Susan Hated Literature

Nov 06 2007

Stardust

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir: Matthew Vaughn
Writ: Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn based on book by Neil Gaiman

Charlie Cox … Tristan

Ian McKellen … Narrator (voice)

David Kelly … Guard

Kate Magowan … Slave Girl / Una

Sienna Miller … Victoria

Peter O’Toole … King

Mark Strong … Septimus

Jason Flemyng … Primus

Rupert Everett … Secundus

David Walliams … Sextus

Michelle Pfeiffer … Lamia

Claire Danes … Yvaine

Robert De Niro … Captain Shakespeare

I read this book a while ago and really enjoyed it, so I wasn’t too sure if I’d enjoy the film. You know the way they always change stuff. But I try to pretend that it is a brand new story and not based on any book, course that doesn’t always work, but I do try.

Anyway, I’m happy to report that Stardust is just a lovely film. It is the story of a young man who goes on a quest into the faerie world to bring back a star in order to prove his love. Only across “the wall” he finds that the star is actually a woman, and that there are others looking to find her, and for slightly more nefarious reasons.

Tags: 8 Stars, awww, based on book, Charlies Cox, charming, Claire Danes, david Kelly, David Williams, enchanting, faerie, ghosts, Ian McKellen, Jane Goldman, Kate magowan, Mark Strong, Matthew Vaughn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Neil Gaiman, Peter O'Toole, pirates, Ricky Gervais, Robert de Niro, romance, Rupert Everett, sff, Sienna Miller, star, Stardust

7 responses so far

Mar 02 2007

The Good Shepherd

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir: Robert de Niro
Writ: Eric Roth

Matt Damon - Edward Bell Wilson
Angelina Jolie - Clover/Margaret Ann Russell
Alec Baldwin - Sam Murach
Tammy Blanchard - Laura

This is the story of Edward Wilson, a man who has believed in the United States of America all his life, who has always done what he thinks is right, a spy, a husband, a father. The story of the emergence of the CIA, of the Cold War, of Castro and Cuba, of relationships and love and loyalty and family. Of secrets and lies, or truth and betrayal.

Surely with all that going on it should have been a good, film?
Not so much. My god! was I ever bored sitting through this. The character of Edward Wilson was not a verbose one, which is fine, if you get across that there is something going on underneath the quiet. Not here. Damon came across as merely dumbstruck. There was never any real indication of his abilities as a spy, just a lot of him standing there, silent.

And at 167 minutes long, you really should have someone that the audience can engage with. Whether to root for, or despise, or just be interested in. I didn’t care about any of what was going on. The only thing that maybe worked, was the sense that in the end it was all worthless. The Cold War, the espionage, which side you were on — it all meant nothing. But that wasn’t pushed enough either. Instead it came across as a boring, boring film. Occasionally while watching I did think to myself, oh that’s a nice shot, but nice shots don’t make a film. And neither do attempts to mean something. Your film has to either entertain, or have meaning. This had neither.

IMDb | Film School Rejects | Blogalism | Mellow-Drama

Tags: 4 Stars, Alec Baldwin, Angelina Jolie, Bored Now!, CIA, Edward Wilson, Eric Roth, Matt Damon, Robert de Niro, spy, Tammy Blanchard, The Good Shepherd, War

4 responses so far

Jan 15 2006

Hide and Seek

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Come out come out whatever you are

Robert De Niro - David Callaway
Dakota Fanning - Emily Callaway
Famke Janssen - Katherine

After Emily Callaway’s mother commits suicide her father decide to take her away to a house in the woods to help her get over the trauma. But Emily seems to be getting worse. She starts talking to a new friend, Charlie, and he seems to be a bad influence. Her father David, a psychologist tries to use this imaginary friend to help Emily work through her issues. While the audience is left to wonder is Charlie really imaginary? Is he a ghost or the neighbour’s dead child? And why are the locals acting a little strange?