Dynamic Watchlist Hub: Jan 19, 2026

10 Best Movies Like The Polar Express

If you loved The Polar Express, we've curated the perfect watchlist for you based on shared genres, themes, and directorial style.

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Expert Review & Ratings

See our full critical analysis and audience score for The Polar Express.

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#1
A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol

2009★ 6.9

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Polar Express for fans of Animation & Family & Fantasy. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and ...

#2
Cast Away

Cast Away

2000★ 7.7

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Polar Express for fans of Adventure. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

Chuck Noland, a top international manager for FedEx, and Kelly, a Ph.D. student, are in love and heading towards marriage. Then Chuck's plane to Malaysia crashes at sea during a te...

#3
Elf

Elf

2003★ 6.7

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Polar Express for fans of Family & Fantasy. It captures a similar light-hearted atmosphere.

When young Buddy falls into Santa's gift sack on Christmas Eve, he's transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa's helpers. But as he grows into adul...

#4
The Terminal

The Terminal

2004★ 7.4

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Polar Express for fans of Comedy. It captures a similar light-hearted atmosphere.

An Eastern European tourist unexpectedly finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there....

#5
The Jungle Book 2

The Jungle Book 2

2003★ 5.9

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Polar Express for fans of Animation & Adventure & Family. It captures a similar compelling atmosphere.

Mowgli has been living in the man-village with his little stepbrother Ranjan and his best friend Shanti. But the man-cub still has that jungle rhythm in his heart, and he misses hi...

#6
Shark Tale

Shark Tale

2004★ 6.0

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Polar Express for fans of Animation & Family. It captures a similar light-hearted atmosphere.

Oscar is a small fish whose big aspirations often get him into trouble. Meanwhile, Lenny is a great white shark with a surprising secret that no sea creature would guess: He's a ve...