The Star of Christmas (2002 Video) User Reviews

One of the best VeggieTales videos of them all

[darren-166 · 12 November 2004]

"The Star of Christmas" is perhaps my favourite in the VeggieTales series. The two strongest characters, Bob and Larry, take the largest roles as Cavis and Millward, a couple of two-bit commercial producers in London circa 100 years ago. They get an opportunity to produce a big musical production for Christmas that will "teach London how to love".

For those familiar with the Veggies, there are no surprises, just the characters playing their parts perfectly. Bob is wonderfully indignant and stubborn, Larry is (as usual) silly and innocent. The supporting cast is great too (with my favourites, the French peas, in fine form).

Bar none, the scene of Cavis and Millward being chased by Moyer the Destroyer (Scooter the Carrot) is my favorite from every one the Veggie videos. Trying to explain it can't do it justice, so I won't try, but listening to Moyer's diatribe while the chase is on is just priceless.

Also outstanding about this video is not just the good funny bits and the usual Christian values, but the emotional kick is a good deal stronger as well. Especially the final scene. Lisa Vischer's rendition of "Oh Come, Emannuel" is breathtaking, and darned-near brings tears to my eyes whenever I hear it.

I can't help but think that they produced this video with the intention of trying to get it on broadcast TV. There is no leading or trailing scenes from the kitchen as in most of the videos, no Silly Song intermission, and very distinct "breaks" in the story that could be used for commercial interruptions. Oh, and the duration of the video is 44 minutes, perfect for making into a 1 hour television special.

Anyways, this remains my favourite in a very good series. Always looking forward to the next one, though.

One of the greatest Veggie Tales shows.

[cinephile-27690 · 10/10 · 20 August 2018]

On You Tube, I saw a video of a guy who ranked every Veggie Tales video. This is the only one he gave a perfect 10. He later explains why. I watched the show afterwards and agreed that this was the greatest VT show.

Allow me to put my own input on why. The movie's moral is about what it means to love. The Bible has many elements of love, and that's the main message(examples- Christ dying, 1 Corinthians 13). This is the best illustration of it.

The humor is great too. One example is Cavis tells he has something London has never seen before. Millward excitedly asks: "You've got a monkey that can yodel?" It's just a hilarious line. (And that's not what Cavis has.) The Moyer chase and ride to the church near the end is hilarious as well.

The music is catchy too, the song Plugged Up Love is one of my favorite Veggie Tales songs.

Great humor, catchy songs, and an important message. That's where Veggie Tales shines, and here's where it excels.

Right up there with Buzz-Saw Louie, and twice as funny!

[MxMint32e · 9/10 · 30 June 2020]

"The Star of Christmas" is the first episode in a two-part mini series (the sequel being "An Easter Carol") which takes place in 19th century London, this episode explaining Christ's birth and the sequel explaining His death and resurrection. It stars the jingle-writers-for-dental-wax turned playwrights Cavis Appythart (Bob the Tomato) and Millward Phelps (Larry the Cucumber), along with their inventor friend Seymour Schwenk (Pa Grape).

Cavis is disillusioned by he and his business partner's career of writing jingles, and aspires to achieve something grander with his life-- teaching London how to love. He and Millward write a play called "The Princess and the Plumber", intending to invite the Crown Prince to see the show, but they have competition. St. Bart's Church is holding their Christmas pageant the same night as their play, and they're using one of the most valuable treasures of London in their show. You guessed it, the Star of Christmas. That only leaves one option for Cavis-- stealing, er, borrowing the star from the church!

This episode is an absolute riot from start to finish, and is pure VeggieTales humor at its prime. To give you an idea of how much you'll be laughing, here are some of the funniest lines from the special (out-of-context):

"It looks like a turtle."

"I'm praying to be delivered from the mighty and fearsome hand of Moyer the Destroyer."

"Short of kidnapping, which I hear is ILLEGAL now..."

"Your toilet exploded, you're flushing in vain!!!"

"You're trapped like a dog hanging on to a big juicy steak that has somehow... become trapped... in some way..."

"Tra-la-la-la-lossum!"

For how hilarious this show is, however, it also has a ton of heart. It explains the Christmas story and the true meaning of love in such a poignant way, which is rarely seen in most Christmas specials. I won't spoil the ending for you, but it may be one of the sweetest moments ever to be placed in a VeggieTales episode, and as one reviewer pointed out, Lisa Vischer's rendition of "Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel" is absolutely gorgeous.

