The Star is destined to become a classic! Not since The Prince of Egypt, which told the story of Moses, has a new major animated feature hit movie screens—that is, until now. The Star tells the story of the birth of Jesus but with a unique touch—it is through the eyes of several animals, which are delightful characters in this animated treasure. We get to meet Bo, the donkey, and he ultimately carries Mary into Bethlehem. We also meet a dove named Dave who provides comic relief and becomes Bo’s companion. In addition there is a sheep named Ruth, who wanders from her flock, but joins the adventure with Bo and Dave and plays a key part by the conclusion of the film.

The movie states up front it takes some artistic license to tell the story, but the actual events unfold such as King Herod inquiring about the new “king” that is arriving, not to mention the story of the Wise Men and shepherds. Three camels are very funny in the movie. The animators did a remarkable job, catching all sorts of great expressions ranging from surprise, to bewilderment, anger, and toothy smiles. The kids laughed out loud at the screening I attended, and my wife and I did, too. The voices of the actors all matched up nicely with the characters they portrayed. True to the story of the birth of Jesus, with some animal humor added into the mix, what’s not to like? The Christmas songs that are featured are great. We heartily award our Dove Seal for All Ages to The Star. A wonderful line is uttered by Mary in the film: “Just because God has a plan doesn’t mean it’s not going to be hard.” The movie points the way to the birth of Jesus and does so in a reverential yet entertaining way. It’s a pure delight.