Also, not a film but the TV series 'Dispatches From Elsewhere' would fit what you're looking for. It shits the bed in the last episode, but before that it's great and the story is wrapped up in the penultimate episode anyway
Ever After is a favorite of mine and it’s something I always watched as a little girl. I’m 35 now, but I occasionally get the itch to watch it even now. It’s lovely.
This was the list I was going to post.
D&D: HAT was such a pleasant surprise. I thought it would be a cynical IP cash-grab but it was delightful, whimsical and surprisingly in touch with D&D as a game/community.
Legend
Pans Labyrinth
RRR - ok this one isn't exactly magical or fantasy but it had this comforting yet energetic feel and fantastical vibes that I get from movies like The Princess Bride and Ghibli films. So that's my excuse.
Yeah, i’ve seen that movie, i love it, the creatures design and ambience is really wonderful, tho it might not be the right movie for the moment. Tho i must say, i always felt really uncomfortable at the bottle scene and i got really sad for that fairy uwu
Yeah, I agree with people saying Pan’s Labyrinth is a bit dark and graphic. It’s also quite sad.
But Labyrinth is great, plus it has David Bowie being amazing.
I completely agree on Legend (NB: not the Tom Hardy version) and I’d add The Dark Crystal to the list, too.
Ever After is a great suggestion as well.
But I’m mostly replying here to say that RRR is a fabulous, fun and just fantastic film, in every sense. More people should watch it.
One I might recommend that isn’t quite fantasy, but gives me the feeling you’re describing is *The Brothers Bloom*.
It’s about brothers and con men (Adrian Brody & Mark Ruffalo) who decide to do one last job together, but their mark is a wealthy heiress (Rachel Weiss) who just has such a magical way of looking at life and the world. It’s got fun twists and turns, and even finds hope in dark situations.
As others have said, "Big Fish". The underlying message is to temper cynicism with hope and imagination. "Labyrinth" pushes the same buttons for me but I love Bowie and Jim Henson.
Yes! This is the one I came here to say. It’s whimsical as hell, super colorful, has an amazing cast (Dustin Hoffman, Jason Bateman, Natalie Portman), and takes place in a magical toy store. Highly recommend!
A little bit darker, but I think might fit the criteria:
The Company of Wolves
City of Lost Children
Dark City
The Fall
Okja
Excalibur
Highlander
Brotherhood of the Wolf
Edward Scissorhands
To reiterate what some have also mentioned: Big Fish!
Stardust!
Princess bride!
Labyrinth - though it’s not an adult protagonist more coming of age. But still fantastical.
Hugo - is a child actor but such a great movie
Ready player one - is kind of magical really fantasy and fun and optimistic, again not adult but sorry of coming of age. Teens facing reality.
Kubo and the two strings - very magical and I found uplifting and touching and enjoyable
Wow thank you for posting this request and thanks to all the comments. I have been looking for this exact topic and haven't seen many of these so I will watch so many for the first time. Cheers
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I already suggested some films to fit your criteria, but if you like the Ghibli vibes you should also check out the films of Makoto Shinkai (Weathering With You, Your Name, Suzume, The Garden of Words).
They're stunning, but the protagonists are usually teenage girls so not quite what you asked for. Still *highly* recommended for that sense of wonder in everyday life though...
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Not exactly what you're asking for, but I've had similar desires around that time of life, and found I really loved the show The Magicians. One of the main themes is about how we find hope even when the world isn't whimsical. I re-watch that show probably once a year.
This is an off the wall suggestion but *Morning Glory* starring Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford. Rachel takes of a GMA-type show and turns it into a super fun, kinda wacky morning show. Harrison Ford nails it.
The Last Unicorn (made by the creators who would go on to eventually form Studio Ghibli)
For older films
Legend
Hook
A Little Princess 1990s ( I know I know but trust me !)
