While some may considerFantasyas a genre to be kids' stuff, some of the greatest films of all time have been one form of fantasy or another. It’s an incredibly flexible and inclusive genre, and it doesn’t hurt thatfantasy films are increasingly high-grossingat the box office. Yet much of that phenomenal popularity often hinges on franchises, and for those who haven’t yet been bitten by the fantasy bug, an eight-film saga likeHarry Potterdoesn’t exactly seem like the most accessible starting point.
There are dozens of incredible fantasy films that stand on their own and make for a fantastic introduction to the genre, whether you’re looking to find something to show your kids over the holidays or convince your uncle thatfantasy films can be masterpieces. And even as an adult,many fantasy films just hit different, bringing an emotional depth that can touch usmore poignantly than we could ever imagine.
This stop-motion-animated action-adventuredraws inspiration from Japanese mythology and art, particularly traditional woodblock prints. The titular Kubo (Art Parkinson), is a young boy who lives in a cave, caring for his ailing mother, making a living by playing hisshamisenand magically making origami dance to entertain the nearby village. Kubo yearns to learn the fate of his father, the mighty samurai Hanzo, but in pursuing this knowledge he winds up far away from home, on a quest to find the scattered pieces of his father’s armor before he’s hunted down by the cruel Moon King (Ralph Fiennes), his grandfather.
Kubo and the Two Strings Review
Kubo and the Two Strings is Laika’s most poignant, entertaining, and beautiful film yet - and one of the best movies, animated or not, of 2016.
With a whimsical and unique art style, compelling score, and an all-star cast that also includes Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey,Kubo and the Two Stringsis a family-friendly adventure that can appeal to all ages. Laika as a studio has repeatedly demonstrated their mastery of stop-motion animation, andKubois the underrated jewel in that impressive crown.
Before it was a franchise of three feature films, five short films, three streaming series, and now a live-action remake,How to Train Your Dragonwas a single film, adapted from a children’s book of the same name, with significant changes by directors Sanders and DeBlois. The two used their experiences from working on Disney’sLilo & Stitchtogether tochange Cressida Crowell’s book series from something they described as too “sweet” and “whimsical"into a thrilling, Viking-filled coming-of-age adventure.
Our hero is Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), an awkward boy who, unlike the rest of the Vikings he lives with, has no talent for fighting the dragons that plague their island village of Berk. A chance encounter with a wounded dragon — a near-mythical and dangerous Night Fury — shows Hiccup that there is a chance for the Vikings and the dragons to live in peace as he helps nurse the Night Fury back to health.It’s a heartwarming and gentle filmthat forces even the most hard-headed among us, Vikings or otherwise, to reconsider our biases about things we don’t understand.
The pet project of Tijuana-born directorJorge Gutierrez, who wanted to create a film that served as a magical reflection of his beloved Mexico,The Book of Lifeis both a story about romance and a parable about death that inspires viewers to embrace life, as is only fitting for a film centered around Día de los Muertos. While the animation is entirely computer-generated, the style defies verisimilitude, with the characters' models resembling wooden dolls and marionette puppets and the landscapes exploding with fantastical color.
10 Movies To Watch If You Like The Book Of Life
Fans of The Book of Life, the 2014 animated film from animator Jorge R. Gutierrez, should check out this list of similarly themed films to binge.
The Book of Lifetells the story of three youths in the fictional village of San Angel, located on a peninsula shaped exactly like a guitar. This touch of magical realism carries through the entire film as the youths — Manolo (Diego Luna), María (Zoe Saldana), and Joaquín (Channing Tatum) — struggle with their affections for each other and their families' unrealistic expectations,all the while serving as the unwitting pawns in a betbetween La Muerte (Kate del Castillo), the queen of the Land of the Remembered, and her husband Xibalba (Ron Perlman), ruler of the frigid Land of the Forgotten.
With a story that takes viewers through both lands and beyond (including a stop-off to visit an affable spirit voiced by Ice Cube),The Book of Lifeuses the trappings of traditional Mexican fables to tell a story that reminds everyone thatsince death is inevitable, the only way to face it is by being brave enough to live.
