Stardust and 4 Other Cult Fantasy Movies From the 2000s for the Coziest Evening
Magical stories you may have forgotten about.
Fantasy has been one of the most popular genres for decades, but creating a movie that becomes a true classic is no easy task. Despite the genre's modern successes, it's hard to argue that the 2000s were fantasy's golden age. And we're not just talking about Harry Potter.
1. Stardust, 2007
Young Tristan lives in a village surrounded by a high wall, beyond which it is forbidden to go. But to win the favor of a local beauty from a wealthy family, he promises to bring her a fallen star.
After making his way beyond the fence, he discovers that the star is not a celestial body at all, but a girl. Their journey becomes the beginning of an amazing adventure full of magic and danger.
Though the original book leans toward dark fantasy, the PG-13 adaptation gives the story a lightness and charm that only enhances its fairy-tale appeal.
2. Hero, 2002
Zhang Yimou takes viewers to ancient China, which is on the brink of collapse. The empire needs a strong leader to restore unity, but fearsome mercenaries stand in his way – Broken Sword, Flying Snow and Long Sky.
The mysterious Nameless volunteers to confront them, and his goal is not only to protect the Emperor, but also to tell the story of his battles with these assassins.
Hero may be overshadowed by more famous films like House of Flying Daggers, but it was the film that brought the wuxia genre to the world stage in the early 2000s.
3. The Fall, 2006
Hollywood stuntman Roy, badly injured after a failed stunt, spends his days in a hospital ward. There he is visited by a girl named Alexandria, and an unusual friendship develops between them.
To pass the time, Roy tells her a fascinating story about the Black Bandit, the escaped slave Otta Benga, the Indian Sage, the Italian revolutionary Luigi, and Charles Darwin himself. Together they enter a fantastic and colorful world where each of them finds a chance for salvation and inner healing.
4. Enchanted, 2007
Giselle lives in a perfect animated world where love always wins. She meets a handsome prince and prepares for their wedding, but her beloved's evil stepmother ruins the fairy tale. To ruin the engagement, she sends Giselle into the real world – right into the hectic and not-so-magical Manhattan.
Enchanted wins viewers with a combination of sincere charm and light irony. Original songs, nostalgic references to Disney classics, and a deft balance between satire and sentimentality make the movie a real treasure.
5. Pan's Labyrinth, 2006
The movie is set in Spain in 1944. Young Ofelia moves with her pregnant mother to the military camp of her stepfather, the cruel Captain Vidal.
In the midst of endless war and violence, the girl finds a mysterious labyrinth where she meets a mysterious faun. He claims that Ofelia is the lost princess of a magical kingdom and challenges her to undergo three trials to regain her throne.
This dark, disturbing tale, full of symbolism and memorable scenes, continues to define the style of the dark fantasy genre two decades later.