Crooked Table Podcast: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats (Crooked Commentary #5) (featuring Kai Yaniz)

As soon as we caught a glimpse of the infamous first trailer for Cats, we knew it would be a perfect addition to our Crooked Commentary series. After all, we’ve talked about some great films in the last few installments, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and When Harry Met Sally… So it’s about time we get Crooked Commentary back to awesomely bad movies like The Room.

Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech), Cats assembles an outstanding ensemble cast that includes Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, and Taylor Swift. Unfortunately, it also uses bizarre computer-generated “digital fur” effects and bears essentially no plot to speak of. Still, we found ourselves unable to look away.

Kai Yaniz, once again — this time more begrudgingly than usual — returns for this very “jellicle” Crooked Commentary episode. So get a saucer of milk and prepare to meet Rum Tum Tugger, Macavity, Skimbleshanks, and the rest of the gang. This is one “memory” you won’t soon forget. We’re not sure whether a great movie could have ever been made from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s bizarre musical. But we’re pretty sure this isn’t it. It’s Cats, baby!