Another film that started as a standalone adaptation of a children’s book and accidentally launched a multimedia franchise, the originalShrekmay have been released in 2001, butits roots are firmly in that tongue-in-cheek 90s humor. As a result,Shrekis the prototype for films that are meant for kids but include material that will genuinely entertain adults, with a soundtrack packed with both hilarious covers (like Smash Mouth’s cover of The Monkees' “I’m A Believer,” used to close out the film) and poignant adult contemporary hits (John Cale’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s heartbreaking “Hallelujah”).
The plot is simple; Shrek (Michael Myers) is an ogre who just wants to be left alone, but after the diminutive Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) exiles all the fairy-tale creatures to live in Shrek’s swamp, he is forced reluctantly to remedy the situation by rescuing the beautiful Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). Aided by the indefatigable Donkey (Eddie Murphy), the heroes dethrone Farquaad, discover Fiona is actually an ogre, and go off to enjoy their happily-ever-after ending in the swamp. Along the way,there are enough fart jokes, social commentary, and Disney parodies to make even the grumpiest ogre chuckle.
6Howl’s Moving Castle
2004, Directed By Hayao Miyazaki
Adapted with significant changes from the first book in Diana Wynne Jone’sHowl Series,this Studio Ghibli classic at once embraces and subverts some of the most prevalent tropes in fantasy films. Although set entirely in a fictional kingdom,Howl’s Moving Castleis one of Hayao Miyazaki’s several films redolent with anti-war imagery in response to real-world events during its production through the early 2000s. It is also one of thebest animated fantasy moviesever made.
Howl’s Moving Castle Review: Miyazaki’s Most Romantic Film Is Just As Breathtaking 20 Years Later
20 years later, Howl’s Moving Castle is still a thrilling and gorgeous addition to Miyazaki’s filmography and will continue to connect with viewers.
When young hatter Sophie (Emily Mortimer in the English dub, Chieko Baisho in the original Japanese) crosses the malevolent Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall/Akihiro Miwa) and is cursed with old age, she is forced to seek out the mysterious wizard Howl (Christian Bale/Takuya Kimura) in hopes of restoring her youth. Howl is a mercurial man with problems of his own, but as their kingdom is gripped by war,the two learn to rely on each other, and that vulnerability is the real source of strength.
Yet another book adaptation, this time from a Neil Gaiman novel of the same name,Stardustis yet another play on the classic fairy-tale story of a young man on a quest to prove his love for a beautiful young woman. Tristan (Charlie Cox) lives in the rural English village of Wall, named because of the small stone wall near it that no one ever goes past. Tristan, however, crosses it in search of a falling star, and in doing sowinds up in a fantastical kingdom and finds himself an heir to a throne he never knew existed.
I Totally Forgot Henry Cavill Was In Stardust: His Character In The Neil Gaiman Movie Explained
Based on the Neil Gaiman novel, 2007’s Stardust boasts a stacked ensemble cast of famous actors, including Henry Cavill — who everyone forgets about.
Stardust’s cast is as star-studded as can be, a literal who’s who of British acting talent, including Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter O’Toole, Ben Barnes, Henry Cavill, and Ian McKellen. Of particular note is Robert DeNiro stealing the show as the secretly flamboyant sky-pirate Captain Shakespeare, whose role is expanded significantly from the book and lets DeNiro chew the scenery delightfully.
The 1980s saw a renaissance of fantasy films, andseveral of the most brilliant and strange of those films came from Jim Hensonand his incredible team at his Creature Shop. While their first major production was 1982’sThe Dark Crystal, which saw some incredible developments in the art of puppetry, it’sLabyrinththat remains one of the most enduring, bizarre, and memorable films of the era.
When 16-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) accidentally gets her baby brother Toby (Toby Froud) kidnapped by the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie), she is forced to race against time and get him back from the Goblin King’s castle at the heart of the mysterious Labyrinth. Along the way, she learns to trust other people instead of only her own impulses. With a soundtrack including some of Bowie’s catchiest songs and some of Henson’s best puppetry,Labyrinthhas absolutely earned its place as a cult classic(and source of karaoke standards).
