Tom Hanks, Nona Gaye, Peter Scolari and Eddie Deezen in the Robert Zemeckis movie ‘The Polar Express’

The season of holidays that mark the end of fall and the beginning of winter have begun for those of us living north of the equator. The adventure and comedy movie that marks a notion of Christmas in an endearing and animated sense is our focus in bringing you this touchpoint for the Robert Zemeckis movie The Polar Express (2004).

(From left, Hero Boy as portrayed by Tom Hanks, Josh Hutcherson and Daryl Sabara, Hero Girl as portrayed by Nona Gaye, Chantel Valdivieso, Meagan Moore and Tinashe, and Billy the Lonely Boy as portrayed by Peter Scolari, Hayden McFarland, Jimmy Bennett and Matt Hall in the Robert Zemeckis movie The Polar Express).

The adventure of The Polar Express centers around the experience of finding joy in the notion of Christmas, as told primarily from the perspective of children, with three children earning the primary focus. The role of Hero Boy is filled primarily by Tom Hanks, with Josh Hutcherson and Daryl Sabara also supporting voicing and animation efforts. Hero Boy becomes a close friend with Hero Girl, portrayed by Nona Gaye, Chantel Valdivieso, Meagan Moore and Tinashe. Hero Boy and Hero Girl take special care of Billy the Lonely Boy throughout the movie, as portrayed by Peter Scolari, Hayden McFarland, Jimmy Bennett and Matt Hall.

(Know-It-All as portrayed by Eddie Deezen and Jimmy ‘Jax’ Pinchak in the Robert Zemeckis movie The Polar Express).

Know-It-All offers a belief in the notion of Santa Claus and Christmas through the film, yet offers a delightfully ornery take on friendship and knowledge sharing that offers a comic relief through the film. Eddie Deezen and Jimmy ‘Jax’ Pinchak portrayed Know-It-All throughout The Polar Express. The adults offering the message of belief throughout, with this character present to foil the mood, was a welcome touch.

(Conductor was one of six characters portrayed by Tom Hanks in the Robert Zemeckis movie The Polar Express).

The character Conductor keeps much of the larger experience of The Polar Express together. He pulls in with the train bearing the name of the movie to the towns in Michigan, headed to the North Pole for a visit to see Santa Claus. The introduction of Hero Boy and Billy the Lonely Boy offer a charm that begins much of the enchantment that is to come.

(Hobo was another of six characters portrayed by Tom Hanks in the Robert Zemeckis movie The Polar Express).

The festive set of refreshments, ticket taking and admonitions to safety, wonder and enjoying the journey to the Santa Claus, Hobo presents himself to Hero Boy during his moments of doubt throughout the movie’s metaphorical belief journey. In declaring himself king of the North Pole, Hobo offers the Hero Boy and Hero Girl get a chance to drive the train. We meet Steamer and his assistant Smokey, to the delight and worry of all passengers of the train. Michael Jeter and André Sogliuzzo combined to portray Steamer and Smokey.

(Santa Claus was another of six characters portrayed by Tom Hanks in the Robert Zemeckis movie The Polar Express).

Passing into the arctic circle was a significant event for the journey to see Santa Claus, which was accompanied by further storytelling in the North Pole. Hero Boy, Hero Girl and Billy the Lonely Boy take a journey separate from many of the other travelers aboard the Polar Express. The coveted seeing of Santa, and the opportunity to open the first present of Christmas, are promised to our four main kids. How would this be earned? Would Santa Claus be seen by all the kids? Will the kids believe? All questions of redemption the spirit of staying connected to the innocence just a little bit longer. These questions are answered, and more, come Christmas morning where Hero Boy and we reconnect with Sister Sarah and Hero Boy’s parents. Leslie Zemeckis portrayed Sister Sarah with Isabella Peregrina and Ashly Holloway.

(From left, Sister Sarah as portrayed by Leslie Zemeckis, Isabella Peregrina and Ashly Holloway and Hero Boy as portrayed by Tom Hanks, Josh Hutcherson and Daryl Sabara in the Robert Zemeckis movie The Polar Express).

