Touches You

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

A different way of telling a story

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Vacillating over scoring this 3 or less. A generally disappointing movie that one can only imagine genuinely respected actors such as Dustin Hoffman must have ended up feeling a bit embarrassed about being involved with. Potentially this could have been a much better film. One appreciates that it is fantasy, and essentially aimed at children, but this is no excuse for the overarching contrivances and heavy-handed sentimentality all aimed at achieving an emotional response. This film needed another half hour to flesh-out the characters and plot to make us 'care' about them and left too many things feeling flimsy and undeveloped. Children of a certain age may be momentarily amused by some of the 'special effects' for some of the time, but the screenplay, the constant use of emotional music and meme-like conversational gambits, and the rather 'bright'/made-for-TV feel of the production quality, combined with the essentially simplistic and facile 'big message' all leave one feeling bluntly dissatisfied and frustrated at having spent 90-odd minutes watching something that was ultimately 'less than the sum of its parts'.

I remember seeing this movie as a kid and liking this movie. Now that I am a teenager I still like this movie but I have newer thoughts on this movie. So let's discuss, shall we?So first off, the movie begins and already the musical score has shown itself to be really powerful and great. The opening credits scene is nicely done as well. When the movie actually starts is where I kinda start getting nit-picky. The movie is narrated by a kid, and just in my opinion, he is a little wooden and you can tell he probably hasn't voice acted much. His actual acting is a different situation.We get introduced into the main protagonist, Mahoney, portrayed by Natalie Portman, who is great in this movie. I am a musician and so is she in this story so I can really connect to her struggles and thoughts. I love people who I can connect to. I like all the actors in this movie but she stands out which is not a bad thing. When the Emporium, which is basically a character by itself, is introduced, there's a montage of the awesome magical things the store can do. My only problem with this montage is that some of the shots are awkward and a bit off in some places. And the CGI, and let's be honest in some places there had to be CGI, it's not the best and looks like a straight to DVD movie even though it was released in theaters. However, I love all the store has to offer us. It's like Toy Story but live action which I think is pretty cool. Now it's not just the main kid in this movie but all the kids in my opinion seem off. I felt like all they had to say was pretty cheesy and because they are just kids they don't act the best. Apart from that, the rest of the actors are actually really good and have really good lines. The comedic moments and dialogue is really good. The slapstick in this movie isn't the best and didn't always land with me. And in my opinion, because of the big picture of this movie, some of the slapstick is actually not needed. Another nit-pick, as the movie goes on, some of the editing in terms of putting together the shots don't always align and are sometimes painfully obvious. Also, each "chapter" is organized as if it was a book, which I don't mind. However, the chapter titles are pretty cheesy and in my opinion, strange. But maybe that's the genius of this movie. There are a couple really good scenes in this movie and one of my favorites is when Eric, the kid, shows Henry, or the "Mutant," his hat collection. They have such a nice playful banter and always makes my family and I crack up laughing. My only big flaw with this movie is the end or the last "chapter". I just don't get it. After Mahoney obviously made the block of wood fly because she believed and Henry passed out, Henry wakes up and Mahoney acts like it never happened. Then she believes again or whatever followed by surprisingly awkward dialogue. Then she starts to conduct the store back alive and the CGI here is definitely out dated and pretty bad actually. Also, there is like five seconds where the movie turns into like a computer animated film and it's completely useless. One of the last shots is of Mahoney conducting the store to life again but the problem is that almost nothing is happening and not to mention Mahoney's conducting is pretty awkward. And the very last shot is also pretty strange. There are just things I don't understand about this ending!Overall, the movie definitely isn't bad. Far from it. It just isn't great. There are for sure some great scenes, and definitely some awkward ones. Overall the special effects were mediocre which is disappointing. The sound editing and mixing are fine. The score is pretty good and overall the characters are good as well. Just the script and mainly towards the end just kind of gets a little ridiculous. This is a good movie and it is worth seeing.

Let's get something straight. This - Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium - is my realm. Some guys make movies, but not me. No! I am the one who watches. Upon recently viewing this movie upwards of 250 times in the past month, I can say this is a 100 percent perfect film that will not make you blue, but rather cheer you up even if you are cold and alone. Though I wish I could watch this with my family, I know that is unlikely even if I take full measures. Alright, let's talk about Mr. Edward Magorium. He was a good man and a good toy store owner. He didn't deserve what happened to him. He didn't deserve it at all. But I'd watch him again and tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. When you make it Edward versus Bellini, or Edward versus Molly, Edward loses! Simple as that. This is on Mr. Magorium, not Eric, not Molly. I mean really, what'd you expect me to do? Just simply roll over and not watch this on repeat? That I wouldn't take the time – extreme amounts of time – to watch this myself? Wrong! Think again. If you don't agree with me, then I'm sorry you feel that way - but know this: If you've already read this far, I won. Tread lightly, Mr Lambert

I saw the trailer and a couple of clips of this film while it was in cinemas, I could tell it was going to be one of those really bizarre and either love it or hate it kids' films, but I watched anyway. Basically Mr. Edward Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) is the owner of an awesome and magical toy shop, the Wonder Emporium, and twenty three year old Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman) is the manager, and being a promising composer she aspires to be a professional piano player, but she is stuck for inspiration because of working in the store. The store is a great success bringing happiness to children and adult customers alike, one customer includes lonely hat collector Eric Applebaum (Zach Mills) who only has Mr. Magorium and Molly for friends. Mr. Magorium is hiring accountant Henry Weston (Jason Bateman), who they nickname 'Mutant', to help adjust the accounts of the store and hopefully create better business, since the store magic is fading, and Mr. Magorium claims that at the age of two hundred and forty three years old it is his time to go, i.e. die. Before he plans to depart (the world) he gives Molly a wooden block called a Congreve cube, she asks him what it does, but he says that she will find within herself to work it out, but the store is fading to grey with his departure looming. Henry is one of those "just" people that sees everything as just what it is, with no imagination, he is just focused on helping the store make its business, and eventually the store completely fades the grey, Mr. Magorium dies and the store is put up for sale. In the end however Molly feels really passionate that anything can happen in the Wonder Emporium if Henry accepts that magic is real, and pointing to the block she knows it is not just a block, and soon enough it comes to life and brings magic back to the store, and Molly knows that the magic will live again if she becomes the new owner, and her music potential is restored as well. Also starring Ted Ludzik as Bellini, Jonathan Potts as Dr. Dunn, Marcia Bennett as Lora, Rebecca Northan as Ellie Applebaum, Oliver Masuda as Jordan, Samantha Harvey as Cassie and Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog. Portman is beautiful and sweet as the talented musician feeling held back but finding herself in the magic, Hoffman is alright as the eccentric lisping bonkers store owner, and Bateman is a little dull, the film does have some well meant sentiment, reasonable special effects and the kids watching will all be amazed and delighted, it wasn't all my cup of tea, but it is a pleasant enough adventure, a not bad but not great fantasy comedy drama. Okay!