Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
You have to believe it to see it.
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.
| 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 Performed By |
| 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 |
| Zach Helm |
6.00 out of 10 (1109 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Could have used a "better" ending, however GREAT for KIDS
posted on 24 Aug 2009The movie was great for kids! My girls loved it... however.... the ending was a little short.... of course for kids it was probably perfect.. This is the first movie I have seen in quite some time that did not have fowl language, nudity and inappropriate gestures, and was actually GOOD CLEAN FUN! The color and animation was great and seeing Kermit with the kids was awesome! Even though the movie ended a little sooner than what I would have liked ( considering what you pay for movies these days) its a very nice change of pace.. Dustin Hoffeman plays an excellent part and to see how children really can have a difficult time making friends, it nice to see the relation. Most movies are all about who is popular, and what are they doing now, however this movie I have to say, displayed a REAL story and left you feeling really good! Perfect for a before the holidays movie! As I stated I would have liked a more elaborate ending, with maybe a little less of the feeling that you are left hanging... but maybe this is the start to a sequel
Excellent movie for people of all ages.
posted on 16 Aug 2009WONDERFUL MOVIE!!!!If you like movies that contain wonder and magic, you should watch this one... This movie contains all the surprises you could imagine in a little toy store. I thought it was perfect for people of all ages because sometimes people really do need to believe in themselves and I know everyone enjoys a little magic. THis movie was very touching. Natalie Portman is an awesome actressand i think she did great in this movie being a pianist. Somehow everyone learns something from this movie. I give it 9/10. Give it a try!!
Not as Odious as I expected....
posted on 02 Aug 2009I went in to it expecting a total clunker .... not just because it looked like a horrible Willy Wonka ( the original! ) rip-off, but moreso because the formerly legendary Mr. Hoffman ( Graduate, Strawdogs, Lenny, Midnight Cowboy etc... ) now acts so annoying and whiny in movies ( killing Perfume and Stranger than Fiction for me ) that I truly thought I was headed for a long night.....Gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised.... Mr. Hoffman's role was no Benjamin Braddock, nor was it ( of course ) one one hundredths of Mr. Wilder's performance but, overall, the movie goes for the same type of magic that the original Willy Wonka had, and even had a little bit of Harold and Maude thrown in there too... ( they even had one scene where they were playing some Cat Stevens )..this, as inspiration, surely ain't a bad thing in the least, which is why I sorta enjoyed it....In general, I'd say I liked it more than my five year old son did... ( there was nowhere near enough special effects to keep him interested ) ... I even got a little bit teary-eyed when Natalie Portman and Sir Dustin were dancing in the park together, popping those packing bubble things...I can actually see this one growing in stature as the years go by....
For the child still inside your heart, this is a delightful film.
posted on 29 Jul 2009I watched this film expecting a bland edition of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" couldn't be more wrong. What starts off as a simple kids film quickly changes into a happy dramatic(Somewhat) masterpiece. If the child is still pulling the strings in your heart you will not be disappointed in the slightest. Dustin Hoffman stars a magical, quarky, odd, and eccentric Mr. Magorium. Magorium an owner a magical Toy store, and a good friend towards adults and kids alike is by far a great performance. He gave the character a great sense of purpose. His acting is supreme.Natalie Portman stars as Molly Mohane an aspiring pianist with an incredible sense of humor, and many quarks. Mahone is struggling in her attempts to write a musical piece. Ms. Portmans acting is perfect.One scene in particular made me smile, a beeming one. Mahone and Magorium spend a day together, their first stop on this adventure is at a bed store, where Magorium and Mahoney yell "Triskidekaphobia" and jump on the stores beds which will force you to smile. Another is when Mshoney has Magorium dance on Bubble wrap the musical notes that follow this scene shows true talent in the films composer. The scene (Spoiler alert!!!) Where Magorium's time is up, is beyond all words, the music is beautiful and dramatic, he goes with a flourish, it will no matter what make you sad, but smile at the same time!This film will remind you what it was like being a kin believing in magic and the fact that anything is possible you know the good Ole days before becoming an adult, in my opinion that is great. If your looking for a smile feast this is your film! I'm 18 and I absolutely adored this film. See it!
