The year 2002 was massive for the movie landscape because it was a time when big-time franchises were establishing themselves and creative turns were underway with small-scale films. Mainstay movies like The Lord of the Rings had releases in the year to go with several others.
As incredible as it is to fathom, it has now been two decades since the films of the time have been known to viewers. It’s always best to mark such occasions by going on binge-watches and the way to go is to diversify the line-up. With a mixture of romance, horror, comedy, fantasy, and more, 2002 has movies that have stood the test of time.
Minority Report
Stream On Netflix And Paramount+
Considered among the greatest tech noir movies to be made, Steven Speilberg helmed this feature with Tom Cruise in the lead. The story is about a futuristic police department that uses precognition to apprehend criminals, which eventually becomes a murder mystery.
It is a landmark movie because Minority Report ushered in a new age for the industry to invest in thrillers along the same lines. Tom Cruise also cemented the fact that he’s a box office draw no matter if he’s connected to a new movie or a franchise, with Minority Report becoming one of the year’s biggest hits.
Bend It Like Beckham
Stream On HBO Max
At the time of its debut, it was very uncommon for people of color to headline movies, which made Bend It Like Beckham a landmark release. Moreover, its outline of a women’s football team making it to the top of its league was unconventional but creatively appealing.
The story is about Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) who goes around her family’s back to vie for inclusion in the football team, falling in love with her coach in the process. The movie remains well-known even two decades later for paving the way for more diverse romantic comedies to follow.
Kaante
Not Currently Available For Streaming
Bollywood movies didn’t have as much worldwide appeal outside of megastars like Shah Rukh Khan in 2002, but Kaante broke the mold to become a blockbuster. Starring Amitabh Bachchan and an ensemble cast, the story is heavily inspired by Reservoir Dogs with a few modifications.
Interestingly enough, Quentin Tarantino himself loves the movie, calling it one of the absolute favorites of his that have adapted his movies. Kaante carries the Bollywood flavor that the Indian industry excels in and also carries mainstream appeal by taking in the finer points of Reservoir Dogs.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
Stream On HBO Max
With so many awards success and massive critical acclaim, The Two Towers will always be relevant even though it’s the bridge between the story’s beginning and climax. It brings in a heavy dose of emotions with Samwise and Frodo’s relationship progressing into a brotherhood, and the threat level increasing with Gollum added to the mix.
The announcement of The Lord of the Rings prequel series has brought more interest to the series that never really has gotten out of style. The second movie remains notable for not only being one of the few sequels to gain such awards recognition but for the unprecedented feat of a fantasy film reaching such heights.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Stream On HBO Max
Movies with cultural twists are very much in trend during recent times due to greater awareness of diversity. However, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is one of the first features to bring this aspect into the limelight, becoming a massive worldwide success that has spawned a TV series and sequel.
At the time, it was the highest-grossing romantic comedy ever made and influenced many similar works. The simplistic story of Toula Portokalos falling in love with a man outside her culture and the leadup to their wedding still has the same level of charm as it did back then and is always an easy watch.
Signs
Stream On iTunes And Google Play
M. Night Shyamalan continued his emerging success at the time with Signs, a mystery thriller film that focused on the arrival of aliens. Starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, the story sees a number of signs pointing toward extraterrestrial life that appear to be on the cusp of arriving on Earth.
It’s one of M. Night Shyamalan’s best-written movies for the way Signs is thought-provoking and the way it captures viewers into the tense ambiguity around the aliens’ arrival. The movie was a landmark for the way it blended a slower pace with big-budget production values.
28 Days Later
Steam On HBO Max
Still considered as the 28 Days Later revived interest in the genre because it made survival its main theme.
It also proved that a minimalist approach can easily become a success, with the setting mainly relying on the mystery behind what’s happening for viewers to feel the horror theme. It also doesn’t shy away from bloody violence that leaves no doubt that the characters can die any second.
Chicago
Stream On HBO Max
The movie that won the Academy Award for Best Picture for the year, Chicago is a dark comedy musical focusing on two murderesses who wiggle out of facing justice by putting on vaudevillian acts and steering public opinion their way. Chicago is very over-the-top, and it’s that way by design.
Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellwegger in the lead roles, the film became popular for not holding back on its dark material and delivering a number of memorable songs along the way. It’s also lauded for putting musicals truly back on the map, as its Oscar win spawned several other musicals hoping to replicate Chicago’s success.
Spider-Man
Stream On FuboTV
Although X-Men can be credited as opening up a place for superhero movies to mainstream markets, it’s Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man that is the first blockbuster out of the genre. Starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, it focuses on the main character facing the Green Goblin and learning to be responsible with his newfound powers.
The relevance of the movie is such that fans still speculate over where Spider-Man: No Way Home. The 2002 entry remains well-liked for bringing a genuinely mature story and incredible visuals that still fill up highlight reels.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
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The Harry Potter series went into dark material with the second entry, whose story is about the reopening of the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts that unleashes the basilisk monster and forces Harry to find a way to stop it. The movie was credited for bringing in the scares, with Harry and his friends’ lives under threat.
With a whole new generation of fans watching the franchise now, and with the Fantastic Beasts prequels still ongoing, the second installment is still firm in viewers’ minds. Its aesthetic, backdrop, and presentation have hardly changed over the last two decades, remaining as great as it was when first released.
