💬 Psychic whiplash…tears in my cupcake

🧃 Let’s Start With Why This Movie Hits Home

First, this review is for Ms. Carmen—a family friend who passed in 2022 after a long fight with cancer. We used to watch this movie together all the time. We even joked that her daughter looked just like Matilda. So yeah, this one’s for Ms. Carmen. You are missed. ❤️

Second, I got to meet Mara Wilson—yup, Matilda herself—at a comic con! Got a few photos, had a great time, and yeah… not gonna lie, that was pretty cool.

So without further adeiu, here’s the trailer:

🤦 Meet the Parents (You’ll Want to Throw Punches)

This film follows two absolutely awful parents—played by Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman—who adopt Matilda and immediately forget her in the car. Top-tier parenting.

DeVito plays the dad: a greasy car salesman who scams people with spray paint and lies. (Fun twist: he’s one of my favorite actors, so watching him be a total trash human is… complicated.)

One day, a terrifying principal named Ms. Trunchbull shows up at his shop demanding a car. He gives her one—total scam. But then she starts poking around, asking questions about paperwork or whatever, and he freaks. So, in peak sleazebag fashion, he’s like, “Hey, wanna take my kid off my hands too?” And boom—Matilda gets packed off to Trunchbull’s nightmare factory of a school.

🍯 Enter Ms. Honey (aka the MVP)

But hey—not everything sucks. There’s also Ms. Honey, who’s like the human version of a warm blanket. She’s sweet, she’s patient, and she actually sees how brilliant Matilda is instead of treating her like a problem with pigtails.

🧠 Matilda’s Secret Power-Up

Oh—and Matilda? She’s got powers. Like, telekinesis powers. She can move stuff with her mind like a tiny Jedi. Books? Check. Chalk? Check. Principal-flinging superpowers? Double check.

⚠️ Spoiler Alert – You’ve Been Warned

Matilda sneaks into Trunchbull’s house (which used to be Ms. Honey’s childhood home) to get back her stolen teddy bear. She uses her powers to create a haunted-house vibe and totally freak Trunchbull out. But while climbing back out, she snags her dress on a branch and rips it—classic horror movie exit blunder.

The next day, Trunchbull finds the torn fabric and becomes suspicious. In classic ‘I’m a bully’ style, she barges into the room demanding answers.

👻 The Ghost Ninja Strikes Back

To protect herself and her friends, Matilda pulls a full ghost-mode ninja routine—slamming doors, throwing chalk, and writing spooky threats on the board using her powers. Trunchbull freaks out and runs, while the kids cheer and chuck food at her.

Ms. Honey becomes the new principal. Matilda moves in with her.

But there’s one last twist—her scummy parents show up, panicking because the government is onto the dad’s shady business deals. They try to drag Matilda with them, but she hands them adoption papers.

They sign. No fight, no fuss—just scribbles and goodbye. And just like that, Matilda ditches her disaster family and gets the loving home she deserves.

🎮 Final Thoughts + Rating

Matilda is one of those movies that somehow balances dark humor, actual childhood trauma, and warm fuzzy moments without ever feeling like it’s trying too hard. The villains are awful in just the right way. The powers are ridiculous in just the right way. And the payoff is satisfying in the YES SHE DESERVED THAT kind of way.

If you like your kids’ movies with a little rebellion, a dash of psychic chaos, and a giant chocolate cake scene that lives rent-free in your head forever—this one’s for you.

💀 Final Score: 10/10

This movie’s got more attitude than Trunchbull at a parent-teacher conference.

🎉 Roll credits. Cue applause. Matilda wins. 🎉

The closing clip from Matilda