Stardust (PG-13, 2007)

Based on Neil Gaiman's novel, STARDUST chronicles the adventures of Tristan (Charlie Cox), a young man who ventures beyond the mysterious wall that surrounds his town to find a fallen star so he can bring it back to the town beauty to prove he's worthy of her love. It's a goal that seems simple enough, but the odyssey changes Tristan forever. It all starts when, instead of the "lump of rock" Tristan imagined, the star in question turns out to be a young woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes). She was felled from the sky by a ruby necklace thrown to the winds by a cruel king (Peter O'Toole) who decrees before he dies that whichever of his male heirs finds it will succeed him on the throne. At first, Yvaine's not too keen to help a stranger like Tristan, especially since his goal is to win over a selfish, though admittedly gorgeous, girl (Victoria, the object of Tristan's affection, is played by Sienna Miller). But Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), an old witch, is after Yvaine's heart -- literally; the witch must eat it to look forever young -- and without Tristan's help, the star might be hacked to pieces. (Oh, and then there's the prince who wants to get his mitts on the ruby.)

Clocking in at a long-but-fast-moving two hours and eight minutes, Stardust's plot is a bit overstuffed, Claire Danes comes off a little too serious in a charming but not-so-starry turn, and the many cameos are entertaining but a bit distracting, too. There are so many threads to keep track of that it's a wonder viewers don't end up in knots. But one detour, though overlong, needs no excuses because it's so much fun: Tristan and Yvaine's healing sojourn with Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro, absolutely amazing), a pirate who pretends to love being brutal but much prefers cooking, piano playing, hairdressing, and dancing in women's clothing.

The violence level is surprisingly high. Swords and knives are drawn left and right -- though cartoonishly enough, and little actual blood is shed (when it is, the color is blue, which somewhat mitigates the gore). The most brutal of the lot is Lamia, played with considerable relish by Pfeiffer, whose race against time is vividly captured through her falling hair and wrinkling skin (the special effects are top-notch). Could there be a bigger (guilty) pleasure than watching the always-luminous Pfeiffer look like a crone? As in most romantic movies, love conquers all in the end. And a late-breaking twist regarding Tristan's mother's true identity and what it means for him is especially delicious. But it's the lovers' journey to the denouement -- made more interesting by their adventures -- that ultimately makes Stardust so satisfying.