SBS World Movies February Fantasies Line-up
Monday 1 February at 9:30PM – Sicilian Ghost Story
MA15+
Genre: Mystery, Drama, Fantasy
Language: Italian
Director: Fabio Grassadonia, Antonio Piazza
Starring: Julia Jedlikowska, Gaetano Fernandez, Corinne Musallari, Andrea Falzone, Federico Finocchiaro
What's it about?
This 2017 Italian film is based on short story 'The White Knight' which is based on the Sicilian mafia's real-life kidnapping of a 13-year-old boy in 1993. Against a heavy cloak of secrecy, a 12-year-old girl smitten with her handsome classmate rebels against the code of silence and collusion that surrounds her, and ventures deeper and deeper into the enchanted Sicilian forests to find him, unaware of just how thick is the mystery behind his strange disappearance. Merging genres of drama, crime and fantasy, this film has notes of Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth (screening 4 February) as a chilling story seen through the fantastical eyes of a child.
[link title="'Sicilian Ghost Story' Effortlessly Mixes Fairy Tale & Gangster Drama" url="node/134841"]
Tuesday 2 February at 9:30PM – The Forbidden Kingdom
PG
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Language: English, Chinese
Director: Rob Minkoff
Starring: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Liu Yifei, Li Bingbing, Collin Chou, Morgan Benoit
What's it about?
An American teenager (Michael Angarano) who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself travelling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King.
Wednesday 3 February at 9:30PM – The City of Lost Children
M
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Adventure
Language: French
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro
Starring: Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork
What's it about?
On a mist-shrouded rig in the sea, beyond an old minefield, Krank ages prematurely because he lacks one vital function: the ability to dream. And so he kidnaps children from the harbour town, to steal their happy dreams from them. This creepy fantasy film stars Ron Perlman (Hand of God, Hellboy) and Daniel Emilfork (La Belle Captive, Subversion).
[link title="The City of Lost Children Review" url="node/2685"]
Source: SBS Movies
Thursday 4 February at 9:30PM – Pan's Labyrinth
MA15+
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, War
Language: Spanish
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Sergi López, Maribel Verdu, Ivana Baquero
What's it about?
Accompanied by her parents, Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) moves from a large Spanish city to a rural area in the north of the country. Faced with the upheaval of moving home, an abusive stepfather (Sergi López) and the general unpleasantness surrounding Franco's victory in 1944, Ofelia enters an imaginary world of creatures and demons, in a bid to escape. Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro the film went on to win 3 Academy Awards.
[link title="Pan's Labyrinth Review" url="node/5242"]
Pan's Labyrinth will not be available at SBS On Demand.
Source: SBS Movies
Friday 5 February at 9:30PM – Big Fish
PG
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Language: English
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Alison Lohman, Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Billy Crudup
What's it about?
When Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) becomes ill, his son, William (Billy Crudup), travels to be with him. William has a strained relationship with Edward because his father has always told exaggerated stories about his life, and William thinks he's never really told the truth. Even on his deathbed, Edward recounts fantastical anecdotes. When William, who is a journalist, starts to investigate his father's tales, he begins to understand the man and his penchant for storytelling. This heart-warming and charming film is directed by Tim Burton.
When Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) becomes ill, his son, William (Billy Crudup), travels to be with him. William has a strained relationship with Edward because his father has always told exaggerated stories about his life, and William thinks he's never really told the truth. Even on his deathbed, Edward recounts fantastical anecdotes. When William, who is a journalist, starts to investigate his father's tales, he begins to understand the man and his penchant for storytelling. This heart-warming and charming film is directed by Tim Burton.
Big Fish will be available to stream at SBS On Demand after broadcast (until 19 February).
Source: Supplied
Discover more Fantasy films at SBS On Demand
Wildwitch
PG
Genre: Family, Fantasy
Language: Danish
Director: Kaspar Munk
Starring: Gerda Lie Kaas, Sonja Richter, Signe Egholm Olsen, Vera Mi Fernández Bachmann
What's it about?
