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Published
February 9, 2026
12:17 PM PST

Some fantasy movies do indeed also work as family films, but not all. It would be wild to expect everything fantastical to also be fantastically appealing to all ages in a The Wizard of Oz or a Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory sort of way. Like any genre, things would get boring if you could only go for one tone, or target one particular demographic.

Enter the following films, which are notable for being fantasy in one way or another, and also hopelessly downbeat at the same time. These are some of the heaviest fantasy movies ever made, and sure, some of them only partially fit into the fantasy genre, but if “fantasy” is one of the genres listed on Letterboxd for a particular movie’s entry there, then it has a chance of appearing in the ranking below.

10

‘Heavenly Creatures’ (1994)

Image via Miramax International

Before he made movies set in Middle-earth, but after he made a bunch of low-budget/gross-out horror films, Peter Jackson also directed Heavenly Creatures, which is perhaps his most underrated work overall. It’s about two young girls who have a strange kind of bond, and a similarly uh, “unique” grasp on reality itself, and this makes things get very dreamy and sort of fantastical, at times.

But it’s also a low-key kind of fantasy, where some of the daydreams feel like escapes from more difficult things, and then when Heavenly Creatures deals with those difficult things, it gets pretty heavy. All that might sound a bit vague, but it’s a difficult movie to describe and put into words, in a good way. It’s a well-made film… just not a particularly fun or entertaining one, at least in the traditional sense.

9

‘The Seventh Seal’ (1957)

Image via AB Svensk Filmindustri

Another movie that’s probably more of a drama than a fantasy one, but it’s got enough that’s fantastical to count as both, The Seventh Seal is about a disillusioned man encountering Death and playing him in a game of chess. They discuss all sorts of heavy things, and then there’s more that happens after that, what with it being a movie about the Black Death and an exploration of some other people doing an R.E.M. and losing their religion.

There’s a lot going on, in other words, especially when you consider the fact that The Seventh Seal really isn’t an epic or anything, and clocks in at just over 90 minutes. It’s got a reputation for being a classic for many reasons, and it’s also heavy-going without being 100% despairing. It’s got a lot of despair and existentialism packed into it for sure, but parts of the film also prove life-affirming, making it overall kind of bittersweet.

8

‘Mandy’ (2018)

Image via RLJE Films

It’s hard to dig into Mandy without ruining much of it narratively, though if it’s any consolation, the experience of watching it is singular and so much harder to ruin. Basically, it plays out slowly at first, without really going in any direction narratively, until the couple at the movie’s center… well, one of them’s killed. And then the other goes on a violent rampage of revenge.

That whole revenge quest goes to some wild places, and it’s there where Mandy starts to feel like a bit of a fantasy, or maybe more comparable to a fever dream/nightmare kind of thing. Some of the nightmarish ultra-violence is also entertaining and cathartic, but the deep sadness of Mandy never really dissipates fully, and so it ends up being powerfully – and unpretentiously – about the destructive nature of revenge, and the difficulty of taking oneself out of a cycle of vengeance.

7

‘The Northman’ (2022)

Image via Focus Features

Speaking of violent movies about revenge that get weirdly fantastical in parts, here’s The Northman, which is about the legend of Amleth, which was the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. So, no surprises with the central plot, then, because this is about a young boy who grows into a man, and spends his whole life wanting revenge against his uncle, because said uncle killed his father.

Don’t expect too many monsters or creatures or anything here, since it’s not really that kind of fantasy. But The Northman does have surreal and/or vaguely supernatural moments that make it feel a little more than just a drama/action movie with a historical setting. Also, given the fact that it inspired a heavy-going Shakespearean play, it shouldn’t be too surprising to learn that The Northman also gets pretty bleak – and, indeed, tragic – at times.

6

‘Begotten’ (1989)

Image via World Artists Home Video.

It’s hard to even know where to begin with a movie like Begotten, including the notion of whether it should count as a movie. Maybe it’s more of a nightmare, and certainly one that doesn’t have much by way of a plot. That would make it a fairly normal nightmare, then. Uh… but if one had to get more specific… it’s kind of fantasy? Or maybe it’s like religious horror?

