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Fantasy Film Recommendations?


BookJumper

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I am trying to expand my library of feel-good fantasy films; sadly Amazon's cross-reference feature only goes so far on films and IMBD's is even worse so I have been unable to discern what suggestions people that enjoy the type of film I do might have for me - which is where you lovely people come in :D.

 

Titles immensely enjoyed include:

 

The Neverending Story

The Indian in the Cupboard

City of Ember

Stardust

Dragonheart

Howl's Moving Castle

Spirited Away

Titan A.E.

 

... haiulp :)?

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The Princess Bride - absolutely one of my all-time favourite films of ANY genre

Legend - starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara and Tim Curry

 

The first is hilarious, the second is darker and completely beautiful.

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I would definitely second The Princess Bride which is just genius!

 

Also, try the Tim Burton catalogue - my favourites include Big Fish and Edward Scissorhands, although I haven't seen The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride yet.

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Good on ya! The Princess Bride is one of my all time favourite films - and it's filmed round where I live! How cool is that!

 

Also, have you ever watched Nightwatch or Daywatch? They're Russian films about the balance between good and evil. Excellent stuff.

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Try this website - Clerkdogs.com

 

It comes up with some amazing recommendations. :)

Excellent site - I put in Princess Bride and it offered up more of my favourites:

Willow

Labyrinth

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

The Dark Crystal

Krull

Return to Oz

 

Ooh, Lady in the Water is another, more modern setting for a fantasy in the "real world" - I love M Night Shyamalan!

Edited by Kell
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I want to add Pan's Labyrinth... But I notice you said "feel-good", and that is certainly not a feel-good film... Anyway, if perhaps you or someone else feels like watching something very dark and quite brilliant, I recommend that to you. :)

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Willow - seen and loved

Labyrinth - classic

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - scared me stiff as a child!

The Dark Crystal - ditto above!

Pan's Labyrinth - brilliantly depressing, I agree...

 

Krull - not seen

Return to Oz - not seen

Lady in the water - not seen

Daywatch/Nightwatch - not seen (seen trailers for these; they hardly looked feel-good to me... Mac?!)

 

I shall check out the above :).

 

The site recommended by Echo is indeed awesome although I'm starting to think I've near exhausted the feel-good fantasy genre, I was on it for about half an hour before and 90% of the matches it gave me I agreed with but had already seen... grr!

 

Except, I'm now getting my hands Jim Henson's The Storyteller as well as Legend...

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I could never like Legend! It scared me as a kid - and still does... couldn't get into it and Tom Cruise ... no ... not my idea of a feel good fantasy flick.

Hmm ...

Peter Pan - Jason Isaacs as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook. Absolutely beautiful and almost faithful retelling of the JM Barrie classic. I love this version and I'm picky... lol! Oh, and it's Rachel Hurd-Wood's first film too, and now she's since starred in Perfume with Alan Rickman and was in a Sherlock Holmes (though didn't like it as they completely ruined the characters and it wasn't even a Arthur Conan-Doyle story!) But back on topic - Peter Pan. Loved it!

Water Babies - Okay, it's a seventies film and some of the animation and songs are a bit dodgy but I think it's absolutely lovely. It always makes me feel good anyhow.

Five Children and It - Eddie Izzard voices the Psammead and not really in true line with E. Nesbit's vision I don't think but Kenneth Branagh playing an eccentric uncle (shortly after playing egotistical Professor Lockhart in Chamber of Secrets). Still a very sweet film nonetheless and mostly in line with the wishes and the disastrous affects that they caused. Shame they didn't do the follow up shortly after of the Phoenix and the Carpet.

And the most recent one ....

Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, Witch and Wardrobe - I love this cinematic masterpiece and more lighter hearted than some fantasy films being made today (I am finding the lighting and colour palette on Harry Potter too drab - certainly not the colourful world Rowling describes!) so, for me, this is the breath of fresh air - it proves a story can be told without steeping it in too much atmosphere, but I think I'd have preferred someone with dark hair portraying the Queen as that is how she is described in the books after all! Might be picky because she played the part very well but, for me, it is important - doesn't distract from the actual telling and, like I said, it's just me being anal! lol - the children, though are EXACTLY how they should be!

Um ... that's it ... I think ... actually one more:

Hogfather - Sky did a very good adaptation and yes it is feel good and a laugh too!

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I must say that I didn't approve of the Narnia films greatly (I think I enoyed the books far too much); however I do like a bit of Jason Isaacs (ah, Lucius!) so I shall hunt for Peter Pan - thank you for that.

 

Wasn't too sure about the Hogfather adaptation as a whole to be honest (I don't think they got Susan right; I didn't sympathise with the screen version at all while I felt for her a lot in the book) but I thought Teatime was spot on creepy...!

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The Dark Crystal is an excellent film, and still holds up very well today.

 

If you want to watch a so-bad-it's-good film, Beastmaster is worth a look (though it is very silly).

 

Hawk The Slayer may be pushing things a little too far, though!

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Yesterday we watched Spiderwick - the Chronicles. Lovely film.

 

I keep meaning to buy that one - is it really that good?

Walt Disneys Enchanted is another fantasy film I'd recommend.

It starts of as one of the old fashioned cartoons then the wicked witch (deliciously played by Susan Sarandon) puts her in the real world - New York real world - when she and the cartoon Prince fall in love! It's a very good film and, though I watched it only once months ago, I will have to watch it again sometime soon.

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Ohh yes, The Spiderwick Chronicles, that's a really good film, I think you'd like that one BJ, also Arthur and the Invisibles, and The Last Mimzy, Zathura (similar to Jumanji but just with kids) and not so much fantasy but Wall-E is really really cute!

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Looks like you're in the right place here BookJumper!

 

Pans Labyrinth, Big Fish, Spirited Away...some great suggestions. I reckon if us lot were to have a movie night-in it wouldn't be bad at all!

 

I'll bring the Pinot.

 

What's everyone else having?

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Spirited Away is great

 

I was also gonna suggest Return to Oz and Legend, but they're not exactly in the 'feel-good' category, i find them pretty freaky :readingtwo:

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Typically it's only after submitting a post that you remember what you were actually supposed to be discussing.

 

Anyway, I don't think anyone mentioned Amelie, and although it probably won't fit everyone's 'fantasy' bill, it can't be denied that it's like an explosion in a feel-good factory.

 

:readingtwo:

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