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{{Cleanup|date=October 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
| name = Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
| image = Mr. Magorium.jpg
| image = Mr. Magorium.jpg
| caption = Promotional poster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| alt =
| director = [[Zach Helm]]
| director = [[Zach Helm]]
| producer = [[Richard N. Gladstein]] <br />James Garavente
| producer = [[Richard N. Gladstein]]<br />James Garavente
| writer = [[Zach Helm]]
| starring = [[Dustin Hoffman]] <br />[[Natalie Portman]] <br />[[Jason Bateman]] <br />[[Zach Mills]]
| writer = Zach Helm
| starring = [[Dustin Hoffman]]<br />[[Natalie Portman]]<br />[[Jason Bateman]]
| narrator = [[Zach Mills]]
| music = [[Alexandre Desplat]] <br />[[Aaron Zigman]]
| music = [[Alexandre Desplat]]<br />[[Aaron Zigman]]
| cinematography = [[Roman Osin]]
| cinematography = [[Roman Osin]]
| editing = Sabrina Pilsco
| editing = Sabrina Plisco<br />[[Steven Weisberg]]
| studio = [[Mandate Pictures]]<br>[[Walden Media]]<br>[[FilmColony]]
| studio = [[Mandate Pictures]]<br />[[Walden Media]]<br />[[Richard N. Gladstein|FilmColony]]
| distributor = [[20th Century Fox]] (United States/Canada)<br />Mandate Pictures (International)<ref name="screendaily.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.screendaily.com/mandate-boards-mr-magoriums-wonder-emporium/4022745.article | title=Mandate boards Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium }}</ref>
| distributor = [[Fox-Walden]] (USA)<br>[[Icon Productions|Icon Film Distribution]] (UK)
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2007|11|16|United States}}
| released= November 16, 2007 <small>(US)</small><br />December 28, 2007 <small>(UK)</small>
| runtime = 94 minutes
| runtime = 93 minutes
| country = [[United States]]
| country = United States<br />Canada
| language = English
| Gross revenue = $69,474,661 worldwide <ref>http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mrmagorium.htm</ref>
| budget = $65 million<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mancini|first1=Vince|title=Mr. Magorium director on Breaking Bad: "No one has two copies of Mr. Magorium."|url=http://uproxx.com/filmdrunk/mr-magorium-director-says-breaking-bad-is-unrealistic/|website=[[Uproxx]]|date=25 September 2013 |access-date=11 December 2016}}</ref>
| gross = $69.5 million<ref name="BOM">{{cite web |work=[[Box Office Mojo]] |publisher=[[IMDb]] |title=''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium'' (2007) |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mrmagorium.htm |access-date=10 March 2015}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium''''' is a 2007 [[family film|family]] [[fantasy]] [[comedy film]] written and directed by [[Zach Helm]] (in his [[List of directorial debuts|directorial debut]]), produced by [[FilmColony]], [[Mandate Pictures]], [[Walden Media]], [[Richard N. Gladstein]] and James Garavente, and with music composed by [[Alexandre Desplat]] and [[Aaron Zigman]].
The film stars [[Dustin Hoffman]] as the owner of a magical [[toy store]] and [[Natalie Portman]] as his store employee. A cameo by [[Kermit the Frog]] was the character's first major theatrical appearance since 1999's ''[[Muppets from Space]]''.


Theatrically released 16 November 2007 by [[20th Century Fox]], it received mixed reviews, but performed modestly at the box office, grossing $69.5 million worldwide. Helm subsequently disowned the film in later years. Despite this, it has developed a [[cult following]] in the [[United Kingdom]].{{cn|date=December 2024}}
'''''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium''''' is a [[2007 in film|2007]] [[comedy film]] written and directed by [[Zach Helm]]. The film stars [[Dustin Hoffman]] as the owner of a magical [[toy store]], and [[Natalie Portman]] as his store employee.


