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Subgenre Sampler

 
BarbieBarbie (2023) Recommended
Dir. Greta Gerwig
Feat. Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are perfectly cast as “perfect” dolls Barbie and Ken facing an existential crisis in Barbieland in Greta…
Batman, TheBatman, The (2022)
Dir. Matt Reeves
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell
Robert Pattinson is Bruce Wayne in this impressively dark and epic reboot of DC comics' iconic knight in shining latex.
BlazeBlaze (2022) Aro Favourite
Dir. Del Kathryn Barton
Feat. Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Yael Stone
A powerful, imaginative Australian drama from Archibald–winning artist Del Kathryn Barton about a twelve–year–old girl conflicted…
AnnetteAnnette (2021) Recommended
Dir. Leos Carax
Feat. Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg
A magnificent musical–drama which marks the English language debut of French director Leos Carax (HOLY MOTORS). Adam Driver gives another…
Black WidowBlack Widow (2021)
Dir. Cate Shortland
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour
Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow gets deserved time in the spotlight in this belated, but very much welcomed, Marvel movie. Set before the events…
EncantoEncanto (2021) Recommended
Dir. Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Colourful Disney musical following a multi–generational Colombian family who recieve magical gifts that help them serve their rural community,…
EternalsEternals (2021)
Dir. Chloé Zhao
Feat. Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani
Sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster, with director Chloé Zhao (NOMADLAND) bringing an enormous amount of humanity and maturity to the…
Free GuyFree Guy (2021)
Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery
Unabashedly sweet sci–fi comedy with Ryan Reynolds playing a clueless bank teller who discovers he is a non–player character in an open…
Jungle CruiseJungle Cruise (2021)
Dir. Jaume Collet-Serra
Feat. Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Édgar Ramírez
Good old fashioned fantasy adventure based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name, with Dwayne Johnson playing a steamboat skipper who takes…
LambLamb (2021) Recommended
Dir. Valdimar Johannsson
Feat. Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson
An Icelandic folk horror of haunting, pastoral beauty with Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snaer Gudnason playing a couple who live on a remote farm with…
OldOld (2021)
Dir. M. Night Shyamalan
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell
Thriller from director M. Night Shyamalan (THE SIXTH SENSE) about a family on vacation at a luxury resort who discover that the secluded beach…
Raya and the Last DragonRaya and the Last Dragon (2021) Recommended
Dir. Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada
A sophisticated Disney animated feature set in a re–imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization known as Kumandra, where a feisty…
Spider-Man: No Way HomeSpider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Dir. Jon Watts
Feat. Tom Holland, Zendaya , Benedict Cumberbatch
Spider–Man adventure which acts as a sequel to both FAR FROM HOME (2019) and HOMECOMING (2017), and slots into the bloated Marvel Cinematic…
Suicide Squad, TheSuicide Squad, The (2021)
Dir. James Gunn
Feat. Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena
The standalone sequel to SUICIDE SQUAD is this bold, bright and chaotic superhero movie based on the DC Comics characters. Harley Quinn (Margot…
Craft: Legacy, TheCraft: Legacy, The (2020)
Dir. Zoe Lister Jones
Feat. Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone
Sequel to the 1996 film THE CRAFT, following four high school students who form a coven of witches. After the original's all–male creative…
Love and MonstersLove and Monsters (2020)
Dir. Michael Matthews
Feat. Dylan O’Brien, Michael Rooker, Jessica Henwick
After a Monsterpocalypse forces humans into underground colonies, a young man decides against all logic to brave the surface and face the monsters…
OnwardOnward (2020) Recommended
Dir. Dan Scanlon
Slick animated fantasy adventure following two elf brothers who go on a quest to find a magic magic gem that will bring their deceased father. A…
Save Yourselves!Save Yourselves! (2020) Recommended
Dir. Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor Wilson
Feat. John Paul Reynolds, Sunita Mani, John Early
A light hearted sci–fi comedy about a young Brooklyn couple who disconnect and unplug their lives while on a remote holiday, and are unaware…
Show, TheShow, The (2020)
Dir. Mitch Jenkins
Feat. Tom Burke, Siobhan Hewlett, Alan Moore
Highly imaginative British fantasy noir based on a screenplay by brilliant English graphic novelist Alan Moore (V FOR VENDETTA, WATCHMEN). Set in…
Witches, TheWitches, The (2020)
Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci
Robert Zemeckis' re–imagining of Roald Dahl’s beloved story that tells the darkly humorous yet heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy who,…
Wonder Woman 1984Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Dir. Patty Jenkins
Feat. Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig
Israeli actress Gal Gadot is as charismatic as ever in this sequel to the 2017 DC Comics hit WONDER WOMAN, with Patty Jenkins (MONSTER) returning as…
Avengers: EndgameAvengers: Endgame (2019) Recommended
Dir. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo
A love letter to fans of this humongous mythology, this 22nd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ambitious, three–hour sprawl…
Captain MarvelCaptain Marvel (2019) Recommended
Dir. Anna Campion, Ryan Fleck
Feat. Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn
Thoroughly enjoyable entry into the bloated Marvel Franchise, notable for being the first one to be female–led and female co–directed.…
CatsCats (2019)
Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. James Corden, Judi Dench, Idris Elba
Vilified remake of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical about a group of cats competing at an elaborate ceremony to decide who will be reincarnated. A…
Children of the SeaChildren of the Sea (2019) Recommended
Dir. Ayumu Watanabe
Powerfully resonant Japanese animated adventure reflecting on the connections between humanity and the natural world. Centered around a troubled…
DumboDumbo (2019)
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny De Vito
Tim Burton's colourful live–action reboot of the beloved Disney classic set in a travelling circus where a family discovers that a baby…
Extra OrdinaryExtra Ordinary (2019)
Dir. Mike Ahern, Enda Loughman
Feat. Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte
A pleasingly off–kilter Irish supernatural comedy about a sweet–natured but lonely driving instructor who uses her paranormal talents to…
Game of Thrones - Season 8 (TV Series)Game of Thrones - Season 8 (TV Series) (2019) Recommended
The struggle for the iron throne continues in the eight and final season of the rightly acclaimed HBO series derived from George R.R. Martin's…
HellboyHellboy (Hellboy: Call of Darkness) (2019)
Dir. Neil Marshall
Feat. David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane
Reboot of the film franchise featuring Mike Mignola's beloved comic book character Hellboy, the half–demon who works for the USA in paranormal…
His Dark Materials (TV Series)His Dark Materials (TV Series) (2019) Recommended
Feat. Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, Anne-Marie Duff
TV adaptation of the acclaimed fantasy novels by Phillip Pullman, thankfully much darker and more detailed than 2007's perfunctory feature THE GOLDEN…
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden WorldHow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (How to Train Your Dragon 3) (2019)
Dir. Dean Deblois
The beloved Dreamworks series comes to a fitting close with this third delightful fantasy film following the adventures of Hiccup, who has…
Jumanji: The Next LevelJumanji: The Next Level (2019)
Dir. Jake Kasdan
Feat. Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan
The cast of the successful, enjoyable reboot return for more jungle fantasy adventure, this time to rescue one of their own through braving parts…
Maleficent: Mistress of EvilMaleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
Dir. Joachim Roenning
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Harris Dickinson
Sequel to the 2014 Disney fantasy, with Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) returning to new adventures, this time…
PinocchioPinocchio (2019)
Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Federico Lelapi, Roberto Benigni, Rocco Papaleo
A new, live–action imagining of the iconic fairytale that focuses on the authentic roots of the Carlo Collodi story. Shot in stunning Italian…
Shazam!Shazam! (2019)
Dir. David F. Sandberg
Feat. Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Mark Strong
Playful DC comics movie about a teenage boy who can transform into an adult superhero by shouting one word: SHAZAM! Naturally he goes about…
Spider-Man: Far From HomeSpider-Man: Far From Home (2019) Recommended
Dir. Jon Watts
Feat. Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal
Marvel–lous sequel to the hugely successful reboot 'Spider–Man: Homecoming', this follows the events of 'Avengers: Endgame', with Peter…
VivariumVivarium (2019)
Dir. Lorcan Finnegan
Feat. Imogen Poots, Jesse Eisenberg
A young couple shopping for their first home find themselves in a housing development where every house looks exactly the same, and with no idea how…
What Men WantWhat Men Want (2019)
Dir. Adam Shankman
Feat. Taraji P. Henson, Aldis Hodge, Richard Roundtree
A mildly raunchy, gender–switched remake of the 2000 romantic comedy, WHAT WOMEN WANT, following a woman who, after drinking a potent…
A Discovery of Witches (TV Series)A Discovery of Witches (TV Series) (2018)
Dir. Juan Carlos Medina
Feat. Teresa Palmer, Matthew Goode, Malin Buska
A romantic thriller series adapted from Deborah Harkness' trilogy of novels that uncovers a secret underworld of vampires, witches and daemons hiding…
A Wrinkle in TimeA Wrinkle in Time (2018)
Dir. Ava DuVernay
Feat. Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Storm Reid
High–pitched Disney fantasy that follows a young woman and friends through space in search of her missing father who is held in the clutches of…
Avengers: Infinity WarAvengers: Infinity War (2018) Recommended
Dir. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo
Bombastic Marvel Universe blockbuster teaming The Avengers with the Guardians of the Galaxy (and many more!) against the villain Thanos, who wants to…
Black PantherBlack Panther (2018) Recommended
Dir. Ryan Coogler
Feat. Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Another massive hit, and considered one of the best of the eighteen films in the Marvel Comic Universe, and the first to feature a predominantly…
BorderBorder (Gräns) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Ali Abbasi
Feat. Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, Jörgen Thorsson
Remarkable Swedish black comedy about a customs officer with an extraordinary sense of smell who sniffs out a suspicious–looking traveller with…
Deadpool 2Deadpool 2 (2018) Recommended
Dir. David Leitch
Feat. Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison
Ryan Reynolds returns for the sequel to the 2016 X–men blockbuster, delivering another round of bleakly comic jokes and…
Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir, TheExtraordinary Journey of the Fakir, The (2018)
Dir. Ken Scott
Feat. Dhanush , Bérénice Bejo, Erin Moriarty
Whimsical comedy following a street magician from Mumbai who sets out to find his estranged father but finds himself adventuring around the world in…
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of GrindelwaldFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Dir. David Yates
Feat. Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler
Second installment in the Fantastic Beasts film series, following Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore as they go up against the dark wizard Gellert…
Goosebumps 2: Haunted HalloweenGoosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018)
Dir. Ari Sandel
Feat. Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Madison Iseman
Following on from the popular 2015 big screen adaptation, two young boys accidentally unleash a cacophony of monsters and demons after they open an…
Happy as LazzaroHappy as Lazzaro (2018) Recommended
Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Feat. Adriano Tardiolo, Nicoletta Braschi, Sergi Lopez
It's summer at Inviolata, an isolated rural estate, where an extended family of tobacco farmers toil under the rule of a domineering marchesa, and…
House With the Clock in its Walls, TheHouse With the Clock in its Walls, The (2018)
Dir. Eli Roth
Feat. Jack Black, Cate Blanchett
Gore maestro Eli Roth changes pace with this kids fantasy horror about a young orphan who teams up with his magical Uncle to find a clock that could…
Judy & PunchJudy & Punch (Judy and Punch) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Mirrah Foulkes
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Damon Herriman
A gorgeously carnivalesque and blackly comic Australian period drama in which the traditional fairy tale of Punch and Judy is turned on its head. The…
Jurassic World: Fallen KingdomJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona
Feat. Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall
Sequel to JURASSIC WORLD (2015) and part of a planned trilogy, this creature feature blockbuster keeps the franchise alive with a fun, if…
Mary Poppins ReturnsMary Poppins Returns (2018)
Dir. Rob Marshall
Feat. Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw
Emily Blunt couldn't be more perfectly cast as the delightful Mary Poppins in this sequel that proves it's worth. Set in 1930's London, 25 years…
MiraiMirai (2018)
Dir. Mamoru Hosoda
Gorgeous anime from director Mamoru Hosoda (SUMMER WARS, WOLF CHILDREN) where a 4–year–old boy discovers he can travel through time to…
Mortal EnginesMortal Engines (2018) Recommended
Dir. Christian Rivers
Feat. Hera Hilmar, Hugo Weaving, Robert Sheehan
Peter Jackson produced fantasy epic set in a post–apocalyptic future, where cities survive by moving around on giant wheels and devouring…
New Legends of Monkey, The (TV Series)New Legends of Monkey, The (TV Series) (2018)
Feat. Chai Hansen, Luciane Buchanan
A 10–episode spin–off to the highly regarded cult TV series MONKEY, co–produced by TVNZ. Featuring the same beloved characters…
Nutcracker and the Four Realms, TheNutcracker and the Four Realms, The (2018)
Dir. Lasse Hallstrom, Joe Johnston
Feat. Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Foy, Eugenio Derbez
Lavish but hollow Disney retelling of E.T.A. Hoffmann's short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" and Marius Petipa's "The Nutcracker" about a…
Ready Player OneReady Player One (2018)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn
Director Spielberg plays to his strengths in this adrenaline–filled love letter to 80's pop culture and video games. Set in the year 2045, most…
RelaxerRelaxer (2018)
Dir. Joel Potrykus
Feat. Joshua Burge, David Dastmalchian
Grungy downbeat comedy set in 1999 in a haze of Y2K paranoia, where a slacker is challenged by his older brother not to leave the couch until he has…
Requiem (TV Mini-series)Requiem (TV Mini-series) (2018)
Feat. Lydia Wilson, Joel Fry, James Frecheville
6–part British supernatural thriller following the mysterious connection between a toddler who disappeared from a Welsh village in 1994, and…
VenomVenom (2018)
Dir. Ruben Fleischer
Feat. Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
The Marvel comics character Venom, an alien symbiote usually associated with Spider–Man, is the subject of this superhero movie with Tom Hardy…
Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (2017) Recommended
Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans
A live–action re–telling of Disney's own animated classic which refashions the original French fairy tale for a contemporary audience,…
Britannia (TV Series)Britannia (TV Series) (2017)
Feat. David Morrissey, Kelly Reilly, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
A historical fiction series set in 43AD, following the Roman conquest of Britain and it's opposition by the wild warrior women and powerful Druids of…
Changeover, TheChangeover, The (2017)
Dir. Stuart McKenzie, Miranda Harcourt
Feat. Erana James, Timothy Spall, Melanie Lynskey
Maragret Mahy's beloved fantasy romance novel is translated into a post–earthquake Christchurch setting, and marks an impressive debut from…
Dark Tower, TheDark Tower, The (2017)
Dir. Nikolaj Arcel
Feat. Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor
Stephen King adaptation which simplifies the author's acclaimed fantasy series into a watchable battle of good vs evil – represented by Idris…
DownsizingDownsizing (2017)
Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau
Dir. Alexander Payne (NEBRASKA, SIDEWAYS) pulls another one from outside the box with a satiric fantasy in which a man joins the ranks of a…
FireworksFireworks (Fireworks: Should We See It from the Side or The Bottom?) (2017)
Dir. Nobuyuki Takeuchi
Beautifully romantic Japanese anime set during a school summer vacation, based on Shunji Iwai’s 1993 TV series, “Fireworks”. Refreshingly…
Game of Thrones - Season 7 (TV Series)Game of Thrones - Season 7 (TV Series) (2017) Recommended
The struggle for the iron throne continues in the seventh season of the rightly acclaimed HBO series derived from George R.R. Martin's fantasy novels.
I Kill GiantsI Kill Giants (2017)
Dir. Anders Walter
Feat. Madison Wolfe, Imogen Poots, Zoe Saldana
A magical–realist coming–of–age movie following an independent young girl who escapes the troubles of her reality by retreating…
Justice LeagueJustice League (2017)
Dir. Zack Snyder
Feat. Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot
DC Comics' answer to Marvel's Avengers combines the forces of their superhero properties; Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The…
King Arthur: Legend of the SwordKing Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
Dir. Guy Ritchie
Feat. Charlie Hunnam, Astrid Allwyn, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey
Charlie Hunman plays the Arthur of legend, unaware of his royal lineage until drawing the sword Excalibur from the stone. Director Guy Ritchie brings…
Legion (TV Series)Legion (TV Series) (2017) Recommended
Feat. Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza
The first TV Series based on the X–Men franchise follows Haller, the mutant son of Charles Xavier, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia from a…
LoganLogan (2017) Recommended
Dir. James Mangold
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Dafne Keen, Patrick Stewart
Passionate, mature X–Men spin–off featuring the surly Wolverine. Withdrawn and noticeably older (but still ass–kicking), Logan…
Mummy, TheMummy, The (2017)
Dir. Alex Kurtzman
Feat. Tom Cruise, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella
Tom Cruise plays a US military man who accidentally unearths Princess Ahmanet's tomb and unleashes unspeakable evil. A fun mish–mash of monster…
Shape of Water, TheShape of Water, The (2017) Recommended
Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins
At a top secret research facility in the 1950s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in…
Spider-Man: HomecomingSpider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Recommended
Dir. Jon Watts
Feat. Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau
Excellent (and third) big–screen reboot of the Marvel Comics franchise that picks up after the events of CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. Spidey…
Star Wars: The Last JediStar Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Recommended
Dir. Rian Johnson
Feat. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill
Refreshing and self–assured entry into the franchise, which pays respectful homage to both the franchise and the expectations of…
Tokyo GhoulTokyo Ghoul (2017)
Dir. Kentaro Hagiwara
Feat. Masataka Kubota, Fumika Shimizu
A live–action adaptation of the manga series by Sui Ishida. In modern day Tokyo, flesh–eating ghouls live among humans, and after…
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (TV Series)Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (TV Series) (2017)
Animated TV series created by Guillermo Del Toro, following the adventures of an ordinary teenager who becomes endowed as a Trollhunter after…
Valerian and the City of a Thousand PlanetsValerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) Recommended
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Ethan Hawke
Expensive and extravagant space opera set in the 28th Century, where a team of special operatives investigate a dark force that threatens peace in…
Wonder WomanWonder Woman (2017)
Dir. Patty Jenkins
Feat. Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright
Israeli actress Gal Gadot dazzles as the charismatic warrior princess who must leave her mythical island paradise and sail into WWI–embattled…
A Cure for WellnessA Cure for Wellness (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gore Verbinski
Feat. Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, Mia Goth
An ambitious Manhattan stockbroker is blackmailed to retrieve a company boardmember from a wellness spa in the Swiss Alps in this visually stunning…
A Monster CallsA Monster Calls (2016) Recommended
Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona
Feat. Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones
A splendid and skillfully–told fantasy drama in which a 12–year–old boy faces his mother's terminal illness, his strict…
Alice Through the Looking GlassAlice Through the Looking Glass (2016)
Dir. James Bobin
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter
Effects heavy sequel to Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND has Alice returning to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travelling back in time to help…
Assassin's CreedAssassin's Creed (2016)
Dir. Justin Kurzel
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons
Movie adaptation of the enormously popular video game where a man unlocks his "genetic memory", allowing him to access the memories, knowledge and…
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of JusticeBatman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Dir. Zack Snyder
Feat. Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams
Dour superhero spectacle sees DC comic's finest face off after Batman becomes concerned with Superman's unchecked powers.
Death and Life of Otto Bloom, TheDeath and Life of Otto Bloom, The (2016)
Dir. Cris Jones
Feat. Xavier Samuel, Rachel Ward, Matilda Brown
The chronicle of the life and great love of Otto Bloom, an extraordinary man who experiences time in reverse – passing backwards through the…
Doctor StrangeDoctor Strange (2016) Recommended
Dir. Scott Derrickson
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams
The fourteenth film from the Marvel superhero franchise stars Cumberbatch as the title hero, a neurosurgeon disabled in a car crash who turns to a…
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) Recommended
Dir. David Yates
Feat. Eddie Redmayne, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler
This 1920's period fantasy adventure is the first in the HARRY POTTER universe to be adapted for the screen by J. K. Rowling herself. Eddie Redmayne…
Game of Thrones - Season 6 (TV Series)Game of Thrones - Season 6 (TV Series) (2016)
The struggle for the iron throne continues in the sixth season of the rightly acclaimed HBO series derived from George R.R. Martin's fantasy novels.
Gods of EgyptGods of Egypt (2016)
Dir. Alex Proyas
Feat. Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gerard Butler
Ill–conceived fantasy epic in which a mortal hero must do battle with the god of darkness who has taken over the Egyptian empire.
Huntsman, The: Winter's WarHuntsman, The: Winter's War (2016)
Dir. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan
Feat. Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron
Visually arresting prequel to SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN tells the tale of Eric and Freya two warriors trying to conceal their forbidden love.
Living and the Dead, The (TV Mini-series)Living and the Dead, The (TV Mini-series) (2016)
Feat. Colin Morgan, Charlotte Spencer
Spooky anglophile escapism set in picturesque Victorian–era Somerset, following the supernatural afflictions of a pioneering psychologist after…
Lucifer (TV Series)Lucifer (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Tom Ellis, Lauren German, D.B. Woodside
Dark fantasy series based on the Neil Gaiman comic has a bored devil set up shop in Los Angeles running a piano bar and aiding the L.A.P.D. in the…
Luke Cage (TV Series)Luke Cage (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Mike Colter, Mahershala Ali, Simone Missick
Marvel series launching black superhero Luke Cage, who tries to rebuild his regular life in Harlem after a sabotaged experiment bestows him super…
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar ChildrenMiss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) Recommended
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Samuel L. Jackson
Tim Burton's spectacular adaptation of the young adult fantasy novel about a teenager who discovers a portal to a different time in coastal Wales…
MoanaMoana (2016) Recommended
Dir. John Musker, Ron Clements
Feat. Aulii Cravalho, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Jemaine Clement
An epic CGI Disney adventure about a Polynesian girl who sets sail on a daring ocean voyage to find a home for her people. Features Kiwi voice…
Monster TrucksMonster Trucks (2016)
Dir. Chris Wedge
Feat. Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Amy Ryan
A truck–obsessed teen builds a monstrous vehicle out of spare parts in an attempt to escape his troubled small town existence.
Pete's DragonPete's Dragon (2016) Recommended
Dir. David Lowery
Feat. Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley
Inspired Disney remake vastly improves upon its own forgotten 70's adventure that tells the tale of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend…
Shannara Chronicles, The (TV Series)Shannara Chronicles, The (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Austin Butler, Manu Bennett
Filmed in New Zealand fantasy series follows a group of heroes as they battle to stop an evil Demon army from destroying the universe. Based on Terry…
This Beautiful FantasticThis Beautiful Fantastic (2016)
Dir. Simon Aboud
Feat. Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Irvine
A talented but reclusive girl develops a friendship with her cantankerous neighbour in this contemporary fairy tale set against the backdrop of a…
Warcraft: The BeginningWarcraft: The Beginning (2016)
Dir. Duncan Jones
Feat. Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster
Stilted live–action rendering of the gaming phenomenon has an Orc horde invading the planet Azeroth and a few humans and dissenting Orcs are…
Wynonna Earp (TV Series)Wynonna Earp (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Melanie Scrofano, Shamier Anderson, Tim Rozon
Canadian supernatural Western series based on the IDW Comic, that follows Wyatt Earp's great granddaughter as she battles demons and other creatures…
X-Men: ApocalypseX-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
The franchise roles on with the X–Men confronting a resurrected mutant determined to re–make the world.
