Nim's Island

A sweet fantasy adventure for kids featuring some excellent special effects, although adult viewers may find the limited plausibility too distracting to buy into the story of Nim (Breslin), who lives on a tropical isle with her scientist dad Jack (Butler). They have a dreamy life with the friendly wildlife and Nim's beloved books, especially those by Alex Rover (Foster), who in real life is a hermit. Then Jack leaves on an ocean journey but doesn't return, leaving poor Nim to fend for herself. Through an unlikely series of events, the author learns of Nim's plight and musters the courage to leave her house to save Nim, who is afraid she might lose her island to developers in a cruise ship. It's a little dizzying, but there is enough charm to satisfy young viewers.