 20thmaine  | 24 Dec 2019 5:44 p.m. PST |
is not as bad as the reviews would have one believe. The Guardian gave it 1 star The Independent gave it 2 stars The Telegraph gave it zero stars – is that even possible on a 5 star rating system? Well…actually it's a pretty average 2.5-3 star kinda film – no masterpiece but no-way as bad as the negative hype. If you've ever seen Cats the musical then it's kind of like that – a bit slow to get going, picks up with the uptempo songs about a quarter of the way in and powers on to hang all its big emotions on 'Memory'. There's singing,. There's dancing. That's about it – but really what did you expect it to be? |
| 20thmaine | 24 Dec 2019 5:45 p.m. PST |
Admittedly we only went because the film we wanted to see was sold out….  |
| Mithmee | 24 Dec 2019 6:31 p.m. PST |
I have seen the trailer and it is lucky to get 1 star. |
| Skeets | 24 Dec 2019 9:20 p.m. PST |
Not a fan of musicals, the last I saw was Cabaret with Liza Minnelli and that was because she was in it. |
| Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 24 Dec 2019 11:28 p.m. PST |
My wife and daughter went to see yesterday and loved it but then they are massive musical theatre fans. It's a pretty niche movie if you like that sort of thing I guess you will enjoy it. I'm more a guns, cars and explosions type of movie guy myself. |
 etotheipi  | 25 Dec 2019 5:37 a.m. PST |
it. I'm more a guns, cars and explosions type of movie guy myself. Since I don't own a gun and I'm not legally allowed to blow up lots of things on things in a big way at my house, that's what I go to the movies for, too. I already sing and dance (note: both of those verbs are subjective terms) at home. I am a fan of musicals, and SWMBO has a theatre degree (more on that in a bit), so I like the musical Cats. I'm also a big fan of T.S. Elliot, so Ididn't think I would like Cats when it came out. I was wrong. I think the movie will be OK. Cats was somewhat "experimental" theatre, which here means it did a few innovative (WRT mainstream theatre) things and did them in well-executed and fresh ways that were copied in amateurish and poorly executed ways by lots of other people after Cats was successful, probably trying to look cool and cash in on the trendiness/money. Several of those things, like breaking the fourth wall the way the musical does in the theatre, do not work in a film medium. Also some of the technical aspects of Cats (SWMBO's degree is in technical theatre – sets, costumes, lighting, sound, props, etc.) are really not appropriate for film. Also, the costuming was "fresh" at the time. I can't think of any other musical or play with people in animal costumes at the time. Today, every major metropolitan city has a convention with cosplay in it every other month. I think the movie will be OK. I don't expect it to be the same as going to the theatre, but then again, I don't expect a book, recitation, graphic novel, film, play, movie, or interactive game of the same story to be the same either. Each medium has it's own strengths. |
| ZULUPAUL | 25 Dec 2019 7:25 a.m. PST |
Also not a fan of musicals. No plans on seeing this. |
| Martian Root Canal | 25 Dec 2019 7:52 a.m. PST |
Now if the movie was about Kzinti, those are the kind of cats I want to see! |
| 20thmaine | 25 Dec 2019 4:12 p.m. PST |
@ etotheipi most of your expectations are borne out in the film – the absolute panning that it has had was what really surprised me. It's neither great, or awful – it's mostly like CATS the musical, which is perhaps to be expected from a musical movie called CATS |
| Garand | 26 Dec 2019 9:43 a.m. PST |
Now if the movie was about Kzinti, those are the kind of cats I want to see! Perhaps with a narrator named Speaker to Animals… Damon. |
 ochoin | 26 Dec 2019 4:18 p.m. PST |
like CATS the musical, which is perhaps to be expected from a musical movie called CATS I quite like "Cats", the stage show. I've seen it in London, Sydney & Brisbane. I don't think I'd want to see it again in this format but it might be interesting to see a cinematic version of it. There are challenges to creating either format & a creative team can do clever things. When I went to see "Lion King" on stage in London, I had no idea how they'd transfer what was a very good animation to the live stage. And I was amazed at the creative solutions they came up with. So I *may* go see it on screen. |
| Schogun | 26 Dec 2019 8:10 p.m. PST |
I can't bear to hear "Memories" one more time. |
| Old Wolfman | 30 Dec 2019 7:47 a.m. PST |
Saw a cat the other morning in my downstairs neighbor's window. Cute as a button. This one,I might wait for it to show up on HBO. |
| Old Wolfman | 06 Jan 2020 7:49 a.m. PST |
Too bad Mad Magazine might not be able to satirize the pic. It'd likely be a real hoot;cameos by L'il Bub,Grumpy Cat,Garfield,Sylvester,etc.. |
| dilettante | 06 Jan 2020 4:42 p.m. PST |
to Old Wolfman:
.
.
True dat. |
| 15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 11 Jan 2020 8:13 p.m. PST |
I learned a new concept from this movie: "Uncanny Valley." |
