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The theme of Robert Zemeckis’s touching Christmas tale, like that of this year’s Red Sox season, is "Believe," though you might not believe the groundbreaking animation that hits you like childhood wonderment on Christmas morning. Zemeckis (Forrest Gump and Who Framed Roger Rabbit) engaged a team of 500 FX specialists (with a $165 million budget) to blend live-action renderings (like Gollum in The Lord of the Rings) and snowy, CGI backdrops that look like something out of the Pixar factory. Based on Chris Van Allsburg’s best-selling book, this "night before" fable finds a group of diverse youths who doubt the existence of Santa Claus getting magically loaded onto the title train, which is bound for the North Pole. Tom Hanks (in movement and voice) plays five roles including Santa Claus, the train conductor, a gruff hobo, and Hero Boy. (The characters have names like Know It All Boy, Elf General, and so on.) Hero Boy’s misadventures propel the film, filling it with genuine tenderness. In the end, the computer wizardry palls, but the story’s heart chugs on triumphantly. (90 minutes)
BY TOM MEEK
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