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Movies / On DVD / Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

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Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

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Reviews Counted:120

Fresh:44

Rotten:76

Average Rating:4.9/10

Consensus: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium's title is much more fun that the film itself, as the colorful visuals and talented players can't make up for a bland story.

Rated: U

Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins

Genre: Childrens

Theatrical Release:14-12-2007

Synopsis: In writer-director Zach Helm's whimsical 2007 film, MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM, veteran actor Dustin Hoffman plays the title character, a 243-year-old toy-store owner who is ready to pass his... In writer-director Zach Helm's whimsical 2007 film, MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM, veteran actor Dustin Hoffman plays the title character, a 243-year-old toy-store owner who is ready to pass his enchanted business on to his beloved assistant, Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman). However, when Molly, a former composer and pianist, has doubts about taking over the (literally) magical store, and an uptight accountant (Jason Bateman) appears to assess the establishment, the many inhabitants of the Wonder Emporium begin to rebel, resulting in a chaotic situation that can be fixed only with the help of a shy, lonely boy (Zach Mills). A first-time director best known for his inventive STRANGER THAN FICTION screenplay, Helm ably--ahem--helms EMPORIUM, which clearly nods to the WONKA and TOY STORY movies without seeming derivative. Always one to dive gamely into a quirky role (see TOOTSIE, RAIN MAN, HOOK, etc.), Hoffman makes Magorium both silly and endearing, while Portman charms as his earnest protégé, and Bateman provides an enjoyable level of skepticism while enduring the nickname "The Mutant." Although the film's playful quality could veer toward excess, its thoughtful script and able actors allow it to stand out as a highly entertaining production. [More]

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman, Zach Mills

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman, Zach Mills

Director: Zach Helm

Director: Zach Helm
Producer: Richard N. Gladstein, James Garavente
Composer: Alexandre Desplat, Aaron Zigman
Studio: 20th Century Fox

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Reviews for Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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Although it's not set at Christmas, it's a great traditional yet contemporary festive treat.

Full Review Source: Heart 106.2 | comment Comment
01/22/08
Simon Thompson
Simon Thompson
Heart 106.2

Better to prepare your children for the world with a DVD of Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
12/14/07
Robert Hanks
Robert Hanks
Independent

In its favour, there's nothing here to upset the children. (Not, that is, unless they're allergic to Hoffman's hammy, Method-derived acting.)

Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph | comment 1 Comment
12/14/07
David Gritten
David Gritten
Daily Telegraph
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No wise child, let alone grown-up, will touch this with a turkey baster.

Full Review Source: Financial Times | comment Comment
12/14/07
Nigel Andrews
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times

You'd have to be a Scrooge to take against this, though it could use a little more Roald Dahl-ish bite, and a little less of the Hoffman twinkle. Needless to say, it all ends happily.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
12/14/07
Xan Brooks
Xan Brooks
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Things go badly wrong when eccentric Mr Magorium announces he has had enough of his 243 years on earth and has decided to pop his clogs.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
12/14/07
Sun Online

This is a lovely story for children under 14. Jason Bateman is the horrified and expensive plod who has to wind up Hoffman’s wild accounts. Portman is wonderful as the daffy heroine who needs to grow up and perhaps fall in love.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
12/14/07
James Christopher
James Christopher
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Trying with all its might to be endearing, the magic is simply missing. Hoffman is unbelievably annoying as the lisping Willy Wonka wannabe, while Portman looks uninterested.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
12/14/07
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

Mr Magorium’s Terrible Tedium.

Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK] | comment Comment
12/14/07
Daily Mail [UK]

No doubt intended to be a Christmas blockbuster - this pretty looking film is ultimately all wrapping, with nothing much to find inside.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
12/13/07
Kate Lloyd
Kate Lloyd
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Too dark for kids, too daffy for grown-ups. There’s the odd glimmer of charm, but beneath the fluttering FX and existential fluster, Helm has buried the most important toy in the box: a good story.

Full Review Source: Total Film | comment Comment
12/13/07
Total Film

Let’s not be too Scrooge-like; there are pockets of charm, and some of the effects are quite good.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
12/13/07
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Schmaltzy musical cues ensure we all get the message, but the desperately dull final third is likely to drive both kids and grown-ups to nose-picking, seat-kicking distraction.

Full Review Source: Sky Movies | comment Comment
12/13/07
Elliott Noble
Elliott Noble
Sky Movies

Structurally it’s a bit ragtag, but, as your mum would say, it has its heart in the right place. For all its wilful oddness it’s enchanting, imaginative and genuinely moving.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/13/07
Olly Richards
Olly Richards
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This children's tale of magical whimsy miraculously avoids even toying with violence - while confronting the finality of death head-on.

Full Review Source: Film4 | comment Comment
12/06/07
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Film4
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's a little sentimental, and the finale feels rushed, but along the way it's great fun.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
11/22/07
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

The wonderful fantasy elements Zach Helm was trying to tap into do not translate over to this particular toy store.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
06/17/09
Jamie Gillies
Jamie Gillies
Apollo Guide

For all its computer-generated effects and colorful sight gags, Magorium is a dreadfully prosaic movie, lacking charm and grace.

Full Review Source: ESplatter | comment Comment
07/12/08
Steve Biodrowski
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

A weak whimsical story with a good heart.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
07/06/08
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

The trailers make the movie look like the ickiest kind of whimsy, accompanied by obstreperous special effects, but the film itself is gasp-worthy.

Full Review Source: MSNBC | comment Comment
05/01/08
Alonso Duralde
Alonso Duralde
MSNBC
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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