April and the Extraordinary WorldApril and the Extraordinary World (2015) Recommended
Dir. Christian Desmares, Franck Ekinci
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Jean Rochefort, Olivier Gourmet
Steampunk–infused tale set in an alternate world where France is a country under the iron rule of Napoleon V, a young girl goes in search of…
Arabian NightsArabian Nights (2015) Recommended
Dir. Miguel Gomes
Feat. Crista Alfaiate
Wildly original and ambitious triptych of films set in modern–day Portugal but structured on the sprawling Arabic fairy–tale collection…
Avengers: Age of UltronAvengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Dir. Joss Whedon
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo
More Marvel mayhem has the team forced to reassemble after Tony Stark and Bruce Banner awaken a long dormant peacekeeping program.
Cemetery of SplendourCemetery of Splendour (2015) Recommended
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Jenjira Pongpas Widner
Mesmerising film in the director's indefinable style, set in and around a rural Thai hospital which may be haunted. A group of soldiers…
CinderellaCinderella (2015) Recommended
Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden
Dir. Kenneth Branagh re–imagines the classic tale of young Ella who finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters, and…
Fantastic Four, TheFantastic Four, The (2015)
Dir. Josh Trank
Feat. Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara
Contemporary re–imagining of Marvel's original and longest–running superhero in which transported to an alternate universe, four young…
Forbidden Room, TheForbidden Room, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson
Feat. Roy Dupuis, Clara Furey, Jacques Nolot
Maverick director Guy Maddin applies his wild and deliciously demented imagination to this fantastic fantasy, telling a range of almost…
Game of Thrones - Season 5 (TV Series)Game of Thrones - Season 5 (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Peter Dinklage
The struggle for the iron throne continues in the fifth season of the rightly acclaimed HBO series derived from George R.R. Martin's fantasy…
GoosebumpsGoosebumps (2015) Recommended
Dir. Rob Letterman
Feat. Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush
Fantastical spin on the popular kidult horror series with Jack Black perfectly cast as horror maestro R.L. Stine whose imaginary demons come to life.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (TV Series)Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (TV Series) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Eddie Marsan, Bertie Carvel, Marc Warren
Ripping historical fantasy based on the Susanna Clarke novel, concerns the adventures of two magicians during the Napoleonic wars.
Last Days in the DesertLast Days in the Desert (2015)
Dir. Rodrigo Garcia
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Ciaran Hinds, Ayelet Zurer
Ewan McGregor plays both Jesus Christ and the Devil in this humanistic portrait of Jesus during his 40 days fasting and praying in the Judean desert.
Last Witch Hunter, TheLast Witch Hunter, The (2015)
Dir. Breck Eisner
Feat. Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood
Vin Diesel lugs himself though this dark fantasy as a witch–hunter, cursed with eternal life, trying to prevent a plague from ravaging modern…
Lure, TheLure, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Agnieszka Smoczynska
Feat. Marta Mazurek
Utterly beguiling musical horror set in Poland in the 1980's, following the fate of a pair of mermaid sisters as they struggle to integrate into a…
Magicians, The (TV Series)Magicians, The (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Jason Ralphs, Stella Maeve, Olivia Taylor Dudley
Fantasy series about a group of twenty–somethings studying magic in New York discover a world that poses a great threat to humanity in this…
PanPan (2015)
Dir. Joe Wright
Feat. Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund
Visually dazzling but widely panned prequel to J.M. Barrie's classic tale has a young orphan spirited away to the magical world of Neverland to…
Supergirl (TV Series)Supergirl (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Melissa Benoist
Enjoyable new take on the adventures of Supergirl sent to Earth to watch over her younger cousin.
Tale of TalesTale of Tales (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel, Toby Jones
Wonderfully imaginative, cohesive portmanteau film comprised of three unusual, somewhat grotesque fairy tales featuring sea monsters, lustful kings…
TomorrowlandTomorrowland (2015) Recommended
Dir. Brad Bird
Feat. George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie
Disney live–action adventure that allies a scientifically–curious teenage girl and a former boy–genius inventor (Clooney) who…
Victor FrankensteinVictor Frankenstein (2015)
Dir. Paul McGuigan
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, Jessica Brown Findlay
Mary Shelley's classic is given an interesting twist, this time told from the perspective of Igor, the hunchbacked assistant who teams with Dr…
Barbie: The Pearl PrincessBarbie: The Pearl Princess (2014)
Dir. Ezekiel Norton
Entry into the Barbie film series where the fashion doll is a mermaid who has the power to change the colour of pearls and make them dance.
Beauty And The BeastBeauty And The Beast (2014)
Dir. Christophe Gans
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Léa Seydoux, Andre Dussollier
Opulent re–telling of the fairytale romance that blossoms between the youngest daughter of a merchant who has fallen on hard times and the…
Cobbler, TheCobbler, The (2014)
Dir. Tom McCarthy
Feat. Adam Sandler, Dan Stevens, Ellen Barkin
The director of THE STATION AGENT and THE VISITOR helms this slice of magic realism about a frustrated shoemaker who finds a magical sewing machine…
Dracula UntoldDracula Untold (2014)
Dir. Gary Shore
Feat. Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon
Another definitely–not–untold Dracula story, revamped in typical Hollywood action–adventure style that may leave you yearning for…
Hobbit, The - Battle of Five ArmiesHobbit, The - Battle of Five Armies (2014) Recommended
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
Spectacular concluding chapter of the trilogy has Bilbo and company forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the Lonely…
How to Train Your Dragon 2How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) Recommended
Dir. Dean Deblois
Feat. Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler
Splendid sequel to the medieval animated hit about the ongoing mission of a pair of vikings to maintain the peace between dragons and men.
MaleficentMaleficent (2014)
Dir. Robert Stromberg
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley
Angelina Jolie plays Sleeping Beauty's iconic villain in this visually striking update of the Disney animated classic.
Night at the Museum 3:Secret of the TombNight at the Museum 3:Secret of the Tomb (2014)
Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson
Concluding chapter in the trilogy has museum guard Stiller trying to decipher why the exhibits are behaving so erratically.
Resurrection (TV Series)Resurrection (TV Series) (2014)
Feat. Omar Epps, Frances Fisher
A small Missouri town is the site of a number of unexplained resurrections in this thought–provoking drama, reminiscent of – though…
Sin City: A Dame to Kill ForSin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)
Dir. Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin
A return to the hard boiled caricatures of Frank Miller's graphic "Sin City". Tales of vengeance, torture and infidelity are woven together into an…
Song of the SeaSong of the Sea (2014) Recommended
Dir. Tomm Moore
From the director and production team behind THE SECRET OF KELLS comes another distinctive hand–made animated feature from Ireland that serves…
Winter's TaleWinter's Tale (2014)
Dir. Akiva Goldsman
Feat. Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe
This mythic New York romance centres on an Irish burglar (Farrell) who falls for an aristocrat's dying daughter, and seeks a miracle to save her life.
Witches of East End (TV Series)Witches of East End (TV Series) (2014)
Feat. Julia Ormond, Madchen Amick
TV series about a family of witches who live in the seaside town of East End. Based on the book of the same name by Melissa de la Cruz.
X-Men: Days of Future PastX-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) Recommended
Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender
This latest installment in the X–Men saga sees Wolverine travel back in time to prevent a world changing event.
Adventurer, The - The Curse of the Midas BoxAdventurer, The - The Curse of the Midas Box (2013)
Dir. Jonathan Newman
Feat. Aneurin Barnard, Lena Headey, Sam Neill
Spiffy period adventure set in Victorian England about a teenager racing to find the eponymous 'Midas Box', a treasure which can turn any object to…
Atlantis (TV Series)Atlantis (TV Series) (2013)
Feat. Jack Donnelly, Mark Addy, Juliet Stevenson
An epic drama based around the stories of Greek mythology and the lost city of Atlantis. Jason, is sucked into a vortex and transported back to the…
Game of Thrones - Season 3 (TV Series)Game of Thrones - Season 3 (TV Series) (2013) Recommended
Feat. Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley
Further episodes from the justifiably acclaimed HBO medieval series, with realism and violence dictating its dark hued, anti–romantic take on…
Hansel and Gretel: Witch HuntersHansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
Dir. Tommy Wirkola
Feat. Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen
The Brothers Grimm fairytale is re–imagined as an action vehicle for the fantasy set, with the grown up siblings now self–employed as…
Hobbit, The - The Desolation of SmaugHobbit, The - The Desolation of Smaug (2013) Recommended
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
Chapter two of Peter Jackson's epic adaptation of The Hobbit, which sees the party's quest to reclaim their homeland from Smaug continue. Bilbo…
I, FrankensteinI, Frankenstein (2013)
Dir. Stuart Beattie
Feat. Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Miranda Otto
Chaotic and at times incoherent action fantasy following Frankenstein's creature Adam in the centuries old war to prevent evil demons from taking…
Jack the Giant SlayerJack the Giant Slayer (2013)
Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor
'Jack and the Beanstalk' is reimagined for the big screen in this hulking fantasy adventure about a naïve farm boy who attempts to rescue a…
Knights of BadassdomKnights of Badassdom (2013)
Dir. Joe Lynch
Feat. Ryan Kwanten, Peter Dinklage, Summer Glau
Bumbling comedy parody of a group of live–action role players (LARPs) who inadvertently conjure up a demon and must raise swords to defeat it…
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's ReturnLegends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2013)
Dir. Will Finn
Feat. Lea Michele, Dan Aykroyd, James Belushi
A lightweight animated 'sequel' to the original Wizard of Oz film finds Dorothy returning to help her old friends Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Man to…
Mood IndigoMood Indigo (2013) Recommended
Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh
Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris star in this wild interpretation of Boris Vian’s cult novel 'Froth on the Daydream' from dir. Michel Gondry.
Mortal Instruments: City of BonesMortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)
Dir. Harald Zwart
Feat. Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Kevin Zegers
A teenage girl joins a league of demon slayers in this dark New York–set fantasy, another epic tween franchise in the making. Based on the…
Nowhere Boys (TV Series)Nowhere Boys (TV Series) (2013) Recommended
Feat. Darci McDonald, Dougie Baldwin, Joel Lok
Australian fantasy action–adventure series that follows four teenage boys who get lost in the forest and discover, when they return home, that…
Oz the Great and PowerfulOz the Great and Powerful (2013) Recommended
Dir. Sam Raimi
Feat. James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz
Sam Raimi directs this spectacular re–imagining of the Wizard of Oz legend for Disney studios – an origin story centred on the coming of…
Percy Jackson: Sea of MonstersPercy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013)
Dir. Thor Freudenthal
Feat. Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Douglas Smith
Another young adult fantasy franchise rolls on, this time continuing the adventures of the titular Percy Jackson and his demigod friends as they race…
Secret Life of Walter Mitty, TheSecret Life of Walter Mitty, The (2013)
Dir. Ben Stiller
Feat. Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Kathryn Hahn
Ben Stiller directs and stars in this splashy adaptation of James Thurber's short story about a meek proofreader who finds solace and empowerment in…
Tale of the Princess Kaguya, TheTale of the Princess Kaguya, The (2013) Recommended
Dir. Isao Takahata
Studio Ghibli co–founder Takahata directs this beautiful adaptation of a classic Japanese folk tale with a distinctly different flavour to that…
Thor: The Dark WorldThor: The Dark World (2013)
Dir. Alan Taylor
Feat. Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
In this predictably bombastic sequel, the action relocates from Earth to the Nine Realms, where the Norse God must team up with nemesis Loki…
Wolverine, TheWolverine, The (2013)
Dir. James Mangold
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima
Hugh Jackman returns as X–Men's cult anti–hero in this Japan–set saga centred on deadly samurai and an old nemesis.
Zero Theorem, TheZero Theorem, The (2013)
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Christoph Waltz, Mélanie Thierry, David Thewlis
Terry Gilliam presents this complex but colourful existential meditation. A reclusive computer genius has been given the task of finally proving that…
Beasts of the Southern WildBeasts of the Southern Wild (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Benh Zeitlin
Feat. Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry
An ambitious and unique dramatic fantasy centred on a motherless child who, together with her hard–drinking father and a group of loveable…
BlancanievesBlancanieves (2012) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Berger
Feat. Daniel Giménez Cacho, Angela Molina, Maribel Verdu
The legend of Snow White is transposed to the bullfighting, flamenco dancing netherworld of the Spanish provinces in this beautiful and beguiling…
ChronicleChronicle (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Josh Trank
Feat. Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan
Amping up the 'found–footage' concept to even dizzier heights than CLOVERFIELD, this fantasy has three teens running amok after acquiring…
Dark ShadowsDark Shadows (2012)
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter
Tim Burton directs Johnny Depp (for the eight time) in the cult role of Barnabas Collins, a 200–year–old vampire who reawakens in the…
Game of Thrones - Season 2 (TV Series)Game of Thrones - Season 2 (TV Series) (2012) Recommended
Feat. Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley
Further episodes from the justifiably acclaimed HBO medieval series, with realism and violence dictating its dark hued, anti–romantic take on…
Hobbit, The - An Unexpected JourneyHobbit, The - An Unexpected Journey (2012) Recommended
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
Peter Jackson returns to Middle Earth with this epic first chapter in The Hobbit saga, which follows Bilbo Baggins' quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf…
Imaginaerum by NightwishImaginaerum by Nightwish (2012)
Dir. Stobe Harju
Feat. Marianne Farley, Quinn Lord, Francis X McCarthy
Based on the album of the same name by Finnish metallers Nightwish. A coma sends an old man into his childhood's sinister fantasy world, where he…
Journey 2: The Mysterious IslandJourney 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
Dir. Brad Peyton
Feat. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson
The Rock and friends return for this hammy, high–wire sequel to JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH, with the intrepid explorers taking on the…
Life of PiLife of Pi (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu
An Indian storyteller recalls the events of his extraordinary life, beginning as a boy shipwrecked along with animals from his family's zoo, in this…
Lord of the ElvesLord of the Elves (Clash of the Empires) (2012)
Dir. Joseph J. Lawson
Feat. Christopher Judge, Ling Bai
A bargain bin knock off of LORD OF THE RINGS featuring has–been actors, lame–ass direction, and a cast of Thai midgets, this is best…
Mirror MirrorMirror Mirror (2012)
Dir. Tarsem Singh
Feat. Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer
Supreme visualist Tarsem Singh (THE FALL) directs this striking adaptation of the Snow White fairytale, starring Julia Roberts as the iconic wicked…
Rise of the GuardiansRise of the Guardians (2012) Recommended
Dir. Peter Ramsey
Feat. Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law
An imaginative spin on childhood mythology, this excellent animated fantasy casts Jack Frost, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, The Sandman, and…
Ruby SparksRuby Sparks (2012) Recommended
Dir. Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Feat. Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Chris Messina
Real–life couple Dayton and Faris (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) direct real–life acting couple Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan in this zesty satire…
Sinbad (TV Series)Sinbad (TV Series) (2012)
Feat. Elliot Knight, Naveen Andrews, Timothy Spall
Spiffy swashbuckling version of the Sinbad legend harnesses the best of blockbuster–style action and above–average special effects to…
Snow White and the HuntsmanSnow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Dir. Rupert Sanders
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron
Dark re–imagining of the classic fairy tale with the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed becoming her protector and…
ThaleThale (2012)
Dir. Aleksander Nordaas
Feat. Silje Reinåmo, Erlend Nervold
An artful, serious–minded horror fantasy based on the Norwegian legend of the Hydra – a seductive, shape–shifting Scandanavian…
Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012)
Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Finally, the colossal vampire franchise meets its maker with this concluding chapter, with Bella and Edward fighting to protect their daughter from…
Werewolf Boy, AWerewolf Boy, A (2012)
Dir. Sung-Hee Jo
Feat. Joong-ki Song, Bo-yeong Park, Young-nam Jang
One of a kind fantasy in which a teenage girl is sent to the country for her health, where she befriends and attempts to civilize a feral boy she…
Wolf ChildrenWolf Children (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mamoru Hosoda
This beautiful, serious–minded take on werewolf folklore focuses on a young woman and her struggle to raise two children of mixed…
Wrath of the TitansWrath of the Titans (2012)
Dir. Jonathan Liebesman
Feat. Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes
Perseus (Worthington) returns to slay more Greek demigods in this bombastic sequel to the recent CGI–laden remake of the 1981 fantasy film.
BeastlyBeastly (2011)
Dir. Daniel Barnz
Feat. Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Mary-Kate Olsen
Tween stars Pettyfer and Hudgens angst up a storm in this modernised BEAUTY AND THE BEAST that will fill the gap nicely until the next TWILIGHT movie…
Chinese Ghost Story, AChinese Ghost Story, A (2011)
Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Louis Koo, Yifei Liu, Shao-gun Yu
A lowly scholar falls in love with a beautiful ghost, but in order to win her freedom must do battle with the supernatural. Kinetic remake of the…
Conan the BarbarianConan the Barbarian (2011)
Dir. Marcus Nispel
Feat. Jason Momoa, Stephen Lang, Rachel Nichols
Meat–axe revival of Arnold Schwarzenegger's B–movie breakthrough, which mashes modern CG effects with a low–rent 80s sensibility…
Game of Thrones - Season 1 (TV Series)Game of Thrones - Season 1 (TV Series) (2011) Recommended
Feat. Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Michelle Fairley
Justifiably acclaimed medieval series applies the magic HBO touch to the often–ridiculed world of sword and sorcery, with realism and violence…
Ghost Rider: Spirit Of VengeanceGhost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance (2011)
Dir. Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Ciaran Hinds, Idris Elba
Vrrmm, vrmmm....Nicolas Cage races with the devil in this unnecessary sequel to Marvel's mediocre GHOST RIDER. Despite CRANK directors Neveldine and…
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Recommended
Dir. David Yates
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane
This eighth and final Harry Potter installment concludes the boy wizard's epic journey from Hogswart apprentice to world savior.
Legend of the Millennium DragonLegend of the Millennium Dragon (2011)
Dir. Hirotsugu Kawasaki
An impressively animated young–adult fantasy, centred on a 15–year–old school kid who is transported back to medieval Japan, and…
Lost ChristmasLost Christmas (2011)
Dir. John Hay
Feat. Eddie Izzard, Jason Flemyng
BBC drama set in Manchester over two Christmases that shows a group of people who are brought together by a mysterious drifter who helps them find…
Midnight in ParisMidnight in Paris (2011) Recommended
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates
High class whimsy from Woody Allen with Woody–surrogate honours going this time to Owen Wilson as a frustrated hack screenwriter magically…
Neverland (TV Mini-series)Neverland (TV Mini-series) (2011)
Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Rhys Ifans, Anna Friel, Bob Hoskins
Clever prequel to "Peter Pan" from the producers of TIN MAN and ALICE that gives a fresh, alternative take on the origins of Peter Pan and Captain…
Once Upon a Time (TV Series)Once Upon a Time (TV Series) (2011)
Feat. Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Joshua Dallas
A mature, densely layered serial based on popular folklore, set in a fictional seaside town where characters from various fairy tales have been…
PriestPriest (2011)
Dir. Scott Charles Stewart
Feat. Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q
Priests battle vampires in this post–apocalyptic fantasy based on the popular graphic novel.
ThorThor (2011) Recommended
Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman
Engaging superhero escapism with The God of Thunder banished to earth where his skills with a hammer soon come in handy. Flitting between godly…
Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011)
Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Penultimate installment of the Gothic fantasy phenomenon teases out the conclusion to the romantic saga in lucrative and popular fashion with Bella…
Witches of Oz, The (TV Mini-series)Witches of Oz, The (TV Mini-series) (2011)
Dir. Leigh Scott
Feat. Christopher Lloyd, Sean Astin, Ethan Embry
Disappointingly shoddy re–imagining in which Dorothy, now a best–selling children's book author discovers, upon moving to New York, that…
X-Men: First ClassX-Men: First Class (2011) Recommended
Dir. Matthew Vaughn
Feat. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
The X–MEN juggernaut rolls on, benefiting from a spring clean of the principal cast, in this hugely entertaining origin movie set against the…
Your HighnessYour Highness (2011)
Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Danny McBride, Natalie Portman, James Franco
Deeply irreverent fantasy romp clearly conceived in a cloud of pot smoke has Franco and McBride desperate to rescue Deschanel from an evil wizard…
Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland (2010)
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter
Dir. Tim Burton goes down the rabbit hole in this feverish retelling of Lewis Carroll's classic tale told with his customary visual brio. Bonham…
ArriettyArrietty (The Secret World of Arrietty) (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Feat. Mirai Shida, Ryunosuke Kamiki
Studio Ghibli's latest animated triumph respectfully borrows from the classic English children's tale of 'The Borrowers', about a family of tiny…
Black HeavenBlack Heaven (L'autre monde) (2010)
Dir. Gilles Marchand
Feat. Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, Louise Bourgoin, Melvil Poupaud
An innocent young man becomes entangled with a suicidal beauty and is lured into a "Black Hole" – an eerie cyberworld of avatars with deadly…
Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn TreaderChronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Ben Barnes, Tilda Swinton, Liam Neeson
Rollicking third installment has the children returning to Narnia to join Prince Caspian for a voyage on the majestic royal vessel known as The Dawn…
Clash of the TitansClash of the Titans (2010)
Dir. Louis Leterrier
Feat. Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes
Beefy, special effects–saturated blockbuster reworks the 1981 fantasy film (and Ray Harryhausen’s beloved stop motion animations), based on…
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) Recommended
Dir. David Yates
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane
Seventh and penultimate film in the H.K. Rowling–penned franchise now finds Harry and pals Ron and Hermione on the lam as Lord Voldemort…
How to Train Your DragonHow to Train Your Dragon (2010) Recommended
Dir. Dean Deblois, Chris Sanders
Feat. Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson
Top–flight animated feature about a hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons but becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself,…
Jonah HexJonah Hex (2010)
Dir. Jimmy Hayward
Feat. Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox
Josh Brolin revives DC Comics' anti–hero gunslinger in this acidic western, centred on the titular character's rage–fueled quest to…
Nanny McPhee and the Big BangNanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010)
Dir. Susanna White
Feat. Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor
Emma Thompson again pens and stars in the second installment about the otherworldly nanny, accompanied again by a staggering array of British…
Percy Jackson: The Lightning ThiefPercy Jackson: The Lightning Thief (2010) Recommended
Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario
Striking fantasy that follows a gangly teenager who discovers that he's the son of Poseidon and has inherited some of Dad's powers. Percy soon finds…
Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimePrince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley
Jake Gyllenhaal flexes his pecs in this extravagant adaptation of the popular 'Arabian adventure' video game.
