Fantasy films are irresistible. These tales of magic, fascinating fictional worlds, and scary mythical creatures have fascinated movie-goers since the dawn of the art form, and as such, it’s no surprise that several of the most beloved and acclaimed films ever made just happen to be fantasy. Whether it’s high or low fantasy, these movies prove that there’s an inimitable charm to these kinds of stories.
Only a handful of fantasy films made throughout history, however, can genuinely be called masterpieces—films that are so strongly without significant flaws that they can reasonably be counted among the best movies ever made. From international classics like The Seventh Seal to modern Hollywood hits like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, these are the biggest fantasy masterpieces in fantasy’s history.
20
‘The Green Mile’ (1999)
Stephen King is best known for his horror stories, but he has stepped out of that comfort zone on quite a few noteworthy occasions—one of the most magical being The Green Mile, which Frank Darabont turned into one of the most enchanting low fantasy films of the ’90s. It’s one of the most unforgettable drama movies of all time, led by Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan at the top of their games.
This is what low fantasy is all about: using magic to elevate beautiful stories that make important comments on the real world. Green Mile‘s profound themes of justice and compassion make for a story that’s as gorgeous as it is bittersweet, one whose 3+-hour runtime flies right by thanks to the phenomenal writing and wonderful performances.
19
‘About Time’ (2013)
About Time is one of the most underappreciated fantasy films of the 2010s, the kind of genre film that works on multiple different levels equally well. It works as a hilarious rom-com, it works as a beautiful drama about a boy and his dad, and it works as a wonderfully fresh and inventive time travel flick that does all sorts of fun things with the subgenre’s usual tropes.
All of this makes About Time one of the most rewatchable romance movies of all time, also thanks to the marvelous performances offered by Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, and Bill Nighy. It’s a deeply moving and sweepingly romantic dramedy, one full of memorable emotional scenes and irresistible moments of laughter in equal measure.
18
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)
J.R.R. Tolkien achieved something so unparalleled with his Legendarium—his Lord of the Rings trilogy in particular—that, for a long time, it was believed to be impossible to do the author’s enrapturing Middle-earth justice on the big screen. Even with said doubts, Peter Jackson achieved something so equally unparalleled with his Lord of the Rings trilogy that it virtually needs no introduction.
The Fellowship of the Ring may arguably be the weakest of the trilogy, but it’s still one of the greatest films ever made; which, if anything, speaks volumes about the quality of this film series. The world-building is wonderful, the character work sets a perfect basis for what the two sequels will do, and the number of unforgettable scenes of emotion, excitement, and magical wonder is too large to count. There’s a reason this is remembered as one of the most perfect and timeless fantasy movies ever.
17
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ (2002)
Ever-so-slightly above its predecessor lies The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, yet another one of the greatest works of art ever committed to celluloid. It’s not just the Battle of Helm’s Deep, which makes for one of the most thrilling third acts in cinema’s history: The Two Towers is a “complete package” kind of fantasy flick, a three-hour-long epic without equal.
Gripping character arcs? Check. Jaw-dropping action sequences aplenty? Check. Romance, excitement, humor, and magic? All check. There’s something here for every category of fantasy movie fan, and that’s precisely why The Two Towers is one of the biggest masterpieces in the history of genre filmmaking in general, let alone fantasy.
16
‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ (1975)
While every fantasy fan enjoys a serious epic or a hard-hitting drama that shows the full dramatic extent of the genre, they all get a craving to wind down with a comedy every now and then as well. And as far as fantasy comedies go, it has rarely ever gotten any better than Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the British comedy troupe’s best and most iconic cinematic outing.
The film is absolutely hysterical, packed with not just one, but several of the funniest and most memorable scenes of any ’70s comedy movie. It’s incredibly creative, full of the group’s signature timeless sense of humor, and even occasionally brilliantly surreal, making for a comedic masterpiece that’s still the gold standard for laugh-out-loud fantasy.
15
‘Angel’s Egg’ (1985)
There are several anime movies that can be considered perfect, but even though perfection is something that you can’t really quantify, it’s hard not to be tempted to refer to Angel’s Egg as one of the most perfect anime movies ever. Mamoru Oshii‘s surrealistic masterpiece proves that it’s not all Ghibli in the world of anime film, delivering a hard-hitting tale of parenthood, femininity, and religion.
Angel’s Egg is packed with thought-provoking symbolism and allegories, making re-watches pretty much obligatory. Its breezy 71-minute runtime certainly helps in that endeavor. The animation is some of the most gorgeous in the history of the medium, the sound design is some of the most engrossing of any animated film, and though the story may not be the easiest to get a grasp of, it’s nevertheless fascinating.
14
‘The Holy Mountain’ (1973)
Angel’s Egg isn’t the only surrealist fantasy film in town. For that, one needn’t look much further than the magnum opus of one of the most important and groundbreaking surrealist filmmakers in history: Alejandro Jodorowsky, whose legendary The Holy Mountain is one of the best surreal masterpieces of all time.
The avant-garde masterpiece of this notorious Chilean-French auteur is one of the greatest Mexican films ever made, with some of the most profound symbolism and most provocative imagery of any surrealist film ever made. Its exploration of themes of spirituality, religion, and power is incredibly layered and complex, and it makes for a deeply fascinating experience that demands several rewatches in order to be fully appreciated.
13
‘The Seventh Seal’ (1957)
Sweden has never put out a greater or more important filmmaker than Ingmar Bergman, who made some of the best—and most depressing—movies in history over the course of his illustrious career. Of these many masterpieces, however, there’s perhaps none as iconic as The Seventh Seal, one of the most philosophically complex dramas ever made.
This is arthouse fantasy at its very best, and easily one of Bergman’s greatest movies. Whether it’s Max Von Sydow‘s career-best lead performance, the deeply humanist story, or Bengt Ekerot playing one of the best portrayals of Death in movie history, there’s nothing not to love about The Seventh Seal if you love classic artful fantasy.
12
‘Macario’ (1960)
Mexican cinema is filled to the brim with underrated gems, and during its Golden Age (which roughly coincided with Hollywood’s, between the early ’30s and late ’50s), it produced several of the greatest films of the era. This includes fantasy pictures, and there’s no better Mexican fantasy picture from the 20th century than Macario.
This beautiful supernatural drama was the first Mexican film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and deservedly so. Imaginative, class-conscious, and with a deeply humanist heart that’s impossible to resist, it’s an all-Mexican fable that every fan of fantasy cinema—regardless of where they’re from—should be able to enjoy.
11
‘Ugetsu’ (1953)
Magical by nature, Japanese cinema is also full of fantasy masterpieces that have defined and re-defined the genre over the years. Ugetsu is right up there as one of the highest-rated fantasy movies on Letterboxd, a thought-provoking period piece about the destructive potential of unchecked ambition, greed, and ravaging war.
Critic Donald Richie called it “one of the most perfect movies in the history of Japanese cinema,” and it’s hard to disagree with him. Ugetsu is richly atmospheric, powerfully poignant, and beautifully profound, an amazing artistic achievement with some of the most memorable images from the era. It’s difficult to find fault with this engrossing ghost story.
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