Holy Motors (2012)

Leos Carax's *Holy Motors* (2012) isn't your typical fantasy film, but it undeniably belongs on a list of the best in the genre due to its surreal and transformative nature. We follow 24 hours in the life of a being moving from life to life like a cold and solitary assassin moving from hit to hit. In each of these interwoven lives, the being possesses an entirely distinct identity: sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, sometimes youthful, sometimes old. By turns murderer, beggar, company chairman, monstrous creature, worker, family man—these fantastical shifts in persona defy reality and push the boundaries of what constitutes "life" itself. The film’s fantastical elements aren't drawn from traditional mythology, but instead from the raw, dreamlike potential of human existence and the fluidity of identity. The fantastical element of *Holy Motors* lies in its exploration of performance, identity, and the constructed nature of reality. The film blends reality with surreality seamlessly, blurring the lines between the actor, the character, and the audience's perception. The fantastical transformations aren't magical in a traditional sense, but rather a commentary on the many roles we play in life, and the unsettling possibility that these roles might be all we truly are. This deeply philosophical approach to fantasy makes *Holy Motors* a thought-provoking and uniquely rewarding cinematic experience, deserving of its place amongst the best fantasy films.