Best Movies of the 2000s

The 50 best movies from 2000-2009. The millennium's finest films ranked and reviewed. Our expert curated list features the best picks with streaming links, ratings, and honest reviews. Updated for 2026 with the latest releases and classic favorites.

What are the best movies of the 2000s?

Our curated list of best movies of the 2000s features the highest-rated and most popular picks. Updated for 2026 with streaming links.

Last Updated: March 2026

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2002★ 6.0

Xander Cage is your standard adrenaline junkie with no fear and a lousy attitude. When the US Government "recruits" him to go on a mission, he's not exactly thrilled. His mission: to gather information on an organization that may just be planning the destruction of the world, led by the nihilistic Yorgi.

Joy Ride

2001★ 6.5

Three young people on a road trip from Colorado to New Jersey talk to a trucker on their CB radio, then must escape when he turns out to be a psychotic killer.

Dead End

2003★ 6.4

Christmas Eve. On his way to his in-laws with his family, Frank Harrington decides to try a shortcut, for the first time in 20 years. It turns out to be the biggest mistake of his life.

The Dark Knight

2008★ 8.5

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

2003★ 7.8

When wily Captain Barbossa steals Jack Sparrow's ship and kidnaps the governor's beautiful daughter, Elizabeth, her childhood friend Will Turner joins forces with Jack to save her and recapture Jack's ship, the Black Pearl.

Scary Movie

2000★ 6.4

A familiar-looking group of teenagers find themselves being stalked by a more-than-vaguely recognizable masked killer! As the victims begin to pile up and the laughs pile on, none of your favorite scary movies escape the razor-sharp satire of this outrageously funny parody!

Private Lessons

2009★ 5.1

An aspiring tennis player is taken under the wing of an established player as his family life falls apart.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001★ 8.4

Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.

Avatar

2009★ 7.6

In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003★ 8.5

As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.

The Dwarfs

2002★ 4.7

A young actor and an angst-ridden city worker fight over a girl watched over by a disturbed chum. The play is concerned with three young men, Len, Pete and Mark, and the scene of action shifts back and forth between Len's house and Mark's. Sometimes all three come together, sometimes only two, and often Len is on stage alone. There are conversations and soliloquies filled with the brilliant convolutions of thought, the sudden flashes of truth which distinguish Pinter's unique style, with the mood ranging from calm introspection to explosive outpouring. Much of what is said hints at deeper thoughts left unspoken, and the sense of horror and alienation which often emerges is a searing indictment of our life and times. We meet, we talk, we tear at each other, but our insularity is seldom penetrated. We are together but alone, as though life were a mirror which reflects only our own image.

Spirited Away

2001★ 8.5

A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.

Swing Vote

2008★ 5.7

In a remarkable turn of events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man's vote.

Shrek

2001★ 7.8

It ain't easy bein' green -- especially if you're a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot -- a wisecracking donkey.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

2001★ 7.9

Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school's kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths—and about the villain who's to blame.

Spider-Man

2002★ 7.3

After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.

Doomsday

2008★ 5.9

The lethal Reaper virus spreads throughout Britain—infecting millions and killing hundreds of thousands. Authorities brutally and successfully quarantine the country but, three decades later, the virus resurfaces in a major city. An elite group of specialists is urgently dispatched into the still-quarantined country to retrieve a cure by any means necessary. Shut off from the rest of the world, the unit must battle through a landscape that has become a waking nightmare.

Amelia

2009★ 5.7

A look at the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to make a flight around the world.

Howl's Moving Castle

2004★ 8.4

Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.

Dolphin Blue: Soar Again, Fuji

2007

Kazuya Uemura is an American veterinarian who has just arrived at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. Uemura was busy working as a keeper, even though he was a veterinarian, based on the director's policy of learning about dolphins while doing work as a zookeeper, such as feeding and cleaning the pool. At the end of his busy summer vacation and his work was over, something unusual happened to Fuji, the mother dolphin who gave birth to three children. Her tail was damaged from necrosis. Medicine couldn't help her condition, otherwise, Fuji would die. Uemura decided to amputate Fuji's tail fins. Fuji managed to survive the amputation but was unable to swim. The granddaughter of the director, Michiru, sees Fuji could no longer swim and says to Uemura, "A dolphin that can't swim is not a dolphin." Uemura stood up: "I want Fuji to swim again, I want Fuji to soar in the air." The world's first dolphin tail recovery project has begun.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can stream them on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hotstar, Apple TV+ and more. Click "Watch Free" for direct links.

We update our movie lists regularly based on new releases, ratings, and streaming availability. Last updated March 2026.

Many of these movies are available on free trials of streaming platforms. Click Watch Free for the best available option.

The #1 pick is our top recommendation based on ratings, popularity, and critical acclaim. Check the full ranking above.

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