Netflix's MATILDA: THE MOVIE MUSICAL - News & Discussion Thread- Page 6

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 6:24pm

I caught Matilda the Musical on Netflix last night. After having previously helmed countless stage productions of the musical over the years, Matthew Warchus does a wonderful job of repeating his directorial duties on this film. He absolutely nails the tone of Roald Dahl. Plus, he’s created several imaginative sequences with both the musical numbers (given energetic choreography by Ellen Kane) and book scenes. Not to mention that the way the end climax was reimagined cinematically really brought some nice surprises along the way for those who’ve long been familiar with this story. Especially with how they were able to do a lot more here than they ever could on a theatre stage. It also ends with a lovely original song written just for this adaptation titled ‘Still Holding My Hand.’ Another thing this movie does a great job of is exploring how Matilda develops her telekinesis.

Alisha Weir is a true find for the title character. She carries the whole thing on the weight of her shoulders quite successfully. We watch her go from dealing with her cruel parents in the beginning to standing up to the villainous Miss Trunchbull by the end (not to give anything away regarding the latter). Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough are both perfect as Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood. Lashana Lynch is very heartfelt as Miss Honey. Her rendition of ‘My House’ is definitely a standout. Emma Thompson truly delivers a scenery-chewing turn as Miss Trunchbull. The hair and makeup work on her fantastically transforms her into that character.

While the stage version is very well regarded, there are a number of people who personally find the subject to be too dark for a family friendly musical. If you’re one of those people, then this iteration clearly won’t win you over. Although as someone who adored the stage version, I’m glad to say that this is the best movie adaptation we could’ve possibly asked for.

Click Here for My Full Review

P.S.

As of now, Matilda is currently the third most streamed movie on Netflix in U.S.

Updated On: 12/26/22 at 06:24 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 8:15pm

Wow, this was really terrific! Is it dark? Sure, but all of Dahl's work is!  So much to be impressed with!

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 9:07pm

NYT Critic’s Pick

“A jolt of sour candy guaranteed to make you grin”

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/26/movies/matilda-musical-review-roald-dahl.html

 

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 9:59pm

Abstolutely fantastic. Very different in aesthetic from the pantomime-inspired stage show, but just as fresh, just as sharp, and just as clever.

Like everyone else, I miss "Telly" and "Loud", but I respect the self-control the filmmakers had to recognize that those songs didn't fit into the version of the story they wanted to tell.

"When I Grow Up" still makes me bawl whenever I hear it, whether on stage or screen.

Between this and Causeway, 2022 really was the year of stage directors making a successful crossover into film.

 

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 10:31pm

We just watched this tonight and I have to say that it is just fabulous in every way. I enjoyed the stage musical, but this adaptation takes it to another level. I have to agree that this is one of the best stage to screen adaptations that I’ve seen in years. Bravo to all involved!

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 1:35am

Watching now. Damn, Matthew Warchus is making me wish he was doing the Wicked film.

[lotiloti]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 7:02am

Pre order BD on Amazon UK

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical [Blu-ray]: AmazonSmile: sony: DVD & Blu-ray

I imagine on sale in UK only. 

You will need a multi region player

[ggersten]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 10:58am

Warchus and Minchin on the ending of the film - and a claim that they filmed Telly! I knew they had filmed Loud.  And now, I have to go back and look at the Trunchbull statue.

Spoiler: About the film's ending....

[Owen22]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 11:56am

I remember thinking this when I saw the show: When relating the story she would eventually find out to be Miss Honey's, was Matilda just psychically "knowing" Miss Honey's history, or was she specifically, telekinetically knitting together a new reality for herself?

[JoeW4]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 12:00pm

Owen22 said: "I remember thinking this when I saw the show: When relating the story she would eventually find out to be Miss Honey's, was Matilda just psychically "knowing" Miss Honey's history, or was she specifically, telekinetically knitting together a new reality for herself?"

 

I always interpreted it as the former - but the latter sure is an interesting way of seeing it! 

[Theatre Fan3]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 1:12pm

lotiloti said: "Pre order BD on Amazon UK

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical [Blu-ray]: AmazonSmile: sony: DVD & Blu-ray

I imagine on sale in UK only.

