The Nativity Story (2006)

Recently, Hollywood has put out a number of movies ("Noah" & "Exodus: Gods and Kings") that essentially remove the presence of God from religious stories. This, obviously, causes those films to fail on both a religious and storytelling front. "The Nativity Story" is not an incredible movie, by any stretch of the imagination (nowhere near, say, "The Passion of the Christ"). Yet, after witnessing those previously mentioned failures, there is something to be said for a simple film telling the story of the birth of Jesus Christ."The Nativity Story" recounts the events leading up to the birth of Jesus. Mary (Keisha Castle- Hughes) is given as wife to Joseph (Oscar Isaac), after which she becomes pregnant with the Lord's child. This doesn't go over so well in the community, for obvious reasons. But, the two commit to each other and must travel to Bethlehem for a census proclaimed by King Herod (Ciaran Hinds). The rest, as they say, is history!This is a very simple film. It's only about an hour and a half long, so it "gets to the point" in short order. I wish some of the acting performances would have had a bit more "oomph" behind them, but this was clearly a film where the tone was going to be somber and serious all the way through. Hence, a lot of far away stares and wide eyes. The parts with Herod seem a bit rushed and out of place, while there really isn't any high drama until the very end. Like I said, simple.If I had to guess (and I honestly do not know this for sure whatsoever), I would bet that "The Nativity Story" was made (just two years after "Passion of the Christ") to capitalize on the popularity of Mel Gibson's smashing success. I remember it being a big deal when this came to theaters, hailed as the first true-to-form, serious re-telling of the Christmas Story (which it actually pretty much is). Over the years, that "hype" has obviously died down, but this is still a film that can be thoroughly enjoyed during its season because it made the decision to stick to what it did best: just tell the story.

I think this is a pretty good telling of the nativity story. The good things about the movie is not only does it make you realize how violent a time it was, but how unjust. People had no "civil rights"... King Herod did exactly as he pleased... guards coming into your house at night and killing your sons... it must have been horrifying.Oscar Isaac was great as Joseph, who was very loving towards Mary... he took on the role of father to Jesus once he got over the initial shock of Mary's condition. That having been said, there were a few things I was not happy with.I wish Keisha Castle-Hughes had spoken up more... I mean, her voice is hard to hear and her accent was a bit hard to understand. Also, he did not portray Mary in the way I've always imagined her. I thought she would be a bit more lively... that she'd have a happier air about her, but I guess that is up for debate.I wish there had been more of a look into how life was at that time. And I would have love to know how old Elizabeth was when she had John, but I don't guess we'll ever know that for sure.

This is a fine portrayal based on early existence of Mary (Keisha Castle Hughes), and Joseph(Oscar Isaac). A story well known and sacred that starts when birth of Jesus is announced to Mary by Angel Gabriel (Alexander Siddig). Meanwhile is also announced future birth of John the Baptist from the old couple Elizabeth (Shoreh) and Zechariah (Townsend). Mary learns from the angel Gabriel that she will conceive and bear a child called Jesus. When she asks how this can be, since she is a virgin, he tells her that the Holy Spirit would "come upon her" and that "nothing will be impossible with God". She responds: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word".At the beginning Joseph is suspicious when Mary announces the blessed news but later is informed by an Angel.At the time that Mary is due to give birth, she and her husband Joseph travel from their home in Nazareth about 150 kilometres (90 miles) south to Joseph's ancestral home in Bethlehem to register in the census ordered by Herodes the Great (Ciaran Hinds). Meanwhile three Magician Kings Melchior(Nadim), Gaspar (Kalipha) and Bathasar (Eriq) are looking for Jesus, Son of God. Having found no place for themselves in the inn, Joseph and Mary meet a man who gives the couple a place in his stable. Mary gives birth to Jesus she places the newborn in a manger .Meantime an angel of the Lord visits the shepherds guarding their flocks in nearby fields and brings them "good news of great joy": "to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord." The angel tells them they will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. The angel is joined by a "heavenly host" who say "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!".The shepherds hurry to the manger in Bethlehem where they find Jesus with Mary and Joseph. They repeat what they have been told by the angel, and then return to their flocks.This agreeable film focuses the Nativity story in a realist style but also accompanied with beautiful images, as there are shafts of lights, wonderful clouds and extraordinary landscapes. It packs marvelous cinematography by Elliot Davis who reflects splendidly the ancient scenarios filmed at Italy and Morocco. Atmospheric and emotive musical score adding oriental sounds by Mychael Danna. The motion picture is well directed Catherine Hardwicke who formerly directed 'Thirteen' and 'Lords of Dogtown' and subsequently would achieved a lot of success with 'Twilight'.

Keisha Castle-Hughes is without question one of the best actresses of her generation, and here she plays Mary, mother of Jesus, with an almost eerie authenticity. Though Castle-Hughes is in fact Maori, she definitely looks like the real Mary likely would have looked: small, olive-complected, with dark curly hair. I've seen many a portrait of or movie about Mary in which she was improbably tall, blond, and blue-eyed.The physical accuracy of the central characters is across the board. All first-century Jews are portrayed by actors who look like first-century Jews probably looked.The movie itself is a painstakingly accurate adaptation of Jesus' conception and birth as told in the first four gospels of the New Testament, but beyond that, it is actually a very sweet, if indirect, love story. Mary is betrothed to Joseph before she conceives Jesus, and she questions why she has been promised to a man she does not love and in fact barely knows.But after she reveals her pregnancy and gets to know Joseph, she sees that he is a good, kind, and unselfish man. During their trek to Bethlehem, she realizes (when gently wiping down his feet, bloodied from their long trek, as he sleeps) how strong and stoic he is, not to mention how fiercely protective he is of her and her unborn child, even in the face of the humiliating fact that the child is not his. And when the baby is born -- in a truly dazzling sequence which involves the Star of Bethlehem shining on the precise spot of the birth -- Joseph holds up the baby, laughing with joy as if it were his own son.This is not the most exciting movie ever made, but it is definitely worth watching.