It seems to be about creation. The creation of life itself gets depicted in Begotten, and then Begotten also goes ahead and seems to suggest why life should never have been created, or like, become a thing. It’s the sort of thing you’ll never be able to unsee, even if you want to, or there’s a chance you’ll watch it and find it all very silly. It’s grim, though, either way. Perhaps that’s the only thing supporters and detractors alike would be able to agree on.

5

‘Belladonna of Sadness’ (1973)

Image via Nippon Herald Films

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Belladonna of Sadness might well be one of the heaviest animated movies of all time, and it also happens to fit into the fantasy genre, too. It’s about a woman who’s wronged by a feudal lord and then the whole ordeal ruins her life, which makes her turn to the devil, making a deal with him to get revenge on the lord, which naturally complicates (and arguably worsens) things further.

It’s a movie that starts dark and then just keeps on getting darker, which could be why it’s not quite one of the most popular or approachable animated movies out there, or anything. Still, if you’re up for something challenging, Belladonna of Sadness has a lot to offer, and the visuals here are also undeniably unique, as little else animated/released since looks quite like it.

4

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)

There really is something magical about Pan’s Labyrinth, and no, it’s not the fantasy elements. Well, it’s partly to do with the fantasy elements. There’s a genuinely interesting take on dark fantasy stuff here, and the ambiguity with which it might be real, or it might all be an imagined coping mechanism for the protagonist, seeing as she’s living in an immensely stressful situation.

Which… okay, that’s also a bit The Wizard of Oz, but Pan’s Labyrinth is very different from that movie, once you get past the idea of young girls traveling to different worlds and parts of one world being reflected in the other. Also, Pan’s Labyrinth might well be the greatest thing Guillermo del Toro has ever directed, but if you’re talking about his fantasy movies, there’s one that’s technically more harrowing.

3

‘The Devil’s Backbone’ (2001)

Image via Sony Pictures Classics

And that more harrowing Guillermo del Toro dark fantasy movie is The Devil’s Backbone, which was made a few years before Pan’s Labyrinth. It didn’t quite achieve the same level of popularity, but it’s almost just as good. Also fitting for a movie made a little earlier, The Devil’s Backbone is set slightly further back in time than Pan’s Labyrinth, taking place during the final stage of the Spanish Civil War, while Pan’s Labyrinth takes place after that same war.

Narratively, The Devil’s Backbone is about an orphanage that’s cursed, and follows a young boy discovering horrors there as a result, many of them of a supernatural variety. The whole film gets dark and even unpleasant at times, making it a little hard to recommend unless you’re prepared to feel a bit rotten. It’s amazingly atmospheric, though, and certainly visceral/hard to forget, once seen.

2

‘All of Us Strangers’ (2023)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

All of Us Strangers is about a man who finds connection with another man, both of them very lonely. It starts to develop into something possibly romantic, though around the same time, the first man also reconnects with his parents. He hasn’t seen them in a while, to put it one way. That might not sound very fantastical, but it is, when you take into account his parents had been dead for years, and when he reconnects with them, they’re the same age they were when they died.

There are further things that happen, possibly even definable as plot twists, so All of Us Strangers does end up being quite surprising. It’s also heavy-going, as part of the overall emotional roller coaster it provides. Some of it goes up and is exciting, and then other parts seem keen to break your heart into as many pieces as possible. In good ways, it should be noted.

1

‘The Green Mile’ (1999)

Image via Universal Pictures

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With The Green Mile, the fantasy elements are subdued, but they’re certainly there. It’s based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, which wasn’t necessarily an epic-length one by his standards, but the movie is about as long as you’d expect an epic to be. It takes place inside a prison, and mostly concerns prisoners on death row, and the staff who work there as well.

One prisoner has been falsely accused, and he also happens to have miraculous healing abilities, with a good deal of the drama in The Green Mile concerning desperate attempts to get such a man off death row. But this is a story all about death and confronting mortality and all that, and one that’s not afraid to get heavy and feel like a tearjerker, so it’s sobering stuff. Certainly about as far from whimsical and adventurous as a fantasy story can get.

