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Visitors Review

billandvicki 2012-05-22 19:53:17

Very Moving!

I thought this movie was excellent. It made the biblical account that Ihave known for a long time more real than ever to me. I also had torealize that it was a bigger story than I had really thought. This is awonderful 'what it might have been like' telling of the awesome eventwe know of as the birth of the Saviour of the World! The Bible givesthe main events surrounding the birth of Christ but the writers did anexcellent job in filling in to let us see what the time period waslike, the customs, and the people. We also got to see how these thingsmight have played out in the actual event. I was also excited to seehow many of the prophecies from the Old Testament were brought into themovie. This could help someone who does not believe in Christ see thereality of who He is. Maybe this would encourage some to study thehistory and then know it is true that Jesus Christ was born to be ourSaviour.

2012-05-22 13:48:33

INACCURATE > Doesn't anyone read the Bible anymore?

Problems with this film...- Was Jesus the son of a Roman (Herod's men)?When Mary arrives back in Nazareth a little girl notices Mary is pregnant as does Joseph, her Parents and the towns people. A family discussion occurs and Marys father asks if she slept with one of Herod's soldiers (A veiled reference to Panthera who supposedly slept with Mary). Mary denies she slept with a Roman Soldier. My Comment: Celsus, an influential 2nd-century Platonist of Alexandria and perhaps the first serious critic of Christianity (Encarta) is the source of this falsehood about Panthera and Mary. This has also been featured on In Search of Christmas on The History Channel. Disney owns the History Channel and other broadcasters that have spread biblically inaccurate information. Mike Rich, this films screenwriter, also wrote Disney's "The Rookie." Mary went with Ruth, a family friend, to visit Elizabeth. Mary's Parents arranged her entire trip (in the film) so Mary did not travel with anyone but what was pre-arranged. Why would Mary's Father ask the question if "he" arranged the entire trip? Where else would this idea come but from Celsus - Disney/Mike Rich/History Channel program and then dropped into the film? - Mary accepted a palm reader as normal?- Mary encountered the Angel in the Wilderness?- Herod is tormented by a prophecy about the new coming King who will defeat him. My Comment: It was not until the Magi arrived in Jerusalem that Herod was concerned about this new King and sought to kill the male infants (Matthew 2:1-3). The Magi DO NOT enter Jerusalem until the last 15 minutes of the film and meet with Herod. Why is Herod concerned prior to the Magi's arrival about a prophecy he has not yet heard?- The Magi "followed" the star in the film or did they? My Comment: The star did not appear in the film until the Magi were on their way. So what did they follow? Hmm? See Matthew 2:2 > "For we have seen the star in the East.." See also 2:9.- When Mike Rich, screenwriter of The Nativity Story, was interviewed by radio host Hugh Hewitt a few weeks ago he was asked if the Apocryphal Gospels would be used in the film. Mike Rich said no.My Comment: Both Anna and Joachim, Mary's parents in the film, are from the Apocryphal Gospels not from the New Testament books of Luke or Matthew.- Only one shepherd is told about Jesus' birth by an angel yet many shepherds go to see the newborn. My Comment: How did the other shepherds learn about this if only one shepherd was told by an angel about Jesus' birth? The shepherd did not relay this information to others in the film yet they all went to the cave to see Jesus. Okay? The Magi visit the cave the very night Jesus was born. Not Biblical. Note: See Matthew 2:11- Herod Antipas, the son of King Herod, states "the sons of Bethlehem shall be no more" in the film. My Comment: Biblically speaking Bethlehem and the surrounding areas were hit by the soldiers not just Bethlehem. See Matthew 2:16.

