★★
Twerking doves. So, that’s what the greatest story ever told was missing! Who knew? Carlos Kotkin and Simon Moore apparently. It’s their script, at any rate, that Timothy Reckart directs in The Star: an occasionally sweet, intermittently amusing, but ultimately dim take on the Nativity tale, which places the animals front and centre. ‘Revisionist’ doesn’t cover it, stick with the school plays.
Christmas may still be a whole month away but this Friday sees the UK release of yet another festive feature, following on from A Bad Moms Christmas and Daddy’s Home.
Unlike said comedies, The Star is an animation aimed squarely at younger audiences. Through a toonish lens, the film retells the biblical story of the Nativity from the perspective of animals – voiced here by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Kristen Chenoweth and Mariah Carey.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Nativity has received the big screen treatment but it’s a tale told surprisingly few times in cinema.
We’ve rounded up five (very eclectic) picks but which is your favourite?
★★★★★
What a joy it is to be alive and live to see another exceptional cinematic outing for Paddington Bear. Painted in pastel bright colouring, and overflowing with the heartfelt charm of its predecessor, Paddington 2 is a pure delight. Here are boundless layers of family fun, each one lavishly spread with the finest homemade marmalade.
The Film Blog 