WALL-E (2008)

Oh, and for those of you who haven’t heard the news yet, in an interview with Collider, Bird, who wrote and directed the classic Pixar film, said that he thinks Ratatouille’s story has already been told and that it doesn’t need a sequel, and amen, brother. Amen.

Do you want to know a Pixar movie that I thought would never get a sequel, but did? Inside Out. In fact, when it was revealed that we were getting a sequel, I definitely had mixed emotions, because I didn’t even know how you could MAKE a sequel to that movie. Upon seeing the box office sensation, I understood. Riley was growing up, and it only made sense that she would have stronger emotions when entering into her teenage years. In hindsight, a sequel to Inside Out almost seems like a foregone conclusion.

I could definitely say the same for WALL-E. The story of the last robot on Earth getting swept away on an adventure to essentially save a plant, the film ends on a positive note in which humans return to a destroyed Earth and plant a tree. So, in theory, a sequel only seems natural, as we could see what Earth looks like in the aftermath years later.

But, not so fast, because a WALL-E 2 would totally devalue the themes of the original, which is to not lose the human connection, and to take care of the planet while we still can. WALL-E is not one of my favorite Pixar films, but I do think it has the strongest message out of any other movie in the company’s catalogue.

I also think that WALL-E resides in a very specific time period for Pixar. Sandwiched between 2007’s Ratatouille and 2009’s Up, 2008’s WALL-E was when I think Pixar was at its absolute apex, and truly soaring when it came to original ideas. So, I really don’t think any film from this period should get a sequel, as they should stay as singular, inventive concepts. Oh, and speaking of Up…

Up (2009)

Let me tell you. If there’s any Pixar movie that falls completely and utterly apart by its third act, it’s Up. That said, no Pixar movie has ever come remotely close to matching the beauty, sadness, and elegance of Up’s first ten minutes, and I don’t think any Pixar movie ever will.

It’s like a mini movie of a married couple’s lives, in both the high highs, the low lows, and the end of one of their lives. No Pixar movie has probably made more people cry than Up…besides maybe Toy Story 3, and that was mostly because we had come to know these characters for THREE movies and didn’t want to see them die. Up made us cry in ten minutes, though! However, I truly do think Up’s legacy is just in those opening minutes, because the rest of the movie is kind of ridiculous.

An old man goes on an adventure in his flying house with a boy scout, and there are dogs flying planes, and all manner of wackiness. It’s the kind of story that when you watch it again, you’re like, wow. This movie is actually kind of bad, mostly because it’s all over the place and doesn’t even come remotely close to living up to those first few minutes.

Which is why I feel a sequel to Up would be a huge mistake. Everybody remembers this movie for its opening moments, and all a sequel would do is make everybody remember the rest of Up, which I don’t think Pixar should do. Not if they want people to remember the original fondly.

Coco (2017)

Coco is one of the best music movies of all time, but that's not its only legacy. It’s also one of Pixar’s most “grown-up” movies ever, as it explores death and how family members deal with it.

It’s also a gorgeously animated film that respects Mexican heritage, and does so in a way that is fully digestible for children. More importantly though, it’s a film that doesn’t need a continuation, especially since the heart of the film is really about a daughter and her father, and by the end of it, they’re reunited.

Even though we go on Miguel’s journey to the Land of the Dead, the story isn’t about him. Not really. Yes, it’s about following your dreams - in this case, Miguel’s dream to be a musician - but it’s more about cherishing the people who came before you, even though they may have passed.

So, for a movie that’s all about death, let the dead lie because Coco doesn’t need a sequel. It’s perfect as it is.

Onward (2020)

When it debuted, Onward was my favorite Pixar movie, and I was upset that it didn’t do well financially. Granted, this was at the start of the pandemic, so it made sense that people didn’t want to leave their houses. It’s such an emotionally rich story - again about loss, this time of a father - that I thought that maybe people should do their best to see it in theaters. Thankfully, it found its audience at home.

The story of two brothers who go on an adventure to bring their dead dad back to life, Onward hits me so hard in the feels. In fact, since the movie came out, I lost my mother, so its storyline of bringing back a family member, even if only for a day, hits me even harder now than it did back then.

Which is why Onward shouldn’t be touched, as how can you possibly replicate that feeling? Yes, the magical world of Onward is interesting, and the characters are…fine. When the heart of your story is about family coming together in the toughest of times, then it’s made its point.

I think Onward should be left alone, probably more so than any other movie on this list.

Soul (2020)

The other 2020 Pixar film (and our pick for the best movie of that year), Soul, is still probably the best movie Pixar has ever made. The story about a music teacher who dies just before his big break and his desperate quest to get back to life, Soul is arguably the most creative and heartfelt movie the company has ever created.

It’s also such a singular story that it wouldn’t make sense to have a sequel. Throughout the film, a “lost soul” named 22 doesn’t want to be born, and our protagonist, Joe, acts as its mentor. All the while, Joe learns a great deal about himself and to appreciate the life that he’s lost, which shows great self-discovery.

Now, Soul is the only Pixar film that my children still haven’t finished, and I think that a lot of kids probably wouldn’t be as interested in this film as adults, as they’re not really thinking about their own mortality. That’s yet another reason why Soul should never have a sequel, as who would it even be for?

Soul is Pixar’s most mature movie, and as adults, we got the point the first time - appreciate life while you still can. Because life is short.

Alright, it's time we talk about Pixar, because let's be honest, there's a lot to discuss.

Pixar has been in a rut over the last few years. Sure, there have been some notable releases, such as Inside Out 2 and its exploration of anxiety, but most of their original films haven't performed as well or made a lasting impact on viewers. Elio's box office has not been so great. Elemental only made some money after weeks of it spreading online. And their Disney releases on Disney+ have been either hit or miss.

With all of this happening, I decided to revisit what the world deems as some of the best Pixar movies. Most of these are from the 2000s, whether it's the early 2000s or late 2000s, and one that I haven't seen in a long time is Up. However, upon rewatching it, I have to admit… I've got some blunt thoughts about the film now. Let's get into it.

I've Always Loved The Original Pixar Movies

I'm also a part of the Pixar fan club. However, I'm the person who loves the originals more and more as time goes on.

Don't get me wrong, there is a place in the world for a lot of the newer films that Pixar has released over the last five years or so, even with some of the movies that came out in the 2010s. Coco brought me closer to my culture than ever before, and I think Brave is severely underrated.

But it's the original films from the 2000s that really shaped my childhood. I have hardcore memories of watching them with my family, enjoying them with friends – heck, even being called Boo because my parents swear that I looked exactly like the little girl from Monsters Inc. as a kid.

While Up was released at the tail end of that timeframe, it was still considered a fantastic film by all and was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It's hailed as a Pixar great. But I just… don't see it anymore.

However, I Think We're Overhyping This Movie Because The Beginning Is SO Good

So let's be real here – I really don't think Up is that good.

Before you throw pitchforks and tomatoes at the windows of my home, I didn't say it wasn't good. There's a lot to like about this film. However, it doesn't deserve the universal praise it has received.

What deserves praise is its beginning, which is the best part of the whole film. That whole ten-minute sequence hits harder as an adult than ever before.

I went to see Up in the theaters when I was a child, and while I don't remember every aspect of that experience, I do remember it was the first time I saw my dad cry openly in a movie theater. My dad, even if he can be emotional, doesn't cry that often during movies, so I knew that the beginning was something unfortunate.

Rewatching the film now, yeah, I totally understand. There's a reason a meme exists that suggests if you don't cry during the first ten minutes of Up, you have no soul. And I still believe that. The way they visualize a love story in such a short time frame and demonstrate the range of emotions, the ups and downs, and the grief that comes with love is outstanding. Totally worthy of praise.

…and then the rest of the movie happens.

The Middle Kind Of Drags A Bit...And It Is Kind Of Forgettable

Carl is a fine character. He's just the typical grumpy older man who has a love for his deceased wife. It's the kind of character we have seen before. The same goes for Russell, the fun-loving kid who inspires Carl to care again and love all that.

If anything, this movie is just another victim of the grumpy, reluctant father figure who is inspired to live again because of an annoying yet lovable child. Where have we seen that before? Pretty consistently. HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us, Disney+'s The Mandalorian, and even video games like God of War – there's a reason it's a successful trope. It works.

However, the story is enjoyable, but nothing particularly memorable. They embark on a crazy adventure in a house carried by balloons (which doesn't make sense at all, but okay), and in the end, they're reunited and all that.

It's sweet…but Best Picture-worthy? I don't think so.

The Villain Is Fun, But Not As Great As Some Other Pixar Ones

Upon rewatching the film, while I did rank Charles Muntz high on my list of Pixar villains, upon further examination, he's not as horrible as some of the others.

Like, don't get me wrong – he is a piece of human garbage that deserved jail time for what he did to the wildlife and for imprisoning hundreds of thousands of dogs to work for him. He's horrible and pretty close to what I would consider a sociopath in Pixar. Unfeeling in really every way.

But in reality, he's the kind of character that hits hard when you watch the film, and then you… don't really think about him years later. I still think about Ernesto de la Cruz from Coco. Lotso from Toy Story 3 holds a very special place in my heart. Even AUTO from Wall-E is a more compelling villain.

But Charles? He's just sort of…eh.

It's Still Peak Pixar, But It's Dropped Lower On My Rankings

This makes it sound like I'm totally harping on this film, and I'm not. Really. I don't think Up is terrible. I still do believe it is peak Pixar.

But not to the same extent as everyone else.

I initially thought it was up there with Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Inside Out – some of the best films out there. However, I now think it's more comparable to A Bug's Life. It's a good movie, and still a great Pixar film. But in comparison to some of the rich stories that other earlier Pixar movies have told? It's just not that good.

Maybe I should consider it from a child's perspective, but for now, I stand by my assessment. And I think you might lean in that direction, too, once you see how annoying Kevin (the bird) truly was, because good god, I can live without watching him again.

That is why I have a soft spot for great dog movies that give their furry protagonists the ability to communicate through more than barking. This could mean they can magically talk with humans, can only communicate with other dogs, or even exist in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. I cover them all here, go fetch!

Lady And The Tramp (1955)

One of the most heartwarmingly romantic animated Disney movies centers on the unlikely coupling of a pampered cocker spaniel (voiced by Barbara Luddy) and a stray mutt (voiced by Larry Roberts) in Lady and the Tramp. Ward Greene's 1945 short story "Happy Dan, the Cynical Dog" also inspired a live-action 2019 film, featuring Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux in the title roles, but the power of the original is unmatched.

Strays (2023)

Not every talking dog movie is suitable for family viewing, with the most notable exception being the R-rated comedy, Strays. Will Ferrell voices a Border Terrier named Reggie who, after realizing he has been abandoned by his owner, Doug (Will Forte), teams up with Boston Terrier Bug (Jamie Foxx), Australian Shepherd Maggie (Isla Fisher), and Great Dane Hunter to return home... and bite Doug's "favorite toy" off.

The Secret Life Of Pets (2016)

Illumination's The Secret Life of Pets provides an imagined inside look at what cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals do when their owners are not looking. The story is brought to life through an all-star cast, including Louis C.K. as a Jack Russell Terrier named Max, Eric Stonestreet as a Newfoundland mix named Duke, Jenny Slate as a Pomeranian named Gidget, and more.

Isle Of Dogs (2018)

Some of the best Wes Anderson movies have seen the filmmaker dabble in stop-motion animation, and to wonderful effect, such as with Isle of Dogs. Bryan Cranston leads the star-studded voice cast as a stray living on a trash-littered island inhabited by canines deported from Japan, where young Atari (Koyu Rankin) journeys to find his pet.

All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)

One of legendary animator Don Bluth's most cherished creations is All Dogs Go to Heaven, which stars Burt Reynolds as Charlie, who meets his fate at the paw of Carface Malone (Vic Tayback). However, the street-smart German Shepherd manages to return to Earth as an angel and embarks on an adventure, where he meets a young girl who can speak to animals named Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi).

The Shaggy Dog (1959)

Based on the 1923 novel The Hound of Florence by Felix Salten, The Shaggy Dog is a unique kind of talking dog story in the sense that the gifted animal in question was once a human. The Disney-produced fantasy-comedy stars Tommy Kirk as teenager Wilby Daniels, who accidentally becomes stricken with a curse that periodically transforms him into a sheepdog.

Balto (1995)

Kevin Bacon voices the title role of Balto, which is the tale of a Husky who helped prevent the outbreak of a deadly epidemic in an Alaskan town. The animated film is actually based on a true story of several Huskies credited with this heroic deed, including Togo, who did not get his own movie until 2019.

A Dog’s Purpose (2017)

Director Lasse Hallström's heartwarming adaptation of W. Bruce Cameron's novel, A Dog's Purpose, could not be categorized as a movie in which the dog does not die, as we see multiple adorable pooches pass away throughout the film. However, all of these dogs share the same soul (and voice, provided by Josh Gad) on a decades-long journey to reconnect with its original owner (played as a teen by KJ Apa and as an adult by Dennis Quaid).

A Goofy Movie (1995)

Classic Disney character Goofy has been described by longtime voice actor Bill Farmer (via Roger Ebert's review) as the missing link between dog and man, which explains how an anthropomorphic canine like him can exist in the same world as Mickey Mouse's pet, Pluto. Every character in the beloved A Goofy Movie is an anthropomorphic canine, including Goofy's teen son, Max (Jason Marsden), who reluctantly joins his father on an unforgettable road trip.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

Based on Sheila Burnford's 1961 novel, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is the story of a bulldog named Chance (voiced by Michael J. Fox), an aging Golden Retriever named Shadow (voiced by Don Ameche in one of his final roles), and a cat named Sassy (voiced by Sally Field), who brave harsh terrain in hopes of reuniting with their loving owners. The Disney classic spawned a sequel called, Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco, in which the trio of pets struggle to survive the urban jungle.

Up (2009)

The beloved Pixar movie Up features a dog given the ability to talk with a special collar that translates his inner thoughts into English. The canine's name is Dug (voiced by animator Bob Peterson), who would become the star of his own Disney+ series, Dug Days.

Scooby-Doo (2002)

One of the most famous talking dogs in pop culture history is the titular Great Dane from Hanna-Barbera's beloved animated series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, who is able to pronounced English words through his barks, but only if they start with the letter "R." He and his human companions from Mystery Inc. – Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini), and Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) – were brought to life in a live-action film taking place at a trouble island resort.

One Hundred And One Dalmatians (1961)

For as much as I enjoy the 1996 live-action adaptation movie, 101 Dalmatians, for Glenn Close's pitch-perfect performance as Cruella de Vil, none of the titular spotted canines speak in that film. For that, you will have to revisit Disney's original animated adaptation of Dodie Smith's 1956 novel, which stars Rod Taylor as the voice of Pongo and both Cate Bauer and Lisa Daniels as his mate, Perdita.

Babe (1995)

Babe is adapted from Dick King-Smith's novel, The Sheep Pig, which follows the titular swine (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) struggles to be accepted among his fellow farm animals. He becomes friends with a Border Collie named Fly (voiced by Miriam Margolyes) and surprises Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) with his ability to take over her position of herding sheep.

Fluke (1995)

Have you ever wondered if your dog was a human in a past life? That topic is explored in the film Fluke, which stars Matthew Modine as a deceased man given the chance to reunite with his wife and son when he is reincarnated as the eponymous dog breed, which also becomes his name.

The Voices (2014)

The horror-comedy movie, The Voices, is an interesting example of a talking dog movie since none of the animal characters are genuinely talking. Bathtub factory worker Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) hears his kindly dog Bosco and evil cat Mr. Whiskers (both also voiced by Reynolds) speak to him as a symptom of his schizophrenia.

Sing 2 (2021)

There are very few major canine characters in the first installment of Illumination's Sing franchise from 2016, but that changes in the sequel. Chelsea Peretti voices a Saluki dog named Suki Lane, who works as talent scout for the shady Arctic wolf, Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale).

Doctor Dolittle (1998)

Some talking dog movies involve animals speaking to one another and others feature one or more animals that can secretly speak aloud to other humans. However, in Doctor Dolittle, the only human who can communicate with the animals is the title character, played by Eddie Murphy, who first rediscovers his ability when he meets a dog named Lucky (voiced by Norm Macdonald), who also serves as the film's narrator.

Bolt (2008)

The titular White Swiss Shepherd puppy from Disney's Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is introduced as a heroic canine with special superpowers. Little does he know that his special abilities are a fallacy and that he is the star of a TV show, which he only becomes aware of after running away to rescue his owner, Penny (Miley Cyrus), whom he believes has been kidnapped.

A Dog's Journey (2019)

The sequel to A Dog's Purpose is A Dog's Journey, which follows the continued adventures of the reincarnated soul of a dog (voiced by Josh Gad). After awakening in the new body of a female Beagle named Molly, who accepts the responsibility of looking after CJ, who is the granddaughter of Ethan (Dennis Quaid).

PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021)

Fans of movies in which a dog saves the day are not going to want to miss out on PAW Patrol: The Movie. Spun off from the popular children's TV show, it follows a group of heroic puppies, led by young human Ryder (Will Brisbin), who are tasked with rescuing their home of Adventure City from the corrupt Mayor Humdinger.

The Shaggy D.A. (1976)

The sequel to Disney's original The Shaggy Dog, The Shaggy D.A., sees Dean Jones take over the role of Wilby Jones, who is now a grown man with a family, a law career, and a promising campaign for his community's district attorney. Unfortunately, the dishonorable opposing candidate uncovers Wilby's curse and uses it against him, causing Wilby to fall back into the problem and transforming into his furry alter ego at the worst possible moment.

Absolutely Anything (2015)

Some movies depict a dog's ability to speak as a sudden, magical development, such as in co-writer and director Terry Jones' sci-fi comedy Absolutely Anything. Simon Pegg stars as an average man who, as a test to determine if the human race is worthy of saving, is given absolute power by an extraterrestrial race, which he uses to make his dog, Dennis (voiced by Robin Williams), able to speak English.

Good Boy! (2003)

The family comedy Good Boy! offers an unusual explanation for why dogs exists, being that they are an extra-terrestrial race that originally came to Earth centuries earlier with the intention of dominating the planet. A boy named Owen Baker (Liam Aiken) learns this after discovering that his new Border Terrier, Hubble (voiced by Matthew Broderick), has been sent to make sure his canine brethren carry out his species' original mission.

Ferdinand (2017)

Based on Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson's 1936 children's book, Ferdinand is the story of a kindhearted bull (voiced by John Cena) determined to reunite with his family after being unfairly taken away from them. One of Ferdinand's best friends is a hilariously cynical, elderly Bearded Collie named Paco (voiced by Jerrod Carmichael).

Air Buddies (2006)

One of the most desirable dogs in movie history, Buddy from Disney's classic '90s kids sports movie Air Bud, does not speak in the film, nor in any of the sequels in which he branches out beyond basketball. However, in the spin-off, Air Buddies (which spawned a separate franchise of its own), the Golden Retriever does have a voice (provided by Tom Everett Scott), as do his five puppies who are tasked with rescuing him and their mother, Molly (voiced by Molly Shannon) after they are dognapped.

Underdog (2007)

The classic animated series, Underdog, about a Beagle who fights crime with his super powers, was given the live-action movie treatment. Jason Lee voices the titular superhero, also known as Shoeshine, who becomes able to fly, speak, and other abilities after a lab accident.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)

In Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Drew Barrymore voices Chloe, who is a pampered pooch who becomes lost in Mexico City and relies on the help of a German Shepherd named Delgado (voiced by Andy Garcia) to help her survive.

Rover Dangerfield (1991)

Some of Rodney Dangerfield's funniest one-liners come from the film Rover Dangerfield. He lends his voice and signature brand of humor to the animated family film as a Las Vegas Bassett Hound whose luxurious life is interrupted when he is accidentally brought to a farm.

Cats & Dogs (2001)

Fusing spy movies with talking dog movies is Cats & Dogs, which exaggerates the natural rivalry between canines and felines as a centuries-long war over world domination. Tobey Maguire voices Lou, a Beagle reluctantly recruited by veteran secret agent Butch, Anatolian Shepherd (voiced by Alec Baldwin), to help stop the evil Mr. Tinkles (voiced by Sean Hayes).

Marmaduke (2022)

Pete Davidson lends his voice to the title role of Netflix's animated film based on the long-running comic strip, Marmaduke, which was comparatively better received than the 2010 live-action adaptation starring Owen Wilson as the lovable, troublesome Great Dane.

Look Who’s Talking Now (1993)

Look Who's Talking and Look Who's Talking Too gave audiences an inside look into the inner thoughts of babies and toddlers. The hit comedy franchise's third installment shifted its focus to dogs, as told from the perspective of James (John Travolta) and Mollie's (Kirstie Alley) two new pets, Rocks (voiced by Danny DeVito) and Daphne (voiced by Diane Keaton).

Thelma (2024)

Starring Nebraska’s June Squibb, Thelma's about a 93-year-old woman who gets scammed into sending $10,000 to a stranger pretending to be her grandson. Compared to accepting defeat, she decides with the help of a friend and her grandson to track down the scammer and get her money back.

While you’re quick for your heart to break seeing poor Thelma get taken advantage of, your feelings of pity quickly fade away when you see how well the movie handles aging. As the retired woman felt inspired to see Tom Cruise doing crazy stunts in his movies, she decided to take a risk and not let being in her ‘90s stop her from getting back what was stolen.

We see Thelma ride like the wind on her scooter (with Squibb doing her own stunt work), rolling over beds, and gun-handling. Sure, Thelma may still have challenges as a senior citizen, but the comedy was original and thoughtful for having an elderly main character drive the story without feeling dependent on the younger characters around her.

Thelma is available with your Hulu subscription.

The Intern (2015)

Anne Hathaway and Robert DeNiro really are at their charming best in The Intern. The plot follows an e-commerce fashion company, run by Jules Austin, that takes elderly folk as interns. Compared to the stereotypes of retirees portrayed as frail, out of touch, or grumpy, De Niro’s Ben Whittaker defies those tropes. He’s portrayed as a go-with-the-flow guy who uses his wisdom to impart effective business strategies to Jules and help his young colleagues with their personal problems.

While Ben had old-school methods like wearing a suit to work and carrying a briefcase, he was also interested in learning from those younger than him. For instance, he educated himself on how Facebook worked and the realities of stay-at-home fatherhood. Not to mention, Ben still made retirement look enjoyable; like being willing to go on dates and maintaining an active social life. The Nancy Meyers comedy is a thoughtful and original one showing that getting older doesn’t mean your life story is over. Senior citizens can still be useful to the next generation just as younger generations can teach them in return.

The Intern is available to rent on various streaming platforms.

Secondhand Lions (2003)

When teenage boy Walter got sent to live with his two great-uncles by his mother, little did he know that Hub and Garth had plenty of adventures worthy of an Indiana Jones movie during their youth. But, even though these two men grew to be elderly, they still had spirit in them during their retirement to recklessly fly airplanes, fight teenagers in bars, shoot at traveling salesmen, and more. They treated aging not as an excuse to wither away, but to celebrate life while they still have liveliness in them.

Not only is Secondhand Lions important for Hub and Garth portraying the elderly in thoughtful, original ways, but the lioness herself. That's right, the uncles ordered a tame, retired circus lion that Walter kept as a pet named Jasmine. This lion may have been aging too, but she still had a lot of vibrancy in her when she cared for and protected Walter like her own cub. If goes to show that if there’s still adventure in someone or something’s soul, age won’t stop that spirit from unleashing.

Secondhand Lions is available to watch for free with ads on YouTube.

Cocoon (1985)

Directed by Ron Howard, Cocoon certainly offers a whimsical yet original ode to aging. Before aliens made their way toward a Florida retirement home, the elderly residents felt physically limited or lonely. Then once the aliens put a “life force” into a pool next to the retirement home, the elderly who snuck into the pool began feeling rejuvenated. They could dance like no one’s watching, climb trees, and have more energy than ever. The “life force” woke up the youthful personalities stuck in the residents’ aging bodies.

Even though Cocoon is a sci-fi film, its fantasy themes still hit hard with reality. As the aliens gave the elderly residents a choice to go home with them (where they’ll be immortal), this made them question if they’re ready to chase new adventures or accept the natural order of mortality. The originality and thoughtfulness of the Academy Award-winning flick used aliens as a catalyst for a journey about the fears, hope, and possibilities that come with getting older.

