The Polar Express, Any reviews?

[aalexander]

I'm really anxious to hear if someone has seen The Polar Express and what they thought about it. A local reviewer (see his reviews here: Lamar's reviews) ) said it was one of the best Christmas movies he had ever seen-a real tear jerker. Any reviews?

[munchkinsmom0003]

There's a website where you can read up on a bunch of reviews on The Polar Express:

Click Here

[sediment]

The kids liked it. I didn't see it.

[disneyperson]

Our local newspaper critic didn't like it much. Said it was "creepy" which was exactly my reaction when I saw the trailer a few months back. From what I've seen reviews have been mixed. I know I won't see it.

[adriennek]

Here's my question for anyone- and disneyperson, I'd like to hear your answer- Are you familiar with the book?

My husband said that he "heard" that if you're familiar with the book, you appreciate the movie and the animation more than if you aren't. We theorized that it's because the illustrations in the book are rather stylized. I read somewhere - Entertainment Weekly? It was an old issue at my son's piano lesson waiting area- someone said that the kids looked creepy. To me, they remind me of the children in the book.

I haven't seen it. S's godmother (Exceptional Mom Mary) forwarded a review to me from a friend of hers who happens to post on this board but I haven't seen her pop in on this thread. ( :cough: yoo-hoo! :cough: )That person GUSHED on how wonderful she thought it was. Based on her review, which I trust, I can't wait to see it.

Adrienne

[disneyperson]

Yes, I'm very familiar with the book. I thought the trailer was creepy because the characters looked kinda scary to me with very dead eyes and weird unatural looking faces. The scene I saw with thousands of tiny elves paying homage (it looked a lot like worship) to the giant Santa struck me in an unnerving way as well. I think the story may have been better served with cel animation or cgi that was not motion capture. In fact, I don't think I've ever reacted quite so strongly to a trailer before. I'm sure it will do very well, and thousands will love it, but I'll pass.

[Barbossa]

Just saw it today with my DD and DW. It was a great movie, I can't wait to see it again. I'm very familiar with the book, one of the classic children's books of all time. I read several reviews, some were not so favorable. I agree that some aspects of the animation were a bit lacking i.e. the characters' eyes looked like glass and tongues weren't properly animated. Nits if you ask me. I didn't think the movie was creepy at all save for one scene involving puppets. I think the theme of the book was well served, the North Pole scenes were very deep, IMHO. When I was a boy, I loved watching Santa fly off at the end of "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer". You should see Santa fly in this movie!

I think Polar Express is a must see Christmas/Holiday movie.

[munchkinsmom0003]

Just saw it today and our family LOVED it!!!! We're very familiar w/ the book and have been waiting a long time for its release. They did a beautiful job staying true to Chris Van Allsburg's artwork, IMHO. I'm a bit concerned by critics labeling it "creepy" because of their impressions that the animation didn't look "real" enough (i.e., "dead" eyes, jerkiness in movements, etc.). I guess if the movie producers wanted "real," they would have done a live-action movie and hired actors to play the roles, right?

Personally, we can't wait to see it again...especially my four-year old DD!