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In a Lonely Place [1950] In Bruges [2008] In Darkness [2018]
In Order of Disappearance [2014] In Search of Darkness [2019] In Search of Darkness: Part II [2020]
In the Fade [2017] In the Land of Saints & Sinners [2023] In the Mood for Love [2000]
In the Mouth of Madness [1994] In the Shadow of the Moon [2019] In Vogue: The Editor's Eye [2012]
The In-Laws [1979] Inbred [2011] Inception [2010]
Incident in a Ghostland [2018] The Incredible Hulk [2008] The Incredibles [2004]
Incubus [1981] Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny [2023] Inferno [2016]
Infinity Pool [2023] Influencer [2022] The Informer [2019]
Inheritance [2020] The Innocents [1961] Inside Man [2006]
Inside the Mind of a Cat [2022] Insidious [2010] Insidious: Chapter 2 [2013]
Insidious: Chapter 3 [2015] Insidious 4: The Last Key [2018] Interceptor [2022]
Into the Blue [2005] Into the Mirror [2003] The Intruder [2019]
The Invisible Man [2020] The Invitation [2015] Iron Man [2008]
Iron Man 2 [2010] Iron Man 3 [2013] Irul [2021]
Island of Terror [1966]
It [1990] It [2017] It Chapter Two [2019]
It Came from the Desert [2017] It Comes at Night [2017] It Follows [2014]
Irul [2021]

            

After their car breaks down, a couple on a road trip asks for help from a strange and enigmatic host. Then we find out what's in the basement. Highly entertaining film that constantly twists and turns leaving the viewer guessing as to who's the bad guy right up to the final scene. Great direction, including an extended single take where the camera follows everyone around a room while they wax philosophical about a serial killer's motives. I could have done without the slow motion operatic scene but, overall, this was a good deal of fun. Check it out!
In a Lonely Place [1950]

            
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A WWII vet / screenwriter is suspected of murder while starting a romantic relationship with a neighbor ...and things get tense. As far as the story goes, this is pretty standard romantic, film noir stuff but what makes it stand out is its depiction of PTSD (even though it wasn't particularly understood then) with Humphrey Bogart's intense portrayal of a man with an uncompromising view of how the world should operate and the extreme violence he's capable of when that world is questioned. Gloria Grahame is perfect as a woman who both loves and fears him.
In the Land of Saints & Sinners [2023]

            
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Taking place in Ireland in the 70's, 4 IRA bombers hideout in the rural area of Donegal and cross paths with an assassin who's turning a new leaf. If you're expecting a sensationalist thriller, the likes of which we've come to expect from Liam, you'll be disappointed. Rather this is solidly a personal drama driven by well developed characters, excellent writing, and beautiful scenery giving it a high level of authenticity. As such, its leisurely pace comes off as quite realistic, if not mundane. But, I enjoyed my time spent in Donegal and found it rather nice.
The Invitation [2015]

            
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Will is invited back to his previous home, where his son died, for a friend's reunion ...and things get weird. From the start, it makes the viewer uncomfortable knowing, like our protagonist, that behind the facade of friendliness and good cheer, something it terribly wrong. And when the shoe drops, it's brutal with a final scene that takes it to another level. Its problem though is pacing. Its slow burn approach smolders on for well over an hour, half of which I was getting edgy waiting for something to happen. Worth watching but you're going to need a lot of patience.
Inheritance [2020]

            
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When the family patriarch dies, the daughter inherits a dark secret hidden in a bunker. Even without any action to speak of, this superbly well-written, dialog driven thriller is no less tense and anxious. Kudos for the fantastic pace, including telling us everything we need to know about the father, son & daughter in the first 5 mins ..while the credits are rolling. Lily Collins & Simon Pegg were exceptional with good acting all around and a couple of great twists the took me completely by surprise. If you're looking for a good psychological thriller, check this out.
Influencer [2022]

            