Scott Pilgrim Vs The WorldScott Pilgrim Vs The World (2010) Recommended
Dir. Edgar Wright
Feat. Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anna Kendrick
Wearing its super–coolness on its sleeve, this precocious action–comedy stars archetypal geek Michael Cera as a gawky bass–player…
Sorcerer's Apprentice, TheSorcerer's Apprentice, The (2010)
Dir. Jon Turteltaub
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Alfred Molina, Jay Baruchel
Playing to type, Jay Baruchel is the average, unassuming new recruit of a master sorcerer (Nicholas Cage) who needs the help of a protégé to defeat…
Terry Pratchett's Going PostalTerry Pratchett's Going Postal (2010)
Dir. Jon Jones
Feat. Richard Coyle, David Suchet, Claire Foy
Lavish adaptation of a Terry Pratchett novel set once again in the discworld universe. A convicted conman gets a fate worse than death, in this case…
Vanishing on 7th StreetVanishing on 7th Street (2010)
Dir. Brad Anderson
Feat. Hayden Christensen, Thandiwe Newton, John Leguizamo
Low–wattage shocks abound as Hayden Christensen wakes up one morning to find everyone has disappeared. Brad Anderson directs with customary…
Alice (TV Mini-Series)Alice (TV Mini-Series) (2009)
Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Caterina Scorsone, Andrew Lee Potts, Matt Frewer
Modernist re–imagining of the Lewis Carroll classic with wonderland portrayed as a dystopian netherworld that sucks the emotions from the 'real…
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's AssistantCirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009)
Dir. Paul Weitz
Feat. Chris Massoglia, Josh Hutcherson, John C. Reilly
Disjointed family friendly fright fest has a teenager accidentally trigger a war between two vampire factions. Despite an excellent cast and a great…
Cold SoulsCold Souls (2009)
Dir. Sophie Barthes
Feat. Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, Lauren Ambrose
A existentialist tragi–comedy in which Paul Giamatti plays himself, a New York actor in crisis, who literally has his soul extracted, only to…
Coraline Coraline (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Henry Selick
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders
The prodigious talents of fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and animator Henry Selick combine for this wonderful – though admittedly creepy –…
DaybreakersDaybreakers (2009)
Dir. The Spierig Brothers
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill
Inventive take on the vampire genre has a world populated with the fanged undead facing a food shortage with the human population rapidly dwindling.…
From Time to TimeFrom Time to Time (2009)
Dir. Julian Fellowes
Feat. Alex Etel, Timothy Spall, Maggie Smith
Charmingly old–fashioned family film set at the tail end of the second world war has a young boy discovering a portal back to 1805, where he…
Gentlemen BroncosGentlemen Broncos (2009) Recommended
Dir. Jared Hess
Feat. Michael Angarano, Jemaine Clement, Jennifer Coolidge
Call us biased, but Jemaine Clement is worth the price of admission alone to this zany yet well–aligned comedy from the creator of NAPOLEON…
GoemonGoemon (2009)
Dir. Kazuaki Kiriya
Feat. Yosuke Eguchi, Takao Osawa
The dir. of CASSHERN helms this visionary medieval spectacle, based on a 16th century bandit whose Robin hood–style exploits are steeped in…
Green Lantern: First FlightGreen Lantern: First Flight (2009)
Dir. Lauren Montgomery
Feat. Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber, Tricia Helfer
A solid animated outing for one of the lesser–known superheros of the DC Universe, The Green Lantern, who gains his powers through a magical…
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood PrinceHarry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2009) Recommended
Dir. David Yates
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Jim Broadbent
The epic sixth movie in the Harry Potter franchise sees Harry prepare for the final battle against his nemesis Voldemort while struggling with his…
Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, TheImaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Andrew Garfield
Firing on all imaginative cylinders, dir. Terry Gilliam delivers what is possibly his magnum opus – an original, mind–bending fantasy…
Imagine ThatImagine That (2009)
Dir. Karey Kirkpatrick
Feat. Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Ronny Cox
A magic blankie transforms Eddie Murphy's prospects on the stock market in this pleasantly surprisingly family movie, recommended for its healthy…
Lovely Bones, TheLovely Bones, The (2009)
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Saoirse Ronan
Peter Jackson’s errant, though wonderfully imagined murder mystery begins with the brutal death of a teenage girl in small town Pennsylvania,…
MicmacsMicmacs (2009) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Feat. Dany Boon, Andre Dussollier, Jean-Pierre Marielle
The dir. of AMELIE and CITY OF LOST CHILDREN stays true to form(ula) with his visual chutzpah lavished upon another idealised scenario that this time…
Night At The Museum 2Night At The Museum 2 (Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian) (2009)
Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson
Sequel to 2006 mega–hit NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM sees Ben Stiller return to his role as security guard, this time on a mission to infiltrate the…
Oblivion IslandOblivion Island (Haruka and the Magic Mirror) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Shinsuke Sato
Emulating Pixar's gold standard animation, this crowd pleasing 3D anime centres on a teenage girl who stumbles through a magical portal to a world…
Race To Witch MountainRace To Witch Mountain (2009)
Dir. Andy Fickman
Feat. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Tom Everett Scott, AnnaSophia Robb
A flashy but bland reboot of the 1975 Disney film ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN that sees Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson play a cab driver who inadvertently…
RickyRicky (2009)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Sergi Lopez, Alexandra Lamy, Mélusine Mayance
Intriguing fusion of kitchen–sink drama and magical realism by the mercurial Ozon with a young baby afflicted by an alarming physiological…
Solomon KaneSolomon Kane (2009)
Dir. Michael J. Bassett
Feat. James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, Pete Postlethwaite
Conan creator Robert E. Howard's pulpy fantasy gets a suitably bloody adaptation with James Purefoy donning the boots to star as the hell–bound…
Storm Warriors, TheStorm Warriors, The (Storm Riders II) (2009)
Dir. Oxide Pang, Danny Pang
Feat. Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Simon Yam
The Pang brothers helm this flamboyant, effects–heavy sequel to the OTT Hong Kong hit, delivering a mixture of wushu and wizardry with…
Thin Match Man, TheThin Match Man, The (L'uomo fiammifero) (2009)
Dir. Marco Chiarini
Feat. Francesco Pannofino, Marco Leonzi, Gabriele Manfredi
Modern fairy–tale about a house–bound boy determined to find the thin–match man, a figure his mother once created who lights the…
Tinkerbell and the Lost TreasureTinkerbell and the Lost Treasure (2009)
Feat. Kristin Chenoweth, Jesse McCartney, Anjelica Huston
Adequate sequel to 2008's TINKERBELL sees the feisty fairy and friends go on a journey to find the source of the Pixies mystical dust.The stellar…
Toys in the AtticToys in the Attic (2009-2012)
Dir. Vivian Schilling, Jirí Barta
Dark stop–motion animated fairytale following the adventures of a doll, a marionette, a teddy bear, a Mechanical Mouse and the plasticine…
Treasure Hunter, TheTreasure Hunter, The (2009)
Dir. Yen-ping Chu
Feat. Jay Chou, Chiling Lin, Eric Tsang
Madcap fusion of Indiana Jones and martial arts mayhem, with Mandarin popstar Jay Chou leading the charge as a protector of relics on the hunt for a…
Vintner's Luck, TheVintner's Luck, The (2009)
Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Jeremie Renier, Gaspard Ulliel
Contentious, opulent NZ–made adaptation of the much–loved Elizabeth Knox novel, ostensibly about the relationship between a guardian…
Where the Wild Things AreWhere the Wild Things Are (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Spike Jonze
Feat. Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini
Expanding on the simple text of Maurice Sendak's modern children's classic, this glorious, visionary adaptation from director Spike Jonze and writer…
Wizards Of Waverly Place: The MovieWizards Of Waverly Place: The Movie (2009)
Dir. Lev L. Spiro
Feat. David Henrie, Selena Gomez, Jake T. Austin
Feature–length spin–off from popular Disney series THE WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE, focused around a family of…
Wonder WomanWonder Woman (2009)
Dir. Lauren Montgomery
Feat. Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina
Excellent animated feature telling the origin story of Wonder Woman (voiced by Russell) and her quest to protect the world from Ares (Molina). The…
Woochi: Goblin WizardWoochi: Goblin Wizard (Jeon Woochi : The Taoist Wizard) (2009)
Dir. Dong-hun Choi
Feat. Dong-won Kang, Yun-seok Kim, Su-jeong Lim
Mayhem is unleashed in contemporary Seoul when Taoist wizards do battle with time traveling goblins.
X-Men Origins: WolverineX-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Dir. Gavin Hood
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston
Hugh Jackman reprises his role as wolfy superhero Wolverine, charting his origin–story from innocent child through to fully–fledged,…
Adventures Of Merlin, The (TV Series)Adventures Of Merlin, The (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Colin Morgan, Angel Coulby, Bradley James
Ambitious drama series loosely based on the legend of King Arthur, following a young Merlin's arrival in Camelot where he must face great danger…
Bedtime StoriesBedtime Stories (2008) Recommended
Dir. Adam Shankman
Feat. Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce
Sure–fire Disney high–concept comedy starring Adam Sandler as a baby–sitting uncle whose bedtime stories start to influence his…
Being Human (TV Series)Being Human (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aidan Turner
Supernatural sitcom has three British twenty–somethings struggling with their respective alter–egos as a vampire, ghost and werewolf.
Bonekickers (TV Series)Bonekickers (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Julie Graham, Adrian Lester
From the creators of LIFE ON MARS comes this hybrid of INDIANA JONES and THE DA VINCI CODE as a crack team of archaeologists are thrust into various…
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince CaspianChronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
Dir. Andrew Adamson
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Ben Barnes, Sergio Castellitto
This epic–leaning return to the fantasy world of Narnia finds the Pevensie children heading back through the wardrobe to help Prince Caspian…
City Of EmberCity Of Ember (2008)
Dir. Gil Kenan
Feat. Harry Treadaway, Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins
Dystopian children's fantasy set in an underground city of the future that is threatened by eternal darkness but whose leaders protect their citizens…
CJ7CJ7 (Cheung Gong 7 hou) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow turns his directing talents to the family–friendly fantasy, playing a dirt–poor father who surprises his…
Colour of Magic, The Colour of Magic, The (2008)
Dir. Vadim Jean
Feat. Sean Astin, Jeremy Irons, David Jason
A live–action return to Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld,' where an unfortunate wizard, enthusiastic tourist and fierce wooden box with legs must…
Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, TheCurious Case Of Benjamin Button, The (2008) Recommended
Dir. David Fincher
Feat. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton
The screenwriter of FORREST GUMP expands upon F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story to tell the curious case of a man born on Armistice day as decrepit…
DelgoDelgo (2008)
Dir. Marc F. Adler, Jason Maurer
Feat. Freddie Prinze Jnr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Malcolm McDowell
Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt and others voice this fantasy animation about a magical world on the brink of destruction. Lacks subtely and…
Dragon HuntersDragon Hunters (2008)
Dir. Guillaume Ivernel, Arthur Qwak
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Vincent Lindon
French–produced animated tale of two dragon hunters in a world that has become infested with a terrible plague, with famished, mutant creatures…
Dragonlance: Dragons of the Autumn TwilightDragonlance: Dragons of the Autumn Twilight (2008)
Dir. Will Meugniot
Feat. Kiefer Sutherland, Lucy Lawless, Michelle Trachtenberg
Basic Fantasy adventure animation based on the novel and role–playing game of the same name about a group of heroes defending their land…
InkheartInkheart (2008) Recommended
Dir. Iain Softley
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Sienna Guillory, Paul Bettany
An under–rated, imaginative rendering of German author Cornelia Funke's novel about a young girl and her father who have the ability to bring…
Journey to the Centre of the EarthJourney to the Centre of the Earth (2008)
Dir. Eric Brevig
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem
A "rollercoaster" entertainment based very loosely on Jules Verne's famous novel, this version sees a contemporary trio embarking on an inadvertent…
KrabatKrabat (2008)
Dir. Marco Kreuzpaintner
Feat. David Kross, Daniel Bruhl, Christian Redl
Faustian fantasy centred around a teenager who is lured into joining an elite circle of black magic practitioners in 18th Century Germany. A…
Legend of the Seeker, The (TV Series)Legend of the Seeker, The (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Craig Horner, Bridget Regan, Bruce Spence
Sword–and–Sorcery coming–of–age journey with The Seeker as he joins forces with a mysterious woman and a wise, powerful…
Lost in Austen (TV Mini-Series)Lost in Austen (TV Mini-Series) (2008)
Feat. Jemima Rooper, Alex Kingston, Hugh Bonneville
Fizzy twist on PRIDE AND PREJUDICE has an ardent Jane Austen fan, living in present day London, swapping places with Austen's fictional creation…
Mummy, The - Tomb of the Dragon EmperorMummy, The - Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
Dir. Rob Cohen
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello
Veteran adventurer Rick O’Conner (Fraser) returns with family in tow to battle Jet Li’s ‘Dragon Emperor’ in this bloated third installment of…
Phoebe in WonderlandPhoebe in Wonderland (2008) Recommended
Dir. Daniel Barnz
Feat. Felicity Huffman, Patricia Clarkson, Elle Fanning
Affecting drama starring Elle Fanning (Dakota's little sister) as an gifted but unstable young girl who retreats into the fantastical world of Alice…
Pinocchio (TV Mini-series)Pinocchio (TV Mini-series) (2008)
Dir. Alberto Sironi
Feat. Robbie Kay , Alessandro Gassman, Bob Hoskins
Lengthy, live–action adaptation of the children's classic stars Kay as the boy made of wood and Hoskins as his gruff old father, Gepetto. Quite…
PonyoPonyo (Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi
Utterly irresistible, Miyazaki’s latest animated triumph is one for all ages (even toddlers!); a Little Mermaid–inspired adventure of a…
Rosario + Vampire (TV Series)Rosario + Vampire (TV Series) (Rozario To Banpaia) (2008)
Tskune accidentally gets on a bus to a school of monsters.
Secret Of Moonacre, TheSecret Of Moonacre, The (2008)
Dir. Gabor Csupo
Feat. Dakota Blue Richards, Juliet Stevenson, Tim Curry
Orphaned teenager Maria Merryweather (Richards) discovers her new home, the foreboding Moonacre Estate, is under an ancient curse in this lushly…
Spiderwick Chronicles, TheSpiderwick Chronicles, The (2008) Recommended
Dir. Mark Waters
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Nick Nolte, Sarah Bolger
Enchanting fantasia in the Gothic tradition, centred around three children (including Freddie Highmore as twins!) who move into a dilapidated mansion…
Star Wars - The Clone WarsStar Wars - The Clone Wars (2008)
Dir. Dave Filoni
Watered down kids animation from the STAR WARS franchise, focusing on the Jedi Knights battle to retain peace in the galaxy during the…
Tears for SaleTears for Sale (Charleston and Vendetta) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Uros Stojanovic
Feat. Katarina Radivojevic, Sonja Kolacaric
The sombre title belies what is in fact a joyously bawdy Balkan fairytale that blends fantastical folklore, striking burlesque visuals and ample…
Tinkerbell Tinkerbell (Tinker Bell Movie, The ) (2008)
Dir. Bradley Raymond
The feisty fairy from PETER PAN stars in her very own movie set in the land of 'Pixie Hollow,' where she must learn from her fairy friends how to…
BeowulfBeowulf (2007)
Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins
Originally earmarked for 3D IMAX cinemas, this groundbreaking animation brings to screen the Old English epic of hero Beowulf (Winstone) and his…
Blood and ChocolateBlood and Chocolate (2007)
Dir. Katja von Garnier
Feat. Agnes Bruckner, Olivier Martinez, Hugh Dancy
A beautiful teenager must choose between her love for a young artist and her werewolf lineage in this campy but adequately entertaining supernatural…
Bridge to TerabithiaBridge to Terabithia (2007) Recommended
Dir. Gabor Csupo
Feat. Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel
Faithful adaptation of a much–loved young–adult novel, which tells the story of two 10–year–olds creating a fantasy world to…
Doctor Strange - The Sorceror SupremeDoctor Strange - The Sorceror Supreme (2007)
Dir. Jay Oliva
Another popular comic book adaptation from the Marvel animated stable: here, the ‘Dr. Strange’ series makes for a fantastical world’s end…
Doctor Who (Animated TV Series)Doctor Who (Animated TV Series) (2007)
Feat. David Tennant, Freema Agyeman, Anthony Head
Animated spin–offs that aim predominantly at a younger audience, but have enough well–crafted animation locations and clever technique to…
DororoDororo (2007) Recommended
Dir. Akihiko Shiota
Feat. Ko Shibasaki, Satoshi Tsumabuki
Electrifying action fantasy based on a manga comic by the grandfather of Anime – Osamu Tezuka (ASTRO BOY), in which an abandoned samurai's son…
EnchantedEnchanted (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kevin Lima
Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Amy Adams, James Marsden
Top–rating, truly charming family fantasy uses a clever mix of live action and animation to quite literally 'bring to life' a perfect, cartoon…
Ghost RiderGhost Rider (2007)
Dir. Mark Steven Johnson
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley
The latest Marvel superhero to 'ignite' the screen, a rather unlikely Nicolas Cage stars as Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who strikes a deal…
Golden Compass, TheGolden Compass, The (2007)
Dir. Chris Weitz
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Ben Walker
Visually magnificent fantasy epic adapted from the first installment in Philip Pullman's controversial "His Dark Materials" trilogy traverses similar…
Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Recommended
Dir. David Yates
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter
The fifth movie of the Harry Potter franchise finds the Wiz–kid struggling with adolescent hormones, a blind bureaucracy and most memorably,…
John From Cincinnati (TV Series)John From Cincinnati (TV Series) (2007)
Feat. Rebecca De Mornay, Greyson Fletcher, Bruce Greenwood
Short–lived oddity from the creator of DEADWOOD set amongst a surfing community in California, where a stranger with mysterious powers shakes…
Masters Of Science Fiction (TV Series) Masters Of Science Fiction (TV Series) (A Clean Escape, Jerry Was A Man, The Awakening, Little Brother, Watchbird, The Discarded.) (2007)
Dir. Mark Rydell, Michael Petroni, Darnell Martin
Feat. Judy Davis, Sam Waterston, Anne Heche
Collection of six stories from the world's top sci–fi writers brought to life by a top–notch cast and hosted by Professor Stephen…
Mother of Tears Mother of Tears (La Terza Madre) (2007)
Dir. Dario Argento
Feat. Asia Argento, Christian Solimeno, Udo Kier
This missing piece in Argento’s ‘Three Mothers’ trilogy turns to an unassuming art student (daughter Asia, getting her kit off as usual), who,…
Mr. Magorium's Wonder EmporiumMr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)
Dir. Zach Helm
Feat. Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Bateman
Elves–in–the–toyshop fantasy with Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Magorium, the kindly, Wonka–esque, owner of a magical toy…
Secret of the Magic Gourd, The Secret of the Magic Gourd, The (Bao hu lu de mi mi) (2007)
Dir. John Chu, Frankie Chung
One of the first children's fantasies from mainland China to be formally released in the West tells the story of an imaginative under–achiever…
Seeker, The - The Dark is RisingSeeker, The - The Dark is Rising (2007)
Dir. David L Cunningham
Feat. Alexander Ludwig, Ian McShane, Christopher Eccleston
Choppy big screen adaptation of Susan Cooper's popular children's series, which pits a chosen young boy against Christopher Eccleston, Ian McShane,…
Slipstream Slipstream (Slipstream Dream) (2007)
Dir. Anthony Hopkins
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Christian Slater, Camryn Manheim
Anthony Hopkins cartwheels into the director's chair and attempts to channel David Lynch for this befuddling ensemble fantasy in which a screenwriter…
StardustStardust (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Matthew Vaughn
Feat. Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer
An elaborate and wildly entertaining fairytale adventure from the imagination of British fantasy maestro, Neil Gaiman (MIRROR MASK), this tones down…
Superman: DoomsdaySuperman: Doomsday (2007)
Feat. Adam Baldwin, Anne Heche, John Di Maggio
Brutal animation based on 'The Death of Superman' comic where our red caped superhero must defeat the creature 'Doomsday' and rise from the dead to…
Tin Man (TV Mini-series)Tin Man (TV Mini-series) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Zooey Deschanel, Alan Cumming, Neal McDonough
Futuristic, CGI–rich TV mini–series re–imagining the L. Frank Baum classic THE WIZARD OF OZ. Quirk bunny Zooey Deschanel (WEEDS,…
Water Horse, The: Legend of the DeepWater Horse, The: Legend of the Deep (2007) Recommended
Dir. Jay Russell
Feat. Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, Emily Watson
NZ–filmed magical adventure inspired by the legend of Loch Ness in which a small boy secretly adopts a baby mythical creature that grows to…
Wizards of Waverly Place, The (TV Series) Wizards of Waverly Place, The (TV Series) (2007)
Feat. Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Jake T. Austin
Bland cash–in on the HARRY POTTER series centers on the Russo children, three young wizards in training. Broad comedy with a 'twist' is…
Youth Without YouthYouth Without Youth (2007)
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Tim Roth, Alexandra Maria Lara, Bruno Ganz
Joining a recent glut of Dorian Gray–like fantasies, this Francis Ford Coppola comeback (following a 10 year sabbatical) centres on a Romanian…
AquamarineAquamarine (2006)
Dir. Elizabeth Allen
Feat. Emma Roberts, Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque, Sara Paxton
Likeable 'tween' fantasy that’ll appeal especially to young girls, this swimmingly pairs two best friends with a teenaged mermaid who washes up on…
Arthur and the InvisiblesArthur and the Invisibles (Arthur et les Minimoys) (2006)
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, Jimmy Fallon
Blending animation and live–action, Luc Besson directs the tale of ‘Arthur and The Minimoys’ (translated to ‘Invisibles’ for English…
Azur & Asmar: The Princes' QuestAzur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest (2006)
Dir. Michel Ocelot
Exotic story–book style adventure set in the Arabic world and following childhood friends Azur and Asmar as they become rivals on a quest to…
Black Blood Brothers (TV Series)Black Blood Brothers (TV Series) (2006)
Remnants of a vampire clan that wanted to rule the world alone, but got defeated in a war by joined forces of other vampires and humans, kidnap the…
Condor, TheCondor, The (Stan Lee Presents - The Condor) (2006)
Dir. Steve Gordon
Feat. Wilmer Valderrama, Maria Conchita Alonso
When his parents are murdered and his legs destroyed in a violent invasion, Hispanic skatie Tony Valdez uses bits and pieces from his Dad's…
Crusade: A March Through TimeCrusade: A March Through Time (Kruistocht in spijkerbroek) (2006)
Dir. Ben Sombogaart
Feat. Stephanie Leonidas, Joe Flynn, Emily Watson
From the popular Dutch children’s book, this biblical fantasy follows a young boy who accidentally travels through time back to the 13th Century,…
EragonEragon (2006) Recommended
Dir. Stefan Fangmeier
Feat. Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich
A child–friendly fire–breathing fantasy set in a land where dragons are almost extinct, and a farm boy named Eragon must meet his destiny…
Fall, TheFall, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Tarsem Singh
Feat. Lee Pace, Cantinca Untaru, Justine Waddell
