Stardust

Plot synopsis:
Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) is the son of Dunstan Thorn and a captive princess called Una. The couple met only one night and fell in love instantly. Unfortunately, when Tristan was born, she was not allowed to keep him and instead sent him to live with his father. She put in his basket a "Babylon candle" and a letter to Tristan explaining everything.The story then jumps forward eighteen years to Tristan as a young man, in love with the prettiest girl, Victoria (Sienna Miller) in a small English town (Wall Village). He is desperate to bring her a newly fallen star by her birthday as that is the only way she will agree to marry him. He uses the candle to fly to where the star landed, which is not in England but in a magical land called Stormhold. Tristan soon discovers that the star is not what he expected. The star is actually a beautiful, immortal and spirited woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes). Despite this, Tristan is determined to marry Victoria. Tristan uses a silver chain that his father obtained while trying to free the princess to take Yvaine to England, promising to use the last of the magic candle to take her back to the sky afterwards.However, Tristan is not the only one seeking the star. Yvaine is in terrible danger because the surviving sons of the King (Peter O'Toole) are looking for her because only the jewel that she wears can secure the throne for one of them. Septimus, one of the princes, later finds out that a star's heart grants immortality. Septimus wants to devour her heart so that he can rule the kingdom forever. Additionally, the three witches known as "The Lilim" Mormo, Empusa and the eldest and the most powerful, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) want her because they can recover their beauty and eternal youth by devouring the star's heart.As Tristan sets out to protect Yvaine and bring her back to Victoria at the other side of the wall his journey brings incredible encounters with the pirate Captain Shakespeare (Robert de Niro) and a shady trader (Ricky Gervais) among others. Yvaine and Tristan fall in love - Yvaine confesses her feelings to Tristan after the witch, Ditchwater Sal, turns him into a mouse, Yvaine not realizing that he can still understand her.After being changed back into a human Tristan is too woozy to continue the journey, and the two stop at an inn. Tristan tells Yvaine that he returns her love. While Yvaine sleeps, Tristan cuts a piece of her hair and goes back to England to tell Victoria that he no longer loves her. However when he tries to give Victoria the hair he finds that it has turned into stardust, or rock. He realizes that Yvaine cannot enter England and stay in human form and hurries back to the other side of the wall to find her.Unfortunately, he arrives too late. Una, having seen Yvaine solemnly head towards the wall, races to warn her. Lamia, too, heads towards the wall. The princess stops Yvaine just in time, but Ditchwater Sal, who's been keeping the princess captive, attacks her and drags her back to the cart. Lamia confronts Sal and kills her, which sets Una free. However, Yvaine and the Princess Una are both captured by Lamia and taken back to The Lilim's castle, Yvaine to be killed and the princess to be a servant.Tristan meets Septimus at the castle, and the two decide to attack the witches together. Septimus is about to attack Una when he sees that she is his sister, daughter of the King of Stormhold (the ghosts of the other six brothers are delighted to see her). Tristan, with the help of Septimus, manages to defeat Empusa, but Lamia kills Septimus.Tristan is forced to fight the prince's animated corpse and witches alone. Tristan defeats Mormo and the animated corpse of Septimus, and then confronts Lamia in a fierce battle. During the battle, Lamia nearly kills Tristan, but Yvaine, now knowing that Tristan really loves her, is able to unleash a powerful wave of light that disintegrates Lamia.Tristan picks up the jewel that Yvaine's been wearing. As it is restored to ruby red Tristan becomes the next king of the land of Stormhold, with Yvaine at his side as queen. Una, Tristan's mother, was the king's daughter, making Tristan the last male heir. It is stated that the two will live forever since Yvaine "gave" him her heart when she fell in love with him. After several generations pass, the two lovers use another Babylon candle, a wedding gift from Una, to return to the sky, where they become twin stars. And they still live happily ever after.

Tags: comedy, fantasy, gothic, murder, bleak, whimsical, cult, violence, cute, atmospheric, flashback, good versus evil, psychedelic, action, humor, romantic

Review:
I went to a small advance screening of this movie on July 19th, knowing no more than the names of a few of the actors and that it was a fantasy/adventure quest of some sort.The plot line really is nothing like I have seen, and a unique story is certainly appreciated with everything else that is currently in or coming soon to theaters.
And even though I might have known what was coming at points, I still couldn't bear to stop watching the screen; to my knowledge, not a single person left the theater during the entire movie.My one gripe is that there seems to be almost no marketing for this film, and as brilliant as it is I can't figure out why..
I wish the movie was doing itself as good press as it deserves!For anyone that loved The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, and other truly funny and original fantasy adventure, this is one of the great ones.
