“Molly Mahoney (Portman) 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 (Hoffman), bequeaths the store to her, a dark and ominous change begins to take over the once remarkable Emporium.” -imdb.com

Where to begin… When I first saw the trailer for Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium I was not too fond of seeing it. Strangely enough, my father was. I am a great admirer of Natalie Portman’s work and Dustin Hoffman’s so I thought it would only be fair to give it a chance. I went to a screening for this last week followed by a Q & A with Zach Helm and only now have I gotten the chance to write about it.

If you don’t already know, this is Zach Helm’s first time directing. He has no prior experience in the field. Regardless, he has proven himself as a writer with Stranger Than Fiction. Although I personally enjoyed Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (MMWE), it’s difficult for me to determine whether others will feel the same. So I decided that I am going to merely explain how I felt about it and my thoughts toward the film and you can continue reading if you so desire.

Basically I thought it was good. I would give it probably 3.5 stars out of 5. I can tell that the screenplay was well written in the sense that it was very easy for the characters to come alive on screen. Not only is that because of the actors, but the characters where characters from the very beginning. Each person had his or her own trait that played a role in the greater scheme of things. Dustin Hoffman really did an excellent job here. He had such a clear sense of who his character was that at some points I forgot that I was watching Hoffman, not Mr. Magorium. Jason Bateman is also subtly placed in the film. I watched this film before I saw Juno and it was great to be able to compare him in both movies. He’s a very natural actor and I expect great things from him.

MMWE focuses primarily on the image and portrayal of death. As you read this, you must be wondering… But I thought this was a kids movie. It is, but there are deeper meanings within the story. It is not only about a crazy toy shop owner that leaves and his toys go berserk. It’s a study of death and how others view it including those that are dying. The scene where Mr. Magorium finally leaves is very philosophical and might be a little difficult for small children to understand because he doesn’t just leave. It’s done metaphorically.

As an audience member it’s important to be reminded that this is Zach Helm’s real first work as a writer/director. It is not an easy task and I really believe that for this movie he deserves the chance. So even if you think you will not like it you should still watch it because there might be something about it that will ignite a spark in you.