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Plot:
This companion disc to director Robert Zemeckis' film version of the inspiring children's book includes the "Smokey and Steamer" song, "You Look Familiar," "A Genuine Ticket to Ride," "True Inspiratio...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:July 27, 2008Should have been working on dark castle films instead of wasting his time on this steam driven shit bomb!
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MCT:July 25, 2008I saw this for the first time last Christmas Eve. It was a very cute movie and I look forward to it being on this Christmas too!
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MCT:July 20, 2008The Polar Express (2004)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Starring Tom Hanks, Michael Jeter, Peter Scolari, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Eddie Deezen, Jimmy Bennett«Santa Claus: This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas - as am I. Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.»
A young boy (Tom Hanks, voiced by Daryl Sabara) lies awake in his room one snowy Christmas Eve, excited and alert. Breathing silently. Hardly moving. Waiting. He's listening for a sound he's afraid that he might never hear-the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. The time is five minutes to midnight. Suddenly, a thunderous roar startles the boy. Clearing the mist from his window he sees the most amazing sight-a gleaming black train rumbles to a stop right in front of his house, the steam from its powerful engine hissing through the night sky and the softly falling snowflakes. The boy rushes outside, clad only in his pyjamas and slippers, and is met by the train's conductor (Played and voiced by Tom Hanks) who seems to be waiting just for him. "Well, are you coming?" the conductor inquires. "Where?" the boy asks. "Why, to the North Pole-of course. This is the Polar Express!" From here a doubting young boy must face the most wonderful and the most magical journey of his life, the journey to the North Pole, the place where all of your most wanted wishes come true and your dreams become a reality. The journey that tough him and everyone else on that train a lesson that the wonder of life never fades for those who always believe.
Follows up the path of the famous children's book of the same title by Chris Van Allsburg, this film brings magic and fantasy to your doorstep. When I heard about I thought to myself "another Christmas animation" but since then I had an unstoppable desire to watch it and when I had the chance I couldn't believe what I've seen. It is not just "another Christmas animation"; it is an animation-drama that will hold you in its tight grip until the very last words of it. It is a film, based on a unique story of a boy who didn't believed in Christmas but one day his dreams came true when he stepped on the path of the magical Polar Express. So, the story is good, wonderfully told and easily showed by the director Robert Zemeckis. It is very believable and I am sure that adult of all age will enjoy it. (Not mentioning the kids of course).
There is not much of the acting as it is an animated cartoon where the bodies of the live actors used to create characters for the film. Tom Hanks does an amazing job by playing five distinct roles and doing it so well that I got no complains towards his acting. His voice was nice and clear and very relaxing which helped us throughout the whole film. Daryl Sabara voiced a young boy and he did well too; he sounded worried when needed and excited when something magic is just about to happen. Michael Jeter was also on top by playing the role of two engineers but he shortly died after the filming of The Polar Express so R.I.P. Michael you did a great job. Peter Scolari had a minor role of playing the little Billy kid but he did everything he could in this role. Also has to mention Nona Gaye (voice of Hero girl), Eddie Deezen (voice of Know-it-all) and Jimmy Bennett (voice of Billy) for playing their part really well.
Well, so far this film sounds like a perfect animation film but yes, I am afraid that the actual animation wasn't the best. The film used a motion capture technology which makes the characters as real as possible. Unfortunately it caused the characters look creepy and eerie. The most common problem with this film was known as "dead eye syndrome" where the eyes of the characters do not move and therefore making the characters have a deadened and soulless look as a result on inanimate eyes. Now, say I am a 9 year old kid and I am watching this film; won't I feel a bit frightened by it because of the animation problem? I know some kids don't really care about stuff like that, but they are not stupid, sooner or later they will remember this aspect and they will realize what a mistake they made when they decided to watch this animation. So, that finally brings me to my biggest question about this film: you give Robert Zemeckis $170 million and he can't make his characters look a bit more realistic? It is like watching dolls in the puppet show, it is entertaining but it's not real. But, I suppose that it was a first film to use a motion capture technology so it can be forgivable, also the fact that The Polar Express is generally regarded as the first film where the dead-eye syndrome was most noticeable and most distracting is no big surprise to me. When you trying something new, you either going to fail what you planning to do by using it or totally succeed with the help of it. Zemeckis obviously failed, but the story and the acting saved him there.
Overall you cannot regard this film as a failure, despite all the animation problems it is still a great Christmas animation that anyone can in doubt enjoy. Many people regarding it as one of the best Christmas animations out there, well it is certainly one of the best and one that you definitely should see. Because in the end, it's neither an animation nor a technology that meant to make this film remember able, it's is a whole idea that brings this film to you, idea that the magic will happen for all who truly believes.