This beloved movie takes a metatextual approach to its story (much like the source novel) by using the framing device of the grandfather (Peter Falk) reading S. Morgenstern’s original book to his sick grandson (Fred Savage). The joy of the film, though, is the swashbuckling main narrative, which sees stable boy-turned-pirate Westley (Cary Elwes) overcoming Sicilians, eels, rodents of unusual size, and even death itself to save his beloved Buttercup (Robin Wright) from having to marry the foul Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon).
While there have been multiple attempts to adapt the film into a stage musical, as well as years'-worth of rumors of a remake, no major adaptation ofThe Princess Bridehas ever appeared to eclipse the glory of the original. In fact, the only professional adaptation of it to reach any amount of acclaim was only released in 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown. Director Jason Reitman wanted a project that actors could do from their homes,and used his connections to officially license the story and createHome Movie: The Princess Bride.
Filmed on cell phones and using whatever items were to hand as props, dozens of actors contributed to the project, with each character changing actors in each scene. Fred Savage reprised his role as the grandson, and original director Rob Reiner also played that part, with his father, famous actor Carl Reiner, playing the grandfather in the final scene in his final film appearance before his death.The Princess Bridehas remained a cult classic for the nearly four decades since its release, and is simplya cultural icon that anyone even remotely interested in fantasy films should see.
While Lucasfilm has always been synonymous with science fiction thanks to theStar Warsfilms, the company has also provided some excellent fantasy fare, withGeorge Lucas serving as executive producer for this clever sword-and-sorcery adventure. The film follows the eponymous Willow (Warwick Davis), an aspiring dwarven sorcerer who finds a human baby that is being hunted by the dark Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh). With the help of the braggadocious mercenary Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), Willow must protect the child and return her home.
10 Forgotten ’80s Fantasy Movies That Are Actually Freaking Great (& Where To Watch Them)
Cinema in the 1980s is defined by its blockbuster films, which included a number of great fantasy epics that many have forgotten about.
Although it was a mixed success at the box office,Willowwas nominated for two Academy Awards when it was released, and the digital effects developed by Industrial Light and Magic are still considered to have been a milestone in the development of CGI. A sequel television series, also calledWillow, was released on Disney+ in 2022, with Ron Howard returning to executive produce. Unfortunately, the series, which was met with no small amount of critical excitement, wasremoved from streaming in 2023 as a part of Disney CEO Bob Iger’s cost-cutting purge of Disney and Hulu’s catalog.
While most people consider fantasy films to involve knights, dragons, and wizards, there are ways to work fantasy into any place or time, and 1999’sThe Mummy, a very loose remake of the 1932 film of the same name starring Boris Karloff, is anexcellent example of a fantasy film set in a more modern world. In 1926, librarian and Rhodes Scholar Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) finds a map and key to the legendary ancient Egyptian city of Hamunaptra, said to be full of lost riches.
Why The Mummy’s 1999 VFX Look So Much Better Than The Sequels'
The Mummy had some very impressive VFX for 1999, even better than its sequels The Mummy Returns or The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
After recruiting soldier and ruffian Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser), she journeys there but unintentionally awakens Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), an Egyptian sorcerer cursed with immortality for daring to love the Pharaoh’s mistress Anck-su-namun. Rick, with the help of Medjai warrior Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr), must race to stop Imhotep before he regains his power, sacrifices Evelyn to reincarnate his beloved, and unleashes Old Testament-grade plagues upon the world.
…the remake is a fantastical action-comedy that still remains faithful to its predecessor, switching seamlessly from genuine hilarity to horrifying visuals involving very hungry scarab beetles.
While the originalThe Mummywas a horror movie, the remake is a fantastical action-comedy that still remains faithful to its predecessor, switching seamlessly from genuine hilarity to horrifying visuals involving very hungry scarab beetles.Critics were mixed on the film, but it grossed over $400 million worldwide, launching a series of sequels and enshrining Brendan Fraser as a beloved comic action star. Roger Ebert,in his original review for theChicago Sun-Times, said it best, if begrudgingly: “There is hardly a thing I can say in its favor, except that I was cheered by nearly every minute of it.”
