Twenty-two years after a boy boarded a puffing locomotive on Christmas Eve, The Polar Express remains one of the most talked-about holiday films of the modern era. Released in November 2004, Robert Zemeckis’s adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 picture book turned a simple story about belief into a technological spectacle and an annual tradition for millions of families.
The story is simple and emotionally moving. A young boy who is beginning to doubt the existence of Santa Claus is invited aboard the Polar Express for a journey to the North Pole. Along the way, he meets a host of characters, nearly all of them voiced by Tom Hanks: the steadfast conductor, a mysterious hobo, Santa himself, and the boy’s own father. The film was one of the earliest major motion pictures to rely heavily on performance-capture technology, with actors performing in suits covered in markers so their movements and expressions could be translated into digital characters. At the time, it appeared revolutionary. The train sequences, the northern landscapes, and the climactic arrival at the North Pole still hold visual power. Financially, it was a success, earning roughly $319 million worldwide against a reported $165 million budget. Critically, it was more mixed. It currently sits near 55 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviewers praising the ambition and heart while criticising the slightly artificial look of the human characters, what later became known as the “uncanny valley” effect.
As families start building their December viewing schedules, the 22nd anniversary of The Polar Express is a good moment to look at other movies that reliably work for multiple generations.
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Halloween, Christmas, or Something Else Entirely?
No conversation about seasonal family movies is complete without The Nightmare Before Christmas. Released in 1993 and directed by Henry Selick (with Tim Burton as producer and the source of the original concept), the stop-motion musical follows Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who stumbles into Christmas Town and decides to take over the holiday. The film is scored and largely sung by Danny Elfman, and its visual style, gothic, whimsical, and finely crafted, has never really been matched.
The debate over whether it is a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie has raged for more than three decades, and the answer is that it is both, and neither. Halloween fans claim it because the bulk of the story takes place in Halloween Town, Jack and his friends are classic spooky characters, and the aesthetic is pure October. Christmas fans point out that the primary conflict, the climax, and the emotional resolution all revolve around Christmas, and that the film is frequently aired and streamed in December. Many households watch it twice a year, once in October and once in December, treating it as the perfect bridge between the two seasons.
What makes the movie endure is its workmanship and its refusal to be only one thing. The songs (“This Is Halloween,” “What’s This?,” “Jack’s Lament”) are earworms. The stop-motion animation is still a high-water mark. And the story, beneath the gothic design, is about finding purpose and learning that you cannot simply borrow someone else’s holiday.
Other Family Christmas Staples
Elf (2003) remains one of the easiest sells. Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf is equal parts childlike wonder and pure chaos. The film is colourful, endlessly quotable, and built for group viewing. Kids love the candy and the singing; adults appreciate the fish-out-of-water comedy and the surprisingly sincere ending. It has become as much a December tradition among many households as decorating the tree.
Home Alone (1990) is still the gold standard for Christmas comedy. The premise, a boy left behind while his family flies to Paris, is simple, but the execution is sharp. Kevin’s complex traps, the bumbling Wet Bandits, as well as the quiet emotional beats about family and belonging give the movie more depth than its reputation sometimes suggests. It works for younger kids who enjoy the slapstick and for older viewers who remember the first theatrical run.
The Jim Carrey How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) is louder, meaner, and more exaggerated than the classic animated short, yet it has its own devoted following. Carrey’s physical performance is unhinged in the best way, and the production design is lush. For families who want something shorter and gentler, the classic 1966 animated version (or the more recent Illumination feature) can serve as a perfect double feature.
Any others that come to your mind when you think of great Christmas movies for the family?
