The magical of world movies. Degrees of comparison adverbs the 12 Best Fantasy Worlds and Magical Realms in Movies, Ranked

THE MAGICAL OF WORLD MOVIES. DEGREES OF COMPARISON ADVERBS
The 12 Best Fantasy Worlds and Magical Realms in Movies, Ranked
Real life is boring. That's why we're so easily fascinated by fantasy worlds and magical realms—like the ones in these movies.
We've all seen films that take place in fantasy worlds or magical realities that are so captivating that we wish we could visit them. We're talking about places that exist alongside the real world, accessible via portals or some other magical means of travel.
Mystical creatures, enchanting spells, and wild adventures are there to provide us with an escape from our tedious reality. But sometimes those alternate worlds aren't all they're cracked up to be—even if they are well-made and fully realized.
Here are our picks for the best fantasy worlds and magical realms that exist alongside the real world in movies. You won't see places like Middle-Earth or Azeroth featured on this list!
Wolfgang Petersen's first English-language film is based on the 1979 novel The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. Of course, it isn't literally never-ending—it's just a metaphorical way of explaining how multi-layered storytelling can be.
The basic premise follows ten-year-old Bastian (played by Barret Oliver), who finds sanctuary in a library when bullies start chasing him. He discovers a strange book that comes with a warning... and, upon reading, finds himself transported into Fantasia.
Logically, the film has a beginning, middle, and an end as Bastian tries to stop a malevolent force called "The Nothing" from devouring Fantasia. But from a three-dimensional perspective, there's the story world in the book, the story of Bastian reading it, and us watching it.
Big Fish
Tim Burton is known for his distinctive fantasy worlds, usually in the form of gothic animation. Big Fish, however, is slightly different from the director's typical style.
Not only is it a live-action movie with bright popping colors (rather than the dreary palette that tends to color his films), it also stars Ewan McGregor instead of Johnny Depp.
Despite the central plot of the film being based around a man on his deathbed, Big Fish is a delightfully uplifting comedy-drama. Burton uses the quest motif to explore the complexities of father-son relationships, specifically between Edward Bloom and his son, Will.
Played by Billy Crudup, Will is the only person who isn't charmed by his father's grand adventures. Frustrated by Edward's inability to distinguish fact from fiction, he only listens to his father's fantasy-infused life story when he's dying of cancer.
Stardust
Stardust is marketed like other serious fantasy dramas, set in a magical medieval world not unlike Middle-Earth. In reality, Stardust is a comedy that satirizes the fantasy genre.
The gravity, sacrifice, and doom of The Lord of the Rings is replaced with dry sarcasm, dumb protagonists, and Ricky Gervais.
The whimsical kingdom of Stormhold lies beyond the other side of the Wall in a rural English village, which Tristan (played by Charlie Cox) stumbles upon after seeing a star fall from the sky—and that star ends up taking human form (personified by Claire Danes).