Halfway there

Movie #12, Stardust

Stardust seems to belong to the '80s; it belongs in a trilogy with Labyrinth and The Princess Bride - fantasy movies that don't take themselves so seriously. I think Stardust captures many of the strengths of The Princess Bride, but some of the weaknesses of Labyrinth.

In my opinion, Stardust really works best when it winks at its own over-the-top drama. Neil Gaiman's sense of humor is showcased here to great effect. Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer are particularly fun to watch, but I enjoyed Claire Danes and Charlie Cox too, and I was surprised to find myself engaged by their love story.

But there are pacing issues. And the main character remains a bit of a blank, so sometimes it feels like there's really nothing to hold onto. The motivations of the characters get really muddied, and the movie asks you to take a number of mental leaps that the story just doesn't back up.

And yet... I could see myself watching this movie over and over, because there are a lot of great little moments to make up for some of the flaws. Or maybe I should just read the book.