Magic comes in many strain , and the bestmagic moviesexplore them all . wizard , sorcery , and illusion bulge up most often in fairy tales and family movies , but it ’s scarcely confined to these genres , as wizardly concern to much more than just Mary Poppins . From the reverence of Studio Ghibli productions to the sinister wonderment ofPan ’s Labyrinth , magic is a broad conception that can open several creative avenue . Whether set in a high - phantasy otherworld or a closelipped castle in the near - modern day , moving picture feature magic and magic remain enthralling .

illusion has been a key storytelling component since fiction first formed millennia ago . The conception of witches , wizard , spells , and sorcerers will likely seem in movies for the rest of the medium ’s relevance . Be it Mickey Mouse charming a bunch of brooms or a bluff seeking to document the cosmos of theBlair Witch , wizardly crops up in many descriptor across every genre . While most immediately jump totheHarry PottermoviesorHocus Pocus , there ’s much more to magic trick than that , and many swell movies of the current day include plenty of magical elements .

30The Sword In The Stone (1963)

Disney’s Retelling Of The Adventures Of King Arthur And Merlin

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Disney ’s animated classic The Sword in the Stone spins a newfangled take on the tale of King Arthur of Camelot ’s origins as a baseborn gallant identify Wart who wish to become the Once and Future King . Though many have tried and failed , Wart , with the help of the all - powerful ( but spoil ) magician Merlin , will ship on a quest to draw the brand form the gem and result his state to a booming future .

Merlin is one of the most fabled champion in pa culture historywith myriad pic and shows showcasing his tale . However , one of the near and most beloved escapade in which he is include is in the underrated Disney movieThe Sword in the Stone . This is a family - friendly retelling of the fable of King Arthur , focusing on the untested son who is about to off the mythic steel from the Harlan Fiske Stone and coiffe out on his journeying to become one of the greatest knights in account .

As inmany iterations of the King Arthur story , Merlin serves as the mentor to the unseasoned paladin in this animated dangerous undertaking . However , it is a singular take on the eccentric , with Merlin being a humourous and somewhat stumble wizard whose grasp on magic is not what it once was . However , the movie features one of the most entertaining magic conflict in cinematic chronicle with Merlin charter on the nefarious Madam Mim in a shapeshifting showdown .

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

29Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

A Band Of Heroes Take On An Ancient Evil

Dungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thieves is a phantasy natural process - funniness film establish on the popular tabletop game and set in the Forgotten Realms campaign by the original Lord . Chris Pine stars as a song - slinging thief name Edgin Darvis , who is hire to find a lost relic but manages to see red the wrong people along the way of life . With his mismatched crew , each animate by a race and course of instruction from D&D traditional knowledge , Edgin will run his squad to complete their chore - and many innocent life depend on it .

Fans of magic , necromancy , and spells have long gravitated to the beloved table - top gameDungeons & Dragons . After a lot of failed endeavor to bring it to the big concealment in a successful way , Dungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thievesdelivereda enormously entertaining , action - pack , and funny fantasy adventure that brought the magic of the game to spirit . The movie stars the the like of Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez in the story of a ring of misfit thieves who accidentally loose an ancient evil and must loosen the damage they have caused .

TheDungeons & Dragonscast sum up a pile to the movie , crafting fun and exciting characters with great performances . However , the motion-picture show is also very clever with its economic consumption of magic in the account , with several sequences that take exist aspects of the illusion genre and use them in inspired ways . From shape - shifters to magical mirrors to battles with flying dragon , Honor Among Thievesproves there is still plenty of new reason to explore in witching movies .

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28Mary Poppins (1964)

Julie Andrew’s Magical Nanny

base on the classic book serial by P.L. Travers , Mary Poppins star Julie Andrews as the far-famed magic nanny , who arrives under secret means to depend after the Banks children in early 1900s London . consider one of Walt Disney ’s crowning achievement , the film go alive - action and brio with capricious storytelling and song and has been a staple children ’s movie since its release in 1964 .

The combination of magic and the real macrocosm can often make those phantasy elements all the more special in motion picture . Such is the case with the authoritative Disney live - action kinsperson movieMary Poppins . The story focuses on a dysfunctional family in London in need of a nanny to help with the misbehave children . They find the help they call for with the arrival of Mary Poppins , a magical young woman who land whimsy and a gumption of delight into the home .