An online influencer traveling solo in Thailand, because her boyfriend didn't join her, strikes up a friendship with a likable sociopath. I've seen a few movies involving influencers and online personalities usually ranging from mediocre to terrible so I really didn't expect much from this. What a surprise! The film is basically carried by Cassandra Naud as CW and she is a powerhouse. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on her future projects. The story is creepy and insidious and watching how CW manipulates everyone is super cool! Great ending, too! Bravo.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny [2023]

            

Jones' Goddaughter shows up with information on the missing half to the piece of the dial of destiny that Jones already has ...followed by a whole bunch of bad guys. My wife and I didn't expect this to be anything more than a fun adventure with characters that we've known and loved for decades and that's what we got. Much of the action, which is awesome, was too dark to fully appreciate and neither of us connected with the female lead much at all. But we love Indy, it's fun and exciting with lots of humor, eye candy and the ending was very nostalgic and touching.
In Search of Darkness [2019]

         

A nostalgic, 4 1/2 hour travelogue through the classic (and not so classic) horror movies of the 80's. Broken down into chapters with each featuring a year with sub-chapters between each highlighting various things like sound design, heroes and villains, spec fx, etc. The guest list of talking heads is quite impressive and the whole thing was thoroughly enjoyable. My wife is not a big horror fan and she found it incredibly entertaining ...while peeking between her fingers. Old time goodness for horror veterans of that age and a great primer for those that weren't.

In Search of Darkness: Part II [2020]

         

Another 4 1/2 hour excursion into the horror films of the 80's. Whereas the first part mostly centered around the most popular films of the 80s, this one delved more deeply into the slasher and Giallo sub-genre of films and lots of little known gems.
In the Mouth of Madness [1994]

            

A supremely skeptical insurance investigator, who thinks this is all a publicity stunt, is hired to find an author of a series of horror novels that appear to change reality. To quote a line from The Haunting: "A closed mind is the worst defense against the supernatural. If it happens to you, you're liable to have that shut door in your mind ripped right off its hinges!" That is exactly what this John Carpenter's contribution to the Cthulu Mythos is all about as our intrepid agent is driven insane trying to make sense of the unexplainable. A waking nightmare, for sure. Nice!
In Vogue: The Editor's Eye [2012]

         

On Vogue Magazine's 120th Anniversary, they present us with an expose on the fashion editors that have made the magazine what it is over the years with many controversial articles, stunning photography and fashion trends. Overall, it's a pretty standard 1-hour documentary that was informative, enjoyable and quite entertaining. My only real complaint is that I wish they added a half-hour of historical content. As it was, it briefly flew over the first 60 years with some general info and spent the rest of its time in the modern era. Still, quite fun for what it was.
The Invisible Man [2020]

         

A woman finds herself under attack from an invisible entity after escaping an abusive relationship. Writer / Director Leigh Whannell hands us a film that is nearly as good as Upgrade with Elizabeth Moss carrying the entire film with an honestly terrified performance. Her distress at the non-belief she encounters when she tries to tell others and her inability to explain because she knows he's in the room listening is unsettling and palpable. Watching others fall around her when she can do nothing about it creates a supreme level of tension. Great story and ending.
Interceptor [2022]

         

A Captain must save an ocean based Interceptor Station (used for nuclear attack defense) from being overrun. Everything about this film is ridiculous: the outlandish premise, the cliched tropes, the talking instead of shooting, the physical impossibilities and so many plot holes, it's amazing the characters don't fall into them and disappear. However, the two main's acting wasn't bad, the dialog did have a measure of wit, the action was good and my wife and I are suckers for escapist entertainment, especially with a bad ass female hero. Damn logic, full speed ahead.
Infinity Pool [2023]

            
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Is it live or is it Memorex? This question will be going through your mind throughout most of this exercise in decadence and debauchery but, ultimately, it doesn't matter. An extremely well constructed film with exceptional acting (especially Mia Goth: Wow!), writing and directing and outstanding cinematography that's literally hypnotizing. However, my 'Good' rating is based solely on those elements as, overall, the film really do didn't much for me. It was interesting, entertaining and intriguing but in the end, it didn't feel like it resolved anything.
It [1990]