Entertaining for people of all ages
posted on 29 Jul 2009This film is about a magical toy store that can make anything and everything happen.This film is really magical. Right from the beginning, the amazing toys brings viewers into all the sweet memories of childhood! The vibrant colours and the plentiful magical toys are captivating to say the least. The characters are lively and engaging, particularly Eric (the weird one out) and Henry (the non believer). The plot is innovative, as I could never have imagined a toy store that could throw temper! Apart from the fantasy elements, the emotional subplot is also engaging and touching. It is a great family film. It entertains people of all ages, and it also reminds us to believe in ourselves.
Great movie for most audiences
posted on 17 Jul 2009In my opinion, I think that this is a great movie for all audiences. I admit that I was very skeptical at seeing this when I first saw the trailers. I thought that all the colors and moving objects would deter from the actual movie. I couldn't have been more wrong. All of those things are what makes the movie so magical and enjoyable. I'm sure that most adults watched this movie and wished that they had a toy store like this when they were kids.As for the acting. I thought that the actors couldn't have done a better job. They all portrayed their characters very well. This isn't a movie where they're trying to get Oscar nominations.All in all I think that if an adult does not enjoy this movie, they have a hard time embracing their childhood.
Fantastic Movie
posted on 15 Jul 2009Although rated G, this movie is mainly for adults (not all of us want to watch sex, violence, and rude humor), yet, it also has a message for children. The innocence and beauty of the story was deeply moving. The main point was to remind adults to stop making work the main focus in life, and to start believing in the magic of imagination and wonder. The rejection of the main child, Eric, by other children, was a message geared at children to not let social pressure stifle the magic. Mr. Magorium was meant to be a character that didn't have all the questions answered about him because, the film was an attempt to get the viewer to use there own imagination in its infinite possibilities. I was truly inspired as were my three teenagers(ages 15,16,and 17). I don't think this movie is anything like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," except for the colorful backgrounds. Willy Wonka, had no love for kids and his creating was more about his passion to create; whereas, Mr. Magorium's life was a passion to share. If you like a positive message focused on the magic of joy , this is the film to see.
The Kids Will love it!!
posted on 11 Jul 2009Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium has obviously been made for the enjoyment of kiddies. Well I am actually a 61 year old kid because I loved it.Although the outcome was in little doubt, it was still an enjoyable experience seeing how the final outcome was reached.BEGIN SPOILER: The film is about a very magical toy emporium owned by, you guessed it, Mr Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) and managed by Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman). END SPOILERAlthough Hoffman is now 71, he has lost none of his acting sparkle and if the report that he was thinking of retiring is correct, I for one am so glad his wife Lisa talked him out of it.I have respected Hoffman enormously as an actor since his appearance in The Graduate, which I believe was his first acting role on the silver screen, and his versatility must be the envy of a great many actors.Although I cannot remember seeing Natalie Portman (Molly Mahoney) before, she is definitely here to stay and she gave an excellent performance in the role.The strange thing about Portman is that she was 26/27 when she made this film but looked like a fresh faced teenager. Thats a compliment Natalie. Whilst I was watching her I felt sure she was the daughter of Demi Moore, right down to her looks and voice. Of course she is not.Zach Mills and Jason Batemen were excellent choices in their supporting roles and played their respective parts flawlessly.All in all this film was a joy to watch and of course had its inevitable 'tearjerker' bits and if you are aiming to either let your kids go and see it in the cinemas, or getting it out on DVD, do yourselves a favour, go with them or sit down and enjoy watching it with them.I feel sure you won't be disappointed.Plutus1947
This a movie is about Love,Beauty,and Magic!!!