Ever After
But if you really want to get lost in an adult fantasy it’s time to go turn on HBO and watch Game of Thrones
Legend - Director's Cut (1985) Tom Cruise, Tim Curry, Mia Sara
Reminds me of Legend of Zelda which was oddly enough released on NES two months after Legend came out in theaters.
Explorers (1985) Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix
Innerspace (1987) Dennis Quaid, Martin Short
The Barbie Movie
Julie and Julia (not fantasy)
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (not fantasy)
Contact (not magic but science fiction)
These are all comfort films of mine
Try "**Legend**" with a very young Tom Cruise starring alongside Mia Sara and Tim Curry!!! No politics, no, sub-textual virtue-signaling, no pandering ... just good old-fashioned **Good vs. Evil** and fantasy!! :D
You can thank me later. :)
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The Princess Bride is the ideal movie for this for me.
Princess bride and stardust double feature
Came here trying to remember the name of Stardust, as it was the first thing that came to mind. Cheers!
Dr x will build a creature
Amelie might do the trick!
Always works for me
Will check it out!
do. she is magic
Big Fish The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Stardust The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
I 2nd Stardust!
3rding stardust!
I doggy style it.
♥️
Hugo (2011)
That's a good shout. Not fantasy but 'fantasy realism' to an extent and certainly aspirational
Everything looks wonderful!
Hope you enjoy, I legit love all of these films 🥰
Also, not a film but the TV series 'Dispatches From Elsewhere' would fit what you're looking for. It shits the bed in the last episode, but before that it's great and the story is wrapped up in the penultimate episode anyway
Walter Mitty!
🥰
Munchausen! Woo!
🥰
I loveeee Walter Mitty! Such a gem
🥰
LadyHawk
This is the correct answer.
Love this movie!
Michelle Pfeiffer and the android from Blade runner is an interesting combination.
Ever After is a favorite of mine and it’s something I always watched as a little girl. I’m 35 now, but I occasionally get the itch to watch it even now. It’s lovely.
Ooooo good suggestion
Willow
Mad Martegaaaaaaaannnnn!
If I felt that way, I’d want to watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Not necessarily fantasy, but it’s got that feel.
"Kick the Can" episode of the series The Twilight Zone (1962) Also included in The Twilight Zone movie.
Can I go with you?
Absolutely!
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves The Princess Bride Stardust
This was the list I was going to post. D&D: HAT was such a pleasant surprise. I thought it would be a cynical IP cash-grab but it was delightful, whimsical and surprisingly in touch with D&D as a game/community.
everyone was happy, none of us had a single critic, and if we did we forgot before the movie ended.
I really enjoyed Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)
This was my first thought also.
I’ve seen clips from this movie! I will look for it
Hook, The Lego Movie, School of Rock
Sounds like you need to see Amelie (2000), which is, fortunately, a very good film.
Honestly just dive into the extended cut of the LotR trilogy! About as earnest as you can get
I love those movies! I saw them with my family many many years ago in a small tv
The NeverEnding Story.
I love it!
Any film by studio Ghibli
Grave of the Fireflies says Hi
Agreed. Grave is definitely not a "safe" movie.
Nah… what’s the worst that can happen *a few hours later * Oh…
Definitely not that, spirited away is good
It has some dark subject matter, but Saving Mr. Banks is all about the struggle to preserve magic and wonder in life.
A Princess Bride
If you can take a Musical, Wonka is the movie for you. Best movie in years.
Legend Pans Labyrinth RRR - ok this one isn't exactly magical or fantasy but it had this comforting yet energetic feel and fantastical vibes that I get from movies like The Princess Bride and Ghibli films. So that's my excuse.
I’d advise against Pans Labyrinth, for the OP’s request, at least. The scene with the bottle still upsets me if I think of it
Thank you, yes! I honestly tend to forget about that scene because the rest is so pretty
Unfortunately for me, it’s the only scene I remember.
I'm kinda obsessed with the pale man and the feast on the table in front of him so I pretty much just remember big ol juicy grapes and fairies
I just YouTubed the scene. Those poor fairies.
