MOVIES: The Nativity Story

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Admittedly, I am very picky about any movie I see.
And if a movie comes out that is related to my faith… IT HAS TO BE REEEAL GOOD.
So, I won’t go see this movie. From what I have heard and seen of it, I am not attracted to it at all.
PLUS ---- I don’t want to see a botched and irreverant portrayal of my dear Saint Anne.
 
didymus said:
The reviewer from the LA Times thinks The Nativity Story follows the scriptures too closely.

’The Nativity Story’
Code: 
       http://www.calendarlive.com/images/standard/blackpix.gifA "Story" told with too much naiveté.
By Kenneth Turan, Times Staff Writer

As Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” powerfully demonstrated, lots of people are willing to spend serious money to see films with Christian subject matter. “The Nativity Story” is attempting to tap into that market by Leaving to Mel the Things That Are Mel’s and concentrating on the uplifting beginning of Jesus’ life rather than the violent close.

Unfortunately for potential viewers, the trailer for “The Nativity Story” has gotten this film’s nature exactly wrong. This is not a chance to “experience the most timeless of stories as you’ve never seen it before” but just the opposite: an opportunity, for those who want it, to encounter this story exactly the way it’s almost always been told.

. . . .

When Hollywood faces off against religion, you don’t even have to ask which force will come out on top.

Huh? :confused:
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If it’s true that they advertised it as one thing and it is another, then the review IS accurate. It’s the job of a reviewer to set personal feelings aside and tell us “Is the movie good?”
 
I recall when the Passion came out there were ads on the “Christian” (read Protestant) radio all the time about groups here and there or sermons in which the Passion would be discussed and so they would find out what was “scriptural” and what was “artistic license.” This went on for a long time after the film went out. I think they definitely perceived it as a Catholic film. I suggest Catholics do this with the Nativity Story, which has shown itself to be a Protestant movie. I don’t really want to give them money either, but I may watch the DVD when it comes out at the library. Maybe I won’t waste my time. I’m surprised the Catholic commentaries that have been posted so far have not related the troublesome information about the portrayal of Mary, her parents, and Joseph.
 
didymus said:
The reviewer from the LA Times thinks The Nativity Story follows the scriptures too closely.

’The Nativity Story’
Code: 
       http://www.calendarlive.com/images/standard/blackpix.gifA "Story" told with too much naiveté.
By Kenneth Turan, Times Staff Writer

As Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” powerfully demonstrated, lots of people are willing to spend serious money to see films with Christian subject matter. “The Nativity Story” is attempting to tap into that market by Leaving to Mel the Things That Are Mel’s and concentrating on the uplifting beginning of Jesus’ life rather than the violent close.

Unfortunately for potential viewers, the trailer for “The Nativity Story” has gotten this film’s nature exactly wrong. This is not a chance to “experience the most timeless of stories as you’ve never seen it before” but just the opposite: an opportunity, for those who want it, to encounter this story exactly the way it’s almost always been told.
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The Slate reviewer had the same comment. That it’s just a re-enactment of the Nativity story as it’s been told since we had it.

I don’t know that I would get too wigged out over the labor pains. It’s more a tradition (with a little t) than a Tradition of the Church that Mary had no labor pains. And I think the bit in Genesis about labor pains is more symbolic of the Fall than a literal fact.

Remember, Jesus is fully human as well as fully divine. That’s what the Incarnation was all about. Elevate Our Lady too highly, you begin to obscure that point. Yes, she was sinless, but human non-the-less.
 
I honestly do not think I could stomach any movie that does not portray Our Lady as she truly was, ever-virgin and all-holy Mother of God.
 
I saw the movie and I loved it! I think Mary was portrayed very well and I liked Joseph’s comment about why he chose her: “because she was a virtuous woman”. And her reaction to her betrothal is natural. And actually I didn’t think the labor pains were “horrible and graphic”. Jesus HAD to be born somehow…right?

There weren’t a whole lot of people at the 2:40 PM showing when my mom and I went, but that was okay with me.

I hope to see the movie again - perhaps on December 8th or 12th or something.
 
Borat… The Nativity Story; Borat… The Nativity Story.
I think I’ll go see the Nativity Story. I can discern what is Truth and what isn’t… I feel sure that what I know to be true won’t be shaken.
 
