Kedi (2016) User Reviews

"Without the cats, Istanbul would lose part of its soul"

[paul-allaer · 8/10 · 4 March 2017]

"Kedi" (2016 release from Turkey; 80 min.) is a documentary about the thousands of stray cats (street cats) all over Istanbul. As the movie opens, we get a fabulous aerial view of the city, and then get to know a number of cats, starting with a female cat who is out hunting food on the streets, not for herself but as it turns out for her small kittens who are anxiously waiting her return. And that's just the start of this...

Couple of comments: if you don't care for cats, then by all means do yourself a favor and seek out another movie. If on the other hand you love cats, you are in for an absolutely delightful treat. Apparently as we learn in this film, Istanbul, itself a huge metropolis, is home to many street cats, and the city's population (at least for the most part) has taken upon itself to care for these cats, and to outright love them. The movie focuses on a handful of cats, all of them with their own personality (the "fish thief", the "carefree", the "flirt", etc.). A number of shots are filmed from the cat's perspective (i.e. close to ground level). Along the way, we get a fabulous look of what day-to-day life in Istanbul is like. At one point a woman comments "it is difficult for women to express their femininity in this country, but the cats do it so gracefully", a dig as to the social environment for women in Turkey, even in a cosmopolitan city like Istanbul. But in the end, it's all about the cats: they hunt, they play, they roam the streets, they fight, they climb, and along the way they steal your heart.

I had heard a glowing review of "Kedi" on NPR a week or two ago and when "Kedi" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, I couldn't wait to see it. The Friday evening where I saw this at was PACKED, much to my surprise, and the audience absolutely LOVED the movie, laughing out loud many times throughout the movie. After the movie was over, I couldn't wait to get home, where I knew my beloved cat Mimic would be waiting for me ;-) If you love cats, you don't want to miss this, be it in the theater, on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Kedi" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

A Cat's-Eye View of a Remarkable City

[vsks · 8/10 · 14 April 2017]

You forget Turkey's difficult politics watching this documentary by Turkish filmmaker Ceyda Torun and cinematographer Charlie Wuppermann about Istanbul's Big Romance with—cats! (What did you think "Kedi" means?) At an hour twenty-minutes, the film is somewhat longer than it might be, but as a vacation from the news cycle, perhaps not long enough. The residents of Istanbul don't "own" most of the cats that roam their streets and markets, that nest in quiet places and makeshift hideaways. But they more than tolerate them, they celebrate them. And the cats, meanwhile, act like "slumming royals," says Joe Leydon in Variety. You can see the cast here. A number of the featured felines rule the neighborhoods where they live, defending their turf against interlopers and providing benefits to the humans. "They absorb my negative energy," one man says. A waterside restaurant owner who'd had a problem with "mice" (I fear this was a euphemism) celebrated the day "this lion took up residence." She takes care of the "mice," to the comfort of the diners, I'm sure. My particular favorite was the cat who lives at a deli. She never goes inside, but paws at the window—rather insistently, it should be noted—when she wants one of the countermen to make her a snack. The filmmakers identified a number of the city's human residents whose mission seems to be to keep these felines in food. One pair of women cooks twenty pounds of chicken a day for them. (!) "All of us have tabs with all the vets," says a bakery owner, and we see a man take an injured kitten to the vet in a taxi.. In short, the film is charming. It talks about how cats are different than dogs. And it shows how caring for the cats has been helpful to people in many ways. Suitable for all ages, and especially for those who have—or wish they had—been to Istanbul and now are reluctant to go because of paragraph one above. As Leydon says, it's "splendidly graceful and quietly magical."

A Kind & Gentle Documentary

[trevd-22977 · 9/10 · 22 June 2019]

I normally steer well clear of any film involving our animal friends as something terrible usually happens to them. It is upsetting enough in real life without having to endure it in a film as well. Kedi is not like that & you can safely watch without fear of any sadness. It might even restore your faith in human beings. The people who interact with the cats in this documentary are all kind. Even the big rough & tough fishermen have a caring approach to the animals. With so many documentaries around about people doing awful things to other people & things it is extremely refreshing to have something like this film to give some balance. I had a smile on my face the entire two hour run time. If you are an animal person, especially if you like cats, I absolutely, highly recommend this lovely documentary to you.

