I’ve lost count of how many times I have watched my favoritefantasy movies, but I wish I could wipe them entirely from my mind for a fresh perspective. I saw many of these for the first time as a young child, so I can’t remember that feeling of new wonder. The twists and turns feel commonplace, so it’s difficult to appreciate them as intended. However, if I forgot the magical characters and stories of these marvelous fantasy movies, I could again experience that feeling of watching a favorite film for the very first time.
Fantasy movies can come in all shapes and sizes. There’s traditional high fantasy, likeThe Lord of the Rings, or installments likeAvengers: Endgamethat take a far more modern approach. The primary requirement of the genre is magic. These movies must feature the fantastical qualities of the unknown—inspiring audiences' imaginations to think far beyond what is possible in our world.Fantasy movies can be frightening, inspiring, funny, and everything in between. Myfavorite fantasy moviescover all these bases, but the impact has lessened with dozens of rewatches.
Studio Ghibli’sSpiritedAwayis a masterpiece for a variety of reasons. The art is, of course, impeccable and easily inspires the perfect sense of whimsy that any great fantasy movie needs. Then, there is the story itself, which is light, charming, and thoroughly magical. No matter how many times I watchSpirited Away, it always sets me at ease, but after all these years, I’m no longer blown away.
Spirited Awayis a wonderfully weird movie. When I watched it for the first time, I remember grappling with the plot. Once Chihiro’s story came to a close, I was still confused about the details, so the experience extended beyond the ending as I attempted to work it all out. These days, I have a thorough understanding of whatSpirited Awaymeans to me, but I would love to start that entire process over again.
The Princess Bridepokes fun at the fantasy fairytale genre as a whole, but it does so in a way that makes it feel more like a comical homage than parody. Everything about the 1987 movie is ridiculous, but you end up swept away by the action, adventure, and romance all the same. Just like the little boy hearing the story from his grandfather, I am always sucked intoThe PrincessBridemore than I ever expect.
Still, some aspects of this film will never hit the same way they did the first time.The Princess Pridethrows its twists and turns into audiences' faces and makes minimal effort to explain why certain things happen. Everything is shocking and funny because it makes almost no sense, and thistakes new audiences off guard in a way it no longer can for veteran viewers.
The Wizard of Ozwas released in 1939and has remained a classic for decades. It’s lovely, charming, and nostalgic, and even modern children are sure to enjoy the adventure and whimsy. However,after all these years, it’s simply too easy to take the story for granted. We know the lines and understand how everything works out in the end.
I’d love to see the moment that Dorothy’s world suddenly transitions to color or feel the thrill of the Wicked Witch’s frightening evil as something entirely new.
For precisely this reason, I would love just to eraseThe Wizard of Ozfrom my brain and start over. Like many others, I can’t remember seeing this movie for the first time. I’d love to see the moment that Dorothy’s world suddenly transitions to color or feel the thrill of the Wicked Witch’s frightening evil as something entirely new.
Unlike withThe Wizard of Oz, I remember seeingPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearlfor the first time. Like other viewers of all ages, I was instantly struck by Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow character. He was funny and exciting, and he made me dream of becoming a pirate myself (at the age of 10). After all these years, however, thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise has come to mean something different.
Though I still enjoy thePirates of the Caribbeanmovies, the formula has become rather repetitive over the years. Jack Sparrow’s quirkiness has been duplicated repeatedly, to the point that even his spontaneity has become predictable.I miss not knowing what these outrageous pirate characters will do next.Curse of the Black Pearlremains the very best of the franchise, and watching it with fresh eyes would be quite the experience.
Whenever I think of 1980s fantasy movies,The NeverEnding Storyis the first to come to mind. It captured all the staples, especially in the way of crude special effects and a spectacularly synthy soundtrack. I enjoy rewatchingThe NeverEnding Storyfor nostalgia and whimsy, but I regret thatI didn’t fully appreciate this movie when I watched it for the first time as a child.
