The fantasy genre in cinema has developed into a much-celebrated section over the past few decades. With iconic movie series such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” and J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter,” the fantasy fandom has increased exponentially.
While Netflix’s selection of fantasy movies is slightly small, it does offer a few good titles that range from fantasy/comedy to fantasy/horror, energetic animation to live-action adventures. For the curious, here are the five best fantasy movies you can watch right now on Netflix.
Nightbooks (2021)
Released in September 2021, “Nightbooks” is a dark fantasy film that is based on the 2018 horror-fantasy children’s book of the same name by J.A. White. The movie stars Marvel’s own Jessica Jones Krysten Ritter as the evil witch Natacha who imprisons Alex Mosher, a scary story fan. To escape death at the witch’s hands, Alex must weave a scary story every night to entertain her. The boy befriends the witch’s servant, Yazmin and together they try to escape from the evil sorceress’s mystical home.
The Old Guard (2020)
“The Old Guard” is one amazing action fantasy movie. Starring Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Van Veronica Ngo and Chiwetel Wjiofor, the movie follows a team of almost-immortal mercenaries who fight the evil on the earth. With an action-packed plot and brilliant performances, this movie is adapted from Greg Rucka’s graphic novel of the same name. This Netflix original will soon have a sequel with an incredible ensemble, which will include the original cast members alongside a few new faces.
The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
This fantasy adventure film is based on a book series of the same name. The movie stars Freddie Highmore in a double role, Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker and Seth Rogen. Set in the Spiderwick Estate in New England, the story follows three siblings who discover a field guide to fairies while encountering magical creatures around, all of whom are trying to acquire that book. The siblings fight off the evil creatures to protect their family and the magical book. It features an excellent blend of special effects and brilliant human performances.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Written, directed and co-produced by the brilliant Guillermo del Toro, this Spanish-Mexican dark fantasy is set in Spain during the summer of 1944. The movie revolves around Ofelia, who moves with her mother to her stepfather’s house. Ofelia is visited by a fairy at night, leading her to a faun who tells her that she is a princess and needs to fulfill three tasks to acquire her royalty. This fable has been labeled as one of the most imaginative films of the century.
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
A book adaptation of the 2002 children’s book “Zathura,” is a story of two brothers, Walter and Danny Budwing who discover a mysterious space-themed board game in the basement of their home. As the siblings begin to play the game, the house is transported into outer space. Along with their older sister Lisa and an astronaut, the brothers try to finish and survive the game so they can return home. The movie stars Tim Robbins, Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo, Kristen Stewart and Dax Shepard.
