5 Most Magical Modern Fairy Tale Adaptations, Ranked by IMDb
Here, glass slippers meet social media and enchanted castles meet psychological depth.
In the world of cinema, magic never dies – it just changes form. Modern directors breathe new life into familiar childhood fairy tales by intertwining age-old magic with contemporary topics and technology.
In this list, we've compiled five of the most striking and captivating examples of such adaptations.
5. 'Gretel & Hansel', 2020
IMDb Score: 5.5/10
Gretel and Hansel's mother threw them out of the house. Now, the children must survive on their own in the unfriendly world of the Middle Ages. After overcoming various dangers while traveling through the forest, the children suddenly come upon a black house deep within it.
An elderly woman lives there and has set a table for them with a place to sleep. Gretel and Hansel stay with the old woman, but each day, they doubt her intentions more and more.
4. 'Beauty and the Beast', 2014
IMDb Score: 6.4/10
A merchant sets out on a journey to buy goods. On his way home, he picks a rose for his youngest daughter, Belle. However, it turns out that the flower belongs to a terrible monster from the nearby castle. The merchant is now doomed to eternal imprisonment in the castle's cellars.
The monster lets the traveler say goodbye to his family. When the time comes to return, however, Belle goes to the castle in her father's stead.
The monster immediately falls in love with the beautiful girl, but she feels nothing but disgust toward him. Soon, Belle begins to dream about the castle's past, and her attitude toward the events around her gradually changes.
3. 'Tale of Tales', 2015
IMDb Score: 6.4/10
The movie consists of three short stories. The first story focuses on a queen who wants to become pregnant and tries various methods, including eating a monster's heart.
The second story is about a king who betroths his daughter to a deformed giant. The third story is about a ruler who is bewitched by two old sisters.
The film features Salma Hayek devouring a heart, Toby Jones fattening a flea to the size of a dog, and John C. Reilly battling a monster. The director has found a new tone for fantasy that is both realistic and absurdly magical.
2. 'Belle', 2021
IMDb Score: 7.0/10
The main character is a schoolgirl named Suzu. She loved singing with her mother, but she stopped performing after her mother died. She creates an avatar for herself on the popular VR social network U and names it Belle.
Belle soon becomes one of the most popular singers on U. It's easy for Suzu to sing there because no one knows her identity. One day, a terrifying dragon disrupts her concert and kills several avatars. Suzu decides to figure out who this villain is and why they're acting this way.
1. 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio', 2022
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
Director Guillermo del Toro transports Pinocchio to fascist Italy. During an Austrian air raid, the carpenter's son is killed. The carpenter then carves a new child out of wood, and the Forest Spirit brings the child to life.
Pinocchio then embarks on a coming-of-age journey, finding himself in a circus, the afterlife, a concert for Mussolini, and a fascist military camp.