You will need a multi region player"

I've purchased some Blu-rays from Amazon UK in the past and they were "Region Free" so would play in any US Blu-ray player but I don't see a "Country Code" or "Region Free" listing anywhere in the description.  Hopefully that information will be made available to clarify the situation.

Updated On: 12/27/22 at 01:12 PM

[Theatre Fan3]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 1:40pm

For those that don't have Netflix access I see that they have uploaded videos of many of the full songs from the film on YouTube.

 

 

[lotiloti]

Posted: 12/28/22 at 6:50am

Theatre Fan3 said: "lotiloti said: "Pre order BD on Amazon UK

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical [Blu-ray]: AmazonSmile: sony: DVD & Blu-ray

I imagine on sale in UK only.

You will need a multi region player"

I've purchased some Blu-rays from Amazon UK in the past and they were "Region Free" so would play in any US Blu-ray player but I don't see a "Country Code" or "Region Free" listing anywhere in the description. Hopefully that information will be made available to clarify the situation."

Due to rights issues, UK BD will be Region 2 locked. 4K BD's are normally all region. But this title is unlikely to get a 4K release

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/28/22 at 9:37am

Owen22 said: "I remember thinking this when I saw the show: When relating the story she would eventually find out to be Miss Honey's, was Matilda just psychically "knowing" Miss Honey's history, or was she specifically, telekinetically knitting together a new reality for herself?"

I don’t feel like the show made up its mind either way, at least from my experience of seeing it. It always felt to me like more of a coincidence than any psychic bond between their characters. I think the movie makes the latter more explicit, however, resulting in Miss Honey and Matilda’s happy ending feeling fated in a very satisfying way. It makes more sense to have Matilda meet Miss Honey early on (as she does in the film, visiting the house with the truancy officer) and then begin to feel a story building inside herself that happens to be Miss Honey’s life story.

Just another one of the brilliant ways Matthew Warchus re-approached and clearly reevaluated the material for the movie, polishing up story and character beats that had to be bold and “theatrical” and making them human and readable.

Updated On: 12/29/22 at 09:37 AM

[SomeOtherMe]

Posted: 12/28/22 at 10:40am

"Spike Lee was actually set to direct that at one point, but fell apart. To this day, many Rent fans still wish they got to what his vision for the film would've been. Chris Columbus may have already been a fan of the show and really wanted to make the movie, but that doesn't mean he should. Maybe someday, we'll get a proper film adaptation directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda."

While the idea of that is very exciting in theory, Lin has already said he is not interested in directing a film remake of RENT. There was an article on GAY TIMES around when TTB was released where he talked about it:

"When we ask Miranda if he plans to continue honoring Larson’s work with another on-screen adaptation of Rent, he responds: “No. I think Rent has had every incarnation it could possibly have and I don’t know what I could add to its incredible legacy."

[luvbrdway]

Posted: 12/28/22 at 7:00pm

I saw this on Broadway. I only know this because I have the Playbill. I do remember I could only understand maybe 25% of what was being said/sung.It obviously didn’t make an impression. But I loved this! And holy cow, what talented kids!

Updated On: 12/28/22 at 07:00 PM

[raddersons]

Posted: 12/29/22 at 12:43am

The lyrics fly by fast. I recommend subtitles.

A lot has already been said about how wonderful this is. I want to add that the way the telekinetic powers are incorporated into the story works MUCH better in the movie than it does in the stage version. I always struggled with it in the stage version because it just seems like a convenient plot device for her to get out of trouble. The film really incorporates how her powers are tied to her anger and frustration earlier on, so it is more a lesson of harnessing your anger than it is just a coincidence. It’s much more faithful to the book as well.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 12/29/22 at 1:21pm

"Matilda!" is hands down one of the most satisfying and best stage-to-screen musical adaptations I have ever had the pleasure to witness.

Pure joy! Pure magic! Pure fun!

I loved every single second of this film. 

 

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 12/29/22 at 1:40pm

luvbrdway said: "I saw this on Broadway. I only know this because I have the Playbill. I do remember I could only understand maybe 25% of what was being said/sung.It obviously didn’t make an impression. But I loved this! And holy cow, what talented kids!"