The 14 year-old in me is immensely happy that they're now able to make really good looking fantasy movies, and that they're all the rage, what with Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia making loads of cash at the box office.
(One of the witches is played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who does fabulous young-old transformations of looks and manner.) The 'good guy' they meet on their way is Captain Shakespeare (Robert de Niro).
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and was drawn to its original plot (based on the Neil Gaiman novel which I am now looking to read) and colorful characters.One of the most striking things to me actually was how self contained the story is.
Unlike so many sci-fi fantasy movies out there right now which leave open-endings and such this was a pure fairy-tale, satisfying in and of itself with no need for a sequel.Original.
"A great film for all ages to enjoy, and the new THE PRINCESS BRIDE for this generation." Perhaps a bit lofty an assessment but I'm still confident that years from now, there will be the same "Oh, I love that movie," response to this as there is now for The Princess Bride.(Edited for grammar and stuff.
Michelle Pfeiffer was wonderfully wicked, Charlie Cox made Tristan come to life, Claire Danes gave emotion to the stars, and I will never look and Robert De Niro the same again.Acting - I give this component 10 points.
Stardust was a very good fantasy movie in the vein of the Princess Bride with its whimsical tone and romantic aspects.
Different from the book, but in a good way - less whimsical, more comical, still deeply sweet and enchanting.The special effects are absolutely spot-on, and make magic feel a natural and proper part of the world of Wall without being overtly spectacular and intrusive.Proper attention has been paid to storytelling and pacing, and the casting in the main is a triumph, with the ghostly Princes (whose roll-call read almost as a "Who's Who" of currently cool British comedy - Rupert Everett, David Walliams of Little Britain fame, two of the blokes from Green Wing etc) stealing most of the best lines and pretty much all of the films' funniest moments, which exist in abundance.
Ricky Gervais' cameo, for example, was far too much just "Ricky Gervais doing his usual David Brent from the Office comedy persona" for my liking, and in my opinion, created an unwelcome and jolting break from the magical spell of the progressing story (though in fairness, from memory I believe the Ferdy character in the original book WAS pretty "Ricky Gervais"-esquire when I think back on it)....But this is a minor quibble in an otherwise immaculately cast and scripted fairytale with a good mixture of action and romance.
Charlie Cox, as the protagonist Tristan, captures the correct mixture of naivety, subtle comedy and self-realisation required for a story like this where a "humble young boy embarks on life-changing quest"; Claire Danes as Yvaine is beautiful, feisty and just ever so slightly alien or ethereal, a perfect interpretation of her stellar role; Robert De Niro, in the cameo every reviewer is talking about, is indeed deserving of praise, rollicking good fun (looks like he's having a ball, too)...
As magically fairy-tale-like as The Princess Bride, Stardust is most definitely the most wonderful fantasy spectacle of the 2000's as well as the 1990's.
Exciting, hilarious and equipped with wonderful imagery as well as unforgettable characters, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro's especially, I challenge anyone to watch this movie without a smile.
Thankfully it's brief.Plot and Pacing: They've clearly gone for the in-joke feel of The Princess Bride here, which is a bizarre decision, seeing as this is a straightforward fairy tale whereas The Princess Bride is clearly a spoof.Not only is the tongue-in-cheek tone incongruous but it never truly feels like a true fantasy world for what I think is due to numerous references and locations.The plot is the standard chase film.
It's nothing new for this genre from composer Ilan Eshkeri.The standout easily is Take That's song Rule The World that plays in the end credits, capturing the warm romantic theme with aplomb.Overall: An entertaining romantic fantasy adventure that has charm and some good performances to help overlook it's lack of identity and inherent flaws.
While I don't consider myself a big fan of fairy tale movies, Stardust intrigued me based on seeing Michelle Pfeiffer in the trailers as a villain (especially since I was about to see her as the bossy Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray).
The story line is a bit odd and the whole wall thing is never really explained, but the execution is fine, even building up strong suspense.Charlie Cox plays Tristan, who falls for the wrong girl (Sienna Miller), and agrees to fetch her a fallen star ...
Another encounter involves the brilliant Ricky Gervais as a fast talking trader and that is good for a couple of laughs.Not your typical chase, coming of age, or fantasy film, but director Matthew Vaughn's ("Layer Cake") effort deserves an audience.
Claire Danes and Charlie Cox as the protagonists Yvaine and Tristan are entirely appropriately cast, and by the end of the movie you will fall pretty much in love.
Michelle Pfeiffer was perfect as the leading witch (she had a title, but I forget it).Overall a wonderfully rendered fairy-tale style film with few flaws with an epic score that will draw you into it's world and leave you with a sense of deep satisfaction and warmth.Hooray for decently made fantasy films!.
