The Polar Express
Acceptable with guidance. Age: 6+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
A boy who is not sure Santa is real gets on a magic train on Christmas Eve. He makes friends and rides all the way to the North Pole. Santa gives him a bell that only believers can hear. It is a warm, clean ride with real kindness in it. But its idea of belief stops at Santa, so parents should point it to Christ. The one age is 6, set by Common Sense Media. Expect a fast, scary train ride and a ghostly hobo.
For parents
The one age is 6, set by Common Sense Media. The Church's A-I and the G rating would allow younger. Expect a fast, scary train ride over ice, a spooky ghost on the roof, and faces that some kids find creepy. The big word here is believe, but the film only asks kids to believe in Santa. Use that. Ask: what does it mean to believe in something you cannot see? Who is Christmas really about? Tell them about Saint Nicholas, the real bishop behind Santa. Praise the boy who saves Billy and the girl who brings him cocoa.