It’s a real shame that “family” films like Matilda are so few and far between. I have a real bee in my bonnet with so-called family films that insist on spoon-feeding the kids cheap thrills and action set pieces that tie in with their more lucrative game releases, and then throw the put-upon adults who’ve picked the short straw to take the kids to the cinema a few scraps by way of some in-jokes and sly film references that’ll help them pass the time… Whatever happened to the kind of film that brings the family together, rather than putting them into marketable chunks of dumbed-down consumer categories? It’s really annoying seeing films like the extremely average Ratatouille getting so much press and the astounding Azur and Asmar: The Prince’s Quest not even a look in. But, hey ho. So it goes.

Danny DeVito (Throw Momma From The Train, Hoffa, The War of the Roses) knew exactly what he was doing here and I’d love to see him direct some more films. Matilda is funny, heart-warming, exciting, scary and a real blast from start to finish. (Harry Wormwood: I’m Right, You’re Wrong. I’m Smart, You’re Dumb. I’m Big, You’re Little. And there’s nothing you can do about it!)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfJAvIA9aJY]

Matilda, Danny DeVito (USA 1996)
Watched: Sunday 23rd November 2008