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Cats Gets Two Paws Up

Written by: Robert Renfro

Merlin French
Chronically Late Film Critic

Sorry, I know this movie came out a while ago, but this review took a while to write. Hopefully I end up submitting it on time. Anyway, when I first saw “Cats,” which is the 2019 film adaptation of the long running Broadway show “The Lion King,” the packed audience gave it a three-hour long standing ovation. Personally though, I didn’t agree with this reaction, so I gave it a four-hour standing ovation. This was back in December, when all anyone could talk about was how great “Cats” looked and how it would win every Academy Award. Once it was released however, we understood that it was nowhere near as good as we suspected; it was a million times better!

You don’t need me to tell you the premise of “Cats.” Judging by the box office numbers, you’ve probably already seen it at least seven times, but here it goes anyway: Lightning McQueen, played by Owen Wilson, is a cocky, young race cat on his way to winning the championship, but when he gets stuck in a run-down roadside town, he learns the true meaning of teamwork, and that winning isn’t everything.

Now I’m not entirely sure why this movie needed to be released again in theaters, but needless to say I’m all on board. Unfortunately, I was late to my showing due to the immense traffic jam of moviegoers, so I only caught the last few minutes, and apparently they either added some new footage or I don’t remember the film as well as I thought I did. Either way, the ending absolutely rules. There is one problem though: while the ending was great, I can’t help but feel like it should have gone on a little longer.

Toward the end, Doc Hudson, known in this version as Old Deuteronomy and for the first time played by a woman, delivers an overtly political monologue that the higher ups at the studio surely shortened for fear of inciting revolution. “A cat is not a dog” is probably one of the most powerful lines I’ve ever heard. I hope America hears more about it in the director’s cut.

Overall, although most people have come to their senses and enjoy “Cats” for what it is, there remains a contingent of hipsters and elitists who hate it simply because it’s popular, and that’s sad. If you somehow haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it. Kachow!

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