Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Broken into storybook-like chapters...the film implies that it possesses literary roots; however, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium comes across as a quickie knockoff attempting to capitalize on a more popular title's success.

Better to prepare your children for the world with a DVD of Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy.

In its favour, there's nothing here to upset the children. (Not, that is, unless they're allergic to Hoffman's hammy, Method-derived acting.)

No wise child, let alone grown-up, will touch this with a turkey baster.

You'd have to be a Scrooge to take against this, though it could use a little more Roald Dahl-ish bite, and a little less of the Hoffman twinkle. Needless to say, it all ends happily.

Things go badly wrong when eccentric Mr Magorium announces he has had enough of his 243 years on earth and has decided to pop his clogs.

This is a lovely story for children under 14. Jason Bateman is the horrified and expensive plod who has to wind up Hoffman’s wild accounts. Portman is wonderful as the daffy heroine who needs to grow up and perhaps fall in love.

Trying with all its might to be endearing, the magic is simply missing. Hoffman is unbelievably annoying as the lisping Willy Wonka wannabe, while Portman looks uninterested.

Mr Magorium’s Terrible Tedium.

No doubt intended to be a Christmas blockbuster - this pretty looking film is ultimately all wrapping, with nothing much to find inside.