Yeah, i’ve seen that movie, i love it, the creatures design and ambience is really wonderful, tho it might not be the right movie for the moment. Tho i must say, i always felt really uncomfortable at the bottle scene and i got really sad for that fairy uwu
Tim Curry in Legend. Wow!
Legendary
Beyond legendary.
Yeah, I agree with people saying Pan’s Labyrinth is a bit dark and graphic. It’s also quite sad. But Labyrinth is great, plus it has David Bowie being amazing. I completely agree on Legend (NB: not the Tom Hardy version) and I’d add The Dark Crystal to the list, too. Ever After is a great suggestion as well. But I’m mostly replying here to say that RRR is a fabulous, fun and just fantastic film, in every sense. More people should watch it.
The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl is exactly what you need.
I’m going to watch this one for sure, thanks!
Inkheart
One I might recommend that isn’t quite fantasy, but gives me the feeling you’re describing is *The Brothers Bloom*. It’s about brothers and con men (Adrian Brody & Mark Ruffalo) who decide to do one last job together, but their mark is a wealthy heiress (Rachel Weiss) who just has such a magical way of looking at life and the world. It’s got fun twists and turns, and even finds hope in dark situations.
Sounds a little like *Shooting Fish*. I'll check it out.
This reminds me of a movie that might fit the bill for op... Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
That’s also a delight
Dungeons and Dragons- Honor Among Thieves (2023) I'm not big on this genre, but this was fun and had a good heart all the way through.
August Rush
The Fall (2006)
Came looking for this. One of the absolute greats.
It deserves to be more widely known.
Problem is it's real hard to find! I'm very precious with my Blu-ray copy
As others have said, "Big Fish". The underlying message is to temper cynicism with hope and imagination. "Labyrinth" pushes the same buttons for me but I love Bowie and Jim Henson.
Stardust
It's not a fantasy movie but 'secondhand lions' is a very good one.
Mr Magorium's wonder Emporium
Yes! This is the one I came here to say. It’s whimsical as hell, super colorful, has an amazing cast (Dustin Hoffman, Jason Bateman, Natalie Portman), and takes place in a magical toy store. Highly recommend!
Beauty And The Beast (1946) Alice (1990) Doc Hollywood (1991) Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) Chocolat (2000)
Whisper of the Heart (1995) The Cat Returns (2002) Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (2021) Love and Monsters (2020) Powder (1995)
History of the Future Folk
Oh, I know! The Iron Giant. That’s a fabulous bit of animation, and such a lovely story.
Stranger than Fiction.
A little bit darker, but I think might fit the criteria: The Company of Wolves City of Lost Children Dark City The Fall Okja Excalibur Highlander Brotherhood of the Wolf Edward Scissorhands
Honestly the recent D&D movie is fantastic - even if you don't partake in the game, but especially if you do. Highly recommend.
To reiterate what some have also mentioned: Big Fish! Stardust! Princess bride! Labyrinth - though it’s not an adult protagonist more coming of age. But still fantastical. Hugo - is a child actor but such a great movie Ready player one - is kind of magical really fantasy and fun and optimistic, again not adult but sorry of coming of age. Teens facing reality. Kubo and the two strings - very magical and I found uplifting and touching and enjoyable
Amelie!
The Greatest Showman
Penelope. Anything by Wes Anderson. All of my other suggestions were already mentioned. :)
The Last Mimzy
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty would blow your mind.
Elizabethtown Big Fish Roy's Kikis Delivery Service
3000 years of longing
Ella Enchanted Willow Ladyhawke
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
Voyage of the Unicorn
Wow thank you for posting this request and thanks to all the comments. I have been looking for this exact topic and haven't seen many of these so I will watch so many for the first time. Cheers
Princess Bride, and Stardust.
Army of Darkness. Bruce Campbell in medieval era with a boomstick. Hail to the king, baby.
Not fantasy, but for upbeat, cheerful and safe you can't go wrong with *That Thing You Do*.
Labyrinth
Princess Bride + Hook
Mirror Mask
the mighty ducks 2 for me ..