Up (2009)

Compared to other animated movies or shows where old folks are portrayed as a punchline, Up beautifully defied the formula for Pixar and family films in general. The first ten minutes provided a gut-wrenching yet beautiful sequence of a couple who’s known each other since childhood. Carl and Ellie hit many milestones true to life like owning a house, jobs, pregnancy, miscarriage, and Ellie’s death during old age that’s bound to lead you to tears. With animated movies normally designed to make kids laugh, the Academy Award-winning Pixar movie offered audiences a dose of reality that set the stage for Carl’s motivation to have an adventure during his old age.

Because it was Ellie’s dream for her and Carl to have an adventure in Paradise Falls before her passing, Carl strung thousands of balloons to their house to go there. Boy Scout Russell became an accidental stowaway and a storm disrupted plans by blowing everyone away to South America. Through each obstacle, Carl discovered there were opportunities for new adventures motivated by his love for Ellie. Compared to a sidekick or a comic relief, Carl is a complex human being, driving Up's story by providing a refreshingly thoughtful and original take on aging gracefully.

Up is available with your Disney+ subscription.

It can be thrilling to watch a movie that gives you optimism for when you reach old age compared to dreading it. As the mentioned movies prove, showing the elderly in an original way shows getting older does not mean that life withers away. With a youthful spirit and an optimistic view, there’s always room for more experiences and thrills.

Most of us have a story about crying at the movies. Some people have a lot of stories about crying during a lot of movies. No judgment. The point of watching, at least for most of us, is to ride the wave of the story, and sometimes that story is really freaking sad. There’s a difference, however, between being sad during a movie’s runtime and that sadness lingering with you for a period of time after you’re done watching the movie.

That was a hot topic of conversation over the weekend, as a post on Reddit asking people about the most depressed they’ve ever been after watching a movie made it all the way to the front page. Thousands of people dropped in their favorites and tens of thousands of people upvoted the choices they liked best, and to my surprise, an animated movie wound up being the most talked about. No, it wasn’t Up. It turns out there are a lot of people going through their lives still thinking about how incredibly sad The Fox And The Hound is.

The initial comment about The Fox And The Hound got more than 2,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments with people chiming in with their own takes on the movie. A comment calling it one of “best Disney classics” got almost a thousand likes, and there were dozens of other comments that were some version of this one…

That’s one thing I really respect about classic Disney animated movies. There are so many of them that aren’t afraid of heavy topics. Some people feel like little kids shouldn’t be exposed to sadness or loneliness or traumatic events, but they’re a lot more resilient than these people give them credit for. Life is fantastic, but it’s also really sad sometimes and art should speak to that, even if it’s directed at children.

Not all of the movies talked about were directed at children, however. The impetus for the post was Leaving Las Vegas, which is a profoundly adult movie and one of the bleakest and most depressing I have ever seen. That movie still lingers with me personally, as Nicolas Cage’s performance is filled with darkness but also enough light to continually remind you of how dark it is.

Other popular movies discussed were Wind River, Dancer In The Dark, What Dreams May Come, Manchester By The Sea, Requiem For A Dream, All Dogs Go To Heaven, The Pianist, The Wrestler, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Green Mile and The Virgin Suicides. One poor guy also brought up the fact that he took his wife to see The Road, and she’s still not happy about it, which is especially funny since that movie came out 16 years ago.

The hardest I’ve ever cried at the movies was during Up, but I think it’s very telling that that wasn’t a popular choice in this conversation. The Pixar favorite is incredibly traumatic during part of its runtime, especially during the saddest montage in movie history near the beginning, but you also leave that movie feeling hopeful about humanity. It’s a ride, but the ride ends on a high note. The same can’t be said for all of these movies, many of which leave viewers on a more somber note, alone in the woods for their own good.

But that’s not always a bad thing. One of the most important goals of anything artistic is to have an effect. You want people consuming it to feel something, even if it’s sadness, and all these movies clearly accomplished that. So, if you’re in the right frame of mind, I recommend all of them. Just make sure and swap to waterproof mascara first.

And obviously, spoiler alert!

The Truth Behind Hector And Ernesto (Coco)

In terms of the best Pixar films, Coco ranks high on that list for me, and one of the biggest reasons is because of this fantastic twist that happens. Coco spends the entire movie thinking Ernesto is his biological father. Still, it’s revealed that it’s actually Hector and that Ernesto killed Hector by poison to steal his songs and earn fame for himself. I mean, come on. That’s a good twist.

Lightning McQueen Doesn’t Get The Piston Cup (Cars)

While I’m personally not the biggest fan of the Cars franchise, I can at least say that the twist at the end of the first Cars was spectacular. In the entire movie, we see Lightning trying to train as best he can to win the Piston Cup, and when it looks like he will, he instead turns back to help an injured car across the line and let his opponent win. Talk about a mindset change.

When Cruella Discovers Who Baroness Is To Her (Cruella)

Some Disney live-action remakes or reboots are great, and I really liked Cruella and the changes it made to the iconic Disney villain’s story. In this live-action film, Cruella finds out her biological mother is the person she’s been trying to impress – and then takes it upon herself to try and beat her in the fashion industry.

The Mayor Is Behind It All (Halloweentown)

Disney Channel movies can sometimes be corny, but every once in a while, you’ll get a twist that shakes you to your core, and that was in Halloweentown. The entire city had been under some strange evil force, causing people to turn to mean, but it turns out it was the mayor who was trying to gain more power the whole time.

Hans’ Truth To Anna (Frozen)

I think we all know that Hans’ quote – “Oh, Anna, if only there were someone out there who loved you.” – is pretty much one of the biggest line drops of Frozen. We’ve been watching Hans the entire movie, thinking he’s the perfect prince for Anna, and then he pulls this out from under us, saying that it was all a ploy.

King Triton Lets Ariel Be With Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid)

I know that The Little Mermaid is part of the Disney Renaissance, which usually means that most of those princesses got their happy endings, but it still shocked me that Triton let Ariel be with Eric in a twisty way. If anything, I thought Triton would be more inclined to keep his daughter close to him after what happens, but he lets her go to Eric—which is sweet but also surprising.

Quasimodo Doesn’t Get The Girl (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

You might wonder why I put this here, and really, it’s because it defies the Disney formula. Quasimodo is the hero of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and is clearly interested in Esmerelda. It seems set up for a happy ending, but instead, Disney decides to give her to someone different, leaving Quasi all alone, which is actually a pretty surprising and sad twist.

When It’s Revealed Who Syndrome Really Is (Incredibles)

Incredibles is hands down one of the best Pixar movies out there. While I could go on forever about how amazing the movie is, I think this twist is one of the best—when we find out that the villain they are facing is the same little boy Mr. Incredible shunned years ago. That’s the epitome of karma biting back.

Meg Sacrifices Herself (Hercules)

Hercules is an underrated Pixar film, so I’m not sure how many people remember this twist. Meg tries to save Hercules during a battle but ends up dying from her injuries. However, it was all to push him out of the way of a falling pillar. While the ending leads to them being together, Meg sacrificing her life for Hercules was not something anyone expected.

Eugene Cutting Off Rapunzel’s Hair (Tangled)

Tangled is undoubtedly one of the best 2000-2010 Disney movies, and the most significant part of it is when Eugene sacrifices his life for Rapunzel to be free of Mother Gothal. It seems Rapunzel will be able to heal him in order for him to live and for her to go with Gothal, but he suddenly lunges up and cuts her hair at the last second to make sure Gothal can never use her again.

Thantos Controls The Darkness (Twitches)

While this reveal comes pretty early in the Twitches film, it’s still surprising. The Darkness is pretty much the villain that these two witches must take on, an evil entity that is killing people, but they find out soon enough that it’s actually their Uncle Thantos who is controlling it for the sake of finding power.

Vanelleope Stays Behind (Ralph Breaks The Internet)

After finding her place in Wreck-It Ralph, it was shocking that Vanelleope decided to find her own path in Ralph Breaks the Internet. While there was an option for her to come back to the arcade at the end of the movie, she chose to stay online with Slaughter Race.

Bowler Hat Guy’s True Identity (Meet The Robinsons)

Meet the Robinsons is such an underrated Disney film, and I think it gets a bad rep for the earlier usage of CGI. The twist is even better—for the entire movie, Bowler Hat Guy is the main villain we follow, but later, we find out that he’s the older version of Lewis’ roommate, Goob, meaning that he was created from Lewis’ interactions with the younger version.

Hades Is Mal’s Father (Descendents 3)

All right, so Descendents 3 is undoubtedly the least-best Descendents movie, but I will say that the fact that we find out Mal’s father is Hades of all people is something I never expected. I mean, her mother is Maleficent, and somehow, she was procreated by someone like the God of the Underworld. How does that even happen?

When We See What Kind Of True Love Is Needed (Frozen)

I think, at the time, the idea that true love doesn’t need to be romantic but can also be familial was an excellent way for Disney to step into the 21st century. I will say, however, that I do miss the days of an evil villain and a romance to root for. Even so, there is no denying that the twist of Elsa and Anna saving each other through sisterly love is a great one.

Stinky Pete Is Actually The Villain (Toy Story 2)

Many regarded Toy Story 2 as one of the best Pixar movies – that is until the third one came around. And there are plenty of great reasons for that. But one of the biggest is the twist villain. Out of all the bad things happening to Woody, none of us ever would have expected it had something to do with Stinky Pete – but it’s revealed towards the end that he planned everything.

That Mike Won The Scare Competition Because Of Sully (Monsters University)

As someone who was genuinely rooting for Mike to win that scare competition, this twist broke my heart. When Mike and Sully are conversing after their win in the scare competition, he fake tries to scare the dummy there, only for the meter to charge up completely. He snaps his fingers, and it does the same thing. Then, after that, he looks under the bed and finds the machine has been tampered with – that Sully cheated to make sure they’d win. So sad.

Troy Decides To Follow Both Passions (High School Musical 3: Senior Year)

Okay, I still love all of the High School Musical movies. Still, one of the funniest and best moments was this twist – where the entirety of the third movie was Troy trying to figure out what to do in college, and then he realized at the end, “Oh wait, I can do both theatre and basketball,” Wow, who would have thought? I think it just shocks me because it’s such a simple solution.

Callaghan’s True Intentions (Big Hero 6)

I feel like so many people forget about Big Hero 6 so often because it came out post-Frozen, and people were still riding Elsa’s ice powers and all that. But Big Hero 6 is a great superhero movie with a great villain twist when Callaghan reveals he’s the man who has been making a mess of everything and blew up the lab Tadashi was in because he wants revenge for losing his daughter in an experiment.

Charles Is Actually Evil (Up)

Up is one of those films that the moment you watch it, you probably will end up crying and feeling all kinds of things, but you never expect a twist so dark as this one. Charles Muntz was an idol of Carl’s, and when he finds out that Charles is actually a horrible person who is enslaving dogs to try and hunt down an age-old bird that Carl and Russell have taken a liking to, it causes nothing but trouble and pain.

The Waternoose Expose (Monsters Inc.)

I think everyone my age was terrified of Waternoose in Monsters Inc., but one of the biggest things that ended up being the best twist ever was how Sully somehow lured him into a scare simulation room and got him to reveal the entire conspiracy that he was doing to keep this company going—before the conversation is recorded and shown to the CDA. Beautiful, no notes.

Mason Reveals His Feelings For Juliette (Wizards Of Waverly Place)

As someone who stands by the fact that Wizards of Waverly Place is just as good as an adult, I believe this scene is still dramatic. Out of nowhere, Mason, who is a werewolf, sees his former flame Juliette for the first time in several years, and he openly admits in front of his girlfriend, Alex, that he has never stopped loving her. WHAT? As a child, this was the most shocking twist in the world for me.

King Candy’s True Identity (Wreck-It-Ralph)

Personally, I think Wreck-It Ralph is way better than the sequel, and this twist is just proof of that. King Candy seemed like a nice guy for the majority of this movie, but towards the end, we find out he is the one responsible for the messed-up code and that he is also Turbo, the character who was knocked out of his own game. It’s a huge twist.

Lotso Is Not A Nice Bear (Toy Story 3)

Another excellent example of a twist straight from the beginning is Lotso in Toy Story 3. I mean, how could a teddy bear who smells like strawberries be bad? But it turns out Lotso is king of the daycare, and if the toys don’t follow what he says, well, that’s too dang bad. It’s a toy again, toy, once again.

When It’s Revealed Who Screen Slaver Really Is (Incredibles 2)

While there are plenty of people who say that Incredibles 2 isn’t as incredible as the first, I’ll be honest and say I still enjoy the heck out of it, and I seriously love this twist. Finding out Evelyn, who has been working alongside Elastagirl this whole time, is actually the person behind everything, which is a great twist. I wish it had been executed a little better in the back half, but the twist itself is excellent.

Jake Reveals His True Feelings About Miley (Hannah Montana)

Okay, okay, don’t you remember when there were all these love triangles in Hannah Montana? I think everyone and their mother gasped when the celebrity, Jake Ryan, fully expressed his feelings for Miley Stewart on national television – not Hannah, her alter ego, but Miley. Like, stop. My heart.

When We Find Out Who Te Fiti Is (Moana)

As someone who has rewatched Moana, I find this twist to be beautiful inside and out. Moana has sailed the entire ocean to restore the heart of Te Fiti, an island, only to find out that Te Ka is actually Te Fiti – just a cold and cruel version who doesn’t have her heart anymore and is instantly turned into a green island once Moana restores it. Amazing.

Dawn Bellwether Is Actually An Evil Genius (Zootopia)

I still can’t help but snicker at this twist. In the entire movie, Mayor Bellwether is this sheep who doesn’t seem like she’s the person behind the animals going rogue, but it turns out she is—a sheep who wanted to gain more power and decided to take out predators to do that.

Bing-Bong’s Fate (Inside Out)

When Bing-Bong died, America mourned, and I did as well. In Inside Out, we see Bing-Bong, a forgotten imaginary friend of Riley’s who travels with Joy and gets stuck with her in Riley’s subconscious. Still, in order to get Joy out, he sacrifices himself by throwing him off their little rocket so Riley can be happy again – even if he gets forgotten. Ugh. Stop.

Maleficent Isn’t As Evil As Everyone Paints Her To Be (Maleficent)

I have to say that for live-action Disney villains, Angelina Jolie knocks it out of the park as Maleficent, and finding out her story in this really is the big twist we all didn’t expect. In this version, Maleficent wasn’t born evil – she was the victim of a cruel society and jokes that slowly tore her down into the woman she became later. That’s a great way to take her story.

When We Find Out Who Mor’du Really Is (Brave)

It felt like Mor’du wasn’t really that intense of a villain in Brave, considering he was just a demon bear. Still, it turns out he’s NOT just a demon bear – Mor’du is actually the prince from an old family legend who was turned into a demon bear after not following his father’s wishes.

Woody Wants To Stay Behind (Toy Story 4)

You know, I still wonder about this twist. Woody, for nearly every Toy Story movie, has always been about staying together, staying with his human, the entire time. But, at the end of Toy Story 4, he decides to become a free toy and stay with Bo-Peep while the others leave him behind. It’s a surprising twist, nonetheless.

These are just some of my favorite Disney twists, and now I want to rewatch them all to see if I can spot them early on. I think it’s time for another movie marathon.

When Lampwick Turned Into A Donkey (Pinocchio)

Oh, you knew that I would put this scene on here. Pinocchio is a pretty dark movie in a lot of different parts. Still, I literally had nightmares as a kid when I watched Lampwick turn into a donkey in front of Pinocchio on Pleasure Island. I still don't like to think about it.

When Alex's Family Completely Forgot Who She Is (The Wizards Of Waverly Place Movie)

I'll be the first to say that Wizards of Waverly Place stands up even as an adult, and the hilarious Disney Channel series is beloved by most. Still, the fact that Alex's family basically forgot who she was at the very end of the Wizards of Waverly Place movie really sat with me. I mean, it was her own doing for the spell she cast, but it still hurts that the film went that far.

When Mufasa Is Dropped Into A Stampede (The Lion King)

I'm pretty sure that, as kids, we all had nightmares after Scar betrayed his brother. While it's based on Shakespeare's real works, I think we all emotionally connected more with a brother betraying a brother, and Mufasa getting dropped into a stampede in the middle of Africa will always not sit right with me.

When Phineas And Ferb Are Sent Off To Reform School (Phineas And Ferb)

Phineas and Ferb is a great kids show to watch on Disney+ but the darkest it ever got was when Phineas and Ferb actually got busted and sent to reform school. Now, I know, on the surface, that doesn't seem that bad, but it's the fact that they were literally brainwashed in this episode. When would Disney Channel go that far?

When Tod Is Attacked By A Bear (The Fox And The Hound)

The Fox and the Hound start cute enough, but obviously, as Tod and Copper get older, they end up becoming enemies because of the natural order of things. But the darkest moment of this kid's movie is watching Tod get chased down by a bear and attacked. Like, oh my goodness, I did not need to see this as a child.

When Bambi's Mother Was Killed (Bambi)

We have to put Bambi here somewhere. The way Bambi's mother dies is a sad reality of life and hunting, and it is really only a matter of time. But that doesn't make the moment any less tragic when we see Bambi calling out for his mother, but she's not there.

When Wendy Is Literally Almost Dragged Into The Water(Peter Pan)

Peter Pan is a film with plenty of problematic elements, but one of the darkest moments features Wendy when the mermaids of Neverland tease her and then nearly drag her into the water. Like, this is a literal child. And she was almost harassed by mermaids, of all things.

When That Crazy Drunken Elephants Scene Happened (Dumbo)

Dumbo is honestly one of the most normal Disney movies out there because it features the story of circus animals. The only weird thing is Dumbo having big ears. But the film features this dark moment of Dumbo getting drunk and visualizing the most scary-looking elephants marching around in vibrant technicolor – look, if you watched the movie, you know what I'm talking about, you know it's scary.

When Tinker Bell Essentially Comes Close To Dying (Peter Pan 2: Return To Neverland)

A lot of people forget about the sequel to Peter Pan, which is expected since it was direct-to-DVD. However, when Wendy's daughter, Jane, doesn't believe in the magic of Neverland when she's taken there, Tinker Bell literally begins to lose her magic—so much so that she nearly dies. It's an unfortunate part of this film that still sticks with me to this day.

When Claude Frollo Sings "Hellfire" (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

When I talk about the best Disney villain songs, "Hellfire" ranks high on that list, but that doesn't make the moment any less dark. The song is essentially how Judge Claude Frollo is absolutely obsessed with Esmerelda and wants to be with her (if you catch my drift). Still, if she refuses his advances, then she will be burned at the stake for daring to be defiant against him. Like, dang, Disney.

When Flynn Takes A Knife To The Heart (Tangled)

In comparison to some of the moments on this list, Flynn getting stabbed in the heart in Tangled doesn't seem nearly as bad, but it's still a dark moment. The way he falls to the ground as Rapunzel cradles him always gets me – but at least they have their happy moment at the end.

When We All Sobbed During The First Ten Minutes Of Up (Up)

I don't even need to write a whole paragraph about this. You know what I'm talking about. The rise and fall of Carl and Ellie will sit with us for the rest of our lives, from miscarriages to death alike. I am already getting sad thinking about it.

When We Saw All Those Dead Rats (Ratatouille)

Ratatouille is an underrated gem and one of the best Pixar films. But a part of me sometimes forgets this super dark moment when Remy's father decides to bring him to a shop to show him rat poisoning and traps – where dead rats hang in the window. Granted, it was to try and convince Remy to give up on his dream of being a cook with the humans, but it's still a very dark scene.

When It's Revealed What Really Happened To Hector In Coco (Coco)

Coco is a film that connects me to my Spanish heritage in more ways than one. One of those instances that made me realize how special this film was is that it wasn't afraid to take a risk. This twist, where we know that Ernesto de la Cruz actually poisoned Hector so he could take credit for all his songs, is bonkers and will make any first-time viewer's mouth drop in shock.

When Tadashi Was Exploded (Big Hero 6)

I mean, yeah, I had to put Tadashi on here. Hiro had already lost his parents earlier in life and now his big brother is suddenly taken from him in this giant lab explosion that was caused out of pure selfishness (as we find out later in the film from the villain). It's so sad.

When Mulan Suddenly Stops It's Songs When It Reaches The Destroyed Village (Mulan)

Mulan is one of those movies that, when you watch it for the first time, will stick with you for the rest of your life. The film is filled with catchy songs for the first fifty minutes or so, and then "A Girl Worth Fighting For" suddenly cuts off at the very end as the army stumbles upon a destroyed village. It's chilling and perfectly well done but still so dark.

When The Literal Apocalypse Happened In The Finale (Gravity Falls)

I'll be honest and say that Gravity Falls was a show that was after my time of loving Disney Channel. Still, I had to put this moment – that the end of a Disney Channel animated series literally has the finale going through the apocalypse. I'm sorry, what? This is Disney, right?

When Jafar Was Blatently Attracted To A 15-Year-Old Girl (Aladdin)

We sometimes forget that a lot of the Disney princesses are literal teenagers in most of these movies because they're so mature half the time, but Jafar and Jasmine in Aladdin are the worst. Jafar is blatantly attracted to Jasmine in the film and wants to marry her for power, but she is actually fifteen. Someone call the police, please.

When The Toys Were About To Get Burned To Death (Toy Story 3)

Toy Story 3 was initially created as a cap to the Toy Story movies before the fourth film was conceived, so having this scene was wild. The toys, who are in a garbage plant thanks to Lotso, are nearly burned alive by an incinerator. They are all holding hands and waiting for their demise. Thankfully, at the last moment, the little green aliens come in and save them with the giant claw that picks up trash, but god, that was a close one, huh?

When Hades Wanted To Kill A Child (Hercules)

Look, Hercules is underrated in so many ways, and Hades is a hilarious villain, but there's a reason why he is a villain in this movie. He wants to kill Hercules at the beginning and gets his minions to do so by using a vial of poison, but Hercules ends up only drinking most of it, not all, so he just loses his godlike immortality.

When Belle Was Chased By Wolves (Beauty And The Beast)

We all glamorize Beauty and the Beast a little too much because there were plenty of dark moments in that movie, and one of the biggest was when wolves chased Belle. I know, in the grand scheme of things, that it’s not super dark, but it's still scary for a kid to watch a Disney princess get chased down by wolves and nearly die.

When We Saw All Of Sid's Horrifying Creations (Toy Story)

Toy Story featured probably some of the most disgusting creations I had ever seen when we first noticed Sid's fascination with destroying toys and molding them into new ones. As the movie continues, we do see that even these strange concoctions have souls of their own, but man, they are still freaky as heck.

When Dr. Facilier Was Dragged To Hell By Demons (The Princess And The Frog)

There's a lot that I love about The Princess and the Frog, including Tiana being the best Disney princess, but I think we sometimes forget just how dark Dr. Facilier was. This man works with the literal souls of the underworld to gain power, and when he falls flat on his deal, he is dragged through a grave down to hell. Yup, it can't really get darker than that.

When Gaston Fell To His Death (Beauty And The Beast)

There are plenty of great villain deaths in the world of Disney, but Gaston's is honestly one that is pretty dark. We don't necessarily see his head hit the pavement, but we do see Gaston fall to his death when he and the Beast are facing off.

When Esteban Gets Possessed (The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody)

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is a great series overall, but even I'll admit that this episode, where Esteban (a hotel bellboy) and the twins are trying to contact the dead, is scary as hell and dark for Disney. They do so well in contacting the dead that a spirit takes over Esteban. What? That never happens.

When Wall-E Nearly Forgot Who Everyone Was (Wall-E)

Wall-E is a film that feels a little too real nowadays with how global warming has changed our world, and the movie itself can be super dark if you look at it. But to me, the darkest moment was at the very end when I thought Wall-E was reset to his factory settings and forgot all about Eve and everything that happened. Thankfully, her spark brings back his memory, so it all works out, but man, that was a close one!

When An Evil Force Begins To Take Over And Turn Everyone Into Monsters (Halloweentown)

Halloweentown is my favorite non-scary Halloween movie because it's so homey and rings in the season in a great way. Still, there's no denying that the idea of an evil force – not even just a spirit, but a malevolent force – taking over an entire town is dark for Disney Channel DCOM standards.

When Clayton Accidentally Hangs Himself (Tarzan)

Tarzan is a film that I think a lot of us forget about (except for Phil Collins' great score), but let's not forget the dark moment when the villain, Clayton, literally accidentally kills himself. He's struggling with vines as he's in the final fight but falls to the ground, and ultimately, we see the vines wrapped around his neck and the shadow of his hanging body not that long after.

