Netflix's MATILDA: THE MOVIE MUSICAL - News & Discussion Thread- Page 5

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/25/22 at 11:01pm

Call_me_jorge said: "TotallyEffed said: "She’s married to the director, no?"

she also originated the role of miss honey"

Well yeah lol but she’s the only one who has a cameo in the movie. I saw her play the role several times on Broadway and she was wonderful.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 12/25/22 at 11:24pm

Just watched through.

Absolutely delightful. What a bright, colorful, grand film adaptation this is. Certainly in the “good” pile of musicals on the Netflix streaming service, alongside “tick, tick…BOOM!” and “The Prom.” I saw this on Broadway close to 9 years ago, and the film serves as a wonderful complement.

I, for one, liked most of the cuts and changes. I miss the block letters (and honestly, who wouldn’t?) but loved the new stagings for “School Song” and “The Smell of Rebellion.” I’ll admit the film got off to a rather odd start with all the babies and their parents, but my fears were quickly silenced mere minutes later. 

Alisha Weir is a miraculous discovery in the title role, Lashana Lynch shocked me in the best possible way (esp. with a little Jennifer Hudson type vibrato in her singing voice, IMO), and Emma Thompson is DELICIOUS as the Trunchbull, though I could use a bit more menace. I saw Chris Hoch live, and while solid, I wish I had seen Bertie for obvious reasons. I thought the parents were more effective on stage. 

The subplot with the acrobat and the escapologist: what I thought at first could possibly be a distraction on screen actually ended up working quite well. It’s supposed to take you inside Matilda’s head and it does just that here. 

They kept the iconic pose in “Naughty”, and the cartwheels at the end. YES.

Yes, Matilda’s telekinesis is taken a bit further after the mysterious chalk writing:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

When the Chokey chains latch onto Trunchbull’s pigtails that Matilda gave her, throwing her out the glass window… sweet revenge for the Amanda Thripp throw. I also liked how Miss Honey had the final word this time once Trunchbull was grounded, which nearly made me shed a tear: “It’s over. Run.” 

Warchus translated his stage direction very well to the screen, and again, I’m thrilled that Minchin’s score is getting more recognition. It’s apropos that he is a master wordsmith and he used that to incredible effect when writing the show, and although some of his melodies leave a bit to be desired, whenever they’re effective, they hit you hard. 

And I could not give a review for this movie without mentioning those revolting children. Damn, they are TALENTED. Like their stage counterparts, I can guarantee some of them, if not most of them, will be going places when they grow up (see what I did there?).

Stream it, everyone. Stream it. 



 

 

Updated On: 12/25/22 at 11:24 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 12/25/22 at 11:25pm

(double post)

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 12:14am

TotallyEffed said: "Call_me_jorge said: "TotallyEffed said: "She’s married to the director, no?"

she also originated the role of miss honey"

Well yeah lol but she’s the only one who has a cameo in the movie. I saw her play the role several times on Broadway and she was wonderful."

I think I also noticed Gina Beck(she played miss honey right before the pandemic) in the opening montage as well.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 12:17am

Loving this so far. I was obsessed with the show when it first came out and the film adaptation is such a great reminder what a brilliant, funny, and deeply moving musical this is. Some great film directing choices as well.

Kinky Boots has a great message and everything but at the very least Tim Minchin should have won the Tony for his incredible score. I hope this Netflix version gives renewed attention to this under-appreciated gem.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 12:58am

What a marvelous film. I actually think it was better than the stage show. While I enjoyed it on Broadway and saw it a few times, the production often felt cold and pretentious. Total opposite in the film, with its bright and warm aura. 
Also, I am so glad they cut the brother. What an annoying character that was on stage. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 3:20am

I liked it. I just missed Loud. I hope it’s a bonus on the blu-ray since they filmed it.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 3:34am

Absolutely adored this movie!

The child actors were brilliant, so adorable and talented! Emma Thompson and Lashana Lynch were so perfect! I wouldn't have thought of either of them for their roles, but they nailed them. The direction and choreography were AMAZING!!!

As far as the cuts, I think cutting Pathetic was a mistake, but that's about it. Telly is fun, but I don't know how or, more importantly, where they'd put it (its original slot wouldn't work). The other cut songs, I didn't really miss. I thought all the cut characters were good moves to streamline it as a movie. I really didn't need Matilda's brother, her mother's dancing parter, ort the Russian mob showing up at the end. Updated On: 12/26/22 at 03:34 AM

[KitKatBoy24]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 8:02am

Add me to the bandwagon praising this film! I thought it was lovely and strongly preferred it to the stage version, which I didn’t care for. This story just works better on screen.

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 10:43am

I adored this and was soooo glad to finally listen to the score of this show with subtitles available since I honestly couldn’t understand about 50% of the lyrics when I saw the show on Broadway. It’s an incredibly impressive and dense score, which I found to be a detriment to the material on stage and made the show feel pretentious and overloaded. However, the cuts and revisions to the film made this a delight from start to finish. A terrific adaptation.  

Updated On: 12/26/22 at 10:43 AM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 11:20am

CATSNYrevival said: "I liked it. I just missed Loud. I hope it’s a bonus on the blu-ray since they filmed it."

Sadly, will likely never be available on Blu-ray since it’s a Netflix original. Fingers crossed Netflix changes their tune one day, but until then, it’ll only be available to stream.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 11:34am

ColorTheHours048 said: "CATSNYrevival said: "I liked it. I just missed Loud. I hope it’s a bonus on the blu-ray since they filmed it."

Sadly, will likely never be available on Blu-ray since it’s a Netflix original. Fingers crossed Netflix changes their tune one day, but until then, it’ll only be available to stream."