Cool cats.

[JohnDeSando · 12 March 2017]

"Cats (unlike dogs) know that we're not God. They know we're just the middlemen." Interviewee

Let your inner cat take over and roam Istanbul with director Ceyda Torun as she produces a lovely documentary about the charmed lives of the 100,000 or more cats that benignly people the famous Turkish city. By focusing on the lives of seven cats, Torun effectively characterizes all those privileged felines.

Although this doc, Kedi (Turkish for "cat"), doesn't negate the generally accepted aloofness of cats or their notorious independence, it brings them alive as individual felines with attributes to make us love each one differently. Memorable are Psikopat (as in "psychopath"), a tough wife to a similar tuxedo, who fears her wrath, and Sari, an orange and white who cleverly forages for her beautiful brood.

As lovable as all the animal stars of this entertaining documentary are, the humans who take care of the cats (when they let them) are almost as affecting. The interviewees come forward with sayings and observations that are at times lovingly profound and at others just shy of New Age: "I heal my wounds by healing theirs," says one cat lover after cooking 20 pounds of chicken for a daily entourage of appreciative strays.

This tone poem's veracity is slightly compromised by having minimal conflicts as the cats intrude multiple ways on Istanbul life. Kedi is a lyrical expression of love, but I've never heard of a city so pristine, virtually immaculate, while also having a robust street life that accommodates felines in such luxury. I guess I'll have to see for myself someday.

If you see Kedi, you will seek out boxes of kitties on street corners forever condemning you to cute and cool little beings never more alluring than on the streets of Istanbul.

"Cats are the runes of beauty, invincibility, wonder, pride, freedom, coldness, self-sufficiency, and dainty individuality - the qualities of sensitive, enlightened, mentally developed, pagan, cynical, poetic, philosophic, dispassionate, reserved, independent, Nietzschean, unbroken, civilised, master-class men." H. P. Lovecraft

Not Just for cat lovers

[irfanhussains · 10/10 · 21 July 2017]

This movie made me fall in love with my cats again. The beautiful cinematography and the limited story line was a treat to watch. I have always admired Turkey and after watching this I want to be there as quick as possible. Cat lovers are special people and we can see so many sweet people in there. I smiled so much looking at them with tears in my eyes. Thank you for this.

Istanbul from a cat's-eye view.

[typicaltay111 · 10/10 · 17 February 2017]

This movie was wonderful. Whether you're a cat lover or not, it's hilarious, poignant, and amazingly well-shot.

The cinematography of capturing so many cats at play, fighting, protecting their babies, etc. must have been absolutely grueling, so huge kudos to the filmmakers for presenting a work which so obviously shows care was taken to get these amazing visuals.

Kedi is a love letter to the cats of Istanbul, and their guardian angels who keep them fed and sheltered. Go see it!

For cat lovers.

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 27 February 2018]

If you're an animal lover, and in this particular case a cat lover, there is no doubt you will like this documentary. It's well shot and the commentary of the people helping or having cats are obviously from people that love cats. I've always been doubtful about people that don't love animals, they are people I just can't trust. It's like they said at one point in this documentary "If you don't love animals, you can't love a person either". Turkey has obviously a lot of stray cats but here it shows that they're tolerated and loved. They bring joy to people's sometimes depressing lives. Every cat has a different character, like humans, and in this documentary it is well portraited. I saw already quite a bunch of Turkish movies, with a high rating, but I actually never saw a good one, ever. So this is the first Turkish production I did like. Can't get enough of those animal documentaries.

