# What are these kinds of films called?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 27, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469 "2008-08-27T21:07:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469/1 "2008-08-27T21:07:30Z")

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Pan’s Labyrinth, Bridge to Terabithia. Are they just ‘fantasy’ ? Or is there some special name?

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469/2 "2008-08-27T21:31:38Z")

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I need a larger sample please.

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**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469/3 "2008-08-27T21:32:14Z")

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So do I.

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**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469/4 "2008-08-27T21:40:40Z")

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It sounds like you are talking about realistic films, which have a fantasy element that might be explained as part of the imagination of one or more characters. Is that what they have in common?

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**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469/5 "2008-08-27T21:46:38Z")

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The term “mythic fiction” is sometimes used to describe stories that are set in the real world but incorporate themes, tropes, and images from myth, legend, and folklore.

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**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469/6 "2008-08-27T21:47:34Z")

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Magical Realism?

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-kinds-of-films-called/461469/7 "2008-08-27T21:48:30Z")

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I’d say [magical realism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_realism) (which has been translated as “fantasy in Spanish”).