posted on 09 Jul 2009In my opinion, people who gave this move a bad ranking because they don't have the brain to understand the beauty of this movie. People who gave low ranking to this move because their kids didn't like it are even bigger morons that misjudge the value of this movie by their kids immature brains.The movie is about Love, Beauty,and Magic and it does make it adorable, beautiful, magical, and educational!!! And I don't understand why it has to be only for just 3~5 years old kids? Why some of the people have to put it into the "kid movie" this category? Because it is talking about imagination and believing in ourself then it is not qualified to be discussed in a higher "age" level? or higher "intellectual level"??? Imagination and creativity are really dying.........People may want me to point out why this movie is good, what the details are , which actors did good .......bla..bla...bla A good movie doesn't need a lot of words to explain why it is good,or bla bla bla....because it is already a good movie for sure. The problem only lies in if people who watch it are capable of understand it and see the real beauty of it or not.It is an excellent movie and I give it a Ten!!! Period!!!
Natalie Portman's performance makes this a forgetful film of 2007.
posted on 29 Jun 2009I'm sorry Natalie, I think you're a wonderful actress, but your performance in this film to me, did not win any raves, and no Oscar nomination either. I think the writer of the film decided it would be a good idea to combine Toy Story(1995) and Night At The Museum(2006) together. And it sounded like it, and I was hoping for something incredibly entertaining. But what I got was a magical tale, with less interesting characters. Except for the Dustin Hoffman character, who acts like he came out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon, but the Natalie Portman character really makes this unwatchable, I mean her mistreatment of the Jason Bateman character, really made me dislike her. Maybe he was supposed to be a jerk, but the writer did not make his character enough of a jerk, to the point he would get much resentment and sarcasm from her. The store may have been magical, but the people in it not so.
Really enjoyed this movie!
posted on 29 Jun 2009I took my family to watch this movie, and really enjoyed it! My three year old was captivated throughout the movie as was my 10 year old daughter. I thought Justin Bateman did a great job with his character and the Special effects were top notch. Of course the story was fantastical, but I go to see these movies to escape reality for awhile, and this is a great one to share with the family. I had read some negative reviews prior to seeing the movie, but I decided to see it for myself. After seeing the movie, I feel that some of the previous reviews I read were unfair and in some cases a little mean spirited and thus not really helpful. Lastly, while watching the movie, I noted that many people were laughing and making joyful comments at some of the details they were noticing, and, the audience applauded at the end.
Why was this movie even thought to be created?
posted on 23 Jun 2009Most of the time when i watch a bad movie, i try to give it a chance, but this movie left a permanent scar in my brain of movie knowledge. The trailer makes the movie look like a bunch of exciting things in a magical store with fun children. The movie has a boy who has no friends, an old man who dies and, a toy store that turns entirely Grey. I was actually trying to make my body go to sleep, but it was noon and i could not. I don,t understand the beginning of when a guy who is bald and has a mustache start writing stories about Mr magorium. I think Dustin Hoffman is a great actor, but i can tell in this movie he just wanted a paycheck. So in conclusion do not watch this movie unless you want to feel melancholy after it.
Believe In Yourself and the Magic Happens
posted on 07 Jun 2009Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman) is the manager of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, the awesome toy store owned by Mr. Edward Magorium (Dustin Hoffman). Molly was a promising composer and piano player when she was a girl, and now she is a twenty-three year-old insecure woman that feels stuck in her job. Among the costumers of the Emporium is the lonely hat collector Eric Applebaum (Zach Mills), who has only Molly and Mr. Magorium as friends. When the last pair of shoes that Mr. Magorium bought in Toscana is worn, he hires the accountant Henry Weston (Jason Bateman) that he calls Mutant to adjust the accounts of the Emporium. Further, he claims that he is two hundred and forty-three year old and his time to go has come; he gives a block of wood called Congreve cube to Molly and asks Henry to transfer the Emporium to her name. Molly tries to convince Mr. Magorium to stay in his magical toy store instead of "going"."Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" is a pleasant fantasy with a positive message that anything can happen, even magic, when you believe in yourself. The ambiguous story told by Eric may be metaphorically interpreted by the adults or just be seen as a magical toy store by the kids and the result is equally good. The sweet Natalie Portman is perfectly cast in the role of Molly, but Dustin Hoffman plays a quite boring Mr. Magorium. The special effects are amazing. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "A Loja Mágica de Brinquedos" ("The Magical Toy Store")
Thought-provoking AND a lot of fun!
