Wolfgang Petersen followed up his claustrophobic debut, the submarine-set Das Boot, with this soaring fantasy epic. In it, a young boy stumbles onto a dusty old book that’s something of a portal to a place called Fantasia, which is under threat from a spreading menace known as The Nothing. Released in 1984, The NeverEnding Story is marvelously handmade, a creature feature that relies on models and puppets and animatronics to transport viewers to a land of rock biters, racing snails, and luck dragons. But it’s not just mere spectacle – there’s a moving lesson here about the power of imagination and the importance of living with grief but not letting it overwhelm you. – Kimberley Jones