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The Green Mile

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Release Date

December 10, 1999

Runtime

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189 minutes

Director

Frank Darabont

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye struggled to control his emotions after losing the 2026 Super Bowl.

“I’m so proud,” Maye, 23, said in a postgame press conference on Sunday, February 8, after the Patriots lost to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 in Super Bowl LX. “That’s probably the reason I’m choked up most.”

Maye continued to pause as he answered reporters’ questions while visibly holding back tears.

“This team is something that I’m just glad to be part of,” he continued, offering a shout-out to the “great people” who work alongside the Patriots all season.

“I’m just glad to have this uniform on and looking forward to getting back and play [in] another one,” Maye said.

The NFL star looked down and rubbed his eyes before responding to another reporter. While the question was inaudible, Maye replied that it was “hard” to compare playing at the Super Bowl to any other regular season game.

“It’s a business at this level, but it’s more than that,” he explained. “It’s more than that in a game like this and that’s about it. It’s more than a business. There’s people in there that are doing it, not for the money or fame and that’s what’s cool about this team.”

Sunday night marked Maye’s first Super Bowl appearance following an impressive season. In his second year on the Patriots, he brought the team to their first Super Bowl in seven years.

There was speculation ahead of the game that Maye wouldn’t take the field on Sunday because of a shoulder injury sustained during the playoffs. He addressed the injury during the postgame press conference.

“I shot it up, so not much feeling,” Maye said. “It was good to go and it felt all right.”

Maye and the Patriots had a rough go against the Seahawks, making their only two touchdowns during the fourth quarter while their opponents dominated the field throughout the night.

“Just like every year, somebody’s going to lose this game and we have to remember what it feels and make sure that it’s not repeated,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said during his postgame press conference on Sunday. “We couldn’t gain any rhythm, field position. … We’ve been really good against the run lately, and we weren’t.”

Vrabel, 50, added, “I appreciate the way that the guys offensively battled and competed. But just not enough consistent execution.”

Maye also told reporters that the Seahawks “played better” than the Patriots on Sunday, noting they “deserved to win” the game.

“Speaking for the whole team and myself, what a journey it’s been for us. I love this team. Love those guys in that locker room. I’m going to leave it all on the field and I know a lot of guys did that tonight and just came up short. Didn’t play our best and that’s what happens,” Maye added, noting that he’d love to “go back to the beginning and redo” the game.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 47 seconds ago

In 1987, Fox debuted Married…With Children, a subversive sitcom about the most dysfunctional family ever put onscreen. The show is filled with “how did they get away with that” jokes and, as an added bonus, happens to star two of the decade’s hottest actors. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a dime to experience these raunchy laughs for yourself, as Married…With Children is currently streaming for free on Tubi.

The basic premise of Married…With Children is that a slobby, schlubby shoe salesman is raising a family that includes a lazy wife, a ditzy daughter, and a dirtbag son. They get into various TV show shenanigans, but what sets this show apart is its dark humor and complete subversion of the family sitcom formula. Basically, this was a show as hilariously mean-spirited as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but it premiered back when the airwaves were dominated by more family-friendly fare like Who’s the Boss and Growing Pains.

A Shockingly Great Cast

The cast of Married…With Children includes David Faustino (best known outside of this show for his voice work on The Legend of Korra) as young Bud Bundy and breakout bombshell Christina Applegate (best known for Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead) as young Kelly Bundy. Katey Segal (best known for voicing Leela on Futurama) plays Peg Bundy, a stunning housewife who is despised by her husband. That husband is played to hapless perfection by Ed O’Neill, someone best known to younger sitcom fans for his long-running role as a perpetually-perplexed patriarch on Modern Family.

When Married…With Children came out, it was a smash with audiences looking for something other than another cookie-cutter sitcom about another overly perfect little family. The show’s comedy has also stood the test of time, and it currently has a 97 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While there are not enough professional reviews for the show to have a critical score (poor Al Bundy gets no respect), most of the critics who reviewed the show agree that it is perfectly cast and filled with writing as acidic as it is infectiously hilarious. 

