Category: Fantasy

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

This is the classic Jules Verne tale of a group of people who penetrate the core of the earth.  When Professor Lindenbrough (James Mason) finds a 300 year old message from another professor who, in his time, claimed the center of the earth could be reached, it’s only a moment before Lindenbrough is off. Soon though his quest for science quickly becomes one of survival. With him is young Alec (Pat Boone), Carla (Arhlene Dahl) and Hans (former athlete David Thayer).

With groundbreaking special effects this film brings to life the wonders and possibilities that could be “right under our feet”.

2hr. 10min.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The classic tale of a girl named Dorothy (Judy Garland) who gets caught in a twister and whisked away to the magical land of Oz. There she meets Munchkins, talking trees and flying monkeys. She also runs afoul of and must outwit the evil Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).  All while trying to find her way home.

This film also features the Acadamy Award winning song Somewhere Over the Rainbow, that would become Garlands’ signature song.

1hr. 41min.

Onward (2020)

Set in a modern fantasy world two elf brothers set off on a quest to finish a spell to bring their dead father back for 24hrs. Along the way, the duo face many obstacles as they also bond closer together.

Pixar again brings to the screen an exciting and emotional tale about family, heartbreak and healing all in a way that is relatable and refreshing. The talented actors that bring this tale to life include Christ Pratt, Tom Holland, Octavia Spencer and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

1hr. 43min.

How to Train Your Dragon; The Hidden Kingdom (2019)

Viking Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his dragon Toothless have grown a lot together and their mission to save other dragons has made their home a haven for hundreds of them. Unfortunately it has also become a target for other mercenaries, as well as one that has his own agenda.  Hiccup realizes that it’s time for them to leave and find somewhere safe for the dragons. It soon becomes apparent that the solution might not be as simple as they thought, in this final chapter in the saga.

1hr. 44min.

Trolls (2016)

The trolls are a happy-go-lucky group that are menaced by the miserable Bergens, who believe in order for them to be happy they must eat a troll.  Unfortunately for the Bergens, the trolls have escaped.

After 20 years, (right when the happiest of all the trolls Princess Poppy (Anna Kendrick) is about to assume the throne from her father), the Bergens have finally tracked them down.  Now it’s up to Poppy and pessimistic Branch (Justin Timberlake) to track them down and save the trolls.  Along the way, many songs are sung and a new understanding of others is learned in this story that is both tune-filled and eye-popping in it’s cinema photography.

1hr. 32min.

Christopher Robin (2018)

Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) is now long grown up, with a wife (Hayley Atwell) and a child.  He spends all of his time trying to provide for his family, by working long hours at a luggage making company.  When he must stay in the city and work the holiday weekend that he and his family were to go to his family home in the country, Christopher Robin is suddenly confronted by his old friend Winnie-the-Pooh.  Together they must search for Poohs’ other friends, as well as find the happiness that seems to elude Christopher Robin.

1hr. 44min.

Brave (2012)

Young Highland Princess Merida is anything but ready for the impending political marriage arranged by her mother the queen.  Feeling that her mother can’t understand her situation, Merida decides to enlist the help of a witch to “change her fate” by changing her mother.  This sets off a chain of events that causes Merida to consider whether it is only her mother that must change.

1hr. 34min.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Ariel (Jodi Benson) is a young mermaid who dreams of the mysterious and forbidden world “on land”.  When she sees Prince Eric (Christopher Daniel Barnes) and subsequently saves him from a shipwreck, she is instantly smitten and determines to do whatever it takes to be with him.  Including trading her voice for legs to the evil Ursula (Pat Carroll), who gives Ariel 3 days to get a kiss of true love in order to stay a human.

Based on the classic Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale, this film was over forty years in the making and was the beginning of what would be called the Renaissance in Disney animation.  The Academy Award winning score features the haunting Part of Your World and (some have said) brought Broadway into the cartoons.

1hr. 23min.

Pete’s Dragon (2016)

In this update of the Disney classic, a young boy named Pete is lost in the forest after he survives his parents in a car crash.  He is rescued by a kindly and mysterious dragon that he names Elliot.  6 years later, park ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) is on a patrol through the woods when she stumbles across Pete.  The two form an immediate bond, but the discovery of Elliot could mean disaster.

1hr. 42min.

The Love Letter (1998)

When historian Scott (Campbell Scott) impulsively buys an antique civil war era writing desk, his fiance thinks he’s a little crazy.  Later, while cleaning the desk he finds in a hidden compartment a love letter written by a lonely poet Elizabeth (Jennifer Jason Leigh) from over a hundred years before.  Inspired by the beauty and longing in her letter he writes back and with a little help from his free-spirit mother (she supplies him with authentic paper, ink and stamp) the letter finds it’s way to Elizabeth.  Knowing they will never be able to meet, they continue writing to each other.  Then, the impossible happens in this poignant romance.

1hr. 39min.