Pleasantly unexpected.

That’s how I’d describe this next one.

It was a movie that my friends told me about at school.  After they talked about some of the story elements, I went home and asked my mom if we could rent it.

We got to the rental store and she read the case like she always did.  She had a raised eyebrow as it was written by Stephen King.  She checked the rating and had some concerns, but she let us watch it.

There was a certain scene in which the great James Woods’ character is sneaking around his house at night during a thunder and lightning storm.  As he goes down into his living room, there is a lightning flash as he sees himself in the mirror–startled–he screams and then realizes it was his reflection as he gathers his emotions.

I don’t remember my father laughing harder at a particular scene in a movie.  My dad was always very excited when he got to use the VCR.  He would rewind scenes that he wanted to see over and over again.  I remember him rewinding the first time we got to see the Millennium Falcon jump into hyper space.

He rewound this scene 3 times!

That outburst from my dad set the tone for the rest of the movie, and we enjoyed it.

“Cat’s Eye” is a movie with three stories to tell from a cat’s point of view.  It is cast very well and we were able to enjoy three short movies in one.

The first story stars James Woods and the great comedian Alan King.  Woods hires King to help him kick his smoking habit.  King uses questionable tactics to get his clients to quit smoking.  Fear of physical harm to you and all the people you love.  This creates suspense and puts our point of view (the cat’s) in danger as well.  Creative story telling.

We follow our cat voyeur to the next story and he is immediately put in peril. As a “fat cat” dirty businessman uses him as sport, gambling on whether the cat will survive crossing the very busy boulevard downtown.  The “fat cat” bets on the feline and takes him home when he makes it across.  At home we find Robert Hays who is forced by the “fat cat” to climb around the 12″ ledge of his 12 story building if he wants to live after committing adultery with the “fat cat’s” wife.  Disturbing, gripping, and a hint of redemption.  What can you expect from Stephen King?

The final story is the one that spurred me to run home and tell my mom to rent this as an 8 year old when my friends told me about it at school.  Drew Barrymore (I knew her as the little sister on “E. T.” at this point) is a child that is being robbed of her breath at night from a troll that is the size of a rat.  Her trusted new kitty is there to protect her, in spite of her parents that do not trust the pesky feline for a number of reasons.  Suspense, horror, and a little bit of comedy in this one.

I hope I never forget the outburst of laughter my father had the first time he saw James Woods startle himself in his own mirror.  It made it easier for my mom to relax with the subject matter, giving us an enjoyable little film to watch together.

Can’t ask for more than that.

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