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The fantasy genre is a fan-favorite and a crucial part of cinematic history. Dating back to the first-ever fantasy movies that came out throughout the 1910s and ’20s, the genre has evolved, experiencing several milestones throughout the subsequent one hundred years of cinema. Among the greatest highlights are 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life, 1987’s The Princess Bride, and 2001’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, to name just a few.
In the new millennium, the fantasy genre experienced a boom after being dormant for most of the ’90s, and by the middle of the decade, the genre had come back to life with a vengeance thanks to the rise of franchises and a newfound appreciation for classic tales of heroism and magic. Twenty years ago, it saw one of its most successful years in recent memory through a slew of memorable movies, some of which have become outright masterpieces. These are the best fantasy movies to come out in 2006, a collection of truly impressive efforts that have only gotten better with age.
‘Charlotte’s Web’
The second adaptation of the 1952 eponymous novel by E. B. White, Gary Winick‘s Charlotte’s Web stars an ensemble led by a then-twelve-year-old Dakota Fanning. The film follows the piglet Wilbur (Dominic Scott Kay), who learns he will eventually end up at the farmer’s dinner table. Together with the wise spider Charlotte (Julia Roberts), Wilbur hatches a plan to avoid being turned into bacon.
It might not be as great as the now-iconic 1973 animated version, but this take on Charlotte’s Web maintains all the delightful charm of the source material without losing an ounce of its poignancy. At its core, it’s a tale about the nature of life and how friendship and complicity can make even the darkest futures seem more hopeful. The ensemble of voice talent alone is worth a watch (we have Robert Redford as a horse, for crying out loud!), but Charlotte’s Web is also a worthwhile family adventure that has only gotten better with age.
‘The Fountain’
Darren Aronofsky is a very love-him-or-hate-him kind of filmmaker, and The Fountain might be his most misunderstood effort. The 2006 science fantasy romance stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz in a love tale that spans millennia. The main narrative centers on three different stories: a 16th-century conquistador goes on a quest to find a source of immortality to save his dying queen; in the present day, a scientist attempts to cure his wife’s cancer; and in the twenty-sixth century, an astronaut embarks on an interstellar journey.
The Fountain balances genres, themes, timelines, and narratives to produce a meditative and poignant yet admittedly uneven fantasy. Visually, the film is a feast, with Aronofsky favoring style like never before. Thematically, it really goes for it, covering everything from metaphysics to existentialism in an exploration of the enduring, life-altering nature of love. Jackman is perfectly committed as the lead, while Weisz is outright ethereal as his muse. Like many of Aronofsky’s movies, The Fountain‘s reach exceeds its grasp, but those willing to surrender to its distinct charms are in for a one-of-a-kind ride.
‘The Fall’
Few, if any, movies are as ambitious as The Fall. Shot over four years in a whopping 24 countries, Tarsem Singh‘s magnum opus stars Lee Pace as stuntman Roy Walker, who is hospitalized after a stunt gone wrong leaves him paraplegic, potentially for good. In the hospital, he meets young Alexandria (Catinca Untaru) and begins telling her a fantastic tale about a group of heroes seeking revenge against an evil ruler.
The Fall is among the most sprawling and sumptuous movies ever made. It is literally the definition of “ambitious,” a daring tale that perfectly encapsulates the unique power that cinema can have as an expression of singular artistic merit. The narrative is admittedly flawed, and it often threatens to crumble under the weight of its own impulses, but the visuals are so lush that it’s hard to fault it. The Fall is a film that must truly be seen to be believed, a spectacularly unique effort from one of cinema’s boldest and most uncompromising auteurs.
‘Stranger Than Fiction’
The 2006 fantasy rom-com Stranger Than Fiction might be Will Ferrell‘s most underappreciated effort of the 2000s. The actor plays Harold Crick, a quiet and introverted accountant who, one day out of nowhere, begins hearing a voice narrating his day-to-day, revealing that he will soon be dying. Attempting to retake control of his narrative, Harold begins a journey of self-discovery. Meanwhile, the author, neurotic recluse Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson), struggles to finish her story.
Quirky and witty, Stranger Than Fiction is a clever twist on the classic rom-com formula. Ferrell shines against type as a square of an accountant who wasted much of his life in mindless routine. The ensemble cast — Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Dustin Hoffman — is also stellar, particularly Thompson, who delivers one of her most delightfully unhinged performances. Stranger Than Fiction is a gem of 2000s cinema, a biting and strangely melancholic curio that shines a light on the importance of taking chances and how everyday, seemingly random choices can and eventually do shape our lives in the long term.
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’
In 2003, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl brought the swashbuckling genre back to life. Three years later, the sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, delivered yet another adventure of whimsical intensity in the high seas. The plot sees Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) attempting to escape from a deal he made with the wicked Davy Jones (Bill Nighy). Meanwhile, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) embarks on a quest to free his father from Jones’ servitude, while Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) tries to save herself and Will from prison for helping Jack during their first adventure.
Bigger and bolder than the first movie, Dead Man’s Chest has aged beautifully and is now widely considered a triumph of blockbuster filmmaking. The plot is convoluted, and the main trio of performances is a tad less impressive than the first time around. However, the film soars on the strength of Nighy’s transformative, Oscar-worthy portrayal of Davy Jones, quite possibly the best Disney live-action villain in modern cinema. The VFX are also jaw-dropping, with Jones standing as one of the most impressive and fully-realized CGI creations in the medium.
‘The Science of Sleep’
As the follow-up to his generation-defining soft sci-fi masterpiece Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Michel Gondry chose the fantasy romance The Science of Sleep. Mexican icon Gael García Bernal stars as Stéphane, a young man reeling from the death of his father while living in Paris. Soon after starting a new job, Stéphane’s extremely vivid dreams begin messing with his real life and interfere with his courtship of his next-door neighbor, Stéphanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg).
If any movie has ever captured the strikingly beautiful and chaotic nature of dreams, it’s The Science of Sleep. Make no mistake, this remarkable film is messy, but it’s very much by design. Powered by a game García Bernal, this gem is a lovely exploration of romance and the quirks that make every individual unique. Here, each of us exists in a little world of our own, and sometimes, it spills out into reality, but that’s exactly what makes life worth living. Unfortunately, The Science of Sleep suffered from being constantly compared to Eternal Sunshine. However, it’s a terrific movie that deserves far more attention from current audiences.
‘Pan’s Labyrinth’
Pan’s Labyrinth finds director Guillermo del Toro in full command of his craft. Set in Francoist Spain, the film follows young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), who moves in with her pregnant mother to the countryside at the best of her new stepfather, the sadistic Captain Vidal (Sergi López). There, Ofelia stumbles upon a labyrinth where she meets a faun (Doug Jones) who reveals her backstory as the princess of a magical realm. If she wants to return there, Ofelia must pass three trials.
Widely considered del Toro’s magnum opus, Pan’s Labyrinth is a beautiful examination of how fantasy can help us cope with the cruel realities of life. The director does not pull any punches in depicting the haunting allure of his dark fantasy world, with incredible creatures and an eerie, striking production design. The highlight is, of course, the Pale Man, whose six-minute sequence is arguably the crowning jewel of del Toro’s impressive career. However, it’s all in service of a poignant tale about the power of imagination, and how it might very well be our strongest tool to thrive in this ruthless, unforgiving world.
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David Caballero
Almontather Rassoul
