Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "Das merkwürdige Kätzchen" or "The Strange Little Cat" is a German movie from three years ago written and directed by Swiss filmmaker Ramon Zürcher. Its indie status is confirmed by the fact that there are really no famous actors in the cast. I know very many semi-famous German actors, but I have never heard of any of the cast members here, which is very rarely the case when I watch a German film. And it's also not the case that Zürcher cast only Swiss actors for this one, the main roles at least are played by Germans. But maybe this is what caused many awards bodies to appreciate this work. I personally cannot agree with the awards attention though. I found this a very mediocre work. I know the filmmaker's intention probably goes against my title for this review. There was nothing crucial supposed to happen here for the most part. It was all about depicting life as it happens. But the bad thing is, this is not true either. Maybe it is somewhat true for the most part in terms of what the characters do, but not in terms of how they talk. The dialogues felt really pretentious and not like something anybody would say. It felt extremely scripted at times. One example would be the woman who talks about how she always wears a scarf in a cinema to avoid being stabbed to the neck from behind? That was weird. That also was not artistic, that was just awkward. All in all, i don't think this is anywhere near the best the year 2013 had to offer in terms of (German) film. A disappointing watch and I am glad that it was so short. This film does not even reach the 75-minute mark. And it is a good thing because it was not an interesting or compelling watch by any means. I give it a thumbs-down. Not recommended.

poikkeus With THE STRANGE LITTLE CAT, it's not a matter of reducing your expectations; it's more trying to change your expectations.Over the course of a day in a cramped Berlin apartment, a busy family deals with the usual mundane details: eating breakfast, fixing a washing machine, watching unwashed plates pile up, watching a hacky-sack fly through the window. Some characters tell in-jokes that almost seem surreal at times. And there's also a dog and cat, who watch the activity with curiosity. THE STRANGE LITTLE CAT not a documentary, but an almost verite family comedy. The whole film is shot at about kitchen counter level - the level where the film's "strange" cat wanders through the rooms. Once you get into the rhythm of the film, it's engrossing and frequently funny; it suggests that everyday life, as trivial as it might seem, has great value and interest, even when you might be tempted to think otherwise.

mikyb21 Watched this after reading all the praise and adulation from assorted critics. Was expecting to be blown away. Sadly, I was not. While this film intrigued me to certain point, and I was curious about some of the characters, ultimately I was let down. As many have stated, it may as well have a been a documentary. There is no obvious plot to speak of. No obvious goal or obstacle to overcome. No obvious big reveal or "A HA!" moment.It pretty much felt like only a potion of a film. A film where they left out all the important details that tell a cohesive story. Instead we just got to watch banality and scratch our heads.There were things I did appreciate about the film. Some interesting shot selections and odd framing choices were cool. The way they captured the pets was well done. The "realness" of some of the characters was refreshing.But to my sensibility, this came off like an art-house experiment where script & plot writing was not a requirement. But with visuals not nearly compelling enough to carry the story on its own.meh.

mond_und_sterne Just an ordinary life of an ordinary family - The following is my personal opinion about the film - it might seem extreme in a way to you. For me this is only a film about an usual family that lives its everyday life in a big city, nothing more, nothing special, no exciting dialogs, no outstanding characters, no effects. Why should I go to cinema or watch TV when I can see it all day long at home? I have to admit I did not watch the film to the end - but there was no sign that it might become better till the end. For me a film must show an intention - even if that is only amusement. But here I cannot see what the director or writer wants to tell us.