Kedi beautiful and sweet film

[grizos-726-659483 · 10/10 · 3 April 2017]

Uplifting story about the cats of Istanbul and the kind people who care for them and love them. Incredible cinematography beautifully photographed. The city of Istanbul looks both beautiful and mysterious. After seeing this film you will want to consider a trip to this fascinating ancient city. As no other film has done you will experience the incredible lives of these animals How they survive take care of their young and still remain playful happy an adventurous. One of the best documentaries I have ever seen. A film that you will not forget. This really is a captivating gentle film about the special bond between very decent people and these interesting animals that interact with them daily. It reminds us that a cat looking up at us is one of those moments how sweet life really is and that we should appreciate these moments that remind us that were alive.Ceyda Torun the director has given us a great cat's eye view of their lives haunts travels and more importantly the personalities. But she gives us a glimpse of the every day people and how caring for these animals has brightened their lives. The 7 cats are all quite distinctive and memorable. A special thanks to Kira Fontana for a beautiful sound track that enhances this film with Turkish and world music that must be made available. To all involved with the production of this film you have done a great job. This film has been very well received.

A fine feline viewpoint

[proud_luddite · 7/10 · 19 February 2018]

This documentary pays tribute to the many stray cats of Istanbul as well as the humans who love them, take care of them, and are inspired by them.

There is superb camera work that follows the felines in their daily adventures in the city. The cameras are always low and the camera people use clever devices that can keep up with the cats thus allowing the viewer to better see their activities some of which are fascinating.

Even more inspiring are the interviews with the people who voluntarily help and observe the cats. Some find it therapeutic. Some are even spiritually inspired. One woman compares them to aliens from another planet with a different kind of intelligence. The interviewees, like the cats, come off as very likeable.

There are about seven cats who each have a special segment in "Kedi". This is like the musical "Cats" in which each musical number told the story of one of its cat characters before moving on to the next one. While all creatures in this film (biped as well as quadriped) exude charm and warmth, interest wanes a little by the end. But it's still fun to watch the cats and humans connect so nicely. It helps one recall one's own favourite feline memories. - dbamateurcritic.

Perfect film for all cat lovers out there!

[Chickengirl001 · 10/10 · 23 March 2017]

if you love cats, and admire/respect people who love cats, you will love this film.

Kedi focuses on a half a dozen or so cats and their primary human caretakers. Each cat has their own very unique personality put on them by their caretakers. These individuals who take their of these people are very respectable, humble people. You will really admire how much these cats mean to them. They take on a very philosophical, down-to-earth, often religious approach to why they care for these stray cats. For most of these people, these cats have improved their lives and given them a better respect/appreciation towards life in general. It's very touching.

There are also many scenes of of the city, showing random stray cats going about their lives, the cinematography and camera-work showing of the city is really great. These are a few brief scenes where you don't see any cats at all, just the people of Istanbul going about their daily lives.

Does this film ever get depressing you may ask? Well, there is one sad scene in the film, but it is also one of those moments that you just have to accept as being a fact of life for these stray cats. There are also a couple scenes where you see swarms of cats waiting to be fed by their people, or scenes of litters of kittens living in dirty, clearly not ideal living conditions, and it makes you wish the city had some sort of TNR program to deal with the population of all these cats, but again, it's just one of those things you have to accept.

Kedi is a all around feel-good film. But it did make me wonder when it was all filmed, considering the political turmoil currently going on in Turkey. It made me wonder how the people shown in the film and their cats are doing, if their lives have been negatively affected by all the chaos. I would certainly hope that is not the case.

If you can still catch this film at your local theater that shows independent/art-house films, it is worth seeing for sure. Otherwise rent it or buy the DVD when it is released then.

A dream doco for cat lovers

[eddie_baggins · 7/10 · 26 September 2017]

First things first. If you don't like cats, avoid Kedi like the plague.

There's more cats in Kedi than a Kibble convention and for those that don't feel a particular inkling towards our beloved feline friends, Kedi would be some form of torture.

