10 Forgotten Fantasy Movies That Are Still Perfect Today

7 hours ago 3

A hand offering an egg to a young girl in Angel's Egg.

Published Mar 27, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts.

In an age where thousands of movies come out every year, it is only natural for some to be overshadowed and forgotten, with only a select few classics shining through. It is especially true with the fantasy genre, which hasn't seen many outstanding original movies since The Lord of the Rings. This trilogy has taken over the genre and pushed down some classics by doing so.

However, even if they may be forgotten, these classics still exist, which is why this list will highlight ten forgotten fantasy films that are still perfect today. Based on story, acting, directing, originality, popularity, critical acclaim, overall quality, and how good a fantasy it is, these ten movies were once the biggest things of their decade, but have since faded into obscurity. But this list aims to remind fans just how good they were and how worthy they are of a rewatch.

Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the Rings
Race Do You Belong To? Hobbit · Elf · Dwarf · Man · Orc

Middle-earth is home to many peoples — the courageous, the ancient, the stubborn, the ambitious, and the wretched. Ten questions will determine which race truly claims your soul. The answer may surprise you. Or it may confirm what you already suspected.

🌿Hobbit

🌟Elf

⚒️Dwarf

⚔️Man

💀Orc

What does your ideal day look like? How we rest reveals as much as how we fight.

How do you feel about the passing of time? Our relationship with mortality shapes everything we value.

Danger is approaching. Your first instinct is to: Fight, flight, or something in between — it's more revealing than you'd think.

You stumble upon a great treasure. What do you feel? What we desire — and what we do about it — is the true test.

How important is community and belonging to you? No race of Middle-earth is truly alone — but some prefer it that way.

How ambitious are you, honestly? Ambition is neither virtue nor vice — it depends entirely on what you want.

Where do you feel most at home in the natural world? Middle-earth is vast — and every race has its place within it.

What kind of strength do you most respect? Every race defines strength differently — and they're all at least a little right.

What do you want to leave behind when you're gone? Legacy is the story we tell ourselves about why any of this matters.

Be honest — what do you actually want most out of life? The truest question always comes last.

Middle-earth Has Spoken You Belong To…

The race that claimed the most of your answers is your true kin. If two tied, both are shown — you walk between worlds.

◆ A TIE — YOU WALK BETWEEN TWO RACES ◆

🌿

Your Race

The Hobbits

You are, at your core, a creature of comfort, community, and quiet joy — and there is nothing small about that. Hobbits are proof that heroism does not require ambition, that the bravest heart can beat inside the most unassuming chest. You value good food, warm hearths, close friends, and a world that stays largely untroubled by dark lords and quests. When adventure does find you — and it will — you rise to it not because you sought it, but because the people you love needed you to. That is not ordinary. That is the rarest kind of courage in all of Middle-earth.

🌟

Your Race

The Elves

Ancient, graceful, and carrying a weight of memory most mortals cannot fathom, you are one of the Elves. You see the world in its fullness — its beauty, its impermanence, the unbearable ache of watching everything you love eventually fade. You pursue perfection not from pride, but because excellence is how you honour the time you have been given. Others may see you as remote or melancholy. They are not wrong, exactly. But they mistake depth for distance. You feel everything — which is precisely why you have learned to carry it so quietly.

⚒️

Your Race

The Dwarves

Stubborn, proud, fiercely loyal, and possessed of a work ethic that would exhaust most other races before breakfast — you are Dwarf-kind through and through. You do not ask for approval and you do not offer it cheaply. Your loyalty, once given, is given for life. Your grudges last longer. You love deeply and defend ferociously, and the things you build — with your hands, with your sweat, with generations of accumulated craft — are made to last. Not for glory. Because anything worth doing is worth doing properly, and you have never once done anything by half measures.

⚔️

Your Race

The Race of Men

Mortal, ambitious, flawed, and magnificent — you belong to the most complicated race in Middle-earth, and that complexity is your greatest strength. Men are capable of cowardice and extraordinary bravery, of cruelty and breathtaking sacrifice, sometimes within the same breath. You feel the urgency of your finite years, and it drives you. You want to matter. You want to leave something behind. You fall, and you rise, and the rising is what defines you. Tolkien called mortality the Gift of Men — not a curse, but a fire that burns bright precisely because it does not burn forever. That fire is you.

