Film

The Paper Bag Princess

A witty animated fairy tale that gleefully upends royal romance. A young princess, stripped of her gown and possessions, must rescue her fiancé from a dragon—armed only with her wits and a paper bag. Clever, funny, and unapologetically pro-self-reliance, it's a children's film that respects its audience's intelligence.

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Shrek2001

Another animated fairy tale that joyfully demolishes storybook clichés. A grumpy ogre, a talkative donkey, and a princess who refuses to be the prize they expect. Sharp, irreverent, genuinely funny for all ages.

But The pop-culture jokes and celebrity voices date it. Some of the humour lands harder with adults than children.

Shrek poster

The Swan Princess1994

An animated adventure where the princess is clever and resourceful, not just beautiful. A sorcerer's curse, an unlikely hero, and a heroine who saves herself. Romantic and surprisingly layered for early-90s animation.

But The animation is uneven and the pacing occasionally drags. Some voice acting feels flat compared to more recent releases.

The Swan Princess poster

Ella Enchanted2004

A young woman cursed to obey commands goes on a rollicking quest to break her enchantment. Fast, funny, and full of heart—the heroine is clever, brave, and genuinely likeable. Anne Hathaway at her most charming.

But It leans hard into whimsy in ways that won't work for everyone. The romance occasionally overwhelms the action.

Ella Enchanted poster

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Jim Henson's The Storyteller1988

Both retell classical stories by making the protagonist clever and self-aware, subverting what audiences expect from the genre. The tone is funny without ever being condescending about the material.

A raconteur and his cynical dog narrate five Greek myths with stop-motion and live-action, remixing ancient stories with wit and genuine darkness. The Minotaur episode is a masterpiece. Henson's approach to fairy tales feels like a spiritual cousin.

But It's deliberately adult—the stories include real consequences and genuine violence. The production values feel homemade by modern standards, which is part of the charm but not for everyone.

Jim Henson's The Storyteller poster
More like this (7)

Stardust2007

A young man journeys across a magical realm to win back the woman he loves—only to discover what he actually needs. Witty, gorgeously designed, and genuinely romantic without being saccharine. Neil Gaiman's storytelling translated beautifully.

But It's leisurely paced and contemplative at times. Some may find the early sections slow-moving.

Stardust poster

Brave2012

A Scottish princess defies tradition and destiny to forge her own path. Stunning animation, a genuinely original conflict, and a heroine whose flaws matter. Pixar's most feminist film, and its most visually sumptuous.

But The second act loses narrative momentum. The resolution relies on magic rather than the heroine's agency in ways that undercut the setup.

Brave poster

The Tale of Despereaux2008

A small, brave mouse falls in love with a princess and enters a fairy-tale kingdom within the castle. Gorgeously animated, whimsical without condescension, and surprisingly emotional. The voice cast is perfect.

But It's gentle and meandering, which some will find slow. The plot is delicate rather than action-driven.

The Tale of Despereaux poster

Anastasia1997

A young woman with no memory of her past travels to Paris to claim a royal inheritance. Animated spectacle, great songs, and a heroine who's resourceful and funny. Animation that still holds up decades later.

But The historical revisionism is jarring if you know what actually happened. The villain is cartoonishly evil in a way that clashes with the realism elsewhere.

Anastasia poster

The NeverEnding Story1984

A boy discovers a magical book that pulls him into its story, where he becomes the hero the fantasy world desperately needs. Pure enchantment—the kind of film that makes you believe in the power of imagination and reading.

But The pacing is slow and deliberate. Some of the practical effects look dated, which might break immersion for younger viewers.

The NeverEnding Story poster

Puffin Rock2015

Both are animated films from (or inspired by) literary sources that trust children to enjoy intelligence and humour over constant action. Both prioritize character and wit over spectacle.

A gentle Irish animated series about a curious puffin exploring nature with his family. Narrated by Chris O'Dowd, it's a masterclass in visual storytelling without relying on plot. Contemplative, warm, and genuinely soothing without being boring.

But There's minimal conflict and almost no traditional narrative drive. It's observation and wonder, not adventure—some will find it too slow.

Puffin Rock poster

The Castle of Cagliostro1979

Both use the framework of a princess-rescue story to tell a tale about cleverness, self-reliance, and characters who are smarter than their circumstances. Both are joyful about outsmarting the powerful rather than confronting them with force.

A master thief infiltrates a magical castle to stop a counterfeiting operation and rescue a princess who doesn't need much rescuing. Hayao Miyazaki's most purely fun film—gorgeous animation, genuine comedy, and action that sings. It plays like a fairy tale directed by someone who loves heists.

But It's a Lupin III film, so if you don't know the character, you'll be slightly lost on continuity. The dub is good but unavoidable for English speakers unfamiliar with Japanese.

The Castle of Cagliostro poster

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