The fantasy genre has such a wide scope that it’s not rare for some movies to leave fans of the genre skeptical or uncertain about them. However, some fantasy movies make you fall in love with the genre even before they’re over, as they can get even those who don’t enjoy fantasy movies invested in their stories.
Some of the best opening scenes in fantasy movie history immerse viewers from the get-go, ensuring they fall in love. There are also fantasy movies with great fight scenes that we want to watch more than once. We encounter fantasy films that grow more on us with time, with some instant classics becoming better after a rewatch.
The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Each individual entry in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a fantasy movie that changed the genre forever, and it’s rare for anyone not to instantly fall in love with the three films. Tolkien gave medieval fantasy storytelling its most popular form, and watching The Lord of the Rings is akin to witnessing the birth of fantasy.
Yet, each The Lord of the Rings movie gets better with every rewatch because they’re made with such attention to detail that you discover more things you love about the movies every time you see them again. Once the scale of the story sinks in, we start noticing foreshadowing and Easter eggs in what would previously seem like throwaway lines.
Spirited Away (2001)
The fluid animation, the heartfelt story about human connection, the whimsical world design, the unique approach to using a child’s point of view, and the wondrously vast lore about the spirit realm make Spirited Away an instant classic. Within a few minutes of the opening scene, you’re immersed in the many animated movie scenes that would not work in live-action.
Spirited Away was the first anime film to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, and the only one until 2024, when The Boy and the Heron, another Hayao Miyazaki film, repeated the feat.
However, Spirited Away is a deeply substantial film, and to understand every layer on which its narrative works and appreciate the full depth of Miyazaki’s scope as a storyteller, you need to watch it multiple times. The amount of detailing in the lore, the characterization, and, of course, the ever-shifting animated visuals, makes it a delight to watch multiple times.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Guillermo del Toro’s story, about a young girl growing up amidst the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and finding solace away from the apathetic world of violence in macabre fantasy, isn’t always everyone’s favorite from the get-go. The film is too harsh at times, and its bittersweet ending, while ideal for Pan’s Labyrinth, is contentious for some first-time viewers.
However, Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the best coming-of-age movies ever made, and on repeat viewings, the necessity of every creative choice becomes apparent. Moreover, the dark and twisted fantasy world becomes more fascinating with every rewatch, as you notice more interesting details that elevate its metaphorical significance. Ofelia’s journey is unforgettable, but its harshness can take time to accept.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
It’s rare for sequels to be better than the original movie, but Puss in Boots: The Last Wish raises the bar so much higher than Puss in Boots, that it’s among Hollywood’s best animated films in recent years. Its meditation on anxiety and mortality, vibrant animation, and memorable villain leave an impression that lasts long after the credits have rolled.
The Last Wish isn’t afraid to commit to the whimsy its medium affords, and its villain, Death, who plays as big a role metaphorically as he does literally through the energetic fight sequences with the тιтular character, ensures it’s an instant classic. However, the more times you watch it, the more you realize how well-written Puss’ arc of reconciliation is.
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
Of the many uniquely quirky movies that the late Robin Williams gave us, Jumanji is among the best. Its premise of children entering a board game remains refreshing even today, and has been reused by some sci-fi and fantasy adventure movies, including the Spy Kids franchise. Yet, even though Jumanji is a bigger franchise today, one film remains criminally underrated.
Often forgotten, Zathura is the best Jumanji sequel ever made, even though it takes time to accept that. Jon Favreau’s direction is the most delightful part of the sequel that takes the adventure to outer space, and barring the awkward subplot featuring Kristen Stewart, the other seemingly clunky and disjointed elements of the film grow on you with repeat viewings.
Coraline (2009)
Henry Selick helmed the first feature film by Laika Animation Studios, and 16 years later, its cult following continues to grow as more people discover how much the well-written coming-of-age story resonates with them. The empathy that drives its exploration of strained family dynamics, characterized by mature storytelling and fascinating worldbuilding, gets many invested in it midway through the film.
However, as one of the best scary fantasy movies, some viewers, especially children, who are its target demographic, may not all take to it immediately. Rewatching it normalizes and softens the blow of the horror elements, helps one see the creativity in the character designs, and allows those initially terrified by Coraline to enjoy its тιтular protagonist’s emotionally rich arc.
Pete’s Dragon (2016)
David Lowery has an impressive filmography, including The Green Knight, The Old Man and the Gun, A Ghost Story, and AIn’t Them Bodies Saints, which are undoubtedly great films. While St. Nick still divides critics, and it’s hard to find anyone with no complaints about Peter Pan & Wendy, his 2016 film Pete’s Dragon deserved a better reception.
Disney’s live-action remakes of animated classics have mostly been soulless, but Pete’s Dragon is an underrated live-action remake of the already underrated 1977 film. It initially feels like an unnecessary remake that shows the same lack of creativity, but Lowery’s direction eventually grows on you with repeat viewings, and it might even be the best of the Disney live-action remake.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
A Christmas movie about the power of kindness and how we might unknowingly help people around us if we simply prioritize being a good person is rightfully considered a perfect movie that’s impossible to hate. It’s a Wonderful Life follows a suicidal man who is stopped by his guardian angel and shown how he has improved everyone’s lives around him.
It doesn’t take long for the beautiful life-affirming message of the movie to make it a hit, even with first-time viewers. It’s a Wonderful Life reflects the spirit of Christmas in all its glory, and every time you rewatch it, you appreciate its message and approach to storytelling even more. There’s a reason it’s still beloved nearly eight decades later.
Being John Malkovich (1999)
Imagine if all the “Day in the life” videos of celebrities weren’t just glimpses into their lives, but invitations to live as them for a day. While it sounds fun, it can lead to chaos that harms your relationship with yourself if you discover a means of unchecked access to the celebrity’s mind and body, and can turn into them.
Being John Malkovich is a movie with a weird premise that’s still extremely entertaining because Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay delightfully satirizes the parasocial nature of fandom. However, the trippy viewing experience makes it hard to believe what you’ve seen, and without multiple viewings, you would be excused for dismissing it as too confusing and perhaps even too morbid to really enjoy.
KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
KPop Demon Hunters is still breaking record on streaming charts, and has recently hit a milestone that’s not been achieved in the history of Netflix across all formats of content. KPop Demon Hunters wins you over from the first viewing itself because it tells a timeless story of self-acceptance, has an incredibly catchy soundtrack, and an energetically animated immersive world.
Fictional girl group HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters has also become the first girl group to hit number one on the Billboard H๏τ 100 since Destiny’s Child did the same in late 2000 through to January 2001.
The catchiness of the soundtrack shouldn’t be underestimated, and every time you rewatch KPop Demon Hunters, you become an even bigger fan of it. Moreover, the minute details that have fans pouring in with their theories about the characters and the intriguing lore only reveal themselves on further repeat viewings. KPop Demon Hunters is everywhere, but it’s still not annoying.