            

Originally a 2-part mini-series, it can now be found as a 3-hour movie ...which is how I watched it. Being as I read the novel and seen the recent films, I can't help but wonder why they didn't utilize the 3 hours better. They basically stuck to the main story and hit the necessary plot points but left so much out and there was certainly room for it if they tightened things up a bit. Regardless, it was still an enjoyable watch with everyone playing their parts very well, especially Tim Curry as Pennywise. He manages to bring a unique level of creepy to any role he has.
Into the Mirror [2003]
aka Geoul sokeuro
      

A few employees of a major department store, set to reopen after a fire and dealing with worker compensation issues, turn up dead in mysterious ways. Is it a serial killer or something different? Although presented as a horror movie in the trailer, it focuses far more on the police investigation into the deaths, but with a supernatural element. As such, there's no scares to speak of, the film is rather long winded and the non-surprise ending (at least for me) didn't sit well. It certainly works as a drama, though, and I found it all rather entertaining.
In Darkness [2018]

         
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Commanding the screen from start to finish, Natalie Dormer portrays a blind pianist who hears the murder of her neighbor but tells the police she didn't hear anything. Does she just want to avoid involvement or is something else going on here. What I thought was going to be an "eliminate the witness" film turned into something completely different and the ending changed everything. Co-written by Natalie, this tense, tightly constructed thriller kept me solidly hooked throughout with great acting and twists and turns that never stop. Outstanding!
The Innocents [1961]

         

Hired as governess for two children a woman soon realizes they aren't quite normal ...and now she's seeing ghosts. A classic ghost story with the performances the highlight of the film, especially Deborah Kerr at her very best and the two children excelling at creepy. The photography was exceptional with what appeared to be a slight fish-eyed distortion what was barely perceptibly but unsettling. I had issues with the story in that it seemed to involve some pretty big leaps of logic, at times. But, considering it's 60+ years old, it's exquisitely well made and good fun.
The Informer [2019]

         
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A guy, who got an early parole to inform for the FBI, unwittingly gets involved in the killing of an undercover officer. Things go down hill from there. So does the movie, in a way. It's very sluggish with a complicated series of events that's vastly overwhelmed with the drama of it all. The acting is exceptional (except, perhaps, his wife who only appears to have one expression), the writing is good, and it's a well made film. But it is squarely a drama and not a very active one at that. Plus, they left a couple of pretty important story lines dangling. Good, but needs energy.
Insidious [2010]

            

After moving into a new home, a boy inexplicably falls into a coma-like state and the house appears to be haunted. Writer, Leigh Whannell, and director, James Wan (the duo that created Saw) managed to produce another fine spookfest that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. Wan would go on to produce the Conjuring Universe but this film is better than some of the films I've seen in that franchise. Nicely paced, honestly acted, well written with some genuinely creepy moments and a jump scare that's one of the best ever.
Insidious: Chapter 2 [2013]

            

When dad went into the death dimension to rescue his son, what came back may not be dad. Thank you for giving us a movie that moves along at a brisk pace with nary a boring moment to be seen. It kicks off suddenly and takes you along on a ride full of paranormal happenings, angry spirits, seances, a dad going all Jack Torrence, and more. And rather than feel like it was just one scene after another designed to scare you, the gags felt appropriately placed within the context of the story so it never felt like pandering. Exceptionally well made spook fest.
It [2017]

            

The town of Derry is experiencing a rash of missing kids. When one group of kids finds out why, they realize they're the only ones that can stop it. Brilliantly constructed, the kids having to deal with bullies, dysfunctional parents, and, of course, IT, was very real and very human ...it never felt scripted, cliched, or contrived. The movie itself was thrilling, terrifying and relentless; nary a dull moment. Bill Skarsgard's performance of IT is brilliant. Buckle up for the Pennywise ride!
It Chapter Two [2019]

            

