I see no one’s mentioned **Star Wars **yet. It’s kind of a space opera that was made back in the late 70s. There are 5 or so movies that comprise it. It’s kinda confusing though - they started with Parts 4, 5 and 6, then later made the first three (so I guess there’s 6 total). They’re pretty cheesy (especially the earlier effects), and the story seems pretty cribbed, but they’re engaging nonetheless.
What?
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Capt Nemo and the Underwater City
Island at the Top of the World
Quoth Xavier:
This needs to be seconded. It had terrible marketing, and flopped as a result, but it’s the best time-travel movie I’ve ever seen.
Quoth CalMeacham:
Huh, I didn’t know there had been a screen adaptation of that. Given that I think it’s the best science fiction short story ever written, I really ought to check it out.
Although this is one of my favorite movies, I am not sure how you’re stretching fantasy or sci-fi to include Brazil. Highly recommended for any fan of creative, intelligent movies, but not sure if it fits the genres given.
A few Gilliam films I would recommend:
**Time Bandits **
The Adventures of Baron Munchasen
and the already mentioned 12 Monkeys
Also
The City of Lost Children
Krull
I, Robot
You’ve probably watched Spirited Away, but on the off chance you haven’t, well, go watch it right now!
Some that slip under people’s radar sometimes:
City of Lost Children, a wonderful steampunkish fantasy (mentioned already but deserves mentioning again)
Dark City, horror-ish sci fi.
John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness, a fun hybrid of horror & scifi themes.
And don’t overlook some wonderful anime series out there. Start with Full Metal Alchemist.
Check out Brotherhood of the Wolf, a French film set approx. in the mid-18th century. Good martial arts, action, intrigue, romance, and a fantastic-element running underneath.
The English language dub doesn’t sync well with the actor’s lips, but all-in-all a fun movie.
Note: Quatermass and the Pit is the original b&w British multipart television production (I have it on tape, had to special order it), and Five Million Years to Earth (not to be confused with an unrelated science fiction movie Twenty Million Miles to Earth) is the color theatrical remake. Both versions are good and it’s interesting to compare them.
Some other suggestions, some of which you might have seen, some perhaps not:
King Kong, the original, and King Kong the 2005 remake. The remake isn’t as good but is an interesting deconstruction of the original: its conceit is that the original Kong was Hollywood’s sanitized version of what happened, and that what we’re shown in the remake is the actual events.
They Live (1988): campy fun with Roddy Piper in perhaps the most perfect depiction of the conspiracy-theory mindset ever put to film.
Battle Beyond the Stars (1980): The Seven Samurai/The Magnificent Seven in outer space. More campy fun from Roger Corman.
The Shape of Things to Come (1936): based on a classic Wells novel, an interesting look at pre-WW2 futurism. Whatever you do, do not mistakenly rent “H. G. Wells’ The Shape of Things to Come”, (1979) a grade-Z schlock film having nothing whatsover to do with the original movie or Wells novel.
Dr. Cyclops (1940): an early entry into the scifi genre of the 50s, it’s the original “miniaturized people” movie and features a (literally!) mad scientist as the villain.
Plan Nine from Outer Space: Bad even by the standards of the 50s, a textbook example of how not to make a science-fiction horror movie. The last screen credit of Bela Lugosi.
Close, but no cigar – Quatermass and the Pit is the British title of the Andrew Kier movie as well as the title of the serial. I have both the serial and the film on tape, too.
It’s very interesting to compare the serial versions with the film versions of all the films (The complete serial of The Quatermass Xperiment isn’t available, but the script is – penguin books published it.) the scripts differ materially from the films, not merely in length, but also in some key points. And I think the ship in Quatermass and the Pit 9the serial) looks more interesting tha the one in the film.
How about the television series Firefly, and the film sequel Serenity? They’re intelligent, funny, good action but has other elements as well. They’re a favorite of mine and are pretty popular on this board. I’d recommend watching the tv show before the film, it’ much better that way. If I recall, some episodes of Firefly are available free and legal at Hulu.com.
Agreed; you made it further than I did.
BUT–
Beowulf and Grendel is an awesome movie. An Icelandic production (in English) with Gerard Butler as Beowulf, Stellan Skarsgard, Sarah Polley, and Grendel portrayed as a Troll from Nordic mythology.
I’m sorry, but as a fan of both of these directors, I have to point that BOTH of these movies are each respective director’s worst.
Cronenberg at his worst is still better than a lot of the other movies mentioned here. 
Ok, no literal dragons, but it’s much like Lord of the Rings with lots of swords, armour and an artifact everyone wants but only one person can wield properly and… I’m never sure what constitutes camp exactly over hammy, but maybe Merlin represents an example of such.
Island City.
I’ve described it to several self-professed sci-fi buffs and they have never heard of it.
I believe it was the pilot episode/movie of a series that never got off the ground. Last time I checked (years ago), it had a rating of like 2 on IMDB but I LOVED it! I would have sat glued to my TV if that became a series!
I’m probably going to make a separate topic about this…
Seconded. Also, Excalibur and Conan the Barbarian.
Also…
Legend (with Tom Cruise, Tim Curry and Mia Sara)
Beastmaster (kinda hokey, but a young Marc Singer is major eye candy and wields a big sword).
These are family/children’s films I like to watch a lot.
Stardust - recent, but sort of harks back to an 80s approach to Fantasy
The Borrowers - largely overlooked, despite being utterly wonderful
Indian In The Cupboard - forgotten, but really quite sweet, and excellent effects work
Nanny McPhee - not as great as it wants to be, but decent family sweet natured fun. A sequel is in the works
Matilda - One of my favourite films, I watch it every time it comes on TV
Cats and Dogs - spy film about dogs vs cats? Gold!
Condorman - not really a fantasy film, about a clumsy comic book artist who stumbles on an opportunity to be a spy for the government for a special mission. Seriously fun. I would love to be behind a remake.