(Credit: Netflix)

Not every movie gets to live in your memory as something more than a film. Some become part of your childhood, your comfort zone, or that quiet Saturday afternoon feeling you cannot quite describe. You keep revisiting them every now and then, and yet never get bored with them. Matilda is one of those rare ones. And in just a few days, it will vanish from Netflix.

The 1996 film, based on Roald Dahl’s novel, is leaving Netflix on August 1st. It may not be trending or flashing on your homepage, but it is the kind of movie that quietly stays with people. If you grew up with it, you know. If you have never watched it, you are missing out on a weirdly perfect mix of sweetness, humour, and just enough chaos.

The story follows a girl named Matilda Wormwood. She is smart, loves reading, and is completely ignored by her selfish parents. At school, she meets one of the kindest teachers in the world and one of the scariest principals in movie history. Somewhere in the middle of all this, she discovers she has telekinetic powers. But the magic is not the point. The real charm lies in how Matilda decides to use her brain, her voice, and her small acts of rebellion to change the world around her.

What makes Matilda stand out, even after all these years, is how grown-up it feels for a kids’ film. It does not sugar-coat the unfairness children sometimes face. It does not rush to explain everything. It lets you sit with the strange, the funny, and the dark. And it trusts young viewers to understand more than they are usually given credit for.

Mara Wilson plays Matilda with quiet confidence. She is not overly expressive or dramatic. She just feels real. Danny DeVito, who also directed the film, plays Matilda’s loud and obnoxious father. He is awful in the most entertaining way. Then there is Miss Trunchbull, the nightmare headmistress. She is exaggerated, terrifying, and unforgettable. Together, they create a world that feels a little exaggerated but somehow still familiar.

The film’s tone is unusual. It is not flashy or loud, but it has moments of boldness. It is not overly emotional, yet it manages to feel warm. It hits that rare balance where children feel seen, and adults are reminded of how it felt to be small in a world that often felt unfair.

Now that Netflix is removing it, it feels like the right time to revisit or finally discover it. August 1 will see several films leaving the platform, including Dunkirk, The Birds, and Psycho. But Matilda hits differently. It is not just a movie you watch. It is one you remember.

Maybe you will watch it for the nostalgia. Or maybe you will introduce it to someone who has never seen it. Either way, you are in for something oddly comforting, a little quirky, and completely worth your time.

Do not miss it while it is still around. Some stories deserve to be rewatched. Matilda is one of them.