I literally do not know how to type sound effects. But try to hear big tympani drums in your head ok?
I felt like the year 2000 deserved its own blog post. Its the turn of the century and it is definitely a big year year in movies and one that I had a hard time choosing just 10 movies for. There will be a poll at the bottom of this one for you to choose my runner ups from!
Here we go!
- Gladiator: This one sort of blocks out all of the rest doesn’t it? What a monster hit this movie was! A Ridley Scott epic starring Russell Crowe at his hottest and a young Joaquin Phoenix at his arguably scariest. The gladiator scenes alone were gorgeous and terrifying. I loved this film and I watch it every time its on.
- X-men: The first time we see Hugh Jackman on screen, the first time Wolverine’s metal claws slide out, slow motion, from the webs between his fingers…the nerd world I belong to was never the same.
- Erin Brockovich: Julia Roberts as I had never seen her and Albert Finney (dear old Daddy Warbucks) play off each other, swearing and arguing their way through a real life event I knew nothing about before this film. High recommendation from me.
- Billy Elliot: A boy from Durham England takes to ballet, rather than the boxing lessons his father sends him to. I had never seen a movie quite like this one. Beyond the dancing, I had never heard adults speak to their children the way people do in this movie. And I must have watched it 3 times before I understood every word. Shout out to Mrs. Weasley as the cranky ballet teacher.
- The Emperor’s New Groove: This animated Disney feature quietly slid under the radar in the shadow of so many 2000 juggernaut’s. I don’t even remember seeing it in the theaters, which would have been a shocking departure of protocol for me and my diehard Disney friends. However, when I did see it, I began quoting it constantly! It is by far one of the funniest of Disney’s hand drawn animated features of this time. Zero princesses, more of a buddy comedy, with a zany villain and her dumb sidekick. Simply brilliant.
- High Fidelity: John Cusack breaking the 4th wall throughout and my first introduction to Jack Black. ‘Nuff said.
- Bring it on: SPIRIT FINGERS!!!!!!
- Best in Show: Being of community theatre stock, I understand that of all the Christopher Guest/Eugene Levy mocumentary films, Waiting for Guffman should be my fave. But Best in Show has always been a cut above the rest for me.
- The Contender: An HBO original film about a fictional president picking a female VP in the middle of his presidency. It stars Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen and Gary Oldman. I became obsessed with this film when it came out, watched it dozens of times over and over. What I loved was the Allen character’s insistence on refusing to answer personal questions regarding her sex life. That her life was her own, and if those questions didn’t matter for a man, then they didn’t matter for her. If you have HBO Max, give it a watch.
- Unbreakable: M. Night’s comic book origin story starring Bruce Willis and Sam Jackson. Arguably his very best film.
