From superhero debuts to genre-spoofing comedies and psychological thrillers, July 2000 delivered a surprising mix of films that still linger in pop culture memory. As these movies turn 25 this month, it’s the perfect time to revisit (or discover) them on your favorite streaming services. Here’s a roundup of titles worth a nostalgic click.
Scary Movie
A group of high school teens becomes the target of a masked killer after covering up an accidental death. As the bodies pile up, the crew—including Cindy Campbell and her hilariously clueless friends—must survive one absurd situation after another in this chaotic parody of horror classics like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. With its rapid-fire jokes and gross-out gags, Scary Movie flips the slasher genre into a carnival of ridiculousness.
The film was a box office juggernaut, opening to over $40 million and eventually earning nearly $280 million worldwide and sparking a franchise of (admittedly less-successful) genre-mockeries. While critics were divided, many scoffing at its lowbrow humor, it earned a massive cult following, especially among younger audiences who reveled in its irreverence. It also proved that parody films could still make serious money, launching a franchise that lasted four sequels.
More than just a spoof, Scary Movie helped usher in a new era of self-aware comedy in horror. It took the meta-horror torch from Scream and torched it for laughs. Though the franchise later lost its spark, the original remains a riotous time capsule of early-2000s pop culture, skewering everything from The Sixth Sense to the Budweiser “Whassup?” commercial.
Stream Scary Movie on Paramount+ here.
Stream Scary Movie on Fubo here.
Stream Scary Movie on DirecTV here.
Stream Scary Movie on The Roku Channel here.
X-Men
When two mutants, Rogue and Wolverine, seek refuge from a society that fears their powers, they’re drawn into a secret war between the peace-seeking Professor X and the militant Magneto. X-Men introduces the world to a team of genetically enhanced heroes fighting for coexistence in a world that wants them gone. It’s a sleek, action-packed adventure that kickstarted modern superhero cinema as we know it.
The film was both a financial and critical hit, earning over $296 million worldwide and praise for its serious tone and ensemble cast, including Hugh Jackman’s breakout role as Wolverine. While the special effects look modest by today’s standards, its success laid the groundwork for an entire cinematic universe. Without X-Men, there’s a good chance the Marvel takeover of the 2010s might have looked very different—or never happened at all.
The movie’s impact is still felt today. It redefined comic book movies as more than campy fun and gave them social weight, touching on themes of discrimination and identity. It also proved that ensemble casts could carry superhero blockbusters, paving the way for The Avengers and beyond. Twenty-five years later, it remains a landmark in genre storytelling.
Stream X-Men on Disney+ here.
What Lies Beneath
Claire Spencer begins to suspect that her idyllic lakeside home may be haunted. Also, she suspects that her husband, Norman, may not be telling the whole truth. As the supernatural activity intensifies, long-buried secrets bubble to the surface in this suspenseful thriller that blends ghost story with domestic drama. Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer deliver tension-filled performances in a story where nothing is what it seems.
Released during the height of summer blockbuster season, What Lies Beneath was a surprise hit, earning over $291 million globally. Critics praised Pfeiffer’s commanding performance and Robert Zemeckis’s elegant direction, which leaned into Hitchcockian suspense. Though some reviewers found the plot twists predictable, audiences were captivated by the eerie atmosphere and glossy presentation.
The film holds a unique place as one of the few big-budget ghost stories of the 2000s helmed by an A-list director. It was notable for casting Ford against type as a potentially sinister figure, and for showing that mainstream audiences were still hungry for grown-up thrillers amid a sea of action-heavy fare. It’s a polished throwback that holds up well in today’s true-crime-obsessed landscape.
Stream What Lies Beneath on Fubo here.
Stream What Lies Beneath on DirecTV here.
Stream What Lies Beneath on MGM+ here.
The In Crowd
A young woman lands a job at an exclusive country club and is quickly swept into the glamorous but dangerous clique of rich teens led by the magnetically manipulative Brittany. As secrets unravel and jealousy flares, the summer takes a dark turn. The In Crowd mixes melodrama with thriller elements, offering a glossy, sun-drenched descent into obsession.
Critically panned and largely ignored at the box office upon release, the film failed to make much of a splash at the time. However, it found new life on cable and home video, especially among fans of teen thrillers and soapy drama. With its campy tone and over-the-top twists, it gradually earned a status as a guilty pleasure.
Looking back, The In Crowd captures the fashion, music, and aesthetic of the early 2000s with eerie precision. It’s less a hidden gem than a shimmering oddity and more like one of those movies that feels more fun now because of how much of its era it embodies. For viewers who miss the late-’90s/early-2000s teen thriller boom, this one scratches a very specific itch.
Stream The In Crowd on Plex here.
Stream The In Crowd on Prime Video here.
Thomas and the Magic Railroad
When the magical Mr. Conductor loses his supply of special gold dust, it threatens the harmony of the Island of Sodor. Thomas the Tank Engine teams up with a young girl named Lily and her grandfather to stop the evil Diesel 10 from taking over the railway. Featuring live-action performances and a blend of animation and miniature work, this feature-length film brought the beloved TV series to the big screen.
Though it was highly anticipated by young fans, Thomas and the Magic Railroad struggled at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics. Some found its tone uneven, particularly due to edits that removed darker plot elements and major characters. Still, it maintained a gentle sweetness that appealed to very young audiences and helped launch a wave of nostalgia for the Thomas franchise.
Over time, the movie gained appreciation as a cultural curiosity. Featuring early work from stars like Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda, it has become a nostalgic relic for millennial viewers who grew up with Shining Time Station and Thomas’s original adventures. While not perfect, it’s remembered fondly by those who saw it at the right age—and may now be showing it to their own kids.
Stream Thomas and the Magic Railroad on Starz here.