November 29, 2007 3:42 PM
The Nativity Story
Our family dropped everything last year and went to see The Nativity Story when it was out in theaters. It was close to Christmas so I wrote only the briefest review:
Our family went to see The Nativity Story tonight. It was very well done and showed some new perspectives I hadn't thought of before - like how Mary and Joseph must have felt to have all those shepherds suddenly showing up to see the Messiah.Their relationship was beautifully portrayed, as was the realistic reaction of the people of Nazareth to the unexplained pregnancy.
Definitely worth seeing - and a good way to give your children a deeper understanding of Christ's birth. This kind of experience - and the shared family memory - is worth more than ANY present you can give your children on Christmas morning! All of our children were mesmerized - even Daniel, who I worried might react negatively because it wasn't animated. And afterwards, they talked about "the baby Jesus." I think this went a long way to helping my guys with Down syndrome get it.
If there is one tradition you add to your family's Christmas this year, I would recommend it be cuddling up together to watch The Nativity Story, now available as a DVD.
If a picture says a thousand words, a movie can say a million. There were so many things I loved about the movie. One was the realism with which village life was portrayed, with people were always busy doing things. Everyone had to be diligent and it was just accepted that work was a part of life. It was lovely to see everyday work uplifted in this matter-of-fact way.
I loved the portrayal of the verbal transmission of scripture. Without written words, the prophecies had to be passed down through memorization by children. And there were lots of Jewish traditions that made the movie a rich experience.
Joseph is given prominence in this move - and his character is great role model material. The relationship between Elizabeth (an amazing actress) and Mary is deep and moving.
When we hear a story many times we think we know it. But the truth is, there are layers and layers of understanding. The Nativity Story will not only help your kids grasp the full significance of the miracle of our Savior's birth, but it will give you a renewed appreciation for the human struggles and sacrifice surrounding it.
Check out the website and see trailers at The Nativity Story.
You can buy the DVD at amazon or rent from Netflix.
Posted in Christmas, Movies | Permalink
Comments
At what age is this movie appropriate? My boys are 2 and 4. Thanks.
Posted by: Sheila at Dodging Raindrops | November 29, 2007 6:52 PM
This was such an excellent depiction of the Nativity. Joseph and Mary were real and believable and I loved how their humanity really came out. The three wise men were comical and very well thought out. This movie brought those passages to life and it stayed very close to the scriptures.
Posted by: Corrie | November 30, 2007 10:43 PM
Barbara- I loved this movie so much that I made mention of it in my family Christmas letter this year.........One question though: My DH and I went alone. We are still wondering if some parts might be a bit scary for our young children? What's your opinion?
Posted by: Lisa | December 1, 2007 10:56 AM
Lisa -
I've found that through the years my thoughts on protecting my children from scary stuff has changed. With my first kids I wanted to control everything that entered their minds and shield them from anything I regarded as harmful.
Now I think it is more important to carefully consider each situation and see if there are learning opportunities involved that Tripp and I could use to build their character.
On my list of topics to blog on when I have time is a rethinking of the role of fairy tales - which are sometimes quite scary - in the maturation process of the child. I think our culture has gone way overboard in deciding how much children can't handle. But it is a big topic.
For now, I just want to say that as your family gets bigger and the older children can handle more, you will find inevitably that the younger children are exposed to more than your older ones were at their age. It just happens.
I think the scary scenes - because they are part of our history - are not bad in themselves. However, they require a context. Part of that context is the physical closeness of a parent watching with the child. The other part is the reassurance that this happened a long time ago and will not happen today (although I flinch when I say that as I know that bad things do happen to children today). Fear is not a bad thing in itself. Children need to begin learning at some time that there are bad people and bad things do happen. The best way to learn that is in the loving context of their home.
Each child is different. That's why every parent needs the guidance of the Holy Spirit in dealing with these issues. We took our whole family to see The Nativity Story in the theater last year - that included my youngest son with Down syndrome who is six years old.
At the point where I am in my parenthood today, I would see this movie as a family regardless of my children's ages - with the context and reassurance I've suggested.
Plus I might fast forward the intense scenes :)
Bottom line: the beautiful impressions left on their hearts by the movie are worth it! And sometimes the depiction of evil only makes God's goodness shine brighter still.
Posted by: barbara | December 1, 2007 1:19 PM
