Lightweight and light-hearted, Thilo Rothkirch and Piet De Rycker's Laura's Star (Lauras Stern, 2004) is a storybook come to life...literally. Based on the popular children's series by author Klaus Baumgart, this good-natured, charming tale offers a basic but entertaining story that the whole family can enjoy. The visual style and narrative are highly reminiscent of Japanese legend Hayao Miyazaki's work (most notably Spirited Away), offering a solid combination of fantasy and adventure for children of all ages. Though it doesn't break any new animated ground, Laura's Star is a likeable enough effort, thanks in part to the fine visuals, music, and relatively brisk pace.

Our heroine is Laura, a seven year-old girl whose family has just moved to a new town. She's understandably upset, as the comforts and familiarities of her old home are noticeably gone: her apple tree, her favorite spot on the hill, even a few friends. Laura's parents are particularly two-dimensional (pun partially intended, of course), but this tale is from a kid's perspective: Mom's there to offer occasional advice, while Dad makes corny jokes and reads his paper. Laura's younger brother Tommy adds another layer of innocence, appearing timid and cowardly compared to his precocious older sister. Still, her pride can only go so far: she's basically alone in a new town, without any real friends to help pass the time.

Things change one evening when the young girl finds an injured star in a nearby park. It seems to have lost part of its leg (or "point", really) after it crash-landed; like young Laura, it too is stuck in a strange new place. She rescues it, fixing the broken leg with a bandage, eager to have made a new friend. Laura naturally keeps her new friend hidden from prying eyes---much like E.T. or The Iron Giant---but it's tough to keep under wraps. The star not only helps young Laura float and fly, but it also turns inanimate objects (like stuffed animals and other toys) to living, breathing friends. Unfortunately, like E.T. and The Iron Giant, the new friend eventually has to return home. There's no real danger or villain on display here, though; by and large, Laura's Star is a linear story through and through.

The visual style, again, is comparable to Miyazaki: characters aren't particularly detailed or fluid, but the backgrounds are colorful and creative. Laura's narrative, though sometimes excessive, is appropriate in this case: she's seven years old and full of questions. The score by Hans Zimmer (The Lion King, Gladiator) helps to elevate certain scenes nicely, especially the uplifting but understated main theme. Unfortunately, the original German language track hasn't been included on this DVD by Warner Bros.; with that said, the voice work is well-done in a variety of languages, most of which match lip movements almost perfectly.

Though primarily aimed at young girls, Laura's Star is a good-natured animated adventure that will entertain those outside its target audience. The DVD presentation by Warner is a nice package for the asking price, though a number of nitpicks (including the original language omission) keep it from being a truly well-rounded package.

Presented in its original 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio, Laura's Star suffers slightly from a lack of anamorphic enhancement---especially frustrating, considering the main menus are 16x9 enhanced. Even so, the film still looks quite good, boasting a clean image and a warm, natural color palette. Digital combing and edge enhancement also didn't seem to be a problem, though a few minor jagged edges can be spotted along the way.

The audio is also acceptable (though almost equally frustrating), as Laura's Star does not include a German mix...despite the fact that it is, of course, a German film. Despite this problem, the European English Dolby 5.1 dub is certainly enjoyable, boasting clean, clear dialogue and a subtly strong atmosphere. Also included is a Dolby 5.1 French track, as well as 2.0 mixes in Spanish or Portuguese. Optional subtitles are not offered during the main feature, though Closed Captioning is available if your setup supports it.

All bonus features are presented in 1.33:1 with non-anamorphic film clips, while the audio is in German with optional English subtitles. A feature-length audio commentary would've been most welcome, but what's included here should be enough for casual fans of the film.

Though not quite a "modern classic", Laura's Star is a charming, imaginative film that the whole family can enjoy. The animation is simple yet elegant, while Hans Zimmer's wonderful score helps this 80-minute film move along smoothly. Warner Bros.' DVD presentation is adequate but frustrating, as the lack of anamorphic enhancement---not to mention a German language track and English subtitles---brings down the overall score a few points. Luckily, a handful of appropriate bonus features help to round things out a bit. Most families should consider this a solid rental, as Laura's Star is a relatively obscure release that's worth looking out for. Rent It.