Short version: if you grew up in the 80's in Eastern Europe, you owe it to yourself to watch "Cat City". You'll see why.
Long version: a full-length animated film set in a universe populated by cats, rats, and mice. It's a detective story/action-flick, with all the trimmings - gangsters, secret science projects, mafia bosses, hot girls, and rocket-launcher-equipped cars (hello, Mr. Bond). There are a LOT of 80's references, excellent humor, and incredible quality of animation. It's "James Bond" for kids.
But there's more to "Cat City" than just action. It's one of those films that you see as a kid, and decades later, come back to it and rediscover it all over again - and more, since now you get the jokes and memes that you didn't have a frame of reference for as a kid. It's "Cinema Paradiso" with fur. A (nearly-)forgotten treasure from 3 decades ago.
In terms of historical significance, it's a time-capsule of subtle mockery of Communism, done with more honesty and attention to detail than any Disney animation could ever hope to be. The creators of "Cat City" weren't doing it for money or fame (which would have made it hopelessly cliché). It's one of those rare works of fiction that makes it past the censors because the censors could never begin to understand the hidden layers of meaning behind the animation frames. Just like Bulgakov and Brodsky's writing is infused with hints that only Soviet Russians could understand, "Cat City" is filled with commentary on the Communist reality of 1980's Hungary, and by extension, the entire Eastern Bloc.
In terms of animation quality, "Cat City" is on par with "Grave of the Fireflies" and "Barefoot Gen". In terms of adorableness, it's not quite "My Neighbor Totoro", but close.
Overall, a very well-made work of animation, from an era that's long gone, but has affected millions of lives. 8/10 for the quality, +1 for nostalgia, +1 for the memes & jokes = 10/10.
Long version: a full-length animated film set in a universe populated by cats, rats, and mice. It's a detective story/action-flick, with all the trimmings - gangsters, secret science projects, mafia bosses, hot girls, and rocket-launcher-equipped cars (hello, Mr. Bond). There are a LOT of 80's references, excellent humor, and incredible quality of animation. It's "James Bond" for kids.
But there's more to "Cat City" than just action. It's one of those films that you see as a kid, and decades later, come back to it and rediscover it all over again - and more, since now you get the jokes and memes that you didn't have a frame of reference for as a kid. It's "Cinema Paradiso" with fur. A (nearly-)forgotten treasure from 3 decades ago.
In terms of historical significance, it's a time-capsule of subtle mockery of Communism, done with more honesty and attention to detail than any Disney animation could ever hope to be. The creators of "Cat City" weren't doing it for money or fame (which would have made it hopelessly cliché). It's one of those rare works of fiction that makes it past the censors because the censors could never begin to understand the hidden layers of meaning behind the animation frames. Just like Bulgakov and Brodsky's writing is infused with hints that only Soviet Russians could understand, "Cat City" is filled with commentary on the Communist reality of 1980's Hungary, and by extension, the entire Eastern Bloc.
In terms of animation quality, "Cat City" is on par with "Grave of the Fireflies" and "Barefoot Gen". In terms of adorableness, it's not quite "My Neighbor Totoro", but close.
Overall, a very well-made work of animation, from an era that's long gone, but has affected millions of lives. 8/10 for the quality, +1 for nostalgia, +1 for the memes & jokes = 10/10.