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meteordustI don't care if the world thinks it's wrong! I loved it.
So my previous experience of Cats was the filmed version of the stage musical, which was okay I guess? It didn't make a huge impact on me, maybe because the lightly sketched plot made it hard to bond with the characters. (Though like everyone else I loved "Memory".) The movie had a stronger throughline, with Victoria as the POV character entering the mysterious and wondrous world of the Jellicle Cats.
I admit, the first five minutes gave me some serious uncanny valley vibes. Are they humans? Are they cats? Are they some kind of mutant? (There's a primal part of the brain that starts ringing alarm bells when something looks human but isn't quite.) But after a while, I sort of got used to it, and I could settle into enjoying the movie.
Favourite songs:
* "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" - The chorus is a bit too perky for me, but I love how the verses dip into the deep lore of cats throughout history and mythology.
* "The Rum Tum Tugger" - Just so much fun! The kind of song that makes me want to get up and dance.
* "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" - Okay, the new arrangement of the song isn't great. But I loved watching the whole sequence of these two incorrigible rogues luring innocent Victoria into mischief, and how much fun she has wreaking havoc.
* "Beautiful Ghosts" - Gorgeous and haunting. I'm sorry that the soundtrack doesn't include Francesca Hayward's version, only Taylor Swift's end credits one.
* "Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat" - Catchy and upbeat. I loved the tapdancing. Wonderfully choreographed.
* "Macavity: The Mystery Cat" - Possibly the catchiest song in the movie. Certainly the most spectacular entrance, with Bombalurina descending from the ceiling in a glowing crescent moon. (And is it just me, or did she basically sex pollen everyone at the Jellicle Ball?) I loved when Macavity joined her in duet. (Though I was unsettled by how he was wearing clothes, and then suddenly not wearing clothes. Is he - supposed to be naked now?)
* "Mr Mistoffelees" - Should not be on this list at all, because it hammers you with the chorus relentlessly. But I think I've been earwormed by the thousandth repetition of "Oh! Well, I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as Magical Mr Mistoffelees?"
* "Memory" - The showstopper of the movie. Jennifer Hudson did a stunning job, with all the emotion and angst and power that the song demands.
I loved the final image of the chandelier balloon carrying Grizabella vanishing into the sunlit clouds.
I came out of the movie shipping Victoria/Mistoffelees/Munkustrap. Mistoffelees comes to help Victoria when she gets lost and in trouble! Munkustrap is so fondly encouraging to Mistoffelees when he's trying to pull off his big magic act! And on rewatch, I noticed that in the first song, Victoria keeps sneaking admiring little glances at Munkustrap! It's so cute.
The movie is rated G. I don't know how to feel about that. On the one hand, yes, technically nothing higher than a G-rating happens. On the other hand, it all feels extremely sensual.
So my previous experience of Cats was the filmed version of the stage musical, which was okay I guess? It didn't make a huge impact on me, maybe because the lightly sketched plot made it hard to bond with the characters. (Though like everyone else I loved "Memory".) The movie had a stronger throughline, with Victoria as the POV character entering the mysterious and wondrous world of the Jellicle Cats.
I admit, the first five minutes gave me some serious uncanny valley vibes. Are they humans? Are they cats? Are they some kind of mutant? (There's a primal part of the brain that starts ringing alarm bells when something looks human but isn't quite.) But after a while, I sort of got used to it, and I could settle into enjoying the movie.
Favourite songs:
* "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" - The chorus is a bit too perky for me, but I love how the verses dip into the deep lore of cats throughout history and mythology.
* "The Rum Tum Tugger" - Just so much fun! The kind of song that makes me want to get up and dance.
* "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" - Okay, the new arrangement of the song isn't great. But I loved watching the whole sequence of these two incorrigible rogues luring innocent Victoria into mischief, and how much fun she has wreaking havoc.
* "Beautiful Ghosts" - Gorgeous and haunting. I'm sorry that the soundtrack doesn't include Francesca Hayward's version, only Taylor Swift's end credits one.
* "Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat" - Catchy and upbeat. I loved the tapdancing. Wonderfully choreographed.
* "Macavity: The Mystery Cat" - Possibly the catchiest song in the movie. Certainly the most spectacular entrance, with Bombalurina descending from the ceiling in a glowing crescent moon. (And is it just me, or did she basically sex pollen everyone at the Jellicle Ball?) I loved when Macavity joined her in duet. (Though I was unsettled by how he was wearing clothes, and then suddenly not wearing clothes. Is he - supposed to be naked now?)
* "Mr Mistoffelees" - Should not be on this list at all, because it hammers you with the chorus relentlessly. But I think I've been earwormed by the thousandth repetition of "Oh! Well, I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as Magical Mr Mistoffelees?"
* "Memory" - The showstopper of the movie. Jennifer Hudson did a stunning job, with all the emotion and angst and power that the song demands.
I loved the final image of the chandelier balloon carrying Grizabella vanishing into the sunlit clouds.
I came out of the movie shipping Victoria/Mistoffelees/Munkustrap. Mistoffelees comes to help Victoria when she gets lost and in trouble! Munkustrap is so fondly encouraging to Mistoffelees when he's trying to pull off his big magic act! And on rewatch, I noticed that in the first song, Victoria keeps sneaking admiring little glances at Munkustrap! It's so cute.
The movie is rated G. I don't know how to feel about that. On the one hand, yes, technically nothing higher than a G-rating happens. On the other hand, it all feels extremely sensual.
