Zathura: A Space Adventure
dir. Jon Favreau (2005)
This spiritual sequel to Jumanji offers nothing new, and is seriously hamstrung by two child leads who are out of their depth and playing characters with single, repetitively hammered personality traits. Dax Shepard does his best to keep a sinking ship afloat.
Night at the Museum
dir. Shawn Levy (2006)
This Jumanji-esque yet edgeless film lingers overlong at its own premise — museum exhibits come alive at night — presenting little more than a few crayon-drawn character dynamics (plus Mickey Rooney). Still, it entertained a sufficient number of younger children to justify two sequels.
Jumanji
dir. Joe Johnston (1995)
Although not so magically captivating as The Never-Ending Story, this family adventure fantasy concocts a certain chaotic wonder out of a board game that brings the jungle to predatory life in suburbia. Stars Robin Williams and cutting-edge (at the time) special effects.