Rating: 
Summary: The Most Costly Mess in Recent Hollywood History
Review: In Japan, where Dakota Fanning is very popular (perhaps more popular than Mike Myers), 'Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat' went straight to video when the year 2004 was almost over. What is the reason for this reluctant distribution? Why so ... late?
Now, I see it. The film is not only unfunny; it's criminally unfunny and some might call it offensive because of its awfully misguided gags. Even kids hate it because its hopeless silliness, and their parents find it appalling because of offen suggested sexual nuances.
Mike Myers in prosthetics plays the Cat in the Hat, who visits the house of Little Girl Sally (Fanning) and Little Boy Conrad (Spencer Breslin, 'The Kid'). Sally is a girl who prefers thing in order while Conrad likes mischief-making. Today is a rainy day, so now The Cat can teach them how to 'have fun.'
But how? Within the short running time (barely exceeds 80 minutes), unrecognizable Mike Myers in cat's makeup plays every tricks on the house's spic-and-span interior decorations, which all turn messy. And he thinks it's funny. Funny, too for us, that he doesn't seem to think that this is exactly what is happening to his career.
The same goes to the adult actors -- Kelly Preston (who should deserve better roles) plays the kids' Mom as she was many times before. She wants the house to be clean because her boss doesn't like any potentially dirty things (so, he even abhors handshaking ... ho-hum). And Alec Baldwin is a 'handsome' neighbor who wants to marry her (she is a single mother). And of course, he wants to get rid of the kids simply because the film needs an obligatory villain.
The only merit of the film is its production designs, which perfectly fit in this fantasy. The cinematography of Emmanuel Lubezki ('And Your Mother Too' 'A Walk in the Cloud') gives the impeccable dream-like pastel-color touch to this fictional town where a cat can talk and a goldfish can speak. If only they thought of a more decent story, or at least some funnier gags.
It is a wonder that among this costly confusion of tasteless, meaningless moments, the child actors can retain theit charms to some extent. But the fact remains that it is a mess, a big, expensive mess which still collected more than $100 m in USA. Well, what can I say?
Rating: 
Summary: A Piece Of Crap Movie
Review: I was really excited when I found out that they were going to release a movie based on Cat In The Hat, seeing how those where my most favorite childrens books, and plus, Mike Myers is in it! Well I was COMPLETELY wrong. This movie was absolutely TERRIBLE. I had to stop watching it 15 minutes into it, it was so bad. And the sexual refrences? suitable for young fans of the book? I think not.
Rating:
Summary: Is this movie right for your kids?
Review: Like many people, I heard a lot of negative things about "Cat in the Hat," so many in fact that I felt I had to see it to find out if the negative reviews were warranted. After all it's a classic Dr. Suess story, brought to larger-than-life by Mike Myers, what's not to like? Well, here's a partial list.
Our first introduction to the children the cat entertains involves watching the boy sled down the stairs of his home on a cookie sheet, doing no serious damage to the house or himself. Remember, this isn't a cartoon kid doing it, but a real, live one. Do you want your children to try sledding down stairs on a cookie sheet?
When the cat shows up he makes two neutering jokes in less than twenty minutes. Your kids are bound to catch one of them. Do you want to explain to your children what neutering is?
At one point, the cat and the kids are jumping on a couch. The little girl says its like a circus, to which the cat replies, "Without the drunken clowns with hepatitis." Do you want to explain to your children what hepatitis is?
Later, the cat is doing a parody of a cooking show and cuts the end off his tail. He screams, "Son of a *****." The explicative is beeped out, but he is clearly saying something that begins with a "B." Do you want to explain to your children what he is saying?
Interspersed in the cat's routines are snatches of effeminate gay-man stereotypes. Do stereotypes of any sort have a place in modern children's movies? Do you want your children imitating gay-man stereotypes?
If you've read these quetions I've listed and thought, "That's no big deal." By all means, go rent "Cat in the Hat" and heaven help you. Otherwise, forget this travesty and get the original 1971 cartoon with Alan Sherman, a true children's classic with no neutering jokes, deleted explicatives or hurtful stereotypes.
Rating:
Summary: Quite Offensive
Review: I wouldn't say this movie is boring, there's a lot going on so the film is quite good. The ACTORS in the movie were great such as DAKOTA FANNING who played sally, and MIKE MYERS who played the cat. THE colors and scenes are terrific, great for young kids also. It isn't an adult type of film but it is quite an enjoyable film for some teens. The effects around the house have made it better and the magical cars etc in which aremade for the setting. Worth hiring but i wouldn't buy it unless your sure.
Rating:
Summary: A Sap In A Hat
Review: Scifi and Fantasy Forum: Movies: The Cat in the Hat The Cat in the Hat --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted By: Neurolanis Dec 13, 2004 - 12:13 pm Yeash. I couldn't even watch the second half of this film. I think that it was one of the WORST movies ever made! I mean, for one thing they have such a VERY materialistic interpretation of Dr. Seuss' artistic vision. I seem to recall his characters being realistic, and his view of things surreal, yet capturing reality fairly well. And the kids in the story were like REAL kids, not Holloywoodish pretty-faced children. Mike Myers is a brilliant character actor; there can be no argument there. (Frankly, I don't find him to be at all funny however.) But, his take on the Cat in the Hat character is, well, disturbing. It's like watching a VERY adult comedy making fun of kids' films. And ADULT is how I would describe it, as there is an awful lot of (strange, and disturbing) sexual humor here. It seems to me like this film is a complete bastardization of Seuss. Despite what critics think, I'd recommend watching Jim Carrey's brilliant performance in "the Grinch" before watching this flop. (Not that it was such a good film either.) The DVD design here is kinda cheap. They tried to add some nice features, but it all seemed trashy to me. And there's an awful lot of junk you gotta get through to even get to the film itself. Yuck.
Rating:
Summary: Not going to show this to my kids.
Review: I was disappointed in hearing what Mike Myers had done to the lines of The Cat In the Hat. In Shrek, he was great. But I simply cannot show this to my nephew and try to explain to him that "Chocca Locca" is X rated.
I would recommend instead to see Jim Carrey in The Grinch. Not only does he play the perfect Grinch, if he knows the movie is aimed towards a children audience, he will not do certain things in a movie. He will refuse to do so. The Grinch was lengthened a bit, but I loved it, and they kept to the book in some of the scenes, which is also admirable.
Sadly, because of what was done to The Cat in the Hat, no other Dr. Seuss books will be put into movies, which is a shame.
If you want the Cat in the Hat, stick to the book. This movie goes far beyond what Dr Seuss would have ever wanted. :(
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