I... uh... think I loved the Cats Movie

[@bopeton]

Thumbs up for having the guts to make this.

[@jones1618]

Brilliant, heartfelt review. I haven't seen it yet but have been growing increasingly annoyed with reviewers I usually trust and agree with trash Cats over its plot. ALWebber took a loose collection of poems and ADDED plot but it was never meant to outshine the spectacle, music and dance, as you said. One reviewer actually said "The music's OK but nothing we haven't heard before" as if these wildly successful songs didn't keep Cats in theaters for 30+ years. Sheesh.

[@IAMDIMITRI]

You mean "Pawn up" ;)

[@Oonagh72]

Two jazz hands 👋🏾🖐🏾👋🏾 from me.

[@recon441]

I know right, this is a very fair and valid perspective to have

[@FidesAla]

bopeton thumbs down for a world where saying “I like this” takes guts...

[@mclainboyd5514]

Finally a different opinion that’s not “uh cats bad”.

[@nalabees]

exactly. almost every (negative) review is identical.

[@LittleJoeTheMoonlightCat]

HEY! I thought the Film was Okay, it had its Flaws Sure, But I've seen Far Worse.

[@LittleJoeTheMoonlightCat]

@M CC, You Wanna See a Rebel Come over take a look at what I got.

[@andremourapassos319]

But cats bad

[@rmsii1567]

The movie is horrendous if you saw the original musical

[@TheHongKongHermit]

I went in for an ironic hatewatch. Came out thinking it was “fine”. Couldn’t stop thinking about it, and by the next day I was ready to say I liked it. Saw it a second time and I now love it. Actually love it.

[@kyleherrera7511]

Exactly how it played out for me.

[@daniellej3197]

I feel this

[@kendallsilver2607]

SAME OMG 😭 I didn't see it a second time but tbh I think I genuinely would if I could

[@healerofthewaters6508]

I loved it, too! I'm so glad I'm not alone! Sure, some of the performances were... meh... But the majority of it was so good!

[@hollum1648]

SAME went in for a laugh, couldn’t stop thinking about it, started listening to the soundtrack, and now I think I have a slightly troubling crush on cat Laurie Davidson

[@Emmachantiri]

Oh thank God, I thought I was crazy, I really liked this movie. It was so weird, audacious, sporadic and fun that it reminded me of films such as Phantom of the Paradise or Rocky Horror Picture Show. While I could see why this would turn people off, I think it works decently well and makes it stand out as a cult classic freak-out.

[@ajduclaire]

You're not crazy! I went in and absolutely loved it! Actually saw it twice in theatres.

[@Emmachantiri]

@@ajduclaire Glad you enjoyed it too :), it's literally such a fun surreal experience that I can't get enough of. I've seen it a few times in cinemas as well and it's grown on me everytime.

[@raghadb2044]

I kinda like it too bc of the music but I didn't like Jason and Rebel's part😐 Jason was sooo boring

[@bumblebee8571]

So the thing is the 1998 version is kind of all this but much better so those of us that actually like the musical just got something worse than what we already had

[@clapattack7235]

Yes. Yes! YES!! I've been struggling to find what I ended up loving about Cats. After the first song and dance number I was all in and when the dance montage halfway though occurred I was so overcome with the emotions and the experience my psyche momentarily cracked only to be brought back by Skinbleshanks which was my favorite song and dance in the whole show. You can't describe Cats other than surrealistic. You experience this world and take it in only to be overwhelmed by its colorful characters, beautiful set pieces, word popping poetry, and at times heart breaking themes.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

The Jellicle Ball dance segment is what you're referring to and it is VERY WELL DONE. And Skimbleshanks... Holy moly that guy can dance!!!

[@datenshi27moemoe42]

It’s almost like a religious experience “Memories” makes my eyes water it’s so lovely

[@MarioUcomics]

That concept art for the Cats animation movie actually looks cool

[@ZoyaStreet]

Yesyesyesyesyes I agree with this so much. "Not a trainwreck but a trainride, purposely made to give you feels" absolutely. Never come across this channel before, very pleased that the algorithm showed me this take.

[@L16htW4rr10r]

Same

[@zunoenegray3423]

John, you are crazy, and I can't thank you enough for it. This is the best advocacy I have seen of modern surrealist film, and as a current student of animation wanting to create the bizarre, this is encouraging. After hearing review after pounding review, this is a welcome breath of new air. Thank you very much for it.

[@ali-boop]

There are some other great positive reviews, Zachary Michaels does one and Black Nerd Comedy. Loved both of their reviews and based on them I went and I really enjoyed the movie!

[@zunoenegray3423]

@@ali-boop Thank you much! I will need to go check those reviews out as well!

