HBO’s His Dark Materials is the best sort of fantasy. While its primary focus is on the epic adventures of its two protagonists Lyra and Will, it doesn’t shy away from the bigger philosophical questions, particularly concerning religion and free will.
Though it obviously takes some liberties with the original novels, for the most part, it remains true to the spirit of the novels written by Philip Pullman. Of course, it partakes of a long fantasy tradition in the movies, and there are quite a few fantasy movies to watch for those who have enjoyed the HBO series.
10 The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe
In some ways, it’s hard to think of a movie more unlike His Dark Materials than this one, especially since they take such opposing approaches to religion.
However, there’s no question that they both express a certain childlike glee in the world of magic, and of course, both the movie and the series feature children who end up becoming part of a wider battle that they never even knew of before they entered an alternative world, in this case, the ice-bound world of Narnia.
9 Harry Potter
It’s hard to imagine a series more popular and influential than Harry Potter. From the first book and movie to the last, the boy wizard who faced down the evilest and deadly wizard of his age entranced audiences and continues to do so.
Even though it’s been some time since the series concluded, there’s no denying that Harry Potter continues to cast a spell, and it will no doubt continue to do so for quite some time to come.
8 The Lord Of The Rings
If there’s any franchise that gives Harry Potter a run for its money in terms of popularity and success, it would have to be The Lord of the Rings. The movie versions directed by Peter Jackson became enormous financial and critical successes, bolstering the credibility of the fantasy genre.
It certainly helps that, whatever their flaws, the movies do manage to capture some of the operatic grandeur and majesty of Tolkien’s original works and, like His Dark Materials, show the beauty of the magical world.
7 The Golden Compass
The HBO adaptation is not the first time that Pullman’s famous books have been brought to the screen. The Golden Compass is, of course, an adaptation of the first book in the trilogy, and it features a truly stunning cast that includes Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman.
It wasn’t nearly as successful as it should have been, but that shouldn’t obscure just how gorgeous this movie is and how close it comes to capturing the magic and power of Pullman’s vision.
6 Stardust
The 2000s was a bit of a golden age for the fantasy movie, and there were quite a few that managed to fly just under the radar. That’s the case with Stardust, which even now doesn’t get quite the attention that it deserves from fans of the genre.
However, that shouldn’t obscure the fact that it’s a truly magical little movie, with quite a lot of charm and enchantment for those who enjoyed that particular aspect of the HBO series.
5 Percy Jackson And The Olympians
There seems to be something innately appealing about the idea of a young person who finds out that they are in fact not who they thought they were and are, actually, possessed of a grand destiny.
That’s certainly the case with Percy Jackson, which features a young man who is the son of the Greek god Zeus. It’s a fun movie, and it’s actually rather refreshing to see Greek mythology brought into a story set in the modern age.
4 Bridge To Terabithia
One of the powers of fantasy is that it captures the imagination and encourages viewers to see beyond what they normally experience in their everyday lives. In this movie, that is as true of the characters and their lives as it is of the audience sitting in the theater.
There are a beauty and a whimsy to this movie that make it absolutely charming. From the moment that the movie begins, it casts a spell, and the movie is a fitting adaptation of the book on which it’s based.
3 A Wrinkle In Time
This movie, based on the enormously popular and enduringly successful novel, was, unfortunately, a bit of a disaster at the box office. That was truly a shame, for there is much to enjoy about it. It’s a simply gorgeous movie to watch, and it’s refreshing to see a story that so strongly emphasizes diversity and the empowerment of young women.
It definitely helps that it was directed by none other than the great Ava DuVernay, one of the most respected directors working in Hollywood today.
2 Pete’s Dragon
It might have seemed strange to many for Disney to choose to remake one of its lesser-known movies from the 1970s, but somehow they managed to make it work. Pete’s Dragon is exactly what one would expect from Disney, with a story that manages to be sweet and charming without being cloying.
It also helps that it features some animation that is gorgeous to look at and characters (including the titular dragon) that manage to appeal to the child in every viewer.
1 The Secret Garden
The 1990s was a bit of a golden age for a certain kind of kids’ movie, one that could appeal to not only children but also to the parents that had to take them to the theater.
In this case, the movie focuses on a young girl who moves in with her uncle and discovers the titular garden, which changes her entire outlook on life. It’s a beautiful and sweet movie, and there are even a few moments of sadness. And, to top it all off, it also has Maggie Smith in the cast. In sum, it’s a perfect movie.
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