Must See Movie Monday - Stardust

Film: Stardust
Released: 2007
Rated: PG-13
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes
Summary: Young Tristan Thorn travels to a magical land to find a fallen star for a girl he loves. Things get complicated when he discovers that the star is not a piece of celestial rock but is actually a girl.

 Why It's A Must See Movie

I've been obsessed with movies that make me smile lately. Stardust is one of those films. I love how it mixes a high level of fantasy, adventure, and comedy. Plus, it is a adaptation of one of my favorite books by Neil Gaiman. While this movie isn't word for word exactly like the novel it shares enough elements from the novel to make me utterly pleased with the movie adaptation. That doesn't always happen. I think it's great when writers and directors can make good dramatic choices, so that I can love both the book and the film.

I often find myself rating films by the number of favorite parts I have in the film. This is one of those movies where almost every scene has is a favorite moment for me. It simply has and amusing wit in terms of the dialogue and scenes. Every scene in the film propels into the next, and each scene shows the development of the main characters through their journey. It's another film that I think does well at building dramatic tension with it's editing. I think it's a film where the cinematography isn't just pretty looking, but it also tells the story. Add on it that the visual effects are well executed and often very creative. 

The characters are so wacky and fun. I mean even the villains are wacky and fun. The actors are so wonderful at playing these out there characters. They bring just the right amount comedic timing to their roles, but they can be serious when the scene calls for it. There is a little bit of a element of theater to this film which I personally find enjoyable. I never goes too far though to the point where you start to think it's getting too silly. It just lighthearted in tone. Actually it has a similar tone to something like The Princess Bride. If you like that movie you might enjoy this as well.

If you are in the mood for an adventure with high fantasy and a few laughs Stardust is the movie for you. I hope it makes you smile, because it makes me smile.