Stardust - The Movie

[Amroth]

I just saw this movie about a week ago, and I’ve re-seen it a couple of times since then, something I very rarely do with movies (unless we’re talking LotR). It was unfortunately a bit of a failure at the US box office, and while it did much better internationally, it has been sadly overlooked. Which is a damn shame.

The movie is based on the novel “Stardust” by Neil Gaiman, and he was very pleased with how it turned out (as well he should as he was apparently heavily involved in the making of it). The story centres on a star (Claire Danes) which plummets to Earth after having been struck by a necklace thrown by a dying king (Peter O’Toole) in the magical kingdom of Stormhold. Separating the realm of Faerie from our own world is a wall, and on the other side of it is the village of Wall, where the hero of the story, Tristan (Charlie Cox), is busy wooing the vain Victoria (Sienna Miller). They see the star overhead, and Tristan promises to go get it in exchange for Victoria’s hand in marriage, but since the star crashes in Faerie, it does not become a lump of rock, but a woman, Yvaine. Out to get her are also three witches (Michelle Pfeiffer plays the one who goes hunting), who want to eat the heart of the star to replenish their youths and magical powers, and the princes of Stormhold (Mark Strong, Jason Flemyng, Rupert Everett among others) are, initially, after the necklace thrown by their father, which will grant the one who holds it the throne. We also meet Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) and his crew of sky pirates out collecting lightning, Ferdy the Fence (Ricky Gervais) who’s in the lightning-purchasing business, a Greek Chorus of dead princes, the best zombie-fencing scene in movie history, and an absolutely hilarious goat (!) (played by Mark Williams of HP fame).

I absolutely loved Stardust. It’s not perfect (what is?), but it is enchanting, witty, whimsical, tongue-in-cheek, romantic, adventurous, exciting, moving, and will absolutely melt your cold, cynical heart (unless it’s of rock). It’s got tons of charm, and is in my opinion heads and shoulders above any fantasy I’ve seen since the LotR trilogy. I can’t remember the last time I felt so awesomely up-beat after watching a movie. Oh, and I'm in love with Claire Danes now...

And a word of warning: keep away from the trailer they released, as it makes the movie look like Eragon's uglier cousin. Stardust's marketing was incredibly mismanaged.

• Stardust Official Movie Site
• Stardust at IMDB (8.1 rating)
• Stardust at Rotten Tomatoes (75% Certified Fresh)

[removeduser_426582376423734]

Its got a great cast, fresh comedy; the story is a bit too juvenile for my taste but it wasn't directed at my taste and so I can't complain. Nice review, should've put it here.

[Banned]

Moved to the appropriate sub-forum.

[Amroth]

Its got a great cast, fresh comedy; the story is a bit too juvenile for my taste but it wasn't directed at my taste and so I can't complain. Nice review, should've put it here.

Thanks. I wasn't exactly intending it to be a review, just a "damn, I just saw this movie and thought it was great - have anyone else seen it?" And then I thought I had to tell a little about it, and then I had to say a little about how I thought it was, and the result is what you see above, I guess.

[Giorgos]

Its a really nice film, i would recommend it to anyone since i went in with very very LOW expectations and came out with a grin the size of King Kong.

[Mathias]

Just saw the movie and I really loved it. It was hilarious when that goat and the unicorn headbutted

[zedestroyer]

I saw it yesterday. I was expecting to see a movie with great special effects and a shallow history, the typical Hollywood movie with a good budget. But I was really surprised, the history is excellent and the special effects have a secondary role and are really well integrated in the story.
And that scene when they are dancing in the flying vessel? They started dancing at the sound of a very calm and relaxing music in a flying vessel sailing near the clouds and with the full moon in the background. And she started to glow, this was the best romantic scene I have ever seen.
I rarely like romantic movies, they tend to have to much comedy, to much bad sentimentalism or even lack of sentimentalism, but I loved this movie. It have a little comedy, a little fantasy, some action and the exact amount of romanticism/sentimentalism, so it's one of the best movies I saw until now.

[Ringeck]

Stardust also surprised me in a positive way; I had been bracing for a real end-reamer of Gaiman's cute little novel and instead I got an even cuter little movie. It is not perfect (it has some plot holes and in the long run, Robert de Niro, while entertaining, starts pulling at the ram-your-own-head-into-a-wall-repeatedly nerves) but it is a damn good flick and deserved better than it got. In scandinavia it got over-commercialized by The Golden Compass as christmas' fantasy movie. That was a Bad Thing; Stardust trumps GC by several leagues.

[zedestroyer]

what plot holes?


I liked De Niro character, it is really funny and he helped the establishing the romance between Tristan and Yvaine.

[Ringeck]

The editing room points out some in a humorous fashion:
http://www.the-editing-room.com/stardust.html

I just thought de Niro overdid it. But don't get me wrong, I loved the movie.

[zedestroyer]

Maybe, but what do you men when say tht he overdid it?
His character is a really funny and interesting one, he act like a ruthless macho pirate, but in reality is a kind homosexual man, some of his scenes are really hilarious.


Can you just give me a quick resume of those plot holes, please??