With the resurgence in popularity of early 2000s fashion, Millennials are having war flashbacks of shimmering scarf belts and low-rise jeans. With the quirky styles came the rise of the 'teen' genre, from TV to blockbuster films. They are quote goldmines and launched the careers of megastars that still fill our screens today (Anne Hathaway, Gabrielle Union, and Chris Evans, to name a few).
A gentle heads up regarding the content of some of these films - the early 2000s were rife with casual slurs and character stereotypes. While it can be a little confronting, it's also comforting to know that things have changed for the better. With that in mind, "Have you ever wondered if there was more to life, other than being really, really, ridiculously good-looking?"
Zoolander (2001)
Already a household name thanks to Meet the Parents, Ben Stiller's Zoolander is the ship that launched 1000 pouts, and almost as many careers. Parodying the fashion industry, Derek Zoolander, a simple-minded male model is brainwashed by the evil Mugatu (Will Ferrell) to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The plot is as absurd as it sounds, but at a time when people were feeling more pressure than ever to adhere to unrealistic beauty standards, Zoolander gave us a reality check. It's also one of the earliest "Frat Pack" films, the affectionate nickname given to Stiller, Ferrell, Jack Black, Vince Vaughn, Steve Carell, Owen Wilson, and Luke Wilson due to the wide number of films featuring the seven actors. These guys dominated the box office throughout the 2000s. With their dry comedic talent, it's not hard to see why.
Bring It On (2000)
There was once a time when every tween knew the opening cheer by heart. Newly appointed Captain of her cheerleading squad the Toros, Torrence Shipman (Kirsten Dunst) is disgusted to learn her predecessor was stealing routines from an inner-city squad named the Clovers.
Bring It On broke the sports movie mold and created something fun and accessible, while also tackling serious issues like race, class, and white privilege for a new generation. As of 2017, there are 6 movies in the franchise, but none come close to the power and sincerity of the original (although Hayden Panettiere's crumping in Bring It On: All or Nothing is certainly memorable).
Mean Girls (2004)
No 2000s DVD collection would be complete without the revolutionary and iconic Mean Girls. Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) is the new girl in school and is invited to join the popular clique 'the Plastics'. Innocent Cady makes moves to take them down from the inside and loses herself in the process.
Inspired by Rosalind Wiseman's book 'Queen Bees and Wannabes', Tina Fey wrote her debut screenplay and created a poignant film about the high school experience. Each character is given depth and humanity, avoiding the common good guy vs villain archetype of many other teen movies. The script is clever and subversive, breaking down stereotypes with a well-placed laugh. Most of all, the message of acceptance and the fleetingness of drama and gossip is something audiences could relate to then, and still do now.
Freaky Friday (2003)
Did anyone else walk out of the movies and instantly text all their friends to see if they wanted to start a band? Teen Queen Lindsay Lohan could do no wrong in the early 2000s, and Freaky Friday is still one of her greatest achievements to date. Starring opposite the magnificent Jamie-Lee Curtis, the movie takes the body-swap genre and smashes it head-first into the 21st century; incredible soundtrack and long-haired Chad Michael Murray included.
Lohan's vocal talents made her rock chick character so believable that, for a time, she became the cool girl every tween wanted to be. She actually learned how to play guitar for the part, and released her debut album "Speak" a year later. Paired with a truly hilarious Curtis spending most of the film as a stroppy teenager, Freaky Friday is as fun today as it was in 2003. Do your inner angsty teen a favor and give this one a rewatch.
The Princess Diaries (2001)
Based on the Meg Cabot novel series of the same name, The Princess Diaries took the young girls' fantasy of being a princess of a faraway kingdom and brought it to, well, San Francisco. Oscar-winning Anne Hathaway's first-ever film role features what is debatably the world's most notable makeover reveal, giving insecure, frizzy-haired girls all over the world hope that they could one day look like royalty.
Beyond its shallow exterior, the film has a beautiful message about self-love. Filled with stellar lines that resonate, the best comes from sweet driver Joe (Hector Elizondo), a pseudo-father figure for Hathaway's character Mia throughout the film, "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent". Hathaway portrays the vulnerability of being a teenager so well, even after the makeover. Of course, Julie Andrews as Queen Clarice is perfect casting, but it's her hinted affection for Joe that really warms our hearts.
Scary Movie (2000)
Scary Movie stars the lovable Anna Faris as Cindy Campbell, a ditzy virgin (welcome to the 2000s), and her horny boyfriend (Jon Abrahams), and that's about as much depth as we get from these characters, who accidentally killed a man. One year later they are being stalked by a ghost-faced someone who "knows what they did last summer," sound familiar?
Slasher movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer filled movie theaters worldwide throughout the late 90s. With that guarantee of popularity, along came a not-so-masterful script parodying them: Scary Movie. There are some genuinely funny moments scattered throughout that poke fun at the suspension of disbelief required by most horrors (like a character wandering the woods at night, for example), but watchers have to wade through a lot of weed and sex jokes to find them. Crass spoof days are over, but this Wayans family's smash hit was the one that started it all. You'll be watching from between your fingers, but we'd be lying if we didn't include it!
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
There's quotable, then there's Napoleon Dynamite. Jon Heder's breakout role is like no other. Taking place in small-town Idaho, audiences are introduced to an unconventional cast of characters including Napoleon's chatroom-loving brother Kip, a football has-been Uncle Rico, and Tina the Llama. Soon Napoleon befriends new the kid Pedro, and up against mean girl Summer, they decide Pedro should run for Student Body President.
The backstory of this low-budget gem is inspiring, but it's the subtle brilliance of the actors' performances that make Napoleon Dynamite great. Any one of the characters could be someone you know; the weirdo, the has-been, the still-living-at-home-at-32 guy. Putting these people together and letting their absurdness play out is as hilarious and heartwarming as you'd expect. Also, the film features one of the best dance breaks in a non-musical movie ever. "Tina, come get some ham."
Not Another Teen Movie (2001)
There are SO many more notable movies from this era but none sum it up better than the aptly titled Not Another Teen Movie. Taking tropes from 80s and 90s teen comedies like She's All That, Pretty in Pink and 10 Things I Hate About You, Captain America star Chris Evans plays jock Jake who makes a bet with his arrogant friend Austin that he can turn the "Uniquely Rebellious" Janey Briggs into the Prom Queen.
What the movie lacks in substance, it makes up for in randomness and nudity. It's definitely not one to watch with your parents. At times, it relies on gross humor, like many 2000s comedies. Still, Not Another Teen Movie feels as much a tribute as it does a parody. Actors from the movies it's mocking make frequent cameos (like 80s teen movie stars Molly Ringwald and Paul Gleason), which provides the wholesomeness that other spoofs lack. The "Prom Night" musical sequence is a highlight but maybe skip past Catherine and Sadie's kissing scene. Don't say we didn't warn you...