A Cat in Paris

Cool Cat Style: Classic, Hand-Drawn Animation Enhances This Charming French Caper
From the famed French animation studio Folimage comes the charming animated treat "A Cat in Paris." This little film, filled with simple pleasures, was nominated for a 2012 Academy Award and just seems pleasingly different from the increasingly boisterous tone of most U.S. animation. It's a small movie, to be sure, without particularly lofty goals--but that's what I enjoyed about it. It's a flight of fancy, a bit of sophisticated escapism that you don't have to be anesthetized to enjoy with your older children. This is a real family film (not just a kiddie flick). As they enjoy the mischievous feline, you can relish in the Paris backdrop and fondly recall rooftop chases from "To Catch A Thief." This two-pack release has both the DVD and the Blu-ray feature and you may opt to see the film with its original subtitles or with the new soundtrack. For American distribution, Marcia Gay Harden, Anjelica Huston (with a fairly peculiar accent) and Matthew Modine headline the vocal...

Sprighlty tale of cops and robbers, a cat, and a kid
The style of animation is not one I especially appreciate. That's quickly forgotten though as I became absorbed in the sprightly tale of cops and robbers, life and death, a cat and a kid, all set to a vivacious score. There are some dark themes touched on but the story bounces along without dwelling in the dark places for long.

One of the best kids films this decade
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"A Cat In Paris"
(Folimage/New Arts, 2010/2012)
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A real gem from French animators Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol... This brilliant, stylish, wildly creative thriller has a look and feel unlike anything being produced in the United States these days. Visually the film is gorgeous: the graphic design is odd and angular, with purposeful nods to film noir's camera angles and use of darkness and shadows, along with a color palette that's filled with rich, unusual choices. The delicious graphics are complimented by a slinky spy-jazz score that feels alternately moody and retro.

Thematically, "A Cat In Paris" is practically an anti-Disney kids' movie: it's stylish and unpredictable; there is a dead parent, but it's the kid's dad, not her mother (who, rather than being dead is a strong, no-nonsense police detective... A great female role...

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