It’s about time someone poked fun at fantasy without resorting to incessant body humor and a Scottish accent. “Stardust” is a sublimely absurd yet surprisingly sweet film that works both as a fairy tale for adults and as a riotously witty send-up. It’s “The Princess Bride” on steroids. Even if the filmmakers might have been tripping, you shouldn’t see “Stardust” high: you might miss one of the plethora of verbal and visual gags calibrated particularly for the more warped senses of humor among us. A faint whiff of Monty Python hangs over the proceedings and is especially noticeable each of the numerous times convention takes a U-turn. However, despite the concept’s sprawl, the movie manages to hang together well. Tristan, winningly played by newcomer Charlie Cox, may be at the center of the story as a village shopboy willing to adventure for love. But it’s Claire Danes as Yvaine who is — apologies in advance – the star. When the girl of Tristan’s dreams asks him to bring her back a fallen star from the forbidden magical kingdom over the Wall, he gets more than he bargained for when the star turns out to be not a lump of metal but the feisty, sarcastic Yvaine. Her lively and luminous performance hits all the right notes. The sparks between Tristan and Yvaine are only part of the fun. The fallen star attracts other pursuers, among them a periodically decreasing number of fratricidal princes and a coven of evil witches. While that setup may sound a bit stereotypical, the execution is thankfully anything but. Our hero’s quest is considerably enlivened by dialogue that comes out of left field and a consistent flow of absurd beats, with a weird and wonderful parade of memorable supporting characters. As the lead witch, Michelle Pfeiffer stakes a claim as best sport of the century underneath pounds of ugly makeup, hideous wigs, and broad acting. Peter O’Toole, in a small role as the dying king, shows why someone needs to get him an Oscar before he keels over. And seeing Robert De Niro prance around in a petticoat alone is worth the price of admission. The popularity of fantasy films has exploded of late as “The Lord of the Rings” and Harry Potter went mainstream. Alas, quality and originality have not always kept pace, and the genre has lately been wearing a big “kick me” sign on its back. “Stardust” kicks with love. Its laughs come from brilliant subversion of fantasy conventions – there’s not a pop culture reference in sight – but it simultaneously embraces those conventions to create a sprawling, original and wholly engaging film. That’s a tough line to walk, and “Stardust” does it with a style all its own. Rating: Three stars (out of four) “Stardust” is rated PG-13. It is now playing at the Regal Green Hills and the Hollywood 27.