Josie Lynn Books: Imagine the Possibilities

Tag: Cats

  • Lily’s Movie Reviews: Kedi

    Kedi-film-poster

    Kedi is a beautiful, heart-warming documentary film about how the good people of Istanbul care for the city’s hundreds of thousands of semi-stray cats, but it is also about how the cats are healing the thousands of emotionally wounded citizens of Istanbul.

    Kedi is filmed with an innovative “cat cam” which allowed the filmmakers to film the cats at street level, giving viewers intimate access to the cast of feline characters. Truly up close and personal, you see cats at our brave, resourceful, lovable best.

    I was captivated by the way the filmmakers revealed the unique personality of each featured cat. You’ll meet such characters as: Sari—the Hustler, Bengü—the Lover, Psikopat—the Psycho, Deniz—the Social Butterfly, Aslan Parçasi—the Hunter, Duman—the Gentleman, and Gamsiz—the Player. Although my personal favorite was Sari, the hustling mother we meet in the first few frames of the film, I loved them all. Personally, I think this cast got robbed at Oscar time, which just goes to show you, Hollywood still has a loooong way to go when it comes to diversity.

    Lest you think this film is all about cats (although there’d be nothing wrong with it if it was…) you’ll also get up close and personal with some of the heroes who’ve taken an interest in these plucky street cats, truly kind people with soft spots and big hearts, people who aren’t afraid that if you feed a stray you’ll never get rid of it. These people have opened their hearts to these street cats, and neither party wants to go anywhere. It’s a touching example of urban symbiosis!

    Warning: if you watch the movie with someone like my Josie, you will be subjected to involuntary cries of, “Oh, how cute!” and “How adorable!” and “I can’t stand it!” or my personal favorite, “I can’t even!” (PS. what does that even mean??), prompting you to say, “They’re just cats, Lady, get a grip. And they’re not even as cute as I am, right?…Right?!” Followed by an uncomfortable silence. Oh, well. Trust me, it’s worth it.

    The moral of the film: go out right now and get yourself a cat, preferably from a shelter. It’ll be good for everyone’s mental and emotion well-being. Unless you’re allergic to cats. In which case, perhaps your physical well-being is more important, but that’ll be your call.

    In a word, it was sheer purr-fection!

    Kedi was in theaters February 10, 2017, and has been available on DVD since November 14, 2017. I recommend that you go out and rent a copy right now!

    Best regards,

    Lily, the Literary Kitty

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  • Lily’s Favorite Movie Cats

    Lily’s Favorite Movie Cats

    kitten in a film on a white background

    Josie, my owner/person/friend, has alerted you all to the fact that I am indeed a literary kitty. What you may not know is that I am also a movie buff. It’s true. I love movies. And it’s a good thing that Josie and I have the same taste in movies, because I haven’t figured out how to subliminally suggest movies for her to rent and/or watch.

    She and I love making lists, and she left her computer on, presumably so I can contribute to the our blog…it’s been a long time…and I know you’ve missed me.

    So, here’s a list of my most favorite and least favorite felines in film.

    Drumroll, please.

    1. Cat—Breakfast at Tiffany’s

    Most of you probably know that his name was simply Cat since poor, troubled, sad, confused, lost Holly refused to name him or claim him until the very end of the movie when she realized that she loved Paul and that it was okay to need people and to belong to them. Prior to that pivotal moment in the rain, she said, “I’m like cat here, a no-name slob. We belong to nobody, and nobody belongs to us.”

    And kudos to the cat playing Cat, because he was willing to get soaking wet for art. And I tell you, he looked so miserable, you really felt his misery. Seriously, he deserved an Oscar.

    I’ve always maintained that a cat is a girl’s best friend (a dog is a man’s best friend, yeah, yeah, whatever). Well, this next one proves my theory.

    1. Mel—While You Were Sleeping

    Lucy, our heroine, loves her cat Mel. She lets him sit on the table and eat with her. She even shares his milk. Remember the scene where she dunks her cookie in his milk? That grossed out many of you humans, but it warmed many a feline heart. When Lucy describes her life to an unconscious Peter, she says, “…not like I’m complaining or anything, because I have a cat, I have an apartment, sole possession of the remote control.”

