The Polar Express (Full Screen Edition) | It's not IMAX, but it's sure is good!!!

The Polar Express (Full Screen Edition) | Better Than Hot Chocolate

DVDs:

The Polar Express ...

	The Polar Express (Full Screen Edition) Warner Home Video, 2005 average customer review:based on 596 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

It's not IMAX, but it's sure is good!!!

I saw this movie with my son (Age 21) in December of 2007 in an IMAX theater in Harrisburg, PA. Needless to say, it didn't disappoint. we purchased the 3-D version of the Blu-Ray a week ago. Although it could NEVER be IMAX, we thought that for a home version, it was fantastic. I don't understand all of the negative reviews. Perhaps these folks are expecting the world for $25[...], but realistically, it is worth 10 times the price. We purchased some higher quality 3-D glasses with the movie because the cardboard just isn't that comfortable.

We turned out all of the room lights and watched the movie on our 52 inch DLP TV. After allowing 10-15 minutes for our eyes to adjust to the glasses and lighting conditions, we watched the movie with a fairly critical eye. There were times when there was some ghosting of the images. However, for the most part, the $25 DVD along with the $7.95/pair 3-D glasses we purchased, was FANTASTIC. Like I said, it will never equal IMAX, but for home viewing, if you let your mind go, and allow yourself to be a kid again, you'll have a fantastic time watching this soon to be, Christmas classic.

The folks who have reviewed this and hated it are undoubtedly the same type of people who can't enjoy a magic show either. You must watch this movie in the context that you don't have an IMAX theater in your home, but rather a home sized screen. If you can open your mind, you'll really enjoy this! But you must keep things in perspective!!!

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Better Than Hot Chocolate

This is the best Christmas film I have seen in a long, long time. It certainly has all of the elements that should appeal to kids -- fabulous wintery landscapes, a magical locomotive, roller coaster-esque scenes, elves, leaping reindeer, Santa himself. By the same token, it is clever enough for adults, with a delightful double layer to it revolving around faith -- more specifically, believing in the true, giving spirit of Christmas and taking an optimistic view even when facing bleak circumstances.

The animation is excellent, although sometimes movements seem awkward, jerky, and sharp rather than fluid and natural (something that especially stands out in the Hot Chocolate scene). In some ways, I wonder why they animated this instead of making it a live-action film. That said, the animation is downright amazing at its best. Environments and props look convincingly real, and sometimes it's uncanny how closely the people look like, well, people.

The characters themselves are so-so. The little girl was almost too good (I stress "almost"). Billy -- the poor kid -- was all right, but seemed more like a stock character than a fully fledged individual. I most enjoyed the protagonist, the tramp, and the conductor -- especially the conductor, who showed that sometimes firmness and sternness can live in close quarters with kindness.

One downside to this movie is that it's very long for a kid's movie -- smaller kids might find this a bit daunting. Another thing that will probably appeal to adults alone is the tramp; little ones might be frightened by his shenanigans.

I don't think you can go wrong with this film, however. The narrative is strong, the protagonist's personal development is very moving, and the story ends with a very moving tear-jerker sure to fill you with optimism for days. Personally, I love all the little touches -- the unsaid messages are all too fun to catch, and Tom Hanks voicing the narrator, the tramp, the conductor, and the father has some delightful connotations.

I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I did.

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better than before

I loved Polar Express the first time I saw it. Seeing it in blu-ray
was great.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, page 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

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