10 Epic Fantasy Movies You Probably Haven't Seen

Tale of Tales is just that: a collection of stories in faraway kingdoms where characters cross paths with the supernatural, surreal, and very, very strange. It's a smart mixture of familiar anecdotes and grisly Italian folklore.

You have your immaculate conceptions, cave-dwelling ogres, and a humungous flea, all the while telling some pretty tragic narratives. Don't expect the just and good to achieve their dreams, or deplorable characters get off scot-free. Despite the fantasy setting, the parables feel incredibly grounded and rarely melodramatic, allowing Tale of Tales' stunning set design, costume, and star-studded cast to drive the stories home.

While this is indeed a fantasy, many of the messages and morals are aimed at a contemporary audience, according to director Matteo Garrone in an interview with Variety:

Some of the themes are very current. Plastic surgery; the frenzied desire to have a child; the conflict between generations; the painful passage from adolescence to adulthood.