    She lists having a cat right up there with sole possession of the remote. That’s major, people.

    As a side note, there is another character in While You Were Sleeping—a cat named Fluffy. She, however, is a bit player, mainly used as a plot device (to get Lucy and Jack to the apartment at the same time so they can meet and fall in love). All we really know about Fluffy is that she lives in a high-rise apartment that is filled with white furniture. She’s the stereotypical, spoiled Persian cat.

    These next two cats prove what those of us in the know have known all along: cats are a writer’s muse.

    1. Romeo—Romancing the Stone

    When romance writer/hopeful romantic, Joan Wilder, finishes her novel, she celebrates with her cat, Romeo. Without him, we are to understand, she wouldn’t be what she is.

    1. Italics—Runaway Bride

    Likewise, columnist, Ike Graham, relies on his cat, Italics, for inspiration. That is the main theme of the movie, in case you didn’t realize. That whole bit about him falling for Julia Roberts is just the subplot.

    1. Figaro—Pinocchio

    Josie tells me I look like this cartoon cat. Maybe that’s why I like him so much.

    1. Mittens—Bolt

    Josie also thinks this kitty looks like me. I suppose if I hadn’t found Josie, I’d have turned out like Mittens.

    1. Sassy—Homeward Bound

    Another strong female lead, and by the way, a cat’s worse nightmare…being lost…out there.

    1. Oliver—Oliver & Company

    Oliver is a plucky orphan and my mother’s heart goes out to him. Besides that, he’s adorable.

    1. Puss in Boots—Shrek 2

    I have to admit, I love the accent. Okay, I have a slight, irrational crush on him. He’s a bit two-dimensional, but what man is perfect?

    1. Rufus—The Rescuers

    He may have been a bit tattered and weather-beaten, but he had heart, and that’s all that really matters.

    This was by no means meant to be an exhaustive list; just my particular favorites.

    The following is a list of movie cats that I don’t like. Most should be self-explanatory, but in the interest of transparency, I’ve endeavored to provide a brief explanation for each one.

    1. Duchess—Babe 

    This is taking the stereotype of the spoiled house cat to an uncomfortable level.

    1. Any of the cats in Cats & Dogs, but especially that little gray one

    What’s not far-fetched about the movie: the idea that cats would be smart enough to mastermind an evil plot. What is far-fetched about the movie: that cats would be evil enough to do so. This movie was clearly written by someone (a dog) who has a beef against cats. Boo!

    1. Lucifer—Cinderella

    The name alone is reason enough to dislike the character. But he’s just mean without cause.

    1. The two Siamese cats—Lady and the Tramp

    Scary little monsters. They’re almost as creepy as Flotsam and Jetsam.

    Well folks, that’s all I have for you today. My paws are tired from all of this typing. Look for me again soon.

    ttfn,

    Lily

    lily's signature

  • Metaphorical Cats

    Sometimes, I’ll be in a room presumably alone, when all of a sudden, I sense a presence in the room. I look down, and my cat Lily is at my feet. I didn’t hear her walking in, mind you. It is as if she appeared out of nowhere. Whenever it happens, I completely understand why over the ages people have held so many superstitious ideas about cats. I mean, I can look up articles online that logically explain how and why cats are able to move so silently…but years ago, people’s imaginations must have run hog wild. I have to admit, Lily’s ability to creep up on me on her soft, padded paws is, on occasion, slightly unsettling.

    When it happens, I’m also reminded of the poem Fog, by Carl Sandburg:OA1OXX03

    The fog comes
    on little cat feet.

    It sits looking
    over harbor and city
    on silent haunches          
    and then moves on.

    I love the imagery in this poem. As noted earlier, I am quite familiar with the ways of cats and, living as I do in an area that is often blanketed in fog, I can say with certainty that this metaphor is entirely appropriate, not to mention stunningly beautiful.

    Writers’/Students’ Corner

    Just so it doesn’t seem like this post was merely an excuse to mention my cat Lily again, here are a couple of definitions that might be useful to students and writers:

    met·a·phor: noun \ˈme-tə-ˌfȯr also -fər\
    a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show or suggest that they are similar

    sim·i·le: noun \ˈsi-mə-(ˌ)lē\
    a phrase that uses the words like or as to describe someone or something by comparing it with someone or something else that is similar

    Metaphors and similes are similar, but the basic difference is that similes will use “like” or “as” when drawing the comparison.

