Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Robert De Niro, Sienna Miller, Jason Flemyng, Rupert Everett, Ian McKellen, Peter O'Toole, Henry Cavill, Ricky Gervais, Sarah Alexander

- Reviewed by Vickie

I’m sorry, but I really, really liked this movie.

I feel the need to apologize because it seems a whole slew of critics have crapped all over it and its cast...but I have no idea why.

For starters, it’s dreamy and funny and colorful. The story centers on an amiable young chap named Tristan (Charlie Cox), who teams with a hilariously bitter “fallen star” named Yvaine (Claire Danes) for a magical journey filled with other bitter people. For me, characters who are annoyed make for the most fun viewing. Tristan and Yvaine are trying to get home to Tristan’s tiny village, so that he can surprise the rather shallow and petulant woman of his dreams (Sienna Miller) for her birthday...but several things stand in their way, not the least of which are: a bitter, ancient hag of a sorceress (Michelle Pfeiffer), who wants to eat Yvaine’s heart in order to restore her own youth; a bitter, power-hungry prince (Mark Strong), looking to use Yvaine to ascend the throne of his late father (Peter O’Toole); a bitter group of said prince’s dead brothers (including Rupert Everett and Jason Flemyng), who are all ghosts and serve as a wry Greek chorus throughout; and a bitter carny witch whose past dealings put this entire tale into motion. Seriously, people, all the bitterness makes for some comedy gems.

Not so bitter, but just as entertaining, is Robert De Niro as a very fey “lightning fisherman” named Captain Shakespeare, who commands a surly crew aboard a sky vessel and whose reputation is one of a ruthless killer... but whose actual personality is more akin to that of a pink marshmallow Peep. The wonderful little scene where Shakespeare barters with a fencer (Ricky Gervais) is probably my favorite in the entire film.

My movie-going pal, who came to the screening, likened Stardust to Willow, another whimsical fantasy filled with perilous missions, humor, sorcery, true love and a super-bitter lead character (Val Kilmer’s put-upon and aptly monikered Madmartigan). And she’s right, it’s very much the same sort of movie and possesses the same kind of “fairy tale for kids and grown-ups” vibe. (As an aside, I *loved* Willow.)

The film unfolds in several neatly arranged set pieces: the village, the witches’ castle, the lightning ship and the magical market where you can buy elephants the size of a small house cat or enchanted flowers that cost your memories. In between, you’ve got sword fights and nasty spells and romance and Babylon candles and Waking Ned Devine’s David Kelly pulling out some kung-fu. Plus, Claire Danes glows. Like, literally, glows. What’s not to like?

Sometimes, my heart calls out for a feel-good film like this one, where the hero battles bad guys to win the heart of a beautiful maiden, however unlikely or fanciful their circumstance may be. And, for me, Stardust answered that call beautifully.

Among the DVD extras are deleted scenes—the best involve the dead princes, and there is an alternate final scene (which luckily wasn't used). There is also a featurette called "Good Omens: The Making of Stardust" (featuring Neil Gaiman, among others, talking about the film), plus there is also a blooper reel (with, not surprisingly, Ricky Gervais being most guilty of not keeping a straight face).

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