When Bing Bong Sacrificed Himself (Inside Out)

The world has never forgiven Pixar for sacrificing Bing Bong in Inside Out. I mean, look at him. He didn't deserve that. Bing Bong deserves his freedom, but he lets himself get erased in Riley's mind so Joy can get out and make Riley happy again. Gosh, I'm getting tears thinking about it.

When Scar Is Eaten By His Own Followers (The Lion King)

Scar is a dastardly villain, but his demise is even darker than what he has done. The hyenas who have followed him for the whole movie turn on the lion at the very end, and we see them tear him apart in the shadows, bit by bit, eaten because they are hungry now.

When The House Turns Into A Prison (Smart House)

In a world where we live with Alexas and smart devices galore, the twist of Smart House feels all too real. The film itself was a Disney Channel film about a home with a robotic attendant who turns the house into a prison. I mean…not for nothing, but AI is scary, and this film feels a little too real.

When Marlan's Wife Was Killed In The Opening Minutes Of Finding Nemo (Finding Nemo)

I think everyone who saw Finding Nemo as a kid was shocked to death when they watched the first minutes. We don't actually see Marlan's wife getting eaten, but we know she's gone in the moments after, when there's just one egg left and Marlan is all alone.

These are just some of the dark moments I instantly think of when it comes to Disney – but trust me, there are plenty more. I think it's time for a Disney marathon – and for me to enjoy every second of it while also getting creeped out at these dark moments.

Let’s look at some of the beloved cats, dogs, fish, and alien creatures that have stolen our hearts over the years.

Gizmo (Gremlins)

While the rest of his siblings are off causing all kinds of mayhem in Kingston Falls, Gizmo spends the entirety of Gremlins being not only a cute and adorable pet, but also a brave companion for Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan). He’s not your typical pet, but this furry and brave mogwai is a creature we’d all love to have in our house.

Beethoven (Beethoven)

Sure, Beethoven destroys the Newton home on more than one occasion, likes to steal bacon, and uses dress shoes as his chew toys, but there’s no denying this massive St. Bernard is one of the best movie pets in Hollywood history. Like, come on, he even turns George Newton (Charles Grodin) from a neurotic mess of a man who hates dogs to a slightly less neurotic man who takes in no fewer than a dozen dogs at the end of the movie.

Babe (Babe)

Babe, one of the best family movies from the ‘90s, features what is perhaps the most beloved on-screen pig in Hollywood history. The titular sheep-pig, which warmed everyone’s hearts including James Cromwell’s farmer in the 1995 classic, never lets the other animals’ comments or attitudes get the best of him. 

Jonesy (Alien)

One of only two survivors of the Nostromo incident in Alien, Jonesy the cat has become one of the most recognizable felines in Hollywood history. The orange tabby cat that was on a yearslong mission to deep space for some reason, shows up again in Aliens, but doesn’t get to leave Earth’s orbit, which is a shame.

Oliver (Oliver & Company)

Sure Billy Joel’s Dodger is the definition of cool in Oliver & Company, but the titular feline is there to melt our hearts and teach us about bravery and new beginnings. Though he starts out as an orphan, Oliver, an adorable kitten voiced by Joey Lawrence, does eventually find a family and does everything he can to make it his forever home.

Toto (The Wizard Of Oz)

One of the most well-known terriers in Hollywood history, Toto is a major part of The Wizard of Oz and is quite crucial to its plot. Not only does he give the Wicked Witch of the West a hard time throughout the movie, but he also doesn’t fall for the Wizard’s act and exposes him for the fraud he is.

Hedwig (The Harry Potter Movies)

What other movie pets have their own iconic theme composed by the legendary John Williams? This alone puts Hedwig in the top tier of animals in Hollywood history, but it’s honestly just one part of Harry Potter’s trusty owl’s on-screen accomplishments. And the way she puts her life on the line to protect the young wizard is nothing short of commendable.

Toothless (How To Train Your Dragon)

Dragons don’t have to be massive, ferocious, or obsessed with gold to earn a spot in Hollywood history, and that’s the case for Toothless in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. Ever since his first appearance in the 2010 franchise starter, this adorable yet courageous pet and companion has come through big for Hiccup time and time again.

Blofeld's Cat (From Russia With Love)

There are quite a few recurring characters in the James Bond franchise and one of the most frequently featured is Blofeld’s cat, which was a major fixture in the early movies. The pet belonging to the fearsome leader of Spectre, this white cat is adorable even if it’s part of one of the biggest crime syndicates in Hollywood history.

Abu (Aladdin)

Sure, Genie makes a case for himself with “You Never Had A Friend Like Me,” but the titular hero in Disney’s Aladdin had a great pet and friend all along: Abu. This crafty monkey with a knack for lifting valuable objects and artifacts, has more street smarts than just about any other animal in the studio’s history, which is saying something.

Jiji (Kiki's Delivery Service)

One of Hayao Miyazaki’s best movies, Kiki’s Delivery Service features one of the most beloved Studio Ghibli characters with its titular witch, but the movie also has an all-time great movie pet. Jiji, Kiki’s talking cat, who was voiced by the late Phil Hartman in the 1998 English dub, is crafty, sassy, and devoted to his human. With a quip and morale boost at every turn, we’d all be better with a cat like this.

Wanda (A Fish Called Wanda)

Wanda, the angelfish and not the character played by Jamie Lee Curtis, in A Fish Called Wanda doesn’t do as much as other pets on this list, but it is key to one of the most iconic scenes from this hilarious ‘80s crime comedy. Anyone down for fish and chips?

Sassy, Chance and Shadow (Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey)

For folks of a certain age, Sassy, Chance, and Shadow are three of the most recognizable pets of all time. Sure, they wouldn’t have had to cross a mountain pass if they had just stayed put, but we have to give it to them for going to extreme lengths to get back to their owners, even if it means almost dying multiple times in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey.

Vito Corleone's Cat (The Godfather)

Despite only being featured in one scene, Don Vito Corleone’s cat in The Godfather has become one of the most unforgettable characters in the crime epic as well as one of the most recognizable pets in Hollywood history. And the notoriously dark and shadowy opening scene with Vito and the cat is even better in the 4K remaster, which adds so much to the feline’s character. 

Arthur (Beginners)

Beginners is a charming and heartful romantic comedy that touches on love, happiness, loss, and new beginnings (hence the name). And while Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, and Melanie Laurent are all masterful in their respective roles, it’s the dog, named Arthur, who steals the show. This Jack Russell terrier, whose thoughts are shown in subtitles, has great comedic timing, which makes the 2011 movie so much more fun.

Cat (Breakfast At Tiffany's)

Holly Golightly’s pet, appropriately named “Cat,” is honestly one of the best things about Breakfast at Tiffany’s and helps make the iconic Audrey Hepburn movie so beloved. And who is there in the timeless final scene in which Holly and Pual Varjak get back together in the pouring rain? Yep, it’s Cat.

Benji (Benji)

When it comes to legendary on-screen pooches, Benji is near or at the top of the list. Ever since the 1974 classic, Benji, the beloved dog has melted audiences’ (of multiple generations) hearts and provided for some adventurous moments along the way.

Jinxy (Meet The Parents) 

Jinxy cat can wave, flush toilets, and make life miserable for Greg Focker in Meet the Parents, but despite being antagonistic against Ben Stiller’s character in the 2000 comedy, he’s still one of the best. Who else can make Rober De Niro’s Jack Byrnes turn into a big softy like that? No one, not even his daughters.

Max (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

At the heart of every version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is Max, the Grinch’s best friend, trusty assistant, and beloved pet dog. It’s hard not to feel sympathetic towards the iconic pooch, especially before the Grinch’s heart grows three sizes…

Buddy (Air Bud)

We’ve lost count of how many times Buddy has saved the day in the Air Bud movies, but it’s a lot. It all goes back to the ‘90s kids sports movie where the Golden Retriever joins the basketball team after escaping from an abusive circus clown. Are there any other dogs that can shoot hoops (and later play football and just about every other team sport)?

Mike Tyson's Tiger (The Hangover)

Mike Tyson has a pet tiger in The Hangover because of course he does. Probably the most exotic, deadly, and out-of-left-field pet in the history of cinema, the infamous boxer’s tiger is involved in one of the movie’s most hilarious sequences, one that’ll leave you laughing and scratching your head as you try to figure out how this happened.

Stitch (Lilo and Stitch)

Yeah, Stitch is technically an alien lifeform and not an animal from Earth, but the little blue creature from Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is just too good to not mention. We can’t understand a thing he says and he causes a lot of mischief, but isn’t that true about all pets?

Ulysses (Inside Llewyn Davis)

Ulysses, the cat Oscar Isaac’s titular character in Inside Llewyn Davis brings with him after getting locked out of a friend’s apartment, is honestly one of the best big-screen feline characters of the 21st century. He represents the struggling folk singer’s life so well and adds so much to this Coen brothers movie.

Daisy (John Wick)

Daisy, we didn’t know you all that long, but you’ve remained in our hearts for the past decade. A present from John Wick’s late wife to help him with his grief ended up becoming the spark for the retired hitman’s return back to the underworld. There have been more John Wick dogs over the years, but Daisy will always be the first.

Clyde (Every Which Way But Loose)

Clyde the orangutang playing the comedic relief to Clint Eastwood’s straight man in Every Which Way But Loose is one of those great primate movie performances and provides for so many great moments. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with a rambunctious ape that likes to flip people the bird?

Virgil (Project X)

Virgil isn’t your typical pet, which is what makes this chimpanzee so great in Project X (the 1987 sci-fi drama and not the 2012 party flick). Part of a secret military project and later the best friend of Matthew Broderick’s Jimmy Garrett, this advanced primate embarks upon an epic adventure as he and his human counterparts seek a better life.

Goose (Captain Marvel)

Goose may look like a normal housecat, but this isn’t your everyday tabby. Instead, as seen throughout Captain Marvel, Goose is an alien creature known as a flerken and has all kinds of crazy strengths and powers. Just watch your eye.

The Ranchor (Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi)

On the surface, the ranchor looks like a ferocious and massive monster in Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi, but as we see after the creature’s death, it’s actually someone’s pet. Just look on the trainer’s face when Luke kills the beast in Jabba’s palace. Heartbreaking.

Dug (Up)

There have been countless pets in Pixar movies over the years, and one of the best is Dug from Up. Equipped with a collar that turns his thoughts into words, this fun-loving, ball-obsessed, and adventurous canine is a source of entertainment throughout this beloved 2009 animated gem.

Rajah (Aladdin)

What makes Rajah such a great pet, well, besides being a freaking tiger? Well, he projects Jasmine from countless threats throughout Aladdin and never falls for Jafar’s games, which is more than you can say about pretty much every character in this Disney staple. But don’t let that fool you, because he’s actually a big softie.

Sven (Frozen)

Reindeer are better than people, especially when it comes to Sven in Frozen. The longtime friend, companion, and pet of Kristof’s in this massive box office hit. He doesn’t talk, but this trusty character has all kinds of emotions and never ignores the call to adventure.

Wilbur (Charlotte's Web)

There’s a good chance Charlotte’s Web would have earned an Oscar if the Best Animated Feature category existed at the time of its release. A lot of that is because of the infectious energy of Wilbur, the prized pig who becomes the source of inspiration for the titular spider and her incredible creations. Sure, he doesn’t become a sheep-pig, but he’s still pretty great.

The Impossible (2012)

J. A. Bayona’s 2012 disaster film, The Impossible, serves as an emotional and intense retelling of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed an estimated 227,898 people following one of the biggest earthquakes in modern history. The film centers on a British family (played in part by Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, and a young Tom Holland) and their harrowing quest to reunite following the devastating disaster. It’s impossible to not cry during this one.

Field Of Dreams (1989)

Phil Alden Robinson’s Field of Dreams is one of the great sports movies filled with one unforgettable and emotionally charged scene after another. But there’s a moment at the end of this 1989 Kevin Costner classic that brings us to tears just thinking about it. Of course, it’s the iconic “Wanna have a catch” line just before the credits roll.

Simon Birch (1998)

A ‘90s movie often forgotten, Mark Steven Johnson’s 1998 coming-of-age-drama, Simon Birch, tells an incredible story about two friends and the unlikely bond they shared. Ian Michael Scott’s portrayal of the titular young boy with dwarfism, as well as Joseph Mazzello’s as his best friend, is magical, endearing, and poignant, to say the least. From good times to bad, there’s a lot to make you cry in this one.

Radio Flyer (1992)

If you’re looking for a great Richard Donner movie that’s going to make you laugh, cry, and feel everything in between, then Radio Flyer is going to do the trick. This remarkable drama about two young brothers (played by Joseph Mazzello and Elijah Wood) as they attempt to escape the vicious wrath of their stepfather will break your heart into a million pieces before attempting to put it back together.

Up (2009)

One of the best Pixar movies, Up features what could be the most emotional prologue of any movie ever made, both animation and live-action. The montage of Carl and Ellie Fredericksen’s relationship over the years is perfect in every way, even if it concluded with a gut punch that some of us haven’t gotten over more than a decade later. 

Manchester By The Sea (2016)

We’ll try not to give too much away about Manchester by the Sea, but please note that this 2016 Oscar-nominated film will wreck you. The entire movie is full of sorrow and grief, but there’s a scene partway through the movie where you find out why Casey Affleck’s character is so down on himself that it has to be one of the most traumatizing movie moments of all time. Gutted.

Steel Magnolias (1989)

A powerful movie about female friendship and the unbreakable bond shared by mother and daughter, Steel Magnolias is one of those ‘80s movies that just never gets old. Sure, the movie will make you cry like never before, but this timeless classic starring Sally Field, Julia Roberts, and Dolly Parton also has a lot of heart and soul.

Coco (2017)

Coco, one of the best music movies of all time, as well as a charming addition to Pixar’s collection, is an enchanting, enlightening, and emotional experience that will leave you with a desire to reconnect with your ancestors and make the most of your time with the family who’s still around. Plus, “Remember Me” has to be one of the best Disney songs in years.

Philadelphia (1993)

Is it possible to watch Philadelphia and not go through a box of tissues as you wipe away the tears? Possibly, if you’re some kind of emotionless fool who lacks empathy or compassion. But for the rest of us, this 1993 movie starring Tom Hanks as an attorney trying to prove he was fired because of his sexuality and AIDS diagnosis makes us cry every single time.

Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father (2008)

Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father is technically a documentary, but it’s more than deserving of a spot on this list. Kurt Kuenne’s 2008 documentary tells the story of Andrew Bagby, the filmmaker’s best friend who was murdered by a former lover, and his parents’ journey to gain custody of his son who was born after his death. We’ll leave it at that…

Big Fish (2003)

Some would say Big Fish is Tim Burton’s best movie, and you know what, they’re not wrong. There’s something special and magical about this 2003 drama about a man coming to terms with his father’s tall tales and reconciling their differences before it’s too late that just warms your heart. Both fantastic and fantastical, this moving father-son will do a number on ya.

My Girl (1991)

One year after we were introduced to Macaulay Culkin’s most famous character with Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, we met perhaps his most tragic in My Girl. Howard Zieff’s 1991 coming-of-age drama about Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) has everything you’d expect from a movie like this, including a heartbreaking funeral scene where the 11-year-old is forced to come to terms with a friend’s tragic passing.

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Before working together with the Creed and Black Panther movies, Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan teamed up for the 2013 biopic, Fruitvale Station. Retracing the final hours of Oscar Grant’s (Jordan) life before he was shot and killed by police, this heart-wrenching drama doesn’t let go.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

There have been some tremendously emotional movies in the MCU over the years, but few hit as hard as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Not only does Ryan Coogler’s 2022 superhero movie allow us to mourn the loss of King T’Challa, but it also offers up a place for us to honor the life of the late Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in August 2020.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

A great fall movie if there ever was one, Dead Poets Society is a must-watch for some whenever autumn first rolls around, With great characters played by Robin Williams, a young Ethan Hawke, and several others, this endearing coming-of-age drama set in a boys prep school is still wonderful after all these years. At the same time, it’s just as emotional and likely to bring a tear to your eye.

Beaches (1988)

Though the movie is mostly remembered for the hit song it spawned with Bette Midler’s “Wing Beneath the Wings,” Beaches is still a great experience. In fact, the story of two longtime friends coming to terms with a terrible tragedy adds a great context to the song that is so fondly remembered.

Schindler's List (1993)

Quite possibly Steven Spielberg’s best movie, Schindler’s List is one of the rawest and most authentic films about the Holocaust to ever hit the big screen. Whether it’s because of the scenes of tragedy and heartbreak or from the rare uplifting moments, it’s impossible to watch this 1993 movie without being overwhelmed by emotion.

Amour (2012)

One of the finest foreign language Best Picture nominees, Amour throws you into the middle of a terrible crisis experienced by a longtime couple (played by Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant). As the pair begin to deteriorate and begin to accept their own mortality and fragility of life, they are forced to make a series of difficult decisions.

Terms Of Endearment (1983)

The bond shared by mother and daughter is at the heart of James L. Brooks’ Oscar-winning 1983 drama and it creates some of the cinema’s most unforgettable and touching moments. Chronicling 30 years of the relationship shared by Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) and Emma Greenway (Debra Winger), Terms of Endearment has moments of joy, sorrow, and everything in between.

All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)

Don’t be fooled into thinking that All Dogs Go to Heaven is a happy and joyful movie just because it’s an animated kids film, as it will shatter your heart and leave you in a state of despair. Like, you know why the dog goes to heaven in this Don Bluth classic, Right?

Avengers: Endgame (2018)

There are dozens of emotional moments in Avengers: Endgame, a movie that could best be described as a cathartic experience. Its three-hour runtime has moments of loss, sacrifice, goodbyes, new beginnings, and tear-jerking reunions. Pretty much everything from the “I am Iron Man” moment to the closing credits will make longtime MCU fans cry.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

For a lot of us, Toy Story 3 felt like the end of a chapter of our lives. There are some moving moments throughout this 2010 Pixar adventure, especially when it comes to Andy finally agreeing to donate his cherished toys and him letting go of his childhood hits like a ton of bricks to the chest.

The Farewell (2019)

The Farewell combines humor and heart to create a unique cinematic experience that is prone to make you cry for a variety of reasons. Basically, the movie follows Billi (Awkwafina) as she and her family return to China to say goodbye to her grandma, who only has weeks to live. However, the soon-to-be-departed has no idea she’s about to die or why her family has actually traveled across the globe to see her.

Moonlight (2016)

Barry Jenkins’ 2016 coming-of-age drama, Moonlight, follows Chiron (played by Travante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, and Alex R. Hibbert in different phases of his life) as he comes to terms with his place in the world and his sexuality. This mesmerizing and emotional film is full of triumph, tragedy, and several of the most tear-jerking scenes of the 21st century.

Old Yeller (1957)

Old Yeller, one of the most beloved films of generations of boys, is one of those live-action Disney movies that will make even the toughest of men break down in tears. Even though many of us know how this story ends, all the great and lighthearted moments that lead to that heartbreaking scene keep us coming back time and time again.

Grave Of The Fireflies (1988)

Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies, like other classic Studio Ghibli movies, doesn’t shy away from touching on difficult and distressing topics, which is what makes this animated war drama such a powerful experience. Set during the final months of WWII, the movie follows two siblings as they adjust to their new lives as orphans and try to survive long enough to see the end of the fighting.

The Family Stone (2005)

Upon first glance, The Family Stone appears to be nothing more than a standard Christmas comedy, but as the story progresses and the stakes are made clear, you begin to see this as a moving drama about a family spending the holidays together one more time. This is definitely a movie that’s better the second time around knowing what’s happening.

One True Thing (1998)

Carl Franklin’s One True Thing follows Ellen Gulden (Renee Zellweger) as she puts her life on hold so she can take care of her dying mother (played by Meryl Streep). This eye-opening experience sheds new light on the dynamics of her family and forces the young writer to reassess everything she’s ever known. There are happy moments, but not enough to way out the sorrow and death that wait around the corner.

Marley & Me (2008)

If you were to go by the trailers, Marley & Me would seem like nothing more than a light-hearted comedy about a couple (played by Owen Wilson and Jennifer Anniston) adopting a dog. And while that is true for the first two-thirds of this movie, the final act will leave you an emotional wreck.

The Neverending Story (1984)

There should probably be a trigger warning for the picture of Artax getting stuck and sinking into the Swamp of Sadness in The Neverending Story. That scene has emotionally scarred millions of young children over the past 40 years.

The Pursuit Of Happyness (2006)

Will Smith and Jaden Smith playing father and son in The Pursuit of Happyness led to one of the best on-screen pairings of 2006 and helped make this touching biopic one of the most emotional the genre has ever seen. The story of Chris Gardner, though full of minor tragedies and obstacles, is one of the most empowering and beloved of the 21st century.

The Fox And The Hound (1981)

The subtext of The Fox and the Hound turns this 1981 animated Disney movie into one of the most powerful and emotionally charged children’s films of all time. The story of Copper and Tod, which goes from happy-go-lucky to tragically tense, is still astounding after all these years.

Sure, these 32 movies will make you cry and leave you a blubbering mess, but isn’t that what makes these classics so good in the first place?

Ariel And Eric During “Kiss The Girl” (The Little Mermaid)

One of my favorite Disney scenes comes from The Little Mermaid. Not only does the “Kiss the Girl” scene provide one of the best Disney songs ever, but it’s also a significant turning point in Eric and Ariel’s relationship.

Hercules Literally Risking His Life To Save Meg (Hercules)

Hercules is such an underrated Disney classic, and while it has gotten plenty of praise in the last few years, including talk of a live-action remake, I will never forgive it for not being nearly as big as it should have been. Hercules and Meg were the definition of the ‘it’ couple, and I’m pretty sure not every man would dive into a river of death, risk losing their lives, and so much more to save their significant other—the definition of love. 

Lady And Tramp Sharing A Dinner (Lady And The Tramp)

It’s funny when I watch The Lady and the Tramp now as an adult because I can’t help but think that these dogs are getting celebrity treatment, getting fresh spaghetti and meatballs from a chef. But of course, I have to put down the two main characters swapping meatballs and spaghetti. 

Carl And Ellie’s Montage (Up)

I’m not crying; you are. 

Rewatching Up as an adult is always a hard-hitter, but you want to know what still hits just as hard? Watching Carl and Ellie’s montage of their love story. Heck, I recall seeing this film in the theater with my dad and remembering it as the first time I ever saw him cry. It’s profound love, people. 

Simba And Nala Reuniting (The Lion King)

There is literally nothing better than a friends-to-lovers romance, and I stand by that because now, we have a cemented foundation on which to start a new relationship. And nothing tells a better story than Nala and Simba when they reunite after years apart in The Lion King. Look at these two – they are so in love, and it’s so adorable. 

Eugene And Rapunzel In The Boat (Tangled)

Tangled is a better movie than Frozen, and one of the reasons is that the central relationship between Eugene and Rapunzel legit gives me butterflies even now. I could point out so many scenes between them, but for the sake of space, I’ll say the lantern scene. Eugene is renting out a boat for them on a lake to watch the lanterns in the sky – peak romance moves right there, my man. 

Kiara And Kovu’s Little Love Boat Ride (The Lion King 2)

A lot of people don’t really know that much about The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride, considering that it was never released in theaters, but I have a soft spot for it. In the central love story, Kiara (Simba’s daughter) and Kovu (the son of a leader of outcast lions) are great enemies to lovers. One of their best moments is when they are on a love-boat ride, thanks to Rafiki, during the song “Upendi.” I still dance to it now. 

Eve Trying Her Best To Save Wall-E (WALL-E)

WALL-E is undoubtedly one of the best Pixar movies by far, and while it paints a dystopian view of the world (that almost feels like it’s slowly coming true), at its core is a love story between two robots. The final scene, where Wall-E has basically been destroyed and Eve is trying her absolute hardest to save him – brings tears to my eyes every time. 

Kristoff Getting Anna Home When The Coldness Spreads (Frozen)

Frozen is a great movie about sisterly love, but in terms of romance, Kristoff and Anna are pretty great, too. A great scene to point out is when Kristoff rides Sven home back to Arendelle for even a chance that Anna could live after the coldness in her spreads. He started off not even wanting to travel with her to save her. Adorable. 

Pongo And Perdita Literally Bringing Their Owners Together (101 Dalmatians)

I always say that there is no purer love than a dog’s love, and I think Pongo and Perdita perfectly exemplify that. But you want to know what’s better than them? The fact that these two were so enamored with each other that they literally brought their owners together, too. Talk about fate. 

