MATILDA

Dahl's work is often whimsical but horrifying, and I think that's one big reason why many of us latch onto his work at a young age, drawn in with fantastical elements but freaked out by the sheer horror. Miss Trunchbull is one of cinema's greatest villains; she compares to creatures in horror films because she awakens the fear we've all felt that way at one point towards a teacher. Particularly if you watched this as a child, you thought teachers would actually treat you this way - force you to eat cake, grab you by your pigtails and spin you around, or even worse throw you in the chokey.

Because of its realistic setting (especially when compared to both versions of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and 'The Witches') this film resonates even more with children. From her family - brilliantly played by Danny DeVito and - to her school, 'The Witches' brings to life how a lot of kids understand and view the world around them. You then add the fantastical elements like Matilda's powers, coupled with the message of believing in yourself, and there's a multitude of reasons why this story still resonates with kids around the world. It's what makes it one of the greatest kid's films of all time - the way it balances the realism and fantasy. DeVito, who also directs, really has a great understanding of the source material and how to speak to children.

On the actors, there is no 'Matilda' without Mara Wilson. She is just one of those perfect child actors that just embodies the role.

'Matilda's' legacy lived on in 2010 with the absolutely breathtaking stage musical adaption. It adds things back in from the book that didn't fit in the movie, and Tim Minchin's lyrics and music perfectly capture that wordplay Dahl was so famous for; 'The School Song' is a perfect illustration of this. Standouts include the beautiful 'When I Grow Up', and the empowering 'Revolting Children' that always makes me want to join a rebellion. A film adaption is currently in place at Netflix with filming just started, though a COVID-19 scare has caused a minor setback. I just hope they can both do the original movie and the musical justice.

The musical perfectly captures what 'Matilda' is about in this one lyric: "Nobody but me is gonna change my story, sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty." It's that agency that kids are looking for; to make their own decisions, and sometimes the only way to do that is to break the rules - and, more often than not, break the mould along with it.

The use of Rusted Root's 'Send Me on My Way' in the film is one of the most iconic uses of music in any media.