MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM

Dustin Hoffman is one of my favorite actors - so I was glad to buy this DVD for my son! It didn't really hold his attention all that much, but I enjoyed it! I had already heard from a couple of people that it was "a nice, believe-in-yourself" kind of movie. And that's exactly what it was.

Hoffman plays Mr Magorium, who runs the Wonder Emporium, a "magical" toy store. I mean, it's not just a cool toy store, it really is "magical", with live fish mobiles, a door with a dial that changes which room you're about to step into, and a store book that contains the specific toy a customer is looking for...no, not a picture of that toy, the actual toy! (Mr. Magorium has been running it for over a century, if that helps drive the point across!)

Natalie Portman plays Molly Mahoney, the store manager, who is also an aspiring musician, but feels like she just doesn't have the "sparkle" to do anything really great. But she loves Mr. Magorium and believes in the magic of the Emporium.

Zach Mills plays Eric, a hat-collecting little boy who doesn't make friends too easily, but enjoys hanging out at the Wonder Emporium.

Jason Bateman plays Henry, the accountant who is hired to get Mr. Magorium's affairs in order, because he is ready to move on. To die. And he wants to leave the Wonder Emporium to Mahoney. (Henry, by the way , does not believe the toy store is "magical".)

But Mahoney isn't ready for Mr. Magorium's departure. (And neither is the store, we discover, because it's throwing a "tantrum"!) So she sets out to show Mr. Magorium that he cannot just leave! She shows him all the things he'll miss if he leaves. He thinks she's just giving him a great "last day".

He talks about departing for heaven, but it's handled in a simple enough way for kids to understand. (rated G) And he departs happily, knowing he has lived a wonderful life. Mr. Magorium says its time for his story to end, and time for the next one to begin.

One of the cutest parts was when Eric decides to try to make friends and he goes to Henry, who is busily "accounting" in the glass office. Eric holds up a sign that says "Hi". Henry replies with a wave. They continue to show each other "notes" back and forth until finally Eric asks if Henry wants to play checkers when he's done working, to which Henry replies, "I never stop working".

It's a cute story, one that says that magic will happen when you believe it exists, and when you believe you can make it happen. MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM didn't make me laugh out loud nor did it make me cry. But it was a nice, cozy movie to curl up and enjoy with my family!