[@BanthaTube]

Saw it on Christmas day having heard all the bad reviews and all ready to enjoy a disaster of a film. 20 minutes in I realized that I was genuinely enjoying it. Sure, there were all kinds of bizarre choices and weird unfinished effects, but it all added up to the best time I'd had at the movies in years.

[@suddenlycrows]

I have a theory: this film's target audience is everyone who would appreciate or has appreciated the play. It's too strange for the common moviegoer and definitely not for one who didn't like Cats at all. I went in and braced myself for the wince or my childhood being shattered and was... surprised. Really surprised that I was enjoying myself. James Corden was a TREAT. He was a wonderful treat.

[@geneyounkin6789]

Thank you for standing up and loudly proclaiming, “I unironically enjoy this movie!”

[@KekerikiGreen]

After seeing all this hate, the CGI doesn’t look bad anymore.

[@CutieMillion]

Kekeriki To be honest, I think the CGI was actually not bad, I thought it felt closer to the original with them having hands and that. It wasn’t very distracting either and the music and dancing were on point for me. The only thing I didn’t like was the overly human faces, they could have at least added cat noses, but again this didn’t spoil the experience for me.

[@aeryn6275]

Cats is literally my new favorite movie. It's catchy, has fantastic songs, is beautiful to watch (especially Veronica's grace!), and is ridiculous and hilarious. It's one of those movies that lets you relax and just get lost in the laughter. It's the best.

[@PartanBree]

I'm with you on this. I went with my kid and my parents. We all enjoyed it. My parents thought nothing of the CGI and just assumed it was furry costumes. The dancing was spectacular. The bad reviews annoy me because they're either "I didn't like the CGI" which, I mean, fine, but you wouldn't totally dismiss a stage production because you didn't like the costumes, or some variation of "it's weird and psychedelic and makes no sense" - I mean, that's what Cats IS. At that point you're saying they should have made a different film altogether. What is the point in reviewing an adaptation of a property you didn't like in the first place?

[@johnopalko5223]

Maybe I'm weird (on second thought, there's no "maybe" about it), but the so-called "uncanny valley" never bothered me. I saw the _Cats_ trailer and thought it was great. _The Polar Express_ is one of my all-time favorite films. I saw _Cats_ on stage back in the 1980s and thought it was wonderful. Sure, it wasn't realistic and what little plot it had was bizarre, but who cared? The next day I went to a bookstore and bought the T. S. Eliot book, which I still have and re-read regularly. I'm looking forward to seeing the film. Oh, and I second your vote for _The Rocky Horror Picture Show._ The original, mind you, not the Fox abomination.

[@PixelatedH2O]

I'm somewhat with you on your comments. I also loved the trailer when I saw it because it seemed to contain the essence of the stage show, while being a little different. However, I hate The Polar Express. I find it visually fine (not great) but can't stand the way it meanders.

[@SteinGauslaaStrindhaug]

I'm also immune to the "uncanny valley". Some examples like The Polar Express (which I've only seen clips of) just looks like bad animation but it doesn't bother me in any way. And I though the cat's trailer looked beautiful. While I don't experience any discomfort in the so called uncanny valley, I do notice that once animation stops being stylized and tries to be realistic, the physics and animation has to be pretty perfect in order not to look clumsy or comical or both. So for all examples I've seen that other people claim is creepy uncanny valley, for me they at worst are boring and aesthetically unpleasing; or so bad-it's-good funny (and this includes most early 3d animation and almost all real life humanoid robots) and at best just looks good enough to be acceptable and even look great such as the Cats trailer. While I'm not diagnosed, I do think I am on the autism spectrum; so maybe that's why I'm not bothered. Uncanny valley is also often used to describe how aspies comes off as weird; whke I on the other hand usually find aspie like behaviour interesting and comfortable. And I've read that a lot of other aspies also never experience the uncanny valley. In fact the only things that come close to triggering the feelings of "uncanny valley" for me is some actual real non-autistic, extroverted humans in real life. Particularly "salesperson" type personalities, with their excessive use of my name (if they know it) in every sentence, intense eye contact and overly "friendly" body language and excessive social laughter; it comes off as creepy and manipulative to me. I'd rather not buy anything than having to deal with such people in a shop; and I often just "run away" if I encounter someone like that.