posted on 03 Jun 2009My husband and I took our grandson to see this movie and were amazed at his reaction. He loved the movie (as did we), but he spent the entire ride home philosophizing about the themes of the movie: finding your true self, and taking care of each other and helping each other to grow (his words, not mine!) Any movie that can provoke such deep thoughts in the mind of a 5 year old has to be very special, and this one certainly is. If you need a bit of a break from the frenetic pace of the holidays, do yourself a favor and go see this wonderful pastiche of Magorium, zebras, Kermit, the sock monkey, and all the fun and zaniness of the Emporium. Yes---the movie has flaws. Yes, the story line does get a bit confusing at times. Yes---the acting is uneven. But remember, this is a CHILDREN'S movie and should not be judged by adult standards. Let the years slip from your shoulders for a couple of hours and enjoy this enchanting bit of wisdom cloaked in the magic of toys and laughter.
Truly a family film.
posted on 01 Jun 2009Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a fantastic family film created by writer - director Zach Helm, who wrote the screenplay for Stranger Than Fiction, a fantastic film which used as much fantasy as this film did to show a side of fiction that's hard to believe and yet shows a side of reality you wouldn't expect to see in a movie of its genre or of this magnitude.Zach Helm's writing takes it over to a family film setting in Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, which shows yet again that movies that have strange titles don't always seem to turn out as bad as the writers ideas could have been. I'm of course, referencing titles like "Lucky # Slevin" for ridiculous titles that actually have meaning.Dustin Hoffman is Edward Magorium, a man over 240 years old who runs an amazing toy store, the kids can interact with it, as well as adults, just depends on who you are. Molly Mahoney is played by Natalie Portman, a young woman who was a prodigy on piano, working at the toy store, trying to figure out how to get over the hurdles in life, and Zach Mills is Eric, a little boy who finds the magic of the Wonder Emporium to be amazing, but has a hard time making friends.Also brought into the story is Jason Bateman, who plays Henry, who is an accountant (but is humorously called a mutant, because that's what an accountant is, a cross between a counter and a mutant) Whose perception of fun is a lot like Zack Helm's original character, Harold Crick in STF was into, mostly accounting.As a result, he never really sees the Emporium have all the fun it does like the children and adults can and do have. As Mr. Magorium soon announces, he is going to pass away very soon, and he wants Molly to take over the business and have Henry get all the money situations and the like taken care of.What? I thought this was a family movie! It is. See, unlike other family films where flatulence or pop culture is to be referenced in every line like "Shrek" or "Hoodwinked" or other films in that range, this movie avoids all attempts of commercialism by being a movie for all kids and some adults.This movie is not for everyone, but I personally loved it. It has a lot of heart. Learning to rise to the occasion, to learn to love and understand loss is what a family film should be. Instead of trying to jam the next toy down your throat, movies like this try to explain how fun family movies should be, minus the raunchy and inappropriate content.I would love to watch this movie again with a bunch of younger kids, whether they be my friends kids or some of my own . There are very few films that should have such an impact on a child's mind. Some that teach a lesson but can be moral and appropriate for children. I don't think since "Curious George" or "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" has a movie been family oriented and at the same time, been good too.Take a break from the imitators. This is truly a family film.
Kind of a letdown
posted on 22 May 2009Seeing 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.
A magical, fun movie filled with wisdom about living life fully, savoring every moment. and believing in yourself.
posted on 20 May 2009This is a wonderful movie where each of the main characters, has to make a decision that forces them to go beyond their comfort zone and trust themselves to succeed and maybe, exceed their expectations. Each time I saw it (3 times,so far), I was in the company of a different age group of people, from 5 yrs, through 11-13 yrs, a group of late teens and early 20's, up to 84 yrs (who, was the most taken away with the concept that each of us can and must "get out of the box."This movie can be enjoyed by the young, who are enthralled by the possibility of a "magic" store. The tweens and teens may begin to think about life decisions they have to make from more than one perspective(surprisingly this group let go of their "coolness" and were able to enjoy every facet of the story). And the older, wiser person who was captivated by because it conveyed in this film something she has been asserting all her life--"get out of your box." Running through it all was WONDER, excitement, nostalgia, and the struggle of how to handle the inevitable. The special effects were just what they needed to be, a part of the story and not THE story.This is a movie for kids of all ages, especially those who have forgotten how to "be" a kid and can let their guard down long enough to be drawn into the shear fun of it. I hope everyone will go see this movie looking to have fun and if they should stumble upon the wisdom hidden in plain sight, what a gift!
good enough for the kids
posted on 18 May 2009Mr. Magorium owns a toy store. But not an ordinary one. In his store the toys are magically alive, and there's more things happening than the average people in the store are willing to believe. He is helped by a young music composer. She still has to fulfill her lives dreams and the store isn't one of it. But great things are afoot and changes are coming.This film is a typical children's film with a couple of messages: believe in yourself and you can do it, look further than the end of your nose and you'll see there's more to the world than meets the eye and that kind of thing. Not bad, not really great either. The high amount of oddly colored scenery makes it work very well for kids though who soon after the film starts are jumping around just like the many kids in the film.It doesn't bore very quickly and doesn't sit still on awkward moments too long, which is good for the kids. It doesn't have any really deep layers to it and characters are worked out enough to make it work but not a single bit more than that. All in all, it's good for its audience and nothing more than that.6 out of 10 jumpy toy stores
Lackluster and lame attempt at a Willy Wonka with Toys family fare
posted on 10 May 2009MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM (2007) *1/2 Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman, Zach Mills, Rebecca Northan. Hodgepodge of "Willy Wonka" but with toys about an ageless child enthusiast (Hoffman in a fright wig and an Ed Wynn lisp) whose magical store is truly alive. However the direction by Zach Helm is stillborn and a real mess particularly wasting the genuine talents of Portman as a wanna-be pianist who seems truly out of sorts throughout and Bateman as an accounting stick-in-the mud. . The rating gets an extra ½ for the decent visuals but that cannot be counterbalanced equally by the god awfulness of this kiddie aimed concoction.
Whimsical, fun, clean movie with a message.
posted on 26 Aug 2009Dustin Hoffman, dressed funny and talking with a lisp, is Mr. Edward Magorium, Avid Shoe-Wearer and owner of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. It looks like a toy store, but it is so much more than that. And, Mr. Magorium claims to be over 200 years old. Natalie Portman is the serious, hard-working assistant Molly Mahoney, who was a child musical prodigy and now fashions herself as a Composer, but she is "stuck" and can't seem to find the right finish to her composition.Young Zach Mills is Eric Applebaum, the Hat Collector, who wears a different hat every day. And finally, Jason Bateman is an accountant that Mr. Magorium hires to help him get his financial books in order. But Magorium calls him "The Mutant", and the name sticks throughout the movie. In a nutshell, Mr. Magorium decides his time is up and he is planning to give the Emporium to Molly Mahoney. This creates all sorts of problems, not the least of which is the Emporium itself, which has its own personality. All of its bright walls, and all the bright toys, begin to turn gray as a reaction to Mr. Magorium's news. Within all the whimsy is a message, of believing in yourself. Molly Mahoney has to get there, and The Mutant has to get there, and when they do all with be OK.