13 Movies Like Castle in the Sky (1986)

A strange story of love and parenting but the children are half-human, half-wolf. .

A watercolor, paradisal coming-of-age story about a teenage witch in training.

Finds magic in the ordinary every day—and reminds us the most special art is that which comes from the heart.

A nightmarish psychological thriller from an anime master.

A Franco-Gaelic animated film nominated for an Academy Award, the Secret of Kells certainly isn't your average Disney fare. Set in 8th century Ireland, it is beautifully animated, taking cues from ancient illuminated manuscripts and Gaelic folk art. Featuring a plot heavily inspired by Irish mythology, it tells the story of the Viking invasion of Ireland and the creation of the Book of Kells, an Irish national treasure. The world of the film pulses with the lush greenery of the island, populated by fairies, giants, magic and mystery.

A quiet drama about nostalgia.

An illuminative interpretation of the life of Jiro Horikoshi, a Japanese aviation engineer responsible for many World War II fighter designs, including the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter.

This animated movie is absolutely wonderful. It’s an Irish production, and the drawings/graphics are so beautiful and different from what you usually see in this genre. This alone, along with the music, would be good reasons to watch this.But what really makes this worth your time is the story – it’s about a boy dealing with the loss of his mother. He embarks on an adventure into a parallel world of feelings to save his sister.I found it to be refreshingly original, sometimes quite intense (I cried, but I easily cry), and heartwarming. The details are great. And I love the way the story was interwoven with Irish mythology, making it magical.

A tale of resisting fascism and reckoning with the lingering burdens of war.