Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

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:

Inheritance | Toy Store | Independent Film | Character Name In Title

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Oct. 11	10:00 AM	HBO
Thur. Oct. 16	10:30 AM	HBO

Cast

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
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 | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Cinespace Film Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Mandate Pictures

Trivia:

Dustin Hoffman originated Mr. Magorium's hairdo, bushy eyebrows and lisping vocals. According to Hoffman, when he first tried the voice out on Zach Helm and two of the producers, "they freaked."

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. This is most likely due to the fact that Natalie had shaved her hair off for the movie V for Vendetta and her hair was still growing out, in conjunction with the film's productions schedule which - as with most films - means it was filmed out of sequence.

Quotes:

Mr. Edward Magorium: 37 seconds.
Molly Mahoney: Great. Well done. Now we wait.
Mr. Edward Magorium: No. We breathe. We pulse. We regenerate. Our hearts beat. Our minds create. Our souls ingest. 37 seconds, well used, is a lifetime.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Frank TV: Money in the Frank (#1.2)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Jenifer Juniper

An Actual Kid's Movie

I'm not sure I've quite seen anything like it in about two decades... an actual kids movie. Not a part kids movie, part something for the adults, something for the teens. It just tries to do one thing and be what it is. There's nothing questionable about it. It doesn't try to be current or trendy, which is why this movie is bound to be timeless. The casting is perfect. It is like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory only without Roald Dahl's childhood trauma created creepiness seeping in.

The story follows a small cast characters and how their lives come together and change each other for the better. There is the owner of the shop who claims to be over 200 yrs old and owns a pet zebra. There is the young shop manager who was a music prodigy as a child but now feels she is not living up to her own potential. There is the mutant... I mean, accountant, who only see's the world as it really is. Finally there is the boy with lots of hats, but no friends. They are bound together by the shop, who is just as much a character (in every since of the word as they are.)