After watching Matilda, a book by Roald Dahl, directed by Danny DeVito, I can honestly say it might be one of my favorite movies ever.

The movie is about a super-smart little girl, Matilda, who has the worst parents and attends a school run by a horrible woman named Miss Trunchbull. Seriously, Trunchbull is one of the scariest villains I’ve seen in a kids’ movie. She throws kids around like it’s nothing. She also has something that resembles an iron maiden, a tight metal box full of spikes, called the Chokey. The Chokey is a tall, narrow cupboard in her office filled with sharp glass and nails used to “punish,” in her opinion, naughty students.

Matilda discovers she has telekinetic powers and uses them to stand up for herself and other children. It’s satisfying to watch her get revenge, not gonna lie.

Also, Miss Honey is the nicest teacher ever; she’s probably my favorite character. She genuinely cares about Matilda, which makes the whole story feel more real and emotional. I’m also really happy the movie ends with Miss Honey adopting Matilda, because her biological family didn’t treat her well.

The movie is based on the book by Roald Dahl, and it definitely has that weird, dark-humor vibe his stories always have. Some parts are exaggerated and goofy, but that’s what makes it fun.

The only issue is that, since it’s an older movie, some effects look outdated, but that doesn’t ruin anything. It actually adds a nostalgic feel, which I prefer to the 2011 musical adaptation, in my opinion.

Overall, I’d give Matilda a 9/10. It’s funny, a little creepy, and it has a good message about standing up for yourself and not letting people treat you badly. Definitely worth watching, even if you think it’s “just a kids’ movie.”