All Aboard for the Polar Express

Last week’s cold front hardly hampered kids, young and old, from braving the brisk and chilly air for a trip to the Rio Theatre in Center to watch one of the most viewed and favorite Christmas movies of all, The Polar Express.

They turned out in record numbers, many clad in Christmas pajamas, ready to see that magical train take one more ride across the big screen. Moviegoers ranged from little ones still in diapers, one very sweet San Augustine lady who said she was 88-1/2, and others in between.

Selling tickets at the box office and serving up popcorn and soda at the snack bar, owners, Mike and Nita Adkison, were kept on their toes.

The story revolves around a young boy who isn’t sure he believes in Santa Claus until a magical train, The Polar Express, makes a stop outside his home and takes him and a selected few to the North Pole. Through the magic of the cinema, the passengers, as well as all moviegoers, are whisked away on a glorious adventure aboard the most unforgettable train ride ever.

The original children’s book was written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg in 1985. In 2004, it was released on the big screen, starring Tom Hanks, as the first full performance capture film ever. Over the years school children and their families have been entertained at the Rio with encore performances.

The movie was delightful, and once more, did not fail to keep the audience entertained. Many grandparents brought their grandchildren and great grands, and young parents, who first saw the movie in 2004 as school-aged children were busy settling down their own little ones.

The assortment of children dressed in layers and Christmas PJs made this writer wish she had bundled up as well.

For Deen, our octogenarian senior citizen, it was her first trip on the Polar Express. Afterwards, she expressed how much she had enjoyed the magical, colorful movie.

Mike and Nita continue to search for good family-oriented movies to show at the Rio Theatre. Going there is not just a trip to watch a movie on a big screen; the wonderful, nostalgic atmosphere of the theater brings back a little bit of the child in all and provides a great meeting place for friends and family.

Fresh popcorn popping and employees smiling as they greet each moviegoer makes the Rio, one of Texas’s oldest running movie houses, a great place for a night out.

If you haven’t been to the movies lately, you may want to consider The Rio. You will not be disappointed.