==List of chapters==
== Plot ==
Molly Mahoney, a former musical [[child prodigy|prodigy]] suffering from [[writer's block|artist's block]], is an amateur [[pianist]] and an employee at "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium", a magical [[toy shop]] run by 243-year-old Mr. Edward Magorium. Besides Molly and Mr. Magorium, store bookbuilder, Bellini, a [[Strongman (strength athlete)|strongman]], is also employed. Eric Applebaum is a boy who comes to the store daily and functions as an employee despite his age.
# "Molly Mahoney's First"
# "No, Seriously, Watch"
# "Fun and Mental is Fundamental"
# "A Change of Heart...of Mind...of Pants"
# "A New Beginning"
# "You Have to Believe It to See It or Messing With the Mutant"


Mr. Magorium gives Molly the Congreve Cube, a block of wood, and tells her it will guide her to a new life if she has faith in it. Molly wants to become a concert pianist and composer, but has not been able to complete her first concerto.
Note: In the beginning of chapter 2, one of the boys turn the knob and says this title.


Mr. Magorium announces that he intends to "leave", and is giving the shop to Molly. In preparation of his departure, Mr. Magorium hires an [[accountant]], Henry Weston, to organize the shop's paperwork and determine his legacy to Molly. Henry does not believe the toy store is magical.
==Plot==
"What Molly Mahoney needed was the opportunity to prove she was something more than she believed."
and so the story begins at "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" a [[toy shop]] run by the eccentric 243 year old Mr. Edward Magorium ([[Dustin Hoffman]]).
Besides Mr. Magorium, the shop's employees include the manager of the store, Molly Mahoney ([[Natalie Portman]]), who feels stuck in her life progress and tells Mr. Magorium that she should probably get a more adult job, and the store bookmaker Bellini, a [[Strongman (strength athlete)|strongman]]. Eric Applebaum ([[Zach Mills]]) plays a boy who comes to the toy store regularly interacts with the adults and volunteers at the store acting at times like a part time employee.


When Molly becomes upset about her inability to properly run the store, the Emporium "throws a tantrum", assaulting everyone inside with the toys until Mr. Magorium calms it down. Molly realizes that Mr. Magorium is going to die, so she rushes him to a hospital until he is discharged the next day. She attempts to prevent Mr. Magorium's departure by showing him the joys of life. Back at the store, Mr. Magorium uses the stage notes of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[King Lear]]'' to make a point about the natural simplicity of death, before dying. Believing herself to be incapable of owning a magical store, Molly puts the Emporium up for sale, and the store loses all its magic.
The toy shop is magic. The toys have a life of their own. An over-sized [[ledger]], known as the Big Book, can magically materialize any toy on command, and a doorknob, when rotated, can change the interior of a magic room. Mr. Magorium states that he imbued the shop with the same youthful characteristics of the children who visit it. Because of its similarity to children, the shop is also prone to temper tantrums.


Henry meets Molly to draw up the sales papers. He sees the Congreve Cube and asks her about it. When Molly confesses her complete faith in the store, the block flies around the store. Witnessing this, Henry faints with shock. When he awakes and questions Molly, she tells him that it was a dream. He learns that Molly made the cube fly, and he believes in her, realizing Molly can be anything if she believes in herself. The store returns to its former glory as Molly's confidence increases.
Mr. Magorium suddenly announces he intends to "leave" and is giving the shop to Molly to providing her the means to move forward and become "unstuck" in life. When Mahoney expresses her upset and doubts about her ability to run the store, the store throws a [[tantrum]] and causing all the toys and its inner workings to go haywire ambushing the customers of all ages. In preparation for his departure, Mr. Magorium hires an [[accountant]] Henry Weston ([[Jason Bateman]]), to organize the shop's paperwork and determine the monetary value of the store he will leave as a legacy to Mahoney.


== Cast ==
Molly finally realizes that Mr. Magorium's leaving is not retirement but that he is going to die. Desperate to stop this, Molly rushes him to the hospital where after a little mischief, he is discharged the next day because there is "nothing physically wrong with him."
* [[Dustin Hoffman]] as Mr. Edward Magorium, the toy store's eccentric 243-year-old owner
* [[Natalie Portman]] as Molly Mahoney, the store manager, and former child piano prodigy, who feels "stuck" in life
* [[Jason Bateman]] as Henry Weston (aka "Mutant"), the straight-laced, rigid accountant hired to get Mr. Magorium's paperwork in order
* [[Zach Mills]] as Eric Applebaum, a lonely 9-year-old who comes to the store regularly and has trouble making friends
* Ted Ludzik as Bellini, the bookbinder who was born in the shop's basement and writes Mr. Magorium's biography
* [[Kiele Sanchez]] as Mrs. Goodman, a customer
* Jonathan Potts as a hospital doctor
* [[Steve Whitmire]] as [[Kermit the Frog]] in a cameo appearance


