One of my favorite movies ever.

I was about Thomas J's age at the time this movie came out, and so I related to that character in a way I never had before. I remember I also had the movie novelization and I used to read it over and over again. I learned a lot from this story; about love and loss, happiness and grief, friendship, girls, practicing kissing on your arm, learned what periods were, as well as gained an appreciation for oldies and a lifelong fear of bees. But most of all, I always longed for "my girl" of my own; someone who I could play with and be free, become blood brothers, share my first kiss...it was all I ever wanted. I never got that. But I'll always have this movie to remind me of that innocent time in my life, and Vada will always be my surrogate childhood friend. And so I cry every time I watch this movie, not just for the loss of Thomas J, but for my own lost childhood.

I didn't watch the sequel until much later, but it never really captured the magic or feeling of the original. It wasn't terrible, but I much prefer to think of this as a standalone movie. I could never really forgive Vada for "rebounding" with another boy, as irrational as that sounds.

I always wondered were the inspiration for the story came from. Was it based on the real life experiences of the screenwriter, Laurice Elehwany? I've never been able to find out any information about that.

The Bridge to Terabithia is a very similar story to this, and had I been young when the 2007 movie came out, I probably would have identified with it much in the same way. There's just something so magical about that age of innocence and love, which for me, will always remain unrequited.