Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

Based on the novel by Katherine Paterson (1st ed. 1977).

A boy and a girl escape to a world of fantasy after school.

The 'realistic' part is mildly interesting and is actually at odds with the fantasy part, which is unengaging and perfunctory. It's also interesting to note that the film comes off as liberal-oriented (here I use the word 'liberal' in the meaning the U.S. people give it); the character 'Leslie''s loose approach to religion seems to embody the film's own stance on these matters; her words go more or less like this: " You have to believe it, and you hate it; I don't have to believe it, and I find it beautiful"; these words obviously reflect the filmmakers' minds, but hardly real-life children's -- anyway only an arrogant prick would tell her friend what he is supposed to hate. The film is clearly prejudiced towards rural people; Jess's parents are rude and cold, and his classmates are a bunch of retards and bullies. Oddly enough, no teacher or school staff seem to do anything about the scandalous student behavior.

Rating: 40