== Production ==
The Congreve Cube is a large block of wood given to Molly at the beginning of the movie by Mr. Magorium and told it would guide her to a new life and adventure if she has faith in it. After leaving the hospital, Mr. Magorium asks her how she is doing with the Congreve Cube. She states there are a million things she could do with a block of wood but she doesn't have a clue how to unlock the cube's secret. Mr. Magorium then tells her that there are a million things one could do with a block of wood, but what if someone just believed in the cube? What would happen then? Molly does not understand but attempts to prevent Mr. Magorium's departure by showing him the joys of life, but he has lived a full life and it is time for his story to end. "He dies.".
Photography was from 31 March 2006 to 6 June 2006 in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]].<ref>{{cite web |date=10 March 2006 |last1=LaPorte |first1=Nicole |title=Walden backing 'Wonder' |url=https://variety.com/2006/scene/markets-festivals/walden-backing-wonder-1117939519/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |quote=Production will begin at the end of the month in Toronto.}}</ref> The film was produced by [[FilmColony]]'s [[Richard N. Gladstein]] and Gang of Two's James Garavente, and financed by [[Walden Media]], and [[Mandate Pictures]]'s [[Joe Drake (producer)|Joe Drake]] and [[Nathan Kahane]].{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}


== Novelization ==
Believing herself to be unworthy and incapable of owning a magical store, Molly puts it up for sale with Henry's firm overseeing the sale. The store grieves and loses its magic. All the toys, walls, even the furniture lose their color becoming varying shades of gray and black. Molly meets Henry at the store to draw up the sale papers and he sees the Congreve Cube and asks her about it. When Molly confesses her complete faith in the store and the Congreve Cube's magical ability, the block suddenly springs to life, and proceeds to fly around the store. After witnessing this, Henry faints with shock. When he later awakes and questions Molly about it, she tells him that it must have been a dream as she went home the previous night, leaving him to finalize the paperwork for the sale.
Written by [[Suzanne Weyn]], the [[novelization]] was published in 2007 by [[Scholastic Corporation|Scholastic Inc]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Weyn |first1=Suzanne |author-link=Suzanne Weyn |title=''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium'' : magical movie novel |date=2007 |publisher=Scholastic |location=New York |isbn=978-0-439-91250-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/mrmagoriumswonde00weyn }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=[[Goodreads]] |title=''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium'' |url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1664089.Mr_Magorium_s_Wonder_Emporium |access-date=10 March 2015}}</ref> The novelization was written by [[United States|American]] [[fantasy]] author [[Suzanne Weyn]]. The novel, or "Magical Movie Novel", as it is named on its cover, was released on October 1, 2007.


== Release ==
Henry is not deterred as he knows Molly made the congreve cube fly and though she does not believe she can do magical and wonderful things, he believes in her. Henry realizes Molly is the Congreve Cube. The block of wood that can be anything she desires if she can somehow believe in herself. Henry's whole hearted belief in Molly ignites a tiny spark in her and for a second she believes. The store responds to her spark of belief and continues to respond as her confidence builds until the entire store magnificently transforms. The magic and color return. Molly Mahoney's story has begun.
The film was released in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]] 16 November 2007 by [[20th Century Fox]], under their "Fox-Walden" joint-venture with [[Walden Media]]. International sales were handled by [[Mandate Pictures]].<ref name="screendaily.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.screendaily.com/mandate-boards-mr-magoriums-wonder-emporium/4022745.article | title=Mandate boards Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium }}</ref>


