While Hulu is not necessarily known for its fantasy content, with the streaming giant offering some of the best drama and comedy instead, the platform still has some gems and a few notable acclaimed features. This is thanks to Hulu’s pairing with Disney, which allows it access to some of its catalog, but the streaming service also offers a fair number of indie features that can be buried within its massive catalog.
With so many choices, finding what to watch next can be challenging. So, to help you pick your next fantasy treat, whether you are looking for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, a comfort film, or something to shake things up, we have outlined the best movies of the genre you can find on Hulu.
10 Coco (2017)
Release Date October 27, 2017
Cast Gael García Bernal , Alanna Ubach , Anthony Gonzalez , Selene Luna , Jaime Camil , Edward James Olmos , Renee Victor , Sofía Espinosa , Benjamin Bratt , natalia cordova-buckley , Alfonso Arau
Runtime 105 minutes
Miguel River, a 12-year-old in Mexico, has a passion for music, restricted due to his great-grandpa leaving the family behind to pursue a career. When Miguel learns that his now-deceased grandfather played an instrument belonging to his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, on the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), Miguel returns and fetches the instrument from his family tomb to prove his prowess with the instrument. However, this act sends him to the Land of the Dead, where he has to team up with a down-on-his-luck skeleton to find a relative to give him his blessing and allow him to return to the world of the living.
A Stand-Out From Pixar Exploring the Rich Culture of Mexico
Pixar Studios is revered for a good reason. With so many stand-out and award-winning productions, it always amazes fans when they create something wholly original while maintaining that heart and visual flare that has endeared so many to their films. Coco is no exception, focusing on Mexican traditions to craft a unique visual experience backed by a score inspired by the region’s music. The film also has a slightly dark aesthetic tied to The Day of the Dead. Far from horror, it gives the work a slight mature edge that will appeal to the grown-up goth or horror fan who wants to share movies with the younger generations.
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9 Labyrinth (1986)
Release Date June 27, 1986
Runtime 101
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Sarah dreads caring for her baby brother, is frustrated by the child’s constant crying, and wishes he was whisked away. These wishes open a gateway to a magical kingdom ruled by a mysterious figure named Jareth, who abducts the young child. Now, Sarah must navigate a vast maze and various bizarre creatures to bring her brother back home.
A Dose of ’80s Dark Fantasy Nostalgia
Jim Henson was so integral in crafting the childhood of so many kids growing up, whether it be his additions to Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and its subsequent movies, or The Fraggles; he created so many memorable properties and left behind a legacy. Labyrinth is perhaps Jim Henson’s most accomplished work, with a slightly more mature and dark edge that makes it a film that scared some as kids but had them cherish it as adults. Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie are great, but all the gnarly creations and art direction keep people coming back to this film time and time again.
8 I Kill Giants (2018)
Release Date January 21, 2018
Runtime 106
Main Genre Sci-Fi
Writers Joe Kelly , J.M. Ken Niimura
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Barbara Thorson is a 12-year-old girl who lives a troubled life in a seaside town. She is bullied at school and is dealing with her mother’s illness, which makes her unable to be present in her life. To idle away her time, she escapes into a world of imagination where she plays the role of a giant slayer with the help of her mighty axe. Things change when Barbara finds a friend to help her in Sophia, and the two begin to plant and attend to traps around town. As the young girl starts to come to terms with her grief over her ill mother, she starts to lose faith in her role as guardian, but when one dark and stormy night brings a troll to town, she has to step up in a big way.
An Underrated Fantasy Exploring Themes of Grief
I Kill Giants did not necessarily land too much fanfare and disappeared into obscurity shortly after its release. Perhaps the sensational name and title had those unfamiliar with the source material expecting a bigger fantasy adventure. However, I Kill Giants is a well-constructed exploration of grief through the eyes of a child who copes using escapism; the fantasy elements are light and only offer a visual flare near the film’s climax. The movie provides a touching and introspective story backed by solid performances and a sharp visual direction; set your expectations, and you will be pleasantly surprised.
7 Cryptozoo (2021)
Cryptozoo
Release Date August 20, 2021
Director Dash Shaw
Cast Michael Cera , Lake Bell , Alex Karpovsky , Zoe Kazan , Louisa Krause , Angeliki Papoulia , Thomas Jay Ryan , Peter Stormare , Grace Zabriskie , Emily Davis , Ivan Kamasarav , Nathan Nikulin , Maxim Pozdorovkin , Matvey Kulakov , Irene Muscara , Owen K. Price , Joce Soubiran , Rajesh Parameswaran , Ami Patel
Runtime 95 minutes
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Set in a fantastical vision of 1960s San Francisco, Cryptozoo follows veterinarian cryptozoologist Lauren Grey, who works at the ritual animal conservation site for cryptids. Plagued by nightmares, Grey decides to try to capture a baku, a dream-eating creature from Japanese folklore, for the zoo to help with her sleepless nights. However, as she embarks on the journey to capture the mystical beast, moral questions are raised about whether it is morally right for people to keep these fantastical creatures behind bars or allow them to roam free.
A Journey Through the World’s Folklore
The visual style of Crytpozoois immediately striking, as unique as the creatures it captures. The striking aesthetic instantly draws the viewer in, but as the narrative unwinds and more profound themes are explored, the true strengths of the movie come to the forefront. The film addresses a wide array of social issues in a meaningful and engaging way, making this a unique fantasy experience. The voice-acting is also excellent, with a large cast of notable names.
