Nostalgia for the2000sis on the rise, and as we look back on 25 years ago, it’s worth highlighting some of the incredible 2000s films that defined the era for teenagers during that decade. As a Millennial, born close to the line of Gen Z, I have fond memories of my childhood during the 1990s. But things started to get really interesting when I became a teenager in the 2000s.
During that time, there was a lot of fondness for things from the 1980s, and it appears that this trend has repeated itself, with the things of the 2000s now coming back into vogue. And with fondness, I absolutely love the attention that is being directed towards some of the movies that defined my young adulthood. And I’m certain I am not the only one looking back.
Superbad
Cast
Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and produced by Judd Apatow, Superbad follows high school seniors Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), two best friends who are desperate to join the popular kids' party before heading off to college. After asking their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) - A.K.A. McLovin - to use his fake ID to purchase alcohol, Seth and Evan end up getting drawn into a night of criminal misfortunes that threatens the very fabric of their friendship.
Superbadwas one of those cornycoming-of-age moviesthat was made to be goofy. Starring Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, this movie was endlessly quotable, and sparked a lot of excitement and repetition in an era before most digital memes.
The premise of the movie was less important than the fun being had by the characters.With a group of friends desperately wanting to be popular, and the disastrous events that come out of their lies, it was just funny and stupid. But the stupid funny style was integral to its overall success.
Bring It On
As the newly elected captain of her high school’s award-winning cheerleading squad, Torrence Shipman aims to take her team to the top of the national championships — despite the challenges of a rival squad, choreography calamities, catty fellow cheerleaders, and romantic entanglements.
Before Peyton Reed stepped up to direct the Ant-Man movies, he established himself as a successful comedy director with hit films likeBring it On.Starring Kirsten Dunst and Eliza Dushku, the film sees two cheerleader teams go head-to-head.The movie is defined by the presence of pretty girls and outrageous comedy.
While there are elements of the film that don’t hold up today, it marked a shift from the even more raunchy and intense coming-of-age college movies of the years before.
The film featured all the tropes of the era, with annoying siblings, embarrassing parents,and intense high school rivalries that felt like the only thing in the world. While there are elements of the film that don’t hold up today, it marked a shift from the even more raunchy and intense coming-of-age college movies of the years before.
Mean Girls
Mean Girls tells the story of Cady (Lindsay Lohan), a teen girl who falls in with the wrong crowd. After returning to the USA after spending her childhood in Africa, Cady infiltrates her school’s group of mean girls, befriending the conniving Regina George (Rachel McAdams) and her cronies. However, Cady finds the high school hierarchy to be far more complicated than she had imagined, drawing her into a game of manipulation and deceit that threatens her reputation.
Mean Girlsremains a part of pop culture, with quotes still being passed around from this film,and a musical made based on the story. Recently, the musical even got a film adaptation, taking the story full circle, but nothing compares to the originality and intensity of the original.
Rachel McAdams stars as Regina George, while Lindsay Lohan, an icon of that era, played the part of Cady Heron.The film took classic tropes from high school dramedies and pushed them beyond their limits. And the result was a decadent, intense, and outrageous film that endeared itself with every teen growing up in that era.
Twilight
Based on Stephenie Meyer’s book of the same name, Twilight follows Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), who falls madly in love with Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), who she soon finds out is a vampire. Falling in love with her at the same time, Edward and Bella must overcome obstacles to preserve their forbidden relationship.
Ok, soTwilightis probably a controversial pick, but the truth is, everyone was talking about this movie and these books when they came out.It was impossible to get away from debates aboutwho was Team Edward and who was Team Jacob,and whether you liked it or not, you needed to be up-to-date on what was happening in the series.
It may also have been the worst performances of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart’s young careers, but it undoubtedly launched them towards the success they enjoy today across a wide variety of genres. And honestly, even if it didn’t have a lot of depth,the movies were fun, and it was an interesting new take on a vampire fairy tale.
Scary Movie
Scary Movie is a 2000 comedy horror movie that parodies a popular horror films such as Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Blair Witch Project. Starring Anna Faris, Regina Hall, and Marlon and Shawn Wayans, the first Scary Movie spawned a franchise and popularized the parody genre in the early 2000s.
The 2000s were also the era of the parody.While parodies continue to be a popular form of content today, with some creators stepping into that space, the 2000s was a time when parodies took center stage. In fact, that led to a series of parody films, including one that parodiedTwilight, disaster movies, and, of course, the most popular parody franchise, theScary Movies.
