Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium [DVD]

Good film

Before I bought this film I read the reviews here. Most were very enthusiastic but a few were strangely antipathetic, suggesting that this was 'just' a movie for young children and should only be watched in the company of that demographic. Having watched it several times - without infant supervision - I find it just delightful. It was clearly made with love and that quality pervades it at every level. On third and fourth viewing it still makes me laugh out loud. It reminds me that when I was nine years old I had a wonderfully creative imagination - later in life it became amazingly destructive, but it doesn't have to be that way.The performances are excellent - Zack Mills is wonderful as nine-year-old Eric - Dustin Hoffman as Mr Magorium is delightful and seems to be channelling Ed Wynn's bumbling Fire Chief from the 1930s (the voice of the Mad Hatter in Disney's Alice in Wonderland) - Jason Bateman is convincing as Henry the grey-suited 'counting mutant' and gives us a glimpse of Dudley Moore from the 1960s when Henry tries pretending - Natalie Portman is enchanting as Molly Mahoney, pianist, composer and reluctant magical emporium proprietor, her fluid movement showing her early training as a dancer.I love the idea of a toyshop where all the toys are encouraged to play with the customers. I particularly like the self-assembly wooden dinosaur which tries to eat a Frisbee and manages to be out of sight every time the sceptical counting mutant looks round. If anyone doubts that it is a magical toy store, surely the fact that if it's upset it can turn grey and wrinkly proves it is magical.At first I felt very sorry for the authors of the unfavourable reviews and assumed they must be suffering from cherophobia or even triskaidekaphobia complicated by acute arachibutyrophobia. Now I suspect these reviews are brilliant works of parody, written in the style of Henry the 'mutant', before he learns to pretend - congratulations.For me this film's abiding message is "Your life is an occasion - rise to it" or just possibly "Please deposit additional 35 cents."

Dustin Hoffman channels his best Wonka impression in this movie (I ain't typing out such the long name) but sadly falls foul of a dull, undercooked screenplay that seems to go nowhere.We're expected to give a hoot about this toy shop guy that we've just met who happens to be dying, but I'm afraid it doesn't work that way.We don't even get a montage of any of the time this supposed 243-year old has been alive, nor an explanation of why he's not brown bread by now. Instead, we're just thrown in at the deep end with virtually no introduction to this 'magical emporium' and its owner, so any awe generated by either is strictly artificial.I couldn't help but think the film would be better as a mini-series. They could've set the origin of this 'amazing' store, given us a bit of backstory to the previous tenants... but alas, all we have is Hoffman mugging to the camera in a goofy voice and his bad puns. Sorry, not good enough.Then there's Natalie Portman. Dear, sweet Natalie Portman. I must say, that short hairdo has got to go. Oh and yes, she's totally miscast as Magorium's assistant who'll soon inherit his shop of miracles. She tried her hardest to feign amazement and excitement in her role, but it never connects. Was it her clout that got her through the audition stage? In any case, some casting agent surely messed up here.The fatal flaw here however, is the meandering script. Something vaguely interesting happens, then we get a sequence of seemingly unconnected sketches that could appear almost anywhere in the movie. Plus, tiresome cliches like the jaded accountant who just needs to FEEL the magic for it to exist, the small child who's much wiser than anyone else in the movie, the abrupt ending like everyone just gave up and went home... sheesh.Not wanting to be entirely negative, I will mention a few things I liked. There was no attempt at an unconvincing romance between Portman's character and the accountant... that was refreshing. Plus, some of the set design and effects were nice.If only they were in service of a better film, though. All in all, probably best avoided. 4/10

If you have ever been looked at as if you don’t belong or have been the “freak”, the “weirdo”, or the “mentally unhinged”, this film will hug you. In this charming story of an eccentric toy creator and his motley crew of misfits and ‘freaks’ we are shown exactly what we all feel as the outsiders. If you have heard anything negative about this film I prompt you to ignore it, it changed my outlook on death, and living, completely, and moved me and the other mentally ambiguous freaks to tears. Watch it.

I loved this movie as did the children in my class they are 10/11 years old. Would definitely recommend

Only if I could meet a girl is kind and is wonderful and as beautiful as the main female character in this film...!!Only if I could meet a friend as wonderful as the artistic character in this film...!!and only if I could meet a best friend and mentor like the owner of the shop played by Dustin Hoffman in real life...!!My life would be truly remarkable and wonderful and happy and all the pain and suffering that I have suffered at the hands of corrupt evil ignorant people with no longer exist...!!

Just as I remember it, I had watched it when I was younger with my family, and it still makes me cry with tears and all.I love it so much even though we don't see much of the life Mr Magorium lived we see how much he means to the people around him whether they know or not.We learn through Molly how becoming older can limit what we do through failure and get stuck about what we can't do rather than focusing on what we can do.Overall, a fantastic movie I loved every bit of it.