<body><div>The fantasy genre is a pretty easily definable one, as is the romance genre. The former contains stories that deal with fantastical, otherworldly, or even supernatural elements/beings, while the latter tells stories about falling in or out of love; maybe even a bit of both. As such, it’s thereby pretty straightforward to accept that a romantic fantasy movie touches upon romance and fantastical stuff.The following movies can all be defined as romance/fantasy hybrids, putting enough of an emphasis on both elements in certain ways and showing that even something as everyday and relatable as love can be explored through stories that might not, on the surface, technically be grounded. Some of the greatest romantic fantasy movies of all time are ranked below, starting with the great and ending with the debatably perfect.<h2>10 'Night Is Short, Walk On Girl' (2017) </h2><h2>Director: Masaaki Yuasa </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=40HsEB_0wBPnVvZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=40HsEB_0wBPnVvZ00" width="1650" height="825" ><figcaption>Image via Toho</figcaption></figure>Night Is Short, Walk On Girl is a very funny movie at times, and also a visually dazzling one; perhaps one of the most stylish and unique-looking anime films ever made. It’s also a surreal take on a story about romance, being about a group of university students, including one young man romantically pursuing a mysterious girl who seems unaware that he’s interested.Little else out there looks even slightly comparable to Night Is Short, Walk On Girl, which delves into full-on fantasy at times, predominantly when it doubles down on surrealism and dreamlike visuals. It presents an initially strange world and then continually warps the purported “reality” of said world over and over again, all the while also telling a solid romance-focused narrative and delivering plenty of great absurd humor.<h2>9 'Black Orpheus' (1959) </h2><h2>Director: Marcel Camus </h2>Tragedy isn't usually as colorful as Black Orpheus, which has a dazzling style and a solid sense of energy throughout, all the while being a reinterpretation of the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. It’s set in Brazil, and follows two young lovers on the run from various adversaries, and a fate they seem unlikely to escape, owing to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice being a famously tragic one.Still, Black Orpheus is never an overly depressing watch, and it blends some real-world locations with more out-there/fantastical elements in a skillful and oftentimes mesmerizing way. Much of it still feels distinctive to this day, and though other parts may feel a little more old-fashioned, watching the movie makes it pretty easy to see why it’s well-recognized as significant within the history of international cinema.<h2>8 'The Shape of Water' (2017) </h2><h2>Director: Guillermo del Toro </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2QhoGX_0wBPnVvZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2QhoGX_0wBPnVvZ00" width="1650" height="825" ><figcaption>Image via&nbsp;Fox Searchlight Pictures</figcaption></figure>Fantasy movies don’t tend to win Best Picture at the Oscars, but romantic films fare a bit better, which could explain why The Shape of Water won in 2017 (well, the ceremony was in 2018, but it awarded movies released in 2017). It also might've won because it’s just a really good movie, telling a story about the unlikely love that forms between a mute woman and some sort of mysterious fish/man hybrid.The Shape of Water has a premise that might raise eyebrows, but it commits to it wholeheartedly and ends up being a startlingly emotional and heartfelt film. It’s one of numerous movies that demonstrates why few filmmakers shine as much as Guillermo del Toro does in the fantasy genre, and it’s notable among his other films for placing such an emphasis on a story about love.The Shape of Water RDramaFantasyRomanceThrillerWhere to Watch<ul><li>stream</li><li>rent</li><li>buy</li></ul>*Availability in USRelease DateDecember 1, 2017 DirectorGuillermo del Toro CastMichael Shannon , Michael Stuhlbarg , Sally Hawkins , Octavia Spencer , Richard Jenkins , Doug JonesRuntime123 minutes <h2>7 'A Matter of Life and Death' (1946) </h2><h2>Directors: Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2GjSBN_0wBPnVvZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2GjSBN_0wBPnVvZ00" width="825" height="413" ><figcaption>Image via Eagle-Lion Films</figcaption></figure>A Matter of Life and Death has a hell of a title and a hell of a premise, with a narrative that revolves around a pilot’s near-death experience and an afterlife-related mix-up. It begins as a war movie but introduces those fantasy elements pretty early on, and in time also functions as both a dramedy and a romance film, too.There’s a lot going on in A Matter of Life and Death and a ton of imagination on offer, with the whole thing holding up remarkably well narratively and technically all these decades on from its release. It works on multiple levels and also proves emotionally ambitious, not to mention very charming. It’s arguably one of the finest films of its decade, and an overall superb romantic fantasy movie.