The early 2000s brought us some of the most iconic and beloved modern films that audiences worldwide adore today. Whether someone loves witches and wizards or fancies a good spy franchise, the opportunities for genre entertainment were endless with films of that decade.
With the streaming service Peacock adding hundreds of shows and films to its library, it could take someone months to get through it. However, using IMDb as a guide, there are a few 2000s films in particular that rise above the rest.
The Harry Potter Franchise
Harry Potter fans are in for a treat when it comes to Peacock, as every film in the hugely successful franchise is available for streaming. Starting with Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001, relive the epic tale of Harry Potter and his journey from being the boy living in under the stairs to becoming the greatest wizard of his time. With that many hours of magic, Peacock has any Harry Potter fan covered.
The Bourne Franchise
When The Bourne Identity premiered in 2002, it was hard to picture Matt Damon as an action hero. Still, the film about Jason Bourne – a man with no memory of who or what he is who has to fight his way to the truth as assassins from across the globe come after him – turned out to be a huge success.
It spawned two sequels – 2004’s The Bourne Supremacyand 2007’s The Bourne Ultimatum– and it is now considered one of the best spy franchises ever. The first two films are available to watch on Peacock.
Catch Me If You Can
Stephen Speilberg’s Catch Me If You Can premiered in 2002, bringing the biopic of Frank Abagnale Jr. (played by a dashing Leonardo DiCaprio) to the big screen. Abagnale was a young con man who was able to pass successfully as a doctor, lawyer, and a pilot. Meanwhile, Tom Hanks’ Carl Hanratty is an FBI agent tasked with pursuing and bringing down the young con artist, and the film revolves around that chase.
A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind is a biopic that premiered in 2001 that revolves around the life of Russell Crowe’s Jim Nash, a brilliant mathematician who works in cryptography for the government.
Being asocial, Jim Nash already struggled in his day-to-day life, but his cryptography work really pushes his mind to the limit and forces him to deal with his demons, setting him on a path of self-discovery.
Children Of Men
Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men was released in 2006 and starred Clive Owen as Theo Faron, a former activist who is tasked to bring a young pregnant woman by the name of Kee (played by Clare-Hope Ashitey) to a haven out at sea, because in this dystopian future, the majority of women have somehow become infertile. It is a race against time and the hellish landscape to get her to safety.
Serenity
Serenity is a science fiction film based on a cult hit series called Firefly that only lasted 14 episodes. The show had such a passionate fanbase that it prompted Universal Studios to allow show creator and film director Joss Whedon to adapt his canceled show.
Following Nathan Fillion’s Malcolm Reynolds and his rag-tag bunch of smugglers, the group has to try and outrun Chiwetel Ejiofor’s “The Operative,” who is coming after the youngest member of their group, River (played Summer Glau), as she was turned into a weapon by the government in power.
Brokeback Mountain
Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain is an epic and tragic romance story revolving around Heath Ledger’s Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Jack, two shepherds who develop a strong romantic relationship with one another. However, Ennis and Jack’s love story becomes complicated when the two end up marrying their respective girlfriends, played by Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway. Beautifully written and acted, Brokeback Mountain is a poignant picture that sincerely stays with audiences after viewing it.
The Matrix Franchise
Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s The Matrix franchise started in 1999, but its two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, were released in 2003, and many still consider it to be a “2000s film series.”
Overall, The Matrix is one of the most influential film franchises to date, thanks to its stirring story and subversive style. The films follow Keanu Reeves’ Neo on his journey to becoming “the chosen one” that will free humanity from the evil cyber-intelligence that has humanity running in a computer simulation. All three films are available on Peacock.
Love Actually
Richard Curtis’s Love Actually is widely considered one of the best modern Christmas films. Following several different characters’ experiences during the Christmas holiday gives the audience several different love stories, but what makes the movie most unique is that it doesn’t just give the audience romantic love (which is expected in a holiday film), but that it also explores the love between siblings, friends, and parents and children. With a massive cast including Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, and Bill Nighy, it’s a film that can be enjoyed any time of year.
The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow’s Academy Award-winning film The Hurt Locker stars Jeremy Renner as Staff Sergeant William James, who is assigned to an army bomb squad during the Iraq War. William clashes often with the other team members to his unorthodox approach to the job, often putting himself in the direct line of fire while working on armed bombs. It’s a gritty, realistic look at what these men had to go through there and the effects it had on them when they got home.
