‘Magorium’ Reviews Take the Wonder out of Hoffman Flick

Natalie Portman and Dustin Hoffman in Mr. Magorium's Wonder EmporiumThe early reviews are in, and the results for Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium aren’t good. A single flick in a long line of holiday movies, Magorium’s has a promising cast and offers enchanting special effects, but the reviewers don’t like Dustin Hoffman’s hair, on-screen persona, or choice in movie roles.

Hoffman plays the 243-year-old Mr. Magorium, the owner/operator of an enchanted toy shop. Okay, sounds all right so far. Enter , who plays a self-effacing young woman without a lot of confidence. Sure, that’s believable. The magical toys dance around the shop, the children delight in the sights and sounds of the Emporium, and the plot of the movie reveals itself pretty early on. Magorium is retiring and wants to turn the shop over to his assistant, lovely Portman. That’s it. That’s the plot. The whole movie is about whether or not Portman’s character will be able to fill Magorium’s wacky, wild shoes. Then, of course, there are the effects of the dancing toys. Take all that, and you have Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, which comes to theaters this weekend.

Entertainment Weekly called the movie “really, really bad.” I think that about sums it up. 

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2007 Holiday Movie Guide

FilmCrunch logoThe music, the décor, the treats…the weather. The holidays are drawing near, and that can only mean one thing: lots of sappy heart-wrenchers are going to start appearing in our movie theaters. Even the films couched as comedies are sure to evoke a deeper meaning, all in an effort to open our holiday hearts.

Whether you want tears, laughter, or good old-fashioned family entertainment, this year Hollywood is running the gamut on movies designed to tempt you away from the malls and into the theaters. But will you actually see any of them?  Get the scoop on all the upcoming movies being released this holiday season.

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

I saw the trailer and immediately dismissed this movie out of hand. Never mind that it has and Natalie Portman (a big star cast if ever there was one); this is a movie about a magic toy shop. HUH? Who actually got Hoffman and Portman to agree to this? Designed especially for kids and family, is about an inventor (Hoffman) and his manager’s (Portman) attempts to keep the shop open, despite intervention from an accountant ().

This one’s for the little tykes, people. Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium comes to theaters November 16.

Click to continue reading 2007 Holiday Movie Guide

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