2012-05-20 19:41:40

DVD The Nativity Story

This review is from: The Nativity Story (DVD) Saw this movie in the theatre, and it is the best rendition of the story of Jesus parents, and the events surrounding his birth---that I've ever seen. I bought a copy and had it sent to my God son---it is so good.

annettehala 2012-05-20 11:22:40

Excellent

I thought this was one of the best Biblical films I have ever seen. Itcertainly didn't have the budget of films like "The Ten Commandments,""Ben Hur," or "The Passion of the Christ." but that's was makes itspecial in a quiet way. The costumes aren't flashy, the sets aresimple, but it's not overly drab either. It is very strong story andhas realness to it. This movie was very powerful for me. I thought themusic was good as well. I also enjoyed seeing some new faces in amovie. The Hollywood stock gets old. I appreciated that they kept theviolence mostly off screen. I would feel comfortable taking a childover 10. Due to the intensity of some scenes I would leave childrenunder 10 at home.

2012-05-14 13:59:56

The real story

This review is from: The Nativity Story (DVD) This is a really good movie that shows the birth of Jesus without the Hollywood-style story changing that was so common in a lot of movies when I was growing up. If you are Christian, this is a must watch every Christmas.

ccclisa5556 2012-05-13 18:35:54

incredible

This was an incredible movie in many ways. Of course the story istimeless and beautiful but the movie itself is visually stunning. Thefilmmakers did an amazing job in drawing you into every part of thestory from dialog to the scenery. You must see this movie in thetheater to experience it to its full potential. That being said, whenit comes out on DVD buy it. It will become a Christmas classic for youand your family. Remember what the season is all about. Take yourchildren, take your parents, take your friends, both Christian and nonChristian, their lives will never be the same. The actors are worthy ofawards, although we know that will not happen, their performances aretouching and not over the top.

2012-05-13 07:57:28

The Nativity Story... Well Done!

This review is from: The Nativity Story (DVD) This is one of the best depictions of The Story that I have ever seen. The coverage of Mary and Joseph's travel to Bethlehem is especially meaningful.

2012-05-12 15:03:55

The Best Nativity Story

Very highly recommended! Great historical events merge with the prophecy from G_D. The everyday life and customs of the Jews were realistic. The collection of facts were no doubt from the same team from the "Passion of the Christ", which was equally wonderful. See my comments about "The Passion of the Christ" No home should be without this, especially around Christmas!

2012-05-11 01:47:39

Outstanding Interpretation of this story.

I heartily recommend this version of the Navtivity Story to everyone. It is told in the most realistic way I have ever seen. The acting is superb all around. The costumes and settings are accurate even brilliant. We watch this film every Christmas Eve now. A wonderful way to end the day. Do buy this version for your family. You will not regret it.

2012-05-10 06:57:46

another look to a well known event

So it seems since the Passion of the Christ many movies have come out trying to portray what events found in the Bible might really have been like. At some points the movie is kind of slow but overall is a really good movie. I love the dynamic elements between Joseph and Mary. It really got me thinking about how it might have felt to be in there shoes... normal people trying to live the truth found in the Torah... and God chose to use them in order to change the world forever - through His Son.

2012-05-06 01:39:14

Great Love Story

When people think of the nativity, they usually think of Jesus' birth, and right so. However, the human equation does come into account. The Bible doesn't go into many details regarding the lives of Mary and Joseph, but it did say that Joseph loved her. This movie did a wonderful job in portraying that love. I was moved by the way he cared for her.Also, I think it's a probable account of the emotions Mary and Joseph experienced during this period of time. She wasn't married and conceived a child, so naturally, there would be rumors flying around her. The way the writers handled this fact (which isn't mentioned in the Bible) made the account more real to me. I thought overall, it was a good historical account as well. I think it's a film that anyone can appreciate, whether you're looking for a tender love story or for a visual representation of the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

aw 2012-05-05 14:33:57

The Perfect Holiday Movie

What a perfect time of the year to release the movie that is the reason for the season! The Nativity Story shows the true journey of Mary and Joseph... it goes beyond just the manger. It shows the emotional journey as well. The movie is much calmer than that of "The Passion" but it still delivers its message. It is a movie for the whole family. The Nativity Story brings back the true meaning of Christmas.