[@Ian_Jules]

@@SteinGauslaaStrindhaug Hi... As another "not diagnosed but probably on the spectrum" person, I rarely experience the uncanny valley, either. I had never connected that to my Aspergian tendencies... I supposed I'd assumed it was partly a matter of taste, my interest in stylized stuff and surreal images, tendencies I don't necessarily associate with Aspergers. Maybe there is a connection with aspie differences in sensory processing and social-emotional intelligence. If it's any indication, I enjoyed the Cats movie well enough... sister and I ended up being the only people in the matinee, which was both fun and somewhat saddening.... and I thought the cat character designs in particular were totally on target. I should note this is coming from someone who is reasonably familiar with the concept behind the show; while I've never had the opportunity to see it live on stage, I'm very familiar with the music, the video rendition of the play, and Old Possum's Book itself, which was a childhood favorite in our home. I actually knew the poems before I ever knew it was a musical, which I suspect puts me in a different position than most folks going into either the musical or the film of Cats. And for whatever reasons, I grew up with lots of stories about anthropomorphic animals and older movies where actors play animals in costume or with puppets. So, yes, humanoid fauna are home territory for me. But I realize that's not the case for many folks, more's the pity. Recommendation before seeing Cats, the movie: 1) Read T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical cats; if you're not a big reader, there's a particularly good audiobook version read by none none other than Sir John Gielgud and Irene Worth, which someone has conveniently uploaded to KZbin. 2) Watch the 1998 DVD of the stage production, probably available free through your library. 3) If you have serious difficulties with the DVD, proceed at your own risk to the movie. All others, have at it! Foot note: I'm now wondering: could "uncanny valley immunity" also be the reason I've never been afraid of clowns? So many people seem to have an instinctive revulsion toward clowns, and while I'm sensitive to that fact, I've never understood the reasons. I can relate clowns to the uncanny value conceptually, but they just do not trigger that response in me.

[@SteinGauslaaStrindhaug]

@@Ian_Jules yeah I guess fear of clowns might be the same mechanism. Never been afraid of them either, but people who are seems to use the same terms (creepy, disturbing, terrifying etc) and body language of disgust (averting eyes, shuddering, gagging etc) as people who have uncanny valley do towards animation/robots they dislike. (I'm not a big fan of circus clowns either, as i find the humour boring, but never creepy)

[@KanityOnePieceChill]

I think I was about 10 years old when the Polar Express came out in 2004 and I saw it in cinema with my mom and absolutely loved it, and she loved it too, I didn't feel any uncanny valley at all and I don't see it with cats (I didn't watch the film yet though, only saw the trailer and photos). I do feel the effect of this valley sometimes though (can't remember examples rn), so I guess it is like with pain, we all have different levels of tolerance? Nothing weird about it 😁

[@zackabdulbaki879]

I LOVED THE CATS MOVIE!!! and im so glad to see that im not the only one

[@lavendercappuccino1933]

Zack Abdulbaki same! The music was good and the acting was too, I don’t know why people are bashing it so much. Of course, i love the original too but the new film was good!

[@xevaquinnx4859]

Zack Abdulbaki it’s amazing!!!

[@yamyrm3687]

@@lavendercappuccino1933 Really, you don't know why? I've watched many reviews that explain in detail why many people don't like it, that doesn't mean you have to agree. I can certainly imagine a world where some people like a movie that the majority is horrified by. Humans have such a range of different personalities and opinions, why not.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Critics are bashing it because it's cool to bash it. They aren't ready to let their cat freak on. Furthermore most critics don't have the history with the product to approach it and appreciate it on its own merits. They keep clamoring to make sense of the plot when that's not even the real point.

[@mele8332]

Zack Abdulbaki OMG THERES MORE

[@Rienneil]

I liked it. I thought the story telling was good. Memory was sang beautifully, and finally in a film musical there was proper dancing. Not someone walking shaking skirt to auto tuned talk singing.

[@SamHarrisonMusic]

When someone tells me 'its too weird' I'm like 'Gimme' :D

[@LeLu1616]

So glad you posted this video. I am an avid Cats Musical fan. I too went to this movie by myself after critics bashed it ... and sang along to every single song. Some of it was a little cheesy and I didn't care for one of the castings but I enjoyed watching it. I absolutely loved how the entire movie was based around Victoria and the telling of the story.

[@Purplesubmariner]

You really do get a deeper appreciation for the CATS movie when you understand the source material and it's perspective. I personally loved the movie as well, but it's really hard to explain to the masses just why this movie is truely beautiful.

[@LaLemonie]

I saw the musical Cats in theatre when I was maybe 8-10 yo and it is my favourite musical to this day. The theatre was half empty that day and the dancers were coming into the audience all the time and I even got the pet some of the "cats". It was such a magical experience and seeing this film brought me back all those feelings. I don't know if it's just the nostalgia but I did truly liked the film, completely unironically and I am sad of the reception it got. Thanks for your video.