This episode is available legally to watch on YouTube, so give it a try. Whether it's Christmas or not, you'll be laughing, crying, and learning about the true meaning of Christmas in such an effective and thought-out way.

One Of The Best VeggieTales Videos.

[filmbuff-05706 · 10/10 · 22 December 2022]

VeggieTales is my favorite cartoon, even though I am 24 years old. The Star of Christmas is the 2nd Christmas special they did, after The Toy That Saved Christmas. My favorite of the holiday bunch is the next one, Saint Nicholas, but for the ones that center on the meaning of Christmas, this is the best one.

Set in 1880s London, 2 playwrights named Cavis and Millward (played by Bob and Larry) have 3 days to prepare for their play that supposedly teaches the true meaning of love.

They expect the Prince to come to see the show, since he is also London's biggest theater critic, however, the local church plans to do a Nativity pageant the same night, which will display The Star of Christmas, a rare artifact that hasn't been displayed in about 80 years.

Since the Prince only wants to go to the pageant for The Star, Cavis schemes to steal The Star of Christmas.

The Star of Christmas is one of the few "serious" episodes of VeggieTales, which makes for some effective drama. For example, there is a scene where Cavis and Millward meet a prisoner named Charles Pincher, who doesn't think you can teach a man to love- "it's not in his nature." The Pastor and his son prove otherwise right after.

Despite it being more serious, it's still very funny. In fact, this is also one of the funniest VeggieTales videos. Some of the comedy comes from quick lines. For example, when Cavis tells Millward that he has something that their audience has never seen before. Millward immediately asks excitedly: "You've got a monkey that can yodel?" (No, it's electric lights.)

Also, one of my closest friends watched this with me one time, and he pointed out that Cavis and Millward's play is the story of Mario saving Princess Peach. When he mentioned that, I told him: "You just made this episode 100 times better!"

Apart from that, there are 2 funny action scenes, one in the middle when Cavis and Millward are chased by a church member when he catches them stealing the star. Another comes later when Cavis, Millward, The Pastor, and his son use a rocket car to get to the church on time.

In fact, that line gives me a childhood memory. Before Millward drives off in the rocket car, he says:"We've got to make it to the church on time!" As a little kid, if we were running late for church, I'd say that before we drove off.

There's also some good music in the movie. My favorite is a song from the musical called Plugged Up Love. You can look that up on YouTube. Also, Lisa Vischer, who voices the Pastor's son, sings O Come, O Come Emmanuel in the credits- it's a lovely rendition.

All VeggieTales videos have a moral, and this one is the true meaning of love. Cavis makes his play to show what romantic love is. The Pastor's play shows Cavis what true love is. God sent Jesus for us to die for our sins- that's sacrificial love, something way stronger than infatuation.

Jesus once said: "There is no greater love than this- than to lay one's life for his friends." (John 15:13). That is what Cavis realizes when he sees the church kids perform the story of Jesus's birth.

With its great humor, drama, songs, and message, it is without doubt that I call The Star of Christmas one of the best VeggieTales videos. While it's great for any time of the year, it's one of the very best specials you can watch in December. I'll take this over Frosty or Rudolph any day of the week, any day of the year.

Starts out great but fizzles...

[bigsleepj · 30 September 2004]

Bob the Tomato is trying to produce a play (co-written by Larry) only to find that their opening night competition is a small church play. So they plan to sabotage the their competition. Oh yes, and the opening night is Christmas Eve.

The Star of Christmas has everything you'd want and expect from Veggietales videos: Silly songs, obnoxious humor, French Peas and a Christian message. Even some of the setpieces are great like the rehearsals for the play, and Larry and Bob's attempts to escape from the "hands" of Moyer the Destroyer. Or, in fact, the usual lines like that ring with silly humor. The Star of Christmas delivers up to a point.

Then the producers attempted one final "comic chase scene" in a rocket powered motorcar. This unfortunately fails to be funny and seems rather desperate for laughs. In all honesty the movie could have done without; it adds very little to the story. In the scene there are great moments but they don't help.

Other than that, the Star of Christmas is great entertainment. 7/10