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Stardust wound up as my favorite film of the year.
But, did I say "wait, that's not all"? Well, that's not all. As the King's other six sons, the dead ones now spirits, we have Jason Flemying, Rupert Everett, Mark Heap, Julian Rhind-Tutt, David Walliams, and Adam Buxton. Then, we've got Nathaniel Parker ("Inspector Lynley") as the older Dunstan Thorn, the father of our hero. And Ricky Gervais ("The Office") as Ferdie the Fence (a funny fellow made all the funnier with the voice of a chicken; you gotta see it). And, saving the best for last, Robert De Niro as Captain Shakespeare, an eccentric pirate chief with more than a few surprises up his sleeve and in his closet. The filmmakers wrap up the whole thing by casting no less than Ian McKellan ("Lord of the Rings") as the narrator.
The humor is sometimes subtle, always amusing, and certainly witty. The adventure is continual (and sometimes quite exciting). The romance is sweet and affecting (I mean, what could be more passionate than a lovely maiden declaring her love to a rodent). The themes of a boy becoming a man and a star becoming mortal are touching. The epic fantasy score by Ilan Eshkeri is effective. And the visuals are always a pleasure (the Scottish, English, and Icelandic countrysides used to good effect, as well as the creative CGI). Moreover, the pace never slackens for a moment (despite the screen often being crowded with a good deal of busywork). Really, I loved it.
Video:
Here's the thing: I believe the filmmakers intended the movie to have a slightly soft focus, probably to underline the fairy-tale quality of the plot. This is what shows up in Paramount's MPEG4/AVC, 1080-resolution, 2.35:1 aspect-ratio, HD DVD transfer. The reproduction doesn't have the sharp outlines of some of the high-definition "Harry Potter" fantasies, for instance, but the softness is undoubtedly intentional, and in any case is hardly a matter for discussion because it enhances the story. The picture looks fine, sometimes even too bright to the point of looking a smidgeon washed out. There is also a small degree of print grain that gives the image a realistic texture, so you know you're watching a real film and not a glossy clean, digitally scrubbed picture.
Audio:
The HD DVD's Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio uses one of the most intensive surround tracks you'll find. One notices the rear-channel effects almost immediately, evident from the very beginning of the tale when young Dunstan Thorn first enters Stormhold. The sounds of the town put you dead on in the lad's position. What's more, the soundtrack is one of the most natural you'll find, especially noticeable in the smoothness of voices. Then, too, you'll find excellent clarity and focus in the midrange and a strong dynamic impact, even though the response seems a trifle light in the deepest bass.
Extras:
There aren't many but there are worthwhile bonuses on the "Stardust" HD DVD. The first and most important is "Good Omens: The Making of Stardust." Done up in high definition, this twenty-nine minute documentary provides behind-the-scenes commentary from the author, director, producer, filmmakers, and stars on the movie's production. In addition, there are about five minutes of deleted scenes and five minutes of bloopers, both in standard-def, and a theatrical trailer in high definition.
The extras close out with eighteen scene selections but no chapter insert; English, French, and Spanish spoken languages; English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles; English captions for the hearing impaired; and, of course, Paramount's usual HD DVD features like pop-up menus, bookmarks, timeline, and Elite Red HD case.
Parting Thoughts:
If you find the sum of the movie somewhat less than the parts themselves, so be it. One could make a persuasive argument that Neil Gaiman has a multitude of inventive ideas floating around in his head and can't restrain himself from putting too many of them into a single narrative. Consequently, "Stardust" is an episodic story; yet most fairy tales are, filled with one daring escapade after another. Just be glad this one carries you away on its flights of fancy rather than leaving you earthbound or puzzling over just what happened; or, worse, bored by constant, needless motion and loud, unnecessary sound.
And what do you mean, do "they still live happily ever after?" As Captain Shakespeare would say, "Aaawwwrrrrrrrrrrr...."
The humor is sometimes subtle, always amusing, and certainly witty. The adventure is continual (and sometimes quite exciting). The romance is sweet and affecting (I mean, what could be more passionate than a lovely maiden declaring her love to a rodent). The themes of a boy becoming a man and a star becoming mortal are touching. The epic fantasy score by Ilan Eshkeri is effective. And the visuals are always a pleasure (the Scottish, English, and Icelandic countrysides used to good effect, as well as the creative CGI). Moreover, the pace never slackens for a moment (despite the screen often being crowded with a good deal of busywork). Really, I loved it.
Video:
Here's the thing: I believe the filmmakers intended the movie to have a slightly soft focus, probably to underline the fairy-tale quality of the plot. This is what shows up in Paramount's MPEG4/AVC, 1080-resolution, 2.35:1 aspect-ratio, HD DVD transfer. The reproduction doesn't have the sharp outlines of some of the high-definition "Harry Potter" fantasies, for instance, but the softness is undoubtedly intentional, and in any case is hardly a matter for discussion because it enhances the story. The picture looks fine, sometimes even too bright to the point of looking a smidgeon washed out. There is also a small degree of print grain that gives the image a realistic texture, so you know you're watching a real film and not a glossy clean, digitally scrubbed picture.
Audio:
The HD DVD's Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio uses one of the most intensive surround tracks you'll find. One notices the rear-channel effects almost immediately, evident from the very beginning of the tale when young Dunstan Thorn first enters Stormhold. The sounds of the town put you dead on in the lad's position. What's more, the soundtrack is one of the most natural you'll find, especially noticeable in the smoothness of voices. Then, too, you'll find excellent clarity and focus in the midrange and a strong dynamic impact, even though the response seems a trifle light in the deepest bass.
Extras:
There aren't many but there are worthwhile bonuses on the "Stardust" HD DVD. The first and most important is "Good Omens: The Making of Stardust." Done up in high definition, this twenty-nine minute documentary provides behind-the-scenes commentary from the author, director, producer, filmmakers, and stars on the movie's production. In addition, there are about five minutes of deleted scenes and five minutes of bloopers, both in standard-def, and a theatrical trailer in high definition.
The extras close out with eighteen scene selections but no chapter insert; English, French, and Spanish spoken languages; English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles; English captions for the hearing impaired; and, of course, Paramount's usual HD DVD features like pop-up menus, bookmarks, timeline, and Elite Red HD case.
Parting Thoughts:
If you find the sum of the movie somewhat less than the parts themselves, so be it. One could make a persuasive argument that Neil Gaiman has a multitude of inventive ideas floating around in his head and can't restrain himself from putting too many of them into a single narrative. Consequently, "Stardust" is an episodic story; yet most fairy tales are, filled with one daring escapade after another. Just be glad this one carries you away on its flights of fancy rather than leaving you earthbound or puzzling over just what happened; or, worse, bored by constant, needless motion and loud, unnecessary sound.
And what do you mean, do "they still live happily ever after?" As Captain Shakespeare would say, "Aaawwwrrrrrrrrrrr...."
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