27 years have passed since the kids from the first film drove Pennywise underground and they've come back together to battle 'IT' one more time. The brisk pace of the film betrays its 168 min run time making the film seem shorter than expected. The inside joke with Stephen King, the absolutely stupendous nod to The Thing, the continual assault of grotesque and horrific nightmare fuel, all come together to make a fitting sequel and ending to the story ...although admittedly a bit anti-climactic. Nevertheless, as one who has read the novel, I loved it!
Insidious: Chapter 3 [2015]

         

I have great respect for Leigh Whannell (Saw, Upgrade) but, as Primus says, 'They Can't All Be Zingers'. Case in point, this film. Although this prequel was generally good as an origin story for Elise Rainier and her 'Spectral Sightings' ghost chaser team, it had some glaring problems. The 1st half is just jump scares, each with completely unnecessary thunderous noise that forced me to just turn down the volume and read subtitles for fear of ear damage. The 2nd half got interesting but it was wrapped up to quickly making it rather anticlimactic. Ok, but very flawed.
Incubus [1981]

         
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The small town of Galen is experiencing a host of savage rapes and murders and they may be tied to a young man's dreams. A terribly constructed and directed film with amateurish dialogue ...no wonder why John Cassavetes re-wrote 80% of his lines. Each scene was basically, set actors in place, action, speak several inane statements, look earnest, cut, let's move on, including a slew of completely unnecessary scenes to drag things out. Great riff inducing movie, though ...I was cracking myself up making it marginally entertaining.
Insidious 4: The Last Key [2018]

         
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Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainer, and her ghost hunting team, are forced to go back to Dr. Rainer's childhood home where it all began. The first half was rather slow paced but interesting enough to not be annoying. Unfortunately, once things finally started getting exciting, there were still scenes that seemed to drag on endlessly, which, as a result, defused much of the tension. Ultimately, I was rather confused with it all. It had a few good scares but overall, it was fairly unremarkable ...and, literally, very dark. Bring a flashlight.
Inception [2010]

         
  

A dream within a dream within a dream within a dream. How far down can you go and for how long? Both a thought provoking thrill ride that will warp your brain and an incredible feast for the eyes. Supremely imaginative, it's one of the most elaborately designed, modern day fantasy films of all time.
In the Mood for Love [2000]
aka Faa yeung nin wa
            
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In 1962 Hong Kong, neighbors begin an eccentric friendship when they discover their spouses are having an affair with each other. I'm not much of one to watch romance / friendship movies but something about this one grabbed my attention. The story of these two very likable people, obviously caring deeply for each other but refusing to be like their adulterous spouses, was quite enjoyable. But it does drag on for far too long with nothing changing and ultimately it just fizzles out. Very stylish photography and her myriad dresses were beautiful.
The Incredible Hulk [2008]

            
  
Bruce Banner has been on the run for some time after botching a Super Soldier experiment that caused him to turn into a huge and powerful green monster when he's ticked off. A chase movie that focuses primarily on Bruce's psyche and personal relationships ...as well as the psycho psyche of Emil Blonsky who becomes the Abomination. The exciting action looks plausible and realistic and there's some real honest-to-goodness people here. Far better than the 2003 version ...which was not officially part of the MCU.
Iron Man [2008]

            
  
In celebration of "Avengers: Infinity War", my wife and I decided to start watching all the Marvel Cinematic Universe films beginning with the first one. Even before Marvel went full tilt bozo with investing $13 Billion in the MCU, they knew what they were doing. The characterizations are remarkably apropos, the action is top notch (and watchable), the humor hits the spot every time without being forced and the story is far more than just a superhero adventure film. Great fun!
Iron Man 2 [2010]

         
  
Iron Man has pretty much managed world peace. Unfortunately, the core of his chest arc reactor is poisoning him and a new adversary known as Whiplash is creating all kinds of havoc. This film didn't quite appeal to me as much as the first one. I think I liked the character dynamics in the first one better. Between Tony Stark being drunk and Justin Hammer being overly obnoxious, I was getting rather irritated at times. The film is still awesome, though. Black Widow makes her first appearance and Mickey Rourke as Whiplash was sheer genius.
Iron Man 3 [2013]

