Sofi Ibarra Villarreal

PLEASE READ AT LEAST THE FIRST PART: I usually do not write reviews but this one was of great importance... Go ahead and read the one-star reviews... it is filled with lovers of the 90s movie (which I also love) saying that this is a bad remake... first off, THIS IS NOT A REMAKE nor it intends to be one. I just wanted to clarify that this is the movie adaptation of Matilda's stage production, not a remake of the 90s work. Both of the movies should be reviewed as separate pieces rather than as a piece and its modern remake. THIS IS A MUSICAL. Maybe quite a cliché comment, but if you don't want songs in a movie, don't watch a musical. If you are considering whether you should watch the film or not, I definitely think you should give it a shot. Watch it, and form your own opinion, because I am not here to impose mine. My job here is to warn you that, if you do watch it: 1. this is NOT a remake of the 90s movie nor it intends to be one. 2. this IS a movie musical, so yes it is 2- ish hours long and yes, it has songs 3. The story changes, don't expect full loyalty to the 90s film, or to the book. NOW THAT I'VE CLARIFIED SOME THINGS, I AM GOING TO WRITE MY PERSONAL OPINION OF IT. remember, this is my opinion, it doesn't have to be yours. I actually loved it, hence the five stars. Is it the best movie I've ever watched? no. But I did love it. I was first introduced to the film when I was little, and then, growing up I came across the musical and fell in love with it. When I heard the stage production was going to be adapted to a film, I felt two things : utter joy, and utter fear. There has been a history of bad film adaptations of musicals and I didn't want this to fall in there. Thankfully it didn't. I think most of the directing choices were really meaningful (with some exceptions of course). The movie really takes advantage of the possibilities that film as a medium provides, and took us to places the stage production wasn't able to take us and showed us all of the emotions the stage production does in a more cinematic way. You can really see how the musical was successfully translated into film taking advantage of the possibilities now presented and without making it feel inorganic. I think the casting was great, especially Turnbull, Ms. Honey, and Matilda. The choreographies were taken to a whole new level, the songs were performed amazingly, the editing was on point and the cinematography was just beautiful. I definitely do think that the movie has quite a childish innocence t it, breaking the boundaries of reality at certain specific moments which generally just makes us as viewers feel what the character experiences when reading or daydreaming. It is a unique experience, to be honest. It is important to clarify that there are some very specific choices that were questionable for me as a viewer but I loved it overall... I would say it is a 9/10, which would be around 4.5/5 stars. As much as I loved it, (and I ugly cried with nostalgia in almost every song), I do understand why people who think this is a remake of the 90s version might be upset, because, yet again, it is not a remake, so if you do watch it, and if you are brave enough to reach this final part of the review, I ask you to have an open mind to the spectacular experience matilda is. Let me know if this was at all helpful!