Feel-good movies have a way of helping audiences forget about all of the stressful, negative, and burdensome aspects of their daily lives. This was especially the case in the 2000s when the loom of terrorism, global warming, and economic recession seemed to inflict emotional pain and stress on everyone in the US. For many, movies were a sort of salve with which they could escape (even if only for a temporary period).

As evidenced by the increase in streaming during quarantine, people still turn to movies as a way of coping through the darkest of times. In this way, feel-good movies naturally hold a special place in people's hearts. As such, here's a list of the top feel-good movies of the 2000s.

10 Elf

Elf 2003
IMDb

Christmas is around the corner, and no 2000s movie list is complete without a Will Ferrell appearance. Elf was released on November 7, 2003. Directed by Jon Favreau and starring Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, and James Caan, Elf tells the story of Buddy, a human raised by elves in the North Pole, on his journey to finding his biological father in New York City. Quickly becoming a holiday classic, it spawned a Broadway musical, an animated special known as Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas, and even a Gameboy video game in 2004. There isn’t anything more feel-good than Christmas cheer and finding people with whom, and a place in which, you belong.

9 Shrek

Shrek 2001
IMDb

Shrek was a film that sought to dismantle traditional Disney-like, fairytale tropes. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson (both their directorial debuts), it features voice talents from Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz. In a fairytale land far away, a tyrannical king, Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow), displaces fairytale creatures to a swamp home to an unpleasant ogre named Shrek. In order to reclaim his swamp, he agrees to rescue a princess from a tower to help wed Lord Farquaad. Between poking fun at traditional storytelling and comically unlikeable characters, Shrek spreads the message that there is love for everyone.

8 Napoleon Dynamite

Napoleon Dynamite 2004
IMDb

Up to defend the small town geeks of Preston, Idaho is 2004 indie-hit, Napoleon Dynamite. Produced on a budget of only $400,000, half of which was spent on the iconic “dance scene” song by Jamiroquai, the film became an instant cult classic that grossed millions of dollars. Based on the life of the film’s director and writer, Jared Hess (also written by his wife Jerusha Hess), Napoleon Dynamite is an endearing story about friendship and weirdness, following an awkward high school student in small town Idaho who maneuvers through his relationships. Above all, Napoleon Dynamite demonstrated to audiences the validity--and the beauty--of being your true, authentic, and weird self.

7 Bring It On

Bring it On 2000
IMDb

Bring It On stars Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union, Eliza Dushku, and Jesse Bradford, and was directed by Peyton Reed. The film centers around a fictional cheerleading squad and their goal of achieving their sixth national title. It earns its spot on the best feel-good movies list for its generally well-written way of dealing with inequality and cheerleading satire. The films have featured numerous icons of the 2000s including Solange Knowles, Hayden Panettiere, and Christina Milian. Its most recent incarnation, set to release in 2022, is set to be a slasher film.

6 The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada 2006
IMDb

Based on the novel of the same title, The Devil Wears Prada became an instant classic because of Meryl Streep’s impeccable portrayal of Miranda Priestly, an intimidating fashion magazine editor. Directed by David Frankel (Marley & Me), the film takes place in the fashion world of New York following newly hired co-assistant, Andy (Anne Hathaway), adapting to her new job under Priestly. Looking back on the film, Priestly is glorified as an iconic “girlboss," but the overall lesson of the film is about staying true to yourself, your values, and your beliefs. It's a theme that still resonates with audiences today.

5 She's the Man

She's the Man 2006
IMDb

From a slew of memorable rom-coms starring Amanda Bynes, came She’s the Man in 2006, also starring Channing Tatum before his male stripping days. Directed by Andy Fickman, the film was inspired by Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night. When Viola Hastings’ (Bynes) girls’ soccer team gets cut from her school, she poses as her brother, Sebastian (James Kirk), to play on his school’s boys soccer team in order to prove to her former coach wrong for cancelling the girls’ team. From Bynes’ teen-drama antics to overarching themes of female empowerment, She’s the Man is one of her stand out films from this era.

Related: Best College Movies of All Time

4 Lilo & Stitch

Lilo & Stitch 2002
IMDb

“Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."

One of the most heartwarming animated tales from Disney, Lilo & Stitch paints beautiful imagery from forests and glistening islands in Hawaii to galactic chases in outer space to tell the story of a little girl, Lilo, who is desperate for a friend and normalcy in her life. Lilo & Stitch is grounded in realism despite a talking, alien dog being the central conflict of the film. It is written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois (both their directorial debuts). You’ll certainly need a box of tissues next to your bed for all the laughing and crying this film will cause you.

3 The Princess Diaries

The Princess Diaries 2001
IMDb

Anne Hathaway’s breakout role was Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries, directed by Garry Marshall and written by Gina Wendkos. A film about a socially awkward high school student, Mia, who learns she has inherited the throne of a fictional, European kingdom. The film also stars Julie Andrews as Mia’s grandmother, the queen of Genovia, and other talent such as Mandy Moore. From Mia’s hilariously awkward moments, to overcoming her bullies and learning she is actually royalty, this charming movie is one to be rewatched over and over again throughout the years. Who hasn’t scoured Ancestry.com to find traces of royalty somewhere down their lineage?

2 The Lizzie McGuire Movie

The Lizzie McGuire Movie 2003
IMDb

If you thought Hilary Duff wasn’t going to make an appearance on this list, you were wrong. The Lizzie McGuire Movie was the film that made us all believe we deserved a class trip to Rome after graduating eighth grade, let alone finding love and becoming an international popstar. Directed by Jim Fall, Lizzie (Hilary Duff) and her classmates travel to Rome, Italy as a graduation trip. Unbeknownst to Lizzie, she looks strikingly similar to Italian pop sensation Isabella Parigi, who has run away right before a massive performance at the Colosseum. She is convinced to take her place by Isabella’s singing partner, Paolo, played by Yani Gellman. Based from the TV series of the same title, the film had a theatrical release on May 2, 2003, then frequented the Disney Channel for years to follow, becoming part of millions of children’s television diet. The outlandish, and even canonically unbelievable aspects of this story make it one of the greatest teen films of the 2000s. The peak of Duff’s acting career and catapulting her music career to follow, The Lizzie McGuire Movie has been widely memed and appreciated by audiences on TikTok who post reenacted scenes of the movie.

1 Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde 2001
IMDb

A true testament to an era of films about feminism and carving a path for yourself, Legally Blonde sits at the top on a golden pedestal that stands the test of time. Released on July 13, 2001, directed by Robert Luketic and written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith. Legally Blonde tells the story of Elle Woods, played by Reese Witherspoon, becoming a student at Harvard in order to prove her worth to her boyfriend, played by Matthew Davis, but later finds a passion for justice seeking and law. Cleverly crafted writing and sprawling with iconic performances by the likes of Jennifer Coolidge, Selma Blair, and Linda Cardellini, Legally Blonde proves that you can give fashionista-diva while serving justice.