25 best magic movies ever made

Magic comes in many forms, and the best magic movies explore them all. Magic, sorcery, and illusion appear most frequently in fairy tales and family films, but they are hardly limited to those genres, as magic pertains to much more than just Mary Poppins. From the awe of Studio Ghibli productions to the sinister wonder of Pan’s Labyrinthmagic is a broad concept that can open up many creative paths. Whether set in a high fantasy other world or a secret castle in the near-modern day, films featuring magic and illusion remain fascinating.

Magic has been a key component of storytelling since fiction was formed millennia ago. The concepts of witches, wizards, spells, and wizards will likely appear in films throughout the remainder of the medium’s relevance. Whether it’s Mickey Mouse enchanting a bunch of broomsticks or a daring quest to document the existence of Blair WitchMagic comes in many forms across all genres. Although most immediately jump to the Harry Potter movies or Hocus Pocusmagic is much more than that, and many excellent films today include many magical elements.

30

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Disney’s retelling of the adventures of King Arthur and Merlin

Merlin is one of the most legendary wizards in pop culture history with a multitude of films and programs showing its history. However, one of the best and most beloved adventures he is involved in is in the underrated Disney film. The sword in the stone. This is a family-friendly retelling of the legend of King Arthur, focusing on the boy who is about to remove the mythical sword from the stone and begin his journey to become one of history’s greatest knights.

As in many iterations of the King Arthur story, Merlin serves as the young hero’s mentor in this animated adventure. However, it’s a unique take on the character, with Merlin being a good-natured and somewhat clumsy wizard whose command of magic isn’t what it once was. However, the film features one of the most entertaining magical battles in cinematic history, with Merlin facing off against the nefarious Madame Mim in a shape-shifting showdown.

29

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

A band of heroes faces an ancient evil

Fans of magic, sorcery, and spells have long gravitated toward the beloved tabletop game Dungeons and Dragons. After many failed attempts to successfully bring it to the big screen, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves delivered a wildly entertaining, action-packed, and entertaining fantasy adventure that brought the magic of the game to life. The film stars Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez in the story of a band of misfit thieves who accidentally unleash an ancient evil and must undo the damage they have caused.

THE Dungeons and Dragons The cast adds a lot to the film, creating fun and exciting characters with great performances. However, the film is also very clever in its use of magic in the story, with several sequences that take existing aspects of the fantasy genre and use them in inspired ways. From shapeshifters to magic mirrors and dragon battles, Honor among thieves proves that there is still a lot of new ground to explore in magic films.

28

Maria Poppins (1964)

Julie Andrew’s Magical Nanny

The combination of magic and the real world can often make these fantasy elements even more special in films. Such is the case with Disney’s classic live-action family film Mary Poppins. The story focuses on a dysfunctional family in London who need a nanny to help with their misbehaving children. They find the help they need with the arrival of Mary Poppins, a young magician who brings whimsy and joy to the house.

The magical aspects of Mary Poppins as a character are never really explained and that’s part of the charm. The other characters in the film are amazed at the things she can do, but they simply accept them happily. However, from the iconic first image of her floating in the sky with an umbrella, the magic in her is clear, and she proves it countless times, with tea parties on the ceiling and even a journey into an animated world.

27

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Ian McKellen’s Gandalf is a magical highlight

Bringing fantasy novels to the big screen is always a difficult task, but it has perhaps never been achieved so effectively as with the Lord of the Rings films. JRR Tolkien’s epic saga of Middle-earth is a legendary story in the genre and Peter Jackson managed to do it justice with his epic trilogy of films that begins with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringsbeginning Frodo and the other heroes’ journey to destroy the One Ring.

As with most films set in fantasy worlds, there are plenty of magical elements to talk about. However, the highlight of the film is the character Gandalf, with Ian McKellen’s Oscar-nominated performance bringing to life one of pop culture’s most beloved wizards. Gandalf’s magic proves both amusing, as with the fireworks he displays, and heroic, as in his last stand against Balrog..