The premiere of ''Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium'', attended by Natalie Portman and Dustin Hoffman, also doubled as a fundraising event with tickets having been made available to the public. Funds raised at the event were donated to the [[Barnardo's]] children's charity and other charities based in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |date=2007-11-26 |author1=Amar Vijay |title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Premiere |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/mr-magorium-wonder-emporium-premiere/ |website=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] }}</ref>
== Cast ==
===Major characters===
* [[Dustin Hoffman]] as '''Mr. Edward Magorium''', a toy impresario, a wonder aficionado, and an avid shoe wearer. He is loved by all, and has lived for over two centuries. He owns a pet [[zebra]] named Mortimer.
* [[Natalie Portman]] as '''Molly Mahoney''', the Store Manager, and former child piano prodigy, who feels "stuck" in life and struggles with self-doubt.
* [[Jason Bateman]] as '''Henry Weston (aka "Mutant")''', the straight-laced, rigid Accountant hired to get Mr. Magorium's paperwork and will in order. He does not believe in the shop's magic—until the end of the film.
* [[Zach Mills]] as '''Eric Applebaum''', a 9 year old Hat Collector who has trouble making friends. He also narrates the beginning, the end, and introduces the chapters.
* [[Ted Ludzik]] as '''Bellini''', the Bookbuilder who was born in the shop's basement. He also writes Mr. Magorium's biography. He looks like a circus strong-man with a big moustache that curls round at the end, he also has tattoos all down his arms.


To promote the film, the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' ran a [[scratch and sniff]] advertisement with a frosted cake smell.<ref>{{cite news |date=4 September 2007 |title=The Los Angeles Times to Feature First-Ever Ad with Scented Ink for Fox Walden's "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" |url=https://www.latimes.com/la-mediacenter-2007-0904-story.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=4 Sep 2007 |author1=IGN Staff |title=Mr. Magorium's Smelly Ad |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/09/04/mr-magoriums-smelly-ad |website=[[IGN]] }}</ref>
==Production==
Filming started in late March 2006 and continued to June 6, 2006 in [[Toronto]].


===Home media===
The movie was produced by [[FilmColony]]'s [[Richard N. Gladstein]] and Gang of Two's James Garavente and financed by [[Walden Media]].
The film was released on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] 4 March 2008 by [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]].


=== Box office ===
According to an interview with [[Zach Helm]] on ''[[Regis and Kelly]]'', the name of the shop’s proprietor was derived from Zach's cousin, [[New Jersey]] native Allen Magory. The phraseology "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" was commonly employed as a jest between Helm and Magory as kids, long before the writing of any screenplay.
The film grossed $9.6 million in 3,164 theaters on its opening weekend, ranking #5 at the box office.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=mrmagorium.htm |title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) – Weekend Box Office Results |access-date=21 November 2007 |work=[[Box Office Mojo]] |publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> It went on to gross $32.1 million in the U.S., and a further $35.4 million in the rest of the world, which gives the film a box office total of $67.5 million.<ref name="BOM" />


=== Critical response ===
A cameo as “just a shopper” in the emporium marked the first major theatrical appearance of [[Kermit the Frog]] since 1999's ''[[Muppets from Space]]''.
[[File:Jason Bateman 2011.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Jason Bateman]] was praised by critics for his performance.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}]]
On the review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], 40% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 124 reviews, with an average rating of 5.20/10. The consensus reads, "''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium''{{'}}s title is much more fun than the film itself, as colorful visuals and talented players can't make up for a bland story."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mr_magoriums_wonder_emporium |title=''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium'' (2007) |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]] |access-date=21 October 2021 }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 26 reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/mr-magoriums-wonder-emporium/ |title=''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium'' (2007) |work=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=24 October 2023 }}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web |title=Home - Cinemascore |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |website=Cinemascore |access-date=28 December 2019}}</ref> [[Peter Travers]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' declared the film the year's Worst Family Film on his list of the Worst Movies of 2007.<ref>[[Travers, Peter]] (19 December 2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20140221141316/http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/the-best-and-worst-movies-of-2007-20071227/15 "Peter Travers' Best and Worst Movies of 2007"]. ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. Retrieved 20 December 2007.</ref>


