2001 was a fascinating year for the movie industry, as it saw the resurgence of a ton of forgotten genres, and despite a mass amount of critically panned popcorn movies, 2001 was actually an incredible year when it comes to pushing the envelope. And even with the movies that received a less than poor reception, they now have some kind of nostalgic value.
As many schlocky movies as there were in 2001, there were just as many that went on to have a huge influence on the movie industry as we know it today. The year in film saw the beginning of several giant blockbuster franchises that are still going on today, comedies that can now be considered classics, and some truly influential movies.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Though it may not have been successful amongst critics, Lara Craft: Tomb Raider was one of Angelina Jolie’s highest-grossing movies. Being seen as cinema’s female Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider’s effects are messy, even for its time, and the screenplay lacks all logic, as she shoots at metal robots in which the bullets would surely ricochet off and cause casualties.
However, Jolie totally looks the part, as she popped on the screen, and she looked identical to the video game character on which the movie’s based.
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone
It wasn’t clear how the Harry Potter franchise would have turned out this early, as the investment was a huge risk with the series’ success resting on the shoulders of three children.
However, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was filled with Hollywood’s elite, including Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, and Robbie Coltrane, featured an incredible musical score from John Williams, and it completely changed the way fantasy movies were made.
Zoolander
Fashion may have moved on since the movie’s release, but Zoolander has aged like a fine wine. The movie isn't the most critically acclaimed movie of all time, but regardless of its critical success, it was loved amongst general audiences and it features some of the most ridiculous characters ever put to screen.
Will Ferrell’s portrayal of the villainous fashion designer Mugatu might be his best role ever, even better than Ron Burgundy or Ricky Bobby. And Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson parodying 2001: A Space Odyssey remains as iconic as the 1968 movie itself.
The Mummy Returns
Where the first movie in the series was already a guilty pleasure, The Mummy Returns is even worse, but somehow at the same time, even better.
The film is one of those so-bad-it’s-good movies, as the terrible CGI is hilarious and the introduction of The Scorpion King, played by none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (before he was good) were the most entertaining things about the sequel. And it’s all tied together with Brendan Fraser and John Hannah totally hamming it up.
Mulholland Drive
Being a psychological thriller full of surreal elements, the typically Lynchian Mulholland Drive might just be the director’s magnum opus.
It may be one of the most ambiguous and confusing movies ever made, and being so open to interpretation may be frustrating to some audiences, but the movie’s tone, music, and many mysteries it holds are why it’s such a compelling and captivating movie.
Spy Kids
Seemingly shot in Robert Rodriguez's basement, Spy Kids was actually one of the first movies to have entire shots and locations created out of CGI.
It’s a movie that helped sculpt this generation’s trend of movies, even if the movie doesn’t get talked about in the same breath as Avatar. On top of that, there hasn’t been a more fun family movie in the 20 years since its release.
The Fast And The Furious
It probably wasn’t obvious to the studio that a street-racing crime movie would go on to become one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time, as The Fast and the Furious was very grounded in reality drama, at least compared to what it has become, that is.
Though it’d look a lot different if it was recast today, the characters were made iconic by Michelle Rodriguez, Jordan’s Brewster, and many others. And though it may be hard to remember, the first movie in the series is criminally underrated and the performances from Paul Walker and Vin Diesel are incredibly strong.
Spirited Away
Spirited Away set a precedent, as it was the very first anime movie to win an Academy Award, even though there were many that came before it that also deserved a statue. The coming-of-age movie follows a young girl as she inadvertently stumbles upon a mysterious world filled with fascinating creatures.
We should be thankful the movie even exists, as Miyazaki almost retired before starting work on it, which is one of the most interesting behind the scenes facts about the movie.
Shrek
Though there are a lot of things that make absolutely no sense about Shrek, there isn’t any other movie like it. It’s a supremely confident and smart kids’ movie, as it essentially parodies every fairytale and fairytale trope imaginable.
With a sequel that’s arguably even stronger, the world of Shrek is enormous, and with a voice cast stronger than any other animated movie, as it includes Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz, the movie remains in a class all of its own.
Ocean’s Eleven
Being one of the best heist movies of all time, Ocean’s Eleven was a strange directing choice for Steven Soderbergh at the time, as he was the director of several indie darlings and when he was awarded a big budget, he’d make biopics such as Erin Brockovich.
However, it turned out that he was the perfect filmmaker for the job, as it wouldn’t be the same without Soderbergh’s signature jazz soundtrack, long zooms, and french new wave influence, and it’s one of the few remakes that’s more well known than the original.