The level of detail and realism ranks right up there with Shark Tale and The Incredibles, in fact in some cases it's even BETTER. The characters are obviously animated but their motion and facial expressions are outstanding. The details they put into modeling the train are unbelieveable.
The story is good too, of course anyone that's read the book already knows that.
Go see it!
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I enjoyed the movie immensely. It was done with MOCAP which means motion capture. Actors are fitted with suits which have reflective dots on them. They go through the actions and sensors capture their movements which are registered by these dots.
Characters are then built in the computer with these same register points and the motion from the actors is transferred to the models. The process is of course tweaked a great deal as things are refined.
THe characters are then put into a three dimensional world also built in the computer.
I bought the book too with the "Art of Polar Express" and added it to my collection of movie books. Its a good read with lots of inspirational drawings.
I recommend the move along with the Incredibles of course. Shark Tale, although I saw it I would not recommend.
Polar Express is best viewed with the awe and wonder of a kid who is looking forward to the magic of Christmas (like me!)
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Having done modeling and animation in the past, I'm very familiar with motion capture, and the processes needed to tweak it. It's tedious, boring and frustrating, which is why I don't do it anymore!
I've gotten into playing video games a little more just recently. Last night, I bought The Incredibles (Playstation2). This game is soooooo cool.. there's just so much going on.. I would have never imagined it to be so fun, and funny! I mean, you can pick up the bad guys and throw them at each other, or over the edge of rooftops! HAHA!! Anyone throws a bomb at you, you can pick it up and throw it right back! heh. What a trip.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Polar Express...I love that Story! I used to read it to my sons, and I never failed to get truly "choked up"...
Some years later, I was in an Actor's Workshop, a 3 day deal...our Sat. night assignment(given weeks of advance notice) was to perform something in front of the other participants...about 70 people... I was going to sing a favourite song, SO GLAD I DIDN'T!! Instead...told the story...Polar Express, memorized...I love that story!
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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Awesome! I just got back from seeing it with my family. My 13 year old song didnt want to go at first, thought it would be too "young", but he enjoyed it very much, as did I. The story line was great, as were the characters and the fluid animation. Id rate it a 10 for sure. Need more movies of this type and the incredibles.
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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Oh man Troy.. If you can see Polar Express on an IMAX screen, DO IT!!!!
There's a sequence where the train is going up and down steep terrain, then over an icy valley... It's pretty awesome on a regular screen, you just might wet yourself seeing it on IMAX!!
Now that I think about it, and knowing how much involvement Tom Hanks had with this film, I bet it was produced specifically for IMAX then edited for regular theaters. Tom Hanks loves IMAX!
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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A group of my girlfriends & I wnet to see it last night. It took my breath away!! I have always loved the book and used to read it at story hour to the kids at the library. It was fun to watch for pages out of the book as you go along and watch the movie. I would HIGHLY recommend this movie, especially if you had a little person to take to it! If you don't, GO ANYWAY! You'll love it!
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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I saw Tom Hanks on Oprah talking about the movie. I took a hyper 6 year old and he was quiet and still thru the whole movie. In fact I have never been in a movie theater with that many kids and silence. It is a great movie! Magical!
-------------------- Debbie Posts: 674 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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I will see the movie - but I doubt it can ever have the impact on me that the book did.
That book changed my life in 1987. It was my introduction to the artwork of Chris Van Allsberg - when I realized I knew NOTHING about illustration, and determined to change that. Those pictures were my inspiration to develop a style of pastel over watercolor rendering that could mimic his soft yet refined tones, where the details left out were as important as those shown. Man, I STILL want to study under him. Maybe some day.
[ December 04, 2004, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: Joe Rees ]
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Bob, thanks for your recommendation! We are stumbling what to do on this rainy day and an Imax viewing sounds like the perfect escape! I nearly went to see it again in the theatre.
I LOVE the soundtrack. Cody's school had it playing in the background throughout the entire school when they hosted a special Christmas Writing Day for the families.
This was Cody's first 3d experience. He put on the glasses and started giggling and couldn't stop! I had tears running down my face from laughing at him! I'm sure we really impressed the lady beside Cody. Throughout the movie he kept reaching out and grabbing for the items 'closest' to him. He just didn't get it LOL!
My recommendation would be to sit right in the middle of the theature and up fairly high. We nearly ended up with front row seats and I enticed a row of people to scoot over so we could land two better seats farther back. Get there early!
This movie was MADE for 3d. I enjoyed scenes that didn't phase me in the theatre. The texture of the clothing was amazing.
For those in my area, it's currently playing in Langley at the IMAX.
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I have always loved the book and used to read it at story hour to the kids at the library. It was fun to watch for pages out of the book as you go along and watch the movie. I would HIGHLY recommend this movie, especially if you had a little person to take to it! If you don't, GO ANYWAY! You'll love it! ![[Applause]](graemlins/applause.gif)
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