Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) owns and runs the most magical store in the universe, where all of the toys for sale are alive. But, when the aging shopkeeper decides to retire and sell the business to his faithful cashier (Natalie Portman), he hires an uptight accountant (Jason Bateman) to get his affairs in order.
Equal parts whimsical and bittersweet, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a family-friendly movie that will charm youngsters. Dustin Hoffman stars in the titular role of an eccentric 243-year-old owner of a magical toy store. He doesn't appear to be sick, but he has lived a long and happy life and is content to leave his emporium to his employee Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman). A former child prodigy who has grown up unsure of herself, she barely knows who she is, much less what she wants to become. Molly is both frightened that her beloved boss is leaving and that she will be left in charge of a store she doesn't know how to run. "Are you dying?" she asks him. Magorium points out, "Light bulbs die, my dear. I am departing." His take on death is both comforting and matter of fact, things younger viewers may find soothing when dealing with mortality. Though the film has drawn comparisons to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this G-rated venture is less dark, curious and interesting than the former. Still, it offers dazzling visuals and a premise that who you are isn't equivalent with who you think you are. Adult moviegoers may find the premise cloying and repetitive. But seen from a child's eye, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is indeed a magical place for a short visit. --Jae-Ha Kim
Beyond Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Books
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Toys and Games
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Stills from Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Mr. Magorium's:
This is my granddaughter's favorite movie. I appreciated the quick service and excellent product.
Fantasy that falls a little short of good.:
This movie was ordered on an impulse; I'd heard some good things about it and decided to try it out. After watching it once, I had not seen it when it was released in the theaters; it impressed me as a moderately charming fantasy if you were prepared to accept its assumptions. This is true of most movies and I usually don't have too much trouble doing that but this time it just didn't seem to work as well for me. The production of the movie seemed too formulaic, the impression is they were just trying... more info
It's like "The Neverending Story":
Honestly, I am 23 years old. I watched this movie because it was written and directed by Zach Helm, who did "Stranger Than Fiction". I was hoping for something as creative and meaningful as that movie, but I was disappointed. This movie is for children, and it's special effects are now(2010) severely outdated(and not in a charming way). The plot is similar to "The Neverending Story", except newer and more complicated. Some of the "magical" scenes seem to drag on awkwardly long and don't add anything to the... more info
Magical!:
This is a wonderous dvd. I received it in a timely manner. Thank you!!
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