Fantasy-film favourites
Middle-earth, Spirited Away, or Shrek? Rank your favourites.
Fantasy here means the film takes you somewhere that is not ordinary life: Middle-earth, a Ghibli bathhouse, a fairy-tale book, or an ogre’s swamp. They are ranked as films you would rewatch, not as a single series.
The three Lord of the Rings titles are theatrical films. Extended editions are longer. Agree which cut you mean if the ranking is really about what to watch this weekend.
Rank two options at a time. Leave out anything you cannot judge. You can share the result or, on a public list, add your order to the visitor tally.
4–8 options keeps it quick. Leave at least two checked. You can adjust the order at the end.
What is on this list
The order here is a starting shortlist, not a ranking. Notes are context so a group can tell similar options apart.
- The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), directed by Peter Jackson. The theatrical cut is commonly listed at about 178 minutes. Extended editions are longer.
- The Two Towers
- The Two Towers (2002), directed by Peter Jackson. The theatrical cut is commonly listed at about 179 minutes.
- The Return of the King
- The Return of the King (2003), directed by Peter Jackson. The theatrical cut is commonly listed at about 201 minutes.
- The Princess Bride
- The Princess Bride (1987), directed by Rob Reiner, from William Goldman’s book. Commonly listed at about 98 minutes.
- Stardust
- Stardust (2007), directed by Matthew Vaughn, from Neil Gaiman’s novel. A fallen star, a witch, and a climbing social climber.
- Spirited Away
- Spirited Away (2001), directed by Hayao Miyazaki at Studio Ghibli. Commonly listed at about 125 minutes.
- How to Train Your Dragon
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010), directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois at DreamWorks. The first film, not the sequels.
- Shrek
- Shrek (2001), directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson at DreamWorks. Commonly listed at about 90 minutes. The first film, not the sequels.
Visitor rankings
Finish the pairs, then add your order from the results screen. Pickaside stores a random id in this browser and the order you submit. It does not ask for your name on a public list.
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Questions about this list
Why are three Lord of the Rings films separate options?
They are separate films, and people do have a favourite. If your group wants “the trilogy” as one choice, edit the copy and replace the three titles with a single line before you rank.
Is The Princess Bride also on another list?
Yes. It is a comfort rewatch and a fantasy film. Ranking it here answers a different question than ranking it against School of Rock.