Film Reviews

Laura's Star

• Rating:
• Director: Thilo Graf Rothkirch and Piet De Rycker
• Starring: Maximilian Artajo, Peter Fitz, Hildegard Krekel, Eva Mattes, Mirco Nontschew, Martin Reini, Celine Vogt.
• Details: Ger/ 81 mins/ (U)

Drab and rather humorless, Laura's Star (nee Lauras Stern) is a German animated film that isn't particularly skilled at hiding its influences. The plot, which owes more than a passing debt of gratitude to ET, centers on Laura (Celine Vogt), an unhappy seven-year-old who desperately wants to be an astronaut. Laura's life is changed dramatically when a star falls from the sky, injuring itself in the process. After Laura patches the little fella up and brings him home, the star has a dramatic impact on her world, bringing her toys to life and generally making her days a whole lot better. However, the longer he stays on earth, the weaker his powers become and Laura's soon got a big decision to make regarding her new pal... If you can't guess what happens next, you probably represent the perfect demographic for Laura's Star. Limited in terms of imagination and scope, the film's animation has a dull feel to it, which isn't helped by the bland and emotionless plot. In other words - don't bother.

Review by Garreth Murphy