[@Psycopathicus]

COMRADE! Let me embrace you! Seriously, I cannot understand why there is so much hate for this movie. Sure, I didn't think it was PERFECT by any means - I could have done without the forced comedy bits; some of the new song arrangements dragged a bit, and I missed the 'Great Rumpuscat' number - but I really don't understand why everyone is calling it incoherent nightmare fuel. It isn't - or if it is, then the stage musical is, too, and no one ever seemed to have a problem with that. Perhaps it's simply a matter of the source material having slipped out of the public consciousness somewhat. As someone who IS familiar with it, though (I've seen more than one performance of the musical, and I own the book), I had no problem with it. Yeah, the whole 'humanoid cats' business is weird, but it is in the play, too. 'Cats', in general, is weird - I knew what I was getting into, and once I adjusted to the new aesthetic, I found myself slipping back into the musical's familiar groove, and enjoying the over-the-top sets and visuals. I walked out happily humming the songs, and thinking 'well, so it's a bit controversial, but surely at least a few other people will get it' - then I get home, check KZbin, and WHAMMO, a wall of baffled hatred. I've been feverishly hunting down reviews ever since, and I think yours is only the third out of dozens I've watched so far that have actually recommended it. Oh, well - we'll get the last laugh eventually. Lack of initial success is one of the seeds for great cult movies. (To your list of oddball movie musicals, by the way, I would add 'Phantom of the Paradise' and 'The Return of Captain Invincible'.)

[@ajt11at]

We had worked on painting out all the actors. And I must say, it was one of the most challenging shows we have ever worked on.

[@dragonetafireball]

I was legit starting to worry I was the only one who felts this way

[@OolTube02]

I've watched CATS four times by now. I'm in the vanguard of establishing it as a cult classic.

[@thingsthathappenedtomymoth2816]

You have expressed what I have been trying to articulate to myself since seeing CATS two nights ago. I am so glad I’m not alone in this.

[@dennis8196]

I'm not going to lie, cats isn't my kind of film, and I'm not going to try and see it, however I'm struggling to understand why so many people are trashing someone's opinion over this film, just because it doesn't fit with their view. It's just impartial, opinion and review that shows a different perspective to the ones being expressed by others. Not everyone has to like the same films as you do. This is a film that lacks in many areas but when judged on other merits it excels, just not in the way most other bland films do. What do you people want? Fast And Furious 73 - stolen mobility scooters.

[@lohphat]

Dennis Smith Perhaps the public is growing weary of stage to film and film to stage productions. They’re just lazy corporate money grabs.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

There's not much lazy about this movie... Maybe misguided in some places but never lazy.

[@yamyrm3687]

I think someone was bound to like this movie at some point, even if they are in the minority. People have liked weirder things than this.

[@knowsgold2798]

Not going to lie, I would watch the hell out of an elderly spoof of Fast and Furious in the style of the Naked Gun movies.

[@ariagrace8117]

@@lohphat This movie was Tom Hooper's passion project; information which physically hurts me to think about. I agree it had some incredibly questionable creative decisions (such as undertaking it in the first place). What I cannot agree with is that this movie is lazy, *or* solely corporate, *or* a money grab.

[@monimotiongraphics7477]

Finally a fair review! Thanks. I loved the film Cats, despite the weird cgi. I too wonder what advantage there is to spending so much time money and resources on what ends up looking like but not working as well as costumes

[@KLVanderWall]

Every video review of Cats has one thing in common. They all want a plot, and seem to forget or not even know that this whole Operetta is based on, and fairly word for word a group of Poems written for children. It isn't and never was a story, with a start, middle and an end. It's just a singing and dancing trip through a whimsical and imaginary world of cats. One critical review demands to know "What exactly is a Jellicle Cat?", and "What is the Heavy Side Layer?" Not to mention he kept pronouncing Jennyanydots as "Jennyadot"... The second I heard all of that I knew that the review would not be about the actual work. I am glad that there is finally a review from someone who understands what Cats was supposed to be. Thank you for this! :)

[@TwoMenandaCanoe]

Thank you for this review. I saw Cats and found that I loved it. It has stuck with me. I have felt that the negative reviews have been unfair.

[@dedfoker]

Two Men and a Canoe watch the 98 musical. Cats is enjoyable as a musical but adding film language made it exausting, the intro on the jellicles-rum tum tugger-jennyanddots-bustopheles sequence made me tired.

[@carolynmcentyre3365]

I went to see cats..and i went to sleep ..a waste of time and money..It was hard to watch since i saw it live in Dallas in November..2019....its nothing better than seeing it live..

[@annehendry4128]

First time I've ever watched one of your videos. The movie analysis was wonderful, but what's even more impressing is the honesty and ?bravery? it takes to do a kind, thoughtful, nuanced take on media. Way to go!

