Screenwriter Reacts to Cats

I'm a dog person...As of this video.
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[@nyssa7193]

Omg my mother made me and my dad go see it in theater and I kid you not people were getting up and leaving the theater because of how bad it was. 😂😂

[@JoeHarrisonChannel]

understandable

[@p.ytchannel]

you should do more movie commentaries!

[@apfelstroodel]

your reactions give me life please don't stop

[@animekitty4218]

I forced two mates to come watch this with me at the cinema because I knew it’d be an experience. Walking out of a cinema is already a weird liminal experience, but walking out of this and sitting in Nandos afterwards was a trip to say the least. I thank the cinema gods that I saw Parasite after this and my faith in film was restored, otherwise this film would’ve been the last thing I went to see on the big screen before the pandemic hit and nobody deserves that fate.

[@sseraphim2818]

I love love Nandos. I hope the food made up for it.

[@boobysr]

I had almost the exact same experience with sonic and emma

[@SpaceandGoats]

This was the last movie I saw in theaters before covid

[@deaddumplings5565]

Sorry bro 🥺

[@supercookie798]

All I hear is that you caused the pandemic. Thanks bro

[@SmileyAdventures]

@@supercookie798 😭😭😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@ceciliasosaav]

14 mins of pure confusion loved it 😂😂😂😂

[@Lee-rn9mz]

If you want to learn more about what Cats is actually about I highly suggest sideways’ video on the cats movie. He goes in depth about what the original Broadway is about.

[@MrsNelold48]

My Mind everytime he tries to find some kind of meaning in the plot: "Hal, It's about cats :) "

[@KairiKH21]

KZbinr Sideways just did a commentary on this movie. It’s amazing. As fabulous as your own!

[@talonfelisa]

I'm convinced the only reason people like cats is because of how amazing Memory is.

[@emilyadeline1046]

Please do more of these. But maybe pick movies that aren't SO bad - that would be unhealthy.

[@sofiaquinones1081]

basically the reaction we all had

[@CazuhLynn]

The dry "not really" with the vage headshake made me laugh out loud. You just got yourself a new subscriber :D

[@gabiluciams]

this is the movie I wasn't even interested in seeing a reaction video from. it brings me physical pAIN. just thought I should put it out there that it's your fault I'm seeing this.

[@gabiluciams]

all that struggle tho. you have been brave. 👏👏

[@VampWolf23]

I really enjoy your movie commentaries.

[@gp2671]

They finished editing the film the day before it was released. They tried to add a plot to a musical that famously had no plot lol.

[@cabbage8623]

i find it funny you had to look up what a jellicle cat was when theres quite literally a whole song explaining it, you gotta have a huge suspension of reality for this movie musical, bc it functions 1000% better as a musical, it wasn't meant for film

[@VicenteTorresAliasVits]

CATS is probably the best movie that can be adapted from the 1981 sung-through musical, all things considered. Don't get me wrong; I like it a lot... as a live show, not as a play with songs. There are musicals that have turned out great despite prioritizing the song score over the book/script. In this case, technical aspects like costume design were also prioritized over it. There was a recurring gag in THE NANNY where people were shocked at how the title character's boss turned down the opportunity to be one of the producers. His reason was that the pitch didn't sound convincing. Well... He was kind of right. There's almost no progression, because almost every musical number is about introducing each member of the feline tribe Jellicle. Screenwriters Tom Hooper (who's also the director) and Lee Hall are clearly aware of this and they try to make everything feel more cinematic by emphasizing certain conflicts/arcs and by adding spoken dialogue. I wasn't as bored as I feared, but it's still not an entertaining experience. Since the score is the same, I couldn't shake that feeling of constantly being bounced around between characters and, by the end, I didn't feel like I had gotten to know any of them. In fact, what's the point in performing an "I Am" song when we've already seen the character around for a while? The actors use CG costumes and the result are human/cat hybrids. I personally would've used the same format whenever characters start speaking in a foreign language and change to English all of the sudden ("Hey audience, they're still speaking in their own language in-universe"): The movie starts with actual cats. One of them is doing an action, they leave the frame for half a second, and then a person doing the same action enters the frame. Other people are standing in the spots where the other cats were before. The actors don't wear any kind of cat costume or make-up; just leotards of the same color as the fur of the cats they represent. At the end of the movie, the same trick is done and we see actual cats. I've never wanted a film adaptation, not even when they were planning an animated movie (that would've been more practical, but seeing people dancing is part of the spectacle), because my issue has always been the lack of a proper narrative. I just wanted to give this thought process a shot since it's what people have criticized the most. I usually don't mind this kind of thing as long as the characterization is consistent enough to make me forget that I'm watching something that's not real. Well... No, it's not consistent. Some of the characters wear clothes and shoes. If they feel that need, shouldn't all of them do that? If they've evolved enough to feel that need and to have a clear separation between hands and feet, why they do still drink milk by licking it? Sometimes, the actors move and gesture like cats. Sometimes, they move and gesture like humans. Sometimes, they move and gesture like other animals. Sometimes, they display emotions, rational thoughts and distinct personality traits. Sometimes, they react by instinct. Sometimes--You get the idea. I'm nitpicking like this because they're supposed to be normal cats and they communicate through words only for the audience's benefit, right? Well, they meow, hiss and purr, which defeats the purpose of giving them the ability to speak and sing. The protagonist is Victoria and it's a thankless role. Not just because she's the only one without an extravagant name, but also because she's an audience surrogate who mainly exists to react with doe (or cat?) eyes at what everyone else does. That makes me admire Francesca Hayward's performance even more. I say "even more" because I was already touched by all the emotions she conveyed. Not just with her face and her voice but also her body language. As a matter of fact, my favorite scene (despite the abrupt transition at the end) is when she dances without singing, right after the opening number. I later read that she's a trained ballerina, and I wasn't surprised. Jennifer Hudson's performance is good too. I have no idea what Ian McKellen is doing. I felt moved during the last portion of the number MR. MISTOFFELEES, but the other portions feel devoid of energy compared to the stage show's rendition of the song. There's a scene where Jennyanydots (the laziest Jellicle) grabs an invisible zipper and reveals that what we thought was her body was a costume and that she was hiding a dress underneath. What is this?! While there are other moments of humor, the tone is relatively serious, so why do a LOONEY TUNES routine all of the sudden?! 4/10