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The NeverEnding Storywas over my head when I first watched it. I didn’t understand that the Nothing represented the destruction of creativity or that the titular “never-ending story” detailed the art of storytelling itself. If I were to watchThe NeverEnding Storyfor the first time today, it would resonate with me on a level that is difficult to duplicate when the material has become so familiar.
Shrekis another movie from my childhood that has since evolved into a massive franchise. These movies are, of course, hilarious. Children appreciateShrekbecause the humor is overtly scandalous, and adults enjoy the film because of the endless innuendos. However, that very firstShrekmovie is far more impactful than its successors because of what it did to the fairytale genre.
Dozens of movies have done this since, but I’d love to watch Shrek start this trend for the first time while I can fully appreciate the comedic revolution it inspired.
WhenShrekwas released in 2001, Disney’s fairytale movies were still at the forefront of the genre. Young audiences would watchSnow White,Sleeping Beauty,Cinderella,The Little Mermaid,Beauty and the Beast, and much much more.Shrekcame bursting into the scene to flip the tropes of these fairytale classics on their heads. Dozens of movies have done this since, but I’d love to watchShrekstart this trend for the first time while I can fully appreciate the comedic revolution it inspired.
Pan’s Labyrinthis a massive shift from the lighter-hearted side of the fantasy genre. This movie is undeniably dark and twisted. Its themes revolve around the ugliest aspects of humanity, and it uses magic and whimsy to communicate this in the most gritty and shocking ways. It’s precisely this that makesPan’s Labyrinthso impactful to watch the first time. It’s unsettling, but repeated rewatches somewhat lessen this fact.
I love the feel of a dark fantasy, and this has madePan’s Labyrinthone of my favorite movies within the genre to rewatch. However, these days, I find thatthe sharp shocks of the film have been rounded off a bit. Those disturbing sensations that a first-watch elicits can never be duplicated, and it’s for precisely this reason that I desperately wish I couldwatchPan’s Labyrinthagainfor the very first time.
M. Night Shyamalan’sThe Sixth Sensefeatures one of Hollywood’s most famous plot twists. This naturally means it has been quoted and parodied to no end, ultimately dampening the overall effect of the movie’s big reveal. It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t know the big secret ofThe Sixth Sense, even if they haven’t seen the movie before.
The Sixth Senseisn’t a traditional fantasy, but the supernatural elements of the big twist are precisely what I would love to experience again for the first time. In a world where just about everyone knows the truth about Bruce Willis' character,it would be a thrill to go into this movie with absolutely no idea how everything would work out. Then, it would be a treat to give this movie a second watch for the first time since this is another experience all its own.
TheAvengersmovie franchise took the world by storm, and there was a great deal of hype surroundingEndgame, especially. After the cliffhanger ofAvengers: Infinity War, it felt as if the entire world was waiting for the follow-up movie to hit theaters.It was almost a sacred experience, as fans came together in a solemn vow not to reveal those big spoilers. Of course, a handful of years later, this experience is a distant memory.
I would love to relive watching the devastatingending ofAvengers: Endgameall over again, but that’s only the beginning. This peak time for the MCU was a special experience in a variety of ways. It was just as fun to hear the reactions of those in the theater around us, and this is something I haven’t experienced since. There’s something special about a community coming together to enjoy a fantastical story for the first time.
The Lord of the Ringsis the epitome of great fantasy, andThe Fellowship of the Ringholds a special place in this regard. This is one of the few fantasy book-to-screen adaptations I watched before reading the source material, and it was, in a sense, my intro to the high fantasy genre. When I first watchedThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, I was instantly hooked. Like many others, I became a lifelong Tolkien nut from that point forward.
All these years and a deep dive into Tolkien’sLord of the Ringsbooks (and beyond), I desperately wish I could experienceThe Fellowship of the Ringagain for the first time. This movie established the on-screen feel of Middle-earth, andPeter Jackson’s vision for Tolkien’s fantasy world has proven itself perfect. Seeing this on screen for the first time, knowing what it means for thefantasygenre, would be a wholly unique experience.