For the rest of us either passive cat fans or out and out crazy cat people, Kedi will be a delightful little treat as this lovable and easy to digest documentary that examines the life and times of various street cats that inhabit the landscape of Istanbul in Turkey is a no doubt slight but also thoroughly enjoyable documentation of the bond between humans and our ever aware paw clad friends.

Director Ceyda Torun never looks to delve overly deep into any of the aspects of these cats lives but as we're introduced to the various hairy stars and the humans they have chosen to interact with (as well as the city of Istanbul itself), Kedi begins to showcase an understated yet reassuring look at the bond between humans and animals and how often these animal characters possess many of our human flaws, goodness's and personality traits.

As Torun's camera prowls the hustling and bustling streets of Istanbul, sometimes from far above, sometimes from a cats point of few, we're introduced to the a cat that earns his keep by hunting rats, the cat that claws at the window of a café waiting for their food, a psychopathic cat that doubles up as an obsessive wife and a street wise cat the runs his neighbourhood as a dictator. They're but a few of the felines we are introduced to to go alongside our human figures.

It's a lovely touch in the way that Kedi subtly brings in humans to the cat-centric tale, as these real-life figures from Istanbul become our narrators and storytellers of the history behind these cats and the way in which they've become a part of their worlds. The film may be somewhat aimless and sometimes even directionless but Torun clearly saw the need to just film and let things happen, giving Kedi a fresh and raw approach that remains engaging, even when saying or doing very little.

Final say –

A feel good cat-centred documentary that will be an unabashed joy for those many feline fans out there, Kedi may never climb or claw its way to any great heights but this is easily one of the year's most good natured and easy to digest true life tales, that will more than likely encourage cat ownership for the most stone hearted of feline naysayers.

3 ½ rat exterminators out of 5

The Best Documentary To Date

[deannaderosa · 10/10 · 6 March 2017]

Beautiful, captivating, kind and gentle, Kedi, explores the bond between humans and the street cats of Istanbul. It's refreshing to see a creative documentary without politics or religion. Incredible cinematography and a creative plot. Kedi tugs at the heart and reminds us to be kind and loving while putting other creatures first. It's uplifting and original. A MUST see.

Kedi

[Aeris666 · 7/10 · 20 August 2021]

Turkey is indeed cat country (but they are all afraid of me (- -;). In a carpet shop in Cappadocia, I met an old grandfather with a white beard who had a female cat with a shiny black coat. The mother cat had four cubs, but none of them were pure black and all of them had more or less mixed colours. I exchanged emails with the shopkeeper and agreed to come back to see the cat later, and received a Christmas message from him that year. The following year I wrote to ask how the kittens were doing and was told that the mother cat had been in a car accident while crossing the road and only one had survived, and there was no further contact. "The things we love will one day cease to exist." Cats are lovely and so are the people.

Only shows the good side of a stray cat population

[leefoo-1 · 2/10 · 11 January 2018]

I wanted to keep yelling "spay and neuter those poor cats". Quit letting them have more kittens. I would bet that most of those strays end up starving to death. I am happy for those that were depicted, but please show the other side. I feel like I just watched a Disney movie, because this was a fairy tale.

Beautiful, scenic, emotional, loving, sweetly sad

[kathirose · 10/10 · 13 March 2017]

Have been waiting for this. So glad I went. Can't see films with animal abuse, death so almost did not go but I was rewarded with a stunning film. See this; you will NOT be disappointed. Cinephotography stunning. People and cats both sad and sweet, poignant, with high emotional impact. Hope I can find the music. I love world music, instruments. The music alone makes it worth seeing. A mix of traditional music, a little jazz, no syrupy pop music. Kedi will keep your attention riveted. Cannot recommend any higher than 10 out of 10.

This is what cinema is about!

[coolcat01 · 10/10 · 29 March 2018]

Truly breathtaking filmmaking at work. This is what art and storytelling are all about.

Cute cats, a unique look at a culture we're unfamiliar with, Euro-loving

[trhliao · 11 May 2017]

This is an art-house theatre winner. Cats, Istanbul, and Turks waxing philosophical about cats - what could be better? Every indie movie house must be desperate to scoop up this film. If you're a foreign film fan who loves things off-the-beaten-path, you'll love this film.

