Rating: 
Summary: Superb and not heavy handed, for a change.
Review: The Miracle Maker tells, in 3#D claymation and animation, the story of Jesus life and death and Resurrection,without so much of the treacley smarmy treatment that fundamentalist retelling often have. There is a wonderfully light touch here,as the BBC once again shows how well it does television. The voice overs are wonderful,Ralph Fiennes as Jesus, Richard E Grant as John the Baptist,William Hurt as Jarius {the raising of his daughter is one of the centerpieces}and others{Julie Christie,etc.] The stories of Jesus life are told in animation{brilliantly so}as are the parables,reverantly and lovingly. This is a top line production,done so well and gently that my children actually liked it and watched it. there is nothing controversial here,though, of course the message of Jesus is, as always,startling and fresh. Absolutely wonderful family fare.an Amazing production
Rating: 
Summary: As it is written there are none righteous, no not one.
Review: There was a part in this movie when one of the disciples asked Jesus what a person must do to be saved. If I remember right Jesus answered to believe in Him and to love thier neighbor. This is not Biblical. Yes the Bible says to love your neighbor, but that is not what will save you. Only faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross can save you and ensure eternal life.
Rating:
Summary: Far More Than a Children's Video
Review: This film which I viewed on ABC proved to be very impressive for a claymation production. Having been to Israel several times, I noticed various scenes which were true to the land of Israel and Jerusalem in particular. In Jerusalem, the outer walls and city gates in addition to stone flat roof houses within the city were very reminiscent of the style in Jesus day. In the scenes of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, you could see the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount across the Kidron Valley, which Jesus would have been able to view as he went through his time of agony before his crucifixion. The scene where Jesus was asked about who should the Jews pay tribute, to Caesar or God; he actually showed a silver denarius of Tiberius Caesar which would have been the coin used. When he was laid in the tomb, the producers used the "Garden Tomb" in Jerusalem as there model; which is thought by many to be the tomb of Christ. Also, after his resurection, Jesus is shown with nail holes in his wrists instead of his hands. In biblical times, people were nailed through the wrist and this was considered to be part of the hand. I could go on, but basically this film is extremely accurate in many ways and I loved the way Christ was used to interact with Jarius' daughter. It truly revealed the love of Jesus for children in a very special way. This is a film for the entire family and one to be enjoyed for years to come.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent, Miraculous, Mesmerizing!
Review: This is a beautiful film that you'll enjoy watching again and again. I'm touched every time I watch it. Very authentic and accurate (see notes below). It effectively mixes 3D modeling (literally models with an armature inside to allow for posing) and animation. The models used are 12 inches tall and appear life-like on film because they're adjusted 24 times for every second of film (see DVD insert). Employing predominantly this 3D-modeling, the film uses animation to depict such scenes as the wilderness temptation of the Lord Jesus and His post-resurrection interaction with disciples on the road to Emmaus, as well as the parables such as the Wise Man and the Foolish Man. Ralph Fiennes speaks the part of Jesus. I like that an unfamiliar voice (at least to me) was used. Far better to choose Fiennes than someone with a voice we've all heard in other movies (like Michael J. Fox of Stuart Little, or some other famous actor). The story of Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:41) is an underlying framework through which much of the story is told, which is not what we find in the Gospels; however, in this film it works just fine and doesn't take from the overall story. It sort of anchors the point of view in a way. The animated portrayal of Mary Magdalene as demon possessed (Luke 8:2) is Biblical, but could be scary for little ones-- take caution. The treatment of Judas Iscariot is unique. Very much like the treatment of Pharoah in the Prince of Egypt, this film depicts Judas as someone torn, a character you might dare to sympathize with, if it were not that we know he was a zealot who wanted to use Jesus to gain power. The tedious craftsmanship required to produce this movie is mind-boggling. The teams from Wales and Russia worked for 4 years to produce this film! I highly recommend the DVD which includes the ''Making of'' Documentary. A simply fabulous story. Enjoy the film and share it with your friends.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This is a wonderful representation of the life of Jesus. It is beautifully done- I highly recommend it. It is a perfect family movie-not too childish (note to anyone looking for something a bit more in depth than the Beginners' Bible animated movies)so it held my attention and still easy enough to follow for the under seven group. The combination of claymation and animation is very appealing.
Rating:
Summary: True To The Story!
Review: This movie was a major blessing and portrays the true life of Jesus through clay modeling as well as beautiful CG animation. I honestly didn't expect for the resurrection and certain other scenes to be included, and I expected it to be extremely watered-down as it might be "too offensive" for some. Thankfully, though, it wasn't watered down and was very scripture-based. I recommend this to anyone!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful depection of the life of Jesus
Review: This was one of the best depictions I have ever seen of the life of Jesus, and amazingly, it was done all in 3d animation, using molded puppets, and in hand drawn animation. I never would have thought that the story could have been told so well using this format, but this movie was truly well told. Unlike a lot of the other stories told about Jesus, this one was mainly told through the eyes of Tamar, the daughter of Jairus. Tamar was the little girl who had died, but Jesus had said that she was only sleeping, and that he would awaken her. That was the extent that we had heard about her in the bible, but this story tells a lot of what happens from her perspective, and though unusual, it did a very good job. Also, one of the things rarely seen in other movies on Jesus, we got to see more of his human side in this movie. Jesus was after all, both a man, and God, so it was nice to see him portrayed that way, to see him laughing, taking joy in life, and not above taking time to enjoy life. It was interesting to see how flashbacks, some miracles, and the parables that Jesus told were done using animation, to give a different style to the movie. They were also done in a somewhat humorous style, and were easy to understand, so that we could see how the parables reflect our own lives. The story never got too preachy, and instead, just showed us the way that God wants us to live our lifes without hammering away at the point. Ralph Fiennes did a good job as the voice of Jesus, as did everyone else, adding to the overall production value of the movie. His inflections, especially as he told the parables, was right on, lending value to the stories themselves. You could feel that he was speaking right to the people, showing them the right path, and trying to help them follow it. I was simply amazed, particularly since the movie only runs for about an hour and a half. Some things are skipped over in this production, some of the other parables Jesus taught such as the man with two sons, and there's no mention of the feeding of the multitudes either, but with the time constraints, certain things had to be cut out. What we are left with though is more than adequate, and leaves you with a warm feeling long after the movie has ended. I highly recommend this movie to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Story Ever Told
Review: This wonderful animated story captured my heart and attention in a way many live actor movies have not. Inspired, uplifting, and penetrating, The Miracle Maker brings the love of God to light in a way that will equally touch both adults and children. You won't be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: Great video for all ages
Review: When I saw this movie on tv last year, I decided that it would
be part of my collection when it came out. It is a refreshingly
scriptural story of Jesus. It is also quite realistic. I
would recommend this video for anyone interested in seeing
something that goes along with the real story.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: With the exception of perhaps Pasolini's "The Gospel According to St. Matthew", "The Miracle Maker" is the most faithful adaptation of the Gospels that I have ever seen on film. And the stop animation (almost a forgotten art in this digital age) featured in the film is very impressive. A great film for people of all ages!
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