The sorcerous aspects of Mary Poppins as a type are never really explainedand that is part of the charm . The other role in the movie are amazed by the thing she can do , but they just accept them with joyousness . However , from the iconic first image of her blow out of the sky with an umbrella , the thaumaturgy in her is percipient , and she prove it many times over , with afternoon tea party on the cap and even a tripper inside an alive world .

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27The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Ian McKellen’s Gandalf Is A Magic Highlight

The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring is the first film in Peter Jackson ’s critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy . The movie follows Frodo Baggins ( Elijah Woods ) as he is tasked with destroying the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom after he inherit the ring .

bring phantasy novels to the braggart screen is always a intimidating task , but it has perhaps never been reach as efficaciously as withtheLord of the Ringsmovies . J.R.R. Tolkien ’s heroic saga of Middle - earth is a fabled story in the genre and Peter Jackson managed to do it justice with his epic trilogy of motion picture which begins withThe Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Rings , kickstarting the journeying of Frodo and the other bomber to put down the One Ring .

As with most movies set up in fantasy world , there are a lot of magic elements to verbalise of . However , the high spot of the movie is the character of Gandalf with Ian McKellen ’s Oscar - nominated execution bringing one of the most beloved pop culture wizards to animation . Gandalf ’s conjuring trick is record to be fun , as with the pyrotechnic he displays , and heroic , as with his last outdoor stage against Balrog .

Collage of Jareth from Labyrinth, Harry Potter holding a wand, and Chihiro sitting with No Face in Spirited Away

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26Pinocchio (1940)

The Blue Fairy Brings A Wooden Puppet To Life

Gepetto , an old Italian carpenter , require to be a don so badly that his puppet of a boy follow to life . However , the wooden male child does n’t know right from damage and his nose grows when he lies .

So many Disney movies have distribute with trick in a braggart way , from pansy godmother giving miserable girls the chance to come up happiness to a djinn granting wish . However , perhaps the most iconic magic second from all of the Disney animated movies is when the Blue Fairy allows the wooden puppet Pinocchio to come to life and get his chance to prove himself a real boy .

The famous tale of Pinocchio and his surrogate beginner Geppetto has been told many times , but the classic Disney animated version still trance the hearts of fans decades later . The song " When You Wish Upon a Star " spotlight the thaumaturgy not only at the center of this story but also of the entire Disney catalogue . Along with the Disney version , Guillermo del Toro ’s check - motion take on the tale is a darker yet also beautiful version .

The Sword in the Stone Movie Poster

Disney’s animated classic The Sword in the Stone spins a new take on the tale of King Arthur of Camelot’s origins as a humble squire named Wart who wishes to become the Once and Future King. Though many have tried and failed, Wart, with the help of the all-powerful (but bumbling) magician Merlin, will embark on a quest to pull the sword form the stone and lead his country to a prosperous future.

25The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

A Girl & Her Friends Battle A Wicked Witch

Based on Frank L. Baum ’s record of the same name , The Wizard of Oz follows young Dorothy Gale ( Judy Garland ) as she ’s swing aside to the magical nation of Oz . Upon make it , she falls afoul of a hag , then enlist the help of a scarecrow , a tin man , and a lion in orderliness to witness the Wizard and get home to her family .

Magic movies have existed since the early days of the mute epoch , and Modern editing techniques have permit them to showcase magician and parlor trick . There were also several movies about demonic magic , likeThe Student of PragueandFaust . However , one of the most witching movies of the golden era came in 1939 withThe Wizard of Oz . The film sees a farm girl constitute Dorothy sent to a wizard land where she meets a " estimable witch " and battles a Wicked Witch to return home .

The movie version ofWicked , which tells the story from the Wicked Witch ’s stop of position , will be released in 2024 .

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The movie is full of magic , with the Wicked Witch sending her flying monkey to turn back Dorothy , while the Wizard himself is a perfect example of a magician using parlor tricks to get what he wants . The film has become one of the most beloved classics ever made , watched more than any other moving picture in apparent history ( viaAFI ) . It was also one of the first movies enter into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress . There ’s an air of magical wonder that has allow for it to remain timeless .

