Who would have ever thought that the old hacks at Disney would--or even could--return to the type of boundless live-action fantasy (rarely seen since the days of classics like Return to Witch Mountain and Pollyanna) where doe-eyed drama is sidestepped in favor of telling a deeply satisfying tale? Well they did, and boy did they do it well. Bridge to Terabithia is a fantasy of the highest caliber, it's only current competition being its kindred spirit, Pan's Labyrinth.
This film adaptation of Katherine Paterson's 1978 Newbury Award-winning novel tells the story of Jess (subtly played by Josh Hutcherson), an imaginative boy misunderstood by his schoolmates, teachers and family.
When he's not performing arduous chores for his father Jess spends most of his days sketching out drawings of vast landscapes and creatures. It's a form of expression that none of his siblings (which are all female to boot) relate to, outside of his little sister May Belle (the precious Bailey Madison). All of this changes when Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb), a girl with seemingly infinite creativity enters his life and changes it forever.
