Stardust

I saw a delightful movie last weekend called Stardust. It is based on a graphic novel by Neil Gaiman. This movie is a fantasy that takes the viewer into a whimsical, otherworldly adventure. Two worlds are divided by a wall that should not be crossed. Tristan (played by Charlie Cox), the hero of this tale, crosses the wall to try and bring back a fallen star to Victoria, the woman he considers his beloved and whose heart he is trying to win (without really thinking about why he wants to win it). The fallen star is a quirky, beautiful woman (a stunning character played by Claire Danes) and as Tristan attempts to bring her back to his land, he encounters many problems along the way that lead him to a deeper understanding of what true love is. He encounters a witch who wants to capture the star for herself so she can have eternal youth (played by the very talented Michelle Phieffer) and Captain Shakespeare (a hilarious pirate played by the legend Robert DiNaro). Throughout the movie there are four brothers of the king (played by another legend Peter O'Toole) also trying to get the star so they can be the one to take the throne next and three of the deceased brothers watch everything going on and are filmed in black and white. The deceased brothers are a very comedic thread in the movie and it really works to create something original and entertaining. I loved watching this movie and surprisingly discovered that it is one of my favorite films of the summer. I did not anticipate that it would be and was not prepared for it to be so good. The wonderful thing about this is it grew on me more and more as the story went on and by the end I was quite hooked. As the plot moved I enjoyed discovering the rules of both lands and all the nuances that came along with it. The characters had depth and the story intrigued me throughout. It was also very beautiful to watch. I look forward to enjoying this one again in the future and love when a movie can surprise me in this way.