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The fantasy genre has long been one of the most versatile and creative in the world of cinema. It has always been a way for creatives to push the limits of technology to bring to life unique worlds with which to tell human stories. As such, the fantasy genre has only gotten better with time.
The last 25 years, in particular, have been among the apex of fantasy movies. Following the success of Sir Peter Jackson‘s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it was proven that fantasy movies could be blockbusters and reach mainstream popularity. While not every movie released since then has reached the same height, many films over the last quarter of a century have made their mark thanks to their creativity and strong themes.
15
‘The Green Knight’ (2021)
As a Christmas game unfolds in King Arthur’s court, Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), the king’s inexperienced and impulsive nephew, accepts a challenge from the mysterious Green Knight (Ralph Ineson). After striking the towering figure with an axe, Gawain is told to seek out the Green Knight one year later and receive the same blow in return. His journey across a mystical landscape becomes a test, ultimately testing his understanding of what it truly means to be a knight.
Director David Lowery transforms the classic Arthurian poem into a visually stunning fantasy unlike almost anything released in recent years. The Green Knight weaves together folklore and dreamlike storytelling instead of relying on traditional action or spectacle. Combined with Patel’s nuanced performance and breathtaking cinematography, it’s one of the boldest and best-looking fantasy films of the 21st century.
14
‘Stardust’ (2007)
As the King of the magical kingdom of Stormhold (Peter O’Toole) dies while three of his sons still live, he tosses his ruby into the sky, telling the princes that whoever finds it will be king. The ruby knocks a star out of the sky, which crashes to the Earth and takes the form of a woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes). The event is witnessed by several people, including a young man named Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) who wishes to claim the star for his crush, and a trio of witches who want to use Yvaine’s heart to restore their youth.
Stardust adapts the story of the same name by Neil Gaiman into a fun, family-friendly romp that still has an edge of darkness. Each of the characters is fleshed out and brought to life by the perfect actors, while the healthy balance of action and romance keeps you invested in what obstacle will hit the characters next and how they’ll overcome it. While both of the leads are strong, the real scene-stealers are Mark Strong as the wicked Prince Septimus, Michelle Pfeiffer as the main witch-hunting Yvaine, and Robert De Niro as a flamboyant sky pirate.
13
‘Coraline’ (2008)
Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) is a young girl who has moved with her parents to the Pink Palace Apartments in Oregon, which is full of eccentric tenants. While exploring, Coraline discovers a door that leads to a parallel world constructed by her Other Mother (Teri Hatcher), where everyone has black buttons for eyes. Coraline becomes enraptured by the world and its many wonders, but a black cat (Keith David) who can travel between both worlds warns her that all is not as it seems.
Coraline is another Gaiman story and leans much more heavily into his unique mix of magic and horror. This is thanks largely to the fantastic stop-motion from Laika, which captures the sense of wonder and horror the Other World evokes, especially in the climax when everything starts to fall apart. Coraline herself is also a great protagonist thanks to solid character writing that sees her speak and act like a child her age would, and Fanning’s earnest performance that captures her spunky personality.
12
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)
As a child, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) met Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) when he was rescued from a shipwreck, and she confiscated his golden medallion so that he wouldn’t be mistaken for a pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Years later, Elizabeth falls into the water while wearing the medallion, which summons a ghost ship called the Black Pearl to Port Royal, captained by Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). He kidnaps Elizabeth, and to rescue her, Will enlists the help of the eccentric pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), who used to captain the Black Pearl before Barbossa mutinied against him.
The Curse of the Black Pearl overcame a troubled production and was a smash hit that kicked off one of Disney’s most lucrative franchises. It is a beautiful mix of swashbuckling clichés with dark fantasy, told through the Aztec curse that has trapped the pirates in a state of undeath. Combine that with unforgettable characters, engaging action scenes, and one of Hans Zimmer’s best musical scores, and you have a movie that proves that anything, even a theme park ride, can be made into a film with the right care and people behind it.
11
‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (2004)
Harry Potter’s (Daniel Radcliffe) third year at Hogwarts doesn’t start well: he accidentally inflates his mean aunt like a balloon, learns that the dangerous criminal Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and gets targeted by Azkaban’s happiness-draining guards, Dementors, as they hunt for Black. To protect himself, he begins training under Professor Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), a friend of his late parents, who teaches him how to conjure a Patronus charm. As the year goes on, Harry finds himself uncovering secrets from the past that shed more light on how he lost his parents.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is widely considered the best film in the franchise, thanks in large part to the creative choices made by director Alfonso Cuarón. Rather than capture the whimsical magic of the first two films directed by Chris Columbus, Cuarón opted for darker imagery to reflect how the series was shifting to more mature storytelling and more creative ways to showcase the magical world, such as using the Whomping Willow as a framing device to show the passing of time. The acting from everyone is phenomenal, with Thewlis and Oldman getting the most praise thanks to how complex and multifaceted their characters are.
