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    ‘Cats’ Trailer Proves that 2019 is the Year of CGI Hell

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    Remember when we all thought that the first Sonic the Hedgehog trailer was one of a kind in its terrifying, nightmare-inducing uncanny valley? Well, we were wrong. My God, we were so, so very wrong. And how do I know that? Because I have watched the trailer for Cats.

    For those of you who were too young, or not musical-theater-inclined enough, to remember, Cats was a hit Broadway show about the secret life of cats, including the act of being re-born into their next life. You’ve at least heard the show’s most popular song, “Memory” because it basically became a parody of itself in the ensuing years since its original run.

    The film stars Jennifer Hudson, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Idris Elba, James Corden, Rebel Wilson, Taylor Swift, and Jason Derulo, of all people. It is directed by Tom Hooper, who also directed the musical film adaptation of Les Miserables, so it isn’t his first rodeo.

    Now, the thing the Internet is freaking out about is not the soundtrack or the casting, but rather the ridiculously cringe-worthy CGI. Now, in the original show, the actors wore painted or fuzzy leotards with pretty intense face make-up. The movie decided the best thing to do was, instead of trying to follow that tradition, was to merge the faces of the human actors into humanoid-cat bodies. It is…disturbing, to say the least. It’s understandable that they would want the audience to see the actors as cats, but when you give them fur and ears with human bodies and hands, it just looks creepy. And I’m not the only one who thinks so:

    https://twitter.com/waswickh/status/1152051609909825536

    https://twitter.com/SenornerdAct2/status/1152043702015156224

    There is very little time for them to make any changes to the CGI, though if the Internet’s collective shrieks of terror could save the Sonic movie, maybe we can make this look less like a den of nightmares as well.

    Cats will premiere in theaters on December 20, 2019.

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    A reporter by trade, Sara is a lover of horror, sci-fi, and all things pop culture. From indies to classics to even the strangest schlock, all movies and TV shows are fair game. She believes Batman is the most fascinating superhero, and that Silent Hill is one of the best horror franchises ever made (as long as you don't count the movies). Fun Fact: The only movie Sara will not rewatch is The Room -- once was more than enough.