Long delayed in this part of the world, this visually audacious labour of love from dir. Singh has Lee Pace as a wounded stuntman narrating a…
Girl Who Leapt Through Time, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Mamoru Hosoda
An enchanting, girl–centric 'anime', centred around a teenager’s ability to time travel and adjust the course of her social and romantic…
HogfatherHogfather (Terry Pratchett's Hogfather) (2006)
Dir. Vadim Jean
Feat. David Jason, Marc Warren, Nigel Planer
Another installment in Terry Pratchett's universe sees Discworld's equivalent to Father Christmas 'the Hogfather' go missing on Hogswatch eve with…
Lady in the WaterLady in the Water (2006)
Dir. M. Night Shyamalan
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeffrey Wright
Adapting his own literary fairytale, M. Night Shyamalan's (SIGNS) fifth film is set around a dank apartment complex, where the dour superintendent…
Merlin's ApprenticeMerlin's Apprentice (2006)
Feat. Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson
Fantastical sequel to the popular mini–series version of MERLIN, this also stars Sam Neill as the legendary wizard, now mentoring a young…
Night at the MuseumNight at the Museum (2006)
Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Dick Van Dyke
Rambuctious creature comedy starring Ben Stiller as a 'desperate dad' who takes the graveyard shift as a night guard for the Natural History Museum,…
Pan's LabyrinthPan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del fauno) (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Ariadna Gil, Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez
A stunning, sinister netherworld fantasy that parallels an equally compelling story of uprising against a fascist military unit in WWII Spain, this…
PenelopePenelope (2006)
Dir. Mark Palansky
Feat. Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara
Whimsical fantasy comedy about an unfortunate girl cursed with the face of a pig whose family are driven to find her a "handsome prince" to undo the…
Prestige, ThePrestige, The (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Christopher Nolan
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson
Another astounding feat of storytelling from the dir. of MEMENTO that spins a constantly intriguing yarn of two rival magicians who engage in a…
Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years CollectionRay Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection (2006)
Splendid swag of early short films from special f/x pioneer Ray Harryhausen, many using the mature stop–motion style of his work in features…
Tales From EarthseaTales From Earthsea (Gedo senki) (2006)
Dir. Goro Miyazaki
The animated feature debut from Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao, based on Ursula K Le Guin's popular 'Earthsea' novels, this is a commendable addition to…
Thief Lord, TheThief Lord, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Richard Claus
Feat. Jasper Harris, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jim Carter
A delightful HARRY POTTER–esque fantasy chronicling the adventures of two runaways who join a scalawag band of abandoned kids in search of a…
Tom's Midnight GardenTom's Midnight Garden (2006)
Dir. Willard Carroll
Feat. Greta Scacchi, James Wilby, Joan Plowright
A handsome screen version of children's novel by Phillipa Pearce, in which a young boy in the 1950s is sent to live with his aunt and uncle because…
Ultimate AvengersUltimate Avengers (2006)
Dir. Bob Richardson
Slim, cheerfully low–grade Marvel animated feature which unites six iconic superheroes (Captain America, The Hulk, etc.) in a fight against…
What the Bleep!? - Down the Rabbit HoleWhat the Bleep!? - Down the Rabbit Hole (2006)
Dir. William Arntz, Betsy Chasse
Feat. Marlee Matlin
A sequel–recut of WHAT THE BLEEP? which again presents an New Age spread of provocative comparisons between the theories of quantum physics and…
Wristcutters: A Love StoryWristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
Dir. Goran Dukic
Feat. Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Tom Waits
Wilfully eccentric suicide comedy (!?) set in a warped and washed–out afterlife inhabited solely by suiciders, in which a young no–hoper…
X-Men 3: The Last StandX-Men 3: The Last Stand (2006)
Dir. Brett Ratner
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart
Third entry in the X–MEN series maintains the intensity with a raft of new mutants – of various persuasions – and an intriguing new…
Beowulf and GrendelBeowulf and Grendel (2005)
Dir. Sturla Gunnarsson
Feat. Gerard Butler, Stellan Skarsgard, Sarah Polley
A rousing medieval adaptation of the Anglo–Saxon epic poem in sweeping fantasy tones. Filled with constant action in a strange, otherworldly…
BewitchedBewitched (2005)
Dir. Nora Ephron
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley Maclaine
An inventive, but overly ditzy attempt at updating the 1960s TV classic, with the twist here being that the modernday witch Kidman longs for the…
BloodrayneBloodrayne (2005)
Dir. Uwe Boll
Feat. Kristanna Loken, Michael Madsen, Ben Kingsley
Brain dead blood and breast fest from the consistently awful Boll with "plot" revolving around a half–human/half–vampire pursuing the man…
Brothers GrimmBrothers Grimm (2005)
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Heath Ledger, Matt Damon, Jonathan Pryce
Loosely based on the lives of 19th century German folklore collectors Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm, this has the said brothers (played by Ledger and…
Carnivale - Season 2 (TV Series)Carnivale - Season 2 (TV Series) (2005) Recommended
Further episodes from this unusual TV series which continues a running duel between two quasi–supernatural figures (Stahl and Brown) in the…
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The WardrobeChronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005) Recommended
Dir. Andrew Adamson
Feat. Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent
A splendid and meticulous vision of C.S. Lewis' classic children's fantasy novel in which a group of four young siblings – ensconced in an…
Death TranceDeath Trance (2005)
Dir. Yuji Shimomura
Feat. Tak Sakaguchi
Another insane, neo–samurai fantasy from the VERSUS camp involving the battle over a mysterious coffin that, if opened, could destroy the…
Great Yokai War, TheGreat Yokai War, The (Yôkai daisensô) (2005)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Chiaki Kuriyama
The latest cinematic mash–up from dir. Miike (AUDITION) is a family–orientated adventure in which a shy young boy from a broken family…
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) Recommended
Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman
The fourth chapter in the unfolding Harry Potter series marks a devastating plunge into raw suspense and truly epic adventure for the young wizard…
Jacket, TheJacket, The (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Maybury
Feat. Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Kris Kristofferson
Adding to a growing canon of mind–bending thrillers of distinction (see our 'Close Relatives' below), this certainly feels part of a distinct…
King KongKing Kong (2005) Recommended
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Jack Black
Peter Jackson's colossal remake lavishes one of the cinema's greatest legends in 21st century technology and ratchets up the emotional stakes to…
Mushi-Shi (TV Series)Mushi-Shi (TV Series) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Hiroshi Nagahama
Artful, existential anime of spiritual transcendence, concerning an intangible life force dubbed ‘Mushi’, and the gifted master who seeks out…
Nanny McPheeNanny McPhee (2005) Recommended
Dir. Kirk Jones
Feat. Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Kelly MacDonald
A well–bred British entertainment for children which fuses the traditional likes of MARY POPPINS with the current wave of gothic fantasy (Harry…
NeverwasNeverwas (2005)
Dir. Joshua Michael Stern
Feat. Ian McKellen, Aaron Eckhart, Brittany Murphy
Emotive, 'realist' fairytale concerns a psychiatrist (Eckhart) who discovers the magical world his deceased father (Nolte) wrote about in a Lewis…
Opal DreamOpal Dream (2005)
Dir. Peter Cattaneo
Feat. Vince Colosimo, Jacqueline McKenzie
Semi–precious gem of a family drama about a precocious 10–year–old girl in Australian 'opal country', who wreaks a cute brand of…
Piano Tuner of Earthquakes, ThePiano Tuner of Earthquakes, The (2005)
Dir. The Brothers Quay
Feat. Amira Casar
A ten–year hiatus hasn’t dulled the Quay Brothers’ imagination for the surreal and phantasmagorical, with their latest feature an…
Princess RaccoonPrincess Raccoon (Operetta tanuki goten) (2005)
Dir. Seijun Suzuki
Feat. Zhang Ziyi, Joe Odagiri
Wacky musical rumpus stars Zhang Ziyi as a 'raccoon dog' who falls in love with a prince banished to her enchanted forest. A fanciful swansong for…
Promise, ThePromise, The (Wu ji) (2005)
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Dong-Kun Jang, Cecilia Cheung
Visually exquisite, if utterly frivolous Golden Globe–nominated romantic epic from the director of FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE relays the story of…
ShinobiShinobi (2005)
Dir. Ten Shimoyama
Feat. Joe Odagiri, Yukie Nakama
Set in an ancient Japan complete with magical trappings, this action epic posits a forbidden love story between members (Odagiri and Nakama) of two…
Sin CitySin City (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller
Feat. Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen
A sensational slab of stylized and ultra–violent pulp fiction, adapted from Frank Miller's own notorious 'crime noir' comicbooks, and…
Snow Queen, TheSnow Queen, The (2005)
Dir. Julian Gibbs
Feat. Sydney White, Patrick Stewart
The classic Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, about a young girl who sets out to find a friend bewitched and abducted by an evil enchantress, here…
TidelandTideland (2005)
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Tilly, Jodelle Ferland
Perennial mindbender Terry Gilliam burrows down the rabbit hole, perverting a child’s fairytale into a corrupted, deeply disturbed nightmare…
Angels in America (TV Mini Series)Angels in America (TV Mini Series) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson
An ambitious, multi–leveled portrait of the fractures, politics and metaphysical crises of 1980s America based on the stageplay by Tony…
Bionicle 2Bionicle 2 (Legends of Metru Nui) (2004)
Prequel to MASK OF LIGHT, this casts back into the dark early history of Metru Nui, with six Metoran being given the task of recovering the powerful…
DevilmanDevilman (2004)
Dir. Hiroyuki Nasu
Feat. Hisato Izaki
Clunky live–action manga adaptation saddles a dorky teenager with the fate of mankind, forcing him to adopt the characteristics of a…
Dragon's World - A Fantasy Made RealDragon's World - A Fantasy Made Real (2004)
Dir. Justin Hardy
Interesting TV hybrid, poses the question "what if dragons were real?", and unfolds the story of a group of hikers who stumble upon the frozen…
Dust Factory, TheDust Factory, The (2004)
Dir. Eric Small
Feat. Hayden Panettiere, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ryan Kelly
An interesting and moderately spooky family drama, in which a traumatised teen (Kelly) – who can't bring himself to speak after witnessing his…
Elfen LiedElfen Lied (2004)
Dir. Mamoru Kanbe
Anime TV series adapting the earlier part of a manga of the same name by Lynn Okamoto that was considered edgy in its time due to being pretty dark…
Ella EnchantedElla Enchanted (2004)
Dir. Tommy O’Haver
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes
Anne Hathaway (THE PRINCESS DIARIES) stars in this family fantasy as a princess who must travel to distant lands to offload her gift (curse) of…
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst
A miraculous, complex 'domestic fantasy' from the twin genius of writer Charlie Kaufman and director Michel Gondry, who find a satisfying narrative…
Five Children and ItFive Children and It (2004) Recommended
Dir. John Stephenson
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Kenneth Branagh, Zoe Wanamaker
A fond adaptation of the E. Nesbit novel in which a group of children are befriended by a disenchanted green 'sand fairy' called 'It' (voiced by…
George and the DragonGeorge and the Dragon (2004)
Dir. Tom Reeve
Feat. James Purefoy, Piper Perabo, Patrick Swayze
Broadly entertaining revision of a medieval legend about the search for a captive princess and dragon in old–world England.
GladiatressGladiatress (2004)
Dir. Brian Grant
Feat. Sally Phillips, Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan
A modest spoof on the sword–and–sandal genre (see GLADIATOR or XENA), with three Celtic lasses kitting up for a wander through a welter…
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Recommended
Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane
Young Harry's troublesome education continues at Hogswarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry, in this increasingly confident series, here given a…
House of Flying DaggersHouse of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau
The dir. of HERO follows up with an equally watchable oriental spectacle, inserting the same cartwheeling martial arts action, complete with torrents…
Howl's Moving CastleHowl's Moving Castle (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Yet another miraculous animated odyssey from Hayao Miyazaki, who finds a perfect vehicle in the English fantasy novel by Diana Wynne Jones, about a…
Le Portrait de Petite Cossette (TV Series)Le Portrait de Petite Cossette (TV Series) (2004)
Dir. Akiyuki Shinbo
Wavering gothic anime series in which an antique store worker becomes obsessed with a young girl he discovers trapped inside a Venetian glass for 250…
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate EventsLemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Brad Silberling
Feat. Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Billy Connolly
Unfolding as a series of beautifully designed events, this Hollywood adaptation of the popular fantasy books fortunately doesn't water down the…
Shoebox Zoo (TV Series)Shoebox Zoo (TV Series) (2004)
Dir. Justin Molotnikov
Feat. Vivien Endicott Douglas, Jason Connery, Rik Mayall
An imaginative British fantasy series for children, has a Canadian exchange student (Douglas) living in Edinburgh inherit a box of toy animals, that…
StringsStrings (2004)
Dir. Anders Rønnow Klarlund
Feat. James McAvoy, Catherine McCormack, Derek Jacobi
An extraordinary Danish puppet fantasy epic about the course of kingdoms and warriors in an ancient world, which is distinguished by the integration…
Van HelsingVan Helsing (2004) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Sommers
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh
More entertaining than some critics might have you believe, this big–budget monster–mash sees Hugh Jackman out to save a Transylvanian…
What the Bleep do we Know!?What the Bleep do we Know!? (What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?) (2004)
Dir. William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, Mark Vicente
Feat. Marlee Matlin
A unique and certainly popular piece of 'New Age intellectualism", this follows the travails of a deaf photographer (Matlin) through life and…
Big FishBig Fish (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup
A fantasy of substance from dir. Tim Burton, set around a dying father (Finney) and his son (Crudup), who relives the father's tall stories, piecing…
Bionicle: Mask of LightBionicle: Mask of Light (2003)
Animated spectacular from the makers of 'Lego', set on a half–mystical/half–futuristic islands of Mata Nui. Subject to a devious plot…
Bruce AlmightyBruce Almighty (2003)
Dir. Tom Shadyac
Feat. Jim Carrey, Jennifer Aniston, Morgan Freeman
The second coming of Jim Carrey for the director of LIAR LIAR is a similar ‘high concept’ comedy with the same ratio of side–splitting and…
Carnivale - Season 1 (TV Series)Carnivale - Season 1 (TV Series) (2003) Recommended
Feat. Nick Stahl, Clancy Brown, John Savage
A most unusual TV series which sets a running duel between two quasi–supernatural figures (Stahl and Brown) in the Oklahoma dustbowl during the…
Freaky FridayFreaky Friday (2003) Recommended
Dir. Mark Waters
Feat. Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon
Thoroughly updated and spunky version of Disney's 1977 original, one the best 'body–swap' comedies. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, play…
Lord of the Rings - The Return of the KingLord of the Rings - The Return of the King (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen
Peter Jackson's adaptation of J R R Tolkien's fantasy trilogy of 'Middle Earth' reaches its spectacular climax, drawing the story–threads…
Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (Extended Edition)Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (Extended Edition) (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen
The final installment in Peter Jackson's epic adaptation of JRR Tolkien's fantasy classic. This version includes an extra 45 minutes of footage.
Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (Limited Edition)Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (Limited Edition) (2003)
Dir. Peter Jackson, Costa Botes
Special limited edition re–release of Peter Jackson's final installment of the monumental J.R.R. Tolkien novel. Features both the theatrical…
NothingNothing (2003)
Dir. Vincenzo Natali
Feat. David Hewlett, Andrew Miller, Gordon Pinsent
Two losers inhabiting a scungy existence in cramped Toronto discover that their unspoken wish that "the world would just go away" has come…
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black PearlPirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gore Verbinski
Feat. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush
A terrific, tongue–in–cheek action romp set in the pirate days of the Caribbean, with Johnny Depp leading the charge as a madcap, slyly…
Shrek 3-D - The Story ContinuesShrek 3-D - The Story Continues (2003)
Dir. Simon J Smith
A bridging story between the first two SHREK feature–films, has the same great 'voice cast' return for a modest adventure in which Princess…
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven SeasSinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) Recommended
Dir. Patrick Gilmore, Tim Johnson
Feat. Brad Pitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Catherine Zeta-Jones
A traditionally–animated high sea adventure in which young rogue pirate Sinbad must cutlace his way out of the fine mess cooked up by the…
WoodenheadWoodenhead (2003) Recommended
Dir. Florian Habicht
A remarkable and surrealistic melding of New Zealand setting and Germanic sensibility, in which a sad fairytale narrative is enacted, sung and…
Dinotopia (TV Mini-series)Dinotopia (TV Mini-series) (2002)
Dir. Marco Brambilla
Feat. David Thewlis
Teledrama based on the popular, illustrative fantasy books by James Gurney, following two young brothers who survive a plane crash and wash up in a…
Haibane Renmei (TV Series)Haibane Renmei (TV Series) (2002)
Dir. Tomokazu Tokoro
Accomplished Japanese anime TV series that shuns the usual props – weaponry, robots, demons, spaceships – for a bittersweet tale of a…
Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Recommended
Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese
The second Harry Potter adaptation is better fun and more settled in its mingled tone of magic, fantasy and thriller. Daniel Radcliffe again plays…
HeroHero (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Jet Li, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Maggie Cheung
Though no doubt diminished on the small screen, this ancient Martial Arts spectacle from the dir. of RAISE THE RED…
Lord of the Rings - The Two TowersLord of the Rings - The Two Towers (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen
Peter Jackson’s mammoth adaptation of J R R Tolkien’s fantasy classic continues in grand fashion, with increased visual panache and…
Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Extended Edition)Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Extended Edition) (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen
Peter Jackson’s mammoth adaptation of J R R Tolkien’s fantasy classic continues in grand fashion, with increased visual panache and dramatic…
Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Limited Edition)Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Limited Edition) (2002)
Dir. Peter Jackson, Costa Botes
Special limited edition re–release of Peter Jackson's second installment of the monumental J.R.R. Tolkien novel. Features both the theatrical…
Order, The - From Cremaster 3Order, The - From Cremaster 3 (2002)
Dir. Matthew Barney
Feat. Matthew Barney
The climactic half–hour of artist Matthew Barney's 5–part 'Cremaster' series, a challenging excursion into surrealistic imagery whose a…
Peter Pan 2 - Return to NeverlandPeter Pan 2 - Return to Neverland (2002)
Dir. Robin Budd, Donovan Cook
Bright and energetic sequel to Disney’s original animation from 1953, set around Jane’s (daughter of Wendy) journey to the enchanted…
PinocchioPinocchio (2002)
Dir. Roberto Benigni
Feat. Roberto Benigni
Pre–eminent Italian comic Roberto Benigni stages the greatest Italian fairytale as a prestige project, but belly–flops perhaps namely…
Reign of FireReign of Fire (2002)
Dir. Rob Bowman
Feat. Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey
Fire–breathing dragons are woken from their millennial slumbers by repairmen in the London Underground, and begin laying waste to the earth in…
Scorpion King, TheScorpion King, The (2002)
Dir. Chuck Russell
Feat. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Steven Brand
Spun off from the recent MUMMY remakes, this logically demented action–horror prequel concerns the struggle of Mathayus (played by WWF’s…
Spider-ManSpider-Man (Spiderman) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Sam Raimi
Feat. Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe
New–improved re–spinning of the Marvel comic book superhero that finds a perfect match of material and director, and the crucially…
Spirited AwaySpirited Away (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Miyu Hiragi, Miyu Irino
Animation visionary Hayao Miyazaki gets to fully unlock his boundless imagination through the otherworldly adventures of an innocent young girl that…
Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters and MarvelsStan Lee's Mutants, Monsters and Marvels (2002)
Dir. Scott Zakarin
Two documentaries on one DVD, concerning Marvel Comics maestro Stan Lee, the creator of ‘The Fantastic Four’, ‘The Incredible Hulk’, ‘The…
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the ClonesStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Dir. George Lucas
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen
The attack of the most successful–ever movie franchise continues, with Lucas’ space–opera following further galactic struggles, in…
X-Men 2X-Men 2 (2002) Recommended
Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart
A new war between humans and mutants looks to boil over in this sure–footed sci–fi sequel, again steered by dir. Singer. Centred…
AmelieAmelie (2001) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz
A charming romantic comedy stamped with the purely cinematic style of dir. Jean–Pierre Juenet, who here remixes intricate set pieces, editing…
Back to the Secret GardenBack to the Secret Garden (2001)
Dir. Michael Tuchner
Feat. Joan Plowright, George Baker, Cherie Lunghi
Sequel to the 1993 enchanted family adventure THE SECRET GARDEN set years later with the original children Mary and Colin now married (yes, they are…
Dark Portals - VidocqDark Portals - Vidocq (2001)
Dir. Pitof
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Guillaume Canet, Andre Dussollier
Before the diabolical CATWOMAN, French visual effects maestro Pitof directed this wildly eccentric 19th century mythology, pitting the historical…
Donnie DarkoDonnie Darko (2001)
Dir. Richard Kelly
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore
Admired by critics and an ardent fanbase for its originality and eclecticism, this quirky teen fantasy is arguably a slick patchwork of other movie…
Fruits Basket (TV Series)Fruits Basket (TV Series) (2001)
A teenage girl ingratiates herself to a mysterious family who are known to transform into animals of the Chinese Zodiac in this peppy comedy romance,…
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) Recommended
Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman
Immensely popular, this star–studded adaptation of JK Rowling’s first book thankfully captures the essence of orphan Harry’s tale of…
Interstate 60Interstate 60 (2001)
Dir. Bob Gale
Feat. James Marsden, Gary Oldman, Kurt Russell
An appealingly quirky teen road movie from the writer of the BACK TO THE FUTURE series, in which Marsden sets out on the mythical American highway,…
Jack and the Beanstalk - The Real StoryJack and the Beanstalk - The Real Story (2001)
Dir. Brian Henson
Feat. Matthew Modine, Jon Voight, Vanessa Redgrave
TV sequel to the fairytale of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' in which a descendant of Jack (Modine) must lift a family curse by returning the world of the…