6 The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes (2022)
High school students Kaoru Touno and Anzu Hanashiro are both at turning points in their lives. Kaoru is struggling with the recent loss of his younger sister in an accident, and Anzu desires to be a manga artist, but family struggles hold her back from her dream. The two find solace in each other, and their friendship leads them to the “Urashima Tunnel,” a magical path that allows one to sacrifice one’s lifespan for one’s greatest wishes to come true.
Anime Excellence For Any Audience
Taking a page from the work of Makoto Shinkai, The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes offers a highly emotional coming-of-age journey highlighted by a fantastical journey of self-discovery. The feature blends elements of fantasy and drama with skill, and its universal themes allow it to be appreciated by any audience; you don’t need to be a fan of anime to enjoy this one. Don’t be surprised if the tears start flowing near the end; this one can be a tear-jerker.
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5 The Princess Bride (1987)
Release Date September 25, 1987
Runtime 98
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Based on the novel by William Goldman, The Princess Bride is a romance story that spans a wide swathe of time and through an eccentric group of characters. The drama is focused on Buttercup and Westley, who are separated near the film’s beginning. Westley, believed to be dead, dons the moniker of the Dread Pirate Roberts and returns to the kingdom of Florin. Using this disguise, he plans to win back Buttercup, who is now engaged to Prince Humperdinck, who has devious plans for his bride-to-be.
Inconceivable!
With a wonderfully eccentric cast that also happens to be highly quotable, The Princess Bride blended fantasy and humor to such success that it has become a beloved cult classic that fans revisit time and time. Using traditional story elements to create a vision of a fairy tale brought to life gives the production an endearing edge as well. For many, this is quintessential 80s cinema, drenched in nostalgia, that is worth checking out again (or the first time) on Hulu.
4 Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
Release Date April 10, 1992
Director Bill Kroyer
Runtime 76
Writers Jim Cox , Diana Young
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The animated feature takes place in a fictional Australian forest, Ferngully, where fairies live in harmony with nature. It follows the adventures of a magician in training, Cryst, who learns that the once-thought-to-be-extinct humans are coming to their forest to log their utopia. Her first meeting with a human comes when she saves Zak from a falling tree, shrinking him to her size. The two become friends, and Zak starts to realize the beauty that his fellow humans are going to destroy.
An Animated Movie with a Strong Message
Ferngully: The Last Rainforest undeniably inspired many kids to take environmental conservation seriously. Painting a picturesque vision of nature with lush colors, the animated feature is still a visual treat decades after its release. The voice-acting cast here is phenomenal. Robin Williams plays a friendly bay companion in Batty Koda, and Tim Curry plays an evil entity embodying pollution and humanity’s greed, Hexxus. If that is not enough to draw you in, the animated film features excellent musical numbers that will have you singing along.
3 Freaky Friday (2003)
Freaky Friday
Release Date August 6, 2003
Runtime 1h 37m
Writers Mary Rodgers , Heather Hach , Leslie Dixon
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Mother Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) has become at odds with her rebellious daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan). The two have a strained relationship, with Tess about to get remarried and constant arguments over how Anna chooses to live her life. The relationship is challenged when the two switch bodies, with both having to adjust to the other’s life while trying to understand the challenges each faces.
A Relatable Fantasy/Comedy
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan give some of the best performances of their careers in Freaky Friday, creating a believable, strained mother-daughter relationship. The performances allow for an endearing exploration of familial relationships, the challenges, and the triumphs that can arise. Of course, the body-swapping angle provides many great comedic highlights, as the two must navigate plenty of interactions and choices while in the wrong body.
2 Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Release Date December 14, 1990
Runtime 105 minutes
Writers Caroline Thompson
Edward is the unfinished creation of an inventor who passed before he could finish his job, leaving him alone in a gothic mansion with scissors for hands. The lonely creation is allowed to become part of society when Peg Boggs discovers him and introduces him to her family and friends in suburbia. Things become complicated when Edward develops feelings for Peg and is targeted by her boyfriend, Jim.
A Tim Burton Classic
Much like A Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissor Hands brought visions of gothic horror with a family-friendly edge around the holiday season to create an instant classic. This is one of Tim Burton’s most beloved films, flowing like a fairytale with a dark edge and moments of light comedy. Yet, the romantic angle and the challenges Edward faces in dealing with his emotions have made this a beloved movie that people often visit during the holidays.
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1 The Place of No Words (2018)
Faced with the fact that his father is terminally ill, young Bohdi begins to craft a world of imagination where he can spend more time with his father and explore a mythical landscape. Here young Bodhi begins to grapple with the reality that his father is going to die, and the fantasy landscape acts to help him realize this unfortunate truth.
A Philosophical Fantasy Feature Dealing with Loss
The Place of No Words is a flawed film. It lacks traditional structure, is at times atonal to the themes it tries to explore, and is relatively slow-paced. However, what makes it an interesting entry into the fantasy genre is its committed approach to exploring the loss of a parent through a child’s perspective. Director Mark Webber, who also stars in the film with his family, also crafted a highly personal experience in this approach that helps the emotional elements resonate. The Viking-inspired fantasy also offers unique visuals for those seeking a more unique fantasy experience.
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