Anima_Christi said:
I honestly do not think I could stomach any movie that does not portray Our Lady as she truly was, ever-virgin and all-holy Mother of God.
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Let your fears be put to rest… I just came from the theatre, it is marvelous. Our Blessed Mother is portrayed in just this manner. It is worth seeing over and over. My favorite scene is when the sheperds arrive and the “main” sheperd reaches out to touch the baby in Marys’ arms and then pulls his hand back, Mary lift the Savior up and says" He is for all mankind". Bring your mothers, grandmothers, your granchildren, everyone should see this movie, it is stunning on the big screen. King Herod…someone should win a costume and makeup academy award for designing this guy. Go see it. as ebert and roper would say…👍 👍
 
I took my dad to see it today and I was really moved by it. I will take my wife and kids to it next. 👍

Like other things in life, you can look hard and you will find something wrong with it, or you can look at the big picture and realize that this film is really beautiful and may actually change a few lives of those who go to see it.

Then, when those folks are moved enough to ask about Mary and the gospels, THEN you can explain why “full of grace” means more than “highly favored.” (yes that did bother me a little)

To see the daily grind of life 2000 years ago makes a big impression; as does the occupying roman army, the taxation, census, and, during their travels - the brutally unforgiving landscape they must traverse.

There were quite a few moments that me pretty emotional, but one in particular, involving a shepherd, had me all choked up.

And then there was that star! I say, go see it. If something bothers you, write a letter to the director!😉

Oh yes - and not to take the emphasis off the savior or his mother, but Saint Joseph should be an example to all men! How oftern do you get to see good men on the screen?

His kindness, strength, and unselfishness are very inspirational to me as a worker, husband and father!👍
 
I saw it, I would say it is pretty good. I found nothing wrong with how they portrayed Mary, their is nothing heretical in this film, Mary does not sin or anything like that. It definitely makes you think of what it must have been like when these things actually really happened. It made me actually think of how Mary must have felt, really brought home the reality that she was a real person. I did think they should have emphasized the part where she says “yes” at the annunciation and made it a little more dramatic. If anything this film increased my admiration for the blessed Virgin and it probably will for protestants as well.
 
apricot_yogurt said:
According to Catholic tradition, Jesus was born of Mary like sunlight passing through a crystal. The clip of the labour scene put me off a bit.
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Yes, I have heard of this also in reading a few private revelation accounts, like Ven. Mary of Agreda. I know those are not a part of Church doctrine or anything, but I personally believe this.
 
just saw it yesterday, took my coordinators as my Christmas gift to them, excellent, this is a classic. highpoint is portrayal of St. Joseph. the guy who played Herod should get an acadamy award. the scene with the old shepherd was beautiful. also liked the “wise guys” as my son used to call them.
 
We saw this movie yesterday and it was good. However, it was flawed. The movie is clearly from a Protestant perspective, and that is its biggest problem. Mary is never portrayed as outright sinful (thank God) but in the film’s attempts to show how “normal” she was, she comes across as just that - normal. That’s the problem. Mary wasn’t normal! She was immaculate from the very moment of her conception! She was, apart from Our Lord, the most perfect, the most holy, the most virtuous human being that has ever existed. The film fails to depict Mary’s perfection.

The portrayal of St. Joseph was quite good. I liked the actor and the film clearly showed that he was a just and righteous man. The portrayal of St. Joseph was great. The filmmakers didn’t seem to have the same need to play up how “normal” Joseph was as they did with Mary. So the overall impression that the film gives is that Joseph was holier and more virtuous than Mary.
 
Genesis actually says it this way:

To the woman He said,
“I will greatly multiply
Your pain in childbirth,
In pain you will bring forth children;
Yet your desire will be for your husband,
And he will rule over you.”

The implication is that there was always “pain” in childbirth, even before the Fall.

And the implication of that is that pain isn’t “evil.” It’s just “human.” That’s kind of mind-boggling, IMO.

It’s just my opinion, and I’m a new Catholic, but I think it’s possible that Mary experienced pain in childbirth–the amount of pain that would have happened before the Fall. And since we can’t quantitate “pain” (although the hospitals use a 1-10 scale to evaluate patient pain), it’s really not possible to determine whether the actress in the movie overacted the labor. Perhaps she portrayed it just the way it should have been, perhaps not.

The point is–and again, it’s just my opinion–that Mary could have experienced pain in labor.

After all, her Immaculate Conception did not prevent her from dying (at least, according to many Catholic teachings.)

Again, all of this is just my opinion and I may be incorrect.
 
Steve Greydanus, a Catholic movie critic, gave the movie a thumbs up. I haven’t heard anything negative about it. I’m looking forward to seeing it with my children!
 
Cat said:
The point is–and again, it’s just my opinion–that Mary could have experienced pain in labor.

After all, her Immaculate Conception did not prevent her from dying (at least, according to many Catholic teachings.)