Aladdin’s Carpet Ride (Aladdin)

I’m, like, 99% sure that “A Whole New World” has become one of the most iconic romance songs of all time, so of course, I have to include the scene from Aladdin that features him taking Jasmine out on a magic carpet ride. Haven’t we all wished for a prince to sweep us off our feet literally? 

Prince Charming Literally Going From Town To Town To Find His Love (Cinderella)

While Cinderella to me isn’t one of the best Disney films ever, there’s no denying its impact and the fact that the Prince did make a very romantic gesture. He’s so enamored with Cinderella, not knowing her name, that he uses a shoe going from town to town in order to find her. 

The Beast Gifting Belle A Library (Beauty And The Beast)

As someone who is counting down every upcoming book-to-screen adaptation that is coming out, do you know the things I would do to be gifted a library like Belle? The Beast in Beauty and the Beast just casually had this whole library in his castle and decided to give it to Belle when feelings began to arrive. I wish. That’s so sweet. 

Prince Phillip Fighting A LITERAL Dragon For Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)

I mean, you really can’t get a better protector than Prince Phillip, who literally went to defeat a dragon for Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. It’s not like he had a giant crossbow or anything like that – he went in with just a sword, and my god, I can’t help but admire that and also love that kind of energy for Aurora. 

Elizabeth And Nicholas Marry Again (The Parent Trap)

I always love second-chance romances in any of the best rom-com out there, and The Parent Trap is an excellent example of that. While we do see Elizabeth and Nicholas kiss at the very end of the film, it’s the pictures we see of their second wedding that make me swoon and awe and practically cry.

Eric Giving Ariel The Reigns (The Little Mermaid)

You know, upon watching The Little Mermaid as an adult, I’ve slowly come to realize that Eric and Ariel were actually a decent couple, considering it felt like everyone fell in love so quickly with older Disney movies. Eric, who barely even knows Ariel, takes her out on a journey into town for fun and lets her control the carriage of a horse because she showed interest. Was it necessarily wise? No, but it was still fun. 

Giselle And Robert Finally Kiss (Enchanted)

Rewatching Enchanted is always fun when you’re older, especially when you realize that the songs are incredible and I could jam to them every time. But after seeing Giselle and Robert dance around each other for an entire movie, their kiss at the very end is so fulfilling, and I always feel myself take a deep sigh of relief whenever it happens. 

Eugene Telling Rapunzel That She Was His New Dream (Tangled)

God, that's the gut punch that this scene always gives me. In Tangled, when Mother Goethel stabs Flynn, Eugene cuts off Rapunzel’s hair in order for Goethal to die, rendering her unable to heal him. As he dies, he says to Rapunzel that she has become his new dream, referencing a song earlier in the movie. Thankfully, she’s able to bring him back, but this moment is so beautifully sad. 

When Belle Danced With The Beast For The First Time (Beauty And The Beast)

I’m pretty sure Beauty and the Beast has some of the most iconic romantic scenes ever, and one of them is undoubtedly Belle and the Beast dancing for the first time. It’s slow at first; both are not used to the feelings that are there, but they eventually relax and have fun, and – ugh, I’m swooning thinking about it. 

Troy Decides To Do Both Theater And Basketball To Be Closer To Gabriella (High School Musical 3: Senior Year)

Okay, let’s not address the fact that Troy’s most significant issue in life was whether he wanted to play basketball or theater and that his friends were criticizing him for it – because my man did not deserve that pain. But what we can talk about is how Troy decides to follow his heart and go to a school closer to home so he can be closer to Gabriella at Stanford. I love it. 

Tiana Teaches Naveen How To Mince (The Princess And The Frog)

Tiana is an underrated Disney princess and a great role model. One of my favorite parts about her is that she can cook like no one is watching. When she and Prince Naveen are frogs and need food, she decides to teach Prince Naveen himself how to mince mushrooms. I don’t know what it is about this scene, but it makes me smile every time I see the look in his eyes when he’s impressed with her knife skills. 

Pocahontas Saving John Smith (Pocahontas)

Forget the historical inaccuracies of this film. Instead, let’s talk about how Pocahontas and John Smith were a decently good couple (in the movie) and that she threw herself against her people to save him. Only the fictional versions of these characters make me believe in love again – not the actual figures they are based on. But it’s still a good scene. 

Wade And Ember Finally Embrace (Elemental)

I don’t think you can really get better than fire and water finding a way to co-exist. It is a significant plot point in Elemental that both Wade and Ember wouldn’t be able to touch each other if romance ever entered the picture, but at the very end of the film, they embrace it. It’s a moving scene, and it is one I still love to watch. 

Kristoff Dressing Up For Anna (Frozen 2)

Kristoff is a very manly man – meaning his dressing up in a fancy suit with slicked-back hair isn’t really his style. However, he does do this for Anna’s coronation in Frozen 2, and it’s a charming gesture – although she does say she prefers him in leather after. 

Will And Elizabeth Marry In The Middle Of A Battle (Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest)

Literally, how can you get more romantic than getting married in the middle of a battle? The Pirates of the Caribbean movies drop off with Will and Elizabeth’s romance in later films, but man, these first few were top-tier – and then tying the knot while fighting for their lives with that Hans Zimmer score in the background? Chills, every time. 

The Beast Lets Belle Go (Beauty And The Beast)

To lose something is to have loved something, and that phrase is thoroughly used in Beauty and the Beast. Despite falling for Belle, the Beast lets her go after their dance because she sees that her father is in trouble. He cares about her happiness more than anything else, and…that is true love right there. 

Jane Decides To Stay In The Jungle With Tarzan (Tarzan)

You know, I always wonder how Jane adapted to Tarzan because the fact that she stays behind to be with him is the most significant act of love on this list. Think about it – she left behind her entire world to stay with this man. I’d love to know how their interactions went once the movie was done. 

When Aladdin Stares At Jasmine For The First Time (Aladdin)

Everyone dreams of having someone stare at them the way that Aladdin does the first time he spots Jasmine in Aladdin. That look of utter infatuation and love at first sight – it gets me every time. He’s so down bad it’s not even funny. 

Opposites Truly Attract Between Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun And Felix (Wreck-It-Ralph)

Wreck-It Ralph is a great 2010s Disney movie with many great themes and relationships. One I never expected was between Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun and Felix, two people from two very different games who somehow find their way to each other through this crazy journey. Opposites truly do attract. 

Ariel Singing To Eric (The Little Mermaid)

I think everyone would love to wake up to a mermaid singing to them, but the way that Ariel does it is so ethereal – and it makes total sense why Eric would fall in love with that voice. I mean, come on – saving someone and then singing to them? Pure love, right there. 

Hercules Being The Absolute Cutest With Meg In The Garden (Hercules)

Hercules and Meg are one of my absolute favorite couples in all of Disney, and I can’t get over their date and walking in the garden afterward. I don’t know what it is – maybe it’s the fact that this super strong man who is so nerdy and silly in front of Meg, this headstrong girl, melts her defenses, and it makes me swoon. Either way, it’s adorable. 

Ben Getting A Sign From His Wife (Haunted Mansion)

2023’s Haunted Mansion had no right to be as emotional as it was, and it was made even more emotional when Ben, at the very end, received a sign from his wife from the beyond. His wife, who loved tater tots – and now Ben himself found a cat named Tater Tot. Shut up. Shut up. I am getting tears in my eyes just writing about it. 

This is making me excited for all the upcoming Disney movies and any romantic scenes that will make me swoon. I’m here for the tears, the laughs, and so much more. 

Up’s release in 2009 was a monumental milestone moment as it marked the animation studio’s tenth feature-length film. Since then, they’ve churned out some of the best family movies and are about to do it again when their project 2024 movie schedule Inside Out 2 hits theaters on June 14th. With almost two dozen films released after it, it’s no surprise the adventure movie has shifted in my personal rankings. However, it’s not just the studio’s iconic filmography that is responsible for my opinion changing, but also the plot of Up that often gets overlooked when fans talk about it. 

Up Used To Be My Favorite Because Of The Love Story 

There have been a lot of heartbreaking opening scenes in Pixar movies, but the beginning montage in Up has always ranked high on the unofficial list. Despite making me cry every time I watch it, getting to witness Carl and Ellie go from adventurous children to a loving, married couple is always a treat. 

It’s Carl’s love for Ellie that has always made me adore the movie, and it's why I’ve thought so highly of it for so many years. Few male characters would go to the lengths he did to ensure his wife got what she always wanted, even in the afterlife. The best part is that Ellie didn’t even need to reach Paradise Falls for her life to be worth it. She found adventure in the simple things she experienced with Carl, and that is somehow even more romantic than his grand gesture. 

Beyond the romantic love story, Up has always tugged on my heartstrings thanks to the unlikely parental relationship Carl finds himself in with Russell and Dug. Though he’s reluctant at first, he ends up finding a place in his heart to welcome them into the next chapter of his life, and how could you not love that?

But After Rewatching, I Realized I Don’t Really Care For Most Of The Plot 

There is no denying that Up remains one of Pixar’s best love stories, however, it’s only one small piece of the actual plot of the movie. When I sat down to rewatch it, I completely forgot about the action part that happens after Carl crosses paths with his childhood hero and explorer, Charles Muntz. Despite initially being ecstatic about meeting him, it becomes clear that Muntz is not a good person and, instead, is one of Pixar's most horrible villains. 

Thanks to Dug’s reckless nature, Muntz manages to capture Kevin, the local bird he’s been after for years, and he sets Carl’s house on fire in the process. Ultimately, Carl chooses to save his house instead of helping Russell save Kevin, which creates a rift between the pair. It isn’t until he learns that Ellie saw their life together as an adventure that Carl realizes he’s made a mistake and springs into action. 

The rest of the film follows Carl as he faces off against Muntz in the hopes of rescuing Kevin and keeping Russell safe. I know the movie begins with footage of the explorer’s endeavors, and it’s fitting for Carl to go on a life-threatening adventure in the wake of everything he’s learned, but it still feels slightly out of place for a movie that moves at a much slower pace for the majority of its runtime. 

After watching, I felt blindsided by the sudden genre and pacing shift, which was the catalyst for me wondering why I’d held Up on a pedestal for so long. If I wanted to watch an animated action movie, I would have chosen to watch The Incredibles or even Cars 2. Not to mention, the resolution between Carl and Muntz is quite dark, with the latter falling to his demise because of his hyperfocused goal of capturing Kevin. 

I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving aspects of Up, like the love story and Carl’s relationship with Russell and Dug. However, I can’t call it one of my favorite Pixar movies anymore since I don’t like a third of the actual story. The shift in my opinion was shocking at the moment, but as I’ve reflected, it’s begun to make sense. It’s only natural for my position on the movie to change, especially when re-considering the story as a whole as well as the impressive lineup of films that have come since its release. 

It might not rank in my top 5 anymore, but it’s still a Pixar movie worth rewatching from time to time. You can stream Up with a Disney+ subscription, which is also where you can see the brand-new short that marked Ed Asner's final performance as the beloved Carl. 

After months of waiting for the second half of Invincible Season 2 to drop, fans of Prime Video's series finally got to see the first of the last four episodes of the 2024 TV schedule... for now, at least. The animated series has already been renewed for a third season, although no announcement has been made about when to expect it. Still, the release of the second half of Season 2 had me flashing back to a conversation with showrunner/executive producer/writer Simon Racioppa and his take on why animation isn't just for kids. And of all movies, Pixar's Up came up!

Now, anybody who has checked out an Invincible episode – or even watched one of the trailers – already knows that this particular show isn't exactly aimed at the same audience as Rugrats or Scooby-Doo, and plenty of animated series aimed toward adults made our list of the best animated TV shows of all time. Still, I for one still encounter people who think that animated projects are for kids and won't necessarily give the medium a shot.

So, when I spoke with Simon Racioppa about Invincible at SCAD TVfest in Atlanta, I asked what he would say to somebody who thinks animation is just for kids:

Considering that Invincible has a slew of content warnings for Amazon Prime Video subscribers including (but not limited to) violence, foul language, and sexual content, I doubt anybody would argue with the showrunner's point about this particular animated show not being for kids! Racioppa did suggest that skeptics "open your mind" to the medium to at least try it, and cited Up as an example of a movie aimed at kids but with plenty of adult appeal.

There's a reason why those first ten minutes still pack an emotional punch to plenty of adults, and one Pixar exec even opened up about how kids react to Up vs. how adults react. Up and Invincible may be at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to target audiences, but both are great examples of animation. After Racioppa brought up Up, I noted that we're still probably not going to get an Up/Invincible crossover. The showrunner laughed and said:

I for one would be up for that, but Invincible fans should probably hold out hope for a slightly more feasible crossover, like Spider-Man making his way to Mark Grayson's world. As of March 14, Invincible is back with new episodes on Prime Video. The first of Season 2's back four is available now, with the final three releasing weekly on Thursdays through April. If you haven't checked the spring premiere out yet, take a look at the trailer for Season 2, Part 2!

Invincible has already been renewed for Season 3, so you can watch the back half of Season 2 without worrying about Amazon giving the show the axe. For now, you can find every episode released so far streaming with a Prime Video subscription. If Simon Racioppa shouting out Up has put you in the mood to revisit that film, you can find it streaming with a Disney+ subscription!

For the box office totals, we're focusing on the worldwide box office total for films released between 2000 and 2009 (based on Box Office Mojo's numbers), and the review scores included for each film, as listed by Rotten Tomatoes. Here are 30+ box office winners from the 2000s (in no particular order).

Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

Following up on the first two Pirates of the Caribbean films, At World’s End was one of the biggest box office winners of the 2000s, grossing more than $960 million worldwide. Alas, the critics weren’t so fond of it. While the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes has managed to squeak past 70%, the review score for the film is a rotten 44%. 

Avatar (2009)

It should come as no surprise that Avatar was among the top grossing films of the 2000s. As the decade drew to a close, James Cameron’s sci-fi epic starring Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington arrived and has amassed a global box office close to $3 billion (BoM has its worldwide box office at just over $2.9 billion). And in this case, the critics seemed to be mostly on board with the film, with a Rotten Tomatoes review score of 81%. 

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

As popular as the Harry Potter books were in 2001, the Wizarding World fandom was really only just starting to build steam when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (aka Philosopher’s Stone) arrived in theaters. The first movie in the 8-film franchise would go on to surpass a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. Critics were, for the most part, happy with the adaptation as well, as the movie holds an 81% review score at Rotten Tomatoes. 

The Dark Knight (2008)

Why so serious? Perhaps it’s because the worldwide box office total for The Dark Knight is no joke. The second movie in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy has surpassed a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. This one was undoubtedly a hit with critics as well, as The Dark Knight earned itself a 94% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Harry Potter fans were still showing up for the film adaptations as the 2000s drew to a close, as evidenced by the sixth movie in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,  which brought in just over $934 million at the worldwide box office. As for whether or not the critics liked it, with a review score on Rotten Tomatoes of 84%, it’s safe to say that most of them did. 

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Following up on the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Gore Verbinksi’s sequel, Dead Man’s Chest, brought Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow back for another adventure with Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner and Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Swann. The payoff for the film was a worldwide box office total that surpassed a billion dollars. Critics weren’t quite so into it, however, as the RT review score has it at a rotten 52%. 

The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Those who were among the movie-going public in the early ‘00s surely remember what a huge deal it was when a new installment of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy arrived in theaters. So it should come as no surprise that the second film, The Two Towers, earned over $948 million at the worldwide box office. And the majority of critics gave it a thumbs up, as Rotten Tomatoes has the review score set at a fresh 95%. 

Shrek 2 (2004)

In 2004, Shrek returned and the audience showed up for it. The Mike Myers animated sequel from Dreamworks earned over $928 million at the global box office. 2004’s Shrek 2 was also popular among critics, as it holds a Rotten Tomato review rating of 89%.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)

While Michael Bay’s 2009 Transformers sequel, Revenge of the Fallen scored big at the box office, earning more than $836 million worldwide, the film wasn’t nearly as successful at winning over the critics. Rotten Tomatoes has the review score for the Shia LaBeouf movie at 20%. If it’s any consolation, movie-goers are a bit more fond of it than critics were, as the audience score is 57%.

Spider-Man (2002)

The early 2000s were a fun time for superhero fans, thanks in large part to Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man swinging into theaters and introducing us to a live-action Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire). Fans were there to watch the webslinger’s origin story, as the 2002 movie brought in over $825 million at theaters around the world. And critics were clearly on board as well, as the movie has a RT review score of 90%!

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005)

Mike Newell’s adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire arrived in theaters in 2005, and fans of the boy who lived headed to theaters to see Harry face the Triwizard Tournament during his fourth year at Hogwarts. This Wizarding World movie brought in just under $900 million worldwide, and earned mostly positive reviews, with a respectable 88% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.

2012 (2009)

The 2009 movie 2012 saw John Cusack’s character racing around the world in various vehicles averting a myriad of catastrophes while trying to secure safety for himself and his family during a world-ending event. 2012 is among the highest box office winners of the 2000s, thanks in large part to the international box office, which according to Box Office Mojo, accounts for 79% of its box office total. The Rolland Emmerich disaster film earned a total of more than $791 million worldwide. Alas, the review score on Rotten Tomatoes is rotten at 39%. 

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

While most probably wouldn’t call Spider-Man 3 the best Spider-Man movie of the Sam Raimi films, fans of Peter Parker did show up to see Tobey Maguire’s return to the franchise in 2007. Spider-Man 3 earned over $894 million at the worldwide box office. Based on its 63% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, it seems critics weren’t entirely in agreement about whether or not this one worked. 

Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (2009)

The Ice Age movies were still going strong at the box office by the end of the 2000s. The third movie – Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs – arrived in theaters in 2009 and earned a worldwide box office total of $886 million. Based on the Rotten Tomatoes review score for the movie, however, critics weren’t all in love with this one, as it’s set at a rotten 46%. 

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

The first film in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy made a splash among fans and at the box office, with a worldwide gross of just under $900 million. It also started things off well in the reviews, as the 2001 movie holds a fresh 91% review score at Rotten Tomatoes. 

Shrek The Third (2007)

While the third movie in the Shrek franchise can celebrate having brought in just over $813 million at the worldwide box office, critics weren’t quite as enthusiastic about it in the reviews. The 2007 Dreamworks movie holds a rotten review score of 42% at Rotten Tomatoes (and the audience score isn’t much higher). 

Finding Nemo (2003)

Pixar’s Finding Nemo undoubtedly had cause to celebrate when it arrived in theaters in 2003. For one thing, the beloved movie earned over $941 million at the worldwide box office. What’s more, Finding Nemo was reviewed positively by almost all of the critics who rated it, at least based on its Rotten Tomatoes score, which is sitting at 99% fresh. 

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith (2005)

The third film among the Star Wars prequels arrived in theaters in 2005, and fans were there to see how Anakin Skywalker’s story left off. Revenge of the Sith took in more than $868 million at the worldwide box office. Its score on Rotten Tomatoes among reviewers is mostly positive, with a fresh rating of 79%. 

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002)

In 2002, Harry Potter returned to Hogwarts for his second year, and fans of the Wizarding World showed up to watch. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets brought in over $926 million at the worldwide box office. Meanwhile the majority of critics were in agreement about the Chris Columbus movie working, as its Rotten Tomatoes score is a fresh 82%. 

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Given the popularity of Dan Brown’s novel, The Da Vinci Code, at the time, it’s no surprise that Ron Howard’s adaptation starring Tom Hanks would be among the decade’s box office winners. The 2006 movie earned more than $760 million worldwide. However, critics weren’t feeling especially positive about it, as it holds a rotten score of 25% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Transformers (2007)

Michael Bay wowed audiences in 2007 when he brought the Transformers to the big screen with a live-action film. The Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox franchise-starter earned over $709 million worldwide. The critical reaction was a bit mixed on the film, however, as it holds a rotten score of 57% on Rotten Tomatoes. (The audience score is much higher, at 85%). 

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)

In 2004, the third Harry Potter movie arrived in theaters, and unsurprisingly won big at the box office, bringing in more than $807 million worldwide. While many – myself included – consider Alfonso Cuarón’s film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, to be the best of the Harry Potter adaptations, the critics were also mostly in agreement that the movie worked, as it holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90%. 

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

The tail end of the 2000s saw the rise of the Twilight movies, and while the first film in the vampire franchise performed well it didn’t earn enough worldwide to warrant a spot on this list. The feature adaptation of New Moon, however, earned more than $711 million worldwide at the box office. While that’s a big win for the Twilight Saga, the review score, however, is a rotten 29% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008)

In 2008, Harrison Ford returned to the role of Indiana Jones for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Fans were eager to see the Steven Spielberg movie, and it showed in the worldwide box office, with a total of $790 million. Critics were also mostly positive on this one, with a Rotten Tomatoes review score of 77%. The audience score isn’t quite so high. 

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (2007)

The fifth film in the Harry Potter franchise continued the trend of box office success, earning over $939 million worldwide. And while Order of the Phoenix doesn’t hold one of the highest review scores among the Harry Potter movies on Rotten Tomatoes – the top honor there goes to 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 at 96% – the fifth movie did fairly well among critics, with a 78% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. 

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Keanu Reeves returned to the role of Neo in The Matrix Reloaded, the Wachowski’s sequel to the popular 1999 sci-fi action film, The Matrix. The action-packed followup brought in over $741 million at the worldwide box office, and earned a fresh review score of 74%. 

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones (2002)

In 2002, the second of the three Star Wars prequels arrived in theaters, earning more than $653 million at the worldwide box office. While critics weren’t in total agreement about Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones, the movie does hold a 65% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

It should come as no surprise to see Spider-Man 2 on this list. The second of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies was a hit at the worldwide box office, bringing in more than $788 million. And the critics were mostly in agreement about the movie wording, as it holds a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005)

Andrew Adamson’s 2005 adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was one of the big releases in 2005. The Chronicles of Narnia took in over $745 million at the worldwide box office. The critics, for the most part, appreciated the fantasy movie, as it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 75%. 

Hancock (2008)

Will Smith took the lead in Peter Berg’s 2008 superhero drama Hancock, which brought in just over $629 million at the box office. Though the movie had potential, critics were mixed on whether or not it worked, which resulted in its rotten score of 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Up (2009)

Toward the end of the decade, Pixar had us all in tears in those first few minutes of Up. The animated film earned more than $735 million at the worldwide box office when all was said and done. And critics were into it as well, as the movie holds an impressive 98% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Ratatouille (2007)

In 2007, Pixar’s Ratatouille arrived in theaters and charmed audiences with its story of a rat with a gift for the culinary arts and the aspiring chef he befriends. Not only did the film win big with a worldwide box office total that surpassed $623 million, it also satisfied the taste buds of most critics, as it holds a 96% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. 

As we said, not all box office winners are a hit with the critics, but these movies certainly left an impression, for better or worse. And by the numbers, there's no denying that people showed up at the theaters in the U.S. and across the world to see them.

Marley – Marley And Me 

Maybe Marley from Marley & Me was a little troublemaker, but what dog isn't really? They all have their training stage, and Marley's just happened to last a bit longer. And how can you look at Marley and not want to love him to death? He's adorable – even if he might cause your shoes to be torn up. 

Air Buddy – Air Bud 

Air Buddy from the Air Bud series is my dream dog. Athletic and, what's better, a Golden Retriever-- the type of dog that I've always wanted for years. There were plenty of movies in this franchise, so there are even more puppies and dogs to love, but I have to say the original beats every other. 

Lassie – The Lassie Series

I don't think many other dogs are as iconic as Lassie from the Lassie series. In many movies I've watched, mentioning Lassie or a callout to the famous dog is pretty memorable. And for good reason – Lassie was a good dog, the best one, and was probably one of the most heroic ones out there. 

Pongo And Perdita – 101 Dalmatians 

Pongo and Perdita were what I consider the O.G. dogs of Disney. Because everyone always thinks about how awesome 101 Dalmatians are. But that never would have started if Pongo and Perdita hadn't met in the first place – and tangled up their owners together, so there's that. 

Beethoven – Beethoven 

While I'm sure some of us may think of Beethoven as the composer, I'm talking about the other Beethoven. The movie where a dog, a Saint Bernard, was named Beethoven and was the most intelligent boy in the world. Little me still remembers watching the film on Disney Channel as a kid and wishing Beethoven was my dog. If I ever get a Saint Bernard, that's the first name that comes to mind. 

Scooby-Doo 

As a known fan of all the best Scooby-Doo movies and everything else involving that franchise, you can't get more iconic than Scooby-Doo himself. There's something so nostalgic about watching Scooby and the gang solve mysteries while seeing Scooby and Shaggy bond over the strangest food combinations. I'd rather be their friend and go out and try the best restaurants imaginable than solve mysteries all the time. 

