‘90s kids need to run to Netflix, because one of the most beloved fantasy movies of the decade just flew into the streaming library. The streaming giant boasts a pretty solid lineup of nostalgic throwbacks from the past, with everything from the generationally traumatizing movie My Girl to the iconic coming-of-age movie The Sandlot available to watch. That lineup just got a little bigger and a whole lot more magical with a new title that arrived in March.
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Danny DeVito’s beloved 1996 classic Matilda is now lighting up the Netflix library. The movie, which holds a high 92% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and remains a childhood favorite movie, returned to the streamer on March 1st after departing back in August, and it’s already a certified hit. The film currently ranks No. 6 on the Netflix Kids U.S. chart, coming ahead of Sing, Despicable Me 3, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, and Despicable Me 2. For a refresher, the ‘90s fantasy cult classic stars Mara Wilson as the titular Matilda, a brilliant young girl who uses her newly discovered telekinetic powers to stand up for herself and her classmates.
Matilda Is a ‘90s Classic That Still Holds Up
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t love Matilda. Three decades after its release, the movie still perseveres as a beloved, timeless classic that continues to enthrall audiences of all ages, old and new. It’s a uniquely special movie that, even all of these years later, remains a comforting and empowering masterpiece that managed to strike the perfect tune between dark, whimsical fantasy and heartfelt, empowering storytelling in a way that still holds up today. Although the movie remains a surprisingly dark kids’ film, it managed to balance the terrifying, monstrous world of neglectful adults with a genuinely heartwarming story about a young girl’s intelligence and bravery.
Matilda’s empowering story delivered a movie packed with whimsical charm as Matilda comes into her telekinetic powers and uses them to fight injustice and some iconic villains, like the over-the-top headmistress Trunchbull. There’s also no shortage of laugh-out-loud and iconic moments, such as the newt in the pitcher scene and the cake-eating scene. All of that combined to create a staple of nostalgia that remains just as beloved today as it was upon its release, and its high rewatch value makes it a favorite to revisit time and time again without it ever becoming boring.
Other Family-Friendly Movies Now on Netflix
Matilda is one of several great family-friendly movies newly streaming on Netflix. The film joined the platform on March 1st alongside Goosebumps (2015), The Lego Movie, and Trolls, with Jack Black’s The House with a Clock in Its Walls arriving on March 3rd. Netflix’s kids’ lineup will continue to grow throughout the month with the upcoming arrivals of Clifford the Big Red Dog on March 9th, The Bad Guys 2 on March 21st, and Minions: The Rise of Gru on March 23rd.
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Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme -
A photo of the Retrovolt Arcade taken in 2017, showing several classic arcade cabinets and stools. -
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