tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10759356.post5745647919829614759..comments2024-01-10T20:14:16.750+09:00Comments on Worship & the Arts: マリア - The Nativity StoryPaul Nethercotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08219155149867389211noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10759356.post-8290915608730661722011-12-26T15:21:52.087+09:002011-12-26T15:21:52.087+09:00I love this movie. It's the sound mix that dr...I love this movie. It's the sound mix that drives me crazy. The music is too loud and the dialogue too soft and no matter what I try--it's just mixed this way. I think this movie is precious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10759356.post-25491221421943177442007-12-20T20:41:00.000+09:002007-12-20T20:41:00.000+09:00Sarah,Thanks for your comments. It's good to get ...Sarah,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comments. It's good to get another perspective on this story. I think that some individual elements of the production are good, namely the costuming and set designs, plus, as you mentioned, the portrayal of Joseph. I just didn't think that Joseph's good portrayal was enough to carry the poor portrayals of Mary, Mary's parents, Elizabeth, and the Wise Men.<BR/><BR/>In response to the historical accuracy, especially as regards the Wise Men, I understand their reason for making the number 3, and giving them the names Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, as that has been a long-standing tradition, specifically in Spanish culture. Because it wasn't mentioned in the Bible, I don't mind them adding those details. <BR/><BR/>That doesn't change the fact that I am bothered by changing the time of their arrival. The movie portays them to be scholars of the Jewish texts who read specific prophecies about the Messiah, and were expecting to find him. In reality, they were most likely Zoroastrian astrologers from Persia, as they didn't even know to go to Bethlehem until Herod's scribes told them. Changing this detail changes what I believe to be the entire purpose of the Wise Men: to show how God used natural revelation to let people know about Christ, even when they weren't anticipating Him. God would do this again at Jesus' death, where the rocks literally cried out (an earthquake) at the death of their Savior, and the sun refused to shine.<BR/><BR/>Your surprise about my last statement (there is nothing in this movie that will help [seekers] throught the process) was expected. However, before I wrote that, I went on to the IGN.com movie forums and the Rotten Tomatoes website (rottentomatoes.com) to see what non-Christians were saying about the movie. Here are some quotes:<BR/>"A stillborn drama that inspires yawns more than anything else."<BR/>"An effective pitch for Christianity as the dullest religion ever."<BR/>"Indeed, the movie lacks any kind of spiritual tingle."<BR/>"Upon leaving the theater, a colleague remarked that the story was much more powerful when Linus told it in A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) -- my sentiments exactly."<BR/>And by far the clearest statement:<BR/>"For those who are not pulled to this movie for its religious slant, there's no reason to go. There's nothing here for a serious movie-goer. Despite the sizeable budget, this is little more than a glossy Christmas tract."<BR/><BR/>In the end, only a few of the Christian moviegoers supported the movie, while some of the Christians and virtually all of the non-Christians were bored to tears by it. Check out some of the reviews and follow the link to the forums here:<BR/><A HREF="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nativity_story/" REL="nofollow">http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nativity_story/</A>Scot Eatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536873144103672953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10759356.post-38110437533820677692007-12-20T13:14:00.000+09:002007-12-20T13:14:00.000+09:00I saw the Nativy Story last year. It:s been a year...I saw the Nativy Story last year. It:s been a year, but personally I:m a little surprised by your review. It wasn:t the most stunning movie, but I enjoyed it. I think you hit on the reason that I like it, "the selfless giving of Joseph". I think that Joseph is a really powerful character in this story. No, we aren:t exposed to his deep thoughts and struggles. We don:t understand how he wrestles with events internally, but we do see the external actions that result from and internal determination. And I think we see it very potently. <BR/>While I have to agree that the director doesn:t give us much insight into the internal thoughts of hte characters, I don:t believe that that makes them flat characters. I think the character development is more subtle. It allows the viewers to relate to the characters, to insert our own thoughts into their struggles, to imagine how we would find internal motivations and justifications. <BR/>One other powerful thing that I believe this movie portrayed was Mary:s struggle. It seems to simple in the Bible, the angel comes, Mary recieves the angels message. But you see how Mary had to deal with the context of her situation, with other people, whispers, fear. Maybe it isn:t explicitly stated, but I think it isn:t difficult to imagine. <BR/>The beginning, with the slaughter of children, was probably nothing more than a cheap draw tactic, to get viewers who prefer sex or viloence, into a story that doesn:t really have great amounts of either. I:ll agree that the ending wasn:t great, the actual Christmas story was fairly brief and no, they didn:t stick around for two years for hte wise men, but would you expect them to? Historical accuracy is lacking other places as well, we three kings being an example. Can you demand everyone else have historical accuracy? <BR/>In conclusion of your post, you stated that "If someone is seriously looking into the faith, there is nothing in this movie that is going to help them through the process". I'm shocked by that statement. I wouldn personally would not go so far. I think that this movie is powerful in its own way.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00985031741205109659noreply@blogger.com