Your opinions/reviews: POLAR EXPRESS

I had rented the DVD of POLAR EXPRESS while my twin grandsons were here over Thanksgiving. They are just age 3 and it was too intense for them. We stopped watching it. Last night I re-rented it to watch by myself, and I, too, became anxious, not getting a good feeling from the film. Clearly it was not a good choice for preschoolers, but I'm wondering how others of you here may have felt if you've seen the film.
I read several reviews online today and found them to be very diverse in their opinions. If anyone here has seen it, I'd like to here your own review.
ARI

Didn't want you to think you're being ignored but I haven't seen it yet. When I do I'll let you know. Didn't it follow the book? Can you give me some examples on scenes that made you feel anxious and why?

Oh, my, Lady, the book was short, and though the movie follows the book, as I'm told by many, it is fleshed out to fill in a full-feature film.
You will just have to watch it, as I hope you and others here will do.
It's not a happy-feeling movie, in my opinion.
ARI

Well, I loved it. but I'm a die-hard Tom Hanks fan........in fact, DH just bought it for me. But I have not viewed it with children's eyes either. I'm sure mothers/grandmothers may see things way differently than I do!

I read the book to my children and my daughter took her child to see the movie- found it on DVD this year and we all viewed it at Thanksgiving-
I noticed my granddaughter didn't sit thru it at all- it was us adults watching it - I thought it was beautifully animated and so true to the book-
I don't know what in particular in the movie could make an ADULT anxious- the train going off the tracks? the ornaments falling from the tree perhaps? I read it to my kids for the pictures and I think the movie is the same- the beautiful animation and views of the North pole and elves will delight kids even if they don't get the meaning yet of the movie- my daughter who is 26 yrs old thought the movie should have gotten an Oscar- was there any for Direction or anything does anyone know?

Patty Kovell

Hi Patty,

I am so happy to hear that one of my favorite childrens books was turned into a beautiful movie true to the book. I haven't seen the DVD yet but based on your review of it I'm now excited to see it. I did wonder if they'd stay true to the book so I'm equally delighted to hear that they did.

Thank you, my friend for letting us know.

I purchased "Polar Express" for my husband (he collects Christmas-related movies) and we watched it last week. I absolutely LOVED it. It is a rather intense movie in many ways but that's just part of what makes it so wonderful I think...the animation is nothing short of spectacular, and the story is simply magical. I had never read the book so it was all new to me!

My husband and I were at a friend's house last night. He has the DVD of The Polar Express so I told him about what I had heard. He showed me the parts where the boy is walking on the top of the train, the hobo and the runaway train sequence. None of these events is in the book itself. It's a beautifully done movie. Although those parts didn't cause me to experience anxiety our friend agrees that the movie causes him to feel very much that way.

I've not seen the movie but it's on my list.