Movie-length Easter DVD/Video Reviews
Veggie Tales for Easter:
An Easter
Carol
– a Veggie Easter
version of Dickens’
classic
A Christmas
Carol
Running time:
50 mins approx
Usual RRP: $19.95
(DVD and Video)
This is vintage Veggie Tales as the Big
Idea team do what they do best – adapting classic tales with their own wacky
brand of humour.
The Story of
Jesus
for Children
Age: 6 and up
Duration: about 1
hour
A special adaptation
of the Jesus film, with
new scenes filmed for
children and incorporated into the
original film.
Children are the story tellers, and the
story of Jesus is told through their
conversations and interpretations.
I’m not a great fan of videos that try to
tell the whole story of Jesus’ life in one
hit, particularly for use with children
who have little experience with the
Christian story, because I think the
stories are told in a way that often
pre-supposes or assumes prior
knowledge of the Bible stories.
The stories are then told in a rather
glossed-over, superficial way.
Having said that, I think this video
works, mostly because of the child
narrators, in spite of their mostly
BEN HUR
– the animated version
Duration: around 70
mins (it says 80 mins
on the cover, but it was
1 hr 10 mins on our
DVD player)
Age: Family; 6 & up;
rated G (there are some scary bits)
Available from Koorong: $32.95
Introduced by Charlton Heston, who
also provides the voice for Judah Ben
Hur, this is probably a more faithful
Cavis and Milward, (who first appeared
in The Star of Christmas) feature again
in this story, which was inspired by the
Dickens’ classic Christmas tale,
A Christmas Carol, complete with
Junior Asparagus playing a Tiny
Tim-like character.
Ebenezer Nezzer is out of control.
Filling London with plastic Easter eggs,
he’s on a rampage to make Easter
“bigger and better.” Cavis and Millward
(Bob and Larry) and a music box angel
named Hope (voiced by Rebecca St
James) have to convince him that
Easter is more than just candy and
eggs. As Hope takes him on a tour of
Easter past, present and future, he
learns to let go of the past and understands the freedom of hope at last.
The
Miracle
Maker
The Story of
Jesus
Siren Visual Entertainment and
BBC Wales
Running time: 87 minutes
Available from Koorong: $39.95
Brought to life by many of the same
Welsh/Russian team that made the
Testament Series, this is a quality
movie-length film. Using lifelike 3D
model animation, and graphically
lifelike visual backgrounds, it tells
the story of Jesus through the eyes
of a sick girl (Jairus’ daughter).
American accents.
Be aware of the section at the end,
where the children invite the viewers
to invite Jesus into their lives. I would
only use this if you are showing it
specifically to a group in a setting
where evangelism is the focus, and all
the other explanations, discussions
and supports have been put in place.
I am against issuing this sort of
invitation to children who are regular
worshippers, especially those who
have worshipped since they were very
young. Because it has always been
part of the way they live, children
who have grown up worshipping and
learning about God will often already
feel that they do know Jesus. God is
an integral part of their lives, and it is
not only confusing but insulting to ask
an action of them that assumes they
don’t really ‘know’ God at all. How
seriously do you takes children’s
capacity for spiritual awareness?
As always, be aware of who your
audience is.
Available from Koorong:
Video: $14.95
DVD: $19.95
representation of General Lew
Wallace’s original tale than the
famous block-buster movie starring
the afore-mentioned Heston.
The story is sub-titled “A Tale of the
Christ” and this version includes more
of the story of Jesus’ birth, life, death
and resurrection than I remember in
the movie.
For sheer power of presentation,
you can’t go past the movie, but for a
tale which brings out the significance
of Jesus in Wallace’s story, this animated version doesn’t do a bad job.
Story line:
A family is seeking help for their
daughter, when they cross paths with
an extraordinary carpenter named
Jesus who is walking the countryside
sharing the wonders of God. The
father is loyal to the king but torn by
his need for this Miracle Maker's
help. Against this crisis of faith, the
true meaning of Christ comes to life
for all who come to hear his words
and experience his love.
With the voices of such distinguished
modern actors as Ralph Fiennes as
Jesus, Richard E Grant as John the
Baptist, Sir Ian Holm as Pontius
Pilate, Julie Christie, William Hurt,
Bob Peck and Miranda Richardson
among others, it’s a compelling and
convincing portrayal of the story of
Jesus’ life from the age of 12 through
to his death and resurrection.
Minor criticisms/comments:
In the opening scenes I found the
visual portrayal of Jesus a little sappy
and saccharin, but he toughened up
and improved as the movie
progressed, and Ralph Fiennes’
voice was anything but sappy and
saccharin.
Some knowledge of the stories would
be helpful, as there are no stops for
explanations. The story-telling is
tight, and the action suitably
suspenseful and compelling enough
for adults as well as children.
If you know of any good Easter
videos, email
[email protected]
with a review