20 Great Movies Since 2000 That You Forgot Existed

18. Big Fish (2003)

Nowadays Tim Burton is generally seen to be something of a joke - especially given that most of the movies that he's made over the course of the 2000s have been either middling, forgettable or just plain bad. But Big Fish - which folk tend to forget is an actual film that came out in 2003 - is one of the auteur's most underrated efforts, and stands as a genuinely good movie. Based on the novel of the same name by David Wallace, Big Fish tells the story of Edward Bloom, who - stricken with cancer - recounts the fantastic and often absurd tales of his life to his estranged son. It's a deeply emotional film, sincere and heart-wrenching, and with none of the negative aspects that seem to have clouded so much of Burton's late-stage work. It's actually funny, too. Featuring fine performances from the likes of Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney, Big Fish not only serves as a love letter to the imagination, but to storytelling itself. If you've avoided this up 'til now, do yourself a favour and check it out as soon as possible: you won't be disappointed.