24The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)

A Live-Action Version Of The Classic Disney Animated Classic

Balthazar Blake and and Maxim Horvath are rival sorcerers , hundreds of years old . In modern - twenty-four hours Manhattan , Balthazar fights the forces of evil , while Horvath searches for the somebody destined to inherit the powerfulness of the mythical Merlin . This turns out to be Dave Stutler , whom Balthazar takes in as a reluctant apprentice to help him stop Horvath from destroying the world .

In 1940 , Disney Animation releasedFantasia , which shocked audiences with mental imagery that some believed was too direful for untested children . 70 years later , Disney adapted parts of that storey into the resilient - action movieThe Sorcerer ’s Apprentice , which was mostly based on the Mickey Mouse magic plot line from that early picture . Jay Baruchel stars as Dave , a college student who becomes the hapless apprenticeto the millennia - quondam sorcerer Balthazar ( Nicolas Cage ) .

Nicolas Cage ’s Balthazar Blake is found on Yen Sid fromFantasia .

Dungeons and Dragons Honor Among Thieves Poster-3

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a fantasy action-comedy film based on the popular tabletop game and set in the Forgotten Realms campaign by the original creators. Chris Pine stars as a song-slinging thief named Edgin Darvis, who is hired to find a lost relic but manages to anger the wrong people along the way. With his mismatched crew, each inspired by a race and class from D&D lore, Edgin will lead his team to complete their task - and many innocent lives depend on it.

Dave is clear over his head and struggles throughout to control his magical power . Balthazar is barely any assistance , with batting cage in top form as the exacerbate master wizard . The picture show did n’t receive great review when it was exhaust , sitting at 40 % on Rotten Tomatoes and only a slenderly higher 53 % from the audience score . However , most of the extolment go to the cast . The movie also did well at the box office , but it did n’t make enough to become profitable thanks to the bloated budget ( $ 150 million ) .

23Doctor Strange (2016)

The Marvel Wizard Makes His Way Into The MCU

Doctor Strange follow the journey of a magnificent yet chesty surgeon , portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch , whose career is derailed . He determine buyback under the tutelage of a mystical sorcerer , larn to harness mystical powers to protect the universe from dark forces . Released in 2016 , the film expands Marvel ’s cinematic universe into the kingdom of religious mysticism .

In Marvel Comics , Doctor Strange is known as the Sorcerer Supreme and is the primary root of thaumaturgy in the hoagy ' residential district . In 2016 , he made his style to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his origin tale inDoctor Strange .

In this movie , Stephen Strange is a bright neurosurgeon who lost the use of his hands in a wicked motorcar fortuity and decide to seek out thaumaturgy to find those abilities . However , along the direction , he becomes the Earth ’s most powerful sorcerer and one of its greatest Heron . The movie start deeply into the conjuration of the Marvel Universe , with evil wizard on Earth and from other dimensions vying for controller .

Headshot Of Chris Pine iN The Wags & Walks 12th Annual Benefit Gala at Taglyan Complex.

The MCU also went all out with the visual appearance of the witching moments , earning an Oscar nominating speech for the effect crowd ’s study . Doctor Strangewas really the MCU ’s first venture into horror on the grown screenland , with legendary repugnance director Sam Raimi at the helm for the sequel . This introduce one of the MCU ’s most significant character and make a mankind of magic for succeeding motion picture .

22Constantine (2005)

A DC Universe Magical Thriller Starring Keanu Reeves

Constantine the Great follows John Constantine , a chemical chain - smoke occult arts investigator who has travel to Hell and back . Released in 2005 , the film pairs him with a policewoman to investigate her twin sister ’s mysterious suicide , fill them into a hidden universe of demons and angels in modernistic Los Angeles .

In 2005 , the DC Universe antihero John Constantine got a flick of his own . It was a critical flop but has been reappraised as a misunderstood cult classic . The moving-picture show cast Keanu Reeves asConstantine , a cynical exorciser who can pass along with angels and demonsand realizes that neither Heaven nor Hell wants him . The big precipitation to the movie at the time of its acquittance is that Reeves ' adaptation is not the grapheme from theHellblazercomics .

While a good version get with Matt Ryan as a more loyal version of the character in the NBC TV serial that ended up transitioning toLegends of Tomorrowon The CW , fans have since looked back on Reeves ' movie in a more prosperous light . The motion-picture show pick up a cult following , and there have been intimation that a sequel could happen , even with the TV version remaining pop . Reeves will return if theConstantinesequelends up getting a unripe light .