Boss Dog – A Dog's Purpose

I dare you to watch this film and not cry. There are plenty of versions of dogs in A Dog's Purpose, but all are under the name Boss Dog, the type of dog that is reincarnated into different dogs to help humans through various lifetimes, passing from generation to generation. And I'm not crying; you are. I miss my childhood dog now. 

Lady And Tramp – Lady And The Tramp

Lady & the Tramp is one of those Disney movies that is hard to beat because how can you compare a romance to that of Lady & the Tramp? Two people from opposing backgrounds fall in love, a classic love story. And I'll admit I want both of them in my house so I can have all the cute little puppies that they had at the end of the film. 

Frank The Pug – Men In Black

I'll be honest and say that the Men in Black movies were some of my favorites to watch as a kid, mainly because they're some of Will Smith's best films and hilarious in so many ways. But you want to know what was even funnier? Frank the Pug. 

You can't get much better than a talking Pug that sounds like someone straight from Queens. As someone who grew up close to the city, I can confirm this is what they all sound like. There’s even a Men in Black newbie guide that explains how insane New York is. 

Gromit – Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit

While Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit isn't my favorite stopmotion film of all time, there are plenty of moments about it that I do love. And one of which is Gromit, the second half of the title, which has some of the funniest moments of the film and makes me want to get my own Gromit to live my life to the absolute hilarious fullest. 

Snoopy – A Boy Named Charlie Brown

I mean, how can you not love Snoopy? While the iconic beagle certainly has had his moments of terror to Charlie Brown, there's a reason why he's become one of the faces of the Peanuts franchise. And every year, without fail, I will always watch the Peanuts holiday specials because my love for Snoopy grows even more. 

Dug – Up 

Dug is a character from Up that I'm pretty sure equals most dogs in today's society – they love their humans, would do anything to protect them, and often get distracted by other animals around them (i.e., squirrels). But Dug is just the sweetest boy, and fans saw that, too. He even got his own Up Disney+ spinoff show that featured several shorts around his and Carl's life after the movie. 

Daisy – John Wick 

You don't mess with John Wick's dog. 

Okay, so this is honestly a sad pick to put on this list. But Daisy was the dog that set off the events of the John Wick movies. And yes, I know, we barely see her. But honestly, after seeing how adorable Daisy is, one can understand why John did what he did. I, too, would become an assassin again just to take out the people who hurt my animals. 

Hooch – Turner & Hooch

Another iconic dog from the old days is Hooch from Turner & Hooch. The dog was the epitome of the best partner in crime to Tom Hanks' Turner, and when these two were on the case, it would be solved so quickly. Hooch was a little crazy, but that makes the movie so much fun, and by the end, he and Turner make a great team. 

Old Yeller – Old Yeller 

Of course, we have to put Old Yeller on the list from Old Yeller. It's probably as old and iconic of a dog as you can get – aside from one other, which we will get into in a bit. But Old Yeller is quite possibly the best dog due to his loyalty, devotion, and anything else you could imagine. I'm sure many people came to love dogs from this movie and Old Yeller. 

Max – How The Grinch Stole Christmas 

Whether you're referring to the animated Max from the How the Grinch Stole Christmas special (which I still believe is the best Christmas special to this day), the 2019 film, or the live-action retelling starring Jim Carrey, Max is the best boy. 

While he certainly doesn't deserve the abuse that the Grinch puts him through in the first half of the story, you can't deny his loyalty and how, even in the end, when the Grinch changes, he sticks by him. 

Peg – Lady And The Tramp

Peg is one of the other dogs from Lady and the Tramp I love because how can you not love her? Not only am I jealous of a dog's hair routine because her fur is fluffy, but Peg has the voice of an angel. And honestly, in the live-action version, her iconic song "He's a Tramp" is sung by Janelle Monáe and is the best part of that Disney live-action. 

Zero – The Nightmare Before Christmas

In one of the best stop motion films ever, The Nightmare Before Christmas features Zero, a ghost dog. Could you technically house him? I mean, if you're looking for a poltergeist, sure. But he's a resident of Halloween Town. Either way, Zero is pretty cute, and there's no denying his sweet partnership with Jack Skellington. 

Sparky – Frankenweenie 

Another stop motion film that I like is Frankenweenie, and in that, we are introduced to Sparky. This dog is unfortunately killed and brought back to life by his owner, Victor Frankenstein. Even as a reanimated corpse, Sparky is the sweetest dog and brings so much energy to a character that is supposed to have passed on. But you can't help but love him. 

Buster – Toy Story Franchise

I remember seeing Buster in later Toy Story movies and thinking how progressive the age was for him. Because, if you recall, Buster was full of energy in the second film, where we see him on screen for the first time. And then, in the third, he's just a tired dog, relaxing every day. But no matter how you look at him, Buster is another cute Pixar animal. 

The Dog – The Artist 

In the Academy Award-winning film The Artist, "The Dog" is a Jack Russell Terrier who steals every scene he is in, no matter what he is doing. The animal even rescued someone from a fire – a literal burning building. How can you not love a dog that is willing to do that? 

Sam – I Am Legend 

Okay, so zombie movies are probably some of my favorite movies. I even rewatched Train to Busan and put myself through that trauma again. But as much as I also like I Am Legend, I don't think I can watch it again because we all know what happens to Sam halfway through. 

Even so, Sam was a good boy, and I would steal him away from this movie so he could live a long life in a world that is not surrounded by bloodthirsty creatures. 

Bolt – Bolt 

Bolt is a movie from the late 2000s Disney when they were trying to get into CGI films a little more, and Bolt was the main star. He was raised as a dog who was thought to have superpowers for a show he was on, but he found out that he was just a regular dog. Even so, Bolt was an adorable animal – and I would adopt him in a heartbeat. 

Toto – The Wizard Of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is quite possibly the most iconic movie of all time, and in that film, we are introduced to Toto, Dorothy's dog. You know that line, "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore"? That was referring to him. And yes, I would die for Toto. You can even watch the movie as part of the best movies on Max to check out and fall in love with Toto all over again. 

Enzo – The Art Of Racing In The Rain 

Am I putting another Golden Retriever on here? Yes, I am, but it's my list, so I get to say who iconic dogs are and look at Enzo. 

The Art of Racing in the Rain was one of Amanda Seyfried's best movies and a significant starring role for Milo Ventimiglia, but no one stole the show quite like Enzo. He's the sweetest boy and was always there for his owner, and the movie's ending will quite literally gut-punch you in the best way.  

Every Dog – Isle Of Dogs

I have watched every Wes Anderson movie, and Isle of Dogs is pretty high up there. But it's not my favorite, although the dogs are super unique. Literally every single dog in this stop motion movie has a new look, without fail. 

Baxter – Anchorman 

You can't get better than Ron Burgundy in comedy; of course, his little dog Baxter is the cutest pup in the world. It's hilarious to watch Burgundy in Anchorman speak to the dog in such a personal way because I'm pretty sure we all have had moments where our dog becomes our therapist. Baxter is the best; no questions about it. 

Bruiser – Legally Blonde

When you have a character as iconic as Elle Woods, you need a just as awesome dog. And Bruiser is that. 

Legally Blonde is one of Reese Witherspoon's best movies, and Bruiser was a great addition that completed how excellent the film is. He was played by a little Chihuahua who was there for Elle through her darkest times at Harvard and stood by her through everything. And in the second film it's revealed that Bruiser is part of the LGBTQ+ community, so he's even more iconic. We can't help but be fans. 

Nana – Peter Pan 

In Peter Pan, Nana is the dog that cares for the Darling children. And yes, I would would love for Nana to take care of me. I wish I could train a dog to bring me my food, but at the same time, I would give that dog so many pets they wouldn't even know how to handle it. So cute. 

Copper – The Fox And The Hound

As a society, we all have a collective group of movies that first made us cry, and for me, that was The Fox and the Hound, and when the titular characters became enemies due to their upbringing. But Copper still let his friendship with Tod ring true at the end, letting him live despite his owner wanting him to take out the Fox. It's all very sweet.

Charlie B. Barkin – All Dogs Go To Heaven 

I can't write this entry without crying, so I'll keep it short. Charlie B. Barkin was a good boy, and yes, I believe that dogs go to heaven when we die because of him in All Dogs Go to Heaven. 

Shadow – Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey 

We have a third Golden Retriever on here, and I stand by Shadow from Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. He is so loyal to his friends that he has to travel across the country, and how he believes in the world is the kind of encouragement we all need. 

There are so many movie dogs out there that are the absolute sweetest – and now, I feel the need to go to an animal shelter and adopt every single one. This article was a great idea but a bad one, too. Maybe I'll stick to watching these movies. 

Animation isn’t only for kids, but there’s no argument that kids love animation. Pete Docter, Pixar’s CCO understands that his movies are not just for kids, but he also understands that what kids get from animation is different than what adults get from it. Speaking with THR, Docter related an adorable, and also hilarious story, about speaking to a kid who had just seen Up, and found part of the movie quite sad, but not for the reason you think. Docter explained…

A lot of people would put the “Married Life” sequence in Up, which makes up the first few minutes, among the most emotionally devastating in cinema, not simply animation. Ellie’s death is one of those moments you can just bring up without context and people will understand, and possibly begin to weep involuntarily.

And yet, this kid just felt bad when Kevin hurt her leg. Honestly, I get it. I’m a father to a six-year-old who gets emotional at movies a lot, as we both did with Pixar's recent hit Elemental. While I’m occasionally able to properly prepare her for a sad scene if it’s a movie I’ve seen before, sometimes the thing that sets her off is something I never realized would mean so much to her.

But at some point, that kid is going to watch Up again and have a very different reaction to those first few minutes, and that’s wonderful. Some of the best things about movies are the way we can watch them again and again, and get something new from them each time. That often comes from the way each of us changes over time, whether that’s simply getting older, and allegedly wiser, or learning something new that causes us to respond differently.

I would argue that many Pixar movies really aren't made for kids all that much. As I discussed in my Elemental review, that movie being a simple romantic character drama may not resonate with little kids the way other Pixar movies do, it's a story that, while it's not too mature for them, just may not interest younger viewers as much.

The key is that animation is not a genre, and it's not just for kids. Animation can tell any story for any audience, even if those different audiences take very different messages away from it. 

It’s because of those clashing perspectives that this Best Movies Of The 2000s list is unlike any list that a single person from our team could have crafted, taking into account both Oscar-worthiness and popcorn-friendliness. The list accounts for movies that have aired 5,000 times on cable, and movies that have been shared lovingly from generation to generation. It’s a retro-hodgepodge of what we loved then and then, from Adam Sandler's raunch to Daniel Day Lewis' aplomb.

This list is CinemaBlend’s collective celebration of the 2000s, in all its neon-hued glory, and we hope everyone will find plenty to love, though a few disagreements and good-natured debate never hurt anyone. Let the arguments begin…

100. Avatar (2009)

While it's the last on this list, there's no denying Avatar's impact on the film industry back in 2009. The movie is a sci-fi masterpiece that features incredible visuals, mainly following the tale of Jake Sully, a human who finds love and acceptance within the world of the Na'vi, the native people of Pandora.

The film takes the audience on a wild ride for two and a half hours. While the story of saving a planet from foreign invaders could be more groundbreaking, the unique visual effects that fans get to see are. And now, with a successful sequel out more than ten years later, it's the perfect chance to revisit the original.

99. Erin Brockovich (2000)

Julia Roberts had established herself as one of the most beloved actors in the world in the 1990s, and as calendars flipped over to the year 2000, she didn’t waste any time starring in yet another critically acclaimed box office hit. Hitting theaters in March 2000, Erin Brockovich tells the story of the titular lawyer who started a landmark case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company for groundwater contamination, and it’s a stellar work that further cemented the clear talents of director Steven Soderbergh. It’s thrilling and dramatic, but also funny and fun – in large part due to Roberts’ charm and charisma.

98. The Hangover (2009)

The Hangover is part travelogue and part comedic shitshow. It races its characters through what feels like an entire TV season’s worth of odd locations and ridiculous scenarios, somehow finding time for hospital visits, naked gangsters, weddings, Blackjack heaters, stolen tigers, missing babies and stun gun demonstrations. It sounds like way too much plot for an hour and forty minute movie, but the key to a good comedy isn’t the situations the characters find themselves in, it’s the rapport and natural chemistry between the actors/characters going through those situations. And Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms are fantastic together. Their clashing vibes, energy levels and comedic sensibilities somehow blend into a perfect cocktail, and with Oscar-nominated director Todd Phillips stirring the drink, The Hangover is able to turn its B-movie premise into one of the funniest comedies of the 2000s.

97. Cloverfield (2008)

The first decade of the Aughts saw one word playing into many of its most cherished cinematic successes: reinvention. For director Matt Reeves’ Cloverfield, two different types of genre favorites were mashed together to create a wildly new, very mysterious product: monster movies like Godzilla and found footage pictures such as The Blair Witch Project. 

Amping up the scale of what a handheld camera could cover, Cloverfield’s ingenious marketing campaign kept audiences guessing about what its true intentions were. In the wake of a mysterious/title-free teaser, it was anyone’s guess what writer Drew Goddard’s movie was about. To live up to the hype after stoking such anticipation for an unknown quantity only cemented Cloverfield as a certified success. In a market where it felt like the trailers gave everything away, a major studio movie broke with the norm, all in the name of a monstrous triumph. 

96. National Treasure (2004)

The race to steal the Declaration of Independence was on in 2004 as Nicolas Cage and his team of treasure hunters went on a high stakes mission to find the greatest treasure. This story sweeps across American history, and is held together by Cage’s protagonist and his drive to find this great prize, and protect the Declaration of Independence by stealing it, of course.

This Disney staple is a family classic, and an action adventure bound to entertain just about anyone. It was such a success that a sequel soon followed, and maybe, someday, National Treasure 3 will happen. However, let us not forget the majesty that is the original National Treasure. 

95. The Notebook (2004)

There’s a reason that when one thinks of the genre “romance” The Notebook instantly comes to mind. The 2004 Nicholas Sparks adaptation is nothing short of a timeless classic that gracefully dances between being a forbidden and second-chance love story. It’s the movie that made Ryan Gosling a Hollywood hunk matched by a passionate yet grounding performance by Rachel McAdams. Together they are a firecracker of chemistry who left a generation longing to kiss in the rain. Cliché and mushy as The Notebook can be, when the music swells on the final scene, it never ceases to remind us why it’s one of the most endearing and cathartic love affairs we’ve ever seen. 

94. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Though it's been nearly two decades since its release, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy still stands as one of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s greatest collaborations. The 70s-set movie marked McKay’s directorial debut and, with it, he masterfully injects humor and social commentary into a satirical workplace comedy set within the world of broadcast news. His screenplay is funny and occasionally, downright hilarious, but the cast truly makes the movie shine. Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell and more are just flawless. And of course, it’s Ferrell’s portrayal of the titular character that really puts it over the top.

93. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Anyone angling for a great sports drama that not only delivers sheer emotion but also captures the spirit of the pastime it’s tackling should check out Million Dollar Baby. Director Clint Eastwood’s Best Picture-winning film tells the story of an aspiring boxer (played by Hilary Swank), who teams up with a veteran trainer (Eastwood) in the hopes of achieving in-ring glory. The result is an emotionally affecting – and sometimes brutal – story about resilience and parental bonds. This boxing flick won Swank, Eastwood and co-star Morgan Freeman all Oscars and, when you see the movie, you’ll understand why.

92. Saw (2004)

2004's Saw revitalized the horror genre years ago, thanks to James Wan and Leigh Whannell, with its shocking twists and equally astonishing violence. But while the movie did include some truly grotesque “games” for Jigsaw’s victims, this was more than the mere “torture porn” that plagued the aughts. There was intention behind Jigsaw’s pain — making people think about the lives they’d led before forcing them to, “Live or die, make your choice.” 

The audience was along for the ride, trying to figure out why Adam (Whannell) and Dr. Gordon (Cary Elwes) were chained up in a bathroom and how they could escape before it was too late. Thanks to some brilliant misdirection, the ensuing plot twist was truly gasp-inducing. These days you might not be able to get away with that ending, but don’t say you saw it coming back in 2004.

91. Super Troopers (2001)

Super Troopers From a plotting and acting perspective, Super Troopers isn’t exactly The Departed. Its basic premise, and even many of its specific scenes, are just nimbly bimbly excuses for the cast to make raunchy jokes about the natural absurdities of being a cop. That works, though, because the movie understands what we want as an audience: non-stop jokes and shenanigans about liters of cola, littering and smokin’ the reefer. From cat game to syrup fights to biker confusion, Super Troopers has its own vibe and unique sense of humor. It’s just out there, doing its own thing, and that’s why, more than two decades later, fans are still pulling over to watch it… even if they’re already pulled over and they can’t pull over any further.

90. War of the Worlds (2005)

Steven Spielberg wouldn’t be the first to adapt H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds novel for the screen, nor would he be the last. But his modern-day take on the 19th Century sci-fi novel certainly made an impression. From the main characters — led by Tom Cruise as Ray Ferrier, father to Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin) — to the various settings, to the unnerving sight (and sound) of the tripods emerging from below the ground to decimate or capture any humans in their path, War of the Worlds made its mark as an epic sci-fi action movie about survival and the choices a struggling parent has to make to protect his children from a worst-case-scenario. In true Spielberg fashion, the movie is thrilling and occasionally chilling, but also offers that added layer of a family element to keep us invested from beginning to end. 

89. Sin City (2005)

Most comic book adaptations aim to reimagine the characters and events of the source material in a way that more closely resembles reality. However, when director Robert Rodriguez teamed up with famed author and illustrator Frank Miller (acting as co-director) to bring his graphic novel series, Sin City, to the big screen, they did more than just adapt it. They brought it to life.

This anthology-style collection of three interconnected stories — all of which take place in the same hopelessly down-trodden, crime-ridden metropolis — is a masterclass in noirish storytelling (the razor sharp dialogue is straight out of a Raymond Chandler classic), astonishingly unique visual design (every beautifully grayscale frame resembles a comic book panel), and flawless acting from the entire Sin City cast, including Bruce Willis, Rosario Dawson, Mickey Rourke, and so many more amazing A-listers. When it comes to non-superhero-related comic book movies, this might be the best of them all.

88. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

Anticipation for the feature adaptation of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary — itself a reinterpretation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice — was high, to say the least, for those of us who adored the book, when it finally made its way into theaters in 2001. Renee Zellweger’s mix of charm, determination for romance and occasional awkwardness alone are reason enough to love the adaptation. Then factor in the excellent chemistry she shares with both love interests — Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver and Colin Firth as Mark Darcy — not to mention the fantastic supporting cast, well-timed bits of hilarity and genuinely heartfelt moments of romance and what’s not to love about Bridget Jones’s Diary? 

87. Taken (2008)

Taken isn’t the most emotionally complicated or the most realistic movie, but it has a really good sense of its own strengths and leverages that particular set of skills perfectly. Liam Neeson might not be the prototypical action star, but he’s an Oscar-nominated actor uniquely good at portraying single-mindedness and determination. Taken is able to harness the badass fatherly intensity of a desperate man searching for his daughter and pair it with ruthless action sequences that rely more on craftiness than brute strength. The result is one of the best and most rewatchable action movies of the 2000s, a tight 90 minutes that’s so much fun it produced two sequels, a TV series and an unexpected late career resurgence for Neeson.  

86. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Before Will Smith earned his third Oscar nomination for King Richard, and after his nomination for Ali, he received his second Academy Award nod for The Pursuit of Happyness. Based on the real story of Chris Gardner, the movie follows Gardner's struggle to find a job to provide for his son during a year when they are homeless. 

The movie is inspiring for anyone, featuring an uplifting and memorable story. That, paired with an incredible performance from Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith – who made his acting debut in the film – makes this the perfect movie to watch on any given day. 

85. The Bourne Identity (2002)

Before Daniel Craig came along and ushered in a new era for the James Bond movie franchise a few years later, Doug Liman’s The Bourne Identity welcomed audiences to the 21st century with this fresh, unique, and action-packed spy thriller. Matt Damon, who had already shown a great deal of depth in movies like Good Will Hunting and The Talented Mr. Ripley a few years earlier, became a bonafide action star with his portrayal of Jason Bourne, a trained killer with no recollection of his dark past.

There are few early 2000s action sequences as memorable as the movie’s iconic car chase through the streets of Paris. Audiences, used to seeing spies and assassins whipping around in souped-up sports cars were in for the ride of their lives with Bourne behind the wheel of a weathered Mini Cooper.

84. Love Actually (2003)

Love Actually has become annual holiday viewing for many since its premiere in 2004. Renowned rom-com filmmaker Richard Curtis struck gold with an A-list cast, as ten loosely connected plotlines each portray a different kind of love. Everybody’s sure to have their favorite stories within the movie, but they all strike an emotional chord, albeit in different ways. 

As these characters navigate the holidays, Love Actually tackles themes of grief, infidelity, unrequited love, workplace romance and more, while never losing its charm and eliciting tons of laughs. Throw in infinitely quotable dialogue (“Let’s get the shit kicked out of us by love!”), an infuriatingly hilarious cameo by Rowan Atkinson, and one absolutely iconic dance from Hugh Grant, and you’ve got yourself a classic.

83. (500) Days of Summer (2009)

In a decade greatly defined by bubblegum romantic comedies where audiences can take comfort in the same three act structure often ending in wedding bells, (500) Days Of Summer flipped the genre on its head. Romance and love can be a tricky, complicated thing that not only may be finite, but clouded by one’s fantasies, projections of potential and manic pixie dream girls. Marc Webb’s indie rom-com announces up front that it is “not a love story” and cleverly plays with structure as Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Tom falls for Zooey Deschanel’s Summer. Between its stunningly memorable soundtrack, creative use of mixed media against its gorgeous L.A. backdrop, (500) Days Of Summer is a dark horse of a romantic comedy that tackles the expectations vs. reality of love with a sharp wit. 

82. Knocked Up (2007)

Most romantic comedies try a lot harder at one of those two things. They’re either romantic movies with a few solid laughs sprinkled in or they’re clearly comedies that shoehorn a romance in there as an afterthought. Knocked Up works so well because it tries really hard at both. It succeeds a little more as a comedy, given it has Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, Craig Robinson, Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd, but it also takes a lot of time and care with its love story and has many thoughtful things to say about relationships and parenting. It never takes the easy way out or betrays itself for a cheap, inauthentic laugh, which lets the natural chemistry between Rogen and co-lead Katherine Heigl grow into a budding relationship you actually root for. 

81. Dawn Of The Dead (2004)

As proven decades ago by George A. Romero, slow zombies are quite scary – but in 2004, director Zack Snyder and screenwriter James Gunn teamed up to show us just how freaky fast zombies can be. Dawn Of The Dead is a movie that stays true to its source material, gathering a bunch of strangers in a shopping mall as the dead come back to life, but it has its own energy and no shortage of standout moments. The beginning is a terror, the ending is deeply unsettling (including the material in the end credits), but the baby is where this one hits its peak.

80. Remember the Titans (2000)

Remember the Titans will make you laugh, cry, cheer and feel a whole range of emotions as you go on a journey with newly integrated T.C. Williams football team to win the state championship. This incredible movie about bringing a football team together is led by Denzel Washington, and it’s not only regarded as one of his best movies, but it’s also widely known as one of the greatest sports films. 

Washington and Will Patton lead the stacked cast of Remember the Titans, which includes Wood Harris and Ryan Hurst as the team’s leaders. Along with them, the movie also features Donald Faison, Craig Kirkwood and Ethan Suplee as well as a very young Ryan Gosling and 10-year-old Hayden Panettiere, among many others. Overall, it’s an inspiring and moving movie about acceptance and determination. Let’s just say Remember the Titans always has us saying “We want some more!” 

79. Juno (2007)

While Elliot Page was an actor at a young age, Juno was the movie that made him into a household name. And for good measure, as Jason Reitman’s quirky 2007 flick delivers in both comedy and heartfelt, human moments. Page earned an Academy Award nomination at the time for his performance, which surely feels justified. 

2007's Juno centers around its title character, a teenage girl who accidentally gets pregnant. She decides to carry the baby to term, arranging an adoption with a married couple (played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman). After being filled with plenty of funny moments (and a killer soundtrack) the ending provides an emotional catharsis that puts Juno above many movies around its time.

78. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

It’s no wonder that Disney has been trying for 20 years to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Inspired by a theme park attraction, but blazing its own trail, Pirates created one of modern cinema’s most iconic characters in Captain Jack Sparrow. But the rest of the cast, including Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and a scene-stealing Geoffrey Rush, is no less compelling. From sword fights to ship battles, Black Pearl’s action is near perfect, with the Johnny Depp vs. Orlando Bloom duel a textbook example of how to tell a story with an action scene. It set a bar so high that even its own sequels were never going to clear it.

77. Ray (2004)

Cinema lovers have been graced with plenty of great biopics over the decades, and Ray certainly stands as one of the best. Directed by Taylor Hackford, the movie chronicles the life and career of the great Ray Charles. James L. White’s screenplay effectively tells Charles’ story, chronicling his professional and personal highs and lows in the process. And of course, the production is (appropriately) infused with incredible music. There are plenty of great performances on display, but it’s Jamie Foxx’s uncanny – and Oscar-winning – turn as the titular musician that really makes this period drama worth a watch or two.

76. Unbreakable (2000)

M. Night Shyamalan had an unenviable task in 2000 – following up his overnight sensation, The Sixth Sense. Was that movie a flash in the pan? Or would Shyamalan live up to the billing he was receiving in the press as, “The next Spielberg?” Remarkably, Shyamalan came up with a deeper, more meaningful film that also started the bandwagon for superhero-movie fascination, only with a meditative origin story for a strong man (Bruce Willis) who doesn’t recognize his invulnerability. Pulp Fiction co-star Samuel L. Jackson tapped into his fiendish side to play Willis’s nemesis, a man plagued with brittle bones who assumed that his opposite had to exist in the world. But it was Night’s ability to generate an intense mood that boosted Unbreakable. We rode a wave of increasingly suspenseful tension until the moment Willis donned his raincoat and embraced his destiny. Unbreakable started a trilogy, but also guaranteed that Shyamalan was here to stay as one of our most original and effective storytellers. 

75. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall occasionally gets overlooked as being just another rom-com from the aughts – specifically the rom-com featuring the oddball pairing of Mila Kunis and Jason Segel, but I can’t imagine that anyone who’s lumping this movie into just another group of rom-coms has seen it recently because it is profoundly and consistently weird. 

Segel’s TV composer main character dreams of creating a Dracula musical featuring puppets called A Taste For Love. He also wants to get over his titular ex-girlfriend - hilariously played by Kristen Bell, who somehow ends up in the hotel room next to him having loud sex with her new rock star boyfriend. That messy journey of acceptance and moving on, amidst all its weirdness or maybe because of all its weirdness, never feels like a cliche. It’s consistently funny and has so many thoughtful things to say about relationships, break-ups and finding yourself. Don’t write it off.

74. School of Rock (2003)

Jack Black was many things in 2003, though many wouldn’t have considered his comedic stylings family-friendly until School Of Rock. Black’s musical abilities from his band Tenacious D paired with the wholesome story of teaching some kids how to rock, was fun for everyone and really skyrocketed him further into the mainstream and into more roles for younger audiences like Kung Fu Panda and Nacho Libre. Sure, he’d still do raunchier stuff like Tropic Thunder, but this movie was imperative to show the range he had as an actor. 

Let’s also not forget this movie boasted other celebrities who are notable talents in 2023, like Miranda Cosgrove and The White Lotus showrunner Mike White. Oh, and the music is still as great as it was then, even decades later. There’s a strong message here about the importance of teaching children about music and helping them follow their passion, and it’s that message that will keep this movie relevant for decades to come. 

73. Up (2009)

Pixar Animation Studios, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, has always been known for its films that have reached a broad audience, starting with their debut full-feature film, Toy Story. However, in 2009, the studio released Up, the first Pixar film to receive a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Up is mainly about Carl, an older man living a lonely life, and to fulfill his promise to his late wife, he travels across the world in a floating house to South America – with the help of a local wilderness explorer who tags along for the ride. 

A lot can be said about Up, from its stunning animation to the beautiful soundtrack, but nothing beats the story. It's a tale of a found family and of finding love and compassion in places you would never expect. And you must always remember – the wilderness must be explored!

72. District 9 (2009)

Coming in at 72 on the list might just be an indicator of how underrated District 9 is, considering it’s one of the best science fiction movies of the 2000s. Neill Blomkamp’s feature walks the line between messaging about the various mistreatment marginalized groups are subjected to, to how humanity would respond if aliens were really discovered to be on Earth. Given recent reports at government hearings, it isn’t all that unbelievable that it wouldn’t take long for humanity to get back to normal after finding a bunch of alien refugees on Earth. 

Perhaps the best compliment to pay District 9 is that it’s a phenomenal standalone sci-fi movie with no sequels or prequels. This could be why it’s typically lower on the sci-fi lists as there may be a community of people that simply forgot about it as the years went on. Now is the time to revive the credit it deserves and maybe bump it up a few notches on future top lists. 

71. Shrek (2001)

Think of every DreamWorks Animation movie you can think of – I bet Shrek is one of the first that pops into your head. 

Shrek was a momentous occasion for DreamWorks Animation when it was released. It was a huge box office success, received rave reviews, and was even the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature winner. The movie mainly follows Shrek, an ogre whose swamp is suddenly overrun with fairytale creatures, and to get them out, he must save Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a dragon on a mountain of lava and bring her to Lord Farquad. 

The DreamWorks Animation film created an empire of Shrek success. With numerous sequels and spinoff movies, Shrek is one of the most successful animated franchises ever. The first film featured some great CGI animation for 2001 but also had the hilarity of adult jokes that parents would get while their kids enjoyed the fantasy, animation, and love story. Besides, who wouldn't love listening to Eddie Murphy crack jokes as Donkey for an hour and a half? 

70. Mulholland Drive (2001)

There are two sides to David Lynch: the fairly normal filmmaker who wants to tell a linear story in a somewhat straightforward manner (examples include The Elephant Man and The Straight Story), and the absolute bonkers off-the-wall batshit fever dream of an avante-garde video artist (examples include Eraserhead and Inland Empire). What makes Mulholland Drive such a beautiful film, is that it’s the perfect balance of these two sides of the iconic writer/director. In fact, without spoiling anything, the film even has a pivotal moment where it completely changes tonally, effectively showing these two distinct sides of Lynch. Perhaps more importantly, this tonal switch is expertly pulled off by the film’s star Naomi Watts, who, between this and 2001’s 21 Grams, was at a point in her career where she was showing off her chops with an authenticity that was hard not to notice. Mulholland Drive will show you the full range of skill you need to see from both Watts, and the legendary auteur that is David Lynch. 

69. Watchmen (2009)

“Unadaptable” is a word that’s been used when approaching the most ambitious literary adaptations. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ landmark graphic novel Watchmen was one such project, earning that brand after decades of potential adaptations failed to tackle the ambitious superhero narrative properly. 

Even in light of multiple cuts, and the ending being substantially altered from what was depicted in the 1985 source material, Watchmen is a miracle to behold. Somehow, the complicated narrative told through various mediums in that graphic novel was streamlined into a product that didn’t water down the full story. 

Only Zack Snyder’s third directorial effort, Watchmen is a powerful statement of the man’s developing skills in that point of his career. Arriving in the wake of Iron Man and The Dark Knight, it proved comic adaptations could be more than market-driving crowd pleasers. In the case of Watchmen, such movies could also be masterpieces.

68. Sideways (2004)

How the hell did Sideways, a dialogue-driven dramedy about a schoolteacher who loves wine, become such a mainstream pop-culture phenomenon? Try going wine-tasting without hearing a joke about drinking from the spit bucket, or somebody saying, “I am not drinking any fucking merlot!”

Sideways’ writer and director, Alexander Payne, has always told stories that are rather grounded in reality. Aside from Downsizing where he literally shrank Matt Damon, these are movies about common issues that most folks can relate to. The Descendants is about grief, About Schmidt is about aging, and Sideways is about letting go. With the script came Payne’s first Academy Award, a life-changing role for Paul Giamatti, and one of the best films of that decade. The bleak nature of the ending with just a dash of hope is a testament to real-life, and relatable for the average person. That is how a movie about a failed middle-aged writer with a drinking problem managed to cement its place in film history. 

67. Lost In Translation (2003)

Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is an American actor past his prime. Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) is a young, married, recent college graduate. Both are in Tokyo — Bob to shoot promos for a Japanese whiskey and Charlotte to follow her photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi) on his latest assignment — and overcome with feelings of loneliness and disillusionment until a chance meeting at their hotel bar gives the unlikely duo a sense of fulfillment when they both need it most.

Lost in Translation is one of the first films produced by Focus Features and is still considered to be one of the production company’s best releases two decades later for the refreshingly unique — albeit, unlikely — love story that still manages to warm hearts from its unforgettable opening shot to its cryptic, much-debated final moment. The charming, invigoratingly honest dramedy also managed to be a major turning point for Murray (who earned his sole Academy Award nomination), Johansson (a breakthrough performance), and second-time writer and director Sophia Coppola, who earned a well-deserved Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

66. The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)

In the mid-2000s, big screen comedy underwent a titanic shift. Through the late ‘90s and the turn of the century, the genre was dominated by the so-called Frat Pack (Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson)… but then along came The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the directorial debut from Judd Apatow. The film is hilarious and sweet, with a collection of wonderful characters exploring the high highs and low lows of sexuality and romance in the 21st century – and while not everything about it has aged perfectly, it does a tremendous job at leaning into the talents of its stars. And it’s a game-changer.

While it’s Steve Carell’s movie, a huge part of its legacy is featuring the breakout performance by Seth Rogen. In the wake of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Rogen and Apatow became the biggest names in funny, with not just their own comedic voices becoming popular, but also their improvisation-heavy styles.

65. Hot Fuzz (2007)

Hot Fuzz is the kind of action movie where every second feels crafted by a team of action movie fans, as opposed to a cast and crew just going through the motions. Co-written by the A+ pair Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, starring Pegg opposite frequent co-star Nick Front, Hot Fuzz is mostly set far from metropolitan skylines and endless high-rises, and its quaint Wicker Man-esque village makes for a wildly unique setting for any story filled with this many Point Break references.

As the second film in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Hot Fuzz built on Shaun of the Dead's already stellar cast with a host of UK legends such as Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Bill Nighy, Edward Woodward, Billie Whitelaw, Olivia Colman, Bill Bailey, and the list goes on and on. (When you have Cate Blanchett making uncredited appearances, you're doing something right.) Unlike the other two Cornetto films, though, Hot Fuzz probably deserves another straightforward sequel set in this universe, with a new killer crime for Nicholas Angel and Danny Butterman to get crackin’ on.

64. Walk The Line (2005)

Music biopics might feel like they’re a dime a dozen, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t gems to behold in the genre, and one of those is absolutely James Mangold’s Academy Award-winning drama, Walk the Line. In it, Joaquin Phoenix portrays country music legend Johnny Cash through his tumultuous rise to fame, which includes his relationship with eventual wife, June Carter (Reese Witherspoon).

Sure, on one hand, we’ve seen music’s superstars descend into alcoholism and drug addiction on the big screen time and time again, but it’s how all the pieces of Cash and Carter’s story are put together that make the film a must watch. As such, the performances of the leads are everything here, and seeing June attempt to staunch her feelings for her married co-performer, while also trying to knock some sense into him as she watches his addictions grow and Johnny become more erratic, are some of the best parts of the movie. Witherspoon didn’t win a Best Actress Oscar for nothing, and Phoenix is at his peak here, as well.

63. Lilo & Stitch (2002)

With Walt Disney Animation fresh out of its renaissance after the ‘90s, the 2000s were a particularly experimental period for the studio which, looking back, found inspiration from numerous science fiction classics. The best 2D animated movie from the House of Mouse of the decade is a lively spin on E.T., but this mysterious alien is an intergalactic fugitive with a bad temper who falls to the Hawaiian Islands, becomes best friends with a young orphaned girl who teaches him the gospel of Elvis Presley. 

Not only is Lilo & Stitch an incredibly quotable, fun, family adventure, it’s one of Disney’s most authentic and original films that speaks to finding one’s ohana in unexpected places amidst great loss. Few Walt Disney Animation movies have felt as simultaneously intimate and commercial as Lilo & Stitch. Experiment 626 remains a gem that made Disney’s growing pains of the 2000s worth the while. 

62. Monsters, INC (2001)

Before Up, The Incredibles and even Finding Nemo, there was Monsters, Inc. Pixar’s decision to make its fourth feature a story about a company that generates scream-based power in a world inhabited by ferocious creatures may have seemed odd at the time. However, it ultimately turned out to be an inspired (and very) lucrative decision. Set in the world of Monstropolis, the film centers on two pals – both employees of the titular corporation – who must return a human child to her world in order to keep her out of harm’s way. And the result is a hilarious and heartwarming romp about loyalty and tolerance.

Pete Docter – who’d go on to direct Up, Inside Out and more – really proved himself as a filmmaker with this directorial debut. The flick is beautifully animated and populated with plenty of lovable characters. Speaking of which, John Goodman’s James P. “Sully” Sullivan and Billy Crystal’s Mike Wasowski still stand as two of Pixar’s most popular creations. The interactions between the two sometimes mirror the interplay of some of cinema’s best comedic duos. Monsters, Inc. would spawn a sequel and TV spinoff, but it’s the 2001 movie that’s truly an eclectic piece of storytelling.

61. The Hurt Locker (2008)

Best Picture award, but the voters got it right when it came to the prize handed out at the end of the 21st century’s first decade. Director Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker is a heart-stopper that tears down the wall between film and audience: when Jeremy Renner’s Staff Sergeant William James is suited up and defusing bombs, you hold your breath in fear, terrified to feel the heat of the fiery explosion that will result with one false move by the protagonist.

Screenwriter Mark Boal’s work puts us directly in James’ mind – a soldier who is incapable of leaving the battlefield behind – and Jeremy Renner’s turn is a career best. In retrospect, it’s wholly understandable why Renner’s performance changed the trajectory of his career and turned him into the Marvel-bona fide star that he is today.

60. Moulin Rouge (2001)

On paper, Moulin Rouge is a movie that just should not exist. The premise alone, a modern jukebox musical set in 1890s Paris, creates a level of cognitive dissonance on its own that suspension of disbelief should be impossible. It’s the sort of thing that only a director like Baz Luhrmann would even try, but somehow, he not only makes it happen, he makes it work.

Everything about Moulin Rouge goes hard. The performances, the songs, the sets. It creates its unreality so perfectly that it’s near-impossible to avoid being swept up by it and brought along for the ride. And the absinthe-infused magic is so far removed from reality that even 20 years later Moulin Rouge feels just as fresh. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor are perfect as the star-crossed lovers. We know how the story will end before it begins, but it doesn’t make any of it less heartbreaking. Luhrmann’s films can sometimes focus on style over substance, but there’s no lack of substance here. 

59. Elf (2003)

Elf is probably the most recent Christmas movie that became an instant classic. Jon Favreau crafted a delightful and bonkers story for the 2003 movie, with Will Ferrell offering one of his most iconic performances of all time. And it’s a movie that’s re-watched annually by countless families every Holiday Season… or other times in the year when you need a good laugh.

Elf’s concept is both ridiculous and simple; Buddy is a human raised by elves who eventually goes to New York City to find his birth father (played by Godfather icon James Caan). The juxtaposition between Buddy’s eternal optimism and the hard streets of the Big Apple is fodder for countless funny bits throughout its runtime. There’s also a touching story about family and the holiday spirit that makes Elf a true beloved Christmas movie. Plus, it’s got a pre-Game of Thrones appearance by Peter Dinklage. And of course, Santa (I know him!).

58. Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)

In the 1950s, few people were as outspoken about the threat of Communism than Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy, whose blacklisting of anyone he deemed suspicious was so notoriously frequent that “McCarthyism” — a term associated with fear mongering — was coined after him. One of the few people brave enough to take a stand against him was CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow, whose defiance of the politician and the Red Scare nearly cost him his career, but also made him into one of the most influential icons of his craft.

This monumental moment in journalism history is dramatized with nearly the same level of passion for truth and justice in Good Night, and Good Luck. — named after the famous concluding catchphrase of Murrow, portrayed here in an Academy Award-nominated performance by David Strathairn. George Clooney, who also plays Murrow’s producer, Fred Friendly, earned his first Oscar nominations as a director and co-writer for this riveting history lesson, made even better with Robert Elswit’s gorgeous cinematography and exquisite acting from the star-studded ensemble, which also includes Jeff Daniels, Patricia Arquette, Robert Downey Jr., and Frank Langella.

57. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Wes Anderson’s style is so distinct that it has become something of a joke in pop culture, frequently being parodied on shows like Saturday Night Live. When folks reference Wes Anderson, and the trademarks of a Wes Anderson film, they’re primarily lifting it from The Royal Tenenbaums. The point is, Tenenbaums is by far the most Wes Anderson-y film to ever Wes Anderson; absolutely jam-packed with quirkitude, a variety of eccentric characters and deadpan dialogue delivery. This is the quintessential hipster flick that helped to define a generation of indie millennial film buffs.

Aside from The Royal Tenenbaums’ effect on pop culture, it truly exists as a wonderful, honest, hilarious, and heartbreaking film. Over twenty years ago when the film was released, there wasn’t a lot like it in mainstream American cinema, with the somewhat privileged (yet painfully relatable) themes it explores being limited to conversations had by those gathering to watch Jean-Luc Godard in their NYU dorm rooms. With his first Oscar nomination, The Royal Tenenbaums introduced much of the world to Wes Anderson, and many still consider it to be his finest work to date. 

56. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Oftentimes sequels don’t measure up to their predecessor, but Spider-Man 2 is one of the exceptions. Director Sam Raimi and screenwriter Alvin Sargent kept the best elements from the first Spider-Man movie and improved upon them, with the follow-up doing an excellent job exploring how Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker handles the burden of heroism and trying to balance his web-sliding activities with his civilian life. However, Spider-Man 2’s MVP is Alfred Molina, whose more sympathetic take on Doctor Octopus quickly cemented him as one of the best superhero movie villains of all time. It’s no wonder we still have yet to see another actor play the tentacled antagonist in a live-action movie. As a bonus, I love how the movie recreated the panel from 1967’s The Amazing Spider-Man #50 of Peter Parker leaving his costume behind in the garbage. A touch like that is a great Easter egg for Marvel fans, but is also just a gorgeous shot for the casuals watching the tale unfold.

55. Ratatouille (2007)

Pixar Animation’s eighth feature film, Ratatouille, is as surprising as its premise. It came at a time when the studio was high on a winning streak, redefining how we looked at toys, bugs, monsters, cars, superheroes and fish. Sure, making an audience empathetic to rats feels like a stretch, but the 2007 movie had a fresh and quirky way in that kept Pixar at an all-time high. What if one rat was secretly a gourmet cook in Paris, France? The results are so charming. 

Fronted by a charismatic voice performance from Patton Oswalt as Remy, packed with decadent and often mouth-watering animation greatly displayed inside a top-tier French kitchen and beautifully underlined by an all-time great score from Michael Giacchino, Pixar told a hilarious underdog story with the creativity and wonder the studio remains beloved for. It’s one of those movies that has one doing a double take at every human and animal you encounter next time you walk outside in playful curiosity about the world thinking “Anyone Can Cook.” 

54. Superbad (2007)

Seth Rogen has touted himself as a “permanent teenager,” and never has that title been truer than in the 2007 teen buddy comedy Superbad. The movie — which he penned with Evan Goldberg and stars a number of the regular Judd Apatow players — carries the funky vibe of the 1970s throughout, but its story is timeless. The only thing more relatable than high-school seniors Seth and Evan (played perfectly by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) trying to get to a party to impress some girls was their underlying anxiety over not knowing what would happen to their friendship after graduation.

The laughs come a mile a minute — some may say it’s the funniest movie of all time — with an impressive cast that also includes Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, Emma Stone and, of course, Seth Rogen. But in the end it’s the friendship at the heart of the story that makes this one worth watching again and again. Superbad is also responsible for giving us “McLovin,” for which we should be forever grateful.

53. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

One of the most intriguing stories related to the crime of check fraud is that of Frank Abagnale Jr., who impersonated various professions, passed off millions of dollars worth of phony checks, and outran the FBI between the ages of 16 and 21. At least, that is what the fraud prevention consultant claimed in his memoir, Catch Me If You Can. The book inspired an excellent movie of the same name.

This 1960s-set crime drama stars future Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio as the young, elusive con artist, who enters an intense, enduring game of cat-and-mouse with two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks as a veteran FBI agent who will stop at nothing to bring him to justice, even if he becomes friends with him in the process. Following Minority Report, director Steven Spielberg completed his one-two punch of masterfully entertaining films in 2002 with this dazzling, devilishly charming, and even heartwarming tale. 

52. Cast Away (2000)

Everybody scream “Wilson!” with me! Now, let’s all break into violent sobs as we remember Tom Hanks losing his best friend… a volleyball with a face painted on it. Cast Away is a miracle. It’s essentially a one-man show that you can’t pull your eyes off of, because you root so hard for Hanks and want to see how he’s going to get off the deserted island on which he is stranded. Director Robert Zemeckis places us in Hanks’ sandals, so we feel frustration as he fails to get a makeshift raft over the incoming tide, and elation when he figures out how to start a fire. Hanks already was viewed as one of our greatest actors before he single handedly carried this survival story, but the gripping performance earned him his fifth Oscar nomination. (He lost to Russell Crowe in Gladiator.) Listen to this remarkable stat: Zemeckis filmed Cast Away’s first half with a chunky Hanks, then had to pause production while his leading man lost enough weight and grew enough hair to play his marooned self in the movie’s second half. During that pause, Zemeckis filmed an entire feature: 2000’s marital thriller What Lies Beneath, with Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford.

51. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

One thing to know about Ang Lee is that he keeps audiences guessing when it comes to his projects. And given his body of work leading up to the 2000s, not too many people might’ve expected him to helm a wuxia martial arts epic with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Yet movie lovers should be so glad he did. His seventh directorial effort is a masterpiece featuring beautifully choreographed fight sequences, impeccable production design, imposing performances and more.

Based on Wang Dulu’s 1942 novel of the same name, the highly ambitious production centers on a seasoned warrior and his equally skilled ally (and love interest), who aim to hunt down the former’s fabled sword so it can be delivered for safekeeping. Their quest ultimately leads them down a path neither could’ve ever imagined. Ang Lee assembled a highly formidable ensemble of actors led by Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi, who all give career-best performances. The martial arts genre features a wide array of movies, but few can meet the standard set by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

50. Legally Blonde (2001)

“What? Like it’s hard” to be one of the top 50 movies of the 2000s? It’s not for Legally Blonde, that’s for sure. Casually going to law school at Harvard to win back your ex-boyfriend is a far-fetched idea, but Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods doesn't just pull it off, she succeeds in grand fashion, obviously.  

Elle Woods is such an icon, she’s funny, gorgeous, and hyper-intelligent, and seeing her harness all of that to succeed at Harvard was empowering. Reese Witherspoon and the cast of Legally Blonde are also on their A-games in this movie, creating a hilariously smart and unique story. From Jennifer Coolidge’s “bend and snap” moment with our leading lady to the adorable rom-com subplot between Elle and Luke Wilson’s Emmett, the film is packed with memorable stories from fabulous characters.

Since then, Withersoon’s lawyer’s story has expanded into a sequel and a Broadway musical, because a world with more Elle Woods in it is “So Much Better.” 

49. Tropic Thunder (2008)

Tropic Thunder is a relentless and vicious commentary on the motion picture industry and all the absurdities associated with it. For two unyielding hours, Ben Stiller’s satirical action comedy mercilessly skewers the executives, the actors, the directors, the writers, the agents and even an explosives coordinator, painting them as deeply flawed and emotionally unstable people who will do anything to stay relevant and protect their own fragile egos. From blackface to stolen valor to exploiting the mentally handicapped, there’s no line they won’t cross in pursuit of their next award, their next paycheck or their next high.

Tropic Thunder shouldn’t work. From one angle, it’s a big budget, big studio action comedy filled with explosions, fart jokes and Tom Cruise dancing to Flo Rida. From another angle, it’s a deeply clever satire that repeatedly and without apology seeks out complicated and problematic subject matter. It’s a movie within a movie disguised as another movie, but instead of a disorganized mess, it somehow all comes together thanks to a fantastic script, an Oscar-nominated Robert Downey Jr. performance and the greatest little kid reaction shot in the history of movies.

48. Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe went on an absolute tear in the 2000s with a number of memorable movies, so it’s no surprise that the one he won the Best Actor Oscar for is on this list. Gladiator is an absolute triumph from start to finish, with knockout performances led by the direction of Ridley Scott. Maximus is an immediately likable character brought down to the lowest point of his life. He keeps fighting and survives solely because of the revenge he hopes to deliver to Commodus. 

