The decade of the 2000s in film involved many significant developments in the film industries around the world, especially in the technology used. Building on developments in the 1990s, computers are used to create effects that would have previously been more expensive, from the subtle erasing of surrounding islands in Cast Away (leaving Tom Hanks' character stranded with no other land in sight) to the vast battle scenes such as those in Gladiator, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Matrix and 300.
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In addition, film genres not known for their popular appeal in North America became increasingly attractive to filmgoers: films in foreign languages like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Passion of the Christ and Letters from Iwo Jima; and documentary films like An Inconvenient Truth, March of the Penguins, Super Size Me, and Fahrenheit 9/11, became very successful.
Also gaining popularity was the use of Computer-generated imagery (CGI) to produce films. These types of films were originally seen in the 1990s with the likes of Toy Story and its sequel Toy Story 2, but CGI films became more popular in 2001 with the release of Shrek. Other popular CGI films include Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc. and Ratatouille. In addition, Up became the second animated feature ever to receive an Oscar nomination for The Best Picture.
The 2000s also saw a resurgence of several genres. For example, Gladiator, Moulin Rouge!, and X-Men increased the popularity of the Epic, Musical, and comic book genres, respectively.
Highest-grossing films
The list has more 2008 and 2007 films in the top 50 than any other year, each with eight. They are followed by 2009, 2005 and 2004, each with six. Figures are given in United States dollars (USD).
Most acclaimed films of the decade
According to They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?, a site which numerically calculates reception among critics, the most acclaimed films of the 2000s are:
- In the Mood for Love
- Mulholland Drive
- Yi Yi
- Spirited Away
- Werckmeister Harmonies
- There Will Be Blood
- Russian Ark
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Caché/Hidden
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
- The Gleaners & I
- Tropical Malady
- Talk to Her
- Punch-Drunk Love
- Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks
- Platform
- Blissfully Yours
- Lost in Translation
- Dancer in the Dark
- The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
According to Metacritic, which analysed many of the notable 'best films of the decade' lists to compile the results, the top twenty films most often and most notably included in these lists are
- There Will Be Blood
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Mulholland Drive
- No Country For Old Men
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Spirited Away
- 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Dark Knight
- Amélie
- Children of Men
- Memento
- Pan's Labyrinth
- United 93
- Wall-E
- Almost Famous
- Brokeback Mountain
- Far from Heaven
- Lost in Translation
As well as this, the ten films released in the 2000s which got the highest average critic scores according to Metacritic are
- Pan's Labyrinth
- 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days
- Ratatouille
- Spirited Away
- The Hurt Locker
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Sideways
- Wall-E
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
- 35 Shots of Rum