Kai Doh MaruKai Doh Maru (2001)
Dir. Kanji Wakabayashi
Short though superbly animated fable of ancient Japan concerning a young girl who is raised as a samurai warrior in feudal times. From the…
Knight's Tale, AKnight's Tale, A (2001)
Dir. Brian Helgeland
Feat. Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany
Surprisingly satisfying medieval comedy slam–bang, that wears its mindlessness on its chain–mail sleeve, while Geoffrey Chaucer’s…
Lara Croft - Tomb RaiderLara Croft - Tomb Raider (2001)
Dir. Simon West
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Noah Taylor
Hugely silly fantasy–action is never a bore, despite all the odds, with an oiled Angelina Jolie filling the kit of the pneumatic…
Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the RingLord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler
Monumental fantasy–epic and filmmaking accomplishment for local–boy–made–good Peter Jackson, transmutes the first part of J R…
Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition)Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition) (2001)
Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler
Monumental fantasy–epic and filmmaking accomplishment for local–boy–made–good Peter Jackson, transmutes the first part of J R…
Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Limited Edition)Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Limited Edition) (2001)
Dir. Peter Jackson, Costa Botes
Special limited edition re–release of Peter Jackson's first installment of the monumental J.R.R. Tolkien novel. Features both the theatrical…
Mists of Avalon, TheMists of Avalon, The (2001)
Dir. Uli Edel
Feat. Anjelica Huston, Joan Allen, Julianne Margulies
Interesting TV–Movie re–casting of the King Arthur mythology from the women’s – Igraine, Morgaine, Viviane, Gwenwyfer –…
Monkey BoneMonkey Bone (2001)
Dir. Henry Selick
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Bridget Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg
Bizarre, original and at times downright nasty, this not–for–kids comedy concerns the life–and–death voyage of cartoonist…
Mummy Returns, TheMummy Returns, The (2001)
Dir. Stephen Sommers
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah
And Brendan Fraser is once again on hand to battle the bandaged corpse of the Egyptian Imhotep on behalf of all civilization. Also stars WWF’s The…
Osmosis JonesOsmosis Jones (2001)
Dir. Pete Farrelly, Bob Farrelly
Feat. Bill Murray, Chris Rock, Laurence Fishburne
The Farrelly Bros (KINGPIN) take their comic fixation with bodily functions to extremes by setting this icky animation within the bowels of Bill…
Shaolin SoccerShaolin Soccer (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao), Richard Ng, Vicki Zhao
With an astounding mix of Eastern fantasy, CGI effects and the game of soccer, Hong Kong’s one–man comedy machine Stephen Chow kicks one out…
Snow White - The Fairest of Them AllSnow White - The Fairest of Them All (2001)
Dir. Caroline Thompson
Feat. Miranda Richardson, Kristin Kreuk, Vera Farmiga
When baby Snow's father frees a bewitched djinn, he is granted three wishes: nourishment for his child, a kingdom in which to raise her, and a queen…
Tom ThumbTom Thumb (Le Petit Poucet) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Olivier Dahan
Feat. Nils Hugon, Catherine Deneuve, Said Taghmaoui
Ambitious, enjoyably dark rendering of Perrault’s classic fable, "Le Petit Poucet" told with trademark French twistedness and aplomb, kids will…
Vanilla SkyVanilla Sky (2001)
Dir. Cameron Crowe
Feat. Tom Cruise, Jason Lee, Cameron Diaz
A straight Hollywood remake of the Spanish sci–fi thriller OPEN YOUR EYES by the director of ALMOST FAMOUS – the result of which plays like…
10th Kingdom, The (Mini-series)10th Kingdom, The (Mini-series) (2000)
Dir. David Carson, Herbert Wise
Feat. Kimberley Williams, Scott Cohen, John Larroquette
Elaborate, 7–hour fairy–tale extravaganza is engaging and imaginative family fare made under the 'Hallmark' television banner, and is…
Amazon (Amazone) (2000)
Dir. Phillipe De Broca
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Arielle Dombasle
Convoluted sci–fi adventure has jewel thief Belmondo stumbling upon an alien visitor in the guise of a twelve year old girl. Almost…
Arabian Nights (Mini-Series)Arabian Nights (Mini-Series) (2000)
Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Jason Scott Lee, Rufus Sewell, Mili Avital
Visually stunning retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, in which a mad Sultan weds his childhood friend, planning to execute her the following…
Cell, TheCell, The (2000) Recommended
Dir. Tarsem Singh
Feat. Jennifer Lopez, Vincent D'Onofrio, Vince Vaughn
Entering the mind of serial killer might seem like a tired idea, but commercial supremo and visual stylist Tarsem Singh creates a impressively creepy…
Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi
A fantasy–fuelled, Chinese feudal melodrama laced with jaw–dropping combat sequences (arguably the best ever staged), this represents a…
Dungeons and DragonsDungeons and Dragons (2000)
Dir. Courtney Soloman
Feat. Jeremy Irons
An elaborate yet hokey movie–isation of the popular fantasy role–play game, with the prestige casting of Jeremy Irons as the villain.…
Escaflowne: The MovieEscaflowne: The Movie (2000)
Dir. Kazuki Akane
Lavish, if much darker theatrical version of the popular anime TV series, reinventing its beloved heroine as a disenchanted high school girl…
GeppettoGeppetto (2000)
Dir. Tom Moore
Feat. Drew Carey, Brent Spiner, Rene Auberjonois
Disney telemovie version of the much–filmed Italian fairytale, better known as 'Pinocchio', where the wooden toy wishes he were a real…
Gormenghast (TV Mini-series)Gormenghast (TV Mini-series) (2000)
Dir. Andy Wilson
Feat. Christopher Lee, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ian Richardson
Immaculately designed – if somewhat overstated – BBC rendition of Mervyn Peake's cult novel set in an immense castle where the…
Grinch, TheGrinch, The (2000) Recommended
Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor
Live–action version of the Dr Seuss classic that does some justice to the anarchic vision of the mean–spirited Grinch, who’s heart is…
InuYasha (TV Series)InuYasha (TV Series) (2000)
Fifteen–year–old schoolgirl Kagome Higurashi, whose family tends a shrine, falls into an old well one day and literally tumbles into…
Life-SizeLife-Size (2000)
Dir. Mark Rosman
Feat. Lindsay Lohan, Tyra Banks, Jere Burns
Lindsay Lohan plays a withdrawn tomboy who attempts to cope with her mother's death by resurrecting her with a magic spell, only the plan backfires…
Magic Pudding, TheMagic Pudding, The (2000)
Feat. Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, Hugo Weaving
Based on Norman Lindsay's hilarious classic book about Albert, a magic pudding and his three companions who must defend him against the Pudding…
Price of Milk, ThePrice of Milk, The (2000) Recommended
Dir. Harry Sinclair
Feat. Danielle Cormack, Karl Urban, Willa O'Neill
For young–marrieds Danielle Cormack and Karl Urban, the cost of farming their 117 cows is a strange exile in the NZ backblocks... Milking…
Princes and PrincessesPrinces and Princesses (Princes et Princesses) (2000)
Dir. Michel Ocelot
Feat. Arlette Mirapeu, Philippe Cheytion, Yves Barsacq
French animation compilation made up of six episodes from director and animator Michel Ocelot's silhouette animation television series Ciné si. The…
Rat (2000)
Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Pete Postlethwaite, Imelda Staunton
After a hard night at the pub, Pete Postlethwaite greets the day transformed into a white rat, giving a nicely surreal twist to this surprisingly…
Sixth Day, TheSixth Day, The (2000)
Dir. Roger Spottiswoode
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tony Goldwyn, Robert Duvall
Topical, intriguing premise about cloning is levelled out into being just another vehicle for the ailing star of Arnold Schwarzenegger. As an…
Strange FrequencyStrange Frequency (2000) Recommended
Dir. Bryan Spicer, Mary Lambert
Feat. Eric Roberts, John Taylor, Judd Nelson
This portmanteau of four 'urban myths' set in the contemporary music scene is surprisingly witty and satisfying. Segments 'My Generation' and 'Room…
UnbreakableUnbreakable (2000)
Dir. M. Night Shyamalan
Feat. Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright
The sceptre of THE SIXTH SENSE hangs over this follow–up from writer/director Shyamalan, whose status as a Hollywood golden boy has arguably…
X-MenX-Men (2000) Recommended
Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman
Star Trek's Patrick Stewart gathers together an argumentative bunch of superheros with a variety of mutant powers, in a society where prejudice…
AfterlifeAfterlife (1999) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Arata Erika Oda, Susumu Terajima
Original, intriguing conception of what happens after life – a panel of students challenge a succession of deceased persons to choose one…
Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland (1999) Recommended
Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Robbie Coltrane, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Kingsley
The creators of the MERLIN TV–series pull–off another updating, this time Lewis Carroll's childrens' classic. Seamless special effects…
Angel (TV Series) - Season 1Angel (TV Series) - Season 1 (1999)
Dir. Various
Feat. David Boreanaz
Considerably darker spin–off of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER TV–series, with the angelic vampire David Boreanaz battling demons,…
Devil's ArithmeticDevil's Arithmetic (1999)
Dir. Donna Deitch
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Brittany Murphy, Paul Freeman
Dunst stars this affecting drama about a Jewish teenager who is disinterested in her family's religious heritage, until she's transported back in…
Fantasia 2000Fantasia 2000 (1999)
Dir. Various
Conceived for the IMAX giant screen, this eco–themed revision of Disney's 1940 milestone marries more classical music excerpts to whimsical…
Heavy Metal 2000Heavy Metal 2000 (1999)
Dir. Michel Lemire, Michael Coldewey
Sequels eschews the multiple story approach for a single storyline (from a graphic novel by Kevin Eastman, Simon Bisley and Eric Talbot) in which the…
Jack FrostJack Frost (1999)
Dir. Troy Miller
Feat. Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Mark Addy
After a fatal car accident, Michael Keaton returns to life as… a snowman in this rather slushy Christmas movie. Seeking to fulfil his neglected…
Lost World, The (TV Series)Lost World, The (TV Series) (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World) (1999-2002)
Feat. Peter McCauley, William Snow, Rachel Blakely
Enjoyably cheesy Antipodean TV show based loosely on Arthur Conan Doyle's fantasy–adventure set at the dawn of the 20th century where a band of…
Mummy, TheMummy, The (1999) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Sommers
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah
The old Universal horror wrapped in Indiana Jones–style adventure with 1920s archeologists and treasure hunters (led by Brendan Fraser)…
Mystery MenMystery Men (1999) Recommended
Dir. Kinka Usher
Feat. Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Hank Azaria
Doing for the super–hero genre what PLEASANTVILLE did for 50s sitcoms, this frequently hilarious spoof sets a rag–tag team of…
Sleepy HollowSleepy Hollow (1999)
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Christopher Walken
The oft–filmed short story 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is fashioned by illustrious iconoclast Tim Burton as the goriest, most…
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenaceStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Dir. George Lucas
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson
Po–faced revival of the billion–dollar STAR WARS money–spinner, jammed full of digital landscapes, excessive political exposition,…
Thirteenth Warrior, TheThirteenth Warrior, The (1999)
Dir. John McTiernan
Feat. Antonio Banderas
A smouldering Antonio Banderas is an Arab recruited to make up the numbers by a group of Vikings on a kind of 'Magnificent 13' mission: defending a…
Wild Wild WestWild Wild West (1999)
Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld
Feat. Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh
The star and director of MEN IN BLACK and recoupled for this Sci–fi–Western–spoof, first aired as a popular,…
Alice Through The Looking GlassAlice Through The Looking Glass (1998)
Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Jonathan Bailey, Steve Coogan
Impressively cast version of Lewis Carroll's second Alice book takes the unusual liberty of presenting Alice (Beckinsale) as a young adult woman.…
Bird People In China, TheBird People In China, The (Chûgoku no chôjin) (1998) Recommended
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Masahiro Motoki, Renji Ishibashi
Visually rich and accomplished drama set around a parallel journey by a businessman and a yakuza gangster to a remote Chinese highland in search of a…
Borrowers, TheBorrowers, The (1998) Recommended
Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. John Goodman, Jim Broadbent
Inhabiting the wall and floor–spaces of our houses, colonies of tiny people eek out an existence 'borrowing' food–scraps and those items…
Dark CityDark City (1998) Recommended
Dir. Alex Proyas
Feat. Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Jennifer Connelly
Advancing on earlier efforts like THE CROW, director Alex Proyas, fabricates a shadowy urban jungle, replete with echoes of earlier sci–fi…
Ever AfterEver After (1998)
Dir. Andy Tennant
Feat. Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston
Update of the 'Cinderella' story tweaks the moral emphasis of the original Grimm fairy–tale. A brunette Drew Barrymore wrestles with an English…
ExistenzExistenz (1998) Aro Favourite
Dir. David Cronenberg
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Ian Holm
Dir. David Cronenberg bestows his customary intelligence on the 'Virtual Reality' genre, yet this time complements his visceral obsessions and mad…
FallenFallen (1998)
Dir. Gregory Hoblit
Feat. Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland
SEVEN–style thriller has Detective Denzel Washington stalking a seemingly immortal foe, the demon Azazel, in autumnal Philadelphia. Suffers…
Magic Sword: Quest for Camelot, TheMagic Sword: Quest for Camelot, The (1998)
Dir. Frederik Du Chau
When King Arthur's sword Excalibur disappears, teenage tearaway Kayley and her squire Garrett pursue the culprits through an animated fantasy world…
MerlinMerlin (1998)
Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Sam Neill, Isabella Rossellini, Rutger Hauer
Playing the titular wizard, Sam Neill lends his talents to a well thought–out, monster–filled variation on the King Arthur cycle. Other…
SoldierSoldier (1998)
Dir. Paul Anderson
Feat. Kurt Russell, Gary Busey, Jason Scott Lee
Military sci–fi adventure wherein Kurt Russell utters terse words as an out–moded fighting machine grasping at a few straws of humanity…
Storm Riders, TheStorm Riders, The (1998)
Dir. Wai Keung Lau
Feat. Sonny Chiba, Aaron Kwok
The big Hong Kong hit of '98 – a super–extravagant 'flying swordsman' fantasy that ambitiously distils a popular Manga comic book series…
What Dreams May ComeWhat Dreams May Come (1998)
Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Robin Williams, Annabella Sciorra, Cuba Jr. Gooding
Visually extravagant dive into the afterlife, courtesy of New Zealander Vincent Ward, applying his classically–educated eye to a…
Apparition (Photographing Fairies) (1997)
Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Toby Stephens, Ben Kingsley, Emily Woof
A sceptical, widowed portrait photographer investigates reports of everglade fairies and becomes transformed by otherworldly encounters. Inspired by…
Batman and RobinBatman and Robin (1997)
Dir. Joel Schumacher
Feat. George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Arnold Schwarzenegger
It's George Clooney's turn in the batsuit, with Chris O'Donnell, Arnold, Uma and Alicia all able to indulge the designer fetish–wear, too. A…
Face OffFace Off (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Woo
Feat. John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen
Dir. John Woo melds modern action technology with old–fashioned Mission Impossible–style intrigue. Good guy John Travolta and bad guy…
Fairytale: A True StoryFairytale: A True Story (1997) Recommended
Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Harvey Keitel
An exquisite kidult flight–of–fancy based on one of the great popular myths of the 20th Century – the mysterious, allegedly…
Fifth Element, TheFifth Element, The (1997)
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich
Whether you think it's a gorgeous sci–fi masterpiece or narcissistic fluff, French director Luc 'Nikita' Besson's multi–million dollar…
FlubberFlubber (1997)
Dir. Les Mayfield
Feat. Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden
Robin Williams again gets the character–chemistry right in a reprise of the classic Absent–Minded Professor, the inadvertent inventor of…
MatildaMatilda (1997) Recommended
Dir. Danny De Vito
Feat. Mara Wilson, Danny De Vito, Rhea Perlman
An achingly funny and mischievous Roald Dahl story about a browbeaten nine–year–old girl who has the last laugh when bestowed with…
Mighty, TheMighty, The (Freak the Mighty) (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Elden Henson, Kieran Culkin, Sharon Stone
Poignant, well–crafted story of two phenomenally mismatched boys who become perfectly complementary friends, escaping the slings and arrows of…
Mortal Kombat: AnnihilationMortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
Dir. John R. Leonetti
Feat. Robin Shou, James Remar, Talisa Soto
Bottom–of–the–barrel sequel to the hit vidgame–adaptation picks up immediately after the original concluded. Which is to say…
Open Your EyesOpen Your Eyes (Abre Los Ojos) (1997) Recommended
Dir. Alejandro Amenabar
Feat. Eduardo Noriega, Penelope Cruz, Chete Lera
A surrealistic nightmare unfurled with Hitchcockian precision and irony, Eduardo Noriega plays a young–man–who–has–everything…
Simple Wish, ASimple Wish, A (1997)
Dir. Michael Ritchie
Feat. Mara Wilson, Martin Short, Kathleen Turner
Mara Wilson's (MATILDA) simple wish for a fairy–godmother upturns the blundering Martin Short, who helps/hinders her crusade to rescue her…
SpawnSpawn (1997)
Dir. Mark A. Z. Dippe
Feat. Theresa Randle, Martin Sheen
Mightily fluid digital FX are the primary inspiration in this version of Todd McFarlane's cult comic book, wherein the forces of light and darkness…
Spawn - The Movie (1997)
Dir. Thomas A Nelson
Feat. Keith David, Richard Dysart, James Keane
Animated TV version of Todd McFarlane’s gothic comic book, melded into a feature–length movie. Includes the voices of Keith David, Richard…
Starship TroopersStarship Troopers (1997)
Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer
ROBOCOP man Verhoeven's 'ironic' take on Robert Heinlein's 1959 novel about a totalitarian future society whose perfectly toned young 'citizens' wage…
Adventures of Pinocchio, TheAdventures of Pinocchio, The (1996)
Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Martin Landau, Jonathan Taylor Thomas
The beloved Carlo Coloddi story receives an enchanting treatment that mixes live–action and wondrous animatronic/CGI effects. Martin Landau…
DragonheartDragonheart (1996)
Dir. Rob Cohen
Feat. Sean Connery, Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis
Medieval fantasy hokum highlighted by Sean Connery in drag! Drag–on, that is – the large lizard of legend variety. The sublime CGI…
Frankie StarlightFrankie Starlight (1996)
Dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Anne Parillaud, Matt Dillon
Extensive flashbacks illustrate the unusual memoirs of a dwarf. This not–so–tall tale has a special blend of Irish whimsy, with native…
GargoylesGargoyles (1996)
Mythical winged warriors who fight evil, the Gargoyles awaken after a thousand years in 21st century New York, to find there's still plenty of work…
Goosebumps (TV Series)Goosebumps (TV Series) (1996)
Ghoulish anthology series based on R. L. Stine's popular kidult horror novels. Bound to raise goosebumps on the younger ones. Season One Episodes:…
Loch NessLoch Ness (1996)
Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Ted Danson, Joely Richardson, Ian Holm
Setting out to trap the Loch Ness monster, Ted Danson is waylaid by the charms of his landlady Joely Richardson. The mystique of the legend is all…
MichaelMichael (1996)
Dir. Nora Ephron
Feat. John Travolta, William Hurt, Andie MacDowell
Not even the star presence of John Travolta, William Hurt, and Andie MacDowell can revive this abysmal comic–fantasy about a cynical tabloid…
Neverwhere (Mini-series)Neverwhere (Mini-series) (1996) Recommended
Dir. Dewi Humphreys
Feat. Laura Fraser, Gary Bakewell
Highly worthwhile sci–fi confection from the pen of fantasy writer Neil Gaiman (MIRRORMASK), in which an 'ordinary' Londoner (Bakewell) one day…
Phantom, ThePhantom, The (1996)
Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Billy Zane, Treat Williams, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Billy Zane straps into purple tights to fight the depression–era blues and a supernaturally–empowered villain (Treat Williams). An…
Sex and Zen Pt. 2 (1996)
Dir. Chin Man-Kei
Feat. Loletta Lee, Tat-Wah Lok
A creepy polygamist meets his match in the 'mirage woman' in this twice–as–smutty, half–as–funny sequel to the outlandish…
Snow White in the Black ForestSnow White in the Black Forest (A Tale of Terror) (1996)
Dir. Michael Cohn
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Sam Neill
A Brothers Grimm fairytale more grim than fairy–ish. Sigourney Weaver steps into the wicked–stepmother robes for a nice little bedtime…
Space JamSpace Jam (1996)
Dir. Joe Pytka
Feat. Michael Jordan, Bill Murray
Basketball star Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny slam dunk with other looney tunes and a host of midget aliens. Anarchic humour and a decent…
Space TruckersSpace Truckers (1996)
Dir. Stuart Gordon
Feat. Dennis Hopper, Stephen Dorff, Debi Mazar
A non–villainous Dennis Hopper plays a long–haul truckie of the future, toting a lucrative sealed cargo across the galaxy. Stephen Dorff…
To the Ends of Time (1996)
Dir. Markus Rothkranz
Feat. Joss Ackland, Christine Taylor
Elaborate fantasy–tale concerns a sorceress who tampers with Time, causing young hero Joss Ackland to prematurely age. While also keeping an…
Wind in the Willows, TheWind in the Willows, The (1996) Recommended
Dir. Terry Jones
Feat. Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Nicol Williamson
With the cream of British comic acting talent, this live–action adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic children's story is quite possibly the…
Wish Upon a StarWish Upon a Star (1996) Recommended
Dir. Blair Treu
Feat. Katherine Heigl, Danielle Harris
A little Disney magic is sprinkled on this fetching TV movie about a younger sister who wishes to switch places with her popular older sister (a very…
Batman ForeverBatman Forever (1995)
Dir. Joel Schumacher
Feat. Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris O'Donnell
A new director and a new Batman (Val Kilmer) line up for this lucrative threequel. Its relentless onslaught of action has a rather numbing effect,…
City of Lost ChildrenCity of Lost Children (1995) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro
Feat. Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet
Visual wonderstuff from the unique genius pairing of the creators of DELICATESSEN, this is as good a follow up as one could wish for. While…
First KnightFirst Knight (1995)
Dir. Jerry Zucker
Feat. Sean Connery, Julia Ormond, Richard Gere
Pared–down retelling of the Arthurian legend of Camelot is, while no great shakes, at least as good as most other efforts that have been made…
FlukeFluke (1995) Recommended
Dir. Carlo Carlei
Feat. Matthew Modine, Nancy Travis, Eric Stoltz
After a fatal car accident, Matthew Modine is reincarnated as a pooch that wanders home to find his best friend kindling a relationship with his…
Gulliver's TravelsGulliver's Travels (1995)
Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Peter O'Toole
Epic, state–of–the–art version of Jonathan Swift's classic fairytale stars Ted Danson as the long–shipwrecked doctor who must…
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (TV Series)Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (TV Series) (1995-1999)
Feat. Kevin Sorbo, Michael Hurst
Hugely popular fantasy series starring Kevin Sorbo as the classic half God/half man who travels through a fantastical ancient Greece in search of…
Indian in the CupboardIndian in the Cupboard (1995)
Dir. Frank Oz
Feat. Hal Scardino, Litefoot , Lindsay Crouse
A young boy possesses a bedroom secret – a special cupboard that brings his miniature toys to life, chiefly a native Indian and a cowboy. High…
JumanjiJumanji (1995)
Dir. Joe Johnston
Feat. Robin Williams, Jonathan Hyde, Kirsten Dunst
A pair of orphans roll the dice on a mysterious board game that brings the perils of the Amazon to virtual life. The spirited high–concept is…
Junkers Come HereJunkers Come Here (1995) Recommended
Dir. Junichi Sato