The charming interplay between character, place, and the corresponding questions of artistic vision made the computer-based animation underlying this film a respectable choice. Maintaining the artistic qualities from the 1985 Chris Van Allsburg book titled The Polar Express, and doing a computer animated approach, is a choice that I personally support. I grant The Polar Express as directed by Robert Zemeckis 4-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, November 27, 2021

Three Oscar Awards for the Paul Haggis movie ‘Crash’

It was an ensemble cast that won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Writing on an Original Screenplay and Best Achievement in Film Editing for the film Crash (2004). The challenging issues, character arcs, and story offer a social commentary that can resonate today for those willing to listen.

(From left, Larenz Tate as Peter, a laid-back, good-natured carjacker and Anthony’s partner and Ludacris as Anthony, a violent carjacker and Peter’s partner in the Paul Haggis movie Crash).

Peter and Anthony, portrayed by Larenz Tate and Ludacris, respectively, lead an ensemble cast that examines “Los Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives [that] collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption,” as quoted by the Internet Movie Database. The two see their places in the world differently from the start, and connect with that world in vastly different ways.

(Thandie Newton as Christine Thayer, Cameron’s wife and Matt Dillon as Sgt. John Ryan, a bigoted police officer in the Paul Haggis movie Crash).

Christine Thayer, as portrayed by Thandie Newton, collides in multiple ways with situations in Crash. The places Sgt. John Ryan collides, as portrayed by Matt Dillon, offer a glimpse of multiple layers of commentary in the factors they initiate. The storylines here are powerful and frightening in the provocations internally and externally.

(From left, Jennifer Esposito as Ria, Graham Waters’ partner, Don Cheadle as Detective Graham Waters, an officer investigating recent murders based on racial tensions and Kathleen York as Officer Johnson in the Paul Haggis movie Crash).

The frame of the movie Crash, with writing credits for Bobby Moresco and film director Paul Haggis, physically begins the day after much of the action that is then explained through the course of the film. Introducing Detective Graham Waters with his partner, Ria, at a crime scene with Officer Johnson was a nice touch. Don Cheadle, Jennifer Esposito and Kathleen York play Waters, Ria and Johnson, respectively.

(From left, Ryan Phillippe as Officer Tom Hansen, a rookie policeman and Sgt. John Ryan’s partner and Terrence Howard as Cameron Thayer, a television director and husband to Christine in the Paul Haggis movie Crash).

The stories of Officer Tom Hansen and television director Cameron Thayer become intertwined with a troubling police stop of two people heading home after an awards event in the story of Crash. Hansen and Thayer get caught up in a blatant pattern of troubling behavior that begins in common while throwing four characters into film-long conflict. Ryan Phillippe portrays Hansen as Terrence Howard portrays Thayer.

(From left, Sandra Bullock as Jean Cabot, Rick’s wife, and Brendan Fraser as District Attorney Rick Cabot, Jean’s husband in the Paul Haggis movie Crash).

District Attorney Rick Cabot and his wife Jean, as portrayed by Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock, respectively, offer a perspective of wealth and influence at the top of the scale for all characters in Crash. There is love, in a fashion, between the Cabots atop the social ladder that is the object of the critique director Paul Haggis makes with the film. Tune into the feelings shared among those here and their attitudes geared at sharing those attitudes openly.

(From left, Michael Peña as Daniel Ruiz, a Hispanic locksmith and Shaun Toub as Farhad Golzari, a Persian shop owner in the Paul Haggis movie Crash).

Two additional storylines offering the clearest notion of emotional connection for the audience are the stories of the families of Daniel Ruiz and Farhad Golzari, as respectively portrayed by Michael Peña and Shaun Toub. These stories draw in the feelings of parents to children, whereas other storylines look at marital questions, children caring for parents, and the interpersonal connections of social group, immigration status, gender, race and socioeconomic status all in play. Who changes, how they change, and the stressors of one affecting the actions in other places fair game.

(From left, actor Matt Dillon, writer and director Paul Haggis, writer Bobby Moresco and actor Ryan Phillippe on set for the Paul Haggis movie Crash).

The film offers many different looks into tensions in Los Angeles, California where antagonists provoke protagonists in one another’s stories. Many characters intersect into the stories of others, thus asking that characters to serve as both in the context of character types in many cases. The authorial / directorial intent almost hits you over the head, though in service of clear and largely accessible questions for those willing to engage. My rating for Crash lands at 4-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, February 20, 2021