Meanwhile, three evil witches led by Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) seek Yvaine to eat her heart and make them young again, and the two sons of the dead king also search Ivaine because she wears the necklace with the powerful ruby."Stardust" is one of the most delightful movies that I have recently seen.
The engaging story has fantasy, adventure, romance, comedy, a clumsy hero, a nice heroin and evil villains with a wonderful screenplay; awesome direction of the director of "Layer Cake"; stunning cast and magnificent special effects.
But somehow, the lowered expectations helped in a genuinely satisfying experience."Stardust" is set more than a century ago and tells the story of Tristan (Charlie Cox), a young man from Wall, England, who sets out to the other side of a wall, to a magical kingdom, in search of the star that fell from the sky so that he can get the hand of Victoria (Sienna Miller) in marriage.
Add in the fact that Yvaine has found a diamond necklace at the site where she fell, which is the object of desire of two king-wannabes, who now has to find Yvaine to retrieve the necklace.What ensues is an old-fashioned fantasy film that plays more as a fairy tale for grown-ups, which while never reaches the heights of last year's "Pan's Labyrinth," succeeds in presenting a dazzling imagination and wry humor that keep you engaged during its running time.
The battalion of intersecting plot lines make for an overall uneven experience but co-writer/director Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman keep the proceedings lively with the script's banteringly amusing nature.Leads Cox and Danes generate genuine chemistry so much so that it's easy to categorize their pairing for a romantic comedy that all the more that calls to mind "The Princess Bride." The supporting cast that include Robert De Niro and Pfeiffer easily ham it up without going overboard.Overall, "Stardust" is a magical experience.
When I saw the previews for this movie I knew I'd love it but I had no idea how much I'd love it - This movie is so entertaining - A young man sets out on a quest to find a star to bring to his "Crush/Love interest" to win her hand in marriage - Little does he know, He is not the only one chasing the star - Brothers fighting for the throne are after it - and Some witches want the star - Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Deniro, and Claire Danes - are the bigger names - And boy do they play their parts well (Especially Ms Pfeiffer) - Magic, betrayal, and love are only a portion of what's in store for you when you watch this movie - Trust me it's a must see - Very original and entertaining from beginning to finish -.
This fantasy-fiction adaptation has a similar bipolarity: The romance of Tristan (Charlie Cox) and Yvaine (Claire Danes) in a strangely magical kingdom just beyond the town Wall's wall is part naïve Princess Bride, part degenerate Pirates of the Caribbean, and a modicum of Lady in the Water.(Tristan has made a promise to his love that he'll catch a falling star by venturing over the wall into the kingdom.) Mind you, I enjoyed the childlike part and the raunchy in equal measure with a unicorn and a man turned mouse on one side and a pirate in drag on the other (Robert De Niro as Shakespeare).
The computer graphics are not the most stunning of the year (a positive condition for those of us surfeited with CGI)), the flying ship hardly realistic, but Michele Pfeiffer's aging body does show some sophisticated effects.Supporting the bipolar air of Stardust is Claire Danes in the titular role (Yvaine is a star landing on earth in the form of an attractive young woman).
Withing this setting the narrative holds no real surprises, and without giving anything away the moral line of Good vs Evil and True Love triumphing - or not as the case may be - is all to familiar to anyone who has any grounding in basic faery tales and fantasy fiction.Allowing for the constraints that the basic storyline gives the film, the film does allow its own elements to breath, and there are no strings left untied that I could see.The performances are all great fun, and all cast members seem to be really enjoying themselves, although there is one 'turn' that steels the show.
Of course, this didn't stop Tristan's dad from weaseling his way across years earlier; an event which led to Tristan's advent on the scene.Fixated upon winning the hand of the comely Victoria (Sienna Miller), Tristan pledges to cross the wall and bring back the remnants of a falling star seen shooting from the heavens into the land beyond, and from there Tristan's adventure begins.Upon arrival on Earth, the star takes the human form of Yvaine (Claire Danes) and her capture, by either the surviving sons of Stormhold's dying king (Peter O'Toole), or the evil witch Lamia (played with screen-eating aplomb by Michelle Pfeiffer) will yield the throne for the successful prince, or youth and immortality for the witch and her sisters.As Tristan's quest unfolds, he and Yvaine encounter a hoard of lightening-harvesting sky pirates captained by Robert De Niro, who practically steals the show with his comedic portrayal of a swash buckling swordsman with a secret passion for chiffon and the can-can - a performance that had me giggling like a schoolgirl throughout.Vaughn keeps the story moving forward at a brisk pace, never allowing things to get bogged down in sentimentality or overly drawn out scenes.