<h2>6 'Wings of Desire' (1987) </h2><h2>Director: Wim Wenders </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1ck9VU_0wBPnVvZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1ck9VU_0wBPnVvZ00" width="1650" height="825" ><figcaption>Image via&nbsp;Argos Films</figcaption></figure>Wim Wenders doesn’t often make non-dramas, and when he does, he certainly has a distinctive way of tackling more out-there genres (see Until the End of the World, one of the strangest and most underrated sci-fi films ever, for example). Wings of Desire saw Wenders wading into the fantasy genre in a way that proved largely engrossing, with love and longing being central themes here, too.Narratively, Wings of Desire follows two angels who are tasked with overseeing the human race while not being able to interact directly with the people of Earth. One angel struggles with this after falling in love with a woman, and he grapples with whether he can give up the life he knows to live on Earth, fall in love, and become mortal. It’s all beautifully done and, though slow, proves an undoubtedly immersive and touching film to experience.Wings of Desire PG-13Where to Watch<ul><li>stream</li><li>rent</li><li>buy</li></ul>*Availability in USDirectorWim Wenders CastBruno Ganz , Solveig Dommartin , Otto Sander , Curt Bois , Peter Falk , Hans Martin Stier Runtime128 minutes Main GenreFantasy <h2>5 'Edward Scissorhands' (1990) </h2><h2>Director: Tim Burton </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=23GXqU_0wBPnVvZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=23GXqU_0wBPnVvZ00" width="1650" height="825" ><figcaption>Image via 20th Century Studios</figcaption></figure>Cynicism thrived in the 1990s, sure, but the decade also had its fair share of great romantic movies that weren’t afraid to deal with love in ways both sweeping and sentimental. Edward Scissorhands can be included among such films, being a modern-day fairytale about an unfinished science experiment being brought to life before struggling to fit in with the seemingly ordinary population of an uncanny suburbia.Life in the suburbs is surreal enough to feel otherworldly/fantastical in Edward Scissorhands, though the central character and the overall feel of the film ensure there’s an undercurrent of fantasy throughout. Love is eventually found, and it is a sincere one, even if certain obstacles stand in the way of the movie concluding in a way that’s all sunshine and rainbows. One could argue it wouldn’t be a true fairytale, in the traditional sense, if there wasn’t an inherent sadness to the whole thing.Edward Scissorhands PG-13RomanceFantasyDramaWhere to Watch<ul><li>stream</li><li>rent</li><li>buy</li></ul>*Availability in USRelease DateDecember 14, 1990 DirectorCastVincent Price , Dianne Wiest , Anthony Michael Hall , Johnny Depp , Winona Ryder , Kathy Baker Runtime105 minutes <h2>4 'Beauty and the Beast' (1991) </h2><h2>Directors: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise </h2>Speaking of fairytales, Beauty and the Beast is among the best adaptations of one Disney ever made, and might very well be the best of the bunch (it’s certainly arguable). It’s a work of fantasy because it takes place largely inside a strange castle that’s home to various beings who've been forced to live inside usually inanimate objects and the titular beast, and works as a romance film because of the love that builds between him and a young woman (the titular Beauty).Beauty and the Beast might start off as a film about a young woman being kidnapped (it’s hard to get around), but it’s pulled off in a way that works and never gets too dark. It does end up being undoubtedly romantic and moving, as well as beautifully animated and packed with exceedingly memorable music numbers.