Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

Although it was critically drubbed upon its theatrical release in the fall, this visual spectacle has more than a toy shelf’s worth of charm. The cast, led by Dustin Hoffman as the 243-year-old title character, seems to be having fun with the whimsical material, and that’s a credit to writer/director Zach Helm, who worked in a toy store for several years. This also is a great looking movie, which should be even more stunning in Blu-ray (no HD DVD version is available). The Wonder Emporium and its magical inventory are as much characters as the human performers. Together with its celebration of the imagination, this should be a surefire option for its intended young audience, and even palatable for their parents, who will have fun spotting the classic toys. The five featurettes, all easily digestible at eight minutes or less, spotlight the main characters and, deservingly, the production design. There’s also an entertaining, extended clip from the studio’s forthcoming Horton Hears a Who.

Shelf Talk: Mr. Magorium received The Dove Foundation’s Family Approved Seal and is a winner of the Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award. Both these accolades are expected to appear on the retail packaging of the DVD. What’s more, the catchy title, an ambitious and memorable theatrical ad campaign and a line of classic toys repackaged with the fictitious store’s logo will give Mr. Magorium some built-in name recognition among its target audience.