Everyone loves to be mystified and entranced. Luckily, the genre of fantasy has got you covered. From magical worlds to incredible creatures, fantasy has it all. Ready to transport audiences to universes beyond their wildest imaginations while sitting down with a bucket of popcorn.
Want to escape reality? Want to fly on broomsticks, sail the seas, and talk to animals? Perhaps you’re interested in sinister tales with mysterious villains or happy worlds filled with magic. Whatever the case, there are plenty of classic fantasy films to watch before kicking the bucket.
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‘Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone’ (2001)
When Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), an orphaned boy living with his cruel relatives, turns 11, he discovers that he belongs to the world of witchcraft and wizardry. Harry leaves to attend an all-magic school named Hogwarts, where he discovers the world of magic and the evil that haunts him.
Arguably the most famous fantasy world, J.K. Rowling’s seven-part book series got eight movie adaptations, starting in 2001 with Harry Potter and thePhilosophers Stone (marketed as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone abroad). The performances, directing, and special effects, in particular, were fantastic. Chris Columbus, the director, did a tremendous job with the direction.
‘The Jungle Book’ (2016)
Young man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi), who has been raised among the wolves of the jungle, is threatened by the evil tiger Shere Khan. Bagheera, the black panther who found Mowgli abandoned in the jungle when he was a baby, offers to take Mowgli to a nearby man’s village for protection from the tiger. Mowgli meets many new characters along the journey and has plenty of adventures.
One thing impressive about The Jungle Book‘s modern adaptation of the 1967 version is the seriously impressive CGI. The film is a technical masterpiece with realistic-looking animals and amazing green screen backgrounds. A special highlight must be given to the young Sethi and his fantastic acting alongside non-existent animals.
‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)
In 1944 Francoist Spain, a young girl mystified by fairy tales is sent with her pregnant mother to live with her cruel stepfather. In the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to complete an old faun in an elaborate labyrinth. The faun tells her she’s a princess but must prove her royalty. If she fails, she will never see her birth father, the king, again.
Guillermo Del Toro creates an extraordinarily innovative work of film with Pan’s Labyrinth. It combines the realities of war with an incredible fantasy world. It gives the story’s lead character a chance to live when she might have lost everything. The astounding visuals create a universe, unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
‘Edward Scissorhands’ (1990)
An inventor’s greatest creation—Edward (Johnny Depp), a nearly-complete person—lives in a castle high on a hill. The creator died before completing Edward’s hands, leaving him with metal scissors as replacements. He has lived alone until a kind lady named Peg (Dianne Wiest) discovers him and welcomes him into her home. Everyone initially welcomes him into the community, but things quickly change for the worse.
One of Tim Burton’s most famous films, Edward Scissorhands, is a cult classic for every fantasy fan. With a simple but moving love story at the center of the film, Edward Scissorhands combines romance and fantasy into a beautiful masterpiece. Career standout performances from Depp and Winona Ryder make the film wildly popular.
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)
The first installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series follows the story of blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) as he teams up with wacky pirate “Captain” Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and the woman he loves, Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightley). Elizabeth is at the mercy of Jack’s former crew, who are now undead creatures.
This swashbuckling tale is the perfect mix of fantasy, adventure, and action. With amazing musical scores by Hans Zimmer and comedic improvisational acting from Depp, the film is a delight for many fans.
‘Stardust’ (2007)
There is a gap in a wall next to an English village that serves as the entrance from our world to the fantasy kingdom of Stormhold. A boy (Charlie Cox) in the 1800s becomes a man when he crosses the gap searching for a fallen star to demonstrate his love for the village belle. To Tristan’s surprise, the star is not a lump of rock but a woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes). The two go on many adventures while being pursued by both witches and princes out for blood.
With its massive scale, Stardust is something straight out of a fairy-tale book. A hero’s quest meets a charming romance mixed with dazzling acting – it’s enough to make anyone smile.
‘Labyrinth’ (1986)
Sixteen-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) wishes her baby brother away after he won’t stop crying. Little does she know the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie) is ready to grant her wish. When she realizes her mistake, the Goblin King gives Sarah until Midnight to make her way through his labyrinth to his castle to save her brother. Sarah befriends many creatures on her way. Will she make it to Toby in time?
The plot of this movie transports the audience back to their childhood: the presence of Bowie and Connelly is also fantastic, and their chemistry is iconic. Labyrinth is definitely a classic fantasy movie of the ’80s.
‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’ (2017)
When his father, King Uther Pendragon, and his mother are killed in a war against their kingdom, a young Arthur is left orphaned. Arthur flees and is raised in a brothel, knowing nothing about his true heritage. An older Arthur (Charlie Hunnam), who now runs the streets and is every bit smart as he is cocky, is faced with the truth about his past when all the young men of the kingdom are called to attempt to draw out the mighty Excalibur, Uther’s sword, from the rock where it is lodged.
In this new adaptation of the legend of King Arthur, the film contains very few aspects of the actual Arthur legend. However, it has a unique new story revolving around Hunnam’s rugged and comedic Arthur. With great magic, action, comedy, and drama,King Arthur brings a fresh perspective to the medieval world of the legends of old.
‘Where the Wild Things Are’ (2009)
Running away to a world within his imagination, a feisty Max finds himself in a world where giant, wild monsters live across the ocean, including Carol, who is temperamentally quite similar to Max. The wild things become friends with Max after he pretends to be a king who can magically fix all their issues, unlike how they typically behave with creatures of his type, which would be that they eat creatures like him.
Based on the original Maurice Sendak storybook of the same name, Where the Wild Things Are adds some unique things that bring the story to life. With Spike Jonze working closely with the author, the two managed to expand on the children’s book and create a film with a more fleshed-out story with perfectly developed characters.
‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)
With his grandson sick in bed, a loving grandpa tells his grandson a story. The story is of a farm boy-turned-pirate who faces many challenges, foes, and allies in his journey to find his true love. While the young boy dislikes the story at first, the grandpa cheers him up with it.
There was everything in this movie. There is a lot of pure love within the action, comedy, drama, suspense, plot twists, and treachery. Every character is lovable, every line is quotable, and every layer is clever and witty. The Princess Bride is truly a classic fairy tale at its best.
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