[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' gave the film 3 stars out of 4 and wrote: "This isn't quite the over-the-top fantasy you'd like it to be, but it's a charming enough little movie, and probably the younger you are, the more charming."<ref>{{cite news |date=15 November 2007 |last1=Ebert |first1=Roger |author1-link=Roger Ebert |title=Toys R Magorium |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mr-magoriums-wonder-emporium-2007 |newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] }}</ref>
==Novelization==
In recognition of the fact that it was "aimed directly at very young children", William Arnold of the ''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]'' observed its "unforced and exceedingly gentle humor, its imaginative but never-quite-excessive production design and its ingratiating and surprisingly detailed performances{{spaced ndash}}especially by Portman and Bateman{{spaced ndash}}gradually break down one's cynical defenses".<ref>{{cite web |last=Arnold |first=William |title=Gentle whimsy of ''Emporium'' will appeal to children – and win over their parents |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |publisher=SeattlePI.com |date=15 November 2007 |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/movies/339834_magorium16q.html |access-date=5 March 2008}}</ref>
{{Main|Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (novel)}}


Writer-director [[Zach Helm]] later disowned the film, calling it "a trainwreck", after the film was referenced in [[Granite State (Breaking Bad)|an episode]] of the AMC drama ''[[Breaking Bad]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tmz.com/2013/09/24/breaking-bad-mr-magorium-emporium-walter-white-movie/|title='Mr. Magorium' Director to 'Breaking Bad' -- I Hate My Movie, Too|website=TMZ|date=24 September 2013 }}</ref>
==Reaction==
The premiere of ''Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium'', attended by Natalie Portman and Dustin Hoffman, also doubled as a fundraising event with tickets having been made available to the public. Funds raised at the event were donated to the [[Barnardo's]] children's charity and other UK-based charities. The film was released in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]] on November 16, 2007 and grossed $9.6 million in 3,164 theaters its opening weekend, ranking #5 at the box office.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=mrmagorium.htm |title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) - Weekend Box Office Results |accessdate=2007-11-21 |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> It went on to gross $32.1 million in the U.S. and a further $35.4 million in the rest of the world which gives the film a total of box office return of $67.5 million.


==Critical reception==
=== Awards ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2021}}
The film received negative to mixed reviews from critics. As of July 12, 2008 on the review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], 36% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 119 reviews, with the consensus among negative critics that "colorful visuals and talented players can't make up for a bland story."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mr_magoriums_wonder_emporium/ |title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium - Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=2007-11-21 |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 26 reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/magoriumswonderemporium |title=Mr. Magorium&#039;s Wonder Emporium (2007): Reviews |accessdate=2007-11-21 |publisher=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> [[Peter Travers]] (of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'') declared the film the year's Worst Family Film on his list of the Worst Movies of 2007.<ref>[[Travers, Peter]], (December 19, 2007) [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17686508/peter_travers_best_and_worst_movies_of_2007/15 "Peter Travers' Best and Worst Movies of 2007"] ''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved 2007-12-20</ref> However, in recognition of the fact that it was "aimed directly at very young children" (along with the fact that the movie teaches children death), William Arnold of the ''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]'' observed its "unforced and exceedingly gentle humor, its imaginative but never-quite-excessive production design and its ingratiating and surprisingly detailed performances -- especially by Portman and Bateman -- gradually break down one's cynical defenses".<ref>{{cite web| last = Arnold| first = William| authorlink =| coauthors =| title = Gentle whimsy of 'Emporium' will appeal to children -- and win over their parents| work = | publisher = Seattle Post-Intelligencer| date = 2007-11-15| url = http://www.seattlepi.com/movies/339834_magorium16q.html| doi =| accessdate = 2008-03-05 }}</ref>
{{Table to prose|section|date=October 2021}}
For his performance in the film, [[Zach Mills]] was nominated for a [[Young Artist Award]] for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor.


The film has won two awards: the [[Heartland Film Festival]] Truly Moving Pictures award; and the [[Dove Foundation]] Seal of Approval, whose presenters felt it was "a delightful family film". Shawn Edwards of [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] called it "the most magical film of the year".
==Quotations and Trivia==
The Congreve Cube is a reference - though not stated - to a real Dramatist, William Congreve, who died in 1763 just one year before our beloved Mr. Magorium was born. His plays are famous for quotes such as, "Music has charms to soothe a savage beast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak." and "I find we are growing serious, and then we are in great danger of being dull." These quotes reflect the same charm and wit found in this movie.