[@ryansullivan6135]

Summary of Cats the movie: Somehow more bizarre then the musical that it just works

[@dubudaebak]

finally someone saying this! I haven't seen the movie yet but I'm a big fan of the musical and never understood why it was such a big problem that there was no plot. it's a spectacle

[@roswell1910]

Cats was such an important thing to me when I was a kid, I remember being, what? 9-10 and dancing in my room to the choreography, I knew most of the dances and songs by HEART. It sparked the creativity in me and thinking back so much of who I am was because I was exposed to things like this when I was little. Cats inspired me to be a performer and an actor and the movie really does take me back there! It's so refreshing to see opinions on this movie and the original production that so deeply resonate with my own! Thanks man!

[@AQuietNight]

John... If Universal Studios doesn't hire you today, there is no justice in this world.

[@rogersowers9837]

Those critics on KZbin giving bad reviews are the same ones who don't like any cats versions, never saw any other cats musical, and probably don't like musical. One even said there was too much singing and music and not enough talking. Well, duhh, that's why it's Called a musical and not the Kings speech.

[@waltergoyen]

Finally a Cats review that I can agree with. Well done and funny, John! My wife and I saw Cats five times, perhaps more to follow. We loved it and it really does NOT deserve all those bad reviews. Everyone, please go see it yourself and just enjoy the ride!

[@mar-rv2qb]

I have never felt more seen than I did just now watching the first 3 minutes of this video, considering I also went to see it alone already knowing (and loving) every song by heart and being surprisingly impressed despite the reviews

[@hierosgamosvibration2951]

I just watched it....it's ahead of its time. I hope future generations will actually recognized the message this movie is expressing. I shed a few tears throughout the film.

[@datenshi27moemoe42]

Thank you so much for actually giving the play the justice it deserves. A lot of people have been reviewing this movie when they have never seen the play and are not familiar with the source material.

[@909sickle]

I'm John Hiss. And I'll see you at Filmscratcher IQ! _lays down for a cat nap at 24fps_

[@juliavanrosmalen8235]

I completely agree that it's refreshing that there's a film that doesn't feel the need to over-explain everything in its plot as a lot of the new Disney remakes we've seen lately do. I am a huge fan of the original stage musical. One thing I'd like to ask though- aren't you a bit too quick to write off an animated movie for cats? I adored the concept art but it could definitely still work as a progression of musical themes, perhaps in a format like Disney's Fantasia!

[@FilmmakerIQ]

No. I was initially excited about the idea when I saw it. Thought that would have been a better approach until I saw the live action movie. Then I realized why an animated version would be the wrong move. Cats isn't about animation, it's about real people in costume dancing. It would be like making an animated Nutcracker... Cute in a Fantasia sort of way but not what a Nutcracker fan really wants.

[@Kevin_Street]

I liked this video out of respect, you brave, brave man. Seriously though, it's a great review of Cats that goes way beyond the film to examine the history of the property and the appeal of it's surrealist genre. Very well done.

[@mrizzymoves]

Thank you for this. You perfectly capture the reasons that I loved the film. It's sad to see it being ripped apart by people who can't accept its intentions.

[@CrazyWarriorCatLady]

I freaking loved Cats! I was going to make a video, but you beat me to it lol! I really loved the broadway version, so when I saw this, sure, I thought the look was a little...different and uncannily, but after a while, I still wanted to see it. When I actually saw the movie, I loved it! The music was great, the designs, while different were not as bad as I originally thought, the characters were well defined, and the story was well done! It does NOT deserve all of the hate it’s getting! I think it’s going to be one of those movies that wasn’t well received when it first came out, but will gain popularity over time. People just need to get passed the whole ‘look’ thing.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Make a video! We need more voices out there in favor of Cats

[@cobolsaurus]

I loved CATS! I went to the theater thinking I was going to do some "forensic check" given the horrible reviews I had read and seen on KZbin before. I came out with the impression that all this bad publicity is nothing more than a trend. It is really unfair. The movie is excellent, and I believe what happens is that this film is not for all kinds of audiences. You really have to suspend your disbelief, see the movie and follow the story (yes! it has a story, contrary to what has been said), in its own terms. That's all. =-)

[@notsoevilgenius4484]

Finally, a review from someone who actually knows something about the original Cats play!

[@MariWakocha]

Refreshing in a sea of people who watched it, isn't much into musicals at all, or at least not musicals that aren't Disney movies, who can't explain why they didn't like it (because it would literally just be "I'm not really into musicals"), so they start analyzing the movie instead and make revolutionary finds like "it didn't have much of a story". This is probably the best review we're gonna get on this movie until some time has past and people go back and actually start thinking about it.

[@BallotBoxer]

Salute to all the VFX artists stuck with the tedious task of masking and painting out the real and blending in the unreal when they just could have made costumes!

