I still think of the '00s as being not that long ago. I mean, it's the new millennium, right? We're just getting started. But then I remember that it's 2017. There are people with their driver's licenses who never even breathed the air of the '90s. The '00s were a while ago. And since a fair amount of time has passed since Y2K, a good number of movies from the last decade have disappeared with the sands of time. And there's no time like the present to remember the most obscure '00s movies ever.
When most people think of '00s movies, they'll probably think of the massive franchises that cropped up in the decade. The '00s were when billion dollar movie franchises became a thing thanks to series like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Spider-Man, Shrek, and Pirates of the Caribbean. But there were a number of smaller movies fighting for eyeballs as well, often unsuccessfully. Some of these movies helped launch the careers of some big name actors and filmmakers, meaning fans owe them a debt of gratitude — no matter how seemingly insignificant or strange they may be. So check out the list below for a trip down memory lane and see how many of these forgotten '00s movies you can remember.
1‘Sunshine’
Before Danny Boyle won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire, he made this sci-fi epic.
2‘City Of Ember’
A YA adaptation that hit a few years before such films became huge business.
3‘The Wild’
This super obscure Disney flick came off as a ripoff of Madagascar but with way worse animation. This was the Mouse House at their post-'90s lowest.
4‘Kicking And Screaming’
Will Ferrell has been in some weird movies, but this is the weirdest.
5‘Zathura’
This spiritual sequel to Jumanji will definitely not get a remake starring The Rock.
6‘Gossip’
Look, it's Teddy from Westworld, Cersei from Game of Thrones, and Daryl from The Walking Dead!
7‘Manic’
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel played each other's love interests years before 500 Days of Summer.
9‘Bride Wars’
Sounds like a TLC show, but it's actually a movie starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson.
10‘Soul Survivors’
It's a teen horror movie! Some genres never go out of style.
12‘Hamlet’
Modern day Shakespeare adaptations were huge in the '00s, like this one set at "Denmark Corporation."
14‘Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story’
It's a travesty more people didn't see this musician biopic parody; it's one of the funniest movies ever made.
15‘Because I Said So’
Mandy Moore and Lauren Graham play sisters, oddly enough, and Diane Keaton plays their mom.
16‘Robots’
Fox was hoping this would become the next Ice Age. Things didn't quite work out that way.
17‘Solaris’
This sci-fi movie is actually a remake of a much older film; and it's pretty good!
18‘You Can Count On Me’
I'm not sure if Laura Linney was more underrated as an actor in the '00s or today.
19‘Where The Heart Is’
A silly guilty pleasure for sure, but a heartwarming flick nonetheless.
20‘Australia’
Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, the two most Australian actors ever, come together in a movie that finally lets them use their real accents.
21‘Titan A.E.’
Innovative animation did not translate into cultural significance for this film.
22‘The Ugly Truth’
Want to see some great on-screen chemistry? Then skip this rom-com starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler.
23‘Reign Of Fire’
All right, all right, all right, let's hunt us some dragons.
24‘Igby Goes Down’
This offbeat indie film is actually one of my favorites of the era, and it's got a great cast.
