Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Average rating

(61%)

Starring:	Natalie Portman \| Dustin Hoffman \| Jason Bateman
Director:	Zach Helm
Studio:	ICON HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time:	94 mins
Collections:	100 Hot Hits \| 100 Most Wanted
Genres:	Comedy \| Family \| Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Languages:	English
Released:	May 12, 2008
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Molly Mahoney (Portman) is the awkward and insecure manager of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, the strangest, most fantastic, most wonderful toy store in the world. But when Mr. Magorium, the 243 year-old eccentric who owns the store (Hoffman), bequeaths the store to her, a dark and ominous change begins to take over the once remarkable Emporium.

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Highest rated reviews

22 out of 23 people found the following review helpful:

A wonderous film....

PaulaWestwood from from Ashton-Under-Lyne, 3rd December, 2007

A piece of true cinemagic for young and old alike in the vein of Lemony Snicketts and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this is an amazing blend of mischief, fun and entertainment that just had the whole cinema riveted. Dustin Hoffmann was wonderous as the centuries old eccentric toy shop owner, aided by a lacking in confidence assistant (Natalie Portman), a straight laced 'by the book' accountant and a boy (Zach Mills - again excellent) who finds it difficult to make friends, partly because of his particular liking for hats. It just has all the mad fun and escapist magic that childrens (and olders) films should have and some sadly miss. For us this will be one of those played again films that when it comes to DVD we will end up wearing out the disc far before we ever wear out our enjoyment of the film, yep trust me it is that good. Definately recommended.

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11 out of 11 people found the following review helpful:

*** May contain spoilers ***

good but not as good as expected

A Customer from Leicester, 15th May, 2008

i really really wanted 2 see this film when it came out & the cinema but unfortunatly it wasn't how i expected dustin hoffman's voice is pure annoying! & the fantasy goes a tad ridiulous @ the end [you'll know what i mean!] i was a big fan of natalie portman but this film does her no justice! pretty much every shot of her is sitting on a bus pretending 2 play a piano! & wots with the relationship with dustin in it?! looked like he wanted them 2 b even closer...*ewwww* good points? its alrite 2 watch for entertainment if your bored! & the 'ball room' scene [literally a room of balls!] was entertaining fave bit? - the woman who opened the book 2 get an octopus on her head LMAO yehhhh that was goooood XD

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10 out of 11 people found the following review helpful:

A slight but enjoyable fantasy.

JJTimothy from , 18th January, 2008

Mr. Magorium, 243 years old proprietor of the eponymous magic toyshop, decides to pass it on to his assistant Mahoney and hires a straight-laced accountant, Henry, to get the books in order. Mahoney doesn't like the idea, nor does the shop which has a mind of its own and throws tantrums, but Magorium has his reasons. This is the directing début of Zach Helm, writer of Stranger Than Fiction, working from a script he wrote years ago and which does show signs of being an early effort. A framing device that presents the film as a memoir gives the feel of an adaptation but it would have been a slim volume with sequences of effects heavy slapstick padding out the running time. Not that these scenes aren't enjoyable mind you and Orson Welles said that a film studio was the best train set a boy ever had. With an entire toyshop to play with it's hardly surprising that Helm should get distracted now and then. When Helm does focus his attention on the characters he gets things right starting with Mr. Magorium himself- a twinkling, lisping eccentric who could have been horribly irritating. Mahoney is a frustrated composer who loves her job but worries that life is passing her by whilst Henry buckles down to working for these lunatics and grows to like them and the shop in spite of himself. Even a friendless child who frequents the shop is likeable and has a distinct personality rather than existing only to add syrup or slapstick. As writer and director Helm gets their interaction bang on with Magorium and Mahoney's beautifully written and simply staged final scene together the outstanding example of this. A relaxed Dustin Hoffman clearly enjoys himself as Mr. Magorium cleverly playing him as in touch with his inner child but not childish. Natalie Portman as Mahoney is appropriately cute and elfin but clearly has too much going on between her ears to really get away with wide-eyed and wonder-struck. Jason Bateman reprises his exasperated-but-coping-anyway act from Arrested Development and shines in moments when Henry comes out of his shell. For what it's worth I thought the film might benefit from Portman and Bateman switching roles- Bateman's straight face would have counterpointed the occasional chaos nicely. A scattered fable the whimsy is forced now and then and, even with its brief running time, the effects set-pieces seem like longueurs but there's fun to be had if you're in the mood.

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9 out of 9 people found the following review helpful:

*** May contain spoilers ***

A wonderful magical film

A Customer from London, 14th March, 2008

This is a lovely film with much going for it. Hoffman as usual is brilliant and Portman portrays his assistant beautifully and as for the 'mutant' brilliant. Kids of ages, 7,6,4 and even 1 liked parts of it and the older 2 loved the film from beginning to end witout any fidgeting or complaining. Perfect length and like many films have many ups and some downs (what is it with kids films that always make me cry). I think this film suffered from not being sdvertised as much as other releases of the time (Bee Movie one of them), but I am glad that I took my children to see it just from seeing it advertised on the trailer of another film. A thumbs up for me.

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