Review Date: 16th of April, 2008.
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MCT:July 11, 2008
Only good when you see it at the Imax in 3D so everything flies out the screen at you and the train stops inches from your nose.
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MCT:July 10, 2008Looking for a good Christmas movie to show. This one would be it. Tom Hanks played his different roles amazingly, it inspires you, but makes you want to believe. Worth watching at Christmas time.
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MCT:July 7, 2008
Robert Zemekis should have stuck with live action. Jokingly called the "bi-polar express" by some, this jarringly bad Christmas train wreck as an adventure pits Tom Hanks as every adult male, and a little boy and some other kids, who look like zombies, on a ticket to ride into Hell, whereit's frozen over and it's Christmaas, and Santa Claus...is Tom Hanks too. This is not the vision of Holiday cheer most boys dream of. Eew. (Why is every male adult in this Tom Hanks? Doesn't that strike you as odd)? Huh.
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MCT:June 14, 2008
Gulligt... Men alldeles för brittisk för att bli en julklassiker för mig... Och man ska inte lura små barn att tomten finns!
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MCT:June 11, 2008
Great use of CG. But the story left me bored at parts. Just didn't fit very well. But if I am rating this movie on anything, it is graphics and the way it put itself.
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MCT:June 10, 2008
AWEsoME ANImaTIOn. BUt I Wish THe BOY COUld TALk MOre. WoNDERFul THemE. JUSt I LOVed THE LOvelY BEst LIve ANimation!
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MCT:June 7, 2008
Magical and charming! A new perfect Christmas classic for the whole family to enjoy!! Yep...
86/100 -
MCT:June 6, 2008A maddeningly flat film with poor animation, I am not a fan of roto-scoping I don't consider it animation and a poor excuse to make film, it's not very creative to my mind making the character rigid. It has some good music, but really the story is very weak, taken from a short, short story.
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MCT:May 19, 2008
The movie seems determined to be an instant Christmas classic, but its idea of seasonal awe comes straight off a factory conveyor belt.
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MCT:May 17, 2008
This movie has some of the best animation Ive ever seen In an animated movie good Kid story as well.
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MCT:May 6, 2008
This movie was beautifully made! animation is so smooth and fluid! the story was cute and touching I loved it!
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MCT:May 6, 2008the animation was downright amazing. tom hanks is, too. but i think i've made a mistake watching a predictable kiddie movie yet again.
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MCT:April 23, 2008
this is the best xmass movie ever srsly not a minute of action must b missed n i assure u tht u will neva get bored. i luv this. :)
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MCT:April 21, 2008
I can't remember why everyone was so excited about this movie. I watched it on a plane ride during Chritmas and I liked it and the animation is excellent but the story is only ok.
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MCT:April 17, 2008This movie is one of the movies that I would love to buy. I like how the kid learns that Santa is real and not fake.
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MCT:April 16, 2008
Interesting animation, but a little long, especially for kids. I've actually ridden on the train they used to model the Polar Express in this movie, so I guess I have a bit of sentimental attachment to it.
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MCT:April 13, 2008
a brilliant animated movie which looks so real:) it a great xmas movie for all age ranges:) he plays many of the charcaters which you can tell when you watch the movie as his face is characterised into them:)
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MCT:April 10, 2008
i was really surprised at how much i enjoyed this,what a brilliant film.i thought the animation was very good,a lot better than robert zemeckis second attempt at this style,beowulf. favourite scene in the film,is where the train goes out of controll on the ice.didnt like the elves,UGLY,CREEPY LITTLE FUCKERS. i liked the line towards the end of the film,spoken by the conductor"One thing about trains,it doesnt matter where they are going,what matters is decideing to get on"
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Comments
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kellypatpatposted 24 days ago -
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hey I love this movie I even read the book I want to know who sings that song that they give when the movie is over?please answer I have been dying to know I ALWAYS MISS IT AT THE ENDING it was my graguation song and I forgot and really want to know please answer me!!!!thank you
posted 253 days ago -
haha! i watched this with my friend and... yea.. its hiralious. the ticket flies out the window, rolls down a hill in a snow ball, get eaten by a bird who spits it back out(i dont member exactly how it happened) but hen magically ends up back into the train. and we found out that the one kind was jelous when the other kid was by the girl, adn the other was jelous when the other one was by the girl.. it was pretty fun. we just watched carefully and made fun of stuff... yea...
posted 573 days ago -