2012-05-03 07:43:00

Nativity Story

The Nativity Story is a movie based on the events leading up to, and including, the birth of Jesus. The movie begins with Herod issuing a decree that all boys under the age of two shall be killed, and the Roman soldiers carrying it out. It then flashes to a year earlier, to a village in Nazareth, where Mary is seen as a playful teen-ager and Joseph an adult. Mary's family arranges for her to be married to Joseph. She is not happy, and questions why her father would do this. While out in the fields, she is visited by an angel and told that she will give birth to a male child. She is also told that her cousin is to give birth as well, and she decides to go visit her to see if all is as the angel had said. She witnesses the birth of John, then decides to return home. Her reception upon her return is negative, since she returns pregnant. No one believes her story, but Joseph refuses to accuse her of fornication, which would have led to her being stoned. Joseph is visited by the same angel that visited Mary, and he finally believes her when no one else does. Her family does eventually accept her.Meanwhile, Herod issues a decree that all male Jews must return to the place of their birth for a census. His goal is to find the one who shall become the Messiah. Mary and Joseph embark on a journey across rugged terrain to get to Bethlehem, which is where Joseph was born. During the journey, Mary realizes what a good man Joseph is, and you can see how much Joseph loves and respects Mary. They make the journey successfully, with Mary going into labor upon their arrival.While Mary and Joseph are making their journey, there are also three wise men who are following a star, believing it will take them to the new king of the Jews. They travel through Jerusalem, where Herod invites them to dine with him so he can find out where this king will be. He asks them to report back to him after they find him.In a manger in Bethlehem, Mary gives birth to Jesus, with Joseph by her side. The baby is wrapped in cloth and laid in a manger. The shepherds in the field, seeing the light from the star, come to pay respects to the newborn king. The wise men also arrive, and bring gifts for the baby. The wise men then leave, and on there way back decide to travel around Jerusalem and defy Herod's order to return with a report. The movie ends with Mary and Joseph leaving the manger right before the Roman soldiers show up to execute all male babies under two. They see the empty manger, and then ride off.

2012-05-02 21:14:33

An Amazing Movie

This review is from: The Nativity Story (DVD) I loved this movie. It wasn't overly dramatic and kept to what the bible actually says. The little bits that were added did not change the true bible story.

2012-04-28 02:54:12

Mary's story

This review is from: The Nativity Story (DVD) This is an excellent movie. It is historically accurate, very interesting to watch, and is neat to see the Christmas story from a different point of view, to see how it actually might have happened.

2012-04-27 21:31:59

amazing movie

I thought this movie was amazing!!! It was one of the best movies Ihave seen in quite a while. I loved how well they portrayed the story.It thought it was very interesting. There were some things in it that Iwas not aware had happened. But, it was still true to the biblicalaccount (except for the time of the wise men's arrival to see Jesus).The acting was great, the location is beautiful, and, of course, it isa wonderful story. I was so moved by this movie. I would recommend thateveryone see it and take your family to see it. It truly is thegreatest story ever told and this movie is an excellent reminder ofit's power.

2012-04-27 11:04:28

Fantastic!

This review is from: The Nativity Story (DVD) This is a phenomenal depiction of one of the most beautiful stories in our lives! The acting is done very well. This is my family's new version of "the Christmas story".

MirandaWrites-1 2012-04-26 16:38:39

Perfect for the Holidays

Okay, you're a Believer in the Christmas story with the choir ofangels, wise men, etc. then you'll appreciate this film. It is one ofthe few movies I've attended where spontaneous applause followed theending. Three generations of my family went for a Sunday matinée andleft with the warm fuzzies - (Hey, its Christmas!) plus the 10-year-oldlearned a lot about the cultural and historic period at the time ofJesus' birth. This also produced the one problem I had with the film -some of the authentic accents made it hard to catch all the dialogue.But again, this is a great addition to the Christmas Season and I willpurchase the DVD for my holiday library when it is released. Put it infront of The Christmas Story and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

2012-04-25 13:05:44

Couldn't be better!

This review is from: The Nativity Story (DVD) This movie is absolutely stunning! An amazing portrayal of the Nativity story! A MUST SEE!

2012-04-25 02:30:31

The Nativity Story

Overall nice work but is not biblically to the letter. Many small differences could be irritating.