"Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium tests the imagination of its viewers. The form of the film is most important because in filmmaking, form is where the artist really gets to manipulate the movie. In this particular movie, Zach Helm pulls together all the important aspects of filmmaking in order to tell this story. Color is a very important element to pay attention to, since there is a lot of color symbolism. For example, Henry, the store’s accountant, is a serious businessman with no time for play, and he fails to see anything magical about the store. When we are first introduced to Henry’s character, he is wearing a dark, conservative business suit with a dark tie. Throughout the duration of the movie, Henry’s suits remain dark and conservative, but his ties gradually become lighter and more brightly colored as he begins to see the magic all around him."
"At first, one who has never seen the movie might assume that Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium functions only as a children’s movie. This is true enough, but I do not believe that a feel-good kiddy movie was Zach Helm’s only intention. This entire movie is deceptively simple yet incredibly layered with more mature themes that children have no hope of understanding until they grow up. Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium challenges adults to reflect on their own lives: Do I really believe in myself? Do I remember to find pleasure in the simple things in life? Am I too busy with my work to recognize the ‘magic’ all around me? Is there something in my life that has me feeling ‘stuck’, and what can I do to fix that? Do I make the most of every 37 seconds of my life? Do I ‘sparkle’?"
"Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium reminds us all that no matter where we go or who we are, we ought to be making the most out of everything we do. Find joy in the simple little aspects of life. Make great use of the time you have been given. Try something new. Don’t forget to laugh. No matter how busy your work schedule seems to keep you or how important your work appears to be, find time to play. Sometimes, change is inevitable: make the best of every situation that comes your way. Never give up on your dreams. Above all things, believe in yourself."
For those of you who haven't yet seen Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium... I highly recommend it. It is one of the most extraordinary movies I have ever seen. Set aside the fact that the many "Henry's" of the world did not appreciate it. Are you surprised?
Look for the magic, folks. It's all around you.
