A Glean movie guide
The 2000s: A Decade of Modern Classics
The essential 2000s watchlist.
From gritty superhero epics to mind-bending dramas, these are the films that defined an era.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Dark Knight
A gritty crime epic that redefined the superhero genre through a legendary, haunting villain.
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.
- 02
There Will Be Blood
A powerhouse performance anchors this sprawling, atmospheric tale of greed and the American oil boom.
Ruthless silver miner, turned oil prospector, Daniel Plainview, moves to oil-rich California. Using his son to project a trustworthy, family-man image, Plainview cons local landowners into selling him their valuable properties for a pittance. However, local preacher Eli Sunday suspects Plainview's motives and intentions, starting a slow-burning feud that threatens both their lives.
- 03
Spirited Away
A visually stunning hand-drawn masterpiece that captures the wonder and peril of a magical spirit world.
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.
- 04
No Country for Old Men
A tense, philosophical pursuit across the Texas desert where fate and violence collide with chilling precision.
Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.
- 05
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
A deeply inventive and emotional exploration of love, loss, and the memories we choose to keep.
Joel Barish, heartbroken that his girlfriend underwent a procedure to erase him from her memory, decides to do the same. However, as he watches his memories of her fade away, he realises that he still loves her, and may be too late to correct his mistake.
- 06
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The definitive high-fantasy epic that brought Middle-earth to life with unmatched scale and heart.
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
- 07
City of God
A kinetic, visceral journey through the favelas of Rio where survival and ambition are inextricably linked.
In the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s, two young men choose different paths. Rocket is a budding photographer who documents the increasing drug-related violence of his neighborhood, while José “Zé” Pequeno is an ambitious drug dealer diving into a dangerous life of crime.
- 08
Children of Men
A masterclass in technical filmmaking that presents a terrifyingly grounded and urgent vision of the future.
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
- 09
Pan's Labyrinth
A dark, beautiful fairy tale that weaves together the horrors of war and the power of imagination.
In post–civil war Spain, 10-year-old Ofelia moves with her pregnant mother to live under the control of her cruel stepfather. Drawn into a mysterious labyrinth, she meets a faun who reveals that she may be a lost princess from an underground kingdom. To return to her true father, she must complete a series of surreal and perilous tasks that blur the line between reality and fantasy.
- 10
Gladiator
A sweeping tale of vengeance and honor that revived the historical epic for a new generation.
After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome's most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
- 11
WALL-E
A nearly silent, visually breathtaking adventure that finds profound humanity in a lonely little robot.
A robot who is responsible for cleaning a waste-covered Earth meets another robot and falls in love with her. Together, they set out on a journey that will alter the fate of mankind.
- 12
Memento
A brilliant, non-linear puzzle that keeps you guessing as it reconstructs a mystery in reverse.
Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.