The 50 Best Fantasy Movies Ever

Few film genres provide such an acute sense of escapism as fantasy films. Whether you're entering a mythological land like Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings, a spiritual realm like Kami of Spirited Away, a surrealist labyrinth like Alice in Wonderland, or a universe all its own (Dune, anyone?) … we seem to gravitate to the ways in which fantasy films can transport us to worlds that seem light years away, with stories that lie close to our hearts. And the best part is? You don't need to ride a dragon or to answer any bridge troll's riddle in order to get to your destination. (Although, you might need to pay a fee for your travels if you're catching it in theaters.) From timeless classics like The Wizard of Oz to tales of today like The Shape of Water, the fantasy genre has become one of the greatest tests for the caliber of our film industry's technical and storytelling capabilities. Put reality on hold for a while and let yourself get lost in some of the most imaginative movies of all time.

View in Browser  SHOP EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBE The 50 Best Fantasy Movies of All Time Few film genres provide such an acute sense of escapism as fantasy films. Whether you're entering a mythological land like Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings, a spiritual realm like Kami of Spirited Away, a surrealist labyrinth like Alice in Wonderland, or a universe all its own (Dune, anyone?) … we seem to gravitate to the ways in which fantasy films can transport us to worlds that seem light years away, with stories that lie close to our hearts. And the best part is? You don't need to ride a dragon or to answer any bridge troll's riddle in order to get to your destination. (Although, you might need to pay a fee for your travels if you're catching it in theaters.) From timeless classics like The Wizard of Oz to tales of today like The Shape of Water, the fantasy genre has become one of the greatest tests for the caliber of our film industry's technical and storytelling capabilities. Put reality on hold for a while and let yourself get lost in some of the most imaginative movies of all time. Read More The Best Bars in America, 2023 From a space-themed bar in San Diego, to conjuring the 70s through wine in New Orleans, and reinventing the quintessential dive in New York, here are all the new spots to order another round or three. Read More 24 Sweat Shorts Made for Weird, In-Between Weather The hybrid style is built for our current meteorological moment. Read More Harrison Ford Has Stories to Tell Most people know a good deal about Harrison Ford. His path to becoming an actor was methodical and uneventful: going out for parts, landing small roles. He figured he could be a character actor. "Anyone but the leading man" is how he describes it. A working actor. Getting paid and going home at night. Then there's the famous thing that happened, a story of which there are many versions, but this is the right one: Ford had got a small part in the second feature film by a young director named George Lucas, 1973's American Graffiti. But he had a young family and wasn't making enough to live on, so he worked as a carpenter. "I said I would do it but only at night, when no one was around, because I didn't want to be that guy—I wanted them to think of me as an actor, which I was," Ford says. "First thing in the morning in walked George Lucas to begin the process of meeting people for Star Wars. I was there with my tool belt on, sweeping up, said hello, chatted, and that was it. Later, I was asked by the producer to help them read lines with candidates for all the parts. Don't know whether I read with people who were reading for Han Solo—can't remember. I read with quite a few princesses. But there was no indication or forewarning that I might be considered for this part. It was just a favor. And then of course they offered me the part." Read More Casper vs. Saatva: Who Makes the Better Mattress? As someone who has been testing mattresses for years—in 2023 alone I've slept on four completely different models—I have strong feelings about how these reviews should be reported. It isn't just about the product and a few nights of experience. It's about the person who is using that item and their life. This is something review editors, like myself, need to be more transparent about. I'm a woman who likes a soft and fluffy mattress and I'm aware that's not everyone's preference. But I still have a job to do. I recently tested two of the brand's newest models: the Casper Snow and the Saatva Foam Hybrid. Neither of these are my first try from Casper or Saatva, giving me a deeper insight into how each brand performs. Here's my full breakdown. Read More The Manhattan Is a Cocktail You Earn Brazen, strong, and rich with whiskey. Chris Moore, head of bars at the Ned, walks us through the recipe. Read More 'I Don't Want Reality,' Says Senator For Whom Reality Has No Great Use Either I don't like to horn in on the homestead of the redoubtable Friedman of the Plains, but the man is chilling on Long Island at the moment, and I don't think I can wait any longer to introduce to the shebeen Senator Markwayne Mullin, Republican of Oklahoma, who this week put himself in the running for the upcoming balloting to find a replacement for the departed Louie Gohmert as Padishah Emperor of the Crazy People. On Wednesday, Senator Mullin put on a performance in a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing that vaulted him into the lead pack. Read More Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice/Notice at Collection esquire.com ©2023 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019

