After watching Chatty Catties with me, my cat, Frankie, insisted on writing this review. He says that I can’t possibly understand the film’s real meaning since I’m a human and not an oppressed feline like the star, Leonard. So, friends—here we go. It’s an imaginary cat takeover! 

Frankie’s Review (as dictated to imaginary amie):
What a masterpiece! I’ve never seen a film so succinctly sum up the struggles of our kind before. Sure, there’s been some talking cat movies, but nothing that even comes close to the truth of this. Watching the real desires and thoughts of cats realized on screen via amazing voice actors filled me with hope that our days of being misunderstood by humans might be coming to an end.

Chatty Catties is primarily the story of Leonard, a beautiful striped tabby who has THE WORST HUMAN EVER. Leonard’s human, Shelby, is so messed up that it’s ridiculous. Look: it’s one thing when you humans can’t take care of yourselves, but when you don’t even feed your cat it becomes a REAL PROBLEM. Shelby treats Leonard like her property; invading his privacy for her art films, harassing him during bath time, and picking him up when he is right in the middle of doing important cat things.

Thankfully, sweet Nate enters the picture and starts taking real care of Leonard. And this is where Amie and I are at odds with this flick: she thinks it’s a comedy! But I’m here to tell you it’s not; it’s actually an incredibly progressive romance that shows us the love and tenderness that develops between Nate and Leonard.

My only issue is I don’t know why the filmmakers are branding this as “an alternate reality in which cats communicate with humans” because clearly, we ALREADY communicate with you. We try to tell you in cat speak all the time what we want; you just never listen to us. Why do you think we’re meowing at you all the time? Just to hear the sound of our own voice? We’re vain, but we’re not that vain.

But, I digress. Back to how awesome the film is. I’m a little miffed that cats aren’t allowed in theaters so I can see this on the big screen, but I encourage all of you to get tickets to see it at the film festival. Hopefully some of you will “get it” and start treating your feline friends as equals.

{Chatty Catties screens at SIFF 5/30, 9:30pm & again 5/31, 11:30am at SIFF Cinema Uptown}