Everyone Fell In Love With TV’s Crankiest Husband

It’s almost impossible to overstate what a monster hit Married…With Children really was. To this day, it is the longest-running sitcom ever aired on Fox, and at 11 seasons and 259 episodes, it’s also one of the longest-running sitcoms in television history. Whether you’re an old fan looking for some comedy comfort food or a new fan looking for a few dark laughs, this is the dirty, binge-friendly pleasure you’ve been looking for.

As an ‘80s kid, I watched Married…With Children at a young age, and if I’m being honest, I didn’t really process what was so subversive about its humor. All I really knew was that Kelly was hot, Peg was hotter, and Al’s cranky punchlines were funny. Returning to the show now as a family guy (complete with a Peter Griffin-like waistline), though, I find myself appreciating its dark humor now more than ever.

The Darkest Laughs The ’80s Had To Offer

You see, the central gag of Married…With Children is that Al Bundy has achieved the American dream: he has a steady job, a beautiful wife, two healthy kids, and a big house to raise them in. Nonetheless, he has inexplicably found that the dream has turned into a nightmare.

His customer service job offers endless abuse from the public, his children are idiots, and his wife has transformed henpecking into an art. All Al really wants to do at the end of a long day is disassociate and obsess about the good old days, which makes him an almost shockingly modern figure in the world of ‘80s television comedy.

Another way that Married…With Children was ahead of its time was how it focused on the comedy that can only come from dysfunctional and hilariously broken people. Seinfeld debuted two years later and became a cultural phenomenon, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (which debuted 18 years later) arguably perfected the formula of “jerks behaving badly.” Arguably, those other shows’ outsized success would have been impossible if Married…With Children hadn’t shown how hungry audiences were for an alternative to saccharine-sweet sitcoms.

The Original Doomer

In this way, Married…With Children is weirdly timeless: it still works well as a kind of antisitcom, and if you grew up watching ‘80s staples like Who’s the Boss, you’ll still laugh (and laugh hard) at how transgressively this show breaks all the rules. But if you’re a bit young for those vintage sitcoms, you’ll still enjoy the adventures of Al and Peg Bundy because they are of a piece with later cynical programming like It’s Always Sunny. Basically, Al Bundy is the original doomer, and whether you’re here to laugh at his jokes or ogle his wife, there’s a lot to love in this vintage sitcom.

Will you agree that Married…With Children is one of the best raunchy sitcoms in television history, or would you rather work in a shoe store than finish a single episode? The only way to find out is to run for the remote (go channel your glory days as a high school running back!) and stream it for free on Tubi. Come for the killer theme song and stay for the hottest ladies the ‘80s had to offer!

In a year stacked with great television, a handful of shows stand out as defining 2025 titles. From the outstanding Noah Wyle-led medical drama The Pitt to Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham‘s timely masterpiece, Adolescence, 2025 was home to some of the best and most vital television of the decade. The summer of 2025 was packed with plenty of popular projects, but it was the final installment of a Prime Video romance that had us all turning pretty.

The biggest teen series of the year, The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s (almost) final chapter saw Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, and Gavin Casalegno, caught in the fiery final stages of a gripping love triangle, all set against the gorgeous sunset of the fictional town of Cousins Beach. Earning 70 million viewers worldwide in its first 70 days, marking a 65% increase over Season 2, Season 3 was a greater success than most involved could’ve imagined. Despite the finale airing on September 17, 2025, The Summer I Turned Pretty has remained a constant on the streaming charts ever since.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and, at the time of writing, The Summer I Turned Pretty has bowed out of the Prime Video top ten in the U.S. In all likelihood, it will quickly find its way back into the charts, but a mammoth finale for Fallout Season 2 and the arrival of Bridgerton‘s fourth outing on Netflix have taken viewers’ gaze away from Jenny Han‘s coming-of-age gem.

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Isn’t Going Anywhere Just Yet

Image via Eddy Chen/Eddy Chen/Prime – © Amazon Content Services LLC

Fear not, TSITP fans, as more is on its way in the form of a feature film. Set to serve as a direct continuation from the recent finale, the film was announced following the enormous success of Season 3, with Han returning to pen the story. There has been no word on when production might begin on the next installment of this love story, nor do we know what direction Han will take it in following Belly’s final decision between the brothers, so make sure to stay tuned for the latest updates. A logline of The Summer I Turned Pretty reads:

“A girl is caught in a love triangle between two brothers as she deals with her first love and first heartbreak during the perfect summer.”