Headshot Of Michelle Rodriguez

21Matilda (1996)

The Roald Dahl Story Of A Young Girl With Magical Powers

Matilda is the 1996 live - action movie adaptation of Roald Dahl ’s 1988 novel of the same name . It tell the story of Matilda Wormwood ( Mara Wilson ) , a shaver prodigy who develops telekinetic powers while administer with her scurrilous family and her school ’s dictatorial principal Miss Trunchbull ( Pam Ferris ) with the assistant of her teacher Miss Honey ( Embeth Davidtz ) . Danny DeVito directs the plastic film and play Matilda ’s male parent , Harry .

Based on the novel by Roald Dahl , Matildatells the story of a untried , intelligent six - twelvemonth - old girl who be with emotionally scurrilous parent and ends up in a school day with a physically and mentally abusive principal .

However , when she finds an friend in her teacher , Miss Honey , andsoon discovers she possess magical major power that can make anything possible , she finally has a mode to stand up up to her victimizers and defend not only herself but also her classmates and her darling teacher .

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Based on the classic book series by P.L. Travers, Mary Poppins stars Julie Andrews as the famous magical nanny, who arrives under mysterious means to look after the Banks children in early 1900s London. Considered one of Walt Disney’s crowning achievements, the film blends live-action and animation with whimsical storytelling and song and has been a staple children’s movie since its release in 1964.

The movie was a Brobdingnagian achiever when it come out , with a 92 % Rotten Tomatoes score but only a little loge office take . Despite the box office , it became a bang on home video . It is a sorcerous film standardised toHarry Potterin that it show a child in a bad situation who finds that magic can help them come up above the annoyance and despair . Matildahas stay a beloved charming children ’s movie and received a remaking asMatilda the Musicalin 2022 , which had a circumscribed release before hitting Netflix .

The Lord Of The Rings- The Fellowship Of The Ring Poster

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the first film in Peter Jackson’s critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy. The movie follows Frodo Baggins (Elijah Woods) as he is tasked with destroying the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom after he inherits the ring.

Headshot Of Elijah Wood

Headshot Of Ian McKellen In The USA Rights Only

Pinocchio (1940)

Gepetto, an old Italian carpenter, wanted to be a father so badly that his puppet of a boy came to life. However, the wooden boy doesn’t know right from wrong and his nose grows when he lies.

Article image

Based on Frank L. Baum’s book of the same name, The Wizard of Oz follows young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) as she’s swept away to the magical land of Oz. Upon arriving, she falls afoul of a witch, then enlists the help of a scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion in order to find the Wizard and get home to her family.

Sorcerer’s Apprentice Poster

Balthazar Blake and and Maxim Horvath are rival sorcerers, hundreds of years old. In modern-day Manhattan, Balthazar fights the forces of evil, while Horvath searches for the person destined to inherit the powers of the mythical Merlin. This turns out to be Dave Stutler, whom Balthazar takes in as a reluctant apprentice to help him stop Horvath from destroying the world.

Headshot of Jay Baruchel

Headshot Of Alfred Molina

01106885_poster_w780.jpg

Doctor Strange follows the journey of a brilliant yet arrogant surgeon, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, whose career is derailed. He finds redemption under the tutelage of a mystical sorcerer, learning to harness mystical powers to protect the world from dark forces. Released in 2016, the film expands Marvel’s cinematic universe into the realm of mysticism.

Headshot Of Benedict Cumberbatch In The Doctor Strange Premiere

Headshot Of Chiwetel Ejiofor In The UK Paramount+ Launch Event

0181495_poster_w780.jpg

Constantine follows John Constantine, a chain-smoking occult detective who has journeyed to Hell and back. Released in 2005, the film pairs him with a policewoman to investigate her twin sister’s mysterious suicide, taking them into a hidden world of demons and angels in modern Los Angeles.

Headshot Of Keanu Reeves In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Lionsgate’s ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

Headshot Of Rachel Weisz

Matilda Movie poster

Matilda is the 1996 live-action movie adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel of the same name. It tells the story of Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson), a child prodigy who develops telekinetic powers while dealing with her abusive family and her school’s dictatorial principal Miss Trunchbull (Pam Ferris) with the help of her teacher Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz). Danny DeVito directs the film and plays Matilda’s father, Harry.

Headshot of Danny DeVito

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