And while Joaquin Phoenix did not win an Oscar for his nominated performance as Commodus, Maximus’ journey isn’t quite as sweet without him being every bit as unlikable as he should be. When the big scene finally comes for Maximus and Commodus to square off, how can you not be on the edge of your seat? Without a doubt one of the best gladiator movies of all time.

47. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

While not strictly a love story, Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire definitely owes a lot to the genre, as Jamal’s (Dev Patel) lifelong love for childhood friend Latika (Freida Pinto) drives much of what he does. The drama follows Jamal as he relays the events of his young life that have led him to correctly answering questions on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, after he’s arrested and tortured for cheating.

As Jamal takes us through the harrowing events of his childhood that led him not only to fall for Latika, but to compete on the show in an effort to find her again, we’re taken through an action-packed tale of survival under extreme circumstances, what a young man will go through to save the love of his life, and how we all probably know a lot more than we think we do. Definitely hard to watch at times, but inspirational nonetheless.

46. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

On one hand, Jonathan Daylon and Valerie Faris’ Little Miss Sunshine is one of the funniest movies of the 2000s, but on the other hand it’s one of the most tragic stories to come out of the decade. The “road trip from Hell” setup had been done countless times prior to the film’s 2006 release, but rarely had the subgenre been as effective, emotional, or laugh out loud funny.

Michael Arndt’s hilarious, heartbreaking, and nuanced screenplay, which earned him an Oscar, doesn’t play it safe by avoiding life’s tragedies (both major and minor), but instead faces them head-on, creating a cathartic experience for his characters and audience alike. Transformative performances by the late Alan Arkin (he also won an Academy Award), Abigail Breslin, Toni Collette and the rest of the Little Miss Sunshine cast make you feel their characters are family, which is the heart and soul of this outstanding film.

45. Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Keira Knightley’s Pride & Prejudice is hardly the first take on the novel of the same name, but the 2005 film arguably set the standard for modern Jane Austen movie adaptations. The love story between Elizabeth Bennet (Knightley) and Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) is beautifully told, and made all the more memorable for the cinematography, soundtrack, and chemistry between the stars. In fact, the cast was stacked with stars who either already had or would become big names, including Donald Sutherland, Judi Dench, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan, and Kelly Reilly in addition to Knightley and Macfadyen. 

The world of the Bennet family in this Pride & Prejudice feels lived in and domestic in a way that adds a touch of modern realism to a Regency-era period drama and contrasts the more austere beauty of Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley estate. The film isn’t as faithful to the book as the beloved 1995 BBC miniseries, but it hits the important beats of the original Jane Austen story in just over two hours while also being completely accessible to viewers who haven’t read the book, with moments like the iconic hand flex of Mr. Darcy that fans far and wide know well. 

44. Adaptation (2002)

Adaptation is a book adaptation about the adaptation process. Understood? Wonderful. 

Nicolas Cage plays dual roles as the most neurotic possible version of screenwriter Charlie Kauffman, as well as his fictitious twin Donald Kauffman. Originally hired to write the film adaptation for Susan Orlean’s bestseller The Orchid Thief, Charlie Kauffman experiences a debilitating case of writer’s block, stemming from a slew of mental health issues including social anxiety, body dysmorphia and depression. This sends him on something of a tortured artist’s odyssey that leads him to write himself, and the experience, into his script. Thus, we get Adaptation, a hybrid of both the story of The Orchid Thief, and Kauffman’s experience adapting it.

These days, such a meta concept is somewhat commonplace, but over 20 years ago, this was the most bonkers script since Kauffman’s Being John Malkovich. Malkovich was even worked into Adaptation’s storyline, with John Cusack, Catherine Keener and the titular John Malkovich playing themselves. The point is, this film is WEIRD in the best of ways, yet still managed to grab Oscar nominations for Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep, as well as a win for Chris Cooper. Adaptation is perhaps the greatest cinematic insight into the creative writing process, and the effect it has on one’s psyche, ever made.

43. Love & Basketball (2000)

The best romantic comedies might get a lot of attention from fans of lovey dovey stories, but romantic dramas deserve our eyeballs as well, and Love & Basketball is one that really should be praised. This romance (which is also a fantastic sports drama) tells the story of Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps), two talented, basketball-obsessed kids who bond over their love of the sport, but have several trials as they attempt to take their relationship from friends to lovers in their high school and college years and, later, in their twenties.

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s feature-length directorial debut does an amazing job of showing how hard it can be for two people who are so dedicated to their craft to make time for one another, especially as the pressure to succeed in their sport pulls them in different directions. But, it goes much further than that, with each of their complicated family dynamics and emotional wounds taking this love story to the next level.

42. Minority Report (2002)

If you had the chance to predict and prevent a tragic crime, the choice sounds obvious, right? That is until you are faced with the possibility that the prediction is wrong and your arrestee was destined to be innocent. That provocative idea was the basis for a 1956 short story by prolific science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick, which was later adapted into one of director Steven Spielberg’s most exciting films of the decade, if not his full career.

Tom Cruise stars as John Anderton — the chief for a special police unit that uses a trio of clairvoyant siblings to detect future murders — who begins to question their seemingly “perfect” system when he makes the horrifying discovery that the potential perpetrator of his next case is himself, forcing him to go on the run. The truth behind this prediction revealed in the brilliant twist ending of Minority Report is one of the many fascinating and thought-provoking aspects of this astonishingly inventive sci-fi masterpiece that is not quite dystopian, but far from utopian either.

41. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Over the past few years, there have been great strides for representation and diverse stories in Hollywood. But back in the early 2000s, this wasn’t exactly the case. Which is why Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain was such a groundbreaking movie upon its release. Hollywood simply wasn’t telling queer love stories through major blockbusters, let alone honoring them with major Awards Nominations.

While there’s been some backlash about straight actors playing LGBTQ+ roles, Brokeback likely only got produced because of its bankable (and yes straight) lead actors. For their part, both Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger offer moving and complicated performances that still stand up today. Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway also really deliver, which is par for the course for those talented actresses. This quartet of performers tell their characters’ stories through decades of time, and to devastating results. And the acclaimed film is still so beloved that it’s being adapted for the stage on the West End, starring Mike Faist and Lucas Hedges. 

40. American Psycho (2000)

Author Bret Easton Ellis’ novel American Psycho is a shocking literary experience. There are scenes in it that will make even the most seasoned horror fan blanche – and reading it, you can understand why it was deemed unadaptable for a time after its publication. When it did finally get brought to the big screen, co-adapted by screenwriter Guinevere Turner and director Mary Harron, the material was understandably pulled back a bit, but the movie still remains a scary and biting satire that takes aim at the hardcore capitalism in the 1980s.

Years before he became a big screen legend playing Batman, Christian Bale became a horror icon with his performance as Patrick Bateman – a white, rich sociopath who enjoys torturing and slaughtering women… but who nonetheless blends in with all the rest of New York’s white, rich sociopaths. It’s a rich cinematic experience that manages to be both satisfyingly scary and surprisingly funny.

39. 28 Days Later (2002)

Certain movies can be credited as causing shifts so powerful, an entire genre felt its influence. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland’s 28 Days Later is one such film, as this lo-fi British horror-thriller would go on to see interest in movies like Dawn of the Dead (2004) and Shaun of the Dead being boosted. 

Revitalizing the zombie genre, while not calling its own creatures by the Z-word, the normal rules didn’t apply in this horror masterpiece. In the world of the previously coma-ridden Jim (Cillian Murphy), the vicious “infected” could come from anywhere, with blazing speed. Survival, in some situations, could be measured in a heartbeat, with a drop of blood or saliva making the difference. 

Stocked with a who’s who of actors like Brendan Gleeson, Christopher Eccleston, and Naomie Harris, 28 Days Later did for zombies what Scream did for slasher films. Challenging the status quo with relentless energy, the film is all at once terrifying, heartbreaking, and hopeful. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland resurrected the undead genre with stunning results.

38. Amelie (2001)

One of the most delightful stories committed to film. French ingénue Audrey Tautou was perfectly cast as the title character Amelie, who is believed to have a delicate heart condition and so is overprotected by her doting parents. As a result of her gently-imposed isolation, Amelie develops an overactive imagination, which leads her on a series of whimsical adventures. Amelie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet embraces magical realism as a style, with Tautou basically gliding through this giddy fantasy as she works to make the lives of everyone around her happy, and possibly find love on her own in the process. Amelie seems to transmit joy, and if you aren’t uplifted by Tautou’s effervescent performance, you might want to check to ensure you still have a pulse. Now, go borrow someone else’s lawn gnome, photograph it in front of a celebrated vacation spot, and spread the joy of Amelie with anyone who hasn’t yet seen this delightful gem. 

37. Donnie Darko (2001)

There may not be a more aggressively strange and maddeningly perplexing movie on this list than Donnie Darko. Yet, its mysterious and nearly off-putting nature may be the reason why — despite nearly becoming a cable TV movie (if not for Christopher Nolan’s praise) and ultimately bombing at the box office — it remains an enduring cult hit.

At its core, writer and director Richard Kelly’s feature-length debut is the story of an emotionally troubled young man (Jake Gyllenhaal) whose struggle to navigate adolescence in the late 1980s is worsened by visions of an apocalyptic soothsayer in a horrifying rabbit suit, but it is much more than that. It is a sharp coming-of-age satire on par with some of John Hughes’ films, a classic time travel movie, and a pervasively grim fantasy tale that serves as a perfect Halloween tradition, among other things. Above all, however, Donnie Darko is unique enough to defy categorization, resulting in a one-of-a-kind experience. 

36. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

If we’re only including one adaptation of the Harry Potter series on this list, it has to be Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The source material has our lead trio entering into their teen years with more studies than ever and higher stakes all around. New characters are introduced, major reveals transpire and there’s also that twisty bit of time travel. Oh, and let’s not forget the bone-chilling Dementors, whose powers include dredging up a person’s darkest memories and fears. 

Those things on their own give Prisoner of Azkaban an edge over some of the other books, but Alfonso Cuarón’s adaptation does more than just bring one of the best installments of the series to life. New layers of the magical world emerge on the screen thanks to the cinematography, not to mention Cuarón’s vision and patient approach to the pacing, which gives us the chance to really soak in the surroundings in any given scene. Whether it’s showing the change of seasons at Hogwarts or the stunning sight of Harry soaring over the lake on the back of a Hippogriff, it’s more than enough to set the film above its predecessors and raise the bar firmly for the adaptations that would follow. 

35. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

The Devil Wears Prada is already a classic. While the film quality itself is high, the movie has also become part of the fabric of pop culture, thanks to its quotable lines and the unbelievable performance of one Meryl Streep. Anne Hathaway is regularly transformed into a meme thanks to the scene where Annie shows up to work post-makeover in Chanel Boots.

Aside from the pop culture of it all, The Devil Wears Prada is a delightful movie romp. The fashions are aspirational, and the cast is truly on top of their game. Special points to Emily Blunt, who became a household name following her performance as Emily. And considering how light and frothy even the movie’s drama is, the rewatchability of this book to movie adaptation cannot be understated. If you haven’t watched Devil Wears Prada recently, by all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.

34. The Lord Of The Rings Movies (2001-2003)

There are very few fantasy movie franchises out there that have been great all the way through. They have their dips and slides, but if there’s one major fantasy franchise to rule them all, it has to be The Lord of the Rings movies. 

The film franchise mainly follows Frodo Baggins as he travels with the Fellowship on a quest to destroy the One Ring in order to take down the person who made it, Sauron. But don't take that premise at face value – there is so much more to this story than meets the eye. 

The Lord of the Rings movies are perfect in every shape and form. From the battle sequences to the visual effects to the acting, there is much to love and adore about these films. The Lord of the Rings delivers in ways fans can't even imagine. There's a reason why the franchise is so popular years later – and how spinoffs, such as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, have been released in recent years. The love keeps pouring in. 

33. Casino Royale (2006)

When James Bond was given his iconic Walther PPK in Dr. No, Sean Connery’s initial incarnation is told the weapon has “a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window.” The same could be said for 2006’s Casino Royale, as the introduction to Daniel Craig’s James Bond movies wasn’t shy about changing things up, and surprising even the most experienced 007 fans with how it would depict Commander Bond’s exploits.

Director Martin Campbell’s franchise reboot was as lean and mean as they come. Casino Royale showed 007 getting his ass handed to him, and his heart broken. Such vulnerability didn’t weaken the character, but rather it humanized him and added a suspense that the Bond movies had lost for some time.

Daniel Craig stepped into the role of the modern James Bond as if it were a tuxedo perfectly tailored for his presence. Wryly funny, yet cold and calculating when he had to pull the trigger, Craig made the role his own from frame one. To see such an iconic series redefined so perfectly, after 20 movies and over four decades of history before it, is something that still astonishes as much now as it did upon initial viewing.

32. Batman Begins (2005)

One of the most notorious bombs in Hollywood history is 1997’s Batman & Robin — a movie that, despite having some fans, is so cartoonishly absurd and dismissive of the source material’s essential themes and tone that it would be the last we would see of one of DC Comics’ most important characters on the big screen for years. The Caped Crusader’s resurgence in cinema — and in modern pop culture — can be traced back to when director Christopher Nolan went back to basics and all the way back to the beginning of his war on crime in Batman Begins.

Christian Bale immediately asserted himself as one of the best actors to play Batman with his grounded and stoic performance as a Bruce Wayne desperate to rescue his beloved Gotham City — one of the most stunningly realistic and effectively grimy depictions of the burdened metropolis — from the cesspool of crime and corruption it has become. While it is not widely considered to be the absolute best of the live-action Batman movies so far (more on that one later), most would agree that Batman Begins is one of the best superhero movies in general for its refreshingly earnest and complex approach to comic book lore, exhilarating action sequences and technical mastery, and reinventing the Dark Knight for a new generation without losing sight of what made him an icon in the first place.

31. Children of Men (2006)

In a dystopian future, environmental malpractice has led to constant war, famine, and total human infertility. So imagine the surprise felt by former political activist Theo Faron (Clive Owen) when he learns that a young female refugee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) is pregnant, and is poised to deliver the first natural childbirth in eighteen years. 

Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron was coming off of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (considered by many to be the best film in that saga) when he unleashed his talents on Children of Men. His breathtaking approach to editing and cinematography propels the action forward at a feverish pitch, with Cuaron often choosing to stage his movements in long, eye-popping, unbroken shots that lure the audience to the edge of their seats. Cuaron says this is a movie about hope, but you have to endure a lot of credible despair to finally unearth it. It’s worth the effort.

30. Ocean's Eleven (2001)

As times change, what’s considered popular is as fluid as water itself. Sometimes a movie can be ahead of the curve in that respect, dictating a whole era of cool in its very existence. Director Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven did just that, as both an uber slick heist movie, and as a modernized remake of a pre-existing film. 

The 1960’s Rat Pack extravaganza about war veterans looking for one big score was turned into a gathering of thieves, assembled by one man (George Clooney) looking for something more than cash. While the stakes were changed, and the number spelled out in the title, this film nailed the breezy energy that made the original so lovely.

Be it an all-star cast including Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts, the insanely slick soundtrack, or even just the way George Clooney could rock a suit without a tie, Ocean’s Eleven doesn’t telegraph its style. It presents it with great confidence, and allows you to decide if it’s worth your while. It’s a love letter to the past, while playing to the viewer of today; with a result as cool as that drink you just ordered at the bar.

29. Chicago (2002)

If you look at just about any list of the best musicals of the 21st century, it’s basically a guarantee that Chicago will be there. The adaptation of Bob Fosse’s long-running musical is one of few musical films to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Catherine Zeta-Jones took home a trophy as well for her stellar performance as the “All That Jazz” singer who killed her husband and sister, Velma Kelly. This film has intrigue, sex, murder, genius performances and a whole lot of jazz, and it's truly a masterful musical adaptation.

Rob Marshall ultimately made a musical that stays true to its stage roots, but also heightens the entire story through movie magic. Take “Cell Block Tango” for example, the majority of the song is performed on a stage, and the women singing about murdering their husbands are in black costumes similar to the wardrobe from Broadway. However, it’s bigger as a whole, and it flashes between the actual prison, and this staged dream-like sequence. By doing this for every number, the film both elevated and paid homage to its predecessor, which is just one of the many reasons it’s so incredible.

28. Iron Man (2008)

From being the first self-financed Marvel Studios production, executives initially being opposed to casting Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, and most of the dialogue being improvised since the script wasn’t finished when production began, there was a lot that could have gone wrong with Iron Man. And yet, the end result stands as a triumph in large part due to Downey’s performance as the genius/billionaire/playboy/philanthropist.

But of course, one can’t discuss Iron Man without addressing how it changed the film franchise game. Once Nick Fury emerged from the shadows and mentioned the Avengers Initiative in the post-credits scene, that was the first big tipoff that this movie was the first chapter in a shared universe, just like in the original Marvel comics. More than a decade later, the MCU still stands as a Hollywood powerhouse, and many franchises, both superhero and from other genres, have followed in its footsteps. 

27. Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

The slacker bastard child of George Romero's Dead films and Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead is a rarity in cinema, and not just for having the gall to sacrifice the soundtrack to 1989's Batman. It's a largely perfect amalgam of authenticity and parodical storytelling, anchored to the comedic whims and wiles of  director Edgar Wright, his co-writer Simon Pegg,  and Pegg’s co-star Nick Frost. As it goes with that trio’s other film on this list (see #65), Shaun’s biggest strength is its characters who feel real enough to legitimize the zombie apocalypse chaos, while also making viewers care about them even when the gory threats aren’t around the corner.

Shaun of the Dead may go down as the funniest horror movie to have ever existed, while also delivering some genuinely disturbing moments throughout that keep the adventure from falling too far into the funnies. Simon Pegg even transcends the dual genre description by spinning palpable emotion out of his struggle to prioritize the safety of his relationship, his BFF, and his mom. And if that wasn’t enough, it allowed moviegoers to spend some time in the Winchester, and that’s a slice of fried gold that makes everyone’s life better.

26. Moon (2009)

Whenever we sit down for a sci-fi film, especially one that takes place on a remote station somewhere away from our planet, we all know that we’re in for a twisty tale, and Moon certainly fulfills that promise. Duncan Jones’ 2009 directorial debut (he also came up with the story) focuses on Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), the lone human working a mostly automated mining facility on the far side of the moon, who begins to have troubling hallucinations as he nears the end of his work contract.

What follows is surprising, as not only does the story take several intriguingly unexpected turns, but it also examines what it’s like to be isolated from others (including loved ones), holding on to a sense of community, and one’s willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. Throw in a creepy AI, which can’t quite be determined as a helper or a hindrance for a time, and you get science fiction gold.

25. The Incredibles (2004)

Released during the early years of the superhero movie’s surging popularity, The Incredibles still holds up tremendously after all this time, despite so many other offerings from Marvel, DC and other studios being delivered nearly two decades after its release. To be sure, Pixar’s sixth full-length feature does a spectacular job at both honoring classic superhero stories and tropes, as well as poking fun at them, including the hilarious ‘no capes’ gag. But The Incredibles’ greatest feat isn’t how it handles these larger-than-life elements, but rather how it makes these characters feel relatable and complex in the midst of the action.

From Bob and Helen Parr being concerned about their children’s welfare, whether they’re living everyday life in suburbia or fighting bad guys in costume, to understanding that Syndrome’s sinister motivations stem from the hurt he endured as an adolescent, The Incredibles never pushes aside its humanity in favor of spectacle; instead, they compliment each other quite nicely. Throw in outstanding vocal performances from actors like Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter, and Brad Bird excelling as both the director and screenwriter, this movie stands out not just as a superhero movie, but as one of the greatest entries in Pixar’s library.

24. Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Join Us In Creating Excellence. More powerful than any anti-drug ad, Requiem for a Dream hit theaters in 2000 and has stood the test of time as possibly the most affecting portrayal of addiction to date. Based on the Hubert Selby Jr. book of the same name, Darren Aronofsky’s film explores more than just the heroin addictions of Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans’ characters. Ellen Burstyn’s obsession with being on television and fitting into her red dress is haunting, and there’s no questioning why the role earned her an Academy Award nomination.

The work behind the camera was equal to the all-around horrifying performances, as Darren Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique added to the story in how every shot was framed, the choreography of the characters’ movements, and the use of sound effects and split screens. The score was worthy of praise all on its own, with "Lux Aeterna" — the song that played over the climax of the film — leaving such an impression that it has gone on to be re-orchestrated for several other movie and video game trailers. 

Combine all of this and add a little of Christopher McDonald’s Tappy Tibbons J.U.I.C.E., and you’ve got a real feel-bad movie that may never fully leave you.

23. Oldboy (2003)

Because many have such good storylines, South Korean films have become some of the biggest international movies.. A few examples could be Parasite and The Wailing. One movie in particular stands above many of them, and that's Oldboy. 

Directed by Park Chan-wook, the film is loosely based on the Japanese manga of the same name and focuses on Dae-su, a man imprisoned in a cell that looks like a hotel room, for fifteen years, without knowing who the person was behind his capture. But when he gets his chance at freedom, he makes it his mission to find out who committed the crime all those years ago – only to find out there is much more to his imprisonment than he thought. 

Oldboy is incredible. The action scenes are probably some of the best recorded on a movie screen and have been imitated many times – just the corridor fight scene itself is enough to satisfy any action-movie fan. The story is intriguing all the way until the end, which will blow the minds of first-time viewers. Truly, Oldboy is a staple of the South Korean film industry – and a fantastic movie of the 2000s. 

22. Collateral (2004)

Michael Mann had already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest directors in the world of crime thrillers, but he further made a case for himself with his 2004 thriller, Collateral. Clocking in at exactly two hours, this cool, violent, and ruthless neo-noir classic not only sees one of the best Jamie Foxx performances with his portrayal of cab driver Max (a role that should have earned him an Oscar), it also introduces one of Tom Cruise’s most unhinged characters: Vincent, a mysterious and deadly assassin.

Cruise, who was coming off movies like Minority Report and The Last Samurai, is incredibly refreshing as the film’s antagonist, and it shows a side of the star that audiences don’t get to see as much. Seeing the actor’s undeniable charm and big-screen energy used to breathe life into someone who is pure evil is quite the experience, and really messes with the viewers’ mindset. In addition to actors like Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem, and Jada Pinkett Smith, the movie also treats the city of Los Angeles less like a backdrop and more as another character, one that feels more alive as the story goes on, much like Mann’s 1995 heist film, Heat.

21. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Since the early days of moviemaking, Walt Disney’s viewpoint of the fairytale has had a stake in popular culture. It’s G-rated, soft and sweet, and there’s always a happy ending. Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth brings to life a fairytale that redefined what a fantasy movie can look like with its distinct and unforgettable vision. Set in 1944 Spain as the country picks up the pieces of the Spanish Civil War, the R-rated fantasy film follows a young girl named Ofelia as she faces the violent reality of the Francoist period and stumbles upon a dark wonderland in the shadows (or at least the shadows of her imagination). 

As del Toro was coming off two more commercial movies in Blade II and Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth is a breathtaking highlight in an all-time great filmmaker’s career. Across two hours, the Spanish-language movie brings to life an extraordinary vision that beautifully balances being twisted and innocent all at once with memorable horror, gore, mythical creations and a ton of gorgeous practical creature effects. How does he balance a magical quest with political drama? Some especially memorable words in Pan’s Labyrinth answers that question: If “door is locked,” one must “create your own.” In a landscape where fairytales can be predictable, del Toro opened a wonderfully defiant world of his own with Pan’s Labyrinth.

20. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) And Vol. 2 (2004)

After turning the heist movie on its head with 1992’s Reservoir Dogs, and changing the way audiences perceive movies in general (and winning a screenwriting Oscar) with 1994’s Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino very quickly made himself into one of the most unique and esteemed icons of the medium. However, after releasing his 1997 Elmore Leonard adaptation, Jackie Brown, we would not see him direct anything for another six years. Little did we know that he was planning to come back with something big — so big, that just one movie was not enough to tell the story. Based on a character Tarantino created with star Uma Thurman on the Pulp Fiction set, Kill Bill follows a deadly assassin initially known only as The Bride — one of the greatest female action heroes — who wakes up from a four-year coma with a furious urge to punish those who tried to put her to sleep permanently, with her former boss (David Carradine) being the primary target. 