Kedi is refreshingly non-American. It steers clear of the formulaic elitism of typical American documentaries. Not only is it full of cute cats, but it also gives us a unique look at a culture most of us are unfamiliar with - Turkey and Istanbul. Did anyone know Istanbul is so stunning, aquatic, and reminiscent of old Europe, but with a unique vibe all its own? I can tell this film is increasing the tourism rates for Istanbul and Turkey.

So there were shots of romantic alleyways like those in England or Paris. And there were picturesque cityscapes that remind me of an art film set in Edinburgh. Istanbul apparently has a very Euro cafe culture. But so much of Istanbul in the film seems so new to me - lots of colors, details, and an aesthetic that's all its own.

The people interviewed seemed funny, artistic, intelligent, and thoughtful. Maybe they don't represent most Turks - just a subset that the director, Ceyda Torun, chose to interview for the film. Just like people in US films don't represent most Americans, the people chosen for this film surely don't represent the typical Turk. Watch all films with a grain of salt.

So this is how the film lovingly paints Istanbul:

-Colorful, artsy, dreamy, unique - like a film version of novels by Orhan Pamuk

-Remniscent of romantic Old Europe, but also with a vibe and look that's all its own. (Turks apparently want to identify with Europe - who wouldn't? I can tell this is the image the director wants to portray - not Central Asian, not Middle Eastern, and not "Oriental.")

-Loves its cats; the people are PETA types, altruistic, animal-loving. (Director has lived in the US since her teens, so of course the US animal welfare culture is heavily within her.)

-Refreshingly free of an angry animal-rights vibe (It's not a Michael Moore film, or an animal welfare film that's overly preachy, but does have an altruistic animal lover vibe running through it.)

-The Istanbul residents are creative, philosophical, kind of Zen, relaxed, happy, and cool in a unique way. (This is how the director wants to see herself, and these are her friends and acquaintances, so of course these are the people she interviews.)

Obviously, the director feels very close and loving towards Istanbul and its people and cats. ^^ I thought it was interesting how Turks related to cats vs. Americans. In the US, alley cats and pet cats alike would surely be fed manufactured cat food. But most of the Turks in the film fed the cats raw people food, like fish, sliced meat, etc. And they threw the food directly on the ground for the cats to eat, while Americans would consider that taboo and dirty. We feed even stray and feral cats from bowls.

Anyway, if you're a cat lover or art film lover - run, don't walk to see this film! It's probably the sweetest, prettiest, and most educational documentary of the year. Istanbul was never really on the radar for me, but now it's on my list of must-visit places.

The director, Ceyda Torun, was apparently born in Istanbul, moved to the Middle East when she was 11, went to high school in NYC, and now lives in LA. So that explains the film and provides context for it. Torun reminds me of a softer, more dreamy, and less femi-Nazi version of Man Repeller, who's from NYC and of Turkish/Iranian descent.

Heartful glimpse into the world that you may have missed in Istanbul

[kaptenvideo-89875 · 7/10 · 1 August 2017]

Video sites are the brave new world of movie and series and other similar content producing, snatching awards and offering the freshness and quality the mainstream American cinema can only dream about. Following Amazon, Netflix, and others, YouTube has hopped on that train too, with similarly impressive results. "Kedi" is not actually produced with YouTube's money, but they bought all the streaming rights for YouTube Red. And now it's in our cinemas too. „Kedi" („cat" in Turkish) is a 79-minute documentary about street cats of Istanbul. There's a lot of them around, and many people love and take care of them. What results is a heartful glimpse into the world that you may have missed even if you've been to Istanbul. If you don't care about cats, or have watched too many animal videos online already, "Kedi" is probably not worth your time. But for ardent cat fans such as I, watching it is a pretty good way to celebrate the existence of those magical animals all over again. "Kedi" is well made and put together, if not exactly spectacular in any way. If you like cats, try it out.

