The mind is a biological wonder. Not only is it sustained by an incredibly complex system of nerves, consciousness, and interactions between the body and brain, but it’s also the key reason we can function within and comprehend the physical world, and imagine worlds far beyond our own. The mind is also devious, sometimes tricking us into memories that either don’t exist or are greatly manipulated– known as the Mandela Effect– and giving us a miraculous ability to see beyond what is possible, but ultimately forcing us to stay grounded in realistic thought. What happens, then, when you fully engage in the deception, succumbing to the false realities of the Mandela Effect, and embracing the infinite wonders of the imagination, for better and for worse. Cue “Malignant” and “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium”.
“Malignant” arrives as director, producer, and writer James Wan’s eleventh feature film, and one of the numerous films over the past two decades he’s had a hand in producing. Wan made a huge name for himself with his second– but first theatrical– feature film, the wildly successful and retrospectively celebrated “Saw”. The film was a grimy, twist-filled exploration of a demented serial killer, with several allusions and challenges to the human psyche, and plenty of gross-out body horror. At its core, it was an atmospheric horror film with a brutal premise, elevated by its use of non-linear storytelling and balance of showing versus leaving to the mind of the viewer. It also showcased Wan’s raw ability as a filmmaker and his resourcefulness with shoestring budgets. Since Saw, he’s made a number of small horror films, kickstarted two blockbuster horror universes– “Insidious” and “The Conjuring”– and made two gloriously over-budgeted and ridiculous action/superhero films, “Furious 7” and “Aquaman”. Now, Wan is back with another original horror vision and a return to his roots– the divinely odd “Malignant”
“Malignant” follows Madison, a woman with a mysterious and seemingly troubled past, who is trapped in an abusive relationship– that is until something terrible goes wrong and her world is turned upside down. After an attack by her boyfriend, things start going bump in the night, a mysterious figure stands outside of and invades her house, and she is frequently paralyzed at night by real-time visions of grisly murders, seemingly carried out by the same person who is haunting her. I’m not going to say any more about the story, because the movie and the plot are absolutely wild and frequently confusing, and it’s hard to say more without revealing major plot details. This is especially true throughout the first half when a bunch of elements is thrown at the screen with no obvious cohesion. This seems at first to be a flaw, but after the credits roll you soon realize the brilliance of what Wan has done. It’s a movie intentionally confusing, baiting you into guessing what is happening until all assumptions are blown to pieces by an explosive and feverishly gruesome finale, but one that you can go back and piece together from the subtleties placed throughout the, initially, confounding first half.
Wan has a unique knack for creating extended and elaborate scare sequences that keep you guessing as to where you’re about to get spooked from, and his use of unique POVs, ultra-wide angles, color tension, and atmospheric sets that feel disconnected from the real world– like a dream where everything is slightly off– aid in amping up the fear. Particular highlights include a top-down perspective sequence and a finale that is gory horror bliss. The only major issue I have with the film is the script, which leaves little room for the development of intriguing characters and gives the actors some really awkward and on-the-nose dialogue. In effect, you aren’t really invested in anyone, though as a whole the story keeps you invested in its absurdity and topsy-turvy narrative. You could dig deep into the content of “Malignant” and see it as an allegory for the loss of oneself in the face of trauma, abuse, sickness, etc., but ultimately the film is a fun roller coaster ride through the uniquely twisted mind of James Wan, with a lot of creative thrills and impressive set-pieces.
Now, pivot from the horrors of the mind, memory, and trauma and enter the magical world of “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium”, a warm and endearing film about the importance and power of imagination in the face of a world that presumes imagination as an exclusively childish exercise, and the pervading necessity of making the most of any situation in an increasingly harsh world. The film follows Molly Mahoney, played by Natalie Portman, a young and down on her luck manager of an extravagant toy store, which is owned by the eccentric, mysterious, and possibly magical Mr. Edward Magorium, played by a charming and effervescent Dustin Hoffman. After Mr. Magorium claims his time to “go” has come, he begins to train Molly as his successor, which she is initially reluctant to do given her feelings of disappointment in herself for not following through on her dreams of becoming a composer. What ensues is a touching exploration of the fragility of the human spirit and the importance of believing in yourself and supporting one another, as well as never giving up when things don’t go according to plan.
The film was written and directed by a relatively obscure director, Zach Helm, whose biggest theatrical work has been this (he did later go on to write a critically successful play). Giving a then first-time director 65 million dollars to make an original movie about a magical toy store and the power of imagination and believing in yourself is unheard of, and unfortunately, the movie did not fare well financially or critically. I think it was received overly harshly and retrospectively the film is wonderfully upbeat and a visual treat, sometimes to a grating tee, and so pure in its message that it’s hard not to feel warm inside. The performances by Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman, and Jason Bateman are all very charming, and while the visual effects and sometimes overly whimsical nature are occasionally tacky and outdated, they still carry an impressive amount of exuberance and kindness. Watching it feels like bottling up everything that was magical about adolescence, with a reverberant message about the importance of never letting go of that magic despite what society says because at some point that magic is what will get us through some of the hardest periods of our lives.
The film also pushes a joyous message about imagination and wonder, how those things live on through the people we pass them to by being willing to engage with our curiosity and creativity, and never settling for less than ourselves and our happiness. It’s a film that will simultaneously tickle the senses and emotional cores of children and adults alike, and it presents an important message to everyone to constantly encourage, cultivate, and embrace imagination, creativity, and self wonder and worth even past the adolescence stage in which those feelings seem the strongest. “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” ultimately preaches against the imperative that there’s no room for things of this nature in adulthood and asserts that one can, and should, grow up while still retaining the wonder that got us here in the first place. In doing so, it also fosters a very genuine and heartfelt moral wrapped up in an infectious and deeply emotional film.
