The Polar Express: A Strange Christmas Gem

"Writing is an antisocial act," -Martha Grimes

First off, my short story "Letters From Richmond" is featured on Amica Mea Wordpress. Check it out here!

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Whether you love it or hate it, I think we can all agree that The Polar Express is . . . weird. 

Both parts surrealist allegory and idyllic Christmas movie, The Polar Express finds itself in a strange place. Loved by some, dismissed as creepy by others. 

However, it's my most favorite Christmas movie of all time. Fight me. 

Now, I'll be the first to admit that most of the animation is . . . not great. Sometimes the images and faces are stiff, clay-like, and dip into creepy, however, it can work. This only adds to the movie's atmosphere, which isn't exactly not supposed to be creepy. 

However, many other shots of landscape and movement are gorgeous and breathtaking.

With all that fodder out of the way, on to why this is my undisputed favorite Christmas movie. 

I'm not sure I can split this review up into numbered points like I usually do, but I'll try and make this semi-organized.

In short, I love this movie because it's almost not a Christmas movie. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and Christmas movies, but they have a tendency to be . . . saccharine.  

The usual Christmas movie focuses on pure, digestible messages and how many shots of falling snow, red and green elves, and all things Christmas they can cram into one hour and thirty minutes. 

What the Polar Express does differently is that, while it still has the magic and wonder of the Christmas spirit, it doesn't water down the story or sugar-coat anything. It doesn't shy away from the strange, the exciting, or the painful. 

And the story. The story is just phenomenal. 

The story starts out with Hero Boy, cynical and ridden with disbelief, boarding The Polar Express. Through musical numbers, surreal events, and new friends, he learns to believe. 

The amazing thing about this story is that everything is significant. Everything adds to the story's arc. Every character and event corresponds to a theme or idea in the story, and it allows for an intelligent and engaging watching experience. 

By keeping the story on a small scale - 75% of the movie takes place on the train - there isn't time for a whole lot of filler, and we get to know the setting and the world so well by the time the story ends. 

By keeping it on a small scale, we really get to know the characters, and Hero Boy's character arc can take center stage. 

The thing about The Polar Express is that it's a great children's story with a universal message that just happens to take place during the Christmas season. 

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I suppose I'm a little biased. I grew up with this story, and it's woven it's way into my Christmas memories and my heart. 

But I think, ultimately, the reason I adore The Polar Express is because it's very similar to the stories I love - and write - now. It's a character-driven story about broken people, symbolism, and surrealism. 

And those are a few of my favorite things. 

Merry Christmas!

~The WordShaker