Polar Express
Last night we decided to PPV a movie so we ordered Polar Express. I hadn't seen the movie. Heck, as an elementary teacher it is embarrassing for me to admit I hadn't even read the book (yet - it's on my list). Anyway, I figured it was overhyped. I mean, my impression of the book was that it was just a bunch of pretty pictures without much story. I do admit that Chris van Allsburg is a very talented artist. Well, as for the movie, I stand humbly corrected. This is one of the most amazing holiday movies I've ever seen. The computer animation is unlike any other movie. Period. It looks so real that I had to keep reminding myself that these were not actors, but animated drawings. Absolutely beautiful. And the story was incredible too (more on that in a minute). Anyway, I think we are going to have to buy the DVD of this movie before next Christmas.
The main idea of the movie is that the young boy who is the main character is a Doubter. You know what I mean - he doubts the existence of Santa Claus. He seems to be collecting evidence to support his refusal to believe. But at 5 minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve, the Polar Express shows up at his house to give him a ride to the North Pole to meet the big guy himself. Well, as the movie progresses and he repeatedly experiences the magic of Christmas, he still refuses to believe. As Tom Hanks, the conductor says, "Seeing is believing." At the climax of the movie when he gets to the North Pole, he is unable to hear the tinkling of the jingle bells that everyone else seems to hear and the elves block his view of Santa. He lacks ears to hear and eyes to see - to borrow another reference to belief. Finally, he *chooses* to believe and he hears the bells and he meets Santa face to face. Santa grants him the first gift of Christmas - one of the jingle bells to remind him of his choice to believe.
Of course, my boys loved the Christmasy-ness of the movie and, I'm sure, didn't get the other references I did. I was in tears when the boy chose to believe and all was made apparent to him. I was the same way when I was struggling to believe in God. Once I chose to believe, I could hear Him speaking to me and I realized He'd been there all along - I just hadn't had eyes to see and ears to hear. And even now when those around me can't hear the jinging of the bells, I can hear and I believe. Thank God and Merry Christmas!
The main idea of the movie is that the young boy who is the main character is a Doubter. You know what I mean - he doubts the existence of Santa Claus. He seems to be collecting evidence to support his refusal to believe. But at 5 minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve, the Polar Express shows up at his house to give him a ride to the North Pole to meet the big guy himself. Well, as the movie progresses and he repeatedly experiences the magic of Christmas, he still refuses to believe. As Tom Hanks, the conductor says, "Seeing is believing." At the climax of the movie when he gets to the North Pole, he is unable to hear the tinkling of the jingle bells that everyone else seems to hear and the elves block his view of Santa. He lacks ears to hear and eyes to see - to borrow another reference to belief. Finally, he *chooses* to believe and he hears the bells and he meets Santa face to face. Santa grants him the first gift of Christmas - one of the jingle bells to remind him of his choice to believe.
Of course, my boys loved the Christmasy-ness of the movie and, I'm sure, didn't get the other references I did. I was in tears when the boy chose to believe and all was made apparent to him. I was the same way when I was struggling to believe in God. Once I chose to believe, I could hear Him speaking to me and I realized He'd been there all along - I just hadn't had eyes to see and ears to hear. And even now when those around me can't hear the jinging of the bells, I can hear and I believe. Thank God and Merry Christmas!
Labels: Movies, My Spiritual Search
posted by Mama G @ 8:55 AM
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