For years, it was debated whether or not the stylistically disparate halves of the story — with Vol. 1 being an ode to ‘70s kung fu movies and Vol. 2 counting as Tarantino’s first western, essentially — should count as one film. Well, even if the director had never officially clarified that he does see Kill Bill as one movie, we still would have designated one spot for both volumes of this exquisitely crafted, gorgeously choreographed, visually and emotionally breathtaking epic on this list, because that is the only way to experience "the whole bloody affair.” 

• A Kill Bill Quote To Remember: “That's right. I killed your master. And now I'm gonna kill you too, with your own sword, no less, which in the very immediate future, will become... my sword.” (The Bride)

19. Training Day (2001)

In 100 years, when film historians look back to determine why Denzel Washington was considered one of the best actors of his generation, director Antoine Fuqua's Training Day should be at the top of any screening list. Detective Alonzo Harris is a special kind of monster, and Washington’s work offers incredible escalation and power. At first, he just seems like a hardened detective who has made some scary discoveries about how best to patrol the city of Los Angeles, but he becomes a whole different kind of beast by the end – one that King Kong ain’t got nothin’ on.

But while Training Day features an all-time great performance from one of the all-time great actors, not to be ignored is just how terrific the movie as a whole is. Ethan Hawke is also at the top of his game as up-and-coming officer Jake Hoyt, who faces death and peril as he slowly understands the real game that Alonzo is playing, and David Ayer’s screenplay is special – packing the believable character arcs and growing stakes into a limited 24-hour time frame. Even on the tenth viewing it is successful at raising your pulse and getting you to invest in the protagonist’s peril, and that’s the mark of a truly great thriller.

• A Training Day Quote To Remember: “You gotta control your smiles and cries, because that's all you have and nobody can take that away from you.” (Jake Hoyt)

18. The Wrestler (2008)

Still considered one of the best movies of 2008 more than a decade later, Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler is a grueling battle royale of emotions that doesn’t pull any punches with its story about a broken-down professional wrestler looking for one last shot at redemption. Channeling both the triumph and tragedy, and the agony and ecstasy of putting one’s life on the line day-in and day-out for decades, Mickey Rourke gave audiences the performance of a lifetime with his portrayal of washed-up wrestler, Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a one-time larger-than-life titan caught somewhere between his past and uncertain future.

There are a lot of parallels between the character and Rouke’s own journey in this semi-autobiographical drama, which adds a tremendous amount of depth to not only his performance, but also the movie in general. Though wrestling is often considered a fake sport, Rourke’s performance and Aronofsky’s commitment to portraying the industry in an honest and genuine light is incredibly real. The physical, mental, and emotional pain can be felt in each of Randy’s movements, heard in his voice, and seen in his eyes as the former champ wrestles in high school gyms and attempts to make ends meet by taking on shifts at a local grocery store deli. Then there are the religious allegories that are explored through Randy’s character, as well as Marisa Tomei’s Cassidy, which make it all even more potent.

• A The Wrestler Quote To Remember: “I'll tell you somethin', I hate the fuckin' 90's.” (Randy Robinson)

17. Finding Nemo (2003)

Pixar has created some of the greatest animated films of all time, and Finding Nemo may be the studio’s true crowning achievement. It is as beautifully animated as it is emotionally powerful. The undersea world of Nemo is gorgeous simply to look at, and that’s just as true today as it was when the film was released. 

2003's Finding Nemo’s voice casting is second to none. Nobody does neurotic like Albert Brooks. Nobody can play clueless like Ellen DeGeneres. Nobody plays a tough guy of questionable sanity like Willem Dafoe. These are the actors you would cast if you were telling this story in live-action, and they bring it all to the voice performances in a way that truly brings these characters to life.

And Finding Nemo is able to balance its emotional extremes perfectly. We’re used to Pixar movies making us cry but years before Up, Finding Nemo opened with an incredibly heartbreaking moment. But after that, it’s able to be hilarious, scary, and even exciting. Finally, it concludes with the sort of resolution that stands the test of time, as young children will see the film and relate with Nemo, then grow up, and begin to understand Marlin in a new way.  Nemo does it all, not bad for a clownfish with a bad fin. 

• A Finding Nemo Quote To Remember: “Of course I like you. It’s because I like you, I don’t want to be with you. It’s a complicated emotion.” (Marlin)

16. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

“I think this just might be my masterpiece.” That’s the final line in writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, and coming as it does at the end of 153 minutes of perfection, it’s hard not to read it as a message directly from the filmmaker to the audience. In 2009, Tarantino was coming off of a low point in his career with the disappointing theatrical release of Grindhouse, but his follow-up is a phenomenal World War II epic that only he could make: Nazi-killing action packaged in a love letter to cinema.

Two stories – the revenge of Mélanie Laurent's Shosanna Dreyfus and the mission of the titular troop – play out in parallel with equal captivating energy right up until they collide in the (literally) explosive finale. While there isn’t a star in the expansive ensemble who doesn’t deliver a memorable performance (from Brad Pitt to Michael Fassbender to even Mike Myers), there isn’t a person who can watch the film and not walk away mesmerized by the work done by Christoph Waltz in his star-making turn as Hans Landa. It’s not an easy thing to blend a vibe of dastardly evil with sharp charisma, but Waltz is a force in the role, and it remains the best thing he has done in his career.

• An Inglourious Basterds Quote To Remember: “Well, you don't got to be Stonewall Jackson to know you don't want to fight in a basement.” (Lt. Aldo Raine)

15. Spirited Away (2001)

Studio Ghibli is one of the world's most-known anime film studios. Co-founded by legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki, the studio has created some of the best anime films of all time, one of which is Spirited Away – which Hayao Miyazaki directed. 

Spirited Away is about a journey into the spirit world following the young Chihiro. Taking place in Japan, we follow the little girl, who happens to be moving to a new neighborhood with her family. When her parents decide to take a shortcut to their new home and explore what looks to be an abandoned amusement park, Chihiro is forced to go along. However, there's magic everywhere, and her mom and dad turn into pigs against their will for eating a gluttonous feast. For her to get them back, she must work for the spirits in the bathhouse, so they can return to the human world. 

The premise itself sounds like a lot at first, but it's become Studio Ghibli’s – and Hayao Miyazaki's – highest-grossing film. It’s also the only anime film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the only hand-drawn film (so far) to accomplish the task. The movie features themes about love and learning to grow up and be brave. It's the perfect gateway movie into the anime film – indeed, one of the best movies of the 2000s. 

• A Spirited Away Quote To Remember: “I don't need any help; this place is full of soot.” (Kamaji)

14. The Prestige (2006)

The Prestige is a battle of wills between two talented and irreparably flawed magicians, who can’t stay out of each other’s lives. Their differing roles in a shared tragedy push them apart and then repeatedly back together, as their initial determination to succeed steadily gives way to an obsession for vengeance. That obsession drives them to sacrifice and abandon everything healthy about their lives until they’re each left with only a singular drive to sabotage the other.

Based on that description, The Prestige sounds like a really dark movie. In many ways, it is, but in director Christopher Nolan’s hands, it’s also often really fun. It has a sense of wonder and mystery about it, as it not only dives into the idiosyncrasies of magic but also the exciting possibilities of science in the 1890s and early 1900s. It was a time and place in which anything felt possible, and you really feel that hopeful uncertainty thanks to a timeline that jumps to and fro and fantastic performances from Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall and a perfectly cast David Bowie as Nikola Tesla. Like a great magic trick, the first time you watch The Prestige, you’re fascinated by the spectacle and simply along for the ride. Then every time you rewatch it afterwards, you’re blown away by all the subtle skill required to pull it off.

• A The Prestige Quote To Remember: “Nobody cares about the man in the box.” (Robert Angier)

13. There Will Be Blood (2007)

Looking back, 2007 was one of the best movie years in recent memory, considering classics like No Country For Old Men, Zodiac, and Superbad all premiered on the big screen. But one of the biggest, baddest, and most arresting of those releases was Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. An epic period drama about oilman Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) doing everything in his power and stepping on anyone in his way in his quest for wealth in the early 20th-century oil boom, the movie is a deep and vast exploration of a man’s psyche and desire to become the biggest player in the game.

While Day-Lewis’s performance is tremendous and more than deserving of the Oscar he received, it’s made even better thanks to his character’s conflict with Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a religious zealot who is just as tenacious and hungry for power as his counterpart. Several of the movie’s most iconic scenes (like the oil-town baptism and shocking ending sequence) are the result of the actor’s tremendous chemistry and ability to play off each other’s words. The pair, who get along like oil and holy water, create a dynamic that’s not quite a battle between good and evil, but instead something much deeper than that, which adds another level to this incredible cinematic achievement.

• A There Will Be Blood Quote To Remember: “You're an orphan from a basket in the middle of the desert, and I took you for no other reason than I needed a sweet face to buy land.” (Daniel)

12. In Bruges (2008)

Prior to 2008, Martin McDonagh was established as a talented and popular playwright, but he had ambitions to make his way into movies. In 2004, he directed the incredible short film Six Shooter (which won an Academy Award), and then he moved to features. He made his debut with In Bruges, and anyone who saw it instantly recognized McDonagh’s potential to become one of the best filmmakers working today (potential he has made good on with the genius of Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and The Banshees of Inisherin).

In Bruges takes a high concept premise – two hitman hide out in Belgium waiting for instructions after a job goes bad – and weaves a remarkable meditation on life and death. It’s a dark comedy (and a hilarious one at that), but it has a beautiful blend of tones that radiate from the genius work of stars Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes. Farrell and Gleeson have a unique chemistry that works on both comedic and dramatic levels (it’s far from a mystery why McDonagh reunited them for The Banshees of Inisherin) and the bizarrely rage and logic-filled energy that Fiennes brings in the third act is icing on the cake.

• An In Bruges Quote To Remember: “I kinda like hearing people having sex. Means at least somebody around here's happy.” (Ray)

11. Almost Famous (2000)

If a 15-year-old going on tour with a raucous rock band wasn’t enough of a hook, Almost Famous also happens to have one of the most memorable posters/ DVD box covers of all time. It focuses on the enigmatic Penny Lane, the heroine of Cameron Crowe’s film, whom everyone loves to love and admire and most don’t bother to understand. With distinct shades and tendrils of blonde hair, she draws you into her world of Humble Pie and heartbreak, and in between commentary on what made the ’70s the ’70s and a slick soundtrack including Led Zeppelin, The Who and of course Elton John, she helps turn the film into one of the best of the 2000s.

It’s a career-defining performance for Kate Hudson, and she’s not the only one who delivers. Jason Lee grows a mustache and long hair to fall into his hilarious lead singer role while Billy Crudup is similarly unrecognizable as the talented and moody Russell Hammond. Patrick Fugit plays William Miller, younger than most but wiser than some, and he finds a terrific foil in Philip Seymour Hoffman, who plays famed music writer Lester Bangs. Throw in great work from Frances McDormand, Zooey Deschanel and even Jimmy Fallon and it’s a masterclass of terrific performances. If it’s been a while since you’ve revisited the movie, maybe throw on some purple-tinted sunglasses and kick back to the tune of Simon & Garfunkel’s “America.” Settle in, you’re almost home.

• An Almost Famous Quote To Remember: “If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt. If you never get hurt, you always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, you just go to the record store and visit your friends.” (Penny Lane)

10. No Country For Old Men (2007)

No matter what kind of film genre is up for discussion, the power and breadth of the Coen Brothers' filmography is worthy of inclusion, and they don't make 'em much better than 2007's No Country for Old Men. An adaptation of Carmac McCarthy’s 2005 novel that’s every bit as faithful as it is chilling, the film meticulously dips its toes most heavily into the cinematic waters of crime thrillers and westerns. That said, Javier Bardem’s unflinching hitman, Anton Chigurh, would be at home in any horror narrative, with his Two-Face-esque coin flips and an unstoppable drive that rivals Jason Voorhees or Michael Meyers. At least if a big ol’ stack of cash was also their end goal.

Despite being one of Joel and Ethan Coen’s driest films regarding their signature screwball humor, the movie is an exercise in tension that thrives on its lack of levity, though it’s hard not to smile whenever Woody Harrelson is on the screen in any capacity. With a stellar cast including Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt and more, No Country for Old Men is, to date, the only Coen brothers masterpiece to win them the Oscars for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture, with Bardem taking the gold for Best Supporting Actor. It’s not the awards that best signify its impact, however, but the bolt pistol gripped in Chigurh’s ever-steady hand.

• A No Country For Old Men Quote To Remember: “Well all the time ya spend trying to get back what's been took from ya, more is going out the door. After a while you just have to try to get a tourniquet on it.” (Ellis)

9. Memento (2000)

Talk about a movie that you definitely need to watch without your phone in your hand. Christopher Nolan’s Memento is a mind-bending combination of different angles that demands and deserves your entire attention. The story is told backward, broken up by clips of a black and white, forward-moving montage of a mysterious one-sided phone call in a hotel, led by Guy Pearce, whose character Leonard, also happens to have anterograde (or short-term) amnesia, stopping our protagonist from creating new memories as he looks for his wife’s killer, who also gave him this debilitating injury.

As mentioned, Nolan basically begins at the end and works his way back, for the most part. The juxtaposition of the timelines bring the audience into the obvious confusion that Leonard lives with every day. "Even if you get revenge, you're not going to remember it," he's told by his new friend Teddy (played by Joe Pantoliano) but his reply shows just how far his love and determination will go, stating "My wife deserves revenge whether or not I remember it."  Toss in Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) to add some confusing sympathy (or treachery) and you will probably want a second viewing just to wrap your mind around what you might have initially dismissed as unimportant plot points from this Nolan classic. You’ll notice that Nolan has popped up numerous times on this list (and rightfully so) and he has also once again recently hit it out of the park with 2023’s Oppenheimer.  

• A Memento Quote To Remember: “So you lie to yourself to be happy. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all do it.” (Teddy G.)

8. Wall-E (2008)

Do you know who is a genius? Sound designer Ben Burtt. You might not know his name, but you certainly know the movies he contributed to over the years, including Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and 2009’s Star Trek. Burtt designed the “vocals” for R2-D2, Darth Vader’s heavy breathing, and the “voice” of E.T. But, his work truly soared when he lent dialogue to the adorable Waste Allocation Load Lifter assigned to an abandoned Earth. MIraculously, the first half of Pixar’s ingenious WALL-E works as a silent film, following our main character as it goes about its daily routine with a pet cockroach in tow. WALL-E’s life is upended when another robot named EVE arrives, searching for any sign of life. 

From there, the fate of humanity starts to be revealed, and it’s rather grim. Director Andrew Stanton’s animation for the film ranks as some of Pixar’s most magnificent, embracing the scorched orange of a deserted Earth and then painting with vivid colors for WALL-E’s eventual outer-space adventure. The environmental messages of the film are important without ever being preachy. And, the eventual romance felt and shared by WALL-E and EVE will lift every single heart, with the lovers sharing hardly any words. 

• A Wall-E Quote To Remember: “I see the ship's log is showing that today is the 700th anniversary of our five year cruise. Well, I'm sure our forefathers would be proud to know that 700 years later we'd be... doing the exact same thing they were doing.” (Captain B. McCrea)

7. The Departed (2006)

There are crime films and then there are Martin Scorsese crime films, and when it comes to The Departed, the director doesn’t let us down. A remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, the 2006 movie gives us a range of characters to root for, root against or simply watch just to see what they’ll do or say next. That includes Leonardo DiCaprio’s undercover cop character Billy Costigan, Matt Damon’s sneaky, spying Colin Sullivan, Jack Nicholson’s mob boss character Frank Costello, and Vera Farmiga’s well-meaning therapist Dr. Madolyn Madden. To say that things get complicated might be understating it, but it’s the complexity of the characters and their roles in this story that makes The Departed such a fantastic and gripping movie from beginning to end. 

In a way, it’s all business for everyone involved, but it’s also personal for each character on some level or another. It’s impossible not to feel anxious for DiCaprio’s character as he attempts to navigate the criminal world without being caught for who he really is, just as it’s impossible not to grow increasingly frustrated by Matt Damon’s character for posing as an upstanding law enforcer who’s actually up to no good. It’s thrilling, stressful, riveting and ultimately satisfying, and that’s not even factoring in Mark Wahlberg’s character every time he has something to say (that’s just a bonus). 

• A The Departed Quote To Remember: “You know what I like about restaurants? . . . You can learn a lot, watching things eat.” (Frank Costello)

6. Best In Show (2000)

Nobody does mockumentaries like Christopher Guest, and 2000’s Best in Show is an absolute masterclass. The mundane musings of everyday conversation combine with outlandish characters and awkward situations to deliver one of the best movies of the decade. The dog show is the event that brings these unique and individually brilliant characters under one roof, but it’s no Maguffin. As bonkers as each dog-lover’s trip is to get to the show, everything is turned up to 11, if you will, when they all come together, and the event itself is perfectly colored by Fred Willard’s commentary.

There’s a reason this phenomenal cast has stuck together to appear in other projects. The chemistry between Eugene Levy’s Gerry and Catherine O’Hara’s Cookie (with her “hundreds” of boyfriends) left people begging for more, which they got in A Mighty Wind. Jennifer Coolidge was excellent in her attempts to substantiate her marriage to her ancient sugar daddy husband by saying they bonded over a love of soup and the ability to “not talk or talk forever.” The genius casting of John Michael Higgins and Michael McKean gave audiences the married couple they never knew they needed. 

Best in Show exploits the banal in some situations while heightening reality in others, to where Harlan Pepper naming nuts and the couple describing how they met at Starbucks (but two different Starbucks) land laughs just as hard as Gerry’s literal two left feet or Cookie walking with her knee out of socket.

• A Best In Show Quote To Remember: “Why don’t they put the bloodhound — put on one of those Sherlock Holmes hats and put a little pipe in his mouth? Are they ever allowed to do anything like that? Dress up the dog in a funny way? It would really get the crowd going. You know what I mean? The Sherlock Holmes hat with a pipe. I don’t know if you could make it look like smoke is coming out of the pipe.” (Buck Laughlin)

5. Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher’s greatest accomplishment, and that’s saying a lot. The director has spent countless hours analyzing the compulsion that drives people to seek the truth – be it lawyers parsing through statements to figure out who invented Facebook (The Social Network), or detectives tracking a serial killer who is inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins (Seven). But Zodiac is Fincher’s magnum opus, an engrossing true-crime thriller based on the books of Robert Graysmith tracking the diligent work of three men consumed by the search for the identity of the Zodiac Killer. 

Jake Gyllanhaal serves as the ideal audience surrogate, a puzzle designer for the San Francisco Chronicle who gets swept up in the mystery of the serial killer, who antagonized the police and the media as he committed vicious murders around San Francisco in the 1970s, Fincher painstakingly recreates the time period with breathtaking visuals and top-notch costuming and set design. His emphasis on the bustle of a newsroom is particularly spot on. The film also lingers in the haze of fear, anxiety, and suspense that comes from a killer on the loose. But it’s the supporting roles of Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo, as well as an inability to truly deliver a concrete ending, that makes Zodiac such a rewatchable movie, and a captivating masterpiece.

• A Zodiac Quote To Remember: “I am not the Zodiac. And if I was, I certainly wouldn't tell you.” (Arthur Leigh Allen)

4. Mean Girls (2004)

From wearing pink on Wednesdays to shouting “You go Glen Coco” it’s undeniable that Mean Girls has seriously influenced pop culture over the last (almost) two decades. So, “get in loser,” it’s time to appreciate this beloved coming-of-age comedy from Tina Fey.

This movie is a classic teenage tale about a girl who moves from Africa to the United States where she experiences the rude awakening that is high school by way of The Plastics. While it’s your typical coming-of-age story, it’s infused with the signature sense of humor from Fey – who was in the midst of her legendary run at Saturday Night Live – and it shows the high school experience in a totally unique way with a cast of characters played by actors who have since become icons. 

Not only did the film solidify Lindsay Lohan as an early 2000s star, it also simultaneously jumpstarted the careers of many in the Mean Girls cast, including little known actresses like Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried. On top of that, its legacy has lived on, as it was adapted into a Broadway musical, and is eventually coming back to the screen with an adaptation of said stage production. To say this film is a quintessential 2000s classic almost feels like an understatement because of the lasting impact it has managed to have on people of all ages since its release in 2004. 

• A Mean Girls Quote To Remember: "She doesn't even go here!" (Damian)

3. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

You could argue that Jim Carrey makes much better dramatic movies than he does comedic features. And that opinion is coming from someone who adores Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, as well as Dumb & Dumber. But when you factor in the dramatic detours he embarked on for The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, and this incredible romance, you begin to wonder how many Oscars Carrey might have if he got the industry to treat him seriously, instead of talking out of his ass (literally). 

Carrey and Kate Winslet are magnificent as Joel and Clementine, two soul mates who undergo a radical procedure to have their memories of each other erased after a bitter argument. Only screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) could keep such a twisty premise from flying off the rails. And while the side-mission actions of the memory technicians can get a little silly, we remain wholly invested in Joel and Clementine’s complicated journey because of the heartbroken and beautiful chemistry shared between Carrey and Winslet. It’s a real challenge presented to these stars, as we’re not supposed to know whether Joel and Clementine are better off together or apart. But the satisfying resolution says as much about fate as it does about the existence of true love, so long as we remember how and when to look for it.

• An Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind Quote To Remember: “Constantly talking isn’t necessarily communicating.” (Joel Barish)

2. The Dark Knight (2008)

It’s been said before, but it’ll be said again – The Dark Knight is one of the greatest superhero films (and one of the greatest movies) ever made. Christopher Nolan’s ambition as a filmmaker has been well-noted, but even he outdid himself with his 2008 follow-up to 2005’s Batman Begins. The second chapter in the journey of Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne sees the iconic DC Comics hero going up against the dangerous and unpredictable Joker. All the while, the Caped Crusader and his allies must also contend with mob bosses and Harvey Dent, Gotham City’s honorable district attorney who becomes the deformed Two-Face.

Where does one even start when it comes to singing this movie’s praises? There’s the impeccable screenplay, massive set pieces, engrossing score and much more. Yet I suppose what stands out the most are the performances, especially that of the late Heath Ledger. The actor, who posthumously won an Oscar for his work, fully committed to his role as the Clown Prince of Crime and is absolutely mesmerizing. His villainous turn is just one of the many reasons why Nolan’s film is a thrilling and compelling piece of work that’s still incredibly entertaining now, over a decade later.

• A The Dark Knight Quote To Remember: “Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it! You know, I just...do things.” (The Joker)

1. City Of God (2002)

Making its Brazil and festival run in 2002 and eventually hitting theaters in the U.S. and elsewhere  in the year that followed, Fernando Meirelles’ City of God, based on Paulo Lins’ semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, served as an inflection point in the world of cinema and served as a preview of what the the next few years would look like. Told through the eyes of young photographer Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), the movie explores the life of street kids in the Cidade de Deus (City of God) favela in Rio de Janeiro, an expansive slum filled with endless supplies of drugs, ruthless gangsters, and corrupt cops who allow the madness to continue. One of the most violent movies of the 2000s, City of God is a lesson in brutality, especially whenever depicting the exploits of Li’l Dice (Douglas Silva), a ruthless and sociopathic young criminal who stops at nothing in his quest for complete control. Oddly enough, the older version of the character known as Li’l Ze (Leandro Firmino) never comes off as cold blooded as his younger self, which further illustrates the movie’s point about youth and violence. 

At the same time, City of God is also one of the most beautiful movies of the 2000s, and not just on an aesthetic level (though César Charlone’s cinematography is out of this world). The endearing spirit of those who wish to escape a life of crime, ranging from Rocket to the ill-fated drug dealer Benny (Phellipe Haagensen), adds a level of heart and soul one may not expect from a two-hour crime drama about young criminals with short fuses and, in many cases, tragically  shorter lifespans. 

• A City Of God Quote To Remember: “You need more than guts to be a good gangster; you need ideas.” (Rocket)

How we put this list together

Using a combination of internal recommendations and other best of lists, we compiled a spreadsheet of all the movies from the 2000s that we considered to be culturally relevant and/or critically well-reviewed. We pushed together some multi-part movies like Kill Bill and Lord Of The Rings and then had our staff of almost 30 go through and assign a score for each movie they’ve seen based on their own personal opinions. We disqualified any movies that didn’t get a minimum number of ratings and dropped the lowest score for each, as if we were judging a figure skating competition. We then ordered the top 100 based on average score and had someone who gave that movie a particularly high score write up a paragraph explaining what’s so great about it. This rigorous scientific process resulted in Idiocracy being slotted at 101, an omission I’m still furious about.