By Justine Kraemer
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Fantasy movies have the capacity to tap into our deepest emotions. These stories feature characters who either live in alternate realities or characters who have constructed fantasy worlds to escape from often traumatic realities. Fantasy stories can tell deep human stories and reflect the way that characters see the world around them. In particular, there are some fantasy stories that amplify the feeling of sadness by presenting devastating stories.
Some movies, like The Green Mile, take inspiration from real experiences and elevate the stakes to tell a heartbreakingly tragic story. Other movies, like Inside Out, are sad because they are a bittersweet reflection on how life changes over time. The most tragic fantasy stories are reflections on the human experience. These stories may be sad, but they feature characters who experience both tragedy and triumph.
10 'Big Fish' (2003)
Directed by Tim Burton

Big Fish follows the story of Will Bloom (Billy Crudup), who tries to decipher the life of his father, Edward. Edward uses stories to tell his son about his life. As Will tries to understand his father better, he has to distinguish fact from fiction as he reflects on their relationship. The movie explores such themes as the realities of growing up and the difficulties parents face when trying to do right by their children while fighting their own internal battles.
What makes director Tim Burton's Big Fish such a sad story is the fact that it is a heartbreaking reflection on how distant the relationship between parents and children can become. The story paints a picture of a flawed man who made many mistakes while raising his son but who has tried his best nevertheless. Big Fish is a sad story because it is so deeply relatable. While the story may feature fantastical stories, it is grounded in a familiar story that is ultimately bittersweet.

Big Fish
PG-13
Where to Watch
- stream
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- December 25, 2003
- Director
- Tim Burton
- Cast
- Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman
- Runtime
- 125 minutes
- Main Genre
- Adventure
9 'The Last Unicorn' (1982)
Directed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass

The Last Unicorn is based on the 1968 fantasy novel of the same by Peter S. Beagle. As the title implies, the story revolves around a unicorn who is the last of her kind. Once the unicorn is told she is the last of her kind, she puts together a band of misfits to join her in finding out what happened to her species. She faces off against King Haggard (Christopher Lee), who is only ever happy when looking at unicorns.
What makes The Last Unicorn so devastating is the fact that it is a reflection of being alone in the world and how hard it can be to make genuine connections. While The Last Unicorn has many sweet moments that see this group of mystical characters becoming friends and overcoming their differences, it is ultimately a tragedy spotlighting a mythical creature alone in the universe. The movie is a dark fantasy with a melancholic tone that never lets up.

The Last Unicorn
G
Adventure
Animation
Drama
Where to Watch
- stream
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- November 19, 1982
- Director
- Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.
- Cast
- Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, Alan Arkin, Christopher Lee
8 'Tideland' (2005)
Directed by Terry Gilliam

Tideland follows the story of Jeliza-Rose (Jodelle Ferland), a young girl who lives in an isolated town in Texas. Jeliza-Rose has a chaotic family and tries to find a way to adapt to her isolation. The story deals with themes of addiction, grief and loss, and the complicated ties that can exist between siblings. This is a brutal fantasy that is violent throughout. Tideland handles difficult topics and presents them through the eyes of a child.
Tideland is particularly sad because it is grounded in the reality that so many children around the world face. It is devastating to see the effects of isolation play out in Jeliza-Rose's story. The story's tragedy comes from the fact that Jeliza-Rose is frequently neglected when she most needs support. It is alarming how violent the story becomes. This violence reflects the turmoil that Jeliza-Rose faces internally and in her environment.

Tideland
R
Sci-Fi
Fantasy
Drama
Thriller
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- October 13, 2005
- Director
- Terry Gilliam
- Cast
- Jodelle Ferland, Janet McTeer, Jennifer Tilly, Jeff Bridges, Brendan Fletcher, Dylan Taylor, Wendy Anderson, Sally Crooks, Alden Adair, Mitch Cullin, Harry Gilliam, Kent Nolan, David Stefanyshyn
- Runtime
- 120 Minutes
7 'Bridge to Terabithia' (2007)
Directed by Gábor Csupó

Bridge to Terabithia is based on the fantasy novel of the same name by Katherine Paterson. The story follows Jesse (Josh Hutcherson), a young boy living in poverty who becomes friends with a classmate, Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb). The two used their combined imaginations to construct a fantasy world that serves as an escape. The two use their creativity to create an elaborate world that they can visit whenever they need.
What makes Bridge to Terabithia so devastating is that it highlights the fact that life is so short. The story features a protagonist who experiences deeply devastating losses at a young age. The fantasy elements of the story highlight the fact that the losses in this story are so profound that they require this type of escapism. Ultimately, Bridge to Terabithia's exploration of grief and loss makes it deeply sad to watch.

Bridge to Terabithia
PG
Drama
Fantasy
Where to Watch
- stream
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- February 16, 2007
- Director
- Gabor Csupo
- Cast
- Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Robert Patrick, Zooey Deschanel
- Runtime
- 95 Minutes
6 'Where the Wild Things Are' (2009)
Directed by Spike Jonze

Where the Wild Things Are is the story of Max (Max Records), a little boy who finds himself deeply lonely. His parents are divorced, and he isn't particularly close to his older sister. Max imagines a world inhabited by seven large monsters. Max forms relationships with these seven monsters, particularly Carol (James Gandolfini), the short-tempered leader. The story is based on the children's book of the same name by Maurice Sendak.
Where the Wild Things Are is another tragic story because it highlights the plight of a child who feels lonely. The movie highlights how vivid imagination can be used to cope with difficult realities. Max's story is sad because it is clear he has envisioned a world based on his own perceptions of his experiences. Additionally, the ordinary conflicts that Max faces are relatable, which gives the story more emotional resonance.

