The Polar Express has always been one of my favorite Christmas books. The magical storytelling and imaginative art combine for a classic that you and your kids will read year after year. When Warner Bros. set out to make a film based on the book, they certainly had their work cut out for them. Using state-of-the art technology (especially considering it was 2004!) and a unique animation style, Robert Zemeckis breaths life into Chris Van Allsburg’s illustrations. Virtually every image from the book is depicted by a frame in the movie.

Though the experimental animation falls short of its potential in some scenes, the movie was an immediate hit in our home . . . and then we saw it in IMAX 3D! The audio experience alone was literally breathtaking, and I’ll never forget feeling like the train was coming out of the screen and stopping inches from my face. In some scenes it even felt as if snow were falling inside the theater. We’ve gone to experience it in IMAX for three consecutive years, but you’d better catch it this year because there’s no telling how many more seasons IMAX will continue to showcase this Christmas spectacle.

The Book

Title: The Polar Express

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Author & Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg

Recommended Age: 4-8

Book Brief: Late one Christmas Eve after the town has gone to sleep, the boy boards the mysterious train that waits for him: the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives, Santa offers the boy any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the harness of the reindeer. The gift is granted. On the way home the bell is lost. On Christmas morning, the boy finds the bell under the tree. The mother of the boy admires the bell, but laments that it is broken – for you see, only believers can hear the sound of the bell.

In strange and moving shades of full color art, Chris Van Allsburg creates an otherworldly classic of the Christmas season. The Polar Express evokes the same sense of mystery as his previous imaginative books, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, Jumanji, and The Wreck of the Zephyr.

About the Author & Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg is the winner of two Caldecott Medals, for Jumanji and The Polar Express, as well as the recipient of a Caldecott Honor Book for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. The author and illustrator of numerous picture books for children, he has also been awarded the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in children’s literature. In 1982, Jumanji won the National Book Award and in 1996, it was made into a popular feature film. Chris Van Allsburg was formerly an instructor at the Rhode Island School of Design. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife and two children.

The Blast

Polar Express:  An IMAX 3D Experience

Location:

IMAX Theater Arizona Mills

Arizona Mills Mall

5000 Arizona Mills Circle – Tempe, AZ 85282

(480) 897-IMAX

http://www.imax.com/tempe/

Cost: $14.50 (Adult); $12.50 (Senior); $11.50 (Child)

It’s a Blast! All Aboard in IMAX 3D!

This Christmas movie, based on the classic Caldecott award-winning children’s book written by Chris Van Allsburg, is directed by Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis and stars two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks. Using state-of-the-art CGI and stop-motion photography to create a unique blend of realism and fantasy, it tells of a doubting young boy who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole and embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Experience an arm chair adventure that will take your breath away…literally! The IMAX Theatre Arizona Mills provides you with a larger-than-life escape putting you in the heart of the action! You haven’t really seen The Polar Express until you’ve seen it in IMAX 3D.

Extra tips for a Good Time:

• Buy some bells on ribbon and give them to your kids when the movie is over. They’ll wear them all month long!
• For weekend and evening viewings, buy your tickets in advance.