[@Theyungcity23]

BallotBoxer That’s costumes in 2019. They did it for all of recent superheroes where they would make cg costumes.

[@ElaMongrella]

I, like you, am obsessed with the musical. The design of the movie doesn't bother me at all. I haven't actually seen the movie yet, but I suspect that I will like it. Not as much as the 1998 version, but it will be fine. The only thing that slightly irks me is that Mistoffelees sings his own song (I heard the song from the ST from the movie), instead of Rum Tum Tugger singing it for him. I know in some stage productions, Mistoffelees sang it himself too, but I just like how, in the 1998 version, the cat who is so full of himself sings about another cat, without making it about himself. That kind of just added to the feels for me. So I'll miss having that in the movie.

[@TIGER-xk4gk]

Thank you so much for this review, Cats is not as bad as everyone it is, it just like the musical in all its weird but fun glory

[@D0VEGUM]

I just came back from the movie, and I love it. I don’t think it warrants the hate it got

[@sydney4483]

I spent my young life in musical theatre being forcefed the idea that “cats bad” by pretentious theatre people, but recently the chaos of cats (2019) got me into cats the musical and I just love it???? Sometimes media doesn’t have to make total sense, sometimes things that are fun and silly and visually exciting are better than Serious Movies that win oscars. Sometimes in this awful world I just wanna watch something fun with catchy songs!

[@chuckvt5196]

I couldn't agree with you more! I saw the original Broadway run back in the 80's, and I really enjoyed this movie. My fave disparaging quote about this movie from a so called critic, was that the cats were too overtly sexualized. What? Seriously? This person had obviously never seen a live performance of this play. The skin tight spandex...the suggestive dancing. It is way more sexualized than the move. Great review, sir! I tip my magical hat to you!

[@SenileSimmer]

Finally! I'm so tired of all of the negative reviews on this movie. Especially from people who freely admit to never having ever seen the original. Kudos to you for this.

[@darkgryphon42]

THANK YOU! I still need to see the movie, but I've been desperate for a review from someone familiar with the stage play (and didn't already hate said stage play). I can fully accept that they might have done weirdness in the adaptation - but reviews based on it being "omg weird" or "not having a plot" don't tell me anything about how it works as an adaptation of a stage play I love.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

If you like the stage version just know that the movie tries to have a bit more of a story. But the essence and the fun of the play feel really much intact. In that sense it is one of the most faithful movie musical adaptations though it does also have its faults as well.

[@Stace1319]

so glad I'm not the only one who really liked this movie.

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

John, you're crazy. At least you gave a (very) thorough argument for your position; that's more than most people do. 🤷

[@EN-id9xz]

This is the first review of Cats that didn't start with "I've never seen the original broadway show" and I'm very grateful for that. You're brave for going against the entire internet and I applaud you. I'm sure Andrew Lloyd Webber does as well.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

I immediately turn off any review that says they didn't see the musical or saw it and didn't care for it. It's not that their opinions aren't valid, it's that I know exactly where they're coming from. I'd rather hear from people that love the play and see what they thought of the movie. But other Then a handful of reviews, No one understands the play...

[@waffledemonoverlord4232]

I liked it too. I did cringe at a lot of stuff sometimes but it was a lot of fun to watch and cool to analyse. Also the dances and songs were AMAZING and just because it doesn't have an intense plot doesn't mean it's bad. Actually, everything happens during one night, so the plot should be small too. Oh and Skimbleshanks is God

[@pbelb]

What a purrrrrrrfectly enjoyable and refreshing review! :) 4 paws up!

[@kavyb1730]

I loved cats too! Thank you for this! This is the first person who is brave enough to say that they liked this film!

[@LUCANWOLF]

Cats is a wild fantasy. Onstage and on film it's pure escapism. It's a good film. The haters just want to bash something for attention. It's the cynical hatefulness of a sad, bitter generation.

[@greggriffin8020]

I liked it a lot. The hate bandwagon has gotten old fast. It's this year's, "I'm gluten intolerant." Be careful, though. The hive mind is very unforgiving.

[@mattashman4040]

It wasn’t that bad at all - I agree, good review

[@XprPrentice]

BTW, John, you mentioned something deprecating about yourself and this channel. I think this is the most informative channel, not only about filmmaking, that I've come across. You're a dude who knows his stuff (with occasional faults that your fans, like me, will call out), and you do actually teach us in every video. Thank you for your work - and keep doing it, please!

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Thank you!

[@helenpetersen447]

THANK YOU. I don’t know what in the seven hells all those critics were going on about. It was a beautiful movie with a lovely story that had at least 3x as much plot as the musical!

