Beautiful and Heartbreaking

Rating: Null/10 (16 November 2004)

For those who have so eloquently (read: ridiculously) panned this movie, I ask...did you see the same movie as I did???
THE POLAR EXPRESS is so rich with depth, spirituality and nostalgia, I cannot fathom anyone especially anyone old enough to feel a connection to the past not enjoying this movie. Robert Zemeckis succeeds in capturing what it really feels the first time you experience, and to regain faith in something despite what life hands you to try and prove the contrary. This was a movie made by someone who experienced the joy and then sadness of Christmas (despite the erroneous thought that Robert Zemeckis is Jewish, which he's not. He grew up Catholic, celebrating both Christmas and Easter.)
The animation is true to Van Allsburg's book, with a touch of Andy from Toy Story. The eyes are "scary?" Not at all...more like, the eyes are sympathetic, at least in the characters who are on screen for more than 2 seconds.
This movie does lack one thing that runs rampant in "kids" movies today: STUPIDITY. You actually have to be invested in the story, and from frame one, I was. When I was a child, I NEVER liked movies that were made for kids. Ever. I always liked being in awe of the story, not feeling one step ahead of it. I liked being scared, because most good movies like this paid it off. Such films helped me to appreciate a deeper meaning, and I appreciated not having ideas shoved in my face or handed to me. POLAR EXPRESS moves, challenges and delivers on all levels.
The movie looked great, touched me to my core, and will hopefully be recognized for the masterpiece that it is. I cannot say enough good things about this movie, other than to urge people to go see it.