The 2000s seem like they ended only yesterday but here we are about to invite leave to another decade . While the ninety proved to be a transformative year for cinema , the 2000s continued to make its own trends and remold the kinds of movies that were getting made .

This decade ascertain argument with many say Hollywood was moving further and further off from original stories . But we also saw incredible leaps in applied science that allowed story to be assure that were once unimaginable . While the decade gave us many marvelous films , a select few stomach out . Here are the most culturally influential films of the 2000s .

Casino Royale

By the early 2000s , the James Bond franchisewas operate out of steam and becoming a pasquinade of itself . A alteration was needed , and it came withCasino Royale . The film cast Daniel Craig as 007 in this origin story of the other years of the superspy .

The motion picture took a back - to - basics approach by strand the spy risky venture , reducing the over - the - top gadgets and exploring the central character in some Modern and fascinating ways . The movie revitalized Bond made a adept of Craig and proved any franchise can find its pegleg again given the right approach .

The 40-Year-Old Virgin

The " fraternity witticism " moving picture of the early 2000s were already starting to get a little dusty by the timeThe 40 - Year - Old - Virginwas released , but this film find a room to take that conception of the valet de chambre - child comedy into a new and better counsel .

The Judd Apatow picture star Steve Carrell as a lonely middle - aged man who has never had sex activity . Despite the crass premise , the film bump a deal of heart in its story which became a movement with Apatow ’s brand . The motion-picture show helped launch Apatow as a major player and suggest at his taste for putting the spotlight on actors who would normally be playing the zany friend characters .

Bowling For Columbine

Documentaries seldom make much of a splashing with the mainstream , but filmmaker Michael Moore has a talent for finding the proper provocative textile to draw audiences in . WithBowling for Columbine , Moore addressed the always controversial gun right issue in America .

Using the cataclysm of the Columbine High School shot as a backdrop , the picture used humour , insightful thinking and new stand to take a vital look at the issue . While some may take issue with the subject matter , the film make do to get the populace peach about a documentary which is a uncommon feat in Hollywood .

Shrek

Pixar had an unbelievable run of animated masterpieces in the 2000s , fromFinding NemotoThe IncrediblestoUp . But the inspire film that had the most influence in the 2000s wasShrek . The quasi - fairy tale film follow a secluded fiend who reluctantly goes on a seeking to save a princess .

The movie extend the trend of computer - vivify filmmaking that was found by Pixar but introduced a new steel of animated movie . Shrekwas as much for the parent as it was for the kids , pack with papa civilisation reference point , music and humor that could be relish by all age .

Avatar

Some citizenry have point out that despite becoming to highest - grossing movie of all prison term , Avatardid not leave as important a cultural impression as you might expect . While the tale and characters of the film may not have created much of an impact , it ’s unimaginable to ignore the film ’s cultural relevancy as a whole .

Once again , James Cameron create an ambitious project that proved many multitude untimely . He help pioneer motion - seizure filmmaking as a mainstream trend and successfully bring 3D introduction back to theater . And he did it all with an original story .

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Crouching Tiger , Hidden Dragonis a film that proved foreign - terminology films could make an wallop in Hollywood . The Ang Lee pic tell the beautiful story of romance and dangerous undertaking about a girl who slip a sword from a famed fencer .

The movie was one of the biggest hits of the year and continue one of the highest - grossing foreign - spoken communication films in the United States . The fact that consultation were excited to show up for a pic like this has helped more films from other land find success in Hollywood .

Spider-Man

Superhero film had been around for ten before , but they were never take away very gravely or seen much winner out of doors of theBatmanandSupermanfilms . However , the 2000s see that change in a with child path . AfterX - Menproved to be a hit , Spider - Mancame along to give way all the records and usher in the historic period of comic record films .

The movie fully cover its comic volume roots instead of being block by them . The result was an entertaining , funny and electrifying action film that evidence interview the excitement that issue forth withbringing these iconic heroes to lifeon the large screen door .

Iron Man

There ’s no denying that the MCU is the biggest thing in Hollywood right now . The connected cinematic creation introduce a new form of storytelling in cinema and exalt countless franchises to essay their own cinematic population . And the whole matter start withIron Man .

Though the character was not as well known as Spider - Man and Batman , the movie ’s fun zip matched with a brilliant operation from Robert Downey Jr. became a monolithic succeeder . Without this picture show ’s accomplishment , there would be no MCU as we know it .

The Dark Knight

The same yr thatIron Manwas introducing the idea of a enceinte superhero world secern through plastic film , Christopher Nolan was showing audiences what kind of heroic and complex stories could be separate through comic script movies .

His Batman sequel duplicate down on the grounded and gritty take on the Caped Crusader oppose him against Joker ( Heath Ledger ) in a sprawling crime epic . Along with the ambitious scope andLedger ’s astounding performance , Nolan made a comical book movie that could be taken seriously . From that present moment , the genre either followed the MCU ’s fun blowout vigour or Nolan ’s naturalistic and raw approach .

The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy

TheLord of the Ringsmight be three separate plastic film , but there is no ignore that it made for the biggest cinematic experience of the decade . Based on the beloved novels , Peter Jackson withstand expectations by delivering a massive epical trilogy that live up to its seed cloth .

Not sinceStar Warshad a series inspired buff in such a way . The films bring the fantasy genre back in a expectant agency , introduced the world to the ground - breaking movement gaining control technology and presented a vast adventure that sports fan revisit again and again with the same love .

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Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

A collage image of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope

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Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale

Steve Carell yelling during chest waxing scene in The-40-Year-Old-Virgin

Michael Moore is given a free gun at a bank in Bowling for Columbine

Shrek exiting his outhouse in Shrek

Jen Yu about to attack with her sword in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Peter Parker swings through the city in Spider-Man 2

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man walking away from an explosion in Iron Man (2008)

Dark Knight Joker Cropped

The entire fellowship gathered in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Movies

Iron Man