The Best Fantasy Movies

Fantasy is not exactly a genre that has ever been over-represented on the big screen.

There has been a paucity of good fantasy on screen… partially because until now, the technology to make the worlds and mythical creatures believable and not-cheesy hasn’t existed.

However, live-action fantasy is starting to show up more and more. And as it does, there are a few older movies that I think get overlooked, but have managed to stand the test of time.

Now, I’m going to assume that if you are into fantasy, you’ve heard of a couple of little movies called The Lord of the Rings… which is really where fantasy got its shot at the big screen and blew everyone out of the water.

There are also the Harry Potter movies, and the newer Chronicles of Narnia, which I’m also going to assume you’ve heard of or seen. If not… consider them recommended by Yours Truly.

And, of course, there’s been the 20-year-long inundation of Super Heroes on the big screen courtesy of Marvel and DC… but I’ve got a whole Marvel vs. DC post coming later this month, so we’ll save that for then!

Today, I want to talk about a few fantasy movies that might fall into the “lesser well known” category:

The Princess Bride

Yep. Starting off with one that I’m pretty sure is every bit as widely known as those I mentioned above, but still. This is the GOLD STANDARD, folks. It’s my all-time favorite movie, and it has all the fantasy goodness: fencing, fighting, true love, hate, revenge, miracles, giants, comedy, and a plethora of fabulous one-liners. So it’s not lesser-well-known. But it HAS stood the test of time, and it’s pretty spectacular in its own right, especially considering the era in which it was made.

Ladyhawke

On a more serious note, Ladyhawke is to this day one of the most beautiful fantasy movies I’ve ever seen. It’s a tragic story about cursed lovers who are looking to escape their curse, or at the very least get revenge on the one who cursed them. This love story is contrasted by a quippy pick-pocket, some intense chases and sword-fights, and a riddle that holds the key to a possible happily ever after.

Stardust

This movie is so much fun. When I first saw it, I almost felt like I did when I watched The Princess Bride for the first time. Mesmerized. Enchanted. Swept off on an adventure of epic proportions. This is such a beautiful movie. It is full of adventure, danger, fun, and a sweetly unfolding romance. It’s also a coming-of-age, and a story about finding one’s true place in the world.

I also have it on good authority that the movie is far better than the book.

Reign of Fire

This is my absolute FAVORITE dragon movie. The dragons of Reign of Fire convinced me that dragons could actually be done on-screen. Despite the fact that this is more dystopian than fantasy, it has dragons, so it totally counts.

A thrilling action-adventure movie set on our world in a dystopian future (well, actually, now it’s the past, because this movie was made in 2002 and set in 2020… which just… I mean it’s just perfect. Absolutely believable) where dragons got woken up from their underground slumber and now reign over a scattered, defeated, and terrified human population.

Ever After

I might be stretching a little bit here. Because for all intents and purposes, Ever After really doesn’t have many of the elements you’d generally expect to find in the fantasy genre. But, since it is my all-time favorite retelling of Cinderella, it has to be fantasy, right?

Right?

Inkheart

A man with the power to read stories into the real world, and keep them there. Sounds like something we all wish for, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, Mo’s power has some unwanted side-effects… like the fact that for everything he reads OUT of a story, something else gets sucked INTO the story! Which is a problem.

This movie is so fun and magical.

The Librarian: Quest for the Spear

I promised no cheesiness, didn’t I?

Sorry.

Broke my promise.

But The Librarian had to make my list, because it’s So. Much. Fun! This is a movie that doesn’t take itself seriously at all, and benefits from it. Imagine a world in which all the magical artifacts from stories and legends are REAL. Now imagine that there is a secret society of librarian/archeologists who find and store these artifacts inside a hidden library to keep them safe and out of the wrong hands.

I mean, if that doesn’t sound like the most fun ever… I don’t know that we can be friends.

Just kidding. More adventures for me!

Bridge to Terabithia

Until this movie came out, I would never have classified Bridge to Terabithia as a fantasy. But the movie turned the story into just that. And it did so without losing any of the heart or charm or heart-wrenching tragedy from the book. This is one of those few movies where I feel like the directors peeked inside my head and transposed what they saw there onto the screen.

Pete’s Dragon

Either version is fine by me. But the one I am talking about here is the newer version. It is very different from the original, but I think I like it better for not trying to be a beat-for-beat recreation of the original. Despite the semi-Fern Gully subplot in the middle of the movie, this movie is kind of a blast and a beautiful story about friendship. Also, the ending is totally worth sticking around for.

Also, I dunno. Something about the furry green dragon that kept the coloring of the original Elliot, but also reminds me a lot of Falcor from The Neverending Story… just… I loved it.

Simply Irresistible

This one is kind of cheesy as well. Sorrynotsorry. If you hadn’t figured this out by now, I like cheesy.

But this movie is also just so stinkin’ adorable. A girl who dreams of keeping her chef- parents’ dream alive, but cannot cook to save her life… until one day when she stumbles upon a magic crab who bestows upon her the ability to cook emotions into her food and changes everything.

A sweet little fantasy rom-com might be just the thing you’re looking for this weekend, what with Valentine’s Day fast approaching.

The Prince of Persia

Kind of a timey-wimey Aladdin-esque sort of movie, this one has all the fantasy adventure you could ask for. Containing characters who are compelling and heroic, plenty of good swashbuckling fun that hearkens back to past movies like Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean, and a well-written, fun, witty script — this movie is a true unknown diamond. And it should be better know. That’s all I’m saying. For a more thorough review, click HERE.

Have you seen any of these movies? Are there any other lesser-well-known fantasy movies that you think are spectacular that I should check out? Let me know in the comments!