The 2000s was a wonderful decade. Big Brother, Euro 2004, Arctic Monkeys, The Sims, Golden Balls, Facebook, Obama; the list could go on.
There’s also been some incredible films released in that period as well. So here’s six films from the ‘noughties’ that you may have already seen but are well worth a re-watch. If you’ve never got round to seeing them, then here’s your chance!
The weather’s crap, buy some microwave popcorn, find the biggest TV in your house, sit back and enjoy these films.
Slumdog Millionaire (2009) – Amazon Prime Video
Director: Danny Boyle – 120mins – Age Certificate: 15
Back in January 2009, Danny Boyle’s romance-drama Slumdog Millionaire was released in UK cinemas to little fanfare. However, after ten Academy Award nominations, this film was thrusted into the spotlight and everyone around the world was talking about it.
This film tells the story of 18-year-old call centre assistant Jamil Malik (Dev Patel), who's taking part as a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
Jamil surprises the whole of India by being able to answer every question correctly. After being accused of cheating, Jamil recaps his harrowing life story of growing up an orphan in the slums of India with his older brother, while detailing how he got each question correct.
Slumdog Millionaire won eight Academy Awards in 2009, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography and of course…Best Original Song with Jai Ho!
Guy Movies Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Prestige (2006) – Amazon Prime
Director: Christopher Nolan – 120mins – Age Certificate: 15
Christopher Nolan was one of the biggest stars in the noughties, directing Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Prestige.
Hugh Jackman (Logan, The Greatest Showman) joins Nolan regulars Christian Bale and Sir Michael Caine in this physiological thriller set in 1890s London that’s based on Christopher Priest’s novel of the same title.
Robert Angier (Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Bale) are two magicians who are both obsessed with creating the best illusion and the two end up embarking on an ongoing battle to become the best magician; with fatal consequences.
Jackman’s performance feels almost like an audition for the role of P.T. Barnum in 2017’s The Greatest Showman, as Angier is known for his ability to put on a show, whereas Borden’s emphasis is on producing the greatest illusions.
The Prestige is two hours of pure adrenaline, it’s super-fast paced with a storyline that takes dozens of twists and turns throughout. Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie and Andy Serkis also feature in this must-watch film.
Guy Movies Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Inglourious Basterds (2009) – Netflix & Sky Cinema
Director: Quentin Tarrantino – 153mins – Age Certificate: 18
In Quentin Tarrantino’s seventh film as director, Inglourious Basterds features a star-studded cast of Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender and Diane Kruger in this World War Two action film.
Set in a Nazi-governed France, the film follow two plots to assassinate Nazi Germany’s leadership, one planned by a group of Jewish American soldiers called the Inglourious Basterds led my Aldo Raine (Pitt) and another by a Jewish French cinema owner (Melaine Laurent).
Like any Tarrantino film, it’s full of bloody action, tense and very entertaining. Christoph Waltz is the standout performer as SS Colnle Hans Landa, and he scooped Best Supporting Actor at the 2010 BAFTAS, Golden Globes and Academy Awards.
Guy Movies Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Lost in Translation (2003) – Netflix
Director: Sophia Coppola – 102mins – Age Certificate: 15
The noughties seemed to be filled with some questionable romantic films, however Lost in Translation is one of the best and was even awarded Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards in 2004.
Bob Harris (the excellent Billy Murray) is a fading American actor who is sent to Tokyo to film a big-money advertisement for whiskey. Struggling to cope with jet lag and unable to speak the language, he befriends recent college graduate Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) in the hotel bar.
Charlotte is visiting Tokyo with her husband, John (Giovanni Ribisi), a busy celebrity photographer. But is the unlikely friendship between Charlotte and Bob something a little more?
Director Sophia Coppola said that she wrote this film after visiting Tokyo during a point in her life which was “kind of a crisis.” Lost in Translation does lack a punchy soundtrack that most rom-coms rely on, but it does explore the theme of loneliness – potentially something that many people can relate to right now.
Guy Movies Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Incredibles (2004) – Disney+
Director: Brad Bird – 115mins – Age Certificate: PG
Over the last decade there’s been an influx of superhero films as Marvel and DC have smashed box office records, turning the superhero industry into a multi-billion pound market, and us consumers can’t get enough of it.
However, Pixar’s 2004 release of The Incredibles saw this action-packed fun family film that won the hearts of kids, parents and film critics. Despite being 16 years old, it’s still seen as a game-changer in the superhero movie world.
Set in an alternative version of the 1960s, The Incredibles are a family of superheroes who are forced to suppress their powers to follow government laws. However, Mr Incredible is still determined to save lives of innocent people and drags his family into a battle with a fan-turned-enemy.
A long-awaited sequel was released back in 2018 – The Incredibles 2 (available on Disney+) – and is also worth a watch.
Guy Movies Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) – Sky Cinema
Director: Sharon Maguire – 97mins – Age Certificate: 15
Was there a more iconic British rom-com in the noughties than Bridget Jones’s Diary? Based on Helen Fielding’s novel of the same title – which is a reinterpretation of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice – Bridget Jones stole the hearts of the nation with her dramatic love life and unlucky lifestyle.
Producers spent two years casting the ‘perfect Bridget’, as Renee Zellweger (Judy, Chicago, Miss Potter) beat a number of A-list stars to the role. Bridget is a 32-year-old lonely singleton whose life changes when all of a sudden family-friend Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and her boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), begin to vie for her affection.
It’s light-hearted, funny and firmly deserves its place in British pop culture. Follow ups Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (also available on Sky Cinema) and Bridget Jones’s Baby (unfortunately not on any streaming services) were later released in 2004 and 2016 respectively.
Guy Movies Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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