Top 10 Fantasy Films of the Past Decade

Hello and welcome back to the Guide to Geekdom. I’ve been informed by my editors that the following Top 10 list will be controversial, so I’ve decided to clarify what this list is. This list is my opinion and not based upon the quality of the films, but rather how much I personally enjoyed them. This list is also only compiled from the fantasy films that I have seen in the past decade. Please keep that in mind when reading my list. As per usual I have some notable mentions:
-Enchanted
-Coraline
-The Sorcerers’ Apprentice
Now then, let’s get into my Top 10 Fantasy Films of the Past Decade.

10 -The Prestige

A mystery thriller film that focuses on the rivalry between two stage magicians. This film goes in detail on the life of a stage performer and what they have to go through to make a performance illusion work, but the real magic of this film comes in the way the story is told. Christopher Nolan is incredibly well known for having nonlinear narrative to tell the plot, and in a film that is all about the sleight of hand, it’s this form of narrative that lets this film shine.  

9 -Shrek

Before you tell me that this came in 2001, this list was meant to come out before the New Year so don’t judge my laziness. This was DreamWorks Animation’s first big hit and for good reason. This film did an amazing job of parodying the entire fantasy genre, but at the same time it relayed a really good message; that it really doesn’t matter what you look like, true love will love you for who you are on the inside.

8 -How to Train Your Dragon

This was the film that truly convinced me DreamWorks Animation could make a high quality amazing film. This film captures the essence of being the kid on the outside who has the hardest time fitting in anywhere no matter how hard he tries. It isn’t until after he actually proves that he can do something useful do they actually acknowledge him as a person. I saw a lot of myself in this film…..I’m not a sad person…..really.

7 –Howl’s Moving Castle

I know that when it comes to adapting a novel into a film, a number of changes to the story are bound to occur. I am aware of this fact every time I sit down to watch a film that was based on a novel. I hadn’t read the novel before viewing this film, but I did do research and found all the changes they made to the story. What I want to point out is that this film did exactly what these films should; it made me want to find out more. It made me want to go out and read the book. This was an amazing fantasy film and worth checking out.

6 -Harry Potter Series

Has any other project like this been done in films? A near perfect film adaptation of a 7 book series, with almost all of the original actors staying throughout the entire production. You’re probably asking yourself ‘Why is this so low on the list?’ The reason is the same reason why I called this a near perfect film adaptation. The later films removed so much content from the novels and filled it in with overly large amounts of teen drama.

5 –Beowulf

If you were wondering why the last one was so low, you’re probably wondering why this one is so high and or on this list at all. I actually really enjoyed this film for the reason it’s on this list; it feels like an old fairy tale. This tale focuses on the cycle of violence, lust, betrayal, and how we can’t escape them. The film comes off more as a wise tale to warn children of this life lesson. It’s because of these reasons that I put this film so high on the list.

4 –Stardust

The reason I enjoyed this film so much is that it represents a light-hearted adventure into the land of fantasy. You get the feeling that this film can go anywhere and do anything because that’s the kind of magic it has. I can believe that a star can become a girl, I can believe that a pirate can sail amongst the clouds, I can believe that a simple man can become a king, all you have to do is cross over the wall to have your fantasies come true.

3 –The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

It truly is a shame that none of the sequels could really live up to this, because this feels like an epic. This film takes you on a journey with Edmund, Lucy, Susan and Peter that isn’t simply a physical one. You watch as these kids grow up emotionally going from children into the saviors of Narnia. You get the feeling that every time you take a step in this land you’ll end up walking out of it with a lesson.  This mysterious land leaves us with more questions than answers and I kind of wish we had gotten more of this film than the sequels we got.

2 –Pan’s Labyrinth

Remember what I said about Beowulf? This film does it a thousand times better. The entire film feels like an ancient fairy tale is occurring right then and there. The fantastical mythical creatures that haunt the background blend perfectly with the realistic battle of the revolutionaries. It’s not until the film comes to an end do you really question whether or not any of it truly happened or if it was the imagination of a little girl trying to escape her reality.

1 -The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

‘One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them,
One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them’

Do I need to even explain this one? This is truly an epic tale performed beautifully by the entire cast a crew. You can’t just sit down and watch one of the films, you have to spend that whole day watching all three films in a row because that is the way they should be viewed. Each part feels like a continuation of the last resulting in what feels like one incredibly long journey through Middle Earth. This is truly one of the greatest entries in the fantasy film genre of all time.

I’m your Guide to Geekdom, and thanks for reading.