8 Best Movies of 2001

By Vlad Zakh · June 30, 2026

2001 mixed cult mystery, animation and epic fantasy. Donnie Darko has a teenager guided by visions of a giant rabbit, Mulholland Drive unravels a surreal Hollywood mystery, and A Beautiful Mind follows a mathematician’s descent into schizophrenia. Monsters, Inc., Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Amelie, The Fellowship of the Ring and Spirited Away round out the eight.

Donnie Darko (2001)

IMDb ★ 8.0 RT 88% Metacritic 88

A troubled teenager is warned of the world's end by a man in a disturbing rabbit costume.

Directed by Richard Kelly · 1h 54m · Rated R

12 wins & 17 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, fuboTV, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mulholland Drive (2001)

TMDB ★ 7.8

An amnesiac and an aspiring actress unravel a Los Angeles mystery that refuses to resolve cleanly.

Directed by David Lynch · 2h 27m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 74% Metacritic 72

A brilliant mathematician's groundbreaking career is overshadowed by his slide into schizophrenia.

Directed by Ron Howard · 2h 15m · Rated PG-13

Won 4 Oscars37 wins & 69 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Apple TV, Apple TV Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 96% Metacritic 79

Two monster coworkers must return a human child to her own world without anyone finding out.

Directed by Pete Docter · 1h 32m · Rated G

Won 1 Oscar15 wins & 38 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus, fuboTV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 80% Metacritic 65

An orphaned boy discovers he is a wizard and begins his first year at a magical school.

Directed by Chris Columbus · 2h 32m · Rated PG

Nominated for 3 Oscars20 wins & 75 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, HBO Max, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Amélie (2001)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 90% Metacritic 70

A whimsical Parisian waitress quietly improves the lives of those around her.

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet · 2h 02m · Rated R

Nominated for 5 Oscars60 wins & 74 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

IMDb ★ 8.9 RT 91% Metacritic 92

A hobbit inherits a ring that could either save or destroy Middle-earth.

Directed by Peter Jackson · 2h 59m · Rated PG-13

Won 4 Oscars126 wins & 127 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Spirited Away (2001)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 96% Metacritic 96

A young girl trapped in a spirit world must work in a bathhouse to save her transformed parents.

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki · 2h 05m · Rated PG

Won 1 Oscar58 wins & 31 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

8 Best Movies of 2001

Donnie Darko (2001)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

Amélie (2001)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Spirited Away (2001)

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