Chasing the Star

Unique telling of the Magi story, which has been overlooked both spiritually and cinematically. The movie takes us with The Three Wise Man as they reveal their own faith journey on their way to Bethlehem. Strong performances by Bello Pizzimenti and Taymour Ghazi. Rance Howard isn't on the screen long but like a true pro he doesn't have to be and he makes the most of it.

I admitt, I like it. Yes, it is far to be a great movie and accuracy is not exactly its basic virtue. But it has the gift to propose a new perspective about a very familiar story. And it represents a puzzle of personal stories, touching and dramatic in some measure. And it does a reasonable job in this sense. In essence, no surprises because, from the first part, you know the tone and the vision and the idea of director about manner to tell the story. The big problem - the didacticism of the dialogue between Archangel Gabriel and Devil and the actor in the role of Archangel . But that are only details. The result - it represents more than a Christmas film but a nice portrait of vulnerability and reconciliation with yourself.

I cannot fathom in my wildest dreams why anyone would give this more than a couple of stars. The acting was horrible, the fictional story completely implausible, there was no passion, no inspiration, and no resolution to the drama invented for the story. You will not see the magi get anywhere near Christ. The films spends most most of its time telling the backstory for each of the three magi, all of them traumatic and completely without anything that would draw a viewer to them. Did I mention it is completely fictional? Oh, and don't miss the references to Herod's incest with his sister. Ugh. A really gross waste of time.

Seriously folks with respect to human idiosyncrasies some of the reviews must have been posted by the cast and crews family and friends. Perhaps, the same ones who donated the use of their living room for the filming of the going away party scene for the movies novice Maji. As commented on by another reviewer, the acting is unfortunate, and the story for want of a better term, is a thinly woven tale that borrows more from biblical language than from biblical facts. All of which, is made even sadder by the movie's insulting lack of concern for period accuracy. The costumes were not far above what one would expect from a high school drama project, and the set design was poor enough to be shameful. The afore mentioned party scene literally takes place in a suburban living room, replete with curtained and paned windows, a slipcovered sofa with end tables, and a dining room table and chairs straight out of a Sears catalogue. Either the film makers are ignorant or they believe that the rest of us are.

I enjoyed this film and the different perspectives on the Christmas story. It was well made and the story well told.