Movie fairy tales are precious things. It takes just the right touch to bring kings and unicorns to the big screen in a way that won’t make grownups squirm. Stardust, against long odds, manages it. Adapted from the novel by Neil Gaiman and directed by Matthew Vaughn, Stardust follows a naïve village boy (Charlie Cox) who sets out to capture a fallen star (Claire Danes) and along the way encounters murderous princes, flying pirates and evil witches (including a wonderful Michelle Pfeiffer). Game turns by other pros such as Robert De Niro and Peter O’Toole add to the fun, which is one part wickedness and two parts whimsy.