Again, all of this is just my opinion and I may be incorrect.
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I actually thought that it was the teaching of the Church that there was no pain in the human experience before the Fall - no pain at all. After the Fall came pain as a result of evil. And then God saying I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth - I thought that meant more - that it would be even greater than most kinds of pains brought upon by the Fall.

Regarding whether Mary died or not - I don’t know that exact teaching - I’ll have to look it up - but I’m not sure there would be “many Catholic teachingS” with an “s.”

According to private revelation accounts, I thought she did die, and her soul was brought into the presence of God and then returned to her body, which was then assumed.

Again, private revelation is not a matter of Faith or true doctrine, but I thought she did die, as Jesus truly died. But I could be totally off here. hmmm …
 
I really think it would be great if a movie like this were made according to the Gospels and a private revelation account such as City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda or St. Bridget’s account ( an approved private revelation, of course ), as The Passion of the Christ used Bl. Catherine Anne Emmerich’s account. (beatified by JPII, October 3, 2004) Then it would really be a Catholic interpretation. We have so many rich and beautiful private revelation accounts. And even if they are not a matter of Faith, in my opinion, it would be much better and more interesting than filling in parts not mentioned in the Gospel, that someone just made up in our time, as it is in The Nativity Story, which I saw yesterday.
 
MargaretClare said:
I actually thought that it was the teaching of the Church that there was no pain in the human experience before the Fall - no pain at all. After the Fall came pain as a result of evil. And then God saying I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth - I thought that meant more - that it would be even greater than most kinds of pains brought upon by the Fall.

Regarding whether Mary died or not - I don’t know that exact teaching - I’ll have to look it up - but I’m not sure there would be “many Catholic teachingS” with an “s.”

According to private revelation accounts, I thought she did die, and her soul was brought into the presence of God and then returned to her body, which was then assumed.

Again, private revelation is not a matter of Faith or true doctrine, but I thought she did die, as Jesus truly died. But I could be totally off here. hmmm …
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There is recorded testimony in the early Church that Mary didn’t suffer pains in childbirth, and that of course would be because pain in childbirth is a consequence of original sin. The Church is silent on whether Mary died at the end of her life (although the general consensus is that she *chose *to die in imitation of her Son, just as Jesus chose to die and didn’t die as a result of original sin).
 
MargaretClare said:
I actually thought that it was the teaching of the Church that there was no pain in the human experience before the Fall - no pain at all. After the Fall came pain as a result of evil. And then God saying I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth - I thought that meant more - that it would be even greater than most kinds of pains brought upon by the Fall.

Regarding whether Mary died or not - I don’t know that exact teaching - I’ll have to look it up - but I’m not sure there would be “many Catholic teachingS” with an “s.”

According to private revelation accounts, I thought she did die, and her soul was brought into the presence of God and then returned to her body, which was then assumed.

Again, private revelation is not a matter of Faith or true doctrine, but I thought she did die, as Jesus truly died. But I could be totally off here. hmmm …
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I don’t know about the childbirth issue, but I think that matter of: “Did Mary die or not” is crucial to being a Catholic, isn’t it?

I never got a decent catechesis (sp?), (singing nuns) but a pretty well-versed Catholic sits near me at work, and we talked about Mary one day and he told me Mary never died. She was assumed into heaven and her body became the sort of resurrected body that Christ had after rising from the dead.

I think one of his main points was that the tomb of Mary would have been holy spot and an important place for the early christians to visit, but there ws no such burial spot because she never died.

So this makes her the only human who never really died. She was spared that death and transformed into the perfect bodily form we are all supposed to get at the resurrection of the body.

NOTE: I could be wrong about all of the above, but somebody around here must know the official teaching.
 
Veritas41 said:
There is recorded testimony in the early Church that Mary didn’t suffer pains in childbirth, and that of course would be because pain in childbirth is a consequence of original sin. The Church is silent on whether Mary died at the end of her life (although the general consensus is that she *chose *to die in imitation of her Son, just as Jesus chose to die and didn’t die as a result of original sin).
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In reply to the last post - I think it’s this person I’m quoting that has the official teaching. The last line here makes sense, that Mary chose to die in imitation of Christ, but still the Church is silent on this issue. From reading Ven. Mary of Agreda’s City of God, I do remember it saying that Our Lady did choose to die like her Son, but then like Jesus her soul was united again with her body and assumed into Heaven (again not a matter of Faith here).

But, yeah, I think this quote has the official teaching, that the Church is silent on this issue. Thanks, Veritas!
 
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