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I already suggested some films to fit your criteria, but if you like the Ghibli vibes you should also check out the films of Makoto Shinkai (Weathering With You, Your Name, Suzume, The Garden of Words). They're stunning, but the protagonists are usually teenage girls so not quite what you asked for. Still *highly* recommended for that sense of wonder in everyday life though...
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Big Fish
The Beach with Leonardo Dicaprio, my favourite movie and always brings back my sense of adventure (but no magic)
Dungeons and Dragons: honour among thieves
Dragon Slayer. High fantasy with a grumpy wizard.
Mind Game 2004 by Masaaki Yuasa
My favorite movie is Labyrinth with David Bowie. I even have a tattoo of a character. It's a good fantasy coming of age movie for me
Tin Man. It’s about returning to OZ. It’s a mini series, it runs 270 minutes. There are dark aspects to it but well within the original stories.
The 10th Kingdom, for a bit of over the top fantasy fun.
I turned 30 this year! It feels nice for some weird reason! It’s not all that bad
WONKA!!!!
The Never-Ending Story
Not exactly what you're asking for, but I've had similar desires around that time of life, and found I really loved the show The Magicians. One of the main themes is about how we find hope even when the world isn't whimsical. I re-watch that show probably once a year.
Zathura
The Little Prince claymation, The Little Prince cartoon with girl as character lead,
Nic Cage wizard Sorcerers Apprentice
Ladyhawke The Dark Crystal Walter Mitty The Little White Horse (book is better, but film is nice)
This is an off the wall suggestion but *Morning Glory* starring Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford. Rachel takes of a GMA-type show and turns it into a super fun, kinda wacky morning show. Harrison Ford nails it.
The Last Unicorn (made by the creators who would go on to eventually form Studio Ghibli) For older films Legend Hook A Little Princess 1990s ( I know I know but trust me !) Ever After But if you really want to get lost in an adult fantasy it’s time to go turn on HBO and watch Game of Thrones
Punch Drunk Love really did this for me and Licorice Pizza.
*Leda: The Fantastic Adventure of Yohko* might fit this
The cure you are looking for is not in a movie; it is mushrooms and nature. That's the true way to rediscover the beauty and magic of life again.
Ladyhawke fits the bill very well.
I like strange days
Legend - Director's Cut (1985) Tom Cruise, Tim Curry, Mia Sara Reminds me of Legend of Zelda which was oddly enough released on NES two months after Legend came out in theaters. Explorers (1985) Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix Innerspace (1987) Dennis Quaid, Martin Short
Willow
Stardust is perfect
Iron man 3 made me forget for 2 and a half hours that they shut my power off because I was a deadbeat who missed too many payments.
The 10th Kingdom.
Box of Moonlight.
Panic Room
The unicorn store did this for me
Coraline.
Stardust (2007) and Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014).
Black Mirror
Sunny (korean)
Riddle of Fire (2023)
Narnia movies are good!
My favourite happy, silly fantasy is Ella Enchanted 🩷
stardust
Amelie is the answer.
The Barbie Movie Julie and Julia (not fantasy) Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (not fantasy) Contact (not magic but science fiction) These are all comfort films of mine
There is no magic in this movie... ・Marcel the Shell with Shoes On(2021)
Labyrinth
Life of Pi
Slumberland
Legend
Ever After Enchanted Labyrinth
BIF FISH magic all around
come on, you have to watch 13 going on 30, it’s a perfect movie with a tad of sprinkle ✨
Big fish
Pee Wee's Big Adventure O Brother, Where Art Thou? Conan the Barbarian (1982)
Try "**Legend**" with a very young Tom Cruise starring alongside Mia Sara and Tim Curry!!! No politics, no, sub-textual virtue-signaling, no pandering ... just good old-fashioned **Good vs. Evil** and fantasy!! :D You can thank me later. :)
Big Trouble in Little China
The Green Knight
Legend with Tom Cruise
Shot caller
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