Ticket to holiday magic

Many critics abuse the word "classic" by using it to describe a movie they’re nuts about. The film might indeed be terrific, but the use of the superlative adjective seems both premature and presumptuous. After all, who are they to make that decision? A classic should be determined by two main factors: audience reaction and the passage of time.

That said, it would not be at all surprising if The Polar Express — an innovative entry in computer-generated animation — does become a holiday classic.

The movie centers around a young boy (voiced by Tom Hanks) who is waiting for Santa Claus to show up five minutes before midnight on Christmas Eve. The tyke wants to believe, but is faced with overwhelming doubts.

Then he hears a sound outside his house. Hoping to find Santa’s sleigh, the boy instead finds an old-fashioned steam locomotive. A kindly conductor (also voiced by Hanks) beckons him to board.

The train is the Polar Express and its destination is the North Pole and Santa Claus. Unknown to the boy and his fellow passengers, by the end of this magical journey, they each will receive a gift that will stay with them the rest of their lives.

Based on Chris Van Allsburg’s award-winning 1985 children’s book, The Polar Express is truly an enchanting film. Its message is ageless and will no doubt appeal to the whole family. Kids will respond to this marvelous tale of a trip to see Santa Claus in the middle of the night. Parents will appreciate the deeper subtext — that we all need to feel complete to live our lives as best we can. The entire audience will respond to the incredible visual images and the strong sense of story imparted by director Robert Zemeckis and his crew.

The Polar Express manages to strike a balance between heartwarming and just plain entertaining, and it is sometimes out-and-out funny. Although many kids are along for the trip to the North Pole, the story focuses on four children and their individual journeys. As we find out later, each is missing something fundamental in his or her life and is able to find it by the end of the trip. The audience feels as if it is along for the ride.

A new technology called "Performance Capture" was invented specifically for the film. Through the process, actors performed scenes wearing form-fitting suits and as many as 60 sensors (or jewels) attached to their faces. Digital cameras captured the details of every facial expression.

Credit is due to Zemeckis, his crew and his actors (who include Nona Gaye and Peter Scolari, in addition to Hanks) for using this technology to create, not overpower, this magical and timeless children’s movie.

The Polar Express
G
Starts Wednesday at area theaters
Three-and-a-half reels out of four

Recommended rental

Before Sunset
R
Available Tuesday

Indie icon Richard Linklater directed the romantic drama Before Sunset, a sequel to Before Sunrise (1995). In the first film, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) were strangers who spent an intimate, talkative night in Vienna. Nine years later, Jesse has written a book about the encounter. During his European book tour, he reunites with Celine in Paris. Before Jesse’s flight home, he joins Celine for a picturesque walk around Paris peppered with the same kind of conversation that bonded them years before. Before Sunset was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.