Where the Wild Things Are
PG
Family
Adventure
Drama
Where to Watch
- stream
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- October 16, 2009
- Director
- Spike Jonze
- Cast
- Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, Chris Cooper, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker
- Runtime
- 101 minutes
5 'Inside Out' (2015)
Directed by Pete Docter

Inside Out follows the internal emotions of Riley (Kaitlyn Dias). Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), and Disgust (Mindy Kaling) are Riley's primary emotions, and they manage her internal environment. The movie follows Riley's struggles to adjust after moving to a new state. Not only do Riley's emotions have to regulate the fact that she is in a new environment, but they also have to account for the fact that she is growing up and developing a new sense of self.
What makes Inside Out so sad is that it is a meditation on the difficulty that comes with growing up. As Riley grows up, she has to contend with the fact that each of her memories can become tinged with a hint of sadness and melancholy. As sad as Inside Out is, it has a hopeful tone and an important message that all emotions are valid. This movie always treats sadness as a necessary emotion, and shows how much a part of life this feeling is.

Inside Out
PG
Animation
Adventure
Comedy
Where to Watch
- stream
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- June 19, 2015
- Director
- Pete Docter
- Cast
- Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Richard Kind, Kaitlyn Dias
- Runtime
- 95 minutes
4 'A Monster Calls' (2016)
Directed by J.A. Bayona

A Monster Calls is a dark fantasy movie that stars Lewis MacDougall as Conor O'Malley, a boy who has a close relationship with his terminally ill mother. Facing his mother's death, he is troubled by the fact that he would have to stay with his father in the United States or with his strict grandmother. Conor is visited by a giant who looks similar to a large tree. The giant tells Conor stories and provides a listening ear to his troubles.
What makes A Monster Calls so heartbreaking is that it shows how powerful grief and loss can be and how people of all ages experience these. This is also a tragic story at its core since it highlights how damaging fear and anxiety are in children especially and how they need to be supported in processing these emotions. This movie is also sad because it shows a child inventing a character in their mind that they can rely on for emotional support.

A Monster Calls
PG-13
Fantasy
Documentary
Where to Watch
- stream
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- January 1, 2016
- Director
- Juan Antonio Bayona
- Cast
- Sigourney Weaver, Liam Neeson, Geraldine Chaplin, Toby Kebbell, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lim, Lewis MacDougall
- Runtime
- 108minutes
3 'Never Let Me Go' (2010)
Directed by Mark Romanek

Never Let Me Go is a dystopian romance that follows Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Ruth (Keira Knightley), and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). These characters exist in an alternate historical timeline. In this alternate reality, medical technology allows humans to live beyond 100 years. Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are friends from childhood who live in a mysterious boarding school. As the story unfolds, their lives become entangled in heartbreaking ways.
What makes Never Let Me Go so uniquely devastating is the fact that it uses its optimistic vision of the future to tell a heartbreaking story about loss. What initially seems like a utopian version of humanity's future quickly turns into a horrifying look at the lengths it would be possible to go to to exploit human beings. Never Let Me Go is sad because it presents three characters who have to fight against impossible odds to preserve their humanity.

Never Let Me Go
R
Drama
Romance
Sci-Fi
Where to Watch
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- October 15, 2010
- Director
- Mark Romanek
- Cast
- Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Sally Hawkins, Andrew Garfield, Charlotte Rampling, Domhnall Gleeson
- Runtime
- 103 minutes
2 'The Green Mile' (1999)
Directed by Frank Darabont

The Green Mile stars Tom Hanks as Paul Edgecomb, a prison guard who works on death row. When a new inmate, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), arrives, Paul begins experiencing supernatural phenomena. Paul begins to question his reality when he sees John perform actions that seem like miracles. The Green Mile is set against the backdrop of the Great Depression and handles themes such as wrongfully accused prisoners and racism in America.
The Green Mile is a heartbreaking story that uses fantasy elements to highlight real societal issues. Like the source material, the movie is a heartbreaking look at the plight of the wrongfully accused and those who are sentenced to death. John is a devastating character to follow, and his supernatural abilities only underline his humanity which is frequently dismissed. The Green Mile is also a devastating story because it presents a character who has had his entire life impacted by the choices he made as a younger man.

The Green Mile
R
Drama
Crime
Fantasy
Where to Watch
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- December 10, 1999
- Director
- Frank Darabont
- Cast
- Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, James Cromwell, Michael Jeter, Graham Greene, Doug Hutchison
- Runtime
- 189 Minutes
1 'Pan's Labyrinth' (2006)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro

Pan's Labyrinth is set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. The story follows Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), a child who eventually comes to believe that she is the reincarnated version of a fairytale princess. Ofelia discovers a fantasy world and has to complete a series of tasks to prove her true identity. Pan's Labyrinth mirrors the brutality of the Spanish Civil War by creating an equally disturbing underworld inhabited by horrifying creatures.
What makes Pan's Labyrinth so dark and horrifying is that it uses its fantasy elements to comment on the nature of war. This is another example of a movie using the point of view of a child to make the story sadder. Ultimately, Pan's Labyrinth showcases the chaos that war causes, mentally and physically, to those who find themselves in the middle of it. This movie is also so sad because it shows how deep one's mind can go to protect oneself against the real world.

Pan's Labyrinth
R
War
Drama
Fantasy
Where to Watch
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- January 19, 2007
- Director
- Guillermo del Toro
- Cast
- Sergi López, Doug Jones, Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Maribel Verdú
- Runtime
- 118 minutes
NEXT: The Best Fantasy Movies of All Time, Ranked
- Movie
- Fantasy
- A Monster Calls
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