Polar Express (2004)
Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Whenia doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train rideito theiNorth Pole, he embarks onia journey of self-discovery that shows him that theiwonder of life never fadesifor those who believe.

Editor's Note: Destined to become a holiday perennial, The Polar Express also heralded a brave new world of all-digital filmmaking. Critics and audiences were divided between those who hailed it as an instant classic that captures the visual splendor and evocative innocence of Chris Van Allsburg's popular children's book, and those who felt that the innovative use of "performance capture"--to accurately translate live performances into all-digital characters--was an eerie and not-quite-lifelike distraction from the story's epic-scale North Pole adventure. In any case it's a benign, kind-hearted celebration of the yuletide spirit, especially for kids who have almost grown out of their need to believe in Santa Claus. Tom Hanks is the nominal "star" who performs five different computer-generated characters, but it's the visuals that steal this show, as director Robert Zemeckis indulges his tireless pursuit of technological innovation. No matter how you respond to the many wonders on display, it's clear that The Polar Express represents a significant milestone in the digital revolution of cinema. If it also fills you with the joy of Christmas (in spite of its Nuremberg-like rally of frantic elves), so much the better.

When a young boy loses all belief in the holiday spirit and Santa Claus, a mysterious train pulls up to his house on Christmas Eve to take him away to the North Pole to witness Santa's launch. At first reluctant to embrace the magic of the moment, the train's perilous journey, budding friendships with his fellow passengers, and sage advice from the Conductor (performed by Tom Hanks), shake the young boy into the hope that the Christmas spirit could possibly be true; all the while leading him into fantastical misadventures during the journey.

Though computer animated, 'Polar Express' uses a special technology that required the players to fully act out the film, and later their performances were animated over. It's a unique process; a next generation step up from the Ralph Bakshi 'rotoscoped' films of the 1970s and 80s, and provides the animation with a distinct human quality that even Pixar hasn't been able to secure from CG artistry. 'Express' uses this aesthetic to spectacular means, delivering fertile, emotive performances to a story that urgently requires a heartfelt execution. The technology isn't perfect, as evidenced in the limited movements of the eyes and mouth, but the look of the film is often stunning and unique, vigilantly matching the colors and scope of Van Allsburg's book with Zemeckis's own desires for yuletide adventure.

[CSW] -- It is an excellent one-time, all-digital, movie. Tom Hanks performs five different computer-generated characters

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