            
  
Plagued with anxiety attacks and attempting to recover from the alien invasion depicted in The Avengers, Tony Stark is forced into battle with the Mandarin, a terrorist that has figured out how to make people explode. A nice aspect of this film is that Tony spends a lot more time out of his suit and shows us that he can be quite resourceful, capable, and human without it. Beyond that, it's pretty much what you would expect from an MCU film. Great stuff!
Inferno [2016]

         

Dan Brown book, Ron Howard directing, Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon in the third film in the franchise. You can't go wrong. However, you may not go as right as the previous movies. This film is basically a "race against time" story with very little puzzle solving and much more bad guy interference. Lacks the complex, character driven, mythological perplexities of the previous efforts. It is fun and exciting, though.
In Order of Disappearance [2014]
aka Kraftidioten
            
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The son of a snow plow operator is killed by drug dealers and everyone believes it's a drug overdose except the father. He goes after his son's killers and leaves a trail of ever increasing bodies and destruction behind him that he never counted on. This is a fabulous film that focuses on the characters (which are a delight) and how utterly complicated things can get. It's not an action film but it moves at a wonderful pace that keeps you somewhat amused and on the edge of your seat at the same time. Excellent, must see!
Into the Blue [2005]

            

A diver and some friends go hunting for shipwrecks in the Caribbean after a hurricane. And they find one ...along with a plane full of drugs. Let the fun begin. I wasn't expecting too much at about the midway point but things really picked up before the finale. Good action sequences and a few twists, albeit some expected and Jessica Alba and the late Paul Walker have great chemistry and just plain look good on a screen. The photography was awesome. All in all, I had a lot of fun with this.
Inside Man [2006]

            
  
What appears as a simple bank heist gone wrong turns out to be anything but. Probably my favorite bank heist film other than Heat, this complex story (where nothing is what it seems) presents us with a scenario where you can't possibly figure out what they're doing or how they expect to get away, despite their claim they'll just walk out the front door. Once one watches it, watching it a second time is just as much fun to catch the clues. Denzel Washington and Clive Owens are excellent and surrounded by other compelling characters as well. Super stuff!
Inbred [2011]

         
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A pair of case workers take a bunch of young delinquents to a small British hamlet for (I'm guessing) some sort of community service thing. If you like gore, this film has some of the most extreme, messy, over-the-top gore I've seen in some time. I was truly impressed. However, making the protagonists morons only shows the filmmaker's inability to move the story forward in an intelligent way and generates no sympathy for the characters. I was cheering for the inbreds ...they were smarter!!
It Follows [2014]

            
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After a sexual encounter, a young woman learns that a malevolent entity will relentlessly pursue her until she has sex with someone else. The film is done in an understated, Stanley Kubrick style, that is slow with rarely any action or violence and the entity just walks. However, this style (along with the incredibly distorted music) makes the film even more dreadful and insidious as you realize that it will never stop and there is no escaping it. Another bonus ...everyone acted like normal, intelligent human beings! A hightly original, landmark horror film.
The In-Laws [1979]

            
  
Another classic comedy that's never been remade well, IMO. A dentist unwittingly gets mixed up in an international conspiracy to undermine the world economy by a man who's due to be his in-law when their kids get married. Is the man a criminal, a real CIA agent or just completely insane? The absolutely perfect comedy timing between the exquisitely cast Alan Arkin (the dentist) and Peter Falk (the ???) is hilariously funny. The story is complex with a lot of stuff going on. It works on all levels and one of the best comedies ever.
The Incredibles [2004]

            

After a superhero family is forced into a suburban lifestyle due to lawsuits, the father is secretly called up for a special mission but things don't quite work out as expected. Everything works very well in this animated film, though. The characters and their interpersonal relationships are genuine and heartfelt, the action is amazing and the scenarios and story line are quite entertaining. I don't recall any laugh-out-load moments but I was thoroughly amused and had a smile on my face throughout. Well done.
Island of Terror [1966]

