So I Just Watched: Stardust

Behold the wonders of Netflix, where I can watch a movie I missed the first time around.

I found this tale of boy meets girl, girl is pompous user, boy promises girl something extraordinary, boy meets star, star falls in love with boy, boy falls in love with girl, comic misunderstanding, yadda yadda yadda, boy slays witch and they live in happiness forever after better than the typical story of boy meets girl, girl is pompous user, boy promises girl something extraordinary...well, y'know, that old yarn. Also, pirates and Ricky Gervais, cause he is funny.

I enjoyed how the movie never really took itself too seriously, what with the Greek Chorus of Princes of Plots Past, Michelle Pfeiffer chewing more scenery than when she was Catwoman, Robert De Niro playing a character that is not a caricature of Robert De Niro, and, of course Ricky Gervais, cause he is funny. It's a cute movie, it doesn't try to be anything more than cute, and it succeeds.

It is also wonderfully shot, with scenes that would not be out of place in Lord of the Rings. It makes me want to go to the English (or New Zealand, where this particular movie was shot) countryside, jump on a horse, and just ride around for a little bit. Then be terrified I was lost. But still, wonderfully shot.

So, I would recommend this movie.

Oh yeah, it is based on a novel by Neil Gaiman*, whoever that guy is. I heard he's done some comics, but pfft, who reads those?

*I did get a laugh out of the title of the "Making of" feature on the DVD: "Good Omens." If only that would be the next Gaiman work adapted!

I bought this a while ago, Robert De Niro's dance was just sooo worth it.

And the best Visual pun I've seen in ages. Blue Blood! C'mon!

I agree it was a very good fun movie, and a nice safe romantic comedy.

Deniro was absolutely classic in this one.

It was much better than I expected, worth watching.

Yeah, I really enjoyed this movie. I'm generally a sucker for all things fantasy, and especially fantasy with a good sense of humor. This always felt like a spiritual sequel to the Princess Bride, even if it doesn't have anywhere near as many classic lines.

Never mind Mark Strong as Septimus.

Though I can't for the life of me find Ricky Gervais funny. Even just telling jokes he botches the delivery on every punchline. Then again, he gets killed so all was good for me.

It's a fun film. I also enjoyed the bonus features on the DVD.

I enjoyed the interview with Neil Gaiman and laughed when he got to the part where he felt like apologizing to the set builders about the pirate ship because it was just a throwaway idea in the novel and now they had to build it.

I watched it with my fiance. At first I didnt want anything to do with this movie but as soon as a saw de niro in it I just couldn't stop watching him. It was very hard to believe he would ever do a part like that but just proves what a talented actor he is. All that being said I laughed my azz off the whole time watching him dance around like some kind of fairy.

Ohh and as far as netflix goes I have it to and its an awesome deal! We watch like 2-3 movies a day on our wii and even get 2-3 of the newer releases mailed to us each week, all for around $10 a month! thats kicks the crap out of paying $40 a month for cable wich I still do sadly but hey i gtta have my walking dead and sons of anarchy too.

You could tell just how much fun DeNiro had with his part.
That's what made it so much fun to watch.

loved this movie

A great and fun film, one of my favourite light-hearted fantasy films since Princess Bride.

Some great imaginative touches too. Kasoh already mentioned the blue blood; I also loved the voodoo/puppet fight at the end, it was eerie.

It's also a great film to watch if you're familiar with UK TV. So, so many extremely talented British TV actors in supporting roles.

I probably enjoyed this movie more than I should have.

Yeah, De Niro was pretty good, but Michelle Pfeiffer was full of scenery-chewing AWESOMENESS. Loved her in this movie.

And, yes, the voodoo doll sword fight was all sorts of cool.

OH THANK DEITY!!!!!!!

i thought i was the only one who liked it for what it was (based on box office, i might have been). i would like to add that though i LOVE Gaiman, i thought the book version of this was...... well, weak, like a primer for high fantasy for newbies or something. very much chock full of overused cliche fantasy norms and concepts. but the movie occupies a completely different "space" and now sits next to the princess bride on the top shelf of my movie bookshelf (i organize by how much i like em, drives the wifey batsh!t crazy ).

DeNiro was great! Pfieffer was awesome! and the tone was perfect, absolutely the right amount of tongue-in-cheek.


and add me to the petition to get Good Omens made into a movie, one of the best damn books ever written!!!!!!!!

This shot up as one of my fave movies. Really liked it!

I'd had the comic promo for years, and then the comic came out, and it was wonderful (though a little ... less coherent than the movie, go figure). So obviously when the movie came out I was very happy to pay for it then, and I wasn't disappointed at all. Bought the dvd the moment it came out.

The casting was excellent, the sets and location like you said were beautiful. Costuming and makeup were also really A+. It didn't particularly follow the comic very much, but that's fine, because it made for a much more light-hearted romp through fantasy than the book.

I think in many ways it is one of the best "new" fairy tales around. Not sure what it's Deep Inner Meaning is supposed to be, but who cares, it was fun and lovely. I'm glad other people liked it too.

And just... Septimus.

MMMMMmmmmMm.

Yeah, I caught this when it first came out for rent (or shortly there around) and both my wife and I enjoyed it immensely.

A few days later, my best friend told me about some great movie they just saw that I had to see... the same one, hehe.

It just was what it was. I was very surprised, as I had zero idea it was even going to be good... knew nothing about it... A wonderful little gem!

And yes... Michelle Pfeiffer... Pfantastic!!
(Yes... I did)

EDIT: Oh, and I've been meaning to watch this again... As much as I liked it, I'm finding myself unable to fill in the blanks about many of the details now!