[@stephenwinfield9657]

Great review.. I loved the movie because like you the songs and the show was familiar to me as I'd seen it when it was 16 in London.. I laughed and cried I was emotionally involved with film.. thank u for this 'purr spective'

[@kevindavila625]

Honestly, I loved it too. I believe it became so popular to hate on it and everyone just jumped on that. A total shame, really.

[@alisonrex5767]

Yes, somebody said it! Cats is really the only ALW musical i really like, and i just enjoyed the movie so much. I love wild, weird things and cats delivered. After ten minutes i got over the weird visuals and just embraced it, and it was one of the best cinema experiences I've had :)

[@DwRockett]

Damn, now I really want to see a crossover between you and Lindsay Ellis on Cats, looking at it both as a musical and a movie

[@CraigPMiller]

Took my Mum to see Cats and, as a non-ALW fan, I was not particularly impressed, but it certainly wasn't the trainwreck the reviews suggested. As a CGI professional I can say, IMHO, the fur was fine. 😎👍

[@DavidHancock]

I ... Uh ... Think this is your best video of 2019.

[@rdkirk3834]

My wife and I also enjoyed Cats, and we aren't particularly fans of musicals. We just understood from the outset that it was like a cat-themed episode of "So You Think You Can Dance." I'm old enough to have been forced to read TS Elliot in junior high, so I knew his poems didn't make sense. And cats...cats never make sense. So TS Elliot poems about cats...fuggedaboudit. I do agree that the mice and roaches were icky. There is, however, a constant problem with dance on screen is that dance is always choreographed for the stage and best experienced from a live audience. Cinematographers inevitably use angles and crops that diminish the power of the choreography.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Seconded on the way the dance stuff is cut... But there were a fair bit of decent dance sequences in this for that didn't cut too quickly

[@Xanadu2025]

Did you say, “Adele Dazeem?” Lol

[@cyren_]

I loved the film so much I went and saw it twice in a row. I'm glad to see a video that shares a different opinion to all the others.

[@ClassicDepravities]

The first time i saw this movie was opening night, and I spent the entire time on my side with a hand over my mouth to stop my insane laughter from ruining the movie for everyone else. I love it. I love every insane batshit moment of this film, to the point that i've been writing watching rules of my own (every time you see their butt, yell BUTTHOLE as loud as you can). I grew up a massive fan of the original, and i knew this movie could only be a beautiful trainwreck and was not disappointed.

[@harveydangerfield]

auhghhghh thank you so much for being the person to stand up for this movie. the cgi is weird sure, they definitely would have served better to put them in costumes or at the very least cgi them some dang kitty noses, but the visuals aren't as important as the emotion of the musical. i have been obessed with Cats very nearly since birth and I will continue to be obsessed with EVERY iteration of it for the rest of my life. As far as I'm concerned, when it comes to this bizarre and beautiful musical, no attention is bad attention. The fact that people wanted to remake it AT ALL is a good thing, regardless of whether they excelled or blundered. The fact that people are talking about it AT ALL, the fact that it's mainstream? I could cry. This will only encourage people to go back and rewatch the filmed stage production to see the original, and hopefully gain a new appreciation for it. I'm nothing but thrilled that it was remade.

[@Skatche]

I LOVED Cats. I never saw the stage production, but when I was growing up my dad took me and my siblings to tons of plays and musicals and so forth, including a lot of Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals. We saw Joseph like SIX or seven times, and only stopped when Donny Osmond was replaced by his brother. So I was already prepared to see what is essentially an extremely high-budget stage production, caught on film. A few shots really crossed the line into grotesque territory (notably the opening shot) but as soon as they started singing and dancing it was like "oh yeah, this is great." But if you go in with expectations informed by the cinematic tradition, rather than the musical theatre tradition, you're almost certain to find it bizarre and unwatchable.

[@Skatche]

Incidentally it's fucking incredible to learn that Judi Dench was cast in the original stage production of Cats, and got to return as Old Deuteronomy.

[@livmoredieless]

THANK YOU FOR THIS I COULDN'T PUT IT INTO WORDS

[@methecat776]

Thank u!!! I’ve been watching so many reviews of ppl who didn’t even research anything and they all complain ab the plot and stuff and none of them have see the musical and it’s so annoying!!! Thank u for bringing a theater nerd perspective to the conversation FINALLY!! I mean, I personally didn’t like the film bc I think Cats is impossible to translate to film it’s just made for theater and it doesn’t work in a modern film context, but it was so refreshing to have a theater perspective talk ab it bc u actually have the knowledge on the musical to talk ab how it was as an adaptation film, not just how weird it was.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

When ever I see a reviewer say they haven't seen the stage show or saw it and didn't like it, I immediately turn it off. Getting tired of the pile on from people that don't get it yet.

[@alejandramerida2249]

Thank you sooooo much! I spent the next day's after seeing the movie singing all the songs.......