         
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A doctor's research into cancer unwittingly creates turtle-like silicon based creatures that suck bone out of living things. This campy, and rather goofy, offering is played with overacting seriousness by all the people involved - especially Peter Cushing and Edward Judd - which only serves to bestow it with far more charm than the average 60's monster movie. If you enjoy the creature features of old, this is one not to miss.
It Came from the Desert [2017]

            
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Scientists have combined alien DNA, found in a meteorite that struck the desert 67 years ago, with ants and spiders creating very large mutant ant things. Paying homage to Them!, a good part of their budget obviously went to the ants and they didn't do to bad a job with them. However, the rest of the budget is totally wasted. They shot for the campish cult style of movie but with abysmal and unimaginative writing and over-stereotypical caricatures, the movie ends up just being silly and ridiculous with no surprises.
In the Shadow of the Moon [2019]

         

A street cop, assisting in the investigation of a serial killer who uses an exotic weapon, finds himself the central figure in a potential human extinction event. It only took 5 mins into this for me to know I was in for an extreme ride. Exceptionally good entertainment with logical, intelligent characters, smart dialogue and an overall complex but easily understandable story ...which is tough to do in stories involving time travel. Although I found one glaring plot hole in the final confrontation, I'm willing to let it slide in exchange for a truly enjoyable view.
The Intruder [2019]

            

A young couple buys a home from a man who's lived there his whole life and now, he won't go away. I'll start by saying that Dennis Quaid does really good psycho and he was, by far, the attraction of this film. The film's biggest problem is it's need to progress the storyline by making the lead female character chronically and unrealistically naive ...while everyone else knew this guy was fruit loops, she just kept inviting him in. That got old. Despite this, the writing was good, the acting competent but, with nothing new, it came off as rather mediocre.
In Bruges [2008]

         

When a hit man accidentally kills a child on a hit, he and his partner have to hide out in Bruges, Belgium. A set up that could have taken 15 minutes took well over an hour and I was bored nearly to sleep. The characters were unlikable and spent an endless amount of time bickering incessantly and doing uninteresting things. By the time something started happening, I no longer cared what happens to anyone. I know this movie gets a lot of praise in some circles. I obviously don't share their sense of humor as all it did was test my patience.
In the Fade [2017]
aka Aus dem Nichts
            
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A woman loses her family to racism and what follows is a deeply personal and painful journey through grief, accusations, ridicule, the German legal system and eventually a sad but logical conclusion that leaves one emotionally drained. I'm not one to normally praise a slow drama like this - as you know, I'm more the psychotronic type of guy - but this film is so well made and the performance of Diane Kruger was so heartfelt, as well as heart rending, that I was totally captured into the story making the ending all the more impactful. Drama at it's finest.
Incident in a Ghostland [2018]
aka Ghostland
            
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After inheriting an old country home from her sister, a woman and her two daughters move in only to be immediately attacked by psychotic home invaders. For me, this film did not work on so many levels. First of all, I hated every character in it from the start so my concern about what happens to them is pretty low. The first half was frustrating as it made little sense. Then a profound twist takes place that cleared that up and I thought maybe things will get better. It did but it also angered me. Great production quality, well made firm. Didn't work well for me.
It Comes at Night [2017]

            

A family has secluded themselves deeply in the forest during a world wide epidemic. They seem to be doing well when a stranger shows up. What follows is a deeply personal exercise in how far one is willing to go to protect their family. Acting all around is fantastic and the scenario is realistic and totally believable. The film is a slow burn with not much action to speak of - in fact, a 30 minute segment in the middle was generating a good 'let's get on with it' response from me - but there's an underlying unease throughout that never let's up. Good drama.
Inside the Mind of a Cat [2022]

         

As cat lovers, my wife and I will always watch a documentary about our feline companions. This one is light and easy and features a lot of different cat traits and why they do them. There isn't anything here that hasn't been done plenty of times before so we didn't learn anything new and the whole thing came off as more of a YouTube video than a comprehensive documentary. But it's fun and cute and certainly entertaining enough for the cat lovers among us.
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