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12 Movies To Watch If You Like ‘The Green Knight’

From Arthurian Legends to modern myth-making, these are the best streaming picks for those enchanted by ‘The Green Knight’
The Green Knight Dev Patel
A24
By  and  · Published on July 28th, 2021

Labyrinth (1986)

Labyrinth

Of Jim Henson’s two darker forays into the world of high fantasy, Labyrinth is the candidate most likely to vibe with The Green Knight. Where The Dark Crystal wallows into some seriously unsettling spaces, Labyrinth straddles a far more diverse tonal space. A coming-of-age quest full of severity, camp, and tenderness, Labyrinth tells of a young teen named Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) who isn’t super into the whole “babysitting her stepbrother” business. When she summons Jareth the Goblin King to abduct the infant, she instantly regrets it. Allotted thirteen hours to solve a labyrinth to rescue her baby brother, Sarah meets memorable pals and overcomes all manner of daunting tasks in her journey to retrieve her kin.

A good chunk of fantasy fare might as well be called “local young adult lands in hot water thanks to their own arrogance.” Maybe you beheaded an elemental knight and now find yourself contractually obligated to fulfill your end of the bargain. Maybe you foolishly wished away your baby brother and now must contend with ungodly horrors (see: pit full of disembodied hands) to get him back from the fabulous, ball-twirling Goblin King. You know, teen stuff.

Available on HBO Max


The Princess Bride (1987)

Movies Like The Green Knight: The Princess Bride

If all movies were narrated by Peter Falk, the world would be a much brighter place. In terms of The Princess Bride specifically, we’re gonna bet we’re preaching to the choir by praising this fantasy comedy. The Rob Reiner classic is a beloved favorite that can be universally lauded until the cows come home. But it’s also a clever and witty spin on the fantasy narrative and the romantic genre. While many nostalgic sources of adoration don’t always fare well in the light of day of adulthood, The Princess Bride holds up whether you’ve seen it once before or a hundred times over. And trust us when we say it is always worth revisiting.

Available on Disney+


Willow (1988)

Willow

A baby girl prophesied to bring about the downfall of an evil queen is born in the depths of the Nockmaar dungeons. Before she can be slaughtered, the child’s mother spirits the baby away with the help of a reluctant midwife. Willow (Warwick Davis), a humble farmer and aspiring sorcerer, is entrusted with guarding the child against the wrath of the evil queen. Written by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, Willow is a high fantasy romp through a time and place that never existed, dotted with magic, dragons, and all manner of fantastical creatures dreamed up by visual effects head Phil Tippett. Did we mention the composer is the G.O.A.T. James Horner? Damn, Willow has it all. And if The Green Knight has left you with an insatiable need for more whimsical (and often nightmarish … pig-dogs anyone?) flights of fantasy: look no further.

Available on Disney+


Shrek (2001)

Shrek

What is Shrek, if not also the story of a green knight? When it comes to big-brained film recommendations, this one really does fire on all cylinders. For starters, the film is entertaining and thoroughly funnier than we, as adults, would sometimes care to admit. The punches aimed at Disney IP have an edge, while the ratio of jokes-per-minute makes the film a true romp. Plus, to truly appreciate films with beautiful imagery and magnificent cinematography, it helps to understand the vast spectrum of visual quality. While we have to give the Shrek animators props for basically inventing the computer imagery that they were working with, it’s also undeniable that the film has a certain… shall we say, distinctly dated look. The 2001 film is of its moment in every sense of the phrase. The ogre epic rose from a deep-seated creative rivalry and the advent of computer animation. Love it or hate it, Shrek is truly and profoundly one of a kind.

Available on Hulu and Sling


The Head Hunter (2018)

The Head Hunter

Imagine if you crossed Mandy with The Turin Horse. That might give you a bleakly intriguing indication of what you’re working with when it comes to The Head Hunter. The micro-budget Medieval horror-fantasy movie follows a lone bounty hunter who serves a distant kingdom while biding his time until he can seek revenge on the monster that killed his daughter. The titular head hunter’s quest is one of high fantasy and grim personal stakes. With a stark and often breathtaking natural landscape serving as the backdrop, the film doesn’t need to be plot-heavy in order to be thoroughly enrapturing. Though the film was pulled together on a shoestring budget, you’d never know it. The lead performance from Christopher Rygh is grounded and solid, the cinematography is magnificent, and the narrative is at once straightforward and surprising. If you like your adventure with a dash of horror, this is the movie for you.

Available on AMC+, Hoopla, DirectTV, and Shudder


True History of the Kelly Gang (2019)

True History Kelly Gang

Many entries in this recommendation list deal with mythologies, but none capture the emotional weight of a folk hero quite like Justin Kurzel’s True History of the Kelly Gang. While playing fast and loose with historical facts, the Ozzie adventure film captures the spirit of its titular bushranger with gusto and heart. Anchored by an outstanding central performance by George Mackay, the film’s bravado is matched by its impeccable style. It’s slick and enchanting and often gnarly as all hell. This depiction of myth-making and out-of-the-box legends isn’t exactly what we’d consider classical in nature. But there’s probably no film that better captures what the Knights of the Round Table would actually look like in the real world. These men are grimy and noble, devoted and fearful, and navigating a strange world while fighting for a place in history. The characters and the film itself are richly human and profoundly legendary. Suffice to say, we cannot recommend this underrated gem enough.

Available on Netflix and the IFC Amazon Prime Channel

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Anna Swanson is a Senior Contributor who hails from Toronto. She can usually be found at the nearest rep screening of a Brian De Palma film.