Agreed. I really enjoyed this but definitely lost the majority of the lyrics.  While I appreciate the score sometimes I feel like Tim Minchin is too clever for his own good. The alphabet song is brilliant but I seriously think it takes several listenings to fully get it. Same with "Revolting Children"...until you see the lyrics spelled out you don't fully understand what is actually being said/spelled etc. The opening number with all the parents gets so lost as to what people are actually singing about. 

[Fan123]

Posted: 12/29/22 at 3:38pm

Bill Snibson said: "luvbrdway said: "I saw this on Broadway. I only know this because I have the Playbill. I do remember I could only understand maybe 25% of what was being said/sung.It obviously didn’t make an impression. But I loved this! And holy cow, what talented kids!"

Agreed. I really enjoyed this but definitely lost the majority of the lyrics. While I appreciate the score sometimes I feel like Tim Minchin is too clever for his own good. The alphabet song is brilliant but I seriously think it takes several listenings to fully get it. Same with "Revolting Children"...until you see the lyrics spelled out you don't fully understand what is actually being said/spelled etc. The opening number with all the parents gets so lost as to what people are actually singing about."

Agreed too. I think sometimes Tim Minchin's songwriting approach is clever on the 'micro' level - "That's a very clever song/lyric" - without being as clever in the less-showy, 'macro' way of contributing to the world, emotion and story of the show as much as the songs could have done. I think some of the staging choices in the film exacerbated this. For example, having confident students gleefully roaming the halls in 'School Song' looks cool and dynamic, and provides a clever way to show the alphabet letters; but it doesn't convey the atmosphere of a whole school living in terror of the Trunchbull, which is what the story actually needs at that point. I did enjoy the film on the whole, but there were a few instances like that which took me out of it a bit.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 12/30/22 at 2:17am

uncageg said: "Just finished watching. I was pretty much in tears for the last 10 minutes or so.

If I had one thing I was not crazy about, it was the way they did "When I Grow Up". That song just rips my heart out! Cried during it both times I saw the Musical on Broadway. I was kind of hoping they would incorporate the swings. Maybe switch from kids to adults and back swinging on them. (Just what I envisioned)

Yes the swings should have been incorporated. They were such a big part of the show. It sort of reminded me on the last version of Annie on Broadway where they didn't use the pails and mops for It's a hard Knocks life. I mean there are some things you don't mess with. I can't even figure out why they didn't use the swings- it would have worked sooo well in those beautiful outdoor settlings..

Like I understood why they couldn't have Miss Honey and Matilda cartwheel off into the sunset as they did in the stage version but at least they paid homage to it at the end having Matilda cartwheeling in fun near Miss Honey. Like why did we not see a swing at least for part of the song?

That said, Alisha Weir was the movie. Everyone else was amazing too but she just was the heart and soul of it all..

"

 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 12/30/22 at 2:19am

luvbrdway said: "I saw this on Broadway. I only know this because I have the Playbill. I do remember I could only understand maybe 25% of what was being said/sung.It obviously didn’t make an impression. But I loved this! And holy cow, what talented kids!"

IMO..a big reason why they did not WIN the Tony. 

 

[NotTheComfyChair]

Posted: 12/30/22 at 4:13am

Owen22 said: "I remember thinking this when I saw the show: When relating the story she would eventually find out to be Miss Honey's, was Matilda just psychically "knowing" Miss Honey's history, or was she specifically, telekinetically knitting together a new reality for herself?"

A verse from Quiet may give the answer:-

"I’M NOT SURE, BUT I WONDER IF INSIDE MY HEAD

I’M NOT JUST A BIT DIFFERENT FROM SOME OF MY FRIENDS

THESE ANSWERS THAT COME INTO MY MIND UNBIDDEN

THESE STORIES DELIVERED TO ME FULLY WRITTEN"

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 12/31/22 at 2:57am

Wow!!

Now that’s an adaption. I found myself applauding my TV several times. 
 

Joyous, heartfelt, and emotional. The cast is incredible. The cinematography gorgeous. They even integrated stuff from the movie, which was interesting. The cuts didn’t bother me, they kept all the best bits.

It really worked. 
 

Love, love, loved it! 

[DaveyG]

Posted: 12/31/22 at 10:13am

I’m very surprised this wonderful movie got zero Golden Globe nominations. And the lovely “Still Holding My Hand” didn’t make the Oscar short list for Best Original Song.