Scary Moviehad a way of zoning in on the biggest tropes and gimmicks of slasher movies, which had dominated the horror space for the previous 30 years, and made it funny and light. Over time,tropes emerge, and while some are representative or integral to a genre, some are worth pointing at and laughing about.AndScary Moviedid that.
Sky High
Sky High is a 2005 comedy that follows the son of two famous superheroes as he attends a high school for student heroes. Michael Angarano stars alongside Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kurt Russell, and Kelly Preston, with appearances by Bruce Campbell and Lynda Carter.
Movies likeBlade,X-Men,Hulk, and Spider-Man paved the way for the superhero genre to become mainstream, but in 2005,Sky Highdid something different.The story is original, and not based on preexisting IPs from Marvel or DC, but the story still managed to connect with a large audience.
Sky Highopened up a world where superheroes were everywhere, and kids were able to attend superhero schools.
The idea of widespread superpowered people had been floating around, butthis movie made it into something catered to a younger generation of viewers.With the added excitement of superpowers, this coming-of-age teenage comedy drama is delightful and compelling throughout.
Napoleon Dynamite
Considered a cult classic, Napoleon Dynamite follows the titular character, an awkward high school student from a small town in Idaho. The film follows Napoleon’s life as he deals with the antics of his strange family, his romantic feelings for a fellow classmate, and his assistance of a friend to win Class President over the school’s popular girl. Jon Heder stars as Napoleon Dynamite, with a further class that includes Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Aaron Ruell, and Jon Gries.
Returning to goofy comedy for a moment, the 2000s were defined bynonsensical, absurd, quirky comedy.This was perhaps best seen in a film likeNapoleon Dynamite, a movie that was made on a shoestring budget by a brand-new filmmaker, and because it captured the humor of the era so well, it was acquired on the film circuit and given a wider release.
All of a sudden, this bizarre movie from nowhere became a hit with a cult following. It’s quirky, daft, and downright hilarious.The movie is once again a highly quotable film that continued to gain popularity as friends shared it with one another, and eventually, it became an iconic part of the decade.
Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday is a family comedy featuring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. In the 2003 film, a mother and daughter magically swap bodies through a mystical fortune cookie, forcing them to live each other’s lives and gain new insights into their tumultuous relationship.
Lindsay Lohan returns alongside Jamie Lee Curtis in a movie about switching bodies. However, rather than friends or coworkers who switch with each other, it’s a mother and daughter. This film presented an interesting dilemma, and a perspective on the challenges faced by both generations.
Together, they created something magical, which is now set to be revisited in a reboot titledFreakier Friday.
It also helped that it was laugh out loud hilarious from start to finish. Lohan was an icon in this decade, and her charm and wit perfectly complimented the intensity and quirkiness of Curtis. Together, they created something magical, which is now set to be revisited in a reboot titledFreakier Friday.
Camp Rock
Camp Rock follows Mitchie as she attends a summer music camp, where she navigates personal growth and self-discovery amid a journey to embrace her true self. Released in 2008, the film features a mix of music, friendship, and life lessons in a setting filled with youthful enthusiasm.
Disney was also one of the biggest defining production studios of the decade, with their popular Disney Channel catering to growing teens and providing plenty of charming movies that welcomed in the next generation of superstars.With one such title beingCamp Rock.
Camp Rocknot onlystarred Demi Lovato, who would go on to be a huge pop star, but it also gave a prominent role to The Jonas Brothers, who have an integral role in the film as pop icons.The movie was musical, energetic, and fun, and while the sequels dipped in quality, it was a defining moment for some future icons.
Jennifer’s Body
Directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Diablo Cody, Jennifer’s Body is a horror-comedy film starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. When a newly possessed high school cheerleader (Fox) turns into a succubus specializing in seducing and killing her male classmates, her best friend (Seyfried) is the only thing that stands in the way of her sultry killing spree.
Shifting in a very different direction for a moment,Jennifer’s Bodywas a much darker, more seductive, and intense film than many others on the list. However, it once again marked a defining moment in the 2000s.Megan Fox was a rising star, as was Amanda Seyfried, and seeing the pari together in this tense horror was a spectacle to say the least.
The film also featured other future stars such as Chris Pratt, Adam Brody, and Johnny Simmons.The movie highlights a division of focus,with the horror genre being shifted into something much sexier, and leaning heavily into elements of fantasy, as movies generally began to blend genres and focus on numerous elements rather than just one overarching plot or genre.