Nicely touching story about an 11–year old girl whose lonely life is relieved by the affections of a Schnauser dog, who has the ability to talk…
Kid in King Arthur's Court, AKid in King Arthur's Court, A (1995)
Dir. Michael Gottlieb
Feat. Kate Winslet, Daniel Craig, Art Malik
Handsome if inessential Disney spin on the Camelot legend, in which a young boy journeys back in time to help King Arthur overcome an evil villain.…
Little Princess, ALittle Princess, A (1995) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Liesel Matthews, Vanessa Lee Chester
From the quill that inked THE SECRET GARDEN, this is an equally exotic tale of an Indian–rasied girl who escapes the formality of a boarding…
Lord of IllusionsLord of Illusions (1995)
Dir. Clive Barker
Feat. Famke Janssen, Daniel von Bargen, Kevin J. O'Connor
Cult author Clive Barker resumes megaphone duties on this melange of detective pic and sorcery epic. Points of interest include recent Bond girl,…
Magic in the WaterMagic in the Water (1995)
Dir. Rick Stevenson
Feat. Mark Harmon, Joshua Jackson, Harley Jane Kozak
Loch Ness–monster concept is ably transposed to the Canadian lakeside hamlet of Glenorky, which has its own 'Orky' mystery. Thrills ensue for…
Mortal KombatMortal Kombat (1995)
Dir. Paul Anderson
Feat. Christopher Lambert, Robin Shou, Linden Ashby
Finally, a computer–game–turned–movie that's worth it's salt, this dispenses with story so it can devote itself entirely to the…
NostradamusNostradamus (1995)
Dir. Roger Christian
Feat. Tcheky Karyo, Amanda Plummer, Julia Ormond
Fact and fantasy seem at odds in this version of the life of famous visionary, Michel de Nostradame, however the subject provides plenty of intrigue.…
PowderPowder (1995) Recommended
Dir. Victor Salva
Feat. Mary Steenburgen, Sean Patrick Flannery, Lance Henriksen
Teenage alienation is given a supernatural charge in this story of a terminally–isolated, albino–like youth with metaphysical…
Power Rangers: The Movie (1995)
Dir. Bryan Spicer
Feat. Paul Freeman
Homogenised big–screen translation of controversial kids TV show in which six Californian teens morph into Japanese superheroes to battle evil.…
Star Trek - GenerationsStar Trek - Generations (1995)
Dir. David Carson
Feat. LeVar Burton, Malcolm McDowell, James Doohan
Capt. Picard and crew get their big–screen debut but are forced to call on the spirit of predecessor Capt. Kirk to assist them in a struggle…
Whisper of the HeartWhisper of the Heart (1995) Recommended
Dir. Yoshifumi Kondo
A bookish, teenage girl grows into maturity through her love for a lad who wishes to be an Italian–trained violin–maker. With only…
Witch HuntWitch Hunt (1995)
Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper plays P.I. Philip Lovecraft and becomes embroiled in the murder of a Hollywood producer with supernatural side–effects. Pleasing…
Xena - Warrior Princess (TV Series)Xena - Warrior Princess (TV Series) (1995-1996) Recommended
Dir. Charles Siebert, Anson Williams, Gary Jones
Feat. Lucy Lawless
Spinoff to the iconic 1990s 'Hercules' series, that became a cult in its own right. Mixing slapstick action and snappy one–liners into a…
Attack of the 50ft WomanAttack of the 50ft Woman (1994)
Dir. Christopher Guest
Feat. Daryl Hannah, Daniel Baldwin
Remake of the 1958 classic is a cheesy spoof of the B–movie genre with Hannah in strapping form as the she–beast who avenges her…
Beanstalk (1994)
Dir. Michael Paul Davis
Feat. Margot Kidder
A modern retelling of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk yarn, made for small screen and younger viewers. Mad scientist Margot Kidder plants the…
BlankmanBlankman (1994)
Dir. Mike Binder
Feat. Damon Wayans
Gadget–mad geek Wayans becomes a costumed crime–fighter armed only with home–made devices and blind luck, while dragging his…
Hercules and the Amazon WomenHercules and the Amazon Women (1994)
Dir. Bill L. Norton
Feat. Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Quinn, Michael Hurst
Made–for–TV caper has our brawny hero's plans for a wedding celebration come to ruin as he must defend his village against a marauding…
Highlander 3: The Final DimensionHighlander 3: The Final Dimension (Highlander III) (1994)
Dir. Andrew Morahan
Feat. Christopher Lambert, Mario Van Peebles, Deborah Kara Unger
A psychotic immortal escapes his mountain tomb and seeks revenge of our sword–slinging hero. Third in the series is actually a prequel to…
Hocus PocusHocus Pocus (1994) Recommended
Dir. Kenny Ortega
Feat. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy
Wild witches conjured up from Salem set out to cast a spell on the town and reclaim their youth, but the 300–year–old trio must first…
Jack Brown GeniusJack Brown Genius (1994)
Dir. Tony Hiles
Feat. Timothy Balme, Lisa Chappell, Edward Campbell
A forgotten turkey from Peter Jackson’s ‘Wingnut Films’, this goofily offbeam tale concerns a modern–day inventor of contraptions,…
Mask, TheMask, The (1994) Recommended
Dir. Chuck Russell
Feat. Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert
Jim Carrey secures his crown as Hollywood's King of Comedy as a meek bank clerk who discovers his flamboyant alter–ego behind an ancient mask.…
Neverending Story 3, The (1994)
Dir. Peter MacDonald
Feat. Jason James Richter, Jack Black
"Fantasia" comes to Earth in this third installment, and get chaotic in when the magical book "Never Ending Story" falls into the hands of the…
North (1994)
Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Scarlett Johansson
Perfect 11–year–old Elijah Wood 'divorces' his unappreciative ordinary parents an embarks on a journey across apple–pie America in…
Secret of Roan Inish, TheSecret of Roan Inish, The (1994) Recommended
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Jeni Courtney, Eileen Colgan, Mick Lally
A young girl is sent to live with her grandmother at a coastal town in Ireland, 1949, and makes an unexpected connection with its mystical history…
Shadow, TheShadow, The (1994)
Dir. Russell Mulcahy
Feat. Alec Baldwin, John Lone, Penelope Ann Miller
Alec Baldwin plays the suave superhero based on the pulp fiction character created by Walter B. Gibson in 1931. Considered an elegant flop, the…
StargateStargate (1994)
Dir. Roland Emmerich
Feat. Kurt Russell, James Spader, Jaye Davidson
Kurt Russell and James Spader headline this big–budget spectacle. Promising start evokes the epic adventure intrigue of a LAWRENCE OF ARABIA,…
Wes Craven's New NightmareWes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) Recommended
Dir. Wes Craven
Feat. Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, Miko Hughes
Ingenious post–script to the tired NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST. franchise in which castmembers of the previous films (playing themselves), too, become…
Accion MutanteAccion Mutante (1993) Recommended
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Antonio Resines, Alex Angulo
A deformed terrorist group strike out against pretty society in this wildly irreverent satire that takes a gleeful turn into futuristic…
Batman: Mask of the PhantasmBatman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) Recommended
Feat. Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany
Adapted from the suitably nasty TV series, this exciting animated feature manages to deliver loads of action and black humour without detracting from…
Borrowers, The (TV Series)Borrowers, The (TV Series) (1993) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Ian Holm, Rebecca Callard
First–class BBC serial about a family that live under the floorboards and 'borrow' everything they need from the 'giant' family who reside in…
Bride With White Hair 2, TheBride With White Hair 2, The (Bai fa mo nu zhuan II) (1993)
Dir. Ronnie Yu, David Wu
Feat. Brigitte Lin, Leslie Cheung, Christy Chung
Above–average sequel to the martial arts blockbuster continuing on directly from its cliffhanger ending, with the viciously insane Lin, now…
Crow, TheCrow, The (1993)
Dir. Alex Proyas
Feat. Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott
Sleek action fantasy on which its star, Brandon Lee, lost his life before its completion. The designer mayhem plays like a gothic music video, though…
Faraway, So CloseFaraway, So Close (1993)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Otto Sander, Bruno Ganz, Nastassja Kinski
WINGS OF DESIRE sequel is again about an angel who finds himself sucked back into humanity. This discusses politics and philosophy more directly than…
Groundhog DayGroundhog Day (1993) Aro Favourite
Dir. Harold Ramis
Feat. Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott
Bill Murray is perfectly cast as a cranky TV weatherman who gets stranded in a tin–pot town, where he wakes every day in the same day, over and…
Kung Fu Cult Master (1993)
Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jet Li, Sammo Hung, Chingmy Yau
Extraordinarily over–the–top martial arts epic in which Jet Li procures invincible powers while negotiating the restless hordes from…
Last Action HeroLast Action Hero (1993)
Dir. John McTiernan
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Conceptually brilliant idea – movie fan is projected into world of his action idol (Arnie) who also joins him in the 'real' world – is sunk with…
Les VisiteursLes Visiteurs (Visitors, The) (1993) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Marie Poire
Feat. Jean Reno, Christian Clavier
Beleaguered, not to mention slobbish, medieval knights Jean Reno and Christian Clavier are plonked down is present–day Paris to duel over…
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (TV Series)Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (TV Series) (1993-1997)
Feat. Dean Cain, Teri Hatcher
Popular T V serialisation of the 'Superman' story, with Cain playing the superhero who doubles as meek journalist Clark Kent, and Hatcher playing his…
Music of Chance, TheMusic of Chance, The (1993) Aro Favourite
Dir. Philip Haas
Feat. James Spader, Mandy Patinkin, Charles Durning
Impressively cast against type, James Spader's slimy card shark entices broken family man Mandy Patinkin to accept a poker challenge by two eccentric…
NecronomiconNecronomicon (1993)
Dir. Christophe Gans, Shusuke Kaneko, Brian Yuzna
Feat. Jeffrey Combs, Tony Azito, Juan Fernandez
Supernatural compendium based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft weaves its three separate tales around H.P. himself searching for the elusive 'book of…
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series)Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) (Deep Space 9) (1993)
Feat. Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig
Son of the Next Generation, this initiated a new tele series for trekkies to indulge. Intrepid officers of Starfleet acquire an abandoned alien space…
Super Mario BrothersSuper Mario Brothers (1993)
Dir. Rocky Morton, Annabel Jankel
Feat. Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Samantha Mathis
Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo are incarnated as the vid–game characters – plumbers who slip in saving the world between odd jobs. Will…
ToysToys (1993)
Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Robin Williams, Michael Gambon, Joan Cusack
Even Robin Williams' enormous talent and inspired art direction fail to enliven this comic fantasy. It plays more like a bad dream from which you…
Window to ParisWindow to Paris (1993) Aro Favourite
Dir. Yuri Mamin
Feat. Agnes Soral
A constantly inventive comic fantasy about a group of luckless Russkies who find they can enter gay Paris from a window in their appalling St.…
Army of DarknessArmy of Darkness (Evil Dead 3) (1992) Recommended
Dir. Sam Raimi
Feat. Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz
Raimi's third 'Evil Dead' movie is an out–and–out Pythonesque comic–fantasy in which the hero, Ash, confronts simpleton locals and…
Batman ReturnsBatman Returns (1992) Recommended
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Michael Keaton, Danny De Vito, Michelle Pfeiffer
The lone Bat returns to defend Gotham City from Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and The Penguin (Danny De Vito). Everything you loved or loathed about…
Bride with White HairBride with White Hair (1992)
Dir. Ronnie Yu
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Brigitte Lin
In a remote China of superstition and legend, vicious clan skirmishes result in an eye–popping frenzy of acrobatic martial arts. Resplendent…
CarefulCareful (1992)
Dir. Guy Maddin
Feat. Kyle McCulloch, Gosia Dobrowolska, Paul Cox
Iconoclast film–maker Guy Maddin’s dreamlike tale of repression and disorder, set in an alpine village where rigidly studious young men…
Cool WorldCool World (1992)
Dir. Ralph Bakshi
Feat. Brad Pitt, Kim Basinger, Gabriel Byrne
Cartoonist Gabriel Byrne is seduced into the animated world of his sexy creation in this dense, saucy amalgam of live–action and animation for…
DelicatessenDelicatessen (1992) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro
Feat. Marie-Laure Dougnac, Dominique Pinon, Karin Viard
Two former Ad–men splash down with an audacious, darkly comic masterpiece set in a vegetarianist, post–apocalyptic future. Consumed with…
Honey, I Blew Up the KidHoney, I Blew Up the Kid (1992)
Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Rick Moranis, Lloyd Bridges, John Shea
Sequel to HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS sees prof Rick Moranis turn his infant into what fast becomes an Empire State Human!…
Polar Bear King, The (1992)
Dir. Ola Solum
Splendid Scandanavian fairy–tale about a noble King who has been cursed with an evil spell making him a Polar bear by day and human unable to…
Radio FlyerRadio Flyer (1992)
Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Lorraine Bracco, John Heard, Adam Baldwin
Bittersweet story of two young brothers who free themselves from their wicked stepfather by transforming a red wagon into a fantastical flying…
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (TV Series)Are You Afraid of the Dark? (TV Series) (1991)
13 episodes of the first season of this 90's Nickelodeon show following the escapades of the "Midnight Society", a group of teen horror aficionados.
Chinese Ghost Story 3Chinese Ghost Story 3 (1991)
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung
Spirited retread of the first movie, in which the evil Tree Spirit is back with yet another ghost played by Joey Wong. It takes place 100 years…
Drop Dead FredDrop Dead Fred (1991) Recommended
Dir. Ate De Jong
Feat. Rik Mayall, Phoebe Cates, Marsha Mason
Rik Mayall extends his hyperactive 'Young Ones' persona as the imaginary childhood friend of a grown–up Phoebe Cates. The silly stuff is offset…
Edward ScissorhandsEdward Scissorhands (1991) Aro Favourite
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Vincent Price
This inspired contemporary fairy–tale posits Johnny Depp as a boy endowed with sharp appendages, a mixed blessing when it comes to fitting into…
Eerie Indiana (TV Series)Eerie Indiana (TV Series) (1991-1992)
Feat. Omri Katz, Justin Shenkarow
Short–lived, cult TWIN PEAKS–offshoot follows the arrival of a young boy to Eerie, Indiana, a town overrun with urban legends, a living…
Erotic Ghost Story 2Erotic Ghost Story 2 (1991)
Dir. Lam Ngai Kai
Feat. Charine Chan, King-Man Chik, Yiu-Wah Kwok
Sequel mixes up similar ingredients, but story is unrelated to the first.
Fisher King, TheFisher King, The (1991) Recommended
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams
Jeff Bridges plays a self–obssesed DJ who regains his compassion when his life is saved by an endearing lunatic hobo (Robin Williams) –…
GrampireGrampire (Moonrise) (1991)
Dir. David Blyth
Feat. Al Lewis
The Munsters' Al Lewis turns up on our shores to star in a ghoulish comedy as the blood–sucking but well–meaning grandfather of a…
Highlander 2 Highlander 2 (1991)
Dir. Russell Mulcahy
Feat. Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Michael Ironside
Sequel to the video blockbuster of the 80's sees the back–story of the original film ditched and Scottish immortal MacLeod now in fact an alien…
HookHook (1991)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts
Spielberg's big–budget rendition of the magical fairy tale. Robin Williams stars as a grown–up Peter Pan enticed to Neverland to reclaim…
Rocketeer, TheRocketeer, The (1991) Recommended
Dir. Joe Johnston
Feat. Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin
A young pilot stumbles upon a jetpack that enables him to fly, but greedy villains lurk in the wings. Exciting update of the comicbook hero evokes…
Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered CountryStar Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Dir. Nicholas Meyer
Feat. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley
Gracious conclusion to the film series featuring the original cast. Combines great special effects, a plot with a social conscience, and some deft…
Toto the HeroToto the Hero (1991)
Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Feat. Michel Bouquet
Fascinating tragicomedy about an old man who bitterly reflects on his life and the privileged life he feels was stolen from him. Intricate and fresh…
Volere VolareVolere Volare (1991)
Dir. Maurizio Nichetti
Feat. Maurizio Nichetti
From the director of THE ICICLE THIEF comes another enjoyable comic fantasy inter–relating real and fictional worlds. Nichetti himself plays a…
ZeramZeram (1991) Recommended
Dir. Keita Amamiya
Feat. Yuko Moriyama, Kunihiro Ida, Yukijiro Hotaru
A ninja babe bounty hunter and two hapless mortals are stalked by a mutating alien in this engaging live–action 'manga'. Beefing up its…
AliceAlice (1990)
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Mia Farrow
Whimsical fantasy tale of a rich, bored housewife who takes on a new lease on life when prescibed with mind–altering herbs from a Chinese…
Aunt Julia and the ScriptwriterAunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (Tune in Tomorrow) (1990) Recommended
Dir. Jon Amiel
Feat. Keanu Reeves, Barbara Hershey, Peter Falk
A sophisticated cocktail of fantasy and bent reality in which Keanu Reeves and Barbara Hershey meet an endearing yet shrewd scriptwriter (Peter Falk)…
Chinese Ghost Story 2Chinese Ghost Story 2 (1990) Recommended
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung
The original cast return for another surreal, big–budget fantasy that delivers as much as the first one, with more of a comedic slant. This…
Chronicles of Narnia - The Silver ChairChronicles of Narnia - The Silver Chair (1990)
Dir. Alex Kirby
Feat. David Thwaites, Camilla Power, Tom Baker
Fine BBC production of the C.S. Lewis fantasy tale. This final part of the saga sees Jill, Eustace, Aslan and King Caspian search for the lost Prince…
DarkmanDarkman (1990)
Dir. Sam Raimi
Feat. Liam Neeson, Frances McDormand, Colin Friels
A superhero emerges from a scientist charred beyond recognition, but able to assume the identity of anyone he chooses. Fun all the way, with the…
Erik the VikingErik the Viking (1990)
Dir. Terry Jones
Feat. Tim Robbins, Mickey Rooney, Eartha Kitt
A swashbuckling comic fantasy from the Monty Python stable about a Nordic warrior who develops a conscience, and so leads his unruly band of…
Erotic Ghost StoryErotic Ghost Story (1990)
Dir. Lam Ngai Kai
Feat. Amy Yip
Buxom starlet Amy Yip lets it all hang out with other 'foxes' in this Eastern spin on the WITCHES OF EASTWICK. Generous nudity and dry ice steam up…
GhostGhost (1990) Recommended
Dir. Jerry Zucker
Feat. Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, Whoopi Goldberg
Technically brilliant amalgam of fantasy, thriller, comedy and love story is entertainment Hollywood wish they could make more often.
Guy Maddin Collection, TheGuy Maddin Collection, The (Twilight of the Ice Nymphs, The Heart of the World, Archangel) (1990-2000) Recommended
Dir. Guy Maddin
Feat. Michael Gottli, David Falkenburg, Michael O’Sullivan
Three films from Canada's silent movie alchemist, all deliciously dreamlike examples of the cult filmmaker's brilliant oeuvre. Twilight of the Ice…
Kurosawa's DreamsKurosawa's Dreams (1990)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Akira Terao, Mitsuko Baisho, Martin Scorsese
Opinions vary wildly over this sequence of eight re–enactments of Akira's very own dreams – stunning photography and subtle use of…
Neverending Story 2, TheNeverending Story 2, The (1990)
Dir. George Miller
A young boy escapes from his drab reality in a storybook land called Fantasia where a child empress (Alexandra Johnes) is in danger. Some cute animal…
Storyteller: Greek Myths, TheStoryteller: Greek Myths, The (1990)
Feat. Michael Gambon
Another excellently produced run of Jim Henson's STORYTELLER tales, this time focusing on the Greek myths of "Daedalus and Icarus", "Orpheus and…
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Dir. Steve Barron
Now something of relic from a fad gone by, but it remains an entertaining, if fairly violent slice of '90s pop culture. Jim Henson's creature shop…
What the Moon Saw (1990)
Dir. Pino Amenta
Feat. Pat Evison
A family delight from across the Tasman about a young boy who attends a pantomime of Sinbad's Last Adventure, and finds himself caught up in a wild…
Witches, TheWitches, The (1990) Recommended
Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher
Anjelica Huston is a scream as the grotesque Queen of witches who plots to rid the nation's children by turning them into mice! Marvellously macabre…
Adventures of Baron MunchausenAdventures of Baron Munchausen (1989) Recommended
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Oliver Reed, Uma Thurman, Robin Williams
An elaborate and hugely expensive adventure for dir. Gilliam who successfully visualises the fantastic tall–tales of the real–life 18th…
BatmanBatman (1989)
Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger
The box–office sensation that almost survived its own hype. Jack Nicholson's Joker and the incredible set designs will ensure it to be…
Chronicles of Narnia - Prince CaspianChronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian (1989)
Dir. Alex Kirby
Feat. Richard Dempsey, Johnathon R. Scott, Sophie Cook
Fine BBC production of the C.S. Lewis fantasy tale. This second part of the saga sees Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return to the enchanted land of…
Chronicles of Narnia - Voyage of the Dawn TreaderChronicles of Narnia - Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1989)
Dir. Alex Kirby
Feat. Richard Dempsey, Johnathon R. Scott, Sophie Cook
Fine BBC production of the C.S. Lewis fantasy tale. This third part of the saga sees Edmund, Lucy and their cousin Eustace search with King Caspian…
George's IslandGeorge's Island (1989)
Dir. Paul Donovan
Feat. Ian Bannen, Sheila McCarthy, Maury Chaykin
Fleeing his nasty foster parents, 10–year old George goes in search of Captain Kidd's buried treasure, having to outwit, among other adults,…
Ghostbusters 2Ghostbusters 2 (1989)
Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver
A cash–in for sure, but as much fun as the original, with the paranormal pests here thriving on all the "bad vibes" of grumpy Manhattanites.…
Honey, I Shrunk the KidsHoney, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Dir. Joe Johnston
Feat. Rick Moranis
An inventor inadvertently reduces his and the neighbour's kids to a grasshopper's knee–height. With the help of FX wizardry, they fend for…
Kiki's Delivery ServiceKiki's Delivery Service (1989) Recommended
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Matthew Lawrence
A magical animation from the masterful Japanese dir. Miyazaki, which delivers a contemporary fairytale with strong characters, rich visuals and a…
Nightmare On Elm Street 5: Dream Child, ANightmare On Elm Street 5: Dream Child, A (1989)
Dir. Stephen Hopkins
Feat. Robert Englund
Fourth sequel milks the wise–cracking dream–demon premise to the point of exhaustion. Still, the franchise continues to provide a handy…
Punisher, ThePunisher, The (1989)
Dir. Mark Goldblatt
Feat. Dolph Lundgren, Louis Jr. Gossett
Based on the Marvel comic hero, a NY cop emerges as a merciless vigilante after his family is murdered in a car bomb.
Santa SangreSanta Sangre (1989) Recommended
Dir. Alejandro Jodorowsky
Feat. Guy Stockwell
The title means 'holy blood', a fair indication of the twin themes of this strikingly grotesque tale of a disturbed circus–performer. With its…
Star Trek V - The Final FrontierStar Trek V - The Final Frontier (1989)
Dir. William Shatner
Feat. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley
This time Shatner tries his hand at directing, in what turns out to be one of the less memorable missions of the series. The crew travel through…
Tetsuo: The Iron ManTetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) Recommended
Dir. Shinya Tsukamoto
Feat. Tomorowo Taguchi, Kei Fujiwara
Mind–blowing cyberpunk tour–de–force that sandwiches enough visuals to fill three movies into its sweat–breaking 67 minutes.…
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1989) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy
A staggering blend of live–action and brillaint animation conjures up a believable world where people and cartoons…
18 Again!18 Again! (1988)
Dir. Paul Flaherty
Feat. George Burns, Charlie Schlatter, Tony Roberts
Cigar–chomping icon George Burns stars in this gauche 80's comedy in which he inadvertently switches souls with his grandson.
Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch and The WardrobeChronicles of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (1988) Recommended
Dir. Marilyn Fox
Feat. Richard Dempsey, Sophie Cook, Johnathon R. Scott
Fine BBC production of the C.S. Lewis fantasy tale. This first part of the saga sees Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy travel through the wardrobe into…
Hellraiser 2: HellboundHellraiser 2: Hellbound (1988)
Dir. Tony Randel
Feat. Doug Bradley, Clare Higgins, Kenneth Cranham
Ok sequel dishes up plenty of grim, garish special effects as the teenage heroine of the original confronts Pinhead, this time in the corridors of…
KingsajzKingsajz (Kingsize) (1988)
Locked inside an abandoned library basement, tiny dwarfs work hard to maintain their all–male dwarf commune. When a scientist synthesizes…
My Neighbour TotoroMy Neighbour Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) (1988) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Dir. Miyazaki’s first huge hit in Japan is a model family film: realistic characters responding to realistic crises in a realistic way, though…
Navigator, TheNavigator, The (A Medieval Odyssey) (1988) Recommended
Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Bruce Lyons, Chris Haywood, Marshall Napier
A group of 14th Century Cumbrians experience future shock when their mining expedition leads them to contemporary New Zealand. A terrific adventure…
Nightmare On Elm Street 4: Dream Master, ANightmare On Elm Street 4: Dream Master, A (1988)
Dir. Renny Harlin
Feat. Robert Englund
The franchise, now in full commercial flight, but bereft of new ideas, resorts to self–parody with Freddy Pizza Face Krueger having a riot…
Tommy Tricker and the Stamp TravellerTommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller (1988)
Dir. Michael Rubbo
Tommy Tricker is a crafty lad who discovers how to shrink oneself onto postage stamps and thus be mailed anywhere in the world. Quality,…
WarlockWarlock (1988)
Dir. Steve Miner
Feat. Richard E. Grant, Julian Sands, Mary Woronov
Richard E. Grant plays a witch–hunter on the tail of an evil 17th Century Warlock (Julian Sands) in this hammy fantasy adventure that enjoyed a…
WillowWillow (1988) Recommended
Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis
Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley–Kilmer employ swords against sorcery to protect a young baby from the powers of evil. A…
Beauty and the Beast (TV Series)Beauty and the Beast (TV Series) (1987)
Feat. Linda Hamilton, Ron Perlman
Distinctively 80s drama series is a twist on the classic tale, where 'Beast' (Perlman) is a noble–man living in New York's hidden underworld of…
Chinese Ghost Story, AChinese Ghost Story, A (1987) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Leslie Cheung
The first of a marvellous trilogy of outrageous fantasies set in Ming Dynasty–era China, in which student Leslie Cheung falls in love with an…
Deathstalker II - Duel Of The TitansDeathstalker II - Duel Of The Titans (Deathstalker 2) (1987)
Dir. Jim Wynorski
Feat. John Terlesky, Monique Gabrielle, John Lazar
Sword and sorcery bollocks with weedy John Terlesky stepping into Rick Hill's furry boots and helping future soft porn hall–of–famer…
Girl Who Lived Twice, The (1987)
Dir. Francois Villiers
Feat. Julian Sands
Julian Sands stars in this fantasy/drama about an Indian girl's obsession with finding her alleged rich husband of a past life. Shot in Nepal.
HellraiserHellraiser (1987)
Dir. Clive Barker
Feat. Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence
Stylised, influential horror film with outstanding effects, well directed by the man who wrote the novel. Extravagant visuals compensate some holes…
Lionheart (1987)
Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Gabriel Byrne, Nicholas Clay
Young knight Eric Stoltz and a band of medieval tykes join King Richard II's crusade to defeat the Black Prince.
Masters of the UniverseMasters of the Universe (1987)
Dir. Gary Goddard
Feat. Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster
Brain–deadening adaptation of the TV cartoon has Dolph Lundgren stepping into the furry loincloth to take on Skeletor and his robotic guards.
Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, ANightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, A (1987)
Dir. Chuck Russell
Feat. Robert Englund, Patricia Arquette, Laurence Fishburne
Improving on the perfunctory Pt. 2, this ups the ante on the gross–out special effects as Freddy wreaks further havoc on the kids he's helped…
Princess Bride, ThePrincess Bride, The (1987) Aro Favourite
Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin
An elaborate and whimsical fairytale told to a bedridden young boy conjures up images of good versus evil in a world of monsters, giants and…
Running Man, TheRunning Man, The (1987)
Dir. Paul Michael Glaser
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto
Schwarzenegger is in his element in this dystopian fantasy set around a televised game–show. The story has much in common with ROLLERBALL, but…
Wings of DesireWings of Desire (1987) Recommended
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander
Wenders ambitious and hypnotic film centres around two angels who can listen into human thought in pre–unified Berlin. This rich and surreal…
Witches of EastwickWitches of Eastwick (1987) Recommended
Dir. George Miller
Feat. Cher, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer
Lively comic fantasy about three bored spinsters whose dreams of Mr. Right unwittingly conjure up a diabolical Jack Nicholson.
Castle in the SkyCastle in the Sky (Laputa) (1986) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Anna Paquin, James Van Der Beek, Cloris Leachman
A triumph of craft and narrative sophistication, this is an epic, supremely imaginative feature from master animator/storyteller Miyazaki that will…
Flight of the NavigatorFlight of the Navigator (1986)
Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Joey Cramer, Veronica Cartwright, Cliff De Young
An ordinary boy is thrown behind the wheel of a fantastic flying machine, accompanied by an assortment of bizarre aliens. A fun–filled odyssey…
Golden Child, TheGolden Child, The (1986)
Dir. Michael Ritchie
Feat. Eddie Murphy, Charles Dance
Hot off BEVERLY HILLS COP, Eddie Murphy plays a private detective specializing in missing children who is charged with finding a special child whom…
Highlander, TheHighlander, The (1986) Recommended
Dir. Russell Mulcahy
Feat. Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown
Visually splendid action–fantasy with Christopher Lambert as a 16th Century immortal, destined to battle his arch enemy through the ages. This…
LabyrinthLabyrinth (1986) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jim Henson
Feat. David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Connelly goes in search of her baby brother, kidnapped by the Goblin King (David Bowie). An entourage of creatures from Jim Henson highlight…
LegendLegend (1986) Recommended
Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Tom Cruise, Tim Curry
Breathtaking imagery highlights this fantasy adventure about evil trying to corrupt innocence. Tom Cruise struts around in tights, but it's Tim Curry…
Star Trek IV - The Voyage HomeStar Trek IV - The Voyage Home (1986)
Dir. Leonard Nimoy
Feat. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley
Kirk and his crew must travel back in time to the 20th century in order to save the Earth. Far more comedic than previous entries in the series, as…
Baby: Secret of the Lost LegendBaby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985)
Dir. Bill L. Norton
Feat. William Katt, Sean Young, Patrick McGoohan
Adventure fantasy film about a paleontologist and her husband who discover a mother and baby brontosaurus in Africa, and try to protect them from a…
BrazilBrazil (1985) Aro Favourite
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Ian Holm
Daydreaming bureaucrat Jonathan Pryce becomes unwittingly involved with an underground superhero and a mystery woman before falling victim to his own…
CreatorCreator (1985)
Dir. Ivan Passer
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Mariel Hemingway, Vincent Spano
A charmingly absurd sci–fi rom–com from the 1980's starring Peter O'Toole as a madcap scientist who applies his eccentric methodology to…
DreamchildDreamchild (1985)
Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Gallagher
The real–life Alice who inspired Lewis Carroll's stories, reflects upon her life and offers some insight into his eccentric and fantasiacal…
Explorers, TheExplorers, The (1985) Recommended
Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix
Imaginative space adventure film also has enormous fun at the expense of American popular culture. Among the explorers are a very baby–faced…
Flesh and BloodFlesh and Blood (1985)
Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Rutger Hauer and Jennifer Jason Leigh are mercenary soldier and captive who fall in love amid rampant flesh and blood–letting in medieval…
Goonies, TheGoonies, The (1985)
Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton
Junior edition of 'Indiana Jones', from a Steven Speilberg story, has seven bored kids on the Oregon coast hunting for pirate booty after they…
LadyhawkeLadyhawke (1985)
Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer
Enjoyable sword–and–sorcery yarn filmed in the Dolomites pits Matthew Broderick as a Medieval tyke who must unlock the evil spell cast on…
Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, ANightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, A (1985)
Dir. Jack Sholder
Feat. Robert Englund, Mark Patton, Clu Gulager
More of the same special f/x–assisted mayhem from Freddy Krueger and the helpless adolescent residents of Elm Street. Just ask Mom and Dad to…
Red SonjaRed Sonja (1985)
Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brigitte Nielsen, Sandahl Bergman
Unremarkable except for its silliness, this excursion into CONAN territory pits uber–bimbo Nielsen against various diehard villains.…
Remo Williams: The Adventure BeginsRemo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
Dir. Guy Hamilton
Feat. Fred Ward, Joel Grey, Wilford Brimley
Fred Ward plays a tough NYC cop whose death is faked and a new identity of "Remo Williams" is bestowed by a secret organization known as CURE who…
Return to OzReturn to Oz (1985) Recommended
Dir. Walter Murch
Feat. Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh
This unusually–conceived sequel to THE WIZARD OF OZ is almost too scary for kids, with a disturbed Dorothy (Fairuza Balk) blown by a storm from…
Company of WolvesCompany of Wolves (1984)
Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Angela Lansbury, Stephen Rea
This modest, dream–like horror fantasy was liked so much by author Anne Rice, it led to the Irish director calling the shots on INTERVIEW WITH…
Conan the DestroyerConan the Destroyer (1984)
Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grace Jones
Semi–nude Arnie grunts through his second Conan adventure.
Dream One (Nemo) (1984)
Dir. Arnaud Sélignac
Feat. Jason Connery, Harvey Keitel, Mathilda May
Very strange, tonally confused but often fascinating fantasia, a very loose adaptation of Winsor McKay's 1920s comic strip Little Nemo – itself…
DreamscapeDreamscape (1984)
Dir. Joseph Ruben
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer
Psychic Dennis Quaid treks through the dreams and nightmares of others, ultimately confronting the nihilistic visions of the President. Works well…
Garbo TalksGarbo Talks (1984)
Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Ron Silver, Greta Garbo, Anne Bancroft
This enchanting film sees Ron Silver attempting to fulfil his dying mother's last request; to meet Greta Garbo. Fine supporting cast.
GhostbustersGhostbusters (1984) Recommended
Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver
Blockbuster supernatural comedy follows the lives of three flaky paranormal investigators who find themselves in countless gooey situations. The…
Highway to Heaven (TV Series)Highway to Heaven (TV Series) (1984)
Feat. Michael Landon, Victor French
Feelgood, down–to–earth fantasy series for the whole family, starring Michael Landon (Little House on the Prairie) as a "probational"…
Neverending Story, TheNeverending Story, The (1984) Recommended
Dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Feat. Barret Oliver, Gerald McRaney, Moses Gunn
A boy escapes the neighbourhood bullies by retreating into a mysterious book, where fantasical and exhilirating adventures take flight. Visually…
Nightmare On Elm Street, ANightmare On Elm Street, A (1984) Recommended
Dir. Wes Craven
Feat. John Saxon, Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp
The maiden nightmare of the razor–fingered dream–demon Freddie Krueger, who went on to become the pre–eminent horror icon of the…
Repo ManRepo Man (1984) Recommended
Dir. Alex Cox
Feat. Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton
Young punk Emilio Estevez unwittingly becomes involved in the car re–possession business in this curious cocktail of action, sci–fi and…
Robin of Sherwood (TV Series)Robin of Sherwood (TV Series) (1984-1986)
Feat. Michael Praed, Ray Winstone
A serious–minded retelling of the 'Robin Hood' legend with Michael Praed playing the handsome 'Robin of Loxley' who copes not only the…
Sheena: Queen of the JungleSheena: Queen of the Jungle (1984)
Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. Tanya Roberts, Ted Wass, Donovan Scott
80's cult fantasy flop based on the comic book jungle girl heroine Sheena, a female version of Tarzan who was raised by a fictional African tribe.
SplashSplash (1984)
Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah
Winning comic fantasy with Tom Hanks falling for mermaid Daryl Hannah.
Star Trek III - The Search for SpockStar Trek III - The Search for Spock (1984)
Dir. Leonard Nimoy
Feat. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley
Leonard Nimoy himself directed this continuation of 'The Wrath of Khan', in which the crew set out to rescue Spock from Kurge (Christopher Lloyd).…
Star Wars Ewok Adventures Star Wars Ewok Adventures (Caravan of Courage / The Battle for Endor) (1984-1985)
Feat. Wilford Brimley, Warwick Davis, Aubree Miller
George Lucas–created fantasies especially for younger STAR WARS admirers, following further adventures of the creatures so fondly remembered in…
StarmanStarman (1984)
Dir. John Carpenter
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith
Jeff Bridges plays an alien trying to recover his spaceship on Earth with the help of young widow Karen Allen. Entertaining fantasy–drama.
Sword of the ValiantSword of the Valiant (The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) (1984)
Dir. Stephen Weeks
Feat. Miles O'Keefe, Cyrielle Clair, Leigh Lawson
Cannon Films fantasy fodder from the 1980's starring a hilariously coiffured Miles O'Keefe as Sir Gawain and Sean Connery as the Green Knight,…
Deathstalker: Last Great Warrior KingDeathstalker: Last Great Warrior King (1983)
Dir. James Sbardellati
Feat. Rick Hill, Barbi Benton, Richard Brooker
Trashtastic sword–and–sandals fantasy sees a chiselled Rick Hill play a warrior who must save the earth (and the girl) from a wicked…
Doctor Who: The Five DoctorsDoctor Who: The Five Doctors (1983)
Feat. Peter Davison, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee
25th Anniversary Edition of this Sci–Fi classic featuring five embodiments of the doctor. Most of the doctors find themselves transported to…
He-Man and the Masters of the UniverseHe-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-1985)
In its time this animated TV series was a ubiquitous pop phenomena, being simultaneously unleashed on the world with a line of model toys and…
KrullKrull (1983)
Dir. Peter Yates
Feat. Ken Marshall, Francesca Annis
Well–remembered though mostly incoherent grafting of fantasy and sci–fi elements, in which laser–beams jostle with monsters, Celtic…
Life Is A Bed Of RosesLife Is A Bed Of Roses (1983)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Ruggero Raimondi, Fanny Ardant, Geraldine Chaplin
Ambitious fantastical oddity from dir. Resnais was made as a tribute to era–defining French directors Melies, L'Herbier and Rohmer, weaving…
Orpheus in the UnderworldOrpheus in the Underworld (1983)
Dir. Derek Bailey
Feat. Denis Quilley, Honor Blackman, Christopher Gable
Handsomely mounted production of the famed operetta with Orpheus and his lyre meeting much opposition as he searches the underworld for his dead wife.
Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the JediStar Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi (1983) Recommended
Dir. Richard Marquand
Feat. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford
Final installment in George Lucas' space–trilogy sees the conclusion of the galactic war between the Empire and the 'Rebel forces'. Mark…
Two of a KindTwo of a Kind (1983)
Dir. John Herzfeld
Feat. John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Charles Durning
God (voiced by Gene Hackman) is so disappointed with mankind he prepares a second Flood, but is persuaded by angels to bet on the reformation of two…
Zu WarriorsZu Warriors (Zu Warriors From The Magic Mountain) (1983)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Biao Yuen, Moon Lee, Brigitte Lin
A renowned fantasy film, in which four medieval warriors search the universe for twin swords with which to defeat a powerful demon, which threatens…
Beastmaster, The Beastmaster, The (1982)
Dir. Don Coscarelli
Feat. Marc Singer, Tanya Roberts, Rip Torn
Hammy fantastical adventure centred on a mighty warrior on a revenge mission for the death of his family at the hands of a tyrannical priest. An 80's…
Conan the BarbarianConan the Barbarian (1982) Recommended
Dir. John Milius
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Slave–turned–swordsman Arnold Schwarzenegger's 20 year search for his parent's killers is a violent, comic–pulp romp through a…
Dark Crystal, TheDark Crystal, The (1982) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jim Henson, Frank Oz
Feat. Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw
Wonderful fantasy from the Muppet main–man about a cute Gelfling who is must return light to a dark world by restoring the Crystal. With an…
E.T.E.T. (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial) (1982) Aro Favourite
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Dee Wallace Stone, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote
Steven Spielberg cemented his genius with this, possibly the best live–action family film ever made. It's the moving tale of a benign alien who…
Fire and IceFire and Ice (1982)
Dir. Ralph Bakshi
One of dir. Bashki’s (FRITZ THE CAT) lesser efforts, this sword–and–sorcery animated fantasy is notable for the seminal visuals by…
Last Unicorn, TheLast Unicorn, The (1982) Recommended
Dir. Arthur Rankin Jnr, Jules Bass
Feat. Alan Arkin, Christopher Lee, Mia Farrow
Underrated (and under–known) animated gem, concerns the quest of the world’s last unicorn to find the rest of the unicorn herd. Strongly…
One from the HeartOne from the Heart (1982)
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Frederic Forrest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia
A lavishly mounted curiosity loosely following the romantic plight of an estranged couple, set against an impressively stylised backdrop of Las…
Pink Floyd - The WallPink Floyd - The Wall (1982) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alan Parker
Based on Roger Waters' personal vision that was the mega–selling Pink Floyd album of 1980, this feature brings the concept of a rock star's…
Star Trek II - The Wrath of KhanStar Trek II - The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Dir. Nicholas Meyer
Feat. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley
The Enterprise crew are back to do battle with Kirk's old enemy Khan, as he takes control of a Federation Starship. Nice touches of humour and…
Sword and the Sorcerer, TheSword and the Sorcerer, The (1982)
Dir. Albert Pyun
Feat. Kathleen Beller, Simon MacCorkindale, George Maharis
Not bad swords–and–sandals fantasy, set in a medieval kingdom ruled by an evil sorcerer. To the rescue comes a mercenary who wields a…
Tales of the Unexpected (TV Series)Tales of the Unexpected (TV Series) (1982- 1983)
Dir. Various
Feat. Peter Cushing, Brenda Blethyn, Liza Goddard
Fondly remembered British television series of self–contained stories – each with a twist – inspired by the adult macabre of Roald…
Clash of the TitansClash of the Titans (1981)
Dir. Desmond Davis
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Claire Bloom, Ursula Andress
Brave stab at visualising Greek mythology, taking the Perseus legend as its basis, this turned out to be the swansong for Ray Harryhausen and his…
DragonslayerDragonslayer (1981) Recommended
Dir. Matthew Robbins
Feat. Peter MacNicol, Caitlin Clarke, Ralph Richardson
Highly under–rated medieval fantasy in which a young wizard defies substantial and often thrilling odds to defeat a malevolent dragon.…
ExcaliburExcalibur (1981)
Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Nicholas Clay
The King Arthur legend is given a fanciful, dynamic spin by a director at his creative peak in an epic fantasy tale of sorcery and magic.
Grendel Grendel GrendelGrendel Grendel Grendel (1981)
Dir. Alexander Stitt
Feat. Peter Ustinov, Keith Michell, Arthur Dignam
Lively animated version of the Beowulf legend, but this time told from the perspective of the monster.
Mad Max II - The Road WarriorMad Max II - The Road Warrior (Mad Max 2) (1981) Recommended
Dir. George Miller
Feat. Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence
Studio–backed sequel retains the integrity of the first while sprucing up the artillery, pyrotechnics and going for a more futuristic style.…
Midsummer Night's Dream, AMidsummer Night's Dream, A (1981)
Dir. Elijah Moshinsky
Feat. Helen Mirren, Nigel Davenport, Brian Glover
Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, TheMysterious Castle in the Carpathians, The (Tajemstvi hradu v Karpatech) (1981)
Dir. Oldrich Lipsky
Feat. Michal Docolomansky, Rudolf Hrusinsky, Vlastimil Brodsky
Cult oddity based on the Jules Verne novel The Carpathian Castle, a sci–fi horror story about a campy count who haunts a house overlooking a…
Quest for FireQuest for Fire (1981)
Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud
Feat. Everett McGill, Ron Perlman
Sci–fi set 80,000 years ago, it follows a tribe's attempt to replenish fire when it is stolen from them. Ambitious production makes the most of…
HarlequinHarlequin (1980)
Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. David Hemmings, Robert Powell, Broderick Crawford
A modern–day version of the Rasputin story, in which a senator and his wife fall prey to the spellbinding powers of a manipulative Harlequin…
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Aro Favourite
Dir. Irvin Kershner
Feat. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford
The remaining rebel forces play a game of cat and mouse with the emperors immense galactic armada. Tight action sequences, deft plot twists and a…
Superman 2Superman 2 (Superman II) (1980)
Dir. Richard Lester
Feat. Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman
Laudable continuation of the super–hero franchise, that adds more action and comic sparks to the familiar characters –The Man of Steel…
Time BanditsTime Bandits (1980) Recommended
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall
John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall and others star in this breathlessly inventive fantasy in which a young boy journeys through history to…
Arabian AdventureArabian Adventure (1979)
Dir. Kevin Conner
Feat. Christopher Lee, Milo O'Shea, Mickey Rooney
Sumptuous Arabic fantasy set around a treasure hunt for the mystical Rose of Elil. Good f/x and a great British cast make for smooth entertainment.
Legend of the MountainLegend of the Mountain (Shan zhong zhuan qi) (1979)
Dir. King Hu
Feat. Shih Chun, Hsu Feng, Sylvia Chang
A scholar translating Buddhist sutras visits a monastery filled with various mysterious characters, in this soothing spiritual drama with elements of…
Star Trek - The Motion PictureStar Trek - The Motion Picture (1979)
Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley
Starring the cast from the 60's TV phenomenon, this special effects fest features the crew fighting a lethal force field spinning toward Earth.…
Worzel Gummidge (TV Series)Worzel Gummidge (TV Series) (1979-1981) Recommended
Feat. Jon Pertwee, Una Stubbs, Geoffrey Bayldon
Oddball and much–loved children's TV series about a living, grubby and rather bad–tempered scarecrow (Pertwee) who muddles through life…
Circle Of IronCircle Of Iron (The Silent Flute) (1978)
Dir. Richard Moore
Feat. David Carradine, Christopher Lee, Roddy McDowall
Bizarre 80s fantasy tells the story of a young fighter who seeks a spiritual identity through martial arts, and goes on a quest to find the legendary…
Lord of the RingsLord of the Rings (1978)
Dir. Ralph Bakshi
Likable animation of JRR Tolkien's fantasy classic, admirably captures the personalities of the novel's horde of eccentric characters and…
Monkey! (TV Series)Monkey! (TV Series) (Volumes 1-6) (1978- 1979) Aro Favourite
Feat. Masaaki Sakai, Toshiyuki Nishida, Shiro Kishibe
Colourful, supernatural adventures in feudal Japan with the invincible Monkey, Pigsy, Sandy and Tripitaka! This Japanese tele show became a favourite…
Return From Witch MountainReturn From Witch Mountain (1978)
Dir. John Hough
Feat. Bette Davis, Christopher Lee
Above–average sequel to ESCAPE FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN reprises the story of two runaway orphans with supernatural powers, adding the star presence…
SupermanSuperman (1978) Recommended
Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman
Christopher Reeve is the Man of Steel in the first and best adventure – from his humble inception through to…
Freaky FridayFreaky Friday (1977) Recommended
Dir. Gary Nelson
Feat. Jodie Foster, Barbara Harris
Barbara Harris and a 13–year–old Jodie Foster are mother and daughter who miraculosly swap personalities for a day. Plenty of fun here.
Hobbit, TheHobbit, The (1977)
Dir. Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jnr
Feat. Orson Bean, Richard Boone, John Huston
A homebody demi–human in Middle Earth gets talked into joining a quest with a group of dwarves to recover their treasure from a dragon.…
JabberwockyJabberwocky (1977)
Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Michael Palin
Monty Python's Lewis Carroll–inspired medieval farce with Michael Palin in the lead.
People That Time Forgot, ThePeople That Time Forgot, The (1977)
Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Patrick Wayne
Sequel to THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, sees Patrick Wayne return to the monster–ridden island in search of lost colleagues.
