Release Date:
11/16/2007
Dustin Hoffman plays yet another 243-year-old man in this whimsical and rather charming kid's movie that is the perfect kind of holiday film to which you can take your own children, nephew, niece, or anyone you found on the playground. There is no other reason for adults to see it unless you have some sort of nostalgic freak-on for Slinkys. Hoffman is Mr. Magorium, a magical wizard of toys who has managed his own weirdly wondrous store in the middle of Manhattan for about 117 years. However, he is preparing to die (his last pair of shoes have worn out) and wants to turn the shop, a place where everything seems to have a life of its own, over to his sales clerk (Natalie Portman), who doesn't seem to want to take on the responsibility or pressures that come with owning such a place. Into the picture arrives a buttoned-down accountant (Jason Bateman) who hopes to put Magorium on a new financial track to no avail. Also hanging out at the emporium is Eric Applebaum (Zach Mills), a nice kid who likes to collect hats and is a big believer in the power and worth of the store. This Christmas flick was written and directed by Zach Helm, who wrote last year's Will Ferrell comedy Stranger Than Fiction. It's so "G" you almost want to gag; but its heart is in the right place, definitely a treat for the youngest moviegoers on the planet. Take a kid or take a pass.