12-year-old Clara (Gerda Lie Kaas) is just like any other girl until one day a mysterious black cat scratches her. Clara soon discovers that she can communicate with the cat and belongs to a family of Wild Witches with a strong connection to nature and animals. It turns out that Clara is a very special Wild Witch and her blood can set free the ancient and evil witch, Bravita Bloodyoung. Together with her mentor Aunt Isa (Sonja Richter) and her friends, Kahla (Vera Mi Fernández Bachmann) and Oscar (Albert Werner), Clara must face her destiny and embark on a dangerous journey to save herself and the Wild World.
Aloys
M
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Language: German
Director: Tobias Nölle
Starring: Georg Friedrich, Tilde von Overbeck, Kamil Krejčí, Yufei Lee, Koi Lee, Sebastian Krähenbühl, Peter Zumstein
What's it about?
A lonely private investigator is contacted by a mysterious woman who pulls him into a mind game known as 'telephone walking'. Fascinated by her voice, Aloys (Georg Friedrich) discovers an imaginary universe that allows him to break out of his isolation. Written and directed by Tobias Nölle this Swiss film uses the elements of the fantasy genre to explore issues of loneliness and technology.
Aloys Source: Distributor
Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings
MA15+
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Adventure, Action
Language: Chinese
Director: Tsui Hark
Starring: Mark Chao, William Feng, Carina Lau, Lin Gengxin, Ma Sichun, Ethan Juan, Chien Sheng
What's it about?
The third film in the Detective Dee series, in this instalment Dee (Mark Chao), the detective serving Chinese empress Wu Zetian (Carina Lau), is called upon to investigate a series of strange events in Loyang, including the appearance of mysterious warriors wearing Chiyou ghost masks, foxes that speak human language and the pillar sculptures in the palace coming alive.
[link title="'Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings': Faultless Escapist Entertainment" url="node/195614"]
Detective Dee and the Four Heavenly Kings Source: SBS Movies
The Red Turtle
PG
Genre: Drama, Animation, Fantasy
Director: Michaël Dudok De Wit
What's it about?
The revered Studio Ghibli joined forces with London-based artist Michaël Dudok de Wit to create this stunning, dialogue-free, animated fable set on a desert island. A shipwrecked sailor washes ashore and explores his new home. He finds a sandy beach fringed by palm trees, a swaying bamboo forest, limpid freshwater pools and a rocky incline. It's an earthly paradise that our lanky castaway is desperate to leave, but his escape plans are mysteriously thwarted. It's a simple story, akin to fairy tales or myths, illustrated in exquisite line and colour, with spectacular dream sequences. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
[link title="The Red Turtle review: Studio Ghibli's new animation a gorgeous island myth" url="node/87810"]
A Monster Calls
PG
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Language: English
Director: J.A. Bayona
Starring: Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Liam Neeson, Ben Moor
What's it about?
Conor (Lewis MacDougall) is dealing with far more than other boys his age. His mother is ill, he has little in common with his imperious grandmother and he is the target of bullies at school. Then one night, Conor summons an unlikely ally: an ancient 40-foot-high tree monster who spirits him away to a dark and magical world where stories come to life. Transporting us with tales of courage, loss and hope, A Monster Calls is a spectacular and moving film from acclaimed director J. A. Bayona (The Orphanage).
Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back
PG
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Action
Language: Chinese
Director: Tsui Hark
Starring: Kris Wu, Lin Gengxin, Yao Chen, Lin Yun, Yang Yiwei, Mengke Bateer, Wang Likun, Bao Bei Er, Wang Duo, Dong Chengpeng, Cheng Si-Han, Shu Qi
What's it about?
Tang Monk (Kris Wu) brings three disciples on a journey to the West. On the outside, everything seems harmonious. However, tension is present beneath the surface, and their hearts and minds are not in agreement. After a series of demon-capturing events, the monk and his disciples gain mutual understanding of each other's hardships and unease. Finally, they resolve their inner conflict and work together to become an all-conquering, demon-exorcising team.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Silver Foxes of the screen