The Summer I Turned Pretty is available to stream on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for the latest streaming stories.

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Release Date

2022 – 2025-00-00

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Network

Prime Video

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Directors

Erica Dunton, Jesse Peretz, Jeff Chan

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• 

  Lola Tung

  Isabel ‘Belly’ Conklin

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  Christopher Briney

  Conrad Fisher

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Whether I’m flying, driving or taking the train, I’m pretty much always heading somewhere. That means my wardrobe is overflowing with travel outfits, but like anyone else, I have my favorites. Some live in the back of my closet while others are front and center, worn and washed every week. Rather than gatekeep, I’ve rounded up my top picks, a.k.a. the pairings I reach for on both travel and non-travel days.

My go-to travel outfits have to be loose, breathable and skin-soft. They also have to be layerable, since I can’t stand being too hot or cold on an airplane. Lastly, style is non-negotiable for a fashionista like me. These 17 picks check all the boxes. I’ve also included some outfits that are currently in my cart — because no, my closet isn’t large enough for all 17 travel outfits at once. Maybe someday!

The 17 Comfiest, Classiest Travel Outfits — From $7

1. Sporty Chic: This side-stripe outfit begs to be worn to Europe, so go ahead . . . plan that vacation. I’m wearing it to London!

2. Road Trip: You haven’t experienced ‘silky’ until you’ve tried this loose, buttery-soft outfit that’s perfect for long car rides.

3. Medium-Thick: If your body can’t decide between hot and cold, this medium-thick tracksuit is a smart pick. It has short sleeves and long pants for the perfect balance.

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If you think rich mom outfits are complicated, think again! Reese Witherspoon confirmed that a simple sweater does the trick. Her polished style is incredibly easy to recreate, thanks to this cashmere-like sweater on Amazon that looks identical, yet costs only $27. You’d never know the difference! In a recent Instagram reel, Witherspoon announced a […]

4. Layering Staple: I love wearing this tank and pants combo with a cardigan for the plane and a jean jacket for lunch.

5. Warm Weather: This tee and shorts set is my easy but cute uniform for weekends in Florida and spring breaks in Mexico. It’s a lightweight dream!

6. Feeling Nauti: I’m adding this striped polo sweater and lounge pants set to my cart while it’s on sale! The nautical pairing channels pure yacht-wife energy.

7. Elevated Look: Everything about this tee and pants set is polished, including the ribbed texture, slouchy fit and practical waist tie.

8. Oui Oui: You don’t need a French passport to look Parisian, thanks to this cozy, classy knit set. The cap-sleeve top and joggers do all the talking.

9. Errand Outfit: Whether you’re stocking your Airbnb or grabbing coffee for your crew, Ekouaer’s stretchy set keeps you cool and comfy on the go.

10. Oddly Flattering: I wrote an entire article about this viral travel sweatshirt. This lounge set features the iconic hoodie plus flattering sweatpants.

11. Second Skin: Calling fabric snobs! This rayon-and-spandex-blend set might make you forget you’re wearing clothes.

12. Date Night: I wear this sophisticated knit outfit for date nights near and far. The pleated pants are elegant enough for the office, too.

13. Super Cozy: Imagine feeling like you’re wrapped in a cloud while looking like a millionaire. That’s the best way to describe this fuzzy ribbed outfit.

14. Boho Babe: People will think you bought this waffle-knit set at Urban Outfitters or Zara. They’d never guess it’s only $25!

15. Cool Mom: Classic and luxurious, Automet’s crewneck and pants combo is the easiest add-to-cart. The drapey silhouette screams ‘cool mom.’

16. Aspen Socialite: This color-blocked quarter-zip outfit makes you look like a wealthy ski bum. I’m grabbing it to wear both on and off the slopes.

17. Budget-Friendly: Considering this short-sleeved, pajama-like lounge set is just $7, you’ll want to scoop up a few in different colors.

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Published
February 9, 2026
10:24 AM PST