[@sabrinaestrada9097]

First video I watch that doesn't spend 20+ minutes ranting only about how the characters look weird. There's more to the movie than that! Just as you said it's a progression of themes and it should be enjoyed that way. I must say that the first time I watched it I also thought it was all very odd, yet I took the time to later investigate about the lore of the movie, it helped me quite a lot to see beyond the CGI and into the story. And if that's not enough "Memory" is such an amazing song :D

[@hunterkd2520]

THANK YOU! I went in with watching Cats expecting to dislike it but came out loving it.

[@DarkAngelwing2]

I love the comparison to the Nutcracker, that was really eye opening to how critics (and I myself) have been looking at the film’s plot the wrong way.

[@catanna213]

Thanks for your uniquely honest review, I like the way you think ~ delightfully weird, just like the film. It's cool to read posts from people like you who actually saw the whole film and appreciated its most important aspects, the dancing & singing. Personally I liked the visuals too ~ the set & the cats themselves ~ and am psyched that Cats is on the Oscars short list for visual effects. P.S. I subscribed to your channel :-)

[@elizabethpage_]

My friends and I went to hate watch it. I am personally a pretty big Cats fan, and I expected to hate it. But we came out of the theatre happy. Sure it was weird. But some parts were genuinely enjoyable and we’d all see it again.

[@sunnyblueskies6505]

You’ve proved my point about what I’ve been making with friends and family - you have to have an admiration - and date I say adoration - for the original Cats to even think about possibly liking the recent movie release. Which is why it was panned - that’s such a small population of movie goers out there. I mean... it did worse than Charlie’s Angels 😩

[@FilmmakerIQ]

I think so too... Or you really have to go into it with knowing you're not getting a mainstream movie

[@recon441]

I think your idea for having everything as costume with just added CGI effects for little things like ears and tails would have been the perfect happy medium for this. However I would have absolutely loved a completely animated production, especially if it was done by the same people who made An American Tail!

[@FilmmakerIQ]

An animated version would be fine but it just wouldn't be cats... It would feel like a knock off version

[@recon441]

@@FilmmakerIQ Maybe, I personally love cartoons and think that the concept would translate well into the medium

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Why would they have to change the set?

[@Somehowstillkicking]

Omg thank god I am happy someone actually likes it, like- my designer self still hates the animation BUT EVERYTHING ELSE WAS AMAZING???? I LIKE- MY LOVE FOR EVERYTHING ELSE OVERPOWERED MY HATRED OVER THE CGI?????? Heck- I got so sucked into it I legit almost left crying from the theater

[@emmikarna6026]

THANK YOU! I’m also a fan since childhood and went to see the film yesterday with my equally Cats obsessed friend. Once we got past the poor CGI appearence, we really enjoyed the film, and why wouldn’t we, it’s Cats! In some cases the movie did even better than on the 1997 dvd version, for example Skimbleshanks song got a definate level up. I’m so glad that someone dared to say out loud that they liked the movie, so thumbs up for you good sir 👍🏻👍🏻 you just earned a subscriber!

[@narinatiger]

I loved Cats 2019!

[@BENewWorldLTD]

Thanks for making me feel sane for enjoying Cats

[@VikiAnderson]

I loved this movie. I loved the musical (at the theater). I love your review and explanation of this musical and movie. I love learning about the history here. Thank you! I never felt guilty about enjoying this movie! The haters? I am glad I did not listen to them.

[@brrrnaner]

I've been convincing my friends into watching Cats by saying that they need to get tipsy and see it in full surroundsound to appreciate how "bad" it is...and each one has come back praising how weird and fun it is. Give this movie a bit of time, it'll be a guilty pleasure/cult classic or more.

[@davidrichardson6235]

Thank you for this. Went and saw the film last night, and being a person "of a certain age" who grew up with mega musicals, I lfeft not hating the movie. Many of the sentiments you expressed I echoed myself. While I didn't find it "the greatest" I did think it was enjoyable in it's own way...thanks for an unbiased review.

[@bleeploughly6311]

As someone who also loved the movie, thank you. Thank you so much

[@davidcraig75]

I agree , I liked it , the music stayed with me long after I saw it , Gus the cat and McCavity were great , sorry I just can,t hate .

[@Graphicxtras1]

I liked the film as well ... it was plain odd but it was fine with a very good cast. Thanks for a very good video !

[@nealebastiaans1853]

I saw it, I didn't like it, but it wasn't nearly the disaster critics are pushing. Good on you for championing it. I always enjoy your videos, and find your channel highly educational and entertaining. Thanks John!

[@sofiak5512]

Oh my god, thank you for putting my thoughts into words exactly!! This is great.