An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
Nick Curtis's rating
Reader rating
Dir: Matthew Vaughn.
Cast: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer
Description: Village boy Tristan is madly in love with Victoria but she only has eyes for dashing bounder Humphrey. In order to prove his love, Tristan agrees to bring Victoria a fallen star and he crosses into a magical realm, where Prince Septimus and the witch Lamia also seek the star. Tristan manages to reach the crash site first, where he discovers that the star is in fact a girl called Yvaine, who dearly needs his help to return safely to the heavens.
Country: UK. 2007. 127mins
Butter wouldn't melt: Michelle Pfeiffer embraces her role as Lamia with relish
Gruesome hag: Lamia wants to restore her youth and no wonder
You've got to admire Matthew Vaughn's cheek. As the follow-up to his coldly slick gangster thriller Layer Cake he delivers a visually dazzling fantasy with enough romantic derring-do to hook children.
For the grown-ups there's a sardonic undertow and a virtual embarrassment of playful star cameos. Who else could lure Michelle Pfeiffer out of retirement to play a gruesome hag, cast Robert De Niro as a cross-dressing pirate, and relegate the cream of British acting and comedy talent to mere bit parts? I really wanted to love this audacious enterprise. Unfortunately, poor pacing and a clunky script (co-written by Vaughn and Jonathan Ross's wife, Jane Goldman) drag Stardust's flights of fancy too often down to earth.
In Stormhold, a magical kingdom adjacent to a prettified 19th century English village, a star has fallen to earth, in the beguiling shape of Clare Danes. Young Tristan, gawkily played by newcomer Charlie Cox, captures her to impress the vain village beauty (Sienna Miller). But Pfeiffer's crone Lamia wants to eat the star's heart to restore her own youth, beauty and power.
And for reasons too confused to explain, the fratricidal sons of Peter O'Toole's king need her to succeed the throne of Stormhold. Tristan and his prize therefore embark on a picaresque adventure that, naturally enough, turns into a love story.
The whole thing is beautifully art-directed and ceaselessly inventive, like Terry Gilliam at his most family-friendly. But the story is in desperate need of pruning and the dialogue refuses to come alive, especially in the romantic interludes.
Pfeiffer embraces the role of Lamia with relish, and like Danes offers a credible English accent. De Niro, sadly, is not very convincingly camp, and looks uncomfortable throughout. At least he gets a decent slice of screen time. O'Toole appears embalmed in his fleeting appearances, and the likes of Rupert Everett, David Walliams, and many others are underused.
Stardust is charming but, even though Vaughn has come a long way since he was Guy Ritchie's producer, it doesn't show him in full control of a director's skills.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
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Stardust was a great film - perhaps edited so as to appeal to greatest audience base, but the performance by Charlie Cox was the perfect amount of boyish vulnerability and quiet heroism. The critic of this piece suffers what most do -underappreciating subtle humour. Instead of needing to be whitewashed by overly dramatic films, Stardust delivers exactly what it was made to - an enjoyable, adventurous bit of fun.
- Jane Mulvihill, Brisbane, Australia
Morning:
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