Matt O’Connor
We’ve made it to the final day of our Christmas Movie Countdown. To end things off, we’ve got another one of the most iconic films for the holiday season. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on the book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express was brought to life using motion capture technology and adapts the plot of the original book in a similar yet different way.
On Christmas Eve, a young boy is awoken by the arrival of the Polar Express, a magical train on its way to the North Pole. After meeting the train’s conductor, the boy boards the train and embarks on a journey to the home of Santa Claus. Along the way, the boy begins to rekindle his Christmas spirit while bonding with the other children on the train. After meeting a mysterious hobo, traveling across dangerous ice and sneaking through the North Pole, the boy makes his way to Santa Claus and receives one of his sleigh bells as the first gift of Christmas.
Tom Hanks is the main star of the cast, as he plays numerous roles from the hero boy and the conductor to even Santa Claus himself. The Polar Express also marked the posthumous and final roles of Michael Jeter as the engine drivers Smokey and Steamer, who sadly passed away during the film’s production.
Although it’s not perfect, The Polar Express is still a beloved Christmas classic that captures the spirit of the holiday season in a very compelling way. That brings out Christmas Movie Countdown. Have a wonderful winter break and happy holidays!
