Ang Lee's Life of Pi is an inspirational movie like no other. It has stunning visuals and cinematography that elevate the story, intriguing narration and plot twists that keep viewers engaged, the powerful messages and themes explored throughout the movie that make it even more meaningful.
Obviously, Life of Pi was an enormous commercial and critical success. But this also means that finding a similar movie to watch for inspiration, motivation, fantasy, and adventure is quite difficult simply because Life of Pi is so unique. Thankfully, there are, indeed, some options to choose from.
Beasts Of The Southern Wild (2012)
Known for being made on a tiny budget while getting multiple award nominations (including four at the Academy Awards), Beasts of the Southern Wild has the youngest Best Actress nominee to date - Quvenzhane Wallis who was nine at the time.
Adapted from a play, the movie follows a six-year-old girl named Hushpuppy who lives with her sickly hot-tempered father and experiences her bayou community being flooded due to the melting ice-caps.
The Neverending Story (1984)
One of Wolfgang Petersen's most beloved works, The Neverending Story was - at the time of its release - the most expensive movie made outside of the United States or the Soviet Union.
Based on the German novel of the same name, it follows a boy who stumbles upon a mysterious book. As he begins to read it, he realizes that the characters in the book are aware of him - moreover, he must save the world of Fantasia from disappearing.
Dead Man (1995)
Perhaps one of Johnny Depp's most underrated performances, Dead Man was directed by Jim Jarmusch who is particularly well-known in independent cinema. Dubbed by Jarmusch a "Psychedelic Western", the movie twists the elements of the Western genre and includes surreal imagery.
The story follows an accountant named William Blake who is on the run after murdering a man. William meets a Native American man named Nobody who starts training him in preparation for the spiritual world.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Another one of Ang Lee's works, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a massive critical and commercial success winning multiple awards. In fact, it held the record for the most Academy Award nominations for a non-English-language movie (with a total of ten nominations) up until 2018 when Roma tied the record.
Based on the Chinese novel of the same name, it is set in 18th-century China where a young warrior steals a famous sword and escapes, pursued by the owners.
The Fall (2006)
Not the most mainstream movie, The Fall is a fantasy-adventure that received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office. Yet, it seems to be loved by moviegoers, so it's definitely worth a watch.
Set on the outskirts of 1920s Los Angeles, it follows an injured stuntman in a hospital telling a young girl who is a fellow patient a fantastical story about five heroes. Because of his mental state and the girl's imagination, the line between reality and fiction blurs.
The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
Arguably one of the greatest children-targeted fantasy movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz eventually became an American pop culture icon and is beloved by viewers of all ages. Judy Garland's most famous role, the movie was a huge success both critically and commercially.
Based on a children's fantasy novel, it follows a girl named Dorothy living in Kansas. Her house gets swept away by a tornado and she finds herself in a magical land. There, she embarks on a journey to meet the famous Wizard and return home.
Soul (2020)
The most recent Pixar release, Soul couldn't get the proper theatrical release it deserved but it still received a lot of attention on Disney+. Moreover, the animated movie recently won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature.
In the story, a middle-school music teacher (voiced by Jamie Foxx) is about to become more successful as a jazz musician. But, unexpectedly to him, he gets separated from his soul and gets into the afterlife. Now, he must find a way to get back to his physical body.
Big Fish (2003)
Tim Burton's most acclaimed work, Big Fish is one of the best movies in Ewan McGregor's filmography. A success in every way, the movie was particularly praised for its theme of reconciliation between a father and his son which was particularly important for Burton whose father had passed away in 2000 and mother in 2002.
Based on the novel of the same name, it blends fiction and reality much like Life of Pi does. The story follows a son who decides to reconcile with his dying father while his father starts telling stories about his real (and somewhat fantastical) life.
Coco (2017)
Another one of Pixar's masterpieces, Coco was a huge critical and commercial success winning multiple awards including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.
Set in Santa Cecilia, Mexico, it follows the twelve-year-old Miguel who dreams of becoming a musician despite his family's ban on any kind of music. Accidentally, Miguel gets to the Land of the Dead and decides to seek out his ancestor who was a musician himself.
Spirited Away (2001)
Arguably Studio Ghibli's best work, Spirited Away is still the only traditionally-animated and non-English animated movie to win the Best Animated Feature Academy Award. It was a critical and commercial success and is widely considered one of the greatest animated movies ever made.
The story follows the ten-year-old Chihiro who moves to a new neighborhood with her parents. As they are driving, they stumble upon a strange tunnel, and once going through it, they find themselves in the spirit world. Chihiro's parents get turned into pigs and she must now find a way to save them and herself.