Focus on Fantasy

Below a listing of what I believe to be the best fantasy movies. As with fantasy in written form, fantasy movies come in many different styles. I have a preference for epic/ high fantasy which also shows in this list but I didn’t only pick movies from this type of fantasy. I have simply included and ranked those fantasy movies that I like best and believe to be the most important in the genre.

Of course I included movies like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia and Conan the Barbarian but you may come across movies you haven’t seen yet or have never heard of. Not included are animated movies like The Dark Crystal, Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. I have written a special post on Anime and other animated fantasy movies to be able to go into more detail about these kind of fantasy movies.

So here it is: a list of the best fantasy movies ever made!

1. The Lord of the Rings

Without any doubt the absolute number one of this list. A brilliant trilogy of movies based on one of the best and most influential fantasy series ever made.
Based of the books of J.R.R. Tolkien and directed by Peter Jackson and with a great cast of both well-known and unknown actors, the LotR movies became a huge hype and very popular. All three movies have won Oscars (Return of the King won 11!) and are among the 30 best movies ever according to IMDb. Click here for a series review of LOTR.

Read more about the Lord of the Rings movies and a comparison of them.

2. The Wizard of Oz

A great classic, released in 1939 it is the oldest movie in this list. The story is one we all know, although mostly through one of the many remakes. Not only is The Wizard of Oz fun to watch, it has also been very influential and is seen by many as one of the best movies of all time.
Even after 70 years, it still is a great movie to watch and one you should have at least seen once in your lifetime.

Read more about The Wizard of Oz .

3. The NeverEnding Story

The NeverEnding Story had a big impact on me as a child. As far as I remember this was the first fantasy movie I ever saw. The story is about a boy who, when reading a book, finds himself in the imaginary land Fantasia and has to help to save this land from “The Nothing”.
It is a classical eighties movies with the puppets, visual effects and music that are so typical for this decade.

Read more about The NeverEnding Story.

4. Harry Potter

Based on the fantasy series by J.K. Rowling, the Harry Potter movies are hugely popular and quite probably the introduction to fantasy for a whole generation. Therefore, Harry Potter definitely deserves a high spot on this list.
Like the books, the movies revolve around the young wizard Harry Potter, who is destined to face to evil Lord Voldemort. Personally I believe the movies to be not as good as the novels but now that I have seen more of the movies, I have to admit that the individual movies are quite entertaining to watch and that combined they form an impressive series.

Read more about Harry Potter.

5. Pan’s Labyrinth

Quite different than most of the other movies in this list, Pan’s Labyrinth is dark fantasy movie set in Spain during the Second World War. It contains a mixture of fantasy elements and disturbing horror elements. Ofelia is given several tasks to proof she is the reincarnation of a princess but these are not easy and force her to make some difficult choices.
The movie is very intense, with great effects and the story really sucks you in.

Read more about Pan’s Labyrinth.

6. Conan the Barbarian

The classic sword & sorcery movie, based on the stories of Robert E. Howard, Conan the Barbarian tells the story of a young boy whose family is killed by a group of bandits lead by what turns out to be the evil leader of a cult. Conan becomes a slave, grows up to be a strong warrior on and goes looking to revenge.
The movie has quite a reasonable story and contains lots of fighting, magic and even some nudity. The acting of the main characters is not exactly topnotch but Conan was the breakthrough of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Read more about Conan the Barbarian.

7. Willow

Directed by Ron Howard and written by George Lucas, Willow is a must-see for those who like fantasy. This story is about is a young dwarf who, with a combination of magic and cunning tricks has to fight evil forces in order to keep a baby safe.
The movie may look and feel somewhat outdated but the effects were pretty good for the time and the story is interesting and funny enough to keep you entertained.

Read more about Willow.

8. Labyrinth

A young girl wishes a brother to a magic land and to get him back she has to find her way through a labyrinth to get him back from the goblet king who is none less than David Bowie.

Directed by puppet master Jim Henson, who also made The Dark Crystal, and in collaboration with George Lucas, Labyrinth is masterpiece with a story somewhat alike Alice in Wonderland.

Read more about Labyrinth.

9. Legend

Beautifully made, directed by Ridley Scott and with a great cast, Legend tells the story of a young man (Tom Cruise) who has to save his beloved and fight the evil Lord of Darkness who tries to get his hands on the horn of a unicorn.
It is a fairytale made for grown-ups that is visually great to watch but at the same time the story is somewhat cheesy.

10. The Chronicles of Narnia

Although I am not a big fan of this series myself, I can imagine that people are into it. Narnia has been very influential, has a big fan base and the movies are quite entertaining and very successful. Therefore, I felt I had to include the Chronicles of Narnia in this list but it ended up somewhat low in this list.

The latest Narna movie The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be in theaters on December 10, 2010.

11. Army of Darkness

Army of Darkness is a cult movie which is loved by some and hated by many. It is over the top, the one-liners are cheesy and the humor is appalling: I love it but could not justify placing it higher. Like in the two previous Evil Dead movies, the main character Ash has to fights skeletons and the like. This time he is sent back to the Dark Ages, armed with chainsaw and shotgun.
The movie is directed by Sam Raimi who since then directed and produced many blockbusters but also the Hercules and Xena television series.


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These are the fantasy movies I have enjoyed watching and believe you should watch as well. The list is different than the one I would have created 5 or 10 years ago and the order will probably change over the coming years but this is how I feel about it today.
Examples of movies that didn’t make the list are the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Stardust and The Princess Bride. Although these movies might be entertaining, popular and have a loyal fan base, they are not the kind of fantasy I am looking for in a movie or I didn’t think them good enough to be included.

I hope that, next time you find yourself in a video store, this list may help you decide which movie to choose!
As always, if you don’t agree with my taste or have additions to the list, share them by leaving a comment.

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