Rewind: Best Films from the 2000s

The 2000s was the dawn of a new era – with everything seeming possible.

It can also be said for the world of Hollywood, who started embracing franchises like never before, with dozens of worlds being built across multiple films that all became blockbusting smash-hits.

But sometimes, we don’t have time to head to middle Earth for several hours at a time, and we crave something more fun, camp, or just family friendly.

Thankfully, we here at Sky have everything you would need for a nostalgic night in – no matter how much your attention span allows.

Here’s just come of the new classics available to you on Sky Cinema and NOW, right now.

In a world with a Japanese totalitarian government, 42 teenage school children are taken, fitted with an explosive collar, and ordered to fight to the death. Only one person can survive. Given a bag with a map, food rations and an assortment of weapons, the game turns deadly quickly as the children fight for survival by any means necessary.

In 1776, veteran Benjamin Martin has given up his life at war to settle down and raise a family with his wife on a plantation in South Carolina. Ashamed of his past, he wants no part in the American Revolution.

However, with the war against Great Britain becoming a looming threat, his eldest son Gabriel enlists with the Continental army to fight with the rebellion. When the war is literally brought to his front door, one of his son’s is killed, and Gabriel is kidnapped, Benjamin is forced to confront his past and fight for his family’s – and America’s – future.

Based on a true story, Julia Roberts stars as Erin Brockovich, a single mother and legal assistant in Hinkley, California. One day she discovers medical records that prove a major industry cover-up over contaminated water which is causing life-changing sickness to Hinkley residents. Determined to fight for justice, Brockovich takes on the legal system on her own terms.

When Sara’s mother dies in a tragic car accident, she abandons her dreams of being a ballet dancer at Julliard and moves to the south side of Chicago with her father.

Soon, she meets and falls for Derek, a Black teenager with a shady past, who begins to revive her love of dance in a whole new light.

However, those around them are far more sceptical about their relationship given their different upbringings and interracial romance, and together they need to figure out how to ignore the pressure in order to thrive.

Loosely based on Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones’s Diary sees the titular character (Reneé Zellweger) vow to change her life as she enters her 32nd year of singledom. Tracking her exploits in her beloved diary, her love life suddenly takes a dramatic – and hysterical – turn when she finds herself attracting the attention of hot shot lawyer Mark Darcy, and her publishing house boss and certified lothario Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant).

In the second instalment of the series, The Mummy Returns sees Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) his now-wife Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), drawn back into the world of ancient Egypt when their young son Alex discovers the Bracelet of Anubis.

As a team of loyal followers resurrect Imhotep once more, the couple are soon fighting to save the world against the evil high priest, who still plans to bring his love back to life, but also a new evil face named The Scorpion King.

In the first of many iterations of the friendly neighbourhood superhero, Tobey Maguire takes on the suit as Peter Parker, whose life changes forever when he’s bitten by a scientifically-altered spider, giving him the ability to shoot webs and climb walls. After the death of his Uncle Ben, he decides to use his power to become a vigilante – but soon he discovers that those close to him may become his enemy in the process.

Eminem makes his acting debut in this cult semi-autobiographical favourite. The rapper (real name Marshall Mathers) plays Jimmy Smith, better known as B-Rabbit, who wants to do better than the slum trailer park side of Detroit he finds himself in.

As he navigates life, gang culture, and romance, he believes his way out may be in winning a local rapping contest – if he can just get over his performance fears and take the stage.

A drowning man is saved from almost-certain death after being pulled from the ocean by a fishing boat. When he comes to, he has no recollection of who he is, why he was covered in bullet wounds, and who wanted him dead. However, he soon discovers a string of talents including being multilingual, and able to fight like a skilled warrior.

Determined to find out who he is, the mysterious man starts a dangerous mission to find out his real identity, and to discover those that still want him dead.

Released in 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively, the three instalments of The Lord of the Rings - titled Fellowship of The King, The Two Towers and The Return of the King – sees Frodo Baggins, a young Hobbit, tasked with taking a magical ring and throwing it into the fires of Mount Doom.

The ring holds untold power and needs to be destroyed to rid the world of it forever. But the ring has been long sought-after, with those who know of it becoming relentless in their hunt for it, and willing to die for possession of it.

All three films are available on Sky Cinema and NOW.

An award-winning tale based on the story of legendary musician, Ray Charles. In the movie, Jamie Foxx takes on the lead role, as we follow the star from his humble beginnings as a blind child, to becoming a musical pioneer thanks to his blend of gospel music and rock and roll. However, fame comes at a price, with Ray succumbing to many of the temptations his new life had to offer.

Steve Carell stars in this slapstick comedy about Andy, a 40-year-old singleton who spends his days quietly working at a tech store before going home to his action figures.

When his colleagues discover he’s still a virgin, they hatch a plan to help him find love, or at least finally have sex for the first time.

But his luck may suddenly come in when he meets and falls for Trish, an eBay reseller who is looking for romance.

A Christmas classic, The Holiday stars Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz as Iris and Amanda, two women who, unhappy in their life, decide to swap homes for the festive season to get away from their separate issues.

Iris finds herself in Los Angeles, while Amanda lands in a picturesque English cottage, and both find their lives changing forever when they meet and fall in love with local men who show them how the other half live.

One of the great modern horrors, Cloverfield follows a group of New Yorkers whose lives are destroyed when a giant creature descends upon the city and begins to cause apocalyptic levels of chaos.

Told through found footage from a camcorder in Central Park, Cloverfield tracks five central characters as they attempt to rescue their friend and find safety, as their world literally falls to pieces in front of their eyes.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight trilogy brings a new, more realistic look to the Batman story.

Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises follow the rise of multi-millionaire Bruce Wayne, as he turns the tragedy of his parent’s death in childhood and turns it into motivation for life as a vigilante.

Vowing to rid the city of Gotham of the evil that’s befallen it, Bruce finds himself facing numerous sacrifices as he faces villains including Scarecrow, The Joker, Two-Face and Bane, and discovers that he can’t trust everyone around him.

Christian Bale leads the cast, with other stars including Cillian Murphy, Heath Ledger, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy and Sir Michael Caine.

Bank robber John Dillinger has become somewhat of a heroic figure to the American public during the Depression era, much to the distaste of the FBI and their director, J Edgar Hoover. So when Hoover declares him Public Enemy Number One – the top of the most wanted list, FBI agent Melvin Purvis will stop at nothing to bring him in – dead or alive. Let the battle of wits commence.