💀

Your Race

The Orcs

Brutal, survivalist, and contemptuous of anything that can't defend itself — you answered with the instincts of an Orc, and there is a certain savage honesty in that. You do not dress up your desires in polite language or pretend you want things you don't. You want power, survival, and to never be at the bottom of any hierarchy ever again. Orcs are not evil by nature — they were made from something that was once good, and broken into this shape by forces they did not choose. What remains is fierce, territorial, and deeply aware that the world is not kind. You've made your peace with that. The question is what you do with it.

'The Beastmaster' (1982)

A man kneeling with a black tiger in Beastmaster

The '80s had a lot of magnificent and cheesy fantasy wonders that have long since been forgotten, and the first on this list is The Beastmaster. Dar (Marc Singer) is a prince who was stolen at birth and is now raised by peasants, who learns that he can communicate with animals. Alongside his trusty furry friends, his next adventure pits him against an evil priest sacrificing children.

The Rotten Tomatoes score may not reflect too kindly on The Beastmaster, or a couple of other fantasy movies on this list, but all that matters is that fans loved it. Fantasy nowadays is all computer-generated, specifically the creatures, but that is exactly why The Beastmaster is perfect today. There's a lived-in quality to it that makes it more memorable and engaging than half of the stuff we have today. The real animals and practical feelings make this fantasy more immersive and wondrous.

'MirrorMask' (2005)

'MirrorMask' features sumptuous visual effects but is light on narrative

Outside the 1980s, the 2000s were also a fantastic decade for fantasy movies, such as MirrorMask. Helena (Stephanie Leonidas) is a girl working at the circus, but she one day dreams of leaving for the outside world. However, she suddenly falls into a dreamscape with an evil doppleganger threatening to take her place if she doesn't find the titular mask and use it to escape.

Don't let some of the reviews fool you; MirrorMask is one of the best fantasy adventure movies of all time, and possibly the most underrated as well. A key aspect of fantasy films is to capture a sense of wonder and magic that isn't in the real world, and while MirrorMask strays from the usual clean fantasy, the film's living collage aesthetic is a much-needed change of pace.

'Legend' (1985)

Everyone knows Ridley Scott as an iconic director who has produced some of the most noteworthy films ever, specifically sci-fi masterpieces. However, he also tried his hand at fantasy, and the rousing result was Legend. The Lord of Darkness wants to cast the world into shadow, and to do so, he must kill the last unicorns alive. Luckily, a forest-dwelling boy is here to foil his dastardly plans.

Scott is best at delivering genre-defining sci-fi's, but that is exactly why everyone forgets about Legend. It may not be as good as his other films, but it is still a perfect family fantasy today that deserves more recognition. This movie is a visual masterclass, with every scene looking like a live-action oil painting that effortlessly blends fantasy and adventure. Besides, Tim Curry's iconic performance seals the deal, proving practical magic is better than digital grandeur.

'The Secret of Kells' (2009)

The Secret of Kell's characters in some sort of wooden tapestry.

Fantasy is much easier to capture in animation than live-action, being able to create any worlds, creatures, or magical elements they want, and The Secret of Kells proves this. An illustrator is working on a magical book, and a young boy plans to help him finish it by traveling into the mystical forest, but he must also face the invading Vikings.

The Secret of Kells is a brilliant and gorgeous film that uses its stylized aesthetic and 2D animation to create a truly magical world and style full of mysticism and wonder. The Celtic influence makes this remarkable picture a distinct fantasy, unlike the usual high fantasy tropes fans are used to. The Secret of Kells is a classic animated movie that aged like fine wine, remaining a fantasy staple by a genre-defining director, Tomm Moore.

'The Fall' (2006)

A group of figures and an archer in a desert landscape in The Fall

Set in the 1920s, The Fall follows a paralyzed stuntman telling a young girl a grand story about five adventurers traveling around the world on a quest for revenge. As he tells her this story, her imagination takes over the tale, interweaving with the reality of what happened, creating a visually stunning adventure.

