Movie Review: Rentaneko (Rent-a-Cat)

Title: Rentaneko (Rent a Cat) | Year: 2012

Director: Naoko Ogigami | Writer: Naoko Ogigami

Genre: Drama, Family | Duration: 1 hr 40 mins

Starring: Mikako Ichikawa, Reiko Kusamura, Ken Mitsuishi

Rating: 2 1/2 Cups of Coffee



"Let this cat fill a hole in your heart" 

Sayoko rents out cats to help lonely people fill up the emptiness in their heart. She walks along the banks of the river with a megaphone promoting her service and her animals in a hand cart. It turns out that Sayoko is lonely too, ever since the death of her grandmother. All she has left is her cats. However, one day a young man shows up from Sayoko's past. He follows her home and suddenly her life seems completely to fall apart.

My Review

My first opinion is this movie is adorable as it has lots of cute "neko"-cats and a beautiful lead actress, though her sense of fashion is a bit off. As its core, Rent-a-Cat is about loneliness and how to fill up the hole in one's heart. The main character of this movie, Sayoko, portrayed by Mikako Ichikawa, repeatedly wonders along the river banks - it's so beautiful, I wish I can walk along such a river bank as well! Pulling a cart full of her cute cats, she's offering cat rental to lonely people. 

I like Sayoko so much. Though she is an awkward looking girl with a dream of getting married soon and has her honeymoon in Hawaii, she is definitely an adorable person in character and has a definite good heart not only towards animals, but towards people around her as well. "Let this cat fill the hole in your heart", is the nicest suggestion to the each of the people renting her cat. And she is also protective of her cats until the extend of doing the thorough inspection of the cat-renters because she though "Some jerks like to abuse little animals". 

It's so fascinating that the director plays a lot with the beautiful color tones and picturesque settings. I feels like I wish I can be a part of the beautiful settings. Sayoko's house though it looks less spacey, it is so beautiful that I wish I have a house like that but with no cats of course. However, I think that this movie's weak point is the delivery of it's emotional aspect left a small impact on me. Definitely, it has some humors but it fails to make me laugh. Normally, for this kind of movie, with its deep message I'm expecting myself to cry a bucket or two, but it failed terribly. I don't even shed a tear. Moreover, the movie's repetitive nature on the whole makes the movie less fun and less emotional than expected. The ending is confusing. I was like "What? That's it?". I really hope that it would end differently i.e Sayoko getting married with the boy from the past and off the go to Hawaii for honeymoon. Well, that's my kind of ending which never happened in this movie. 

All in all, it's adorable and cute but it's boring. Highly recommended for those who love cats. You might love this movie too. 

The Biggest Book Sale in the World!

If you are wondering where in the world you can find the biggest book sale ever? It is not in Canada. Not in United States of America either. In United Kingdom? Nah..it is a wrong answer as well. The answer is in Malaysia!! It's the Big Bad Wolf  Sale!  I've been enjoying this event for three consecutive years already and it was such an amazing experience. 

This year BBW2012 is taking place at Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre (MIECC) and is offering the readers 75-95% super discounts on 3 million books. It's super cheap and yes I'm telling you the truth. So, those who haven't get the opportunity to go there yet, make time and clear up you schedule for this monstrous event. During the first three days, they opened the book sale 63 hours non stop. I was there up until 2 in the morning, can you believe it? And they're opening for a straight 60 hours this coming weekend. Amazing!! 

These are some pictures I snapped during the visit to BBW2012. Sorry for the low resolution images. Blame the Blackberry's camera.

the entrance: this year citizens don't have to queue

can see this car right before entering the hall. it's cool!

sea of citizens howling for the books

citizens queuing to pay for the books. I was in the queue for almost an hour. pfft!!

If you're wondering what I got from the wolf's nest this year. I'll let you know in another post. I've got 22 books in total and it cost me not more than RM200. What a bargain!! 

WWW Wednesdays Dec. 5

A fun weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. This meme gives opportunity to  readers to share our current reading, books we recently finished and books we're going to read next.

What are you currently reading?

I'm juggling between "The Time Keeper" by Mitch Albom which I'm reading on my new baby Kindle Touch (well it's cool to have one!) and a physical book "The Passage" by Justin Cronin. So far, I really enjoy this two books.  

What did you recently finished reading?

The latest book that I finished reading is a John Grisham's novel with the title "The Litigators". Well, I'm not so impressed with this book actually. Working out on the review at the momment. 

What do you think you'll read next?

For quiet so long, I've been wanting to read the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. Now I've all six books on my Kindle. So, the first book of the series would be next on my reading list.  

Wishlist: December 2, 2012

Title: Quran and Cricket | Author: Farish A. Noor

Publisher: Silverfish Publications

Genre: Travelog, Culture, History

Format: Paperback, 290 Pages

First Published: 2009

This is the book that only Farish A. Noor will attempt and can write. -Publisher

Almost a decade after 9/11, the media is still wrapped up in the good Muslim-bad Muslim cliche, and we are no closer to winning the War against Terror. Dr Farish A. Noor: academic, political scientist, activist and traveller extraordinaire, lives, eats, sleeps, prays with and interviews students (and others), in the 'jihad factory' madrasahs from Patani to Pakistan, and comes away dazed and confused. With strains of Pink Floyd in his head, he penetrates the deepest sanctums of Islamic orthodoxy, walks with Islamic guerrillas of Patani after dark, sips tea with Kalasnikov-wielding drug lords of Pakistan, and interviews monsters to try to make sense of it all.

*******

Title: Body 2 Body: A Malaysian Queer Anthology 

Author: Jerome Kugan, Phang Khee Teik

Publisher: Matahari Books Publications

Genre: Anthology, Social | Format: Paperback, 240 Pages

First Published: August 1, 2009

The first of its kind. 

A compilation of original creative writings on the gays, lesbians, transsexuals, and transvestites of the country. Long denied voice in the mainstream, the queers of Malaysia are boldly and fabulously represented in 23 stories, fiction and non-fiction. From coming out to changing home, breaking up to breaking down, changing sex to changing heart, the stories are different from anything you may have read in or about Malaysia. Recognize your friend, family members, or even yourself in the stories. by turns poignant, lustful, tragic and hilarious, this book is a testament to the rainbow mosaic that makes up Malaysian society.