<h2>3 'Groundhog Day' (1993) </h2><h2>Director: Harold Ramis </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=10VvNz_0wBPnVvZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=10VvNz_0wBPnVvZ00" width="1650" height="825" ><figcaption>Image via Columbia Pictures</figcaption></figure>While Groundhog Day almost functions like a time travel movie, it’s hard to call it a work of science fiction. Instead, the time loop the film’s protagonist finds himself stuck in happens for reasons that remain unknown. It’s not so much about him finding out as it is about getting out of said time loop, which forces him to relive the same day over and over again in a small town he hates.Groundhog Day ends up being a movie about perseverance and bettering oneself, with finding humanity ultimately being something that could lead to salvation. On top of being funny and sometimes surprisingly sad, Groundhog Day also finds enough time to tell a story about love and finding connection, with such things being important parts of escaping that nightmare of a time loop.Groundhog Day PGComedyDramaFantasyRomanceWhere to Watch<ul><li>stream</li><li>rent</li><li>buy</li></ul>*Availability in USRelease DateFebruary 11, 1993 DirectorHarold Ramis CastBill Murray , Andie MacDowell , Chris Elliott , Stephen Tobolowsky , Brian Doyle-Murray , Marita Geraghty Runtime101 minutes <h2>2 'All of Us Strangers' (2023) </h2><h2>Director: Andrew Haigh </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0wWLRh_0wBPnVvZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0wWLRh_0wBPnVvZ00" width="825" height="413" ><figcaption>Image via&nbsp;Searchlight Pictures</figcaption></figure>Though All of Us Strangers ends up being a remarkably sad film, it’s also a beautiful one. And sure, it’s pretty recent in the overall scheme of things, but it already feels like the sort of thing that will be remembered as a classic as time marches on. It’s initially simple narratively, ultimately complex emotionally, and overall powerful as a film about grief, loneliness, and the way the past can haunt one.It's one of the best films of the 2020s so far, and to go too in-depth with what All of Us Strangers deals with throughout its story would feel disrespectful. It’s best to go in knowing as little as possible while also being open to sitting through an emotional rollercoaster of a movie. It is still a young film, but it’s already an essential one as far as great romantic fantasy cinema is concerned.All of Us Strangers RDramaFantasyRomanceWhere to Watch<ul><li>stream</li><li>rent</li><li>buy</li></ul>*Availability in USDirectorCastAndrew Scott , Paul Mescal , Jamie Bell , Claire FoyRuntime105 Minutes <h2>1 'The Princess Bride' (1987) </h2><h2>Director: Rob Reiner </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=41wVtt_0wBPnVvZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=41wVtt_0wBPnVvZ00" width="825" height="413" ><figcaption>Image via 20th Century Studios</figcaption></figure>Not only does The Princess Bride do a bit of everything when it comes to genres, but it also manages to blend so many simultaneously into a coherent movie that ends up feeling borderline perfect. It’s a movie about storytelling and both a sincere romantic fantasy movie while also functioning as a gentle parody of fantasy stories, walking a seemingly impossible line tonally with masterful balance.Even the romantic stuff works, being a little cheesy but still proving heartwarming alongside all the memorable characters, quotable bits of dialogue, and exciting sword-fighting sequences. Somehow, The Princess Bride condenses an immensely eclectic blend of genres into just one movie that clocks in at under 100 minutes. It’s a must-watch film for film buffs and more casual movie appreciators alike, and one that overall feels like it might well be impossible for anyone to genuinely dislike.The Princess Bride PGAdventureComedyFamilyFantasyRomanceWhere to Watch<ul><li>stream</li><li>rent</li><li>buy</li></ul>*Availability in USRelease DateOctober 9, 1987 DirectorCastCary Elwes , Robin Wright , Mandy Patinkin , Chris Sarandon , Christopher Guest , Wallace ShawnRuntime98 minutes NEXT: The Best George Costanza Quotes on 'Seinfeld,' Ranked</div></body>

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The 10 Best Romantic Fantasy Movies, Ranked

The fantasy genre is a pretty easily definable one, as is the romance genre. The former contains stories that deal with fantastical, otherworldly, or even supernatural elements/beings, while the latter tells stories about falling in or out of love; maybe even a bit of both. As such, it’s thereby pretty straightforward to accept that a romantic fantasy movie touches upon romance and fantastical stuff.