CGI backgrounds and green screens are a wonder for modern movies, but they lack a certain immersive charm that made older fantasy films so special. The Fall was filmed in 20 countries with zero use of CGI, capturing breathtaking landscapes and creating a gorgeous spectacle that is dazzling to gaze at. It is a tribute to the power of storytelling and human imagination, also displaying one of the best child acting performances ever.

'The Spiderwick Chronicles' (2008)

Freddie Highmore in 'The Spiderwick Chronicles'

Some of these movies aren't as forgotten as others, and one of those may be The Spiderwick Chronicles, a semi-recent and nostalgic fantasy. When the Grace family moves into a run-down house, the children discover a field guide to the secret world of faeries. However, when an evil ogre and his army come to take it, the kids must protect it with their lives.

The Spiderwick Chronicles is a modern fantasy masterpiece, using its vast world of creatures and lore to create an immersive experience that makes viewers feel like an adventurous kid again. Its mix of relatable and gritty themes paired with its whimsical vibe makes a perfect blend of fantasy that opens a whole fantasy world of magic and faeries in viewers' own backyard. It also has the ultimate child star of the 2000s, Freddie Highmore, in two roles, which always helps.

'The Elm-Chanted Forest' (1986)

Creature with colorful eyes in 'The Elm-Chanted Forest'

Forgotten movies are one thing, but forgotten countries are something else, and Yugoslavia produced a trippy animated fantasy. The Elm-Chanted Forest follows a painter who falls asleep in an enchanted tree, gaining the ability to talk to animals with his paintbrush as a wand. But now he must lead the creatures in a revolution against the evil king, who wants to turn the forest into a desert.

The Elm-Chanted forest is an acid-trip for the whole family, with kids loving the bright colors and fun story, but adults will appreciate the political subtext that remains an influential and important message. This surreal and psychedelic experience is a unique one, but it is equal parts fun and traumatizing, making it a one-of-a-kind fantasy.

'Angel's Egg' (1985)

Fantasy movies come in a lot of shapes and sizes, and anime has molded the genre to whatever it wants, including twisted, dark, and gothic masterpieces. A young girl guards a mysterious egg in a desolate city, and a young boy carrying a cross can't help but question her and her faith. Angel's Egg is a grim and bleak fantasy that is darker than most on this list.

Out of all the fantasy movies on this list, Angel's Egg probably has the biggest cult following, yet it is still forgotten by too many. It doesn't feature that innovative of a story, being more of a vibe film, creating a unique experience. Angel's Egg is a quiet and desolate world where the lack of dialogue opens room for the unrelenting darkness to seep in, creating a visceral feeling that elevates it to become one of the best anime films.

'On Borrowed Time' (1939)

The majority of the movies on this list take place between the 1980s and 2000s, mainly because that is when the fantasy genre was at its peak. However, there are some true classics dating back to Hollywood's Golden Age, such as On Borrowed Time. A grandpa wants to protect his grandson from an evil aunt, but when he tricks death to climb up a tree and not come down, people in this world can no longer die.

Fantasy movies didn't have the same high-fantasy style as they do now, but that only means the concepts are more original. On Borrowed Time is a golden age classic that is a bittersweet folk tale and a Twilight Zone-esque story. The themes, sentimentality, and wit create a compelling fantasy movie that is unfortunately forgotten.

'Dreams' (1990)

Surprisingly, this list features a couple of movies from iconic directors with unforgettable movies, including Akira Kurosawa, known for Seven Samurai. However, since he has so many masterpieces, fans often forget some of his films, including Dreams. This movie is a collection of eight stories based on Kurosawa's actual dreams, ranging from a wedding between foxes to a mountaineer's encounter with a snow spirit.

Even if Dreams doesn't reach the heights of Kurosawa's other movies, it is still a gorgeous masterpiece that highlights the heights of his creativity, style, and filmmaking prowess. This film is pure unfiltered poetry, with each story feeling like a new type of fantasy, making it a versatile movie that can impress with any method or style. Dreams takes fans into the canvas of a master artist, creating a fantastical experience that is absolutely flawless today.