'The Polar Express' (G) (out of four popcorns)

In the beginning, Disney ruled in complex animation. Many tried to duplicate Disney's success, but could only manage contributions that paled to the master.

Since the renaissance of animation in the late '80s, there have been some production companies that have made successful hand-animated films, but it wasn't until filmmakers started taking advantage of the latest technology that they were they able to truly create something completely original and entertaining.

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was one of the first films to blend live action and animation. Then, hand-drawn animated films got a little help from computer animation in movies like "Beauty and the Beast." Then, in 1995, the very first full-length animated film created completely on computer was released -- "Toy Story."

"Polar Express" is the next generation in animation. It was created using a new technique called Performance Capture, in which the actors (or stand-ins for the characters) act out the roles wearing form-fitting suits with 60 markers of highly reflective light and as many as 150 reflectors on the actors' face and scalp. These reflectors are recorded by a digital camera to achieve a 3-D effect.

What was most exciting to director Robert Zemeckis (who also directed "Roger Rabbit") was that with this technology, he could literally have the camera point of view from anywhere, anytime he wanted.

Technique aside, "The Polar Express" feels like a cozy night, snuggled up in bed, reading a beloved children's book -- which it is. The film was taken from a popular children's book by Chris Van Allsburg. The animation style is warm, comfortable and dreamy -- almost realistic, but not quite. Every hair on the children's heads moves on its own and the runaway train sequence could almost give you motion sickness with its roller coaster motion.

Zemeckis has teamed up again with Tom Hanks, who voices six roles in this film, only one of which actually looks like him. His main role is that of the conductor of the Polar Express, a train that rides on Christmas Eve, picking up children who are on the brink of losing their belief in Santa Claus and magic. The conductor's gruff and crusty outside covers up a marshmallow hot chocolate inside, just waiting to share the joy of Christmas.

Hero Boy is one of those children who reluctantly joins the caravan to the North Pole to see once and for all if Christmas is all it is cracked up to be. Also along for the ride are a noisy, know-it-all boy who warns everybody they are going to be in trouble and who wants everything for Christmas -- right now. But Hero Boy finds himself drawn to a sweet-faced girl in pigtails (Nona Gaye) with an adventurous spirit and a timid little boy (Peter Scolari) who has been disappointed by the world and stays to himself because he can't bear to be disappointed anymore.

I know, it all sounds about as sweet as a candy cane, but "The Polar Express" also has some dark moments and enough action to drag you along for the ride, wondering what is around the next bend. And believe me, the North Pole is quite a sight to behold.

The word classic is bandied around a lot, but "The Polar Express" is one of those movies that could just about fit the bill, if children aren't too jaded to believe. You have never seen anything like it before, and it is sure to be around at Christmastime for a long time to come.