Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

Jon Favreau loves children. He also gets them. In “Zathura: A Space Adventure” – a sci-fi kid comedy from the creators of “Jumanji” – two brothers, ages 6 and 10, fight, bicker, shout all day, and butcher the word “cryogenic.” In other words, they are perfectly childish. The plot: The brothers stumble across a Sputnik-era board game at their divorced dad’s house. They turn a game-piece key, and – poof! - the house is in outer space. Yes, this is “Jumanji in Space.” But it’s better than “Jumanji,” despite story points that don’t gel. Favreau – a far better, more imaginative director than an actor -- never panders to his on-screen youngsters, or those in the audience. He happily swims in the mind of a fifth-grader, tossing in four-eyed goats during a wonderful silly-scary lizard alien encounter. “Twilight” sulk queen Kristin Stewart is funny as the teen sister. B+