Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Magical

Let me make this clear first. I didn't watch this film with any children, nor am I some sort of child in a mans body. I'm a lover of movies that seek to entertain, inspire and teach. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium does all three and the supporting cast to Dustin Hoffman really make this movie work.

Dustin Hoffman plays the eccentric toy shop owner who's over 240 years old and a believer in magic. One day he tells his dependable shop manager, Mahoney played by Natalie Portman that he's "Leaving." Firstly he must hire an accountant who we come to know solely as Mutant played by Jason Bateman to sort out all his paperwork, all 240 years worth. This becomes a story of friendship, love, belief and living life to the full to achieve all you wanted to achieve.

There are times in this film when it becomes truly heart wrenching. Especially the scene where Magorium finally leaves, but you become accepting of this, as that's what the movie's all about. Moving on. A very entertaining film for the entire family to enjoy and is something I'd strongly recommend July 18, 2008

Funny Movie

This is a funny movie. Dustin Hoffman is outstanding in his role (especially when he talks to the zebra). July 17, 2008

Underrated, a fantastic movie

People didn't really "get" this movie when it came out in November, partly because it looks like a cross between Willy Wonka and Pee Wee's Big Adventure. It's actually a movie about friendship, and death. And it's really funny. July 10, 2008

LACKS THE MAGIC OF WONKA

Take Willy Wonka out of the chocolate factory and put him in a toy story and you essentially have Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Like Wonka, Mr. Magorium (Hoffman) is a playful eccentric with wild hair, and a penchant for bizarre behavior. His old world story is nestled between high rise building and it's no wonder as he has owned the store for over 200 years. Toys virtually come to life inside the store, playing with the customers as much as they play with the. The store has an inter-dimensional quality to it as a certain door can lead to different rooms with the turn of a dial on the wall. The large, dusty store catalog can materialize its toys from thin air just by turning its pages.

Molly Mahoney (Portman) is the store manager and we learn immediately that while she loves working there, she feels incomplete for having never pursued her dream to be a concert pianist. This is underscored when a former college classmate comments that he didn't know that she was still working at the store. For shy 9-year-old Eric, the store is a sanctuary as he has no friends his age. Because Mr. Magorium has never kept book or paid taxes (sure, like the IRS would let him get away with that for 200 years!) he hires accountant Henry Weston (Bateman) to get the books in order.

Magorium startles Molly by announcing that his time in the world is up and he intends to leave the store to her. Molly refuses to believe that's he's going to die and turns down the offer. This causes the store to lose all its magic. Its bright red walls turn black and the toys are now lifeless. Henry and Eric have to convince Molly that she has to take over the store in order to save it.

Again, the parallels with Wonka are many, even down to the owner needing to find someone younger to take over. However, while Wonka was laced with often biting commentary about the behavior of spoiled kids and their parents, Magorium has none of this conflict. Henry's unresolved issues about having friends his age remain unresolved. Molly's dreams of becoming a pianist are tossed aside. Only Henry gets to grow, realizing that he cannot be all work and no play.

The film does have some nice special effects that bring the wonder and magic of the store alive but there's not much magic in the predictable and unsatisfying script. It's riddled with clichés which try to force the viewer into knowing when to laugh and cry and be overjoyed. On the plus side it's a film most kids, especially younger kids will adore and it is good, clean family entertainment.

Extras

The DVD does come with several featurettes:

Strangely Weird and Weirdly Strange: The Magical World Of A Wonder Emporium

An Eccentric Boss And An Awkward Apprentice

To Meet Eric Applebaum, Start By Saying Hi

The Magical Toy Store Featurette
June 23, 2008

Worst Movie of the Year

With Dustin Hoffman being a wonderful actor and Natalie Portman being a wonderful actress, I was extremely disappointed. I would have walked out of the theater if I had known the movie was this bad. The special effects were ok but the general story line was at most yawnfully unpleasant. For most this should have been one of the straight to home video movies that no one should ever see. June 22, 2008

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