Saw Stardust

[trixtah]

Damn, sucked in by the reviews. I don't like Gaiman, and I don't like fairy stories, but since all the reviews hyped this "wonderful fantasy film", I thought it might be worth seeing. Alas, no. It's still a fairy story and it's still Gaimanesque (although I'm sure with way less of the creepy stuff he would have included in the novel, which I didn't read). Meh.

Evil witches and (not-quite-so) innocent maidens to rescue. >yawn< There were a few vaguely entertaining moments, including Robert De Niro as a screaming queen, although I note he failed to get properly "dressed". The movie hit a lot of fairy story tropes, but didn't play with them. And, you know, it felt like the same old tired sexist shit. Even Shrek manages to put much more amusing spin on all those things.

I still haven't put my finger on why I like fantasy and yet not fairy stories. Speaking of fantasy movies, I love The Princess Bride. But it's not a fairy story, although it's still boy-gets-girl. Westley doesn't discover he's really a prince. It's not magic that drives the plot. And it is actually funny, and does actually play with the tropes too. Hm.

Stardust wasn't a complete waste of money, but I would much rather have waited for the DVD, if I had to see it at all. Some nice cinematography, though.

ETA: Fixered wonky HMTL!

Comments

[buddleia.livejournal.com]

Ah, now, I do like Gaiman (I also live with the biggest Gaiman fanboy EVER) and I really liked Stardust the comic. I certainly didn't find it in any sense revolutionary but it was beautiful without being wanky and a 'fairy story' without being overly childish. In other words, I'm looking forward to the film!

We'll see...

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I seriously do not have the Gaiman gene. I really can't put my finger on why, although I don't like the creepy elements (I'm allergic to horror), and I do find him less-than-cheerful in general, even with the irony.

I did like some of the more amusing grown-up moments - I chuckled a few times.

I do hope you like the movie. Some of it might have been watered down to satisfy the PG rating, but I hope enough of the good elements were retained to make it good for Gaiman-lovers. :-)

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

And, you know, it felt like the same old tired sexist shit.

Amen. I liked the movie because I love fairytale stories, but I really long for a fairytale without the same old same old sexist crap.

I did enjoy De Niro's character a lot though.

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I think part of the reason that I don't like fairy tales is that there's often a moral element to them. In this one, it's about "unconditional love", which is a concept I don't believe in.

[thette.livejournal.com]

I want to make her earrings...

(Yes, beading is my current obsession.)

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Now, I thought the earrings were cool. I mean, I noticed them, so they must have been! :-)

Actually, I liked the costumes and sets the most out of the whole thing, it turns out.