26

Pinocchio (1940)

The blue fairy brings a wooden doll to life

Many Disney films have dealt a lot with magic, from fairy godmothers giving poor girls a chance to find happiness to a genie granting wishes. However, perhaps the most iconic magical moment in all of Disney’s animated films is when the Blue Fairy allows the wooden doll Pinocchio to come to life and have the chance to prove that he is a real boy.

The famous story of Pinocchio and his surrogate father, Geppetto, has been told many times, but Disney’s classic animated version still captures fans’ hearts decades later. The song “When You Wish Upon a Star” highlights the magic not only at the heart of this story, but also throughout Disney’s catalog.. Along with the Disney version, Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion version of the story is a darker but also beautiful version.

25

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

A girl and her friends fight an evil witch

Magic films have been around since the early days of the silent film era, and new editing techniques have allowed them to showcase magicians and parlor tricks. There have also been several films about demonic magic, such as The Prague Student and Faust. However, one of the most magical films of the golden age came in 1939 with The Wizard of Oz. The film sees a farm girl named Dorothy sent to a magical land where she meets a “good witch” and fights a Wicked Witch to get home.

The film is full of magic, with the Wicked Witch sending her flying monkeys to stop Dorothy, while the Wizard himself is a perfect example of a magician who uses parlor tricks to get what he wants. The film has become one of the most beloved classics ever made, watched more than any other film in apparent history (via AFI). It was also one of the first films inscribed in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. There is an air of magical wonder that has allowed it to remain timeless.

24

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)

A live-action version of Disney’s animated classic

In 1940, Disney Animation released Fantasywhich shocked audiences with images that some believed were too scary for young children. 70 years later, Disney adapted parts of this story into a live-action film The Sorcerer’s Apprenticewhich was primarily based on the magical Mickey Mouse plot from that previous film. Jay Baruchel stars as Dave, a college student who becomes an unhappy apprentice to the ancient wizard Balthazar (Nicolas Cage).

Dave is clearly lost and struggles to control his magical powers. Balthazar barely helps, with Cage at his best as the exasperated master wizard. The film didn’t receive great reviews when it was released, getting a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes and just a 53% audience score. However, most of the praise went to the cast. The film also did well at the box office, but did not earn enough to become profitable thanks to its bloated budget ($150 million).

23

Doctor Strange (2016)

Marvel’s wizard arrives in the MCU

In Marvel Comics, Doctor Strange is known as the Sorcerer Supreme and is the main source of magic in the hero community. In 2016, he arrived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his origin story in Doctor Strange.

In this film, Stephen Strange is a brilliant neurosurgeon who lost the use of his hands in a terrible car accident and decides to seek magic to regain these abilities. However, along the way, he becomes Earth’s most powerful sorcerer and one of its greatest heroes. The film delves into the magic of the Marvel Universe, with evil wizards on Earth and other dimensions vying for control.

The MCU also went all out on the visual appearance of the magical moments, earning an Oscar nomination for the effects team’s work. Doctor Strange was actually the MCU’s first venture into big-screen horrorwith legendary horror director Sam Raimi at the helm of the sequel. This introduced one of the MCU’s most important characters and created a world of magic for future films.

22

Constantine (2005)

A magical DC Universe thriller starring Keanu Reeves

In 2005, the anti-hero of the DC Universe, John Constantine, got a film of his own. It was a critical failure, but was reappraised as a misunderstood cult classic. The film cast Keanu Reeves as Constantine, a cynical exorcist who can communicate with angels and demons and realizes that neither Heaven nor Hell want him. The film’s biggest drawback at the time of its release is that Reeves’ version is not the character in the film. Infernal Blazer comics.

Although a better adaptation arrived with Matt Ryan as a more loyal version of the character from the NBC TV series who eventually transitioned to Legends of Tomorrow on The CW, fans have since looked at Reeves’ film in a more favorable light. The film gained a cult following and there were hints that a sequel could happen, even as the TV version remained popular. Reeves will return if the Constantine the sequel ends up getting the green light.

21

Matilde (1996)

Roald Dahl’s story of a young girl with magical powers

Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, Matilde tells the story of a young and intelligent six-year-old girl who lives with emotionally abusive parents and ends up in a school with a physically and mentally abusive principal.

However, when she finds an ally in her teacher, Miss Honey, and He soon discovers that he has magical powers that can make anything possible, she finally manages to stand up to her tormentors and defend not only herself, but also her classmates and her beloved teacher.

