Sony Animation, The Star!
Gina Rodriguez (Mary) and Zachary Levi (Joesph)
Thank you, Sony Animation, Sony Pictures for inviting us to The Star Press Junket and World Premiere. The Star is much more than just an animated movie to keep our kiddos entertained. The three videos I've posted here are from the press junket, they're pretty comical, Gina and Zach had us in stitches. The talent also shared how they got involved with the movie and share some funny behind the scenes stories.
The Star is about Mary, Joseph and the birth of baby Jesus. I’d like to share with you, which I don’t think a lot of you know this about us, we are religious. We love going to church, my kiddo attends a Faith-based school, we read the Bible, so watching a story about the birth of baby Jesus was right up our alley. Here’s what surprised me, which I know will sound ridiculous to some of you but here goes.
I was reminded that when Jesus was born there weren't a lot of people around, it was literally Joseph and the animals. They walked from Nazareth to Bethlehem, let that sink in. They did NOT have tennis shoes, socks, the necessities we have now, they had ZERO luxury items. The night Jesus was born, there was no crib, they laid baby Jesus in a manger, do you know what a manger is? It’s a feeding trough for animals, how would that fly by today? Jesus was born in a stable, the most humble of circumstances.
Timothy Reckart (Director)
I loved The Star not only for its unique account and clever way of depicting the birth of Jesus, but it was told thru the animal's eyes. What they would have seen, heard and most importantly what they were a part of. In one of the scenes, Patricia Heaton character says, “ I haven't slept in 9 months because of the star.” I have never once thought of how the animals might have been affected. Here is the kicker, that bright star that was shining brightly for Jesus birth, is The Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star. It’s the star that led the wise men to Bethlehem and revealed the birth of Jesus, how did I forget this important information? This is why we place the star on top of our tree, how have I forgotten the simplicity learnings? To my none religious families , you might be asking if you should take the family to The Star. Yes, it's not a Bible-thumping movie, it’s a movie about compassion, having faith, trusting in one other and integrity. There's so much more to this than the birth of Jesus.
Patricia Heaton (Edith the Cow)
For families that home-school, The Star has you covered during the month of December. They have an Option 1: 5-week Advent & Christmas Eve Service Plus 4-week children’s Advent kit or Option 2. Option 2 contains, a 4-week Kids THE STAR Advent Series Digital Kit. MOPS would like to offer you a FREE MOPS meeting plan that includes info on THE STAR movie, and video to make inviting moms into your church community easier than ever. There are other resources that you may check out here.
The Star also has Printable Dioramas, Coloring Pages, Mazes, Connect The Dots, Where’s Bo, Character Cards, And Printable Holiday Cards. Make sure to check out The Star of My Life to create your own meme, it’s adorable! You just need to upload a photo and voila, you’re done. I do hope you’ll see The Star, you and your family will absolutely love it. I recommend children ages 3+ to see it, heads the only scary part is two dogs that are “bad” but nothing violent or terrifying occurs. Happy holidays everyone, from our family to yours, may the new year bring peace and love.
In theaters November 17
In Sony Pictures Animation's The Star, a small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a loveable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told - the first Christmas.