A Glean movie guide
The 2000s: A Decade of Oscar Icons
The best of the 2000s
Revisit the prestigious epics and bold dramas that defined the Academy's first decade...
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
A monumental achievement in fantasy filmmaking that swept all eleven of its Academy Award nominations.
As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.
- 02
No Country for Old Men
A tense, philosophical neo-western featuring one of cinema’s most chilling and iconic antagonists.
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.
- 03
The Dark Knight
A gritty crime epic that redefined the superhero genre with Heath Ledger’s legendary, Oscar-winning performance.
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.
- 04
Spirited Away
A breathtakingly imaginative journey that remains the only hand-drawn film to win Best Animated Feature.
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.
- 05
Gladiator
A visceral and emotionally resonant epic that revived the historical spectacle 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.
- 06
The Departed
Martin Scorsese’s high-stakes cat-and-mouse thriller finally earned the legendary director his Best Picture win.
To take down South Boston's Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise. While an undercover cop curries favor with the mob kingpin, a career criminal rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there's a mole among them.
- 07
There Will Be Blood
A sprawling study of greed and obsession anchored by Daniel Day-Lewis’s powerhouse, Oscar-winning performance.
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.
- 08
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
A deeply inventive and poignant exploration of love and memory that won for its brilliant original screenplay.
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.
- 09
Slumdog Millionaire
A vibrant and kinetic underdog story that captured the world's heart and dominated the 81st Academy Awards.
A teenager reflects on his life after being accused of cheating on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?".
- 10
Inglourious Basterds
Quentin Tarantino’s bold reimagining of history features a career-defining, Oscar-winning turn by Christoph Waltz.
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
- 11
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
A visually stunning blend of martial arts and romance that became a global phenomenon and won four Oscars.
Two warriors in pursuit of a stolen sword and a notorious fugitive are led to an impetuous, physically-skilled, teenage nobleman's daughter, who is at a crossroads in her life.
- 12
The Hurt Locker
A nerve-shredding look at the Iraq War that made Kathryn Bigelow the first woman to win Best Director.
During the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.