10
‘Midnight in Paris’ (2011)
Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a disillusioned writer who finds himself looking wistfully back at the early 20th century. While visiting Paris with his fiancée, he is picked up by a mysterious car and somehow taken back to the 1920s. There, he runs into all sorts of famous figures, including Salvador Dalí (Adrian Brody), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), F. Scott (Tom Hiddleston), and Zelda Fitzgerald (Alison Pill).
Midnight in Paris is a wonderful movie that plays out like a lucid dream. You can’t help but get swept up in the magic of it all with Gil, made all the easier by the fantastic production design that brings the time period to life, and the top-tier actors who give unforgettable performances as these famous figures. The film also has a very strong message regarding nostalgia and how each generation idolizes the one that came before, which is a timeless message that feels more relevant with each year that passes.
9
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)
Eager to prove himself a dragon-slaying warrior, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Jay Baruchel) uses a machine to shoot down a deadly Night Fury but finds he can’t bring himself to kill the dragon. Due to a tail injury, the dragon can’t fly away, allowing Hiccup to observe him and name him Toothless (Randy Thom). Hiccup eventually forms a bond with Toothless that makes him believe peace between humans and dragons is possible, all while his father, Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), prepares to attack the dragon’s nest to put an end to their raiding.
How to Train Your Dragon kicked off one of DreamWorks’ best franchises thanks to its simple story told with a tremendous amount of heart. It shows both sides of the dragon-Viking conflict without painting either side as wrong, and through the efforts of Hiccup and Toothless, demonstrates that peace can be achieved, though often at great cost. Meanwhile, the animation is gorgeous and perfectly captures the epic fantasy of being able to ride a dragon.
8
‘Song of the Sea’ (2014)
Ben (James Ó Floinn/David Rawle) is a young boy living with his lighthouse keeper father, Connor (Brendon Gleeson), and his mute sister, Saoirse, whom he blames for the disappearance of their mother. One day, their grandmother (Fionnula Flanagan) comes to take them to mainland Ireland, citing Connor’s depression at the loss of his wife, though the kids eventually sneak off on their own. During the journey, they discover that Saoirse is a Selkie, and she is part of a prophecy that will open the door to Tír na nÓg and allow all magical creatures to return home.
Song of the Sea is the most beautiful animated film to come from Ireland, both from a storytelling and artistic perspective. The art style looks like medieval art come to life, which plays into the mystical story and makes the magical creatures feel more otherworldly. As for the story, it is a powerful tale about accepting and processing grief that highlights the danger that comes from trying to suppress or deny it.
7
‘Shrek’ (2001)
Shrek (Mike Myers) is an ogre who wants to be left alone in his swamp, but unfortunately, he finds himself playing host to a swarm of fairytale creatures banished from their homes by Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). Aided by a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), Shrek confronts Farquaad in his castle and negotiates the return of his land in exchange for rescuing Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a dragon-guarded castle. Shrek succeeds, but it turns out that he and the princess might have more in common than they first thought.
Shrek remains a cultural juggernaut thanks to its satirical take on fairytale clichés, especially those used by Disney in its animated classics. Its jokes are clever and often crass, which helped DreamWorks establish an identity for itself in the changing landscapes of the early 2000s. Yet what really helped Shrek last is its heart: the film has a very mature message about making quick assumptions and how societal expectations can lead to long-lasting consequences.
6
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
Evelyn Quan Wang (Michelle Yeoh) is a struggling Chinese American trying to run a laundromat while also dealing with the IRS and an estranged relationship with her husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), and daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu). One day, Evelyn learns about the multiverse, which is under threat of destruction due to an alternate Joy named Jobu Tupaki. Evelyn gains the ability to hop into alternate versions of herself and access their memories and skills, which she uses to try to stop Jobu.
Everything Everywhere All at Once uses its mutiversal premise to take audiences on an absurdist journey dominated by stunning visuals and existential themes. The main theme in the movie is nihilism, which is explored through the multiverse itself, and it questions whether anything matters and what gives life its purpose. The actors also do a great job making the characters come to life, especially Yeoh, who provides the film’s emotional core through her mix of comedic timing and emotional pathos.
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https://collider.com/best-fantasy-movies-last-25-years-ranked/
Tyler B. Searle
Almontather Rassoul