The Best Bars in America, 2023

Birds were on every page. Pretty ones. Ugly ones. Downright strange-looking ones. I was perusing the avian-themed cocktail menu at Meadowlark, an old library-like spot in Chicago's Logan Hill neighborhood. Each drink was meant to resemble a specific feathered friend. You looked at the glass in front of you, sipped, looked at the bird picture again—and all of a sudden, it clicked. This joyfully odd drink menu was the brainchild of Abe Vucekovich, Meadowlark's beverage director. What, I asked Vucekovich, had sparked the idea to try something so delightfully trippy? "People were ready for something more fun after the pandemic," he explained simply. "We felt that people deserved novelty." He knows his customers: Every seat at the bar was full by 6:30. Over the past year, we criss-crossed the country to report on America's finest drinking establishments. This is our eighteenth edition of the list, and in all my years of bar crawls, I don't think I've ever seen as much spirited originality—as many bars that make you say, "So strange, yet so awesome." There are familiar spaces, too, some of which have been reinvented. So use this as a guide. Then get out there, find your niche, and embrace the weird and wonderful.

View in Browser  SHOP EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBE The Best Bars in America, 2023 Birds were on every page. Pretty ones. Ugly ones. Downright strange-looking ones. I was perusing the avian-themed cocktail menu at Meadowlark, an old library-like spot in Chicago's Logan Hill neighborhood. Each drink was meant to resemble a specific feathered friend. You looked at the glass in front of you, sipped, looked at the bird picture again—and all of a sudden, it clicked. This joyfully odd drink menu was the brainchild of Abe Vucekovich, Meadowlark's beverage director. What, I asked Vucekovich, had sparked the idea to try something so delightfully trippy? "People were ready for something more fun after the pandemic," he explained simply. "We felt that people deserved novelty." He knows his customers: Every seat at the bar was full by 6:30. Over the past year, we criss-crossed the country to report on America's finest drinking establishments. This is our eighteenth edition of the list, and in all my years of bar crawls, I don't think I've ever seen as much spirited originality—as many bars that make you say, "So strange, yet so awesome." There are familiar spaces, too, some of which have been reinvented. So use this as a guide. Then get out there, find your niche, and embrace the weird and wonderful. Read More Congratulations to Biden Accuser Tara Reade On Her New Life In Russia, I Guess Didn't see this one coming. Read More Shows Like 'Ted Lasso,' When You're Ready to Cheer (and Sob) Again If you like workplace comedies—with a dash of sports!—you've come to the right place. Read More Harrison Ford Has Stories to Tell Most people know a good deal about Harrison Ford. His path to becoming an actor was methodical and uneventful: going out for parts, landing small roles. He figured he could be a character actor. "Anyone but the leading man" is how he describes it. A working actor. Getting paid and going home at night. Then there's the famous thing that happened, a story of which there are many versions, but this is the right one: Ford had got a small part in the second feature film by a young director named George Lucas, 1973's American Graffiti. But he had a young family and wasn't making enough to live on, so he worked as a carpenter. "I said I would do it but only at night, when no one was around, because I didn't want to be that guy—I wanted them to think of me as an actor, which I was," Ford says. "First thing in the morning in walked George Lucas to begin the process of meeting people for Star Wars. I was there with my tool belt on, sweeping up, said hello, chatted, and that was it. Later, I was asked by the producer to help them read lines with candidates for all the parts. Don't know whether I read with people who were reading for Han Solo—can't remember. I read with quite a few princesses. But there was no indication or forewarning that I might be considered for this part. It was just a favor. And then of course they offered me the part." Read More Casper vs. Saatva: Who Makes the Better Mattress? We tested the brands' newest models to finally put the debate to bed. Read More In Defense of Choosing a Musical Era and Living In It Forever Mid-90s rock is having a moment as its newly middle-aged fans seek solace in the soul-patched soundtrack of their youth. Call it "IPA-core." Read More The Refresh: Your Can't-Miss Warm-Weather Grooming Routine Summer is coming. So here, we walk you through the best ways to prep your skin, hair, and body for the warm weather ahead. From antioxidants that safeguard skin cells to sunscreens for your face and your hair, here's how to ditch the heavy stuff, protect yourself, and stay happy and comfortable until it's time to switch things up again. Take notes. Read More Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice/Notice at Collection esquire.com ©2023 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019