Dvd review : Nine Lives

Warm fluffy blanket - check ! Big bowl of popcorn - check ! Fun family movie - well, having received a review copy of Nine Lives, that's a definite check ! Yep, we were all set with essential supplies for the perfect family film afternoon.

Time to bring on furry fiend Mr. Fuzzypants (a.k.a. Kevin Spacey) for this season's most hilarious feline caper, available on EST from 10th December and yours to own on Blu-ray & DVD from 12th December 2016, courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

The film follows Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey), a billionaire businessman and soon-to-be owner of the tallest skyscraper in the northern hemisphere, whose workaholic lifestyle has disconnected him from his family, particularly his beautiful wife Lara (Jennifer Garner) and his adoring daughter Rebecca (Malina Weissman). When Tom forgets to buy Rebecca a present for her 11th birthday, he rushes out in a panic and finds himself in a mystical pet store, brimming with odd and exotic cats. Fortunately the store's eccentric owner, Felix Perkins (Christopher Walken), has the perfect pet for him: fluffy feline, Mr. Fuzzypants. (As any cat owner will understand, the pet shop owner says that you don't choose a cat, the cat chooses you.)

En route to his daughter's party, Tom has a terrible accident and is left in a coma. When he regains consciousness, he discovers that he has become trapped inside the body of the cat ! Despite being a self-professed cat-hater, after a serious of hilarious scrapes, Tom realises that occupying the body of a fluffy moggy can have its benefits – namely, spending more time with his family.

Boasting an all-star supporting cast including Christopher Walken, Jennifer Garner, Robbie Amell and newcomer Malina Weissman, Nine Lives is a funny, heart-warming tale about the importance of family – and pets! The purrrrfect Christmas gift to get your paws on this December.

This is one of those films that the adults will enjoy watching just as much as the kids. It reminded me of a weird mix of Ghost, Garfield and Marley & Me and, despite not being particularly original, the dry humour of Mr Fuzzypants frequently had me smirking and the kids in hysterics. It gives you a warm fuzzy feeling and makes you think about your work-life balance and prioritising quality time with your kids before they grow up.

To celebrate the release of the film, Cats Protection have helped put together some fun feline facts - I didn't know all of them !

Cool Cat Facts

Cats are curious creatures and can behave quite oddly. Here's a list of facts, courtesy of Cats Protection, that can help you determine if you’ve brought home a typical feline or your dad in disguise!

SLEEP – Cats sleep upwards of 15 hours a day! You’ll know your furry friend is a true feline if they laze about a good portion of the day and expend their energy in bursts nearer dawn and dusk as that is when they typically hunt.

KNEADING – Cats knead or paw at the ground when they are happy in a habit leftover from kittenhood, so be wary if your kitty doesn’t do this!

TOMS AND QUEENS – A male cat is often referred to as a ‘Tom’, while a female cat is called a ‘Queen’.

HEARING - Cats can hear sounds up to 77,000 Hertz, even higher than dogs and much higher than humans. Most cats will respond to noises their owners can’t hear.

KINDLE AND CLOWDER – A ‘Kindle’ is a group of kittens and a ‘Clowder’ is a group of adult cats.

LANDING ON THEIR FEET – All cats carry an incredible ability to right themselves in mid-air and turn to land on their feet when falling. Handy for learning to climb trees!

HEIGHTS – Cats like finding high perches where they can survey their surroundings from above. Cats Protection suggests making sure your cat has access to resting places that give it a good view of the rest of the room.

HEAD RUB– Cats say hello to each other by rubbing their heads or side of their bodies on each other, so if your cat attempts to shake your hand it’s probably not your ordinary feline.

SUNBURN – Cats can sunburn! Most cats love to laze in the sunshine, but light-haired cats especially are susceptible to sunburn! So if you see a cat sporting sunscreen on their ears and nose, they probably just have caring owners and aren’t really humans in disguise. Cats Protection suggests asking a vet for recommended non-toxic creams that are safe for furry felines.

Nine Lives release details

Digital Download release date: 10th December, 2016

Blu-ray & DVD release date: 12th December, 2016

Running time: 87 minutes

Cert: PG

Blu-ray RRP: £13

DVD RRP: £10

© 2016 - EUROPACORP – All rights reserved. Distributed by Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK

Extra Features

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag: The Making of Nine Lives

Cat Bloopers

Herding Cats

Disclosure : We received a review copy of the film.