The film was a huge success when it was released, with a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but only a small box office. Despite the box office, it became a hit on home video. It’s a magical film similar to Harry Potter in that it shows a child in a bad situation who discovers that magic can help him overcome pain and despair. Matilde remained a beloved magical children’s film and received a remake as Matilda the Musical in 2022, which had a limited release before arriving on Netflix.

20

Now You See Me (2013)

A group of magicians carry out robberies

Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson reunited afterward Zombieland star Now you see me. This film revolves around four magicians who call themselves the Four Knights and carry out elaborate robberies hoping to join an order of “real magicians” called The Eye. The film features lots of sleight of hand and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments. The supporting cast features Mark Ruffalo as the FBI agent who tracks down the Robin Hood-inspired Four Horsemen, along with Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.

While the performances are good and the magical elements are inspired, the script is, at best, unintentionally silly. Now you see me the ending is complex, but it’s excellent popcorn entertainment and inspired a franchise. Unlike many magic movies, this one is about magicians and magic tricks, not actual magical powers. This release is more of a heist movie than a movie about magic, but it treats the magicians’ roles seriously.

19

Willow (1988)

A Magical Journey by Ron Howard

Ron Howard Willow it certainly has its merits and is one of the best films about magic. The fantasy film stars Warwick Davis as a farmer named Willow, who must care for a child destined to defeat the evil Queen Bavmorda. On her journey, Willow masters her powers of sorcery, aided by brownies, fairies, and Val Kilmer as the swordsman Madmartigan.

The newly confident Willow defeats Bavmorda and learns that good triumphs over evil – because this is a fantasy film, after all. Willow it was not well received at the time, but has since developed a cult following. With a soundtrack by James Horner and effects by ILM, it’s a match made in fantasy heaven.. Thanks to his cult, a Willow spinoff series airing on Disney+ with Warwick Davis reprising the role of the titular Willow.

18

Practical Magic (1998)

Two sisters seek love despite a magical curse

Although Nicole Kidman starred in a disappointing film Bewitched adaptation by Nora Ephron, there was a better film where she played a witch with Sandra Bullock in the rom-com Practical Magic.

Based on the novel of the same name by Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic is the story of two sisters with magical powers which come with a curse: any man who falls in love with them dies. The film’s name comes from the magic they specialize in, as they use practical magic to survive. The sister soon decided to destroy the evil spirit of one of her abusive boyfriends.

There are plenty of spells and jinxes to entertain the most hardened cynic. Although the film is not a masterpiece, it uses magical elements to tell a potent and entertaining love story. Since then, the film has gained a cult following and a Practical Magic the sequel is in the works more than two decades later.

17

Lord of Illusions (1995)

Directed by horror auteur Clive Barker

Clive Barker’s work ranges from incredibly grotesque and horrific to mildly terrifying and even a little gross. From him Infernal and Night Race is among the best the horror genre has to offer. One of its lesser-known adaptations is the 1995 film Lord of Illusions. Scott Bakula played Barker’s iconic Harry D’Amour in the film, marking the character’s first appearance on the silver screen. Barker wrote and directed the film, which is about a man who can use pure magic, called “The Puritan.”

Detective D’Amour handles a case involving a murdered psychic and the film benefits from spectacular practical effects and makeup and a unique magic in Barker’s imagination. The film is only loosely based on Barker’s film The last illusionand instead it’s mostly a new story featuring the popular character from the novel. It received mixed reviews and this was Harry D’Amour’s last appearance on the big screen.

16

Hocus Pocus (1993)

One of the most iconic witch films

THE The Sanderson sisters are some of the most beloved characters in Halloween-themed cinemaand the trio are the most memorable characters in one of the best films about magic. Played by the talented Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Milder and Kathy Najimy, the witches have one goal: to be young and beautiful again. Hocus Pocus is a great Halloween movie for kids of all ages.

Filled to the brim with extravagant costumes, silly spells, and buck teeth, it’s hard not to smile while watching the film.. The performances are perfectly over-the-top, but work best for those looking for a bit of nostalgia. Fans of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch or Halloween City you won’t be disappointed. Viewers also get Bette Milder singing “I Put a Spell on You” as a bonus. The film spawned a sequel nearly 20 years later, in which the Sanderson sisters reprized their respective roles.

