Review of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) by Jonny P — 10 Jul 2011

"Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" is definitely a fantasy film designed for children but manages to touch on some themes that will speak to parents. The ideas of losing sight of the magic that we believed in as children and the fear of finding mediocrity instead of success will go over kids' heads and straight to the adults.

I wouldn't put this film into my top 100 family films, particularly because that hat kid was annoying and weird. No wonder he doesn't have any friends. On the other hand, Natalie Portman showed magnificent emotion, particularly in her crying scene.

She has come a long way since Queen Amadala and has proven herself time after time. I was dumbfounded when this film made me cry, particularly because I didn't latch onto the characters or the story very much, but music was simply magical.

With the film's theme being the diagetic composition (and frustration) of Portman, it has significance each time that it reappears throughout the film. Combine that with with her realization of her concerto during the "magical" moment at the end and it was just too much.

Hoffman and Portman are good, the story is okay, it's clean for the entire family, but the main reason to watch this film is to be overwhelmed by that musical theme at the end. You will not regret it.