{| class="wikitable sortable"
Flapdoodle is a slang word of unknown origin meaning: Nonsense or Foolish talk. It has been used in American literature from the 19th century. There is a brand of child’s apparel called Flapdoodles. Some children’s board games are called Flapdoodles.
|+ List of awards and nominations
! Award
! Category
! Nominee
! Result
|-
| rowspan="1" | Golden Trailer, IFMCA Award and Young Artist Award
| Best Animation/Family, Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction Film and Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actor || Alexandre Desplat, Aaron Zigman and Zach Mills || {{Nominated}}
|-
|}


=== Home media ===
The Fibonacci Series that Mr. Magorium quizzes the accounting applicant about is a real numerical sequence, see [[Fibonacci Numbers]].
The film was released on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] on 4 March 2008 by [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]] in the U.S.<ref name="numbers">{{cite web |title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) - Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Mr-Magoriums-Wonder-Emporium#tab=summary |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] }}</ref>


== Music ==
Triskaidekaphobia is a fear or phobia regarding the number 13.
The score was composed by [[Alexandre Desplat]] and [[Aaron Zigman]], and was released 13 November 2007.<ref>{{cite web |author=Jason Ankeny |title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] - Alexandre Desplat |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mr-magoriums-wonder-emporium-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000491316 |website=All Music }} {{Rating|3|5}}</ref> The album includes the song, "Love the World You Find", performed by [[the Flaming Lips]].


== In popular culture ==
==Home media {{Anchor|DVD}}==
In the penultimate episode of the hit [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]] series, ''[[Breaking Bad]]'' (Season 5, Episode 15; "[[Granite State (Breaking Bad)|Granite State]]"), Walter White's off-grid New Hampshire residence contains only two DVDs, both of which are ''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium''.
The film was released on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray Disc]] on March 4, 2008.


In the Season 1, Episode 7, of the [[HBO Max]] series ''[[Close Enough]]'', a flashback scene in which Josh and Emily's first date shows Josh explaining to Emily why he feels the [[Academy Award for Best Picture]] might go to ''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium''.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}
==References==

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://www.magorium.com/ Official site] (no longer available) ({{Wayback|http://www.magorium.com/}})
* {{imdb title|id=0457419|title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium}}
* {{IMDb title|0457419|Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|id=mr_magoriums_wonder_emporium|title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium}}
* {{metacritic film|id=magoriumswonderemporium|title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium}}
* {{mojo title|id=mrmagorium|title=Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium}}
* {{Amg movie|325916|Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium}}


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[[Category:Films scored by Aaron Zigman]]

[[Category:Films shot in Toronto]]
[[ca:Mr. Magorium i la seva botiga màgica]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[de:Mr. Magoriums Wunderladen]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[fr:Le Merveilleux Magasin de Mr. Magorium]]
[[Category:English-language fantasy comedy films]]
[[it:Mr. Magorium e la bottega delle meraviglie]]
[[ka:მისტერ მაგორიუმის ჯადოსნური მაღაზია (ფილმი)]]
[[nl:Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium]]
[[ja:マゴリアムおじさんの不思議なおもちゃ屋]]
[[pl:Pana Magorium cudowne emporium]]
[[pt:Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium]]
[[ru:Лавка чудес]]
[[th:มิสเตอร์มาโกเรี่ยม วันเดอร์ เอ็มโพเรี่ยม มหัศจรรย์ร้านของเล่นพิลึกโลก]]
[[tr:Sihirli Oyuncakçı]]

Latest revision as of 03:55, 23 December 2024

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Theatrical release poster
Directed byZach Helm
Written byZach Helm
Produced byRichard N. Gladstein
James Garavente
StarringDustin Hoffman
Natalie Portman
Jason Bateman
Narrated byZach Mills
CinematographyRoman Osin
Edited bySabrina Plisco
Steven Weisberg
Music byAlexandre Desplat
Aaron Zigman
Production
companies
Distributed by20th Century Fox (United States/Canada)
Mandate Pictures (International)[1]
Release date
  • 16 November 2007 (2007-11-16) (United States)
Running time
93 minutes
CountriesUnited States
Canada
LanguageEnglish
Budget$65 million[2]
Box office$69.5 million[3]

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a 2007 family fantasy comedy film written and directed by Zach Helm (in his directorial debut), produced by FilmColony, Mandate Pictures, Walden Media, Richard N. Gladstein and James Garavente, and with music composed by Alexandre Desplat and Aaron Zigman. The film stars Dustin Hoffman as the owner of a magical toy store and Natalie Portman as his store employee. A cameo by Kermit the Frog was the character's first major theatrical appearance since 1999's Muppets from Space.

