Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Director:

Zach Helm

Writer (WGA):

Zach Helm (written by)

Release Date:

16 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

You have to believe it to see it.

Plot:

Molly Mahoney 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, bequeaths the store to her, a dark and ominous change begins to take over the once remarkable Emporium.

Plot Keywords:

Toy Store | Accountant | Piano | Composer | Hat

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Ted Ludzik	...	Bellini, the Bookbuilder
Natalie Portman	...	Molly Mahoney, the Composer
Zach Mills	...	Eric Applebaum, the Hat Collector
Dustin Hoffman	...	Mr. Edward Magorium, Avid Shoe-Wearer
Madalena Brancatella	...	Jessica, Who Got a Cowboy Hat
Paula Boudreau	...	Brenda, Who Wants a Mobile
Mike Realba	...	Dave Wolf, Who's an Engineer
Steve Whitmire	...	Kermit the Frog (voice)
Liam Powley-Webster	...	Andy, the Boy Who Likes to Color
Marcia Bennett	...	Lora, Who Wants a Fire Engine
Jason Bateman	...	Henry Weston, the Mutant
Oliver Masuda	...	Jordan, Who Said Hi
Samantha Harvey	...	Cassie, the Girl Chased by a Goose
Jesse Bostick	...	Derek, Who Opened the Door
Isaac Durnford	...	Jason, Who's a Little Too Curious

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:G | UK:U | Ireland:G | South Africa:A | Australia:G | Canada:G (all jurisdictions) | Taiwan:GP | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | Singapore:PG | Germany:o.Al. | South Korea:All | Hong Kong:I | Switzerland:0 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | New Zealand:G | Portugal:M/6 | Sweden:Btl | Finland:K-3 | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Cinespace Film Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

FilmColony

Trivia:

Release prints were delivered to theaters with the fake title 'Magic Shop'.

Goofs:

Continuity: The length of Natalie Portman's hair changes inconsistently throughout the movie. Dramatic differences can be noted during the hospital scene where in various shots it appears at both it's shortest and longest.

Quotes:

Mr. Edward Magorium: A stroke, you unbrookable ninny. The only stroke I have ever had is one of genius.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in I Love You, Man (2009)

Soundtrack:

Jenifer Juniper

Kind of a letdown

Seeing the trailer, I imagined a dreamy, whimsical story where I could lose myself in the lost days of my childhood. Director Zach Helm certainly aspires to create something like that, but it doesn't quite work.

This is undoubtedly a kids' movie. Watching this movie with anything else in mind will ruin it for you. It's simple, with a little moral, but it has some great visuals.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a magical toy store, run by an eccentric old man named Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman). Its manager is Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman) who was a piano prodigy as a child but is too nervous to take it any further. Eric (Zach Mills) is a lonely kid who has trouble making friends (except for Molly and Mr. Magorium). There's also Henry Weston (aka The Mutant) who is hired to take care of the financial business, but he has no imagination and no sense of fun. These are the central characters in the movie. When Mr. Magorium suddenly says he's leaving and is giving Molly the store, Molly doesn't know what to do.

I think Zach Helm wanted to make a whimsy adventure like "Toys," only better. The effects and visuals work...to a point (the potential for magic in Hot Wheels cars only goes so far). There's a lot of color and feeling, but it all leaves something to be desired.

The acting is not spectacular, but the actors do what is called for. The only actor who really sticks out in my mind is Jason Bateman, who displays a wide range of acting ability.

"Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" is a solid effort, but won't go down in history as a classic family movie.