15

Stardust (2007)

Based on the story by Neil Gaiman

In Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novel, there is a pirate (Robert de Niro), unicorns, and a fallen star personified as a woman (Claire Danes). The story follows Tristan Thorn (Reckless’and Charlie Cox), a young man who intends to capture the fallen star for his beloved, but falls in love with the star, becoming the master of his destiny.

It also features powerful witches who aim to capture the star’s magic for themselves, such as Stardust It’s also a film about a trio of witches who want to stay young and beautiful. Stardustof the supporting cast is spectacular, including Michelle Pfieffer, Mark Strong, Peter O’Toole, Ricky Gervais, Ian McKellen and Henry Cavill.

The magic displayed by Gaiman is colorful and imaginative, with strong world-building and great characters. The magic-based film was released to positive reviews and was a minor box office success. It also won the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form.

14

The Craft (1996)

A magical teenage coming-of-age film

One of the most popular films about witches since the 80s, The craft is notable for its realistic portrayal of the consequences of spellcasting. While any decidedly un-sinister movie about witches makes room for a morality story, The craft Not afraid of getting dark and staying there. Following the story of four intelligent high school students with incredible powers, The craft features curses, hexes, and more than one murder. This teenage clan is not to be messed with.

The craft is a cult classic that features fun performances, great magical effects and a soundtrack full of hits. The film was a moderate success, grossing $55 million on a budget of $15 million. Although it received mixed reviews when it was released, it has stood the test of time and even got a sequel in 2020 with a new group of young witches.

13

The Witch (2015)

One of the most disturbing films about magic

2015 The WitchRobert Eggers’ directorial debut, presents a decidedly dark take on magic and witchcraft. Seen through the lens of a fanatically religious 17th century family, magic in The Witch it is presented as an omen of death and horror.

Much of the film asks viewers to question whether the events taking place are genuine or byproducts of religious fanaticism, but the final segment makes it clear that the film’s occult occurrences were very real.

It’s a far cry from the cozy depiction of magic seen in most films and is one of the best magic movies about witches. When most people think of magical films, they don’t always consider something as uncomfortable and horrifying as The Witch. In addition to critical acclaim (90% on Rotten Tomatoes), it was also a box office success and remains one of the best A24 films of all time.

12

The Illusionist (2006)

Starring Edward Norton and Jessica Biel

Starring Edward Norton and Jessica Biel, The Illusionist is set in 19th century Vienna, and The film tells the story of illusionist Eisenheim and how he will be with his true love, Sophie. Since Sophie is a duchess and Eisenheim is a peasant, their love is forbidden, and Sophie is about to marry the despicable Prince Leopold.

The lovers hatch a plan to use the powers of illusion to free Sophie from her arranged engagement and the city of Vienna from Leopold’s reign. The Illusionist features excellent magic scenes ranging from typical stage acts to the summoning of dead spirits.

Director Neil Burger ensured that the magic used in the film remained accurate, as several stage magicians were brought in as consultants, including Ricky Jay, James Freedman and Scott Penrose. Burger said: “Starting in pre-production, James (Freedman) became an important collaborator; brainstorming, designing, and refining everything from small sleight of hand to large narrative scenarios.” (through Magic Week)

11

Labyrinth (1986)

David Bowie stars as the Goblin King

An undeniable fantasy classic, Maze It combines the best that the 1980s had to offer and is one of the best magic films of any era. Between musician David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King, fantastic puppets from the Jim Henson Creature Shop, and beautiful sets, the film is a sight to behold. Thanks to director Jim Henson, Hoggle and Sir Didymus are incredibly memorable and practical puppets. Bowie and Jennifer Connelly as Sarah are the only human actors in the fantasy world.

The story follows Sarah’s journey to rescue her younger brother, Toby, from the evil Goblin King who has captured him. It’s full of magical beasts that wow audiences and, as a story about magic, wears its heart on its sleeve. Although the film underperformed at the box office, it became a monster hit on home video and a cult classic.