the movieGOOMBA

When I first saw the preview for Bridge to Terabithia, my first feelings were excitement, and then my excitement turned to horror when I saw that the production company for this film was Disney. In the last few years, Disney has been producing some of the worst movies in family film history; Dinosaurs, Brother Bear, The Haunted Mansion; and let's not forget its butchered remakes of classics like Herbie Fully Loaded, Blubber, That Shaggy Dog (<--this one Disney re-made about 10 bajillion times). ::shudders:: Why Disney, why? You filled my childhood with beautiful movies like Pollyanna and The Little Mermaid. Why do you insist on giving Generation Y crap? . . . And then there was Bridge to Terabithia. It would have been so easy to mess up this film, and yet, it was near perfection.

Based on the classic novel, Bridge to Terabithia, the film Bridge to Terabithia involves the same general plot lines. Jesse Aarons is the middle child and the only boy among his 4 other siblings. Finding no niche at home, and also out-casted at school, meeting Leslie Burke was like a breath of fresh air. As the new kid, she also didn't fit in, but she befriends Jesse and together they create a world where they rule. With Leslie around, anything is possible, and her presence allows Jesse to find comfort and confidence.

Falsely advertised as a children's fantasy, Narnia knock off, Bridge to Terabithia carries heavy themes and is essentially one of the best coming-of-age stories I've seen in a very long time. It holds a very strong resemblance to My Girl.
**********SPOILER WARNING************
Parents must be warned that there is a very abrupt, significant death that will catch you off guard. Children will need an explanation, and questions will be asked. Please be prepared if you choose to show this to any little person under the age of 12. Some complain that this ending came out of nowhere. There was no significant foreshadowing, and there was no final closure to the friendship. But the story mimics reality. This is life, and to cushion harsh certainty would be an injustice to the film's key theme.
**********SPOILER END***********

I struggle with my rating of this film, and I wonder if it deserves that extra 0.5 GOOMBA. The acting was flawless, especially Josh Hutcherson. His Little Manhattan performance was definitely no fluke. These two kids made me love them and wish for a friendship so grand that I almost cried reveling in its beauty, so if I decide to change my rating after a few days, don't be surprised.