Brilliant Film Not Really About Cats at All

[hilaryjrp · 10/10 · 30 May 2017]

I gave "Kedi" a 10 rating on IMDb. In the early 2000's, the most spiritual film arguably was "March of the Penguins," about eccentric mating rituals but much more about the holiness of life and the will to live among eccentric wild animals. The *exact* is true, but in much more human-friendly terms, about "Kedi." "Variety" calls this film "graceful," which its lovely (xylophone?) soundtrack emphasizes. "Kedi" is urban, fast-paced, and deceptively lighthearted--deceptively because "Kedi" is about the universal need humans have to care for animal life. The narratives the various street cats' food- and love-providers give offer insights into the needs of humans much more than the needs of the cats. One man in particular, who wanders each day feeding the cats with sacks of food, explains bluntly that he suffered a nervous breakdown fifteen years ago, and that the only thing that raised him out of his depression was taking care of the strays, and that, in this discipline, he found meaning and happiness. A constant refrain that all the food- and love-givers repeat is that without the ability to love animals, we do not have the ability love one another.

"Kedi" raises some questions the producers leave unanswered. A few of the human "supporting cast" bring up the matter of neutering, but at least this viewer was mildly stunned by the lack of concern in general for the cat overpopulation. (I'd have donated instantly to an international or domestic U.S. Go Fund Me account!) The film also repeats how urbanization is destroying the seaside lands the cats depend on for survival--and no one addresses any animal rights group's efforts to step in and help. The irony is how the film's impact is all the stronger for its total silence on controversial topics, because in the end, "Kedi" is just about love. As "March of the Penguins" was about the will to live, "Kedi" is about love, pure and simple, from the ginger mother cat's odd adaptation to hunting-and-gathering for her kittens back in a stairwell, to the older folks for whom the cats are a reason for living and armor against loneliness, we see the innate and complex human and feline need for one another. Another, and maybe the most potent, message of the film is that keeping domestic animals as pets is in the end unworkable. Many of the people interviewed say that cats do not belong indoors, and that being kept indoors changes and even destroys a cat's nature. Whether a viewer holds deep opinions on this increasingly widely held but controversial subject is yet another of the themes "Kedi" stays as silent on as the cats who star in it. Finally, "Kedi" interviews a charming Muslim who tells how as a boy he and his brother planted Christian crosses on the graves of cats that died and that they gave proper burials to; and how their father was infuriated that they would convert to Christianity as a result of their little rituals. And then the young man says what will make everyone cry: he could not have survived to adulthood without his love of the street cats. That's about as primal a statement about our shared humanity as you'll see in this year of a world increasingly divided by religious and political strife.

"Kedi" is about YOU. It's about your response to neediness, to vulnerable innocence, and to the universal truth that the only thing the world really needs is love. "Kedi" may have human competition for best film of 2017; for me, it will be the Best Film of the Decade.

Sweet, but ultimately sad

[lindavhill · 7/10 · 2 April 2017]

This is a lovely but highly romanticized documentary about stray cats in Istanbul and the people who are doing their best to care for them. And I could just leave it at that.

Unfortunately, when one knows better, one can't love a documentary that makes no mention at all of spay/neuter for street animals. All I could think of were the neglected animals which weren't shown in the movie (which anyone who has traveled in a non- first world country knows are there). I managed to catch a glimpse of only one cat with a clipped ear tip (the universal sign of a sterilized street animal), so, in the end, I found the movie sad. Feeding street animals without sterilizing them only increases their ability to reproduce and, while well meaning, is incredibly irresponsible. The filmmakers owed it to the cats to at least ask the question or make some mention of this.

Instead they focused on the pretty side of an essentially bad situation.

Wonderful!

