Runtime: 104 minutes
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tom Hanks, Tom Hanks... he does a lot of voices here
From: Warner Bros.
Or: I saw a Robert Zemeckis acid trip.
This is a first time watch as even though this was read to me in elementary school, I was an adult by the time this was released. The mixed reviews that this always had-not to mention the dead-eyed expressions that this unique motion-capture animation had due to the technology of the time-kept me away but it was about time to see how I felt about this. The wide gulf of opinions meant that I had no idea what to expect.
Honestly, this was far weirder than anticipated. From what I recall, the book was more about the pictures than anything else—the story was on the sparse side, so a lot needed to be fleshed out to create a 104 minute film. I was NOT expecting hobo ghosts, the train turning into a roller coaster ride, an elf that sounds like a G-rated version of Angry Joe Pesci, or Steven Tyler singing a holiday song. The pacing is all wonky & am I supposed to think that The Conductor is a real ass sometimes?
Yet perhaps because it's the holiday season and perhaps because I don't want to be a Grinch, I'll say this was fine overall. The general story is more than worthy... a little boy is unsure if Santa exists so the titular train arrives and he goes on a magical journey w/ other children to the North Pole. There's at least nice messages for all the kids out there about friendship and not being an impatient know-it-all like the character voiced by Eddie Deezen... it's funny to me that Tom Hanks voiced so many characters and one of the other voices came from Deezen. I don't know if any of my little nephews have seen this, but I bet they enjoy the film as they are still small kids. Me as an adult: I'll instead be baffled by such things as a random musical number where Hanks sings about... hot chocolate!?
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