Kids in London - Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

KimT's London for Kids Blog

We were disappointed that we missed this over the Christmas holidays but delighted to find that it was still playing in Leicester Square today - the last day of the fair there. Our mood shifted when we realised that the cost of three tickets (mum, ten year old daughter and 16 year old son) as well as three hot dogs and regular drinks was around £40!!!

Anyway. The film started beautifully. We were all captured by the magic of a toy store that must have been one that just about every kid ever dreamed about - real animals, toys that are alive, abuzz with colours and sounds and everything just - well, magical.

Dustin Hoffman owned this film. He was larger than life as Mr Magorium. The other star of the film was young Eric - the lonely kid with special powers and a mature line in adult friends. I thought he was like a young Toby Maguir - the kids disagreed with me.

There were a number of laugh out loud moments at the outset. And we all thought the scene with the mutant (kids name for Henry the Accountant) and the dinosaur in the background was wonderful.

What a great idea that a store could sulk (the walls went bad), throw a tantrum (we loved the lemur on the kids head) and then mourn (everything went black and grey in some awesome special effects).

The film got a bit lost in the middle. And we couldn't quite see why we spent so time watching Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman) at her piano failing to finish her life's work (at 23!) musical composition.

Anyway. The ending was predictably a bit sad and then there was a fabulous magical happy bit again. Although we all thought that young Eric should have inherited the store.

Lovely film. Magical. Will buy it when it's on DVD as it such a happy film that is bound to become a firm favourite for all those who are young at heart.

Posted Date
Jan 6, 2008 in KimT's London for Kids Blog by KimT