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| The Nativity Story - 2006 |
Merry Christmas everyone! Today's film is 2006's "The Nativity Story", the reason we celebrate Christmas. An angel appears to a young girl and tells her that she will give birth to the Son of God. She and her husband must make a perilous journey to Bethlehem that culminates in the birth of Jesus.
The film's cast includes Keisha Castle-Hughes, Oscar Isaac, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ciaran Hinds, Alessandro Giuggioli, Stanley Townsend, and Alexander Siddig.
In the village of Nazareth, a young girl named Mary is engaged to a carpenter named Joseph. Mary knows Joseph to be a good and honorable man, while Joseph knows Mary to be a sweet-natured girl.
One day while she is alone, the angel Gabriel comes to Mary and announces that the Holy Ghost will come upon her and she will give birth to the Son of God. Mary accepts this news and begins to prepare for it quietly.
Shortly afterwards, Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who herself is miraculously with child. Mary questions why God chose her to be the mother of his son. "Elizabeth, why is it me God has asked? I am nothing." Elizabeth helps Mary get the confidence she needs to accomplish this task.
Meanwhile, a group of wise men discover that three planets are going to pass very close together in the near future and form a "star". Knowing that the star will appear over the land of Judea, they set out to follow where the star leads.
In Judea, King Herod is growing increasingly paranoid about his hold on the throne. He suspects usurpers everywhere and has even heard of a new king about to make an appearance. Initially suspecting his son, Herod proclaims "I will end this threat to my rule!"
When Mary returns to Nazareth, it is very visible to all that she is expecting a child. No one is more shocked than Joseph. He becomes very unsure about taking her to be his wife.
The angel Gabriel visits Joseph in a dream and tells him everything will be alright. Joseph decides to marry Mary.
Due to a census, they begin a long and perilous journey to Bethlehem, the city of Joseph's ancestors. Along the way, Joseph and Mary share their fears and insecurities about raising God's son. "Sometimes I wonder if I will even be able to teach him anything," says Joseph.
After a long and hard journey, they arrive in Bethlehem just as Mary's labor pains begin. With no room in any of the inns, they are forced to seek shelter in a stable.
The baby is born, and he is named Jesus. Mary and Joseph look on him with pride.
The star over Judea shines brightly over the stable, and Mary turns her face towards it, looking above.
The angel Gabriel appears to a group of shepherds in a field near Bethlehem, and he tells them "behold I bring you good tidings of great joy". He tells them where to find the baby Jesus. They all hurry towards the stable.
Also arriving are the three wise men, who brings gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The group watches the holy family, marveling at the sight of "God made flesh".
Later after being warned in a dream of some evil intentions of King Herod, Joseph takes Mary and baby Jesus to safety in Egypt. As they travel, Mary says, "The Almighty has done great things and holy is
his name. He has sowed strength with his
arm. He has scattered the proud. He has filled the hungry with good
things and the rich he has sent away empty. He has brought down rulers from their thrones
and has exalted those who were
humble."
Cast rundown:
Keisha Castle-Hughes.................................Mary
Oscar Isaac...............................................Joseph
Shohreh Aghdashloo...................................Elizabeth
Ciaran Hinds..............................................King Herod
Alessandro Giuggioli....................................Antipas
Stanley Townsend......................................Zechariah
Alexander Siddig........................................The Angel Gabriel
And that's it for The Nativity Story. This was the first film ever to premier at the Vatican. During the making of the film, the actors were instructed on how to use tools that were in use 2,000 years ago. They were also taught how to build homes, press olives and grapes, make bread, make cheese, and how to milk goats.
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