The fantasy genre has had a bit of resurgence in the past 10 years, with interest most notably exploding since the release of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It's about time too, as the fantasy genre can make for some of the best film experiences. And while every film can't be Lord of the Rings, Conan the Barbarian, Legend, Labyrinth, etc... there have been some great ones as of late. Don't worry if you've missed them though, we got you covered. Here's the first part of a two-part article that should tickle your fantasy and adventure bone.
10 - Thor: The Dark World
In the build up to the original Thor, I remember thinking that he was the one superhero that was impossible to get right. I mean, he's a Norse god after all, and sort of like The Hulk in the fact that he's so powerful, so unimaginably strong that it kind of takes away any feeling of danger or peril. And while the first Thor film wasn't perfect, though the Ice Warriors fight scene was epic, Thor: The Dark World betters it in every way. Set in the post-Avengers world, Thor: The Dark World pits our heroic Norse god against the Dark Elves; an ancient evil foe of the Asgardians. With a plan to destroy the entire universe put in place, this is Thor's biggest challenge so far. With a fantastic blend of CGI, great action scenes and a better look at Asgard itself, Thor: The Dark World proves that Marvel is handling their characters and stories perfectly.
Thor: The Dark World defends our universe on Blu-Ray and DVD on February 25th.
9 - Frozen
While it's currently at the end of its theatrical run, Disney’s latest masterpiece has become a huge success. Following in the wake of the fantastic Tangled, Frozen is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Snow Queen. Frozen follows the story of two sisters of a kingdom, Elsa and Anna. After Elsa freezes her kingdom due to an uncontrollable power she had from birth and subsequently flees, it's up to Anna to find her sister and ultimately save her kingdom. Whereas a massive aspect of previous Disney films follows the typical formula of a princess falling in love with her prince charming, Frozen puts it main focus on the love these sisters have for each other. It's a charming film for all ages, and just proves that Disney still has it.
Frozen will warm your heart when it arrives on BluRay and DVD on March 18th.
8 - R.I.P.D
This is a bit of a tricky one to choose as while it isn't that great, I still think there's some fun to be had. Based upon the comic Rest In Peace Department, R.I.P.D follows the story of Nick Walker, who, after being killed during a drug bust, finds himself being recruited into the Rest In Peace Department. The R.I.P.D basically enforces the afterlife, which means taking out "deados"; spirits that have become monsters due to not crossing over into the afterlife properly. Like I said, it isn't great, but the visuals and overall design of the film is impressive enough to give it a watch. Oh and it has a bearded Jeff Bridges in it killing huge, rabid monsters. I know, sounds epic, right?
R.I.P.D is back from the dead and out now on BluRay and DVD.
7 - Pacific Rim
Following critical acclaim with a whole slew of films, hopes were high for Guillermo del Toro's latest film. Plus, considering he dropped out of directing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to ultimately make this, Pacific Rim was expected to be nothing short of great. And it was. After a tear into another dimension opens beneath the sea floor, massive creatures emerge from it and begin to decimate some major cities. In response, Earth creates the Jaeger program; an initiative that designs huge robots to defend Earth against the creatures' plans. Being controlled by two neurally connected pilots, Pacific Rim focuses on Earths final push to rid themselves of these invaders. Boasting some of the best CGI to date, great performances throughout, a superb soundtrack and some absolutely epic action scenes, Pacific Rim was one of the best releases of 2013.
Pacific Rim tore into our dimension in October 2013, and is already on BluRay and DVD.
6 - Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
Like R.I.P.D this got it’s ass handed to it critically. But you know what? It ain't that bad at all. Following the success of the first film, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, the world is greatly expanded in this sequel. Coming across like a mash-up of Harry Potter, X-Men, Clash of the Titans, and, dare I say, Star Wars, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is based upon Greek Mythology and is aimed at a teen audience. This film follows Percy Jackson, demigod son of Poseidon, and his bid to prevent the resurrection of the evil Titan Kronos. Yeah, it's pretty much Harry Potter: The Greek Years, but it's a fun film that the whole family can enjoy. Well, that or a guilty pleasure. I choose the latter.
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters took on the greatest titan of them all back in August, and dropped on BluRay and DVD a month ago.
Stay tuned for part 2...
Denis Murphy
