes Anderson films, as it perfectly merges his quirky and idiosyncratic style with a rich and star-studded plot. It was a box office flop, but its re-release in 2014 and reclamation by fans has pushed it back into our cultural consciousness.
'Miami Vice' (2006)
This film adaptation of the classic show is one of Michael Mann's most reclaimed works—despite not reviewing well and struggling at the box office. But the story of undercover officers fighting drug trafficking is now recognized as a terrific action flick.
'The Prestige' (2006)
It's a little hard to explain the premise here (and you'll want to go in knowing as little as possible), but this twist-heavy film centers around two dueling magicians. Christopher Nolan considers the viewer to be the magicians' true audience, and it's a fascinating experience watching all the movie's tricks.
'Primer' (2004)
Time travel as a plot device is nothing new; however, exploring time travel on a micro-budget budget, and refusing to translate any of the technical jargon for the movie's audience, make Primer a unique watching experience. Fans of indie filmmaking or innovative sci-fi will be delighted.
'Road to Perdition' (2002)
This is often cited as one of Tom Hanks' best film roles, partially because he's largely playing against his "good guy" type. He's a mob enforcer seeking revenge for the death of his family—and things get appropriately dark—but we never lose sight of his compassion as a dad.
'The Savages' (2007)
This was considered a prestige film (and was nominated for two Oscars) but—as is sometimes the case—it didn't particularly perform at the box office. If you like dark humor about family dysfunction, this film's for you. And, if you love the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, you owe it to yourself to watch.
'Saved!' (2004)
If you like religious satire—a rich but specific genre—Saved! is one of the best. It was a sleeper hit, but not all audiences loved the premise: a high schooler gets pregnant and tries to hide it within her ultra-conservative school. It's highly intelligent and very, very funny.
'A Scanner Darkly' (2006)
This is a sci-fi film that's animated using rotoscope—which (combined with the dark subject matter) might have been a bridge too far for some audiences. But it features a stacked cast (Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., and Winona Ryder, among others), and has a lot to say about "the war on drugs."
'Sideways' (2004)
Alexander Payne has made a handful of critically acclaimed hits, but he's never been better than this comedy, which won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. It follows two down-on-their-luck dudes (Thomas Haden Church and Paul Giamatti) who take an ill-fated trip to wine country.
'Stardust' (2007)
This fantasy film has quite a stacked cast (including Claire Danes, Robert De Niro, Peter O'Toole, Michelle Pfeiffer, and others). It's a high-flying fantasy tale that was a commercial success but hasn't necessarily had the cultural staying power as other '00s hits.
'Sunshine' (2007)
Astronauts are headed towards the sun, not away from it, because the star is slowly dying and needs to be "restarted." An action-horror film set in space is what follows, with Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, and Rose Byrne giving magnificent performances.
'Speed Racer' (2008)
The Wachowski sisters followed up their success with the Matrix films by making this adaptation of a popular manga series. It has a ton of CGI—which is part of the reason it got mixed reviews from critics—but the visuals still splash, so you'll want to strap in for this ride about a teen who becomes a racecar driver after his brother dies in a race.
'The Wackness' (2008)
This semi-autobiographical story from writer/director Jonathan Levine centers around Luke (Josh Peck), who's selling pot to help his family afford rent—and also get therapy from his very troubled psychiatrist (Ben Kingsley). It was a box office bomb, but it was well-reviewed and is now considered a cult classic.
'Wet Hot American Summer' (2001)
This is a pretty smart satire of '90s rom-coms and adult comedies, and it's also a showcase for some incredible performers including Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, and Christopher Meloni. It's also Bradley Cooper's film debut!
'Whip It' (2009)
This Drew Barrymore film (she stars, co-produces, and directs) centers around Elliot Page's Bliss, who joins a roller derby team. It's highly entertaining—many of the actors skate themselves, and it features some cool filmmaking—so it's no surprise this got a reassessment by modern audiences.
'Zack and Miri Make a Porno' (2008)
The fact that there's adult content in the very title of this movie made this an incredibly divisive raunch-comedy at the time. But Kevin Smith's take on two friends who set out to make an adult film is sweeter than you think.
