We Don't Even Carry Lemurs!

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium: The Toy Store of we all imagined! An absolute treat for the visitor, a magical illusion of color and tricks for the audience. We could have climbed trees, and had tea parties with stuff animals that responded to our questions. In that toy store we could paint and read stories that came alive. Oh that things a magical toy store could do, like throw a tantrum?

I decided to watch Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium because it was on demand. And I think often times kid's/ family movies get missed because of their subject matters but they have some of the best talent and stories to tell. This one was no different than my thoughts on the American Girl Flick, Dustin Hoffaman and Natalie Portman add their own personal flare of acting to this charming narrative.

Though the story was snappy, doing all the bells and whistles likely for the youngsters in the audience. It also was of course slightly predictable, young girl on a journey of self-discovery helped along by magic only to discovered she had the power within all along. But the importance of the film is that while entertaining the children, it had powerful dialogue for adults. In particular I was taken by the following lines delivered by Dustin Hoffaman's character of Mr. Magorium:

When King Lear dies in Act V, do you know what Shakespeare has written? He's written "He dies." That's all, nothing more. No fanfare, no metaphor, no brilliant final words. The culmination of the most influential work of dramatic literature is "He dies." It takes Shakespeare, a genius, to come up with "He dies." And yet every time I read those two words, I find myself overwhelmed with dysphoria. And I know it's only natural to be sad, but not because of the words "He dies." but because of the life we saw prior to the words.

No child would understand that particular line I think, at least not the reference. But the adults in the room

would appreciate the passion and frank honesty of those lines, delivered by a wonderfully believable actor. Most of the movie I even forgot that it was Dustin Hoffaman playing Mr. Magorium.

I loved the beauty and the magic of this film. And having worked in a Disney Store which is a toy store striving to be an experience like Mr. Magorium's only made me appreciate it the movie more. Don't let family films fall to the sidelines and never get watched just because of their content! The silliness is sometimes the best part! And don't forgot that all great actors lend their talents to child/ family movies because sometimes they are the richest characters to portray.