Red Carpet Premiere of The Star

Sony Pictures’ new animated movie The Star premiered at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles this past Sunday, and I was fortunately given the opportunity to attend. Thank you, Sarah!

Instead of the typical red carpet, there was a white carpet lined with Christmas trees to make it look like a beautiful winter wonderland. The smell of hot pizza and pretzels filled the air as we walked around the pre-party venue gawking at passing celebrities such as Jason Priestly, Zachary Levi, and Terry Crews.

Before we entered the theatre, I took some photos with my OMagInsiders friends Sarah and Camesha, grabbed some swag, and did a Facebook Live video for the first time. 2017 is all about venturing outside my comfort zone and to be honest, I loved it. Now I remember why I majored in broadcast journalism!

We were all shuffled into the gorgeous landmark theatre, which was built in 1930, and were offered free popcorn, snacks, and drinks. The theatre was breathtaking with approximately 1,400 seats and painted and carved ceilings and walls. It took me a moment just to get used to the beauty of this iconic theatre, but once the movie started, I was able to absorb myself into this sweet story about the birth of Jesus.

The Star is a movie about the journey Mary and Joseph took to get to Bethlehem, but the plot is enhanced by the animals that helped make the journey a safe one.

Bo, a donkey, dreams of being more than just a working animal, and breaks free to help Mary and Joseph make this voyage. He is joined by other animals – Ruth, a sheep, and Dave, a dove – who help provide humor to the story.

In addition, there are some bumbling camels, snarling dogs, and silly barnyard animals that keep the laughter going and move the plot along. Some of these animals are voiced by Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Tracy Morgan, Kelly Clarkson, and Kristin Chenoweth, to name a few. The three main characters are voiced by Steven Yeung (Bo), Gina Rodriguez (Mary), and Zachary Levi (Joseph).

Beautiful Christmas songs sung by Mariah Carey, Fifth Harmony, Pentatonix, and more are another highlight of the film. I am purchasing the movie’s soundtrack this week to help me get in the holiday spirit.

At the end of the movie, there was hardly a dry eye in the theatre, and everyone clapped and cheered for the feel-good moment at the end. With a 1:26 run time, it is a perfect movie for those squirmy little ones who can’t sit still.

The Star opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, November 17^th.