Criterion has a deal with with Netflix and has released some of their films. It’s probably unlikely but not impossible!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 11:41am

There’s already a blu-ray listing on Amazon for a May 2023 release.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BN47CHDP

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 11:57am

That’s not an American release. I was sure it would get a BD release in the UK (which that listing shows) since they get a lot of Netflix films released over there that we never get here, so I’m happy to see it actually happening. 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 12:15pm

CATSNYrevival said: "There’s already a blu-ray listing on Amazon for a May 2023 release.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BN47CHDP"

Could be an error, but that says 2024.

[CoercedBull]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 12:38pm

I'll join the praise-heaping for this movie. Basically as good as stage-to-screen adaptations get for musicals. My big hope is that the success of the film brings Tim Minchin back to the theater--I think the score for this and Groundhog Day are so strong and it's a shame he hasn't done anything since the latter.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 1:28pm

CoercedBull said: "I'll join the praise-heaping for this movie. Basically as good as stage-to-screen adaptations get for musicals. My big hope is that the success of the film brings Tim Minchin back to the theater--I think the score for this andGroundhog Dayare so strong and it's a shame he hasn't done anything since the latter."

I’m glad this happened, but doing a stage adaptation of a musical based on a movie…especially for shows that didn’t do as well as people would’ve hoped…I just don’t see creatives wanting to do it for every show. It’s also not needed. :) There are other ways to be exposed to work, some can live on in other ways-GHD is coming back to the West End so there’s that. We don’t always need a film (yes I’m aware people have not said it’s needed but I firmly believe you can leave shows alone and just have the stage adaption without bringing it to every medium). 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 1:37pm

hearthemsing22 said: "CoercedBull said: "I'll join the praise-heaping for this movie. Basically as good as stage-to-screen adaptations get for musicals. My big hope is that the success of the film brings Tim Minchin back to the theater--I think the score for this andGroundhog Dayare so strong and it's a shame he hasn't done anything since the latter."

I’m glad this happened, but doing a stage adaptation of a musical based on a movie…especially for shows that didn’t do as well as people would’ve hoped…I just don’t see creatives wanting to do it for every show. It’s also not needed. :) There are other ways to be exposed to work, some can live on in other ways-GHD is coming back to the West End so there’s that. We don’t always need a film (yes I’m aware people have not said it’s needed but I firmly believe you can leave shows alone and just have the stage adaption without bringing it to every medium)."


Are you talking about Matilda or Groundhog Day?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 1:40pm

CoercedBull said: "I'll join the praise-heaping for this movie. Basically as good as stage-to-screen adaptations get for musicals. My big hope is that the success of the film brings Tim Minchin back to the theater--I think the score for this andGroundhog Dayare so strong and it's a shame he hasn't done anything since the latter."

On his Wikipedia page it says he started work on a new biographical musical(or at least was supposed to) in 2020. Any ideas as to who it was about? It says it will premiere in Australia, so I’m assuming it’s about an Australian.

[romain2]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 2:48pm

I enjoyed the movie quite a bit.

As a fan of the 1993 film Much Ado About Nothing, I love how the dream moment with Trunchbull (Emma Thompson) swinging on a swing seems to be spoofing the scene with a radiant Beatrice (Thompson) soaring on a swing in that film. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmaZsAPGd5U

Updated On: 12/26/22 at 02:48 PM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 2:58pm

hearthemsing22 said: "CoercedBull said: "I'll join the praise-heaping for this movie. Basically as good as stage-to-screen adaptations get for musicals. My big hope is that the success of the film brings Tim Minchin back to the theater--I think the score for this andGroundhog Dayare so strong and it's a shame he hasn't done anything since the latter."

I’m glad this happened, but doing a stage adaptation of a musical based on a movie…especially for shows that didn’t do as well as people would’ve hoped…I just don’t see creatives wanting to do it for every show. It’s also not needed. :) There are other ways to be exposed to work, some can live on in other ways-GHD is coming back to the West End so there’s that. We don’t always need a film (yes I’m aware people have not said it’s needed but I firmly believe you can leave shows alone and just have the stage adaption without bringing it to every medium)."

Are you a Mean Girls stage musical fan and will you be watching the movie musical adaptation? No shade, just asking since that’s the next one up as far as movie to musical to movies go. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 3:15pm

Matilda the Musical is based on the book, not the American movie.

[DaveyG]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 3:50pm

I adored this movie. But people like Ruthie Fierberg (for Broadway News) saying that only the original stage director and writers should make the movie adaptation of their show is a silly argument. That's not how movies are made or financed. 

Matthew Warchus is an experienced film director, which has a lot to do with why the film is so good. Susan Stroman was not experienced and that's why you got the debacle that was The Producers musical movie. 

Every project is different. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 3:51pm

DaveyG said: "I adored this movie. But people like Ruthie Fierberg (for Broadway News) saying that only the original stage director and writers should make the movie adaptation of their show is a silly argument. That's not how movies are made or financed.

Matthew Warchus is an experienced film director, which has a lot to do with why the film is so good. Susan Stroman was not experienced and that's why you got the debacle that wasThe Producers musical movie.

Every project is different."


Apparently they didn’t see A Little Night Music.

[JoeW4]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 4:22pm

Watched it last night and really enjoyed it - I was obsessed with the stage musical for a period of time, and I thought this did justice to it - though I had some issues.

See my full thoughts here

I wouldn’t call Matthew Warchus an “experienced film director” as much he just “has film experience.” He directed 2 films prior to this, 15 years apart from each other. I admit I haven’t seen his film version of Simpatico but it seems like it was a real dud. Pride was definitely more successful, but not very similar to Matilda (and also kinda bland and forgettable IMPO).