Theatrically released 16 November 2007 by 20th Century Fox, it received mixed reviews, but performed modestly at the box office, grossing $69.5 million worldwide. Helm subsequently disowned the film in later years. Despite this, it has developed a cult following in the United Kingdom.[citation needed]

Plot

[edit]

Molly Mahoney, a former musical prodigy suffering from artist's block, is an amateur pianist and an employee at "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium", a magical toy shop run by 243-year-old Mr. Edward Magorium. Besides Molly and Mr. Magorium, store bookbuilder, Bellini, a strongman, is also employed. Eric Applebaum is a boy who comes to the store daily and functions as an employee despite his age.

Mr. Magorium gives Molly the Congreve Cube, a block of wood, and tells her it will guide her to a new life if she has faith in it. Molly wants to become a concert pianist and composer, but has not been able to complete her first concerto.

Mr. Magorium announces that he intends to "leave", and is giving the shop to Molly. In preparation of his departure, Mr. Magorium hires an accountant, Henry Weston, to organize the shop's paperwork and determine his legacy to Molly. Henry does not believe the toy store is magical.

When Molly becomes upset about her inability to properly run the store, the Emporium "throws a tantrum", assaulting everyone inside with the toys until Mr. Magorium calms it down. Molly realizes that Mr. Magorium is going to die, so she rushes him to a hospital until he is discharged the next day. She attempts to prevent Mr. Magorium's departure by showing him the joys of life. Back at the store, Mr. Magorium uses the stage notes of Shakespeare's King Lear to make a point about the natural simplicity of death, before dying. Believing herself to be incapable of owning a magical store, Molly puts the Emporium up for sale, and the store loses all its magic.

Henry meets Molly to draw up the sales papers. He sees the Congreve Cube and asks her about it. When Molly confesses her complete faith in the store, the block flies around the store. Witnessing this, Henry faints with shock. When he awakes and questions Molly, she tells him that it was a dream. He learns that Molly made the cube fly, and he believes in her, realizing Molly can be anything if she believes in herself. The store returns to its former glory as Molly's confidence increases.

Cast

[edit]
  • Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Edward Magorium, the toy store's eccentric 243-year-old owner
  • Natalie Portman as Molly Mahoney, the store manager, and former child piano prodigy, who feels "stuck" in life
  • Jason Bateman as Henry Weston (aka "Mutant"), the straight-laced, rigid accountant hired to get Mr. Magorium's paperwork in order
  • Zach Mills as Eric Applebaum, a lonely 9-year-old who comes to the store regularly and has trouble making friends
  • Ted Ludzik as Bellini, the bookbinder who was born in the shop's basement and writes Mr. Magorium's biography
  • Kiele Sanchez as Mrs. Goodman, a customer
  • Jonathan Potts as a hospital doctor
  • Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog in a cameo appearance

Production

[edit]

Photography was from 31 March 2006 to 6 June 2006 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[4] The film was produced by FilmColony's Richard N. Gladstein and Gang of Two's James Garavente, and financed by Walden Media, and Mandate Pictures's Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane.[citation needed]

Novelization

[edit]

Written by Suzanne Weyn, the novelization was published in 2007 by Scholastic Inc.[5][6] The novelization was written by American fantasy author Suzanne Weyn. The novel, or "Magical Movie Novel", as it is named on its cover, was released on October 1, 2007.

