Five Children and It

Five Children and It (2004) is a British family fantasy film directed by John Stephenson, adapted from E. Nesbit's beloved 1902 novel — watch online on iFILM. With their RAF pilot father at the front and their mother nursing the wounded, five siblings end up at their uncle's country estate during World War One. Behind a forbidden door they find a crotchety, 8,000-year-old sand fairy who will grant exactly one wish per day, no more, no later than sunset.

Freddie Highmore leads the young cast as Cyril, with Kenneth Branagh and Eddie Izzard in supporting roles. The film keeps Nesbit's central joke intact: wishes come true in the most literal, inconvenient way possible, and the children spend most of the day undoing what they asked for that morning. It has a slightly ramshackle charm that suits the source material better than a slick Disney retelling would. Stream Five Children and It (2004) online on iFILM.