Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (Full Screen Edition)

Poignant, Funny & Heartwarming Story. However... (2008-11-04) Rating: 4/5
The directorial debut of a man whose name I don't remember is funny, charming, heartwarming and poignant all in one. Starring Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman (Best Actor, "Rain Man") and Natalie Portman (the "STAR WARS" prequels), the film begins very well, establishing that Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman) is the narrator's only friend. I enjoyed the all-too brief scene when they hug. However, once the movie made a point of the narrator making friends with "The Mutant," I thought, "Oh, gross. WHY DO THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE A MALE CHARACTER BEFRIENDING A BOY? UGH." I HATED the scene where Molly is a bit rude to the boy later in the movie (idiot screenwriter). Also that their relationship stalled out after that. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Rated G.
Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2008-11-03) Rating: 2/5
I was disappointed in this. Especially to star Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Porter. It is fair, but not all that much of a story line.
hoffman is awful (2008-10-27) Rating: 3/5
I commented on another review saying that this movie was "awful, awful, awful" but after thinking a bit, I see that it isn't the movie that is awful, it is Hoffman. I have seen him in movies that I liked--Tootsie comes to mind--but Rainman soured me on him for good. Can't see him without hearing/seeing Raymond.

Magorium has a good script, plenty of funny stuff, and it has Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman, and Zach Mills. Any magic I felt was when Hoffman was not in the scene. With him in a scene, the magic goes thud.
Esoteric, transcendental, spiritual fable (2008-10-16) Rating: 5/5
This movie has really grown on me. I liked it when I first saw it, but didn't really see it as the classic it appeared to want to be. But, as with many great movies, it is deceptively better than it first appears to be.

The movie deals with loss, grief, change, acceptance, and the continuity of life. These themes are not dealt with head-on...they are just woven into the plot, lightened up with a bit of verbal and visual froth, and there to contemplate by those who recognize them. But to a child watching the movie, it is just funny, silly, a little sad, and has a happy ending.

If there is a more overt lesson in the story for younger viewers, it is learned through the character of the little boy, Eric. Eric is a wonderful kid, and though we see other kids rejecting him, through Mr. Magorium, Mahoney, and Henry, we see just how terrific he really is. Savvy children will want Eric as their friend, realizing that the kids who reject him do so to their own detriment.
A Must See (Over and Over Again!) (2008-10-08) Rating: 5/5
This movie is fantastically amazing. My one year old loves it, my four year old loves it, my fifteen year old loves it, my husband loves it, I love it, my mother loves it. It's great to watch again and again. The music is awesome, the story is great. All in all, one of my faves!