    Carl Sandburg’s poem is a good example of a metaphor. He says the “fog comes in on little cat feet,” not the fog is like a cat coming in on little cat feet. The former is succinct and powerful; the later would have been clunky and would have interfered with the poem’s meter.

    For some reason, when I think of an example of a simile, the first thing that comes to my mind is not a poem or a great literary work, but that Patrick Swayze song She’s Like the Wind (and then it gets stuck in my head and I can’t get it out).

    There are no rules governing when to use a simile and when to use a metaphor. It’s more about figuring out what idea, mood, or feeling you’re trying to convey and deciding which vehicle will help you get there without unnecessary detours. The most important thing to consider when using figures of speech is to strive for originality (for example, it’s probably not a good idea to compare the way fog rolls in to the way a cat moves, since it’s already been done), but not so original as to leave your readers confused.

    Challenge

    Where does the phrase “metaphorical cats” appear?

  • Lily’s Favorite Books

    Lily’s Favorite Books

    I’m suffering from a slight case of writer’s block, so I defer to my computer literate and otherwise literate kitty, Lily, who will treat you to a list of her favorite books…drum roll, please!

    1.  Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland – by Lewis Carroll12.1

    I’ll bet you’re thinking I like this book because of the Cheshire Cat. Wrong! It’s Alice’s relationship with Dinah that sings to me. Everyone’s so over the moon about dog being man’s best friend. Well, this book proves that cat is a girl’s best friend.

    2.  The Cat in the Hat – by Dr. Seuss

    Let me begin by stating emphatically that chaos will not ensue if you open your door to a cat! That being said, this book is an enjoyable escape.

    3.  The Fire Cat – by Esther Averill

    That Pickles is a cool cat! I kind of had a huge crush on him when I was younger.

    4.  It’s Like This, Cat – by Emily Neville

    This was a favorite of mine for the few months I was a teenager. Man, I could really dig it!

    5.  Jenny and the Cat Club (Originally Titled The Cat Club or the Life and Times of Jenny Linsky) – by Esther Averill

    Jenny really appeals to me…she’s cute and shy, but plucky. Kind of like me!

    6.  Millions of Cats – by Wanda Gag

    This is a classic. I remember this being read to me when I was a kitten.

    7. Mouse Soup – by Arnold Lobel

    Delectable, tasteful tale of a succulent clever, little mouse.

    8.  Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats – by T.S. Eliot

    Mr. Eliot revealed some of our secrets, but I forgive him. He made our species a household name. Well, it already was, but you know what I mean…

    9.  The Rescuers – by Margery Sharp

    Yummy little story about Miss Bianca and Bernard. Although I do think the characterizations of cats are unnecessarily harsh.

    10.  Stuart Little – by E.B. White

    For some reason this book makes me think of snack-time!

    11.  The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread – by Kate DiCamillo

    Delicious…I mean, a very engrossing book. Stimulating…intellectually, that is.

    12.  The Tale of Tom Kitten – by Beatrix Potter

    There are some benighted souls out there who believe Miss Potter only wrote books about rabbits and bunnies. While those books are tasty, this one’s a real treat.

    Bookworms2

    Lily’s note: My list of favorite books is shorter than Josie’s, but I am also much shorter than Josie. And for the record, I HATE the Clifford books, so no books of that kind are on my list!

    Josie’s note: Some of the above-listed titles may reflect a bias on the part of our feline blogger. From my perspective, there is nothing wrong with the Clifford books, except for the fact that they feature a DOG…and Lily isn‘t too fond of dogs (more on that later). Also, I am sorry to say that it appears that she tends to read the books about mice the way you or I might read a cookbook. I apologize for any statements that may offend dog or rodent lovers.

    Credit for picture of Dinah:Alice finds the Red Queen/Sir John Tenniel/Wood-engraving by Dalziel/Illustration for the eleventh chapter of Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass (1865)/www.victorianweb.org

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