10 Epic Fantasy Movies You Probably Haven't Seen

From the wonderful mind of Coraline's Neil Gaiman comes a story of a young circus performer, Helena, who after a big fight with her mother enters a nightmare world where her "other mother" wants her to remain. Sounds familiar...

The Jim Henson Company-produced MirrorMask is a highly-stylised affair - a blend of CGI and live-action footage - designed and directed by comic and concept artist Dave McKean. Spindly sphynxes, ape-bodied pigeons, and huge hugging stone giants litter this scatter-box world. While aimed at children, the film doesn't shy away from the creepy, as Shadow monsters start to take over the City of Light and take over the bodies of the world's inhabitants.

MirrorMask was born out of considerations for a Labyrinth sequel, yet became a standalone story due to Lucasfilm partly owning the rights. While MirrorMask's exposure was slightly bolstered by a short US cinema release, it never found consistent home release sales like Henson's Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, in turn meaning MirrorMask failed to reach the mainstream's eye.

In truth, Coraline's narrative is much more intriguing and streamlined than MirrorMask's plot. Still, the otherworldly visuals, disturbing beings, and fascinating characters definitely warrant a watch.