In many respects Stardust hearkens back to Rob Reiner's 1987 movie The Princess Bride which also managed to find the perfect blend of comedy, fantasy and romance and wrap it all up in an enchanting fairy tale that could be enjoyed equally by young and old alike.With cameos by Ricky Gervais (The Office), David Kelly (Waking Ned Devine) and Rupert Everett, Stardust will envelope you in its charms and leave you feeling like a child all over again and reassure you that the sense of wonderment and enchantment still glows, even within the hearts of jaded adults..
Michelle Pfeiffer was all right but I think her character also was built on "evil looks" and she is not that terrifying although the "inn scene" was great.These kind of movies must not be expected to be as gigantic and dramatic as The Lord of The Rings which is the prime example.
A wonderful cast reads like a Who's Who of contemporary British acting talent (with the exception of non-actor Gervais) so it was curious to see Claire Danes in the "star" role - she is neither English nor classically beautiful in the Fairy Tale sense.I must, however, give her 10/10 for her impeccable English accent - few things irritate me more than when American and British actors are cast as the other nationality, and I can think of no other actor from either side of the pond who has mastered the foreign accent better than Danes.
Indeed, so many of the supporting players give exceptional performances, that alone makes the movie worth watching.A lovely story, wonderful scenery and the odd if obligatory special effect combine with solid acting and directing to make this a must-see for all the family..
Stardust is an entertaining fantasy adventure film that has it all, and should appease any fan of the genre.Matthew Vaughn's second directorial effort is quite different from the work he did before and after it (the excellent Layer Cake and Kick-Ass, respectively), and it proves that he can make a good movie in nearly any genre.
If that movie's mix of action, humor, romance, and colorful characters (Robert De Niro has a ball as a rather unique pirate, and Michelle Pfeiffer and Ricky Gervais also steal every scene they're in) appealed to you, then you're in luck.
Despite the lackluster trailer and casting the unstellar-looking Claire Danes as Yvaine the Star , the movie came out as a well executed, entertaining adaptation of Neil Gaiman's book Stardust.It's wonderful how director/writer/producer Matthew Vaughn was able to sensitively add all the elements of fun, action, romance and suspense and still give the movie a GP rating.
I'm particular about movies depending on the very mood that I exhibit at any given time, but this film caught me completely off guard in its capability for both originality and level of surprise.After The Lord of the Rings, I thought that perhaps all we had to look forward to in the fantasy genre was for the Harry Potter series to finish its run.
I adore the book, I love Neil Gaiman, and I like fantasy movies.
Vindictive witches, a magical star that moonlights as a beautiful woman, seven brothers--all possible heirs to a vacated throne--picking each other off, a Medieval Las Vegas, a gate guardian who does kung-fu, flying pirate ships, wild swashbuckling sword play; this movie has it all.A great fairytale style adventure for adults, although a little too violent in places for kids.
Watch the film to recapture your childhood stories that were full of witches, princesses, princes, magic good and bad and above all love.
Throw in an evil trio of witches (led by Michelle Pfeiffer) looking for the secret of youth and the dastardly Prince Septimus and Tristran's simple act of crossing a wall, picking up a rock and walking back turns into an epic adventure of romance, swashbuckling and fun.By now, with all this talk of Unicorns and such like, there's bound to be a few people out there whose eyes are rolling at the thought of yet another fantasy adventure clogging up the screens, but Stardust has an edge on the competition.
The movie plays like a fairy-tale for adults, but at the same time, it subverts the genre, thanks to some brilliant writing, and some fantastic ideas and characters, brought to life by a stunning cast.Claire Danes as the star in human form is great, Michelle Pfeiffer (who hasn't been in movies recently), has great fun as one of the witches, Charlie Cox makes an appealing hero, Rupert Everett makes a small but memorable appearance as one of the kings sons hoping to be crowned king, but Robert De Niro steals the film with his turn as Captain Shakespeare a sky captain who catches lighting, while hiding a secret from his crew.
It has the perfect balance of fantasy adventure, humanist story and (very British) adult comedy.There are so many outstanding performances here but hats off to Deniro and Danes they are an absolute delight.Aside from the excellent effects and the stunning sets the real magic is the relationships between the characters - how they are written and played, it really captures your heart and stays in your mind afterwards.I left the cinema feeling like a five year old wishing I could find the chink in the wall.
This is one of the best films i have seen in years , a magical excellently written ,fairy type tale that has good performances from all the cast , with just the right amount of humour to lift the whole film , and make it special .
Wow.I just got back from a preview screening of Stardust, and I can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed it.Not since "The Princess Bride" has there been a film that blended humor, romance, action, adventure, drama, and fantasy so well.