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Top 10. Fantasy Movies

1. Solomon Kane

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Solomon Kane

Director and Writer: Michael J. Bassett
Cast: James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, MacKenzie Crook, Max von Sydow, Pete Postlethwaite, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Alice Krige

Spend your life cutting men down with your blade and robbing them of their wealth, and word of your exploits is sure to reach the devil, who is always on the lookout for new souls. Meet Solomon Kane, the invention of Robert E. Howard, the legendary creator of Conan the Barbarian. Howard published his sword-and-sorcery stories in the Depression-era pulp magazine Weird Tales, and his influence on the fantasy genre is rivalled only by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Armed with a rapier and flintlock pistols, Solomon Kane dresses in black, his pale face and cold eyes shadowed by a hat. He is a true rogue, blasting and slashing forward on a mission of pillage and plunder in war-torn North Africa in the late 1500s. When the devil lays claim to his hopelessly corrupt soul, Kane escapes only to face the sobering truth: in order to seek redemption, he must renounce his wicked ways and devote himself wholly to a pious life. His new-found piety is put to the test when he is forced to return to his murderous ways to save England from the grasp of evil.

Under the fine direction of Michael J. Bassett, James Purefoy brings this swashbuckling hero to life on the big screen, eliciting more depth and intrigue from Kane than Arnie was able to deliver in Conan. His bare flesh scarred with spiritual symbols and a cross branded on his back, Purefoy (known for his role as Mark Antony in HBO's Rome) as Kane has looked into the fiery pits of hell and is ready to take on the demonic hordes. Purefoy is backed by the solid casting of Jason Flemyng, Max von Sydow and Pete Postlethwaite.

Shot in a gritty manner that embraces the story's mud, filth and blood, Solomon Kane evokes Michael Reeves's The Conqueror Worm, starring Vincent Price. However, our hell-bent hero never takes his valiant quest too seriously, marking a glorious return to high-spirited action and adventure.


2. 300

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300

Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Vincent Regan, Rodrigo Santoro, Dominic West

Spartan King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fight to the last man against Persian "God-King" Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his army of more than one million soldiers. As the battle rages, Spartan Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The story is framed by a voice-over narrative by the Spartan soldier Dilios (David Wenham).

Sin City author Frank Miller's sweeping take on the historic Battle of Thermopylae comes to the screen courtesy of Dawn of the Dead director Zack Snyder. Gerard Butler stars as Spartan King Leonidas and Lena Headey plays Queen Gorgo. The massive army of the Persian Empire is sweeping across the globe, crushing every force that dares stand in its path. When a Persian envoy arrives in Sparta offering King Leonidas power over all of Greece if he will only bow to the will of the all powerful Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), the strong-willed leader assembles a small army comprised of his empire's best fighters and marches off to battle. Though they have virtually no hope of defeating Xerxes' intimidating battalion, Leonidas' men soldier on, intent on letting it be known they will bow to no man but their king.

Meanwhile, back in Sparta, the loyal Queen Gorgo attempts to convince both the skeptical council and the devious Theron (Dominic West) to send more troops despite the fact that many view Leonidas' unsanctioned war march as a serious transgression. As Xerxes' fearsome "immortals" draw near, a few noble Greeks vow to assist the Spartans on the battlefield. When King Leonidas and his 300 Spartan warriors fell to the overwhelming Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae, the fearless actions of the noble fighters inspired all of Greece to stand up against their Persian enemy and wage the battle that would ultimately give birth to the modern concept of democracy.


3. Clash of the Titans

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Clash of the Titans

Director: Louis Leterrier
Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Jason Flemyng, Alexa Davalos, Izabella Miko, Nicholas Hoult, Pete Postlethwaite

In the film, the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on Earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.


4. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Bernard Hill, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Karl Urban, Brad Dourif, John Noble

The film begins with a flashback of how Sméagol acquired the One Ring, before his degeneration and name change to 'Gollum', taking Frodo and Sam to Minas Morgul. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, Théoden and Éomer meet up with Merry, Pippin and Treebeard at Isengard, now under the Ents' control, and Gandalf deduces that Saruman will pose no further threat. They also recover the palantír. Pippin's curiosity gets the better of him at Edoras, and he looks into it. The vision he sees (of a dead white tree in a burning stone courtyard) alerts Gandalf that Sauron is planning to attack Minas Tirith, and he rides off there with Pippin. In Rivendell, on her way to the Undying Lands, Arwen has a vision of her son by Aragorn and convinces Elrond to reforge Narsil, the sword that cut the Ring from Sauron's finger long ago. She then forsakes the gift of immortality to be with Aragorn; her fate now rests with the outcome of the war.


5. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Director: Mike Newell
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Alfred Molina, Ben Kingsley, Toby Kebbell

Ubisoft's popular video-game series of the same name gets adapted for the big screen in this sweeping fantasy adventure starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton. The setting is sixth century Persia. A nefarious nobleman covets the Sands of Time, a legendary gift from the gods that allows its possessor to turn back time. Whoever owns the Sands of Time has the power to rule the world, and this villainous lord would use that power to enslave all of humanity. The only person capable of defeating this tyrant and saving the world is Dastan (Gyllenhaal), a youthful prince. Now, with plucky princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) by his side, Dastan will attempt to prevent the Sands of Time from falling into the wrong hands. Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) directs a script penned by Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro, Jordan Mechner, and Boaz Yakin.


6. Alice in Wonderland

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Alice in Wonderland

Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Sheen, Matt Lucas, Crispin Glover, Stephen Fry, Alan Rickman

Alice, now 19 years old, attends a party at a Victorian estate only to find she is about to be proposed to in front of hundreds of snooty society types. She runs off, following the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen) into a hole and ending up in Wonderland, a place she visited 10 years before, yet doesn't remember. Wonderland was a peaceful kingdom until the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) overthrew her sister, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway). The creatures of Wonderland, such as the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas) and the March Hare (Noah Taylor), ready to revolt, wait for Alice to help them. With the help of the White Queen, the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and the Caterpillar (Alan Rickman).


7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 and part 2

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Director: David Yates
Cast: Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Rupert Grint, Bonnie Wright, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson

Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction—the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart....

Part 2 is an upcoming 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates, written by Steve Kloves and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. The film, which is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, is produced by Rowling along with David Heyman and David Barron. The story continues to follow Harry Potter on a quest to find and destroy Lord Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe in his final performance as the titular character, Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry's best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The supporting cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter and Maggie Smith...


8. Sucker Punch

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Sucker Punch

Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm, Oscar Isaac, Scott Glenn

Set in the 1950s, Sucker Punch follows Babydoll (Emily Browning) who is confined to a mental institution by her stepfather, who intends to have her lobotomized in five days. While there, she imagines an alternative reality to hide her from the pain, and in that world, she begins planning her escape, needing to steal five objects to help get her out before she is deflowered by a vile man.


9. Conan the Barbarian

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Conan the Barbarian

Director: Marcus Nispel
Cast: Jason Momoa, Rachel Nichols, Stephen Lang, Bob Sapp, Leo Howard, Ron Perlman, Said Taghmaoui, Rose McGowan

Conan the Barbarian, previously titled Conan 3D is an upcoming 3-D sword and sorcery film based on the character Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. It is a new adaptation, separate from the earlier 1980s Arnold Schwarzenegger films. The film is set to star Jason Momoa in the lead role, being supported by Rose McGowan, Stephen Lang, Ron Perlman, Bob Sapp and Rachel Nichols, with Marcus Nispel directing.

After his father is murdered and village destroyed, Conan ventures into an unforgiving world where he survives as a thief, pirate, and warrior. On his path of wanton adventure and women, Conan chances upon the warlord responsible for his tribe’s destruction. As he tracks Khalar Zym, Conan battles monsters, Zym's henchmen, and Marique, a powerful witch.


10. The Golden Compass

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The Golden Compass

Director: Chris Weitz
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Eva Green, Daniel Craig, Ben Walker, Dakota Blue Richards

Based on author Philip Pullman's bestselling and award-winning novel,'The Golden Compass' tells the first story in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. 'The Golden Compass' is an exciting fantasy adventure, set in an alternative world where people's souls manifest themselves as animals, talking bears fight wars, and Gyptians and witches co-exist. At the center of the story is Lyra (played by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards), a 12-year-old girl who starts out trying to rescue a friend who's been kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as the Gobblers - and winds up on an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well. 'The Golden Compass' stars an ensemble cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, and Ian McShane.

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