So … do you like cats? Are you under 10? And are you female or female sympathetic or won’t be alarmed when you learn a film has an entirely female human cast *gasp*? Well, have I got a film for you.
No, it’s not that documentary about the cats of Istanbul (Kedi). Although … if you like this film, do check out Kedi – it’s about Istanbul’s massive domestic cat problem.
I don’t know Gabby’s Dollhouse. Like Peppa Pig, Trolls, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, I only know of these things through movies. Gabby (Laila Lockhart Kraner) is a feline-centric influencer who puts on fake cat ears, sings a little song, and suddenly animates and miniaturizes to her special Dollhouse, where all sorts of funky fantasy cats live 24/7, like the Cupcake cat, the Mermaid cat, and the cat whose head is a milk carton. Say, if that cat goes missing, can it get a help ad on its own head? Just askin’.
I cannot say I’m overwhelmed by any of the personalities involved, including Gabby … and neither was the film, TBH. Hence, ROAD TRIP! Everybody is going to “Cat Francisco,” which is kinda like San Francisco unless you live here and notice that the street signs and public transportation is all wrong. :shrug: When I say “everybody,” I mean Gabby, the Dollhouse full of animated trouble, and Grandma Gloria Estefan — gee, are you sure you’re not headed to Meow-mi Beach or Southern Feline-orida?
The magic Dollhouse looks like a cat. It is filled with cats. The painted lady mansion destination also looks like a cat. In the key moment of plotting, CatRat untethers the Dollhouse from the van its being
towed behind. Several blocks and no injuries (!) later, the Dollhouse lands in an outdoor flea market where it is quickly snatched up by the film’s villain, Vera (Kristen Wiig), a cat-obsessed miser.
It is nearly impossible to evaluate this film as it is so far removed from where I am demographically. The closest comparison I have is the time I snuck into the My Little Pony movie. Security did not let me finish that one. Can’t say I blame them. I know that I only care about what’s on screen, but what do I convey that to random authority figures? Anyway, point is this movie is so far from aimed at me that my opinion here is worth nothing and I fully acknowledge such. That said … I only laughed twice in this film, and both times because of Kristen Wiig. While this film didn’t boggle the mind like the new Smurfs, nor reach the dark depths of the Care Bears film, I still think it should have had a few more laughs than it had.
But I’m not seven. I’m not a girl. And while I like cats, I’ll go to the mat for a dog 10 times out of 10 times before the former. So, hey, what do I know? There’s probably enough in Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie for your HH Gabby fan to enjoy.
There once was a teenager named Gabby
Who was into everything tabby
When she sang a little song
And touched her ears wrong
The results were none too shabby
Rated G, 98 Minutes
Director: Ryan Crego
Writer: Traci Paige Johnson, Jennifer Twomey, Mike Lew
Genre: When children’s shows are made on acid
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Cat-loving children
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: If you’re not a girl and over the age of, say, 10, this is probably not the film for you