[redqueen-78361 · 10/10 · 7 February 2018]

This film was wonderful and uplifting. First off, I am a cat lover. This film was a treat for me. Gorgeously filmed in Istanbul. I read a lot of the reviews here and one reviewer said it was about love. I agree with that. There are many things you could say this film is about. First and foremost it is about the connection the people have with these cats in this city. Most of these cats are wild. People feed them. There are a lot of caring people in the film that rescue them. People in the film express their personal stories about the cats or what they think of them. I just loved it. I highly recommend it if your a cat lover or an animal lover.

very beautiful also: two types of documentaries

[matt-the-hippie · 7/10 · 12 December 2017]

Very beautiful imagery, I born in Istanbul and lived there for sometime and I can confirm there are cats everywhere, but I never knew people had that much connection with cats in Istanbul. it´s very heartwarming and visually pleasing documentary, and, you see, there is mostly two types of documentaries the one for to get information and the ones to just look at the imagery and mostly more than information about the imagery and the feeling that documentary carries, and this is that kind of documentary, very nice to look at but that doesn´t mean it´s dull on information side, it´s actually very well putted, it´s just more quiet and lets you to find the atmosphere of the movie and process the information you got, nice to watch if you like cats or stories about people´s connection with animals.

Cats as part of the culture of an unknown country

[carolethecatlover · 10/10 · 26 June 2017]

There are movies out there for all types of people, old, young, romantic, sci-fi, but until now, nothing for cat-lovers. This is so popular in Sydney that I could not get a seat for the first 2 times I wanted to book in. The 3rd session, the next day in the afternoon, was full house, about 40 women and 5 men. Yep, that's the cat lover ratio. Istanbul is a city between East and West, and we see it as a fish eating busy and prosperous city, crowded with humans and cats. The people are just as charming as the cats. The cats eat well and have homes constructed from polystyrene boxes. There are the cat crazy humans and the crazy cats, polite humans and polite cats. This wonderfully shot, from the cat's eye view, documentary is a must see sleeper hit.

Kedi

[rodfreeman · 7/10 · 23 March 2017]

Yesterday I saw "Nine Lives: Cats in Istanbul." It's a movie about the many unowned cats and the people of Istanbul who love and tend them. Though there are a few beautiful scenes of the whole city, most are shot from about two feet above the ground. Unless you are as short as I am, after awhile the film may make you feel slightly claustrophobic.

I'm glad I saw the movie. I learned a lot about the personality of the cats and the people in Istanbul who care for them: The people speak Turkish, so if you can't speak Turkish and can't read English subtitles you're out of luck. Some of the cats speak too, but there aren't any subtitles explaining what they're saying, so, unless you speak Cat, or can intuit what they're saying, you're out of luck there too. Each of both have unique characteristics. Some of the humans have one special cat they feed and interact with, while others tend many and have many followers. The same goes for the cats. Some of the cats have kittens and, though they may have been lazy before giving birth, they're pretty protective after, and they spend a lot more time looking for food. One of the female cats seemed to be worried about other females having an affair with her mate. She chased any that came near him away. For all I know, the same may have been true of some of the people, though the movie didn't delve into that.

My girlfriend refused to see the film because she was afraid it was going to be violent. Well, if you are a Rambo movie fan it's probably not a film you'd care to see. A couple of times the cats have a hissy fit, but nothing much comes of it. There is one scene where a guy picks up what seems to be a dead kitten. He holds its limp head in his hand and speculates it may have fallen and be dead--it certainly looked dead to me--but he hops in a cab and takes it to a vet. I can't say I'm too clear why he did that if the cat was really dead, since there were a lot of trash cans readily available. There's also a scene where a cat stalks a rat. Based on the number of cats in the city, it must have been a really smart rat. Fortunately for non-Rambo fans, the cat didn't catch it. I'm not sure why it would even try. The people of Istanbul feed the cats, and the cats live very well.

It's full of nothing

[sundman · 1/10 · 13 August 2017]

This is not a movie, and not a documentary. There's no story, no point, no beginning, no ending. It's just random people talking random BS about cats, on top of monotonous stock background music.

Now, I do love cats, but this "movie" has less entertainment value than any random cat video on YouTube. The poster/cover looks nice, though.