Triangle (2009)

"Triangle" (2009) isn't strictly a fantasy film in the traditional sense, lacking elves, dragons, or magic spells. However, its inclusion on a "Best Fantasy Movies" list is justified by its masterful deployment of the surreal and the uncanny to create a potent sense of the fantastical. The story revolves around the passengers of a yachting trip in the Atlantic Ocean who, when struck by mysterious weather conditions, jump to another ship only to experience greater havoc on the open seas. This leads to a nightmarish, cyclical experience where the lines between reality, time, and the supernatural become hopelessly blurred. The film expertly builds suspense and dread through its unsettling atmosphere and increasingly bizarre events. The film's power lies in its exploration of a liminal space between reality and the impossible. The inexplicable events, repetitive encounters, and the unsettling sense of being trapped in a time loop, coupled with the ever-present dread of the open ocean, create a truly terrifying and unforgettable cinematic experience. While not adhering to typical fantasy tropes, "Triangle" leverages the inherent strangeness and unpredictable nature of the sea to craft a hallucinatory narrative that transcends genre expectations, effectively creating a compelling and unique brand of "fantasy horror" that earns its place among the best.