WE have always been fascinated by the mystery surrounding seemingly incomprehensible events. Whether utilised for good or evil, the notion of magic has spawned a plethora of legends and myths, as many sought to find a deeper meaning to the world of magic.
The films we selected explore magic in different ways, whether they are set in a fantasy world where magic is the norm, or feature a more realistic behind-the scenes look at the art. Either way, the viewer is transported into an entirely new world.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
This is the first film of an eight-part blockbuster film franchise based on J.K. Rowling’s book series of the same name, introducing children and adults to some of the greatest magicians since Merlin. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone took fans on a magical journey alongside Harry, who starts out as a typical first-year student at the famed Hogwarts school for magic.
While the series eventually takes the story to greater heights, if you’ve not seen the Harry Potter films yet or have not rewatched the in a while, there’s no better starting point than at the beginning.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Middle Earth established by author J.R.R. Tolkien has become famous among fantasy lovers, with a plethora of movies and other media all based on his original works. Some fans may be surprised to learn that much of the source material for the series is already well over 50 years old, with one of Tolkien’s first novels, The Hobbit, first released in 1937.
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the first instalment in a three-part epic that follows an unusual company of heroes from Middle Earth who band together to destroy a magical ring that has a significant effect on its wearer and is capable of twisting them beyond identification. This acclaimed film series promises a wide and fascinating universe that transcends usual fantasy stereotypes.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005)
The Pevensies in The Chronicles of Narnia do not have magical powers, but the world to which they flee through the wardrobe is filled with them. Any universe featuring a lion voiced by Liam Neeson, especially one where the beast is a deity, is destined to be full of adventure.
Narnia, with all of its wonderful animals, is one of the finest fantasies ever created. Add to that the fact that the “Daughters of Eve and Sons of Adam” spend complete lives before returning to Spare Oom as children on the same day they left.
The Illusionist (2006)
Eisenheim, a great magician, competes with Crown Prince Leopold of Vienna for the marriage of noble family Sophie, the girl he once loved. He wields great authority over the prince, who is going to be proclaimed royal fiancée. However, a police investigator named Uhl attempts to warn Eisenheim that he is engaging in a risky game.
Hugo (2011)
Martin Scorsese adds purity to the exquisite story adapted from the book The Invention of Hugo Cabaret. Asa Butterfield is great as the twelve-year-old child who lives alone behind the confines of a 1930s Paris railway station and steals food to survive. When his devoted watchmaker father died, he was separated from him and forced to fix clocks for his drunken uncle. Hugo devotes his attention to his father’s final project: restoring a broken automaton, a mechanical man with the ability to write.
The film’s cinematography are noteworthy. The picture also includes the automaton, which was a common part in late-nineteenth-century magic performances. Automatons were complicated mechanical constructs that were frequently portrayed as “characters” that could write, draw, anticipate, and even appear to bake cakes chosen by the public.
Now You See Me (2013)
After Zombieland, Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson teamed to star in one of the strangest films in recent memory. Now You See Me centres around four magicians known as the Four Horsemen who pull off spectacular heists in the hopes of joining The Eye, an order of real magicians. Many excellent trickery tricks moments appear in the film. Along with Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo plays an FBI agent on the trail of the Robin Hood-inspired Four Horsemen.
While the acting are really not as horrible and the mystical components are imaginative, the storyline is, at best, unintentionally silly. Now You See Me is great movie entertainment, and it inspired its own series, but everything under the glossy surface is a fantasy.
Fantastic Beasts (2016)
This is an obvious choice. The Fantastic Beasts films are the ideal cure for Harry Potter withdrawal problems. Fantastic Beasts, a prequel trilogy to Harry Potter, pits a younger Dumbledore against the greatest Dark Lord who ever lived (before Voldemort), Johnny Depp’s Gellert Grindelwald.
The story’s protagonist, though, is Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander, who adores wonderful animals and seeks to eradicate discrimination against them among people, magicians, and within Hogwarts.
