There’s a sure type of magic that lives in ‘90s fantasy films. Not the slick, CGI-heavy form you discover right now, however the tangible, practical-effects form—the type of magic created by individuals who grew up turning a stick right into a thousand completely different weapons with nothing however creativeness.
These have been the films that made children consider goblins undoubtedly lived beneath the mattress, that dragon caves have been all over the place, and that stormy castles at all times housed honest princesses. For anybody born post-90s, it’s necessary to recollect: ‘90s children didn’t have limitless entry to each type of leisure conceivable. In case you needed to observe a film, you needed to go to a retailer to both purchase or hire the VHS (that’s Video Residence System, for the youthful generations).
For many who grew up through the ‘90s, fantasy films have been proof that the world may very well be weirder, wilder, and way more fantastic than it regarded outdoors a bed room window.
So let’s rewind these tapes, sit down, and undergo our ranked record of the perfect ‘90s fantasy films of all.
10. Dragonheart (1996)
Look, is Dragonheart a bit hokey? Completely. However that’s a part of its allure.
This medieval buddy dramedy stars a dragon voiced by Sean Connery—want we are saying extra? There’s one thing oddly comforting a few jaded knight and a clever, sarcastic dragon teaming as much as cease a tyrant—particularly when stated dragon actually gave the unhealthy man half his coronary heart.
It’s campy, earnest mythmaking with that unmistakable ‘90s vitality. It may not be good, nevertheless it will make you are feeling issues. Particularly throughout that ending (you realize the one).
9. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Let’s be trustworthy—nobody anticipated this quirky Halloween comedy to change into a cultural juggernaut. But right here we’re, a long time later, and the Sanderson Sisters are nonetheless icons.
Bette Midler because the unhinged Winifred, Sarah Jessica Parker’s delightfully ditzy Sarah, and Kathy Najimy’s lovable Mary kind a chaotic coven of perfection. It’s campy (we’re seeing a theme right here), endlessly quotable, and delivers extra Halloween spirit in 90 minutes than a haunted hayride ever might. It’s fantasy filtered by a Salem-sized dose of sass, and we’re undoubtedly right here for it.
8. Jumanji (1995)
Sure, Jumanji is commonly labeled an “journey” film—but when a magical board sport that unleashes stampedes, large spiders, and a misplaced Robin Williams into your front room isn’t fantasy, what’s?
It’s intense, heartfelt, and has simply sufficient real menace to make you suppose twice about your Monopoly field. The actual magic of Jumanji is the way it made the atypical really feel extraordinary—and a bit harmful.
7. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
No fantasy lineup is full with out a nod to Tim Burton, the grasp of the strange.
Edward Scissorhands doesn’t have dragons or enchanted castles, nevertheless it delivers whimsy, melancholy, and its personal model of suburban magic. It’s candy, stylized, and leaves you questioning how a delicate, scissor-handed man will discover his place in a pastel neighborhood.
6. The Pagemaster (1994)
Assume libraries are nearly overdue fines and silence? Assume once more. The Pagemaster says, “Truly, it’s a secret fantasy realm guarded by sentient books.”
Macaulay Culkin goes from anxious realist to swashbuckling adventurer, and the shift from live-action to animation provides a layer of allure. It’s a loving nod to the fantasy style that by no means takes itself too significantly.
5. The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue (1998)
This one’s a deep lower. Whereas the unique Secret of NIMH is extra broadly remembered, the sequel leans exhausting into fantasy with glowing amulets, warring animal kingdoms, and a mouse with a heroic future.
It could not carry the identical darkish depth as the primary movie, however for youths watching on the time, it felt large.
4. The NeverEnding Story II: The Subsequent Chapter (1990)
Returning to Fantasia was like slipping again right into a dream. Whereas The Subsequent Chapter doesn’t fairly attain the heights of the unique, it captures that very same mix of melancholy and magic.
This time, Bastian’s journey is extra private, with a compelling new villain (the elegantly evil Xayide) and a deeper inside battle. It’s a quieter fantasy—however typically, these are those that linger.
3. Hook (1991)
For ‘90s children, Hook wasn’t only a film—it was a motion.
Spielberg reimagined a grown-up Peter Pan and delivered a vibrant, emotional story full of sword fights, meals fights, and unforgettable performances. Robin Williams introduced coronary heart; Dustin Hoffman gave Hook theatrical brilliance; and the Misplaced Boys turned legends. “Rufio! Rufi-oooooo!” is eternally etched in our recollections. And that imaginary feast? Nonetheless seems to be scrumptious.
2. The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas (1993)
This one’s for the spooky children—and anybody who likes a bit gothic with their fairy story.
Jack Skellington’s vacation identification disaster is surprisingly relatable, and the stop-motion animation stays gorgeous. The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas lives in its personal distinctive world—the place pumpkin kings sing ballads and vacation guidelines are made to be damaged. It’s moody, magical, and a visible masterpiece.
1. The Princess Bride (1987… however let’s be actual, it outlined the ‘90s)
Sure, technically this got here out in 1987—however The Princess Bride doesn’t simply deserve honorary ‘90s standing; it is a ‘90s fantasy film in spirit.
For a complete era, it wasn’t only a movie—it was a phenomenon. Endlessly quoted, lovingly reenacted, and handed round like a sacred textual content. It’s humorous, romantic, ridiculous, and deeply honest. And few films can match its sheer variety of iconic traces: “As you want,” “Inconceivable!,” “You killed my father, put together to die.”
It’s not simply beloved—it’s nice.
Flip your Wall Into Your Fantasy Multiverse
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