I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve been counting down the days to the premiere of HBO’s Game of Thrones since the clock struck midnight on January 1st. The cable adaptation of George RR Martin’s novels has earned huge ratings and a dedicated following, and fans have been patiently waiting for the next installment.
Well, we’ve gotten a little closer to a new season now that the first ‘real’ trailer for the new season has premiered.
And for fans who were already chomping at the bit, it had everything that fans of the show could hope for — epic battles, dragons, royal intrigue and a healthy dose of magic.
But the bad news is that March 31st is still a while away and for some, withdrawal is reaching critical levels.
Which is why its time for the movies to come to the rescue! Part of what makes Thrones so compelling is it is a series that plays like a film, it’s big and it’s grand, and it’s got all the elements you expect from fantasy.
So listed after the jump are some films that feature some of our favourite things about Westeros, and hopefully will help pass the time until ‘Winter’ finally returns.
I very clearly remember seeing this movie in a theatre at the tender age of 6, and I also clearly remember blowing my little mind. In the story of a wizard’s apprentice and a tomboy armourer saving a princess from a dragon has everything you could want in your sword and sworcery flick..adventure, romance, dragons, and a wizard or two. But this movie is all about the dragon, and you have to admire a film that can stand the test of time, and clocking in at 32 years old, the film’s FX still hold up pretty well (which makes sense, considering the film earned an Oscar nomination for it’s go-motion F/X technique).
2) The Lord of The Rings (for Magic)
What can I say? This one is really a no-brainer. If you are a fan of fantasy then most likely you are a fan of The Lord of The Rings. Peter Jackson seemingly did the impossible when he adapted on of the most beloved and influential fantasy stories for film.
The story of ‘the one ring to rule them all’ is chock-a-block with magic, and when it comes to wizards, Gandalf the Grey is tough to beat. And just like Thrones, Jackson’s take on Tolkien’s masterpiece introduced new fans to the genre. So even if you don’t have the time to commit to the entire trilogy, it’s really dealer’s choice when it comes to which film you choose (I’ll leave it to you to fight among yourselves over which of the three is the best film).
3) Braveheart (for Battles)
Just because I’m not so crazy about Mel Gibson the person doesn’t mean that I don’t know a good battle epic when I see it, and Braveheart is still pretty damn good. If you’re looking for historical accuracy in the story of William Wallace this is not the film for you.
Pages upon pages have been written about Gibson playing fast and loose with the facts, so I’m not touching that one, but if you love a good on-screen battle with a ‘cast of thousands’ this movie will deliver.
4) Princess Mononoke (for Strong Female Warriors)
In Thrones we have women like Daenerys and the plucky Arya and in Hayao Miyazaki’s story of the battle between man and nature we have San, a girl raised in nature and fighting to protect it. If you’ve been watching movies long enough you know that complex and engaging female characters are hard to come by, but Mononoke doesn’t disappoint.
The film also manages to pack the story with a profound message about man’s relationship with nature, a rich mythology, and some big a** wolves.
5) Excalibur (for Royal Prophecy)
In the world of Fantasy, King Arthur is still…well, king. Without Arthur there would be a big old gaping hole in the history of modern fantasy literature, and John Boorman’s film is still the ultimate film about the knights of the round table.
Especially since I refuse to acknowledge a certain revisionist flick that tried to take all of the magic out of the story..shudder.
Leave your fantasy recommendations in the comments below.
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