"True" defensiveness

I had to laugh the other week when my weekly email from Redbox proudly announced the Redbox exclusive The True Story of Puss 'n Boots.

I don't know where to start with what's wrong with this movie -- and I haven't even seen it.

For starters, it's hilarious to suggest a movie about a sword-wielding pussy cat might actually be "true" in any sense of the word. But let's assume they were being intentionally whimsical with that one.

I then find it funny that the movie's title can be interpreted as a kind of defensiveness about the ability to get the story right.

As opposed to just Puss in Boots, the Dreamworks film releasing October 28th that's a spinoff of the Shrek franchise, this movie -- which owes its entire existence and potential viability to the existence of that other movie -- is The True Story of Puss 'n Boots. It proclaims to be offering up the "true" version of events, as though it professes to know that the Antonio Banderas version is only going to be some watered-down version of the "real" events of the puss in boots story.

I also think it's funny that someone would need a BluRay combo pack of this movie, so they could watch it on any device, in any place, at any time. You know, you never know when you're going to get the shakes, and just need to satisfy your thirst for a little knock-off Puss in Boots action. (Only one disc would be available through Redbox, of course.)

Finally, I find it very funny that this movie stars the voice of William Shatner.