CATS - I actually enjoyed it !

I remember back in the 80s when I saw a video of the Broadway musical hit Cats. I was fascinated by the way the performers looked. They had amazing costumes and make-up. They looked like real cats. So I was really looking forward to the movie version. But when the first trailer came out, there were so many negative reactions. More so when the movie finally opened in theaters. Critics called it bad, not worth watching, even nightmare-inducing. 

In spite of that, I still wanted to see how it played on the silver screen. I had low expectations when I came to watch it in a cinema. I was silent and focused while watching. One by one, each cat was introduced with their own song number. Some were okay, others elicited laughs. The CGI which was a big issue with the critics, was not perfect but tolerable. The plot is simple enough. The alley cats gathered for some kind of a contest where they all vie to be chosen to go to cat-heaven and be reborn. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed it ! 

Seeing all those actors looking like humanoid cats was kinda weird but fun. I thought most of them worked their asses off. Jennifer Hudson delivered a very emotional rendition of "Memory". James Corden and Rebel Wilson were hilarious ! Francesca Hayward was a fresh face to watch, while Taylor Swift was gorgeous and a sight to behold. I also love her original song - Beautiful Ghost, which played during the end credits. 

Maybe if the filmmakers were given more time to work on post-production, the critics would have been more forgiving. It's sad that a beloved and smash Broadway hit is now called the worst movie of the year. And it's losing a lot of money because it also opened at the same time with the latest installment of Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker.  

Other stars in CATS were Judy Dench, Ian McKellen, Idris Elba, & Jason Derulo. Directed by Tom Hooper. From Universal Pictures. Photos c/o United International Pictures.