Release

[edit]

The film was released in the United States and Canada 16 November 2007 by 20th Century Fox, under their "Fox-Walden" joint-venture with Walden Media. International sales were handled by Mandate Pictures.[1]

The premiere of Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium, attended by Natalie Portman and Dustin Hoffman, also doubled as a fundraising event with tickets having been made available to the public. Funds raised at the event were donated to the Barnardo's children's charity and other charities based in the United Kingdom.[7]

To promote the film, the Los Angeles Times ran a scratch and sniff advertisement with a frosted cake smell.[8][9]

Home media

[edit]

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray 4 March 2008 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Box office

[edit]

The film grossed $9.6 million in 3,164 theaters on its opening weekend, ranking #5 at the box office.[10] It went on to gross $32.1 million in the U.S., and a further $35.4 million in the rest of the world, which gives the film a box office total of $67.5 million.[3]

Critical response

[edit]
Jason Bateman was praised by critics for his performance.[citation needed]

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 40% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 124 reviews, with an average rating of 5.20/10. The consensus reads, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium's title is much more fun than the film itself, as colorful visuals and talented players can't make up for a bland story."[11] On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 26 reviews.[12] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[13] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone declared the film the year's Worst Family Film on his list of the Worst Movies of 2007.[14]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 stars out of 4 and wrote: "This isn't quite the over-the-top fantasy you'd like it to be, but it's a charming enough little movie, and probably the younger you are, the more charming."[15] In recognition of the fact that it was "aimed directly at very young children", William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer observed its "unforced and exceedingly gentle humor, its imaginative but never-quite-excessive production design and its ingratiating and surprisingly detailed performances – especially by Portman and Bateman – gradually break down one's cynical defenses".[16]

Writer-director Zach Helm later disowned the film, calling it "a trainwreck", after the film was referenced in an episode of the AMC drama Breaking Bad.[17]

Awards

[edit]

For his performance in the film, Zach Mills was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor.

The film has won two awards: the Heartland Film Festival Truly Moving Pictures award; and the Dove Foundation Seal of Approval, whose presenters felt it was "a delightful family film". Shawn Edwards of Fox called it "the most magical film of the year".

List of awards and nominations
Award Category Nominee Result
Golden Trailer, IFMCA Award and Young Artist Award Best Animation/Family, Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction Film and Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actor Alexandre Desplat, Aaron Zigman and Zach Mills Nominated

Home media

[edit]

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 4 March 2008 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in the U.S.[18]

Music

[edit]

The score was composed by Alexandre Desplat and Aaron Zigman, and was released 13 November 2007.[19] The album includes the song, "Love the World You Find", performed by the Flaming Lips.

[edit]

In the penultimate episode of the hit AMC series, Breaking Bad (Season 5, Episode 15; "Granite State"), Walter White's off-grid New Hampshire residence contains only two DVDs, both of which are Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.

In the Season 1, Episode 7, of the HBO Max series Close Enough, a flashback scene in which Josh and Emily's first date shows Josh explaining to Emily why he feels the Academy Award for Best Picture might go to Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Mandate boards Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium".
  2. ^ Mancini, Vince (25 September 2013). "Mr. Magorium director on Breaking Bad: "No one has two copies of Mr. Magorium."". Uproxx. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. ^ LaPorte, Nicole (10 March 2006). "Walden backing 'Wonder'". Variety. Production will begin at the end of the month in Toronto.
  5. ^ Weyn, Suzanne (2007). Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium : magical movie novel. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 978-0-439-91250-1.
  6. ^ "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium". Goodreads. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  7. ^ Amar Vijay (26 November 2007). "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Premiere". Empire.
  8. ^ "The Los Angeles Times to Feature First-Ever Ad with Scented Ink for Fox Walden's "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium"". Los Angeles Times. 4 September 2007.
  9. ^ IGN Staff (4 September 2007). "Mr. Magorium's Smelly Ad". IGN.
  10. ^ "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) – Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
  11. ^ "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Home - Cinemascore". Cinemascore. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  14. ^ Travers, Peter (19 December 2007). "Peter Travers' Best and Worst Movies of 2007". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
  15. ^ Ebert, Roger (15 November 2007). "Toys R Magorium". Chicago Sun-Times.
  16. ^ Arnold, William (15 November 2007). "Gentle whimsy of Emporium will appeal to children – and win over their parents". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. SeattlePI.com. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  17. ^ "'Mr. Magorium' Director to 'Breaking Bad' -- I Hate My Movie, Too". TMZ. 24 September 2013.
  18. ^ "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) - Financial Information". The Numbers.
  19. ^ Jason Ankeny. "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] - Alexandre Desplat". All Music.
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