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)
Dir. Sam Wanamaker
Feat. Patrick Wayne, Jane Seymour, Patrick Troughton
The last of Ray Harryhausen's 'Sinbad' series and probably the weakest as hero sails to break a spell that has turned a prince into a baboon. Some…
Spiderman (1977) Recommended
Dir. E.W. Swackhamer
Feat. Nicholas Hammond
Becoming The Webbed One when bitten by a radioactive spider, Nicholas Hammond goes on to display wall–hugging behaviour and lumpy costume, with…
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New HopeStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) Aro Favourite
Dir. George Lucas
Feat. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford
George Lucas' epic trilogy of space adventure begins "long ago and far far away", with the life of Luke Skywalker being disturbed by the galactic war…
WizardsWizards (1977)
Dir. Ralph Bakshi
A counter–culture animated fantasy, set in a supernatural future populated by elves, fairies and derelict technology. Centred around two…
Wonder Woman, The New Adventures of (TV Series)Wonder Woman, The New Adventures of (TV Series) (1977-1979)
Feat. Lynda Carter, Lyle Waggoner
Charles Moulon’s 1940s comic strip updated to the feminist 70s, his superheroine fighting terrorist and subversive elements for undercover…
PinocchioPinocchio (1976)
Feat. Danny Kaye
Bright and energetic musical adaptation of the beloved children's fable, framed around the story of a young theater girl's desire to study and work…
Shaggy D.A., TheShaggy D.A., The (1976)
Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Dean Jones, Tim Conway, Suzanne Pleshette
Extremely shaggy later Disney live–actioner, with Dean Jones playing a District Attorney who finds himself repeatedly turning into a dog.…
Black MoonBlack Moon (1975)
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Cathryn Harrison, Therese Giehse, Joe Dallesandro
A vastly ambitious and haunting fantasy excursion for dir. Malle proffers an allegorical future world in which civil war rages between the sexes,…
Escape to Witch MountainEscape to Witch Mountain (1975) Recommended
Dir. John Hough
Feat. Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence
One of Disney's best live–action telemovies, where two orphans with mysterious telekinetic powers flee the attentions of a shifty entrepeneur.…
LisztomaniaLisztomania (1975) Recommended
Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Roger Daltrey, Ringo Starr, Fiona Lewis
Ken Russell's erotic send–up of the bawdy life of virtuoso composer Franz Liszt – whose piano performances were attended by hordes of…
Magic Flute, TheMagic Flute, The (1975) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
An immaculately delivered version of Mozart's operatic fairytale, filmed on a special replica of the original 18th century stage. At its simplest,…
Ultimate WarriorUltimate Warrior (1975)
Dir. Robert Clouse
Feat. Max von Sydow, Yul Brynner
Post–Armageddon tale with Max Von Sydow as a tyrannical dictator and Yul Brynner a rebel street–fighter.
Arabian NightsArabian Nights (Il Fiore Delle Mille e Una Notte) (1974) Recommended
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Ninetto Davoli, Franco Citti, Tessa Bouche
For the final part of his “Trilogy of Life”, Pasolini interweaves several of the tales of the ‘Thousand and One Nights’,…
Electra, My LoveElectra, My Love (Szerelmem, Elektra) (1974)
Dir. Miklos Jancso
This surreal re–imagining of a greek myth utilizes a striking anachronistic twist to draw parallels between the ages. Humiliated and filled…
Land That Time Forgot, TheLand That Time Forgot, The (1974)
Dir. Kevin Conner
Feat. Doug McClure, John McEnery, Susan Penhaligon
After ending up on a German submarine in WWI several Americans stumble across an undiscovered South American island, which holds adventure in the…
Little Prince, TheLittle Prince, The (1974)
Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Richard Kiley, Bob Fosse, Gene Wilder
The classic childern's story by aviator Antoine de Saint–Exupery is here translated with whimsy and wit intact. A pilot is stranded in a desert…
ZardozZardoz (1974)
Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Sean Connery, Charlotte Rampling
Sean Connery stars in this enigmatic, garish space odyssey about a group of eternally young intellectuals in the year 2293. The bizarre visual…
Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The (1973)
Dir. Gordon Hessler
Feat. John Phillip Law, Caroline Munro, Tom Baker
Arabian Nightish saga with Tom Baker (Dr Who) as Sinbad's adversary. The swordplay of a six–armed statue is but one of the Harryhausen FX…
Sigmund and the Seamonsters (TV Series)Sigmund and the Seamonsters (TV Series) (1973-1975)
Sid and Marty Krofft's low–budget kids sitcom about two brothers, Johnny and Scott, who harbour a friendly sea monster named Sigmund in their…
Alice's Adventures in WonderlandAlice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972) Recommended
Dir. William Sterling
Feat. Michael Crawford, Peter Sellers, Dudley Moore
Star–packed, centennial adaptation of Lewis Carroll's masterpiece follows young Alice (Fullerton) down the rabbithole and on to her adventures…
Slaughterhouse FiveSlaughterhouse Five (1972) Recommended
Dir. George Roy Hill
Feat. Michael Sacks, Ron Leibman, Eugene Roche
Though a conservative adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's time–tripping novel, this is still a significant entry to the genre, with a wide cult…
Bedknobs and BroomsticksBedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Angela Lansbury
An apprentice witch wants to use her powers to contribute to the English war effort against the Nazis, plus a trip to the cartoon Island of…
Lidsville (TV Series)Lidsville (TV Series) (1971) Aro Favourite
Feat. Charles Nelson Reilly, Butch Patrick, Billie Hayes
Kookiest and perhaps the most hilarious of the Sid & Marty Krofft children's productions about a teenager who gets lost in a fantasy world of…
Under MilkwoodUnder Milkwood (1971)
Dir. Andrew Sinclair
Feat. Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter O'Toole
Celebrated radio play by Dylan Thomas gets a surprisingly successful visual rendering, though some will always prefer the original format for Thomas'…
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate FactoryWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) (1971) Recommended
Dir. Mel Stuart
Feat. Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson
Roald Dahl adapts his own book for this lively, almost psychedelic musical adaptation about a boy's desire to see inside a chocolate factory run by…
Donkey SkinDonkey Skin (Peau d'âne) (1970) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Jean Marais, Delphine Seyrig
A vibrant, whimsical and genuinely fantastic adaptation of Perrault's classic 17th century fairy tale in which a Princess (Deneuve) disguises herself…
Projectionist, TheProjectionist, The (1970)
Dir. Harry Hurwitz
Feat. Chuck McCann, Rodney Dangerfield
An experimental, off–beat collage of social commentary, in–jokes and satire, about a projectionist who constantly imagines himself as…
World of Sid & Marty Krofft, TheWorld of Sid & Marty Krofft, The (1969-1984) Aro Favourite
Excellent sampler of the children’s television productions made by the Krofft brothers, whose most famous hit was perhaps 'H.R. Pufnstuf', but who…
BarbarellaBarbarella (1968) Recommended
Dir. Roger Vadim
Feat. Jane Fonda, John Phillip Law, Milo O'Shea
Camp fantasy film starring Jane Fonda as an innocent space vixen who adventures through lands of drooling men and phallic spaceships. Funny, crazy…
Blackbeard's GhostBlackbeard's Ghost (1968)
Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Peter Ustinov
Peter Ustinov applies his comic talents to playing the ghost of the notorious pirate, conjured into the present by Disney Studios, to rescue a high…
Chitty Chitty Bang BangChitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ken Hughes
Feat. Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries
Dick Van Dyke stars as eccentric inventor and who gives a run–down race car a magical new lease of life. This musical comedy masterpiece…
Cremator, TheCremator, The (1968)
Dir. Juraz Herz
Feat. Rudolf Hrusinsky, Vlasta Chramostova
Widely considered one of the greatest films of the Czech new wave, a blackly humorous fantasy horror following the increasingly deranged impulses of…
Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The (TV Series)Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The (TV Series) (1968)
Feat. Hope Lange, Edward Mulhare
Fondly remembered sitcom based on the R. A. Dick novel (itself made into a 1947 film) about a young widow and family who befriend a ghost haunting…
Midsummer Night's Dream, AMidsummer Night's Dream, A (1968)
Dir. Sir Peter Hall
Feat. Helen Mirren, David Warner, Diana Rigg
The Royal Shakespeare Company's film production of one of Shakespeare's most hilarious and witty plays, featuring a strong ensemble cast.
Swimmer, TheSwimmer, The (1968) Recommended
Dir. Frank Perry
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Kim Hunter, Janice Rule
Burt Lancaster decides to swim from pool to pool on his way home on a hot afternoon, each swim evoking different memories and events in this unique…
Yellow SubmarineYellow Submarine (1968) Aro Favourite
Dir. George Dunning
12 classic Beatles tunes and 90 minutes of bright and whimsical imagery are showcased in this surrealist fantasy from the days when all you needed…
BedazzledBedazzled (1967) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Raquel Welch
A brilliant and enduring satire that updates of the 'Faust' tale to swinging London, with Moore playing a lovelorn chef who is lured into a pact by…
Frank's Greatest AdventureFrank's Greatest Adventure (Fearless Frank) (1967)
Dir. Philip Kaufman
Feat. Jon Voight, Severn Darden
Curious superhero spoof in which Jon Voight is topped by gangsters and reincarnated as a crime–fighter extraordinaire. The director's career…
Herculoids, The (TV Series)Herculoids, The (TV Series) (1967)
Dir. Joseph Barbera, William Hanna
Saturday–morning cartoon from Hanna–Barbera in the late 60's, following a space barbarian family and their giant pets the Herculoids…
Magical Mystery TourMagical Mystery Tour (1967)
Dir. The Beatles
Feat. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison
The Beatles take us on a spiritual/musical journey with a distinctly pychedelic ethos. Full of subversive satire that marked many British films of…
Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland (1966) Recommended
Dir. Jonathan Miller
Feat. Peter Cook, Michael Redgrave, Peter Sellers
Cult BBC version of Lewis Carroll's classic children's book, in which drowsing Alice enters the dreamscape of 'Wonderland'. Influenced by the…
Fantastic VoyageFantastic Voyage (1966) Recommended
Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Donald Pleasence, Raquel Welch, Stephen Boyd
A team of 'experts' are miniaturized and injected into a high–ranking scientist as a last resort to repair his medical condition. An…
How the Grinch Stole ChristmasHow the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) Recommended
Dir. Chuck Jones
A classic Warner Bros cartoon, puts an animated spring into Dr Seuss's tale of the vicious Grinch who tries to steal Christmas from the folk at…
Monkey - Journey to the WestMonkey - Journey to the West (The Monkey Goes West, Princess Iron Fan, The Cave of Silken Web, The Land of Many Perfumes) (1966-1968)
Dir. Meng-Hwa Ho
Generous, richly–hued Shaw Brothers adaptation of the Chinese folk tale 'Journey to the West', spread across four lushly presented widescreen…
One Million Years B.C.One Million Years B.C. (1966) Recommended
Dir. Don Chaffey
Feat. Raquel Welch, John Richardson, Percy Herbert
One of Hammer Studios greatest hits, this genuinely well–made adventure is set among cavemen and cavewomen struggling to survive in a world of…
Ultraman (TV Series)Ultraman (TV Series) (1966)
When the world is threatened by aloien invaders and giant prehistoric monsters, There is only one agency equipped with the high tech weaponry to…
City Under the SeaCity Under the Sea (1965)
Dir. Jacques Tourneur
Feat. Vincent Price
Cornish villagers discover a subterranean cult lead by Vincent Price in this hammy fantasy yarn.
I Dream of Jeannie (TV Series)I Dream of Jeannie (TV Series) (1965-70) Recommended
Feat. Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman
Sitcom magic with a BEWITCHED–inspired premise, features Barbara Eden as the obliging but overzealous (and of course, sexy)…
Juliet of the SpiritsJuliet of the Spirits (1965) Recommended
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Giulietta Masina
Perhaps the female flipside of Fellini's 8 1/2, he again infuses stylised flashbacks and fantasies into the real world of a gregarious housewife who…
Saragossa Manuscript, TheSaragossa Manuscript, The (1965) Recommended
Dir. Wojciech Has
Feat. Zbigniew Cybulski
Captivating Polish oddity with a labyrinthine plot involving the discovery of a book which reveals all manner of beguiling…
Bewitched (TV Series)Bewitched (TV Series) (1964-1972) Aro Favourite
Feat. Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Dick Sargent
Sublime fantasy sitcom, anchored by the adorable Elizabeth Montgomery as witchy housewife, Samantha Stephens, who is married to mere mortal, Darren,…
Brass Bottle, TheBrass Bottle, The (1964)
Dir. Harry Keller
Feat. Tony Randall, Burl Ives, Barbara Eden
Agreeably daffy comedy that inspired I DREAM OF JEANNIE with Tony Randall accidentally releasing of a long trapped genie who predictably causes all…
Jan Svankmajer: The Complete Short FilmsJan Svankmajer: The Complete Short Films (1964-1992) Recommended
Dir. Jan Svankmajer
A superb, forty–year anthology of the terrifying, eccentric short films of Jan Svankmajer, the influential and cutting edge Czech…
Mary PoppinsMary Poppins (1964) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke
Disney's beloved live–action feature is a timeless, dazzling musical with Julie Andrews as an enchanted London nanny. Dick Van Dyke…
Jason and the ArgonautsJason and the Argonauts (1963) Aro Favourite
Dir. Don Chaffey
Feat. Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack
Masterpiece of fantasy based on Greek mythology features the best stop–motion animation work from Ray Harryhausen. The skeleton…
Jack the Giant Killer (1962)
Dir. Nathan Juran
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Judi Meredith, Torin Thatcher
From the same stable as Sinbad, comes another fantasy using wonderful stop–motion animation. Jack, against all odds, fights the evil Pendragon…
Three Worlds of Gulliver (1960)
Dir. Jack Sher
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Jo Morrow, June Thorburn
Gulliver's travels bring him to the lands of the giants and the tiny in this adaptation of Johnathan Swift's classic. The then break–through…
Shaggy Dog, TheShaggy Dog, The (1959)
Dir. Charles Barton
Feat. Fred MacMurray, Jean Hagen, Tommy Kirk
Fred MacMurray excels in this Disney live–actioner, playing a postman whose son accidentally transforms himself into a talking sheepdog with…
Seventh Voyage of SinbadSeventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
Dir. Nathan Juran
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Kathryn Grant (Crosby), Richard Eyer
In his first and most engaging adventure, Sinbad convincingly duels the Cyclops, a dragon and a hyperactive skeleton without any computer assistance,…
Viking Women And The Sea SerpentViking Women And The Sea Serpent (Saga Of The Viking Women And Their Voyage To The Waters Of The Great Sea Serpent) (1958)
Dir. Roger Corman
Feat. Abby Dalton, Susan Cabot
Roger Corman schlock scraped from the seabed, about a clan of viking women who head out to sea in pursuit of their missing husbands. Soon they are…
KismetKismet (1955)
Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Howard Keel, Ann Blyth
An Arabian–Nights style musical, with Howard Keel attempting to woo wicked wizar's wife Ann Blyth.
5000 Fingers of Dr. T5000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953) Recommended
Dir. Roy Rowland
Feat. Tommy Rettig, Hans Conried
From the genius of Dr. Seuss comes this live–action fantasy worthy of his wondrous imagination. A nine–year–old boy's daydreams of…
Peter PanPeter Pan (1953) Recommended
Dir. Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson
Walt's version of the J M Barrie classic, animated with consummate skill by his army of inhouse artisans. The flying imp Peter Pan leads Wendy and…
Ugetsu MonogatariUgetsu Monogatari (1953) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyo, Kinuyo Tanaka
Stories by the 18th century writer Akinari Ueda are woven into an odyssey of civil–war misfortune, in which two peasant–potters and their…
Adventures of Superman (TV Series)Adventures of Superman (TV Series) (1952-1958)
Feat. George Reeves, Phyllis Coates
The first ever 'Superman' TV series, this was an immensely popular rendition of the comicbook tale of the Man of Steel, whose life as…
Monkey BusinessMonkey Business (1952)
Dir. Howard Hawks
Feat. Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn
Scientist Cary Grant discovers a rejuvenation serum which has screwball side–effects. Stars include the director and writing team – Ben…
Pandora and the Flying DutchmanPandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)
Dir. Albert Lewin
Feat. Ava Gardner, James Mason, Nigel Patrick
Ava Gardner stars as the ravishing siren of a small Spanish town who has never fallen for anyone until the arrival of the mysterious James Mason, the…
HarveyHarvey (1950) Recommended
Dir. Henry Koster
Feat. James Stewart
Jimmy Stewart's personal favourite role is his middle–aged drunk who has a six–foot rabbit friend that only he can see. From Mary Chase's…
Batman and RobinBatman and Robin (1949)
Dir. Spencer Gordon Bennett
The first screen incarnation of Bob Kane's comicbook duo – a 15–episode serial following the caped crusaders portentous perils. Two…
Secret Garden, TheSecret Garden, The (1949)
Dir. Fred M. Wilcox
Feat. Margaret O'Brien, Herbert Marshall, Dean Stockwell
Story about an orphan who discovers a secret garden at her Uncle's Victorian manor continues to fascinate young and old. Colour sequences give the…
Les Enfants TerriblesLes Enfants Terribles (The Strange Ones) (1948) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Edouard Dermithe, Nicole Stephane
A poetic drama–fantasy from the pen of Jean Cocteau (who also directed several scenes), that centres round the narcissistic,…
Ghost and Mrs. Muir, TheGhost and Mrs. Muir, The (1947)
Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Feat. Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison
A whimsical tone pervades this mildly spooky tale of widow Gene Tierney being haunted by phantom sea–captain Rex Harrison. Music by Bernard…
Secret Life of Walter MittySecret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)
Dir. Norman Z. McLeod
Feat. Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Boris Karloff
Danny Kaye shines in this delightful family film as a quiet day–dreamer whose real life catches up with his elaborate adventure fantasies.
Belle Et La Bete, LaBelle Et La Bete, La (Beauty and the Beast) (1946) Recommended
Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Jean Marais, Josette Day
Cocteau brings a fine sense of fantasy to the old fable, creating a luxuriant atmosphere unique to his film–making. A true classic.
It's a Wonderful LifeIt's a Wonderful Life (1946) Aro Favourite
Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. James Stewart
A down–on–his–luck Jimmy Stewart is rescued from suicide by a Guardian Angel who shows him the virtues of his life gone by. This…
Matter of Life and Death, AMatter of Life and Death, A (1946) Recommended
Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. David Niven
By a miracle, RAF pilot David Niven escapes certain death, only to find he must argue for his right to live before a 'heavenly tribunal'. A…
Wonder ManWonder Man (1945)
Dir. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen
A typically zany fairy–tale for Danny Kaye, as a mild–mannered student persuaded by the ghost of his dead twin to seek out his murderer.…
Heaven Can WaitHeaven Can Wait (1943)
Dir. Ernst Lubitsch
Feat. Don Ameche, Gene Tierney, Charles Coburn
Amusing comic fantasy in which playboy Don Ameche recalls his life of sin for the devil, to find he wasn't such a bad guy after all.
Munchhausen (1943) Recommended
Dir. Josef von Baky
Feat. Hans Albers
This adaptation of the Rudolph Raspe novel about the extraordinary tall–tales of a German baron is a genuine oddity, both historically and…
Les Visiteurs Du SoirLes Visiteurs Du Soir (1942) Recommended
Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Arletty, Marie Dea, Fernand Ledoux
Two of the Devil's henchmen are dispatched to a fairytale–like 15th century castle with an eye to corrupting its inhabitants, especially a pair…
Captain MarvelCaptain Marvel (1941)
Dir. Bill Witney
Feat. Tom Tyler
Tom Tyler transforms himself into superhero Captain Marvel simply by saying the word...Shazam! Considered by some to be the finest pre–show…
Devil and Daniel Webster, TheDevil and Daniel Webster, The (1941) Aro Favourite
Dir. William Dieterle
Feat. Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, James Craig
Originally released in a heavily edited version as "All That Money Can Buy", this recently restored version can now be fully appreciated as a true…
FantasiaFantasia (1940) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ben Sharpsteen
Glorious Disney musical fantasy set to a rousing classical score. Highlights include Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's apprentice and the hippos and…
Little Nellie KellyLittle Nellie Kelly (1940)
Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Judy Garland, George Murphy
Filmed version of the hit Broadway musical comedy from 1922 about Irish–American immigrants starring Judy Garland, who was fresh to…
Thief of Bagdad, TheThief of Bagdad, The (1940) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michael Powell, Ludwig Berger, Tim Whelan
Feat. Sabu, Conrad Veidt, June Duprez
Sabu stars in this magical, intoxicating vision of the Arabian Nights, some twenty years before the genre was revived in SINBAD. Romance, tragedy,…
Wizard of Oz, TheWizard of Oz, The (1939) Aro Favourite
Dir. Victor Fleming, King Vidor
Feat. Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr
The world's best loved film down through and across the generations, and a key cultural icon. MGM pulled out all the stops to realise L. Frank…
Lost HorizonLost Horizon (1937) Recommended
Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, Edward Everett Horton
Wonderful fantasy adventure about five people who find sanctuary in a Tibetan Valley where good health, peace and longevity reign. A haunting and…
SheShe (1935)
Dir. Irving Pichel, Lansing C. Holden
Feat. Randolph Scott, Helen Gahagan, Helen Mack
Influential, special effects laden fantasy from KING KONG producer Merian C. Cooper about a beguiling, 500–year–old woman as ruler of a…
L'AtalanteL'Atalante (1934)
Dir. Jean Vigo
Feat. Michel Simon, Jean Daste
A recently restored master work from the French film archive combines lyrical romance with inspired touches of fantasy.
March of the Wooden SoldiersMarch of the Wooden Soldiers (Babes In Toyland) (1934) Recommended
Dir. Gus Meins, Charles R. Rogers
Feat. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy
Imaginative musical fantasia also makes the most of Laurel and Hardy's comic genius – as dim–witted toymakers whose mistaken order for…
Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland (1933)
Dir. Norman Z. McLeod
Feat. Charlotte Henry, Edward Everett Horton, W.C. Fields
Extravagant early version of the Lewis Carroll classic was a box office bomb in its day, but age has been kind, and if Charlotte Henry is a little…
Adventures of Prince Achmed, TheAdventures of Prince Achmed, The (1926)
Dir. Lotte Reiniger
The dashing Prince Achmed saves a lovely damsel from evil witches and mythical beasts, as well as discovering Aladdin's lamp, all in the primitive…
SiegfriedSiegfried (Die Nibelungen Pt. 1) (1924)
Dir. Fritz Lang
Feat. Paul Richter, Margarete Schon, Theodor Loos
First part of Dir. Lang's recreation of the German Nibelungen myth cycle (that inspired Wagner's 'Ring'), features fire–breathing dragons,…
Thief of BagdadThief of Bagdad (1924)
Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Douglas Fairbanks, Anna May Wong, Brandon Hurst
Douglas Fairbanks Snr. stars in this original version of the Arabian Nights fable about a young Indian native who out–smarts an evil magician.
Wizard of Oz, TheWizard of Oz, The (1922)
Dir. Larry Semon
Feat. Oliver Hardy, Larry Semon
Original adaptation of the L Frank Baum story, conjures up more laughs than the Judy Garland version, with Oliver Hardy as the Tin–Man, and…
Rik Mayall's Grimm TalesRik Mayall's Grimm Tales
Feat. Rik Mayall
Television's most famous Young One, Rik Mayall channels his raucous exuberance into narrating and performing a series of Grimm fables for your young…

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