An attempt to keep it real... ( reviewing Stardust )

Or, at least to keep this blog alive. I shall endavour to 'keep it real' as well.

On to the goods: I just saw Stardust and yes I liked it. Initially I tried to keep my self from having too many expectations. I am a Neil Gaiman fan, not super-fan mind you just the regular kind, and have read ( and enjoyed ) the original graphic novels. Not to mention I am a huge fan of anything remotely related to neo-Victorian/steampunk. So I had my work cut out for me, and I sedated my excitement with the luke-warm reviews and lack of 'underground buzz.' Thank the gods. I love being impressed. It has been a while since I've read the graphic novels ( since I had them signed by Neil around their initial release; seriously tho, NOT a super-fan, just a name-dropper ;-), and it was nice seeing this story play out without remembering what happens next. I can't even remember enough to tell the differences between the movie's storyline and the graphic novels'; which is great because I am always put off when I experience a story that I've already been exposed to in a different medium and it is slightly different. Just enough to open a window in the fourth wall and let that cold breeze through.

On to the movie itself: A fantasy in the traditional storybook context, it extracts itself from the stereotype with an interesting story that gives you exactly what you want in the way you didn't know you wanted it. The movie has been compared to Princess Bride, Goonies, and The Never Ending Story in that it contains that timelessness inherent in those movies, certainly it does not yet contain the emotional context those movies from my youth do, but given a chance I believe it could come close. I am a sucker for well executed love stories ( RARELY will a romantic comedy not involving Steve Martin fit the bill ) and the delicate on screen chemistry is hard to get. While it wasn't a mind-blowing success the chemistry between Claire Danes and Charlie Cox is playful and present when it counts. The interactions with the supporting characters is fantastic as well; the princes being the only weak point, dealing with that many backstabbing characters I'd imagine it's hard to write a script that adds enough depth to all of them. The actors portraying the princes did a bang up job tho, and while a little flat where fun to watch non-the-less.

A guarantee for fantasy fans, especially thoes of Gaiman descent.