[@charlottemiller3239]

I’m dying to know where you’re frommm You’re accent is as inconsistent as the plot of ‘After’

[@SinoM123]

ma'am?! Are you reading my mind lool

[@catwetterau8273]

I have a kid in my class who talks kind of the same way and I think he’s Canadian

[@sofiaquinones1081]

I have only watched a part of the opening scene for this movie and when I saw it I was horrified

[@TheGrossDemon]

That awkward moment when one cat gives another cat a pearl necklace and she smile at him 💀💀💀

[@nathanhall9345]

Me and my brother and sister in law did a double feature of this and the Star Wars Holiday Special. When I tell you that this movie is a masterpiece and so easy on the eyes and ears compared to that movie, that should give you an idea of my evening.

[@username-pb9ui]

your comments on how you were sick of the singing and that they didn’t even tried to translate the stage performance to cinema made me wonder how you’d react to the hamilton movie: even tho has both things i believe most people ADORE IT while the same people HATE the movie Cats

[@giavanascott8141]

Yo...Hamilton is life:)

[@Shrilaraune]

Loooooooooooool. Look how defeated he is

[@johannah4464]

Their first mistake was trying to adapt a show with no plot into a movie 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@coatimundi69]

cats has a plot but its just so straightforward you cant really format it in a film. "old cats sing about themselves to be chosen to advance to their next life, sometimes young cats interject with their songs to shift the mood, grizzabella is an outcast and has to prove herself to the leader and the gang" thats literally it. the whole musical *edit: it also must be noted that the lyrics are weird because its supposed to be like if cats can describe themselves. skimbleshanks literally slows the railway bc theyre looking for him to make sure hes not lost but they all seem to think hes the one who gets things moving. jennyanydots is supposed to be an older cat who, instead of killing mice and cockroaches, actually just plays with them. rum tum tugger is LITERALLY just a finicky cat but all the other cats look up to him. mistoffelees is a black cat who you lose in the dark and he always turns up where you didnt expect to see him. theres a lot of cute references cat owners will go over peoples heads if they arent paying attention ): (a lot of the dancing also included them mirroring each others movements like cats actually do, like them laying on your phone - but the movie cut a lot of that...)

[@johannah4464]

@@coatimundi69 no need to explain Cats to me, I’ve seen it (the show). It *barely has a plot, which is exactly why they felt they needed to throw in a backstory for characters like Victoria

[@coatimundi69]

@@johannah4464 im not mansplaining the plot im autismsplaining its my special interest lol😭 it still has a plot and not just barely one, its just a plot thats not suited for cinema

[@johannah4464]

@@coatimundi69 I apologize, I didn’t know. We’re in agreement though that about it not translating well to film! (Also when I put “*barely”, I meant that as correcting myself, not you, because I get what you’re saying!)

[@coatimundi69]

@@johannah4464 ohh okay! i think even people who dont like it can agree it really makes for a poor film tbh 😭 and its no problem!! you had no way to know P: i overexplain it cuz i get very excited about ot sjdjdj

[@lakriz116]

My dad likes musicals and seems to like some bad movies but we tried to watch Cats and he gave up after 20 min. It's just introductions after one another but we still don't know why. Like build that up first.

[@669kat.2]

It's so sad they ruined the original musical ah

[@elianemeier5373]

I went to see the musical two years ago and I felt so weird afterwards because I didn't get the plot at all. It's such a classic that so many people rave about but I can't see why lol.

[@floraposteschild4184]

Of all the books turned Broadway plays, T.S. Eliot's Practical Cats is among the most unlikely. It's a collection of cute little book of unrelated poems about cats. That's it! I guess it was successful as a live revue, but trying to make it into a movie with a story...just no.

[@Alice011]

I only watched it for taylor swift tbh

[@divyasreelankada8708]

Same lmao 😭

[@brianne4215]

avatar the last airbender is a pretty horrendous film & you can never get bored of critiquing that thing. it might have some redeeming qualities that you could talk about too.

[@Lea-dd6gq]

Amazing

[@gp2671]

I don't even know why the movie was made. No one asked for it. It is one of the least liked musicals of all time, even by hardcore musical lovers. It's a fun live stage musical that is good if you turn your brain off and just want to enjoy cool dancing.

[@BrambleBeeRose]

I love the original musical and it was really succsessfull for a long time. Funny and silly with a rather suttle plot but it was a musical/ ballett so well.... The movie is awful. If the producer would have done any research they could have improve on the story and made a good movie without the cgi bullshit. It was about the dances the music the Performance the costumes and the sillyness. They should have made the animated movie just as planed... Or a show. Nit with music that is to expensive but the characters are really interesting and have each a background and dynamics.... Non of that is in this movie

[@hannahmcswain9144]

I'm sorry, what do you mean strong source material?!

[@coatimundi69]

the musical is good if you like spectacle and dancing lol

[@lucylucydelulu]

I'm so glad I didn't watch this movie, wait-- I, uh.