Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Director: Zach Helm

Cast: Ted Ludzik as Bellini, the Bookbuilder, Natalie Portman as Molly Mahoney, the Composer, Zach Mills as Eric Applebaum, the Hat Collector, Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Edward Magorium, Avid Shoe-Wearer, Madalena Brancatella as Jessica, Who Got a Cowboy Hat, Paula Boudreau as Brenda, Who Wants a Mobile, Mike Realba as Dave Wolf, Who's an Engineer, Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog (voice), Liam Powley-Webster as Andy, the Boy Who Likes to Color, Marcia Bennett as Lora, Who Wants a Fire Engine, Jason Bateman as Henry Weston, the Mutant, Oliver Masuda as Jordan, Who Said Hi, Samantha Harvey as Cassie, the Girl Chased by a Goose, Jesse Bostick as Derek, Who Opened the Door, Isaac Durnford as Jason, Who's a Little Too Curious

My husband and I brought our 4 year old daughter to see this movie last
night. We'd already seen (and ADORED) THE BEE MOVIE, and nothing else
seemed age appropriate. Despite horrible reviews, we gave it a shot.

I loved this movie. It's not often that a kid's movie can move me to
tears, but this one had a powerful (yet simple) message...LIFE IS WHAT
YOU MAKE OF IT.

My daughter was bored to the point of BEGGING us to leave. This from a
kid who sees movie-going as the ultimate treat. While it was visually
stimulating overall, there could have been more in the way of special
effects.

Jason Bateman was surprisingly good in his role as the accounting
mutant. Some of the most moving moments in the film were created by
little more than the expression on his face.

Natalie Portman was radiant and lovable and...androgynous? ;) She could
easily have been mistaken for a thirteen year old boy throughout most
of the film, to the point where it seemed that she had her chest bound
up to appear that way. But it's not about the boobies, and it's not a
romantic love story, which I greatly appreciated.

No sex. No violence. No profanity. My husband hated it.

There is love...lots of love. Pure love. The kind of love you feel when
you're a child, and your mind has not yet been bogged down with the
soul-crushing stress of adult responsibility.

This movie is a nice kick-in-the-pants for anybody who needs to be
reminded that you don't have to be a kid to see the potential in
yourself and the world around you. You just have to relax a little and
believe in magic.