Something as exciting as Santa...the Polar Expess!

Rating: 7/10 (26 November 2005)

THE POLAR EXPRESS is a delightful holiday film that is a sight to behold. Robert Zemeckis directs and Tom Hanks stars in this sure-to-be-classic filmed in a technique called performance-capture animation based on real actors. A young boy finds it hard to sleep on Christmas Eve for he doesn't want to miss hearing the bells on Santa's sleigh. Right before midnight there is a thunderous roar. The sound is coming from a magnificent, magical train that is bound for the North Pole and Santa's house. Dancing waiters serving hot chocolate and a conductor(Tom Hanks), who wants the children on board to enjoy themselves, but also wants the Polar Express to stay on time. My favorite scene is the sequence where the big yellow ticket flies out of the train and returns. Hanks plays six characters and even sings. Others of note in the cast: Eddie Deezen, Peter Scolari, Nora Gaye and Leslie Zemeckis. Besides Hanks, the soundtrack features holiday tunes by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Kate Smith and the Andrews Sisters. This movie will be one of those you'll want to watch every Christmas.