A true holiday film is something that seeps deep down into your consciousness.

It's something that will not soon wither away.

It's something that you'll cherish for many holidays to come.

It's something that can be shared among many generations.

It's a lot like the beautiful ringing of Christmas bells that seems to stick around long after fading into obscurity. These are bells that will forever be in harmony, so long as you choose to believe.

The Polar Express is an example of this type of film, and if you find yourself believing in it -- something that will almost assuredly be as irresistible as the concept the film presents -- you will discover this firsthand.

Of course, believing in something that centers on an entirely foreign technology is going to be hard for many viewers -- but the apprehension will dissipate quickly.

As it turns out, the animated style that the movie was filmed in does nothing but enhance the beautiful, storybook style the film sets out to capture.

The Polar Express brings to life the pages of Chris Van Allsburg's 1985 children's book of the same name in ways that will truly amaze fans of the delightful Christmas classic.

Watching the film even brought back memories of the captivating illustrations that Allsburg so delicately drew for his most popular book. It's obvious that director Robert Zemeckis etched these images into his mind when he set about crafting his holiday masterpiece.

Realizing these visions was no easy task for Zemeckis.

In order for him to retell to the world Allsburg's story of a young boy rediscovering his belief in Santa Claus, he had to employ "performance capture" technology.

This required his actors to be filmed against a blue screen with tiny reflective dots covering their faces. The result is something in between a real human and a video game-like depiction of a human. And it can be a little creepy at times.

Don't let that statement scare you off though, because the magical story and stunning visuals will quickly allow the faces to blend into the background.

It doesn't hurt that the most familiar face in movies is along for the ride.

Tom Hanks -- stretching his digital acting chops over five characters -- does justice to each performance he inhabits, including the big man himself.

The most important idea the filmmakers understood when they set about making The Polar Express was that the true magic of the movie would have to lie in Allsburg's words.

Because the original book was much shorter than any feature-length film could be, several story elements had to be added.

Even with this being the case, Allsburg's writing still radiates through the core of the film. I smiled when I heard the familiar lines from the book spoken on screen.

If nothing else, people who loved the book will come away from this film with a better idea of how adventurous a train ride to the North Pole can be.

They also might learn a few interesting tidbits about how Santa gets so much work done in so very little time. One hint: hard-working elves.

In a way, that is how Zemeckis realized his vision as well.

Granted, he didn't have small men in tights running around, but he did indeed surround himself with hard and dedicated workers -- people like seasoned veteran Hanks, who knows a thing or two about characterization. And Allsburg, a master of both drawing and writing. And a superb team of special effects wizards who weren't afraid to stretch the boundaries of digital filmmaking.

The result is a holiday masterpiece that will find viewers repeating the famous last words for years to come: "Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe."