There are precious few children's films that really stand out from the crowd anymore. More and more of them look like a parade of fart and poop jokes until some concert resolution or young people are smarter than old people because we have imagination or more farting and pooping at the end. Fart and poop have their places in this world, certainly, but when it comes to imagination and originality, it seems rather stale.
Certainly there was a chip on my shoulder after looking at previews of holiday movies coming out, and when I originally planned on seeing Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, the thought, "Oh great, a childen's movie about a toy store, it will just be full of stupid product placement and dumbassness, followed up with farting," ran through my admittedly jaded head. What I experienced, however, was a wonderful evening full of delightful experiences. And just a little bit of product placement.
Filmed from (mostly) the point of view of an omniscent version of the narrator, Eric Applebaum (played by the charming Zach Mills), the story is told through chapters in a book, beginning near the end of Mr. Magorium's time with his Emporium. The action takes a leisurely pace that focuses on Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman), Magorium's apprentice and store manager, and drifts in and out of the magical realm that everyone can see if they only looked for it. To round it all off in the formula, Magorium hires an accountant (a cross between a count and a mutant, according to Magorium), Henry Weston (straight man with a heart of gold, Jason Bateman).
Stock characters aside, this movie is excellent. Dustin Hoffman is amazing in every role he does, and this is no exception. He floats through his scenes (not quite stealing, he's much too good of an actor) giving an air of merriment and intelligence. His relationships to animate and inanimate alike are quite amazing; his grin and love of life was infectious, as is his fatherly affection to Portman, who gives a strong performance of a woman stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Spoiler alert.
Ah, but that's where we come to. Magorium, being 243 years old is quite ready for something different; the accountant (mutant) was hired to put everything in order, and the store was bequeathed to his manager. He has lived his life, and now Magorium wants to die. It is this portrayal of death which truly makes the story shine and become something incredibly unique: Magorium is not sick or crazy or suicidal, he simply has lived his entire life, and is now ready to leave. The decision is made, and it is an incredibly healthy one. One of the greatest cinematic moments is abrout two thirds of the way through; a scene between Hoffman and Portman, no special effects, two characters that love each other so much, two masterful actors communicating.
Spoiler alert ends.
Aside from a few loose ends and a few characters not used as much as they should, this film is charming, beautiful, and poniant. I would recommend it to children of all ages, including adults who think they're done being children. Go expecting something fun, leave with something that has so much more sparkle.
Certainly there was a chip on my shoulder after looking at previews of holiday movies coming out, and when I originally planned on seeing Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, the thought, "Oh great, a childen's movie about a toy store, it will just be full of stupid product placement and dumbassness, followed up with farting," ran through my admittedly jaded head. What I experienced, however, was a wonderful evening full of delightful experiences. And just a little bit of product placement.
Filmed from (mostly) the point of view of an omniscent version of the narrator, Eric Applebaum (played by the charming Zach Mills), the story is told through chapters in a book, beginning near the end of Mr. Magorium's time with his Emporium. The action takes a leisurely pace that focuses on Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman), Magorium's apprentice and store manager, and drifts in and out of the magical realm that everyone can see if they only looked for it. To round it all off in the formula, Magorium hires an accountant (a cross between a count and a mutant, according to Magorium), Henry Weston (straight man with a heart of gold, Jason Bateman).
Stock characters aside, this movie is excellent. Dustin Hoffman is amazing in every role he does, and this is no exception. He floats through his scenes (not quite stealing, he's much too good of an actor) giving an air of merriment and intelligence. His relationships to animate and inanimate alike are quite amazing; his grin and love of life was infectious, as is his fatherly affection to Portman, who gives a strong performance of a woman stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Spoiler alert.
Ah, but that's where we come to. Magorium, being 243 years old is quite ready for something different; the accountant (mutant) was hired to put everything in order, and the store was bequeathed to his manager. He has lived his life, and now Magorium wants to die. It is this portrayal of death which truly makes the story shine and become something incredibly unique: Magorium is not sick or crazy or suicidal, he simply has lived his entire life, and is now ready to leave. The decision is made, and it is an incredibly healthy one. One of the greatest cinematic moments is abrout two thirds of the way through; a scene between Hoffman and Portman, no special effects, two characters that love each other so much, two masterful actors communicating.
Spoiler alert ends.
Aside from a few loose ends and a few characters not used as much as they should, this film is charming, beautiful, and poniant. I would recommend it to children of all ages, including adults who think they're done being children. Go expecting something fun, leave with something that has so much more sparkle.
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