Customer Reviews

Josie and the Pussycats (PG Version)

5 star:		(82)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

I never saw Josie and the Pussycats for the longest time--the previews made it look like one of the many teen, self-actualization movies where girls from Small-town, USA, beat the odds and achieve their dreams as rock-stars. Ugh. Oh, but how wrong was I and almost everyone else who chose not to see the film...

This film is a critique on modern music and the way everything has become corporate. But don't let the depth of this film turn you away if you're just looking for something entertaining. This movie has tons of that too. It's perhaps the funniest satire I've seen in years (Alan Cumming is the man), and you will know why this is during the opening scene of the film on the airplane. ("Take the Chevy to the Levy"--brilliant.)

Keep an eye out for all the product placement in the movie, too--the studio received exactly no compensation for them. It's all a part of the bigger joke, which I won't spoil here. (A joke that is RIDICULOUS in the extreme sense of the word, but you'll love the writers for it.)

Acting is great, pacing is excellent, music is awesome, and why are you still reading this review? Click "Add to Cart."

If you still have your doubts, go out and rent this film. (Be sure to get the PG-13 version of the film.) Believe me, though, that there's a really good chance that this will end up on your shelf before long.

I've seen both versions and here are the differences between the two:

The PG-13 version is the theatrical version, widescreen. It contains a bit of language and suggestive dialogue--enough to make it PG-13.

The PG version is an "edited" version that was cleaned up enough to make it pass for PG, which is what the original creator wanted. IT IS FULL FRAME. Every site you go to will say it's widescreen, but it's NOT. It is full frame--so be aware of that. Other than that, the extras, DTS and DD5.1 sound, etc, is exactly the same as the original.

Most of the edits made in the PG version are stuff you won't notice because they just cut a scene a few seconds early. (For instance, in the PG-13 opening video, Melody is holding a sign that says "Honk if you love Pussycats," but the "cats" is cut off--in the PG version, you don't see this clip in the video at all. They replaced it with something else.) However, there are TWO bits of dialogue where they did voice-overs. Both times it's the bad guys ranting and you can tell their lips move differently from the "cleaner" dialogue that's inserted. It's just like watching a cleaned-up movie on TV in those two small parts.

I should also add that the ONLY place I could find online that had the PG version is Amazon. For both the PG and PG-13 version, they show the same picture, BUT instead of the purple "Widescreen" bar at the top, the PG version ACTUALLY has a pink band at the top that says "This Film Edited for Family Viewing." On the back it says 1.33:1 Full Frame.

Personally, I own the PG version because I have some very young ones watching it--and the language is totally out of place in this film. But it's a sacrifice since you lose the widescreen.

I am astonished that this film has been so undeservingly underated. It strikes me that certain people went along with the intention of having an utterly miserable time if they saw anything less brilliant than 'Citizen Kane', then took enormous pleasure in savaging this film when it failed to reach their vast expectations. Frankly if you are so through an elitist in films that the thought of teenage or 20ish characters (God forbid) or their brand of pop culture makes you break out into a hysterical fit of ranting, then you should have known better than to stay away from this.

DuJour are an utterly devestating parody of a boyband, and understandably much of the first half-hour is spent in their shadow. Still our introduction to the Pussycats is well done, and easily establishes their current standing. Rachael Leigh Cook, a stunning actress with the largest eyes I have ever seen, is nicely done here. To anyone who would doubt her comedic talent - or lack of interest there in - just watch her eye movements in her first scene with Alan M. Maybe, and I confess I am not an expert, she is different from the cartoon Josie, but by all accounts that is a good thing. In the cartoons I hear she was a nonentity, here she is the core character of the film. While Tara Reid's Melody is perhaps funnier, Josie is still the centre and Rachael Leigh Cook does it well. The other Pussycats have similar good moments, though shorter than Josie's.

Alan Cumming simply lights up the screen whenever he appears. While we are required to actually like Josie, Mel and Val (and they are in fact very likeable) Cummings Whyatt Frame is under no such constraints and it is entirely suitable that he is the only character to break the fourth wall. Posey Parker is almost as good as Cumming, but odder yet. She is good fun in the film, though not as purely fantastic as Cumming.

The supporting cast are okay. Paulo Costanzo as the Pussycats hopeless manager Alexander Cabot III is the best, but Missi Pyle, Gabriel Mann, Tom Butler and especially Alexander Martin, are all very good.

I'm amazed that so many people seem to have either not realised the product placement was part of the films joke, or have realised it, but decide to hold it against them anyway. The gag does become a little cloying after a while, but it does slow down a bit in the final half hour, and is never too distracting. If you found the product placement scene in Waynes World funny, this should cause you no trouble.

The music is of course down to personal taste, but I found some of it at least pretty good, and nothing more unmemorable than any other film track. '3 Simple Words' and 'Pretend to be Nice' are viable singles in their own right, and you will never be able to listen to a boyband again after 'Backdoor Lover' and 'DuJour around the World'. Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid and Rosario Dawson do at least provide backing for their own songs, which is something.

Overall I would say that this was one of the most underated films of 2001 and the least deserved flop. What kind of sick world is it where 'The Mummy Returns' is more popular than 'Josie...?' Watch it.

Yours

~Ross

I went to this movie expecting nothing more than to watch Rachel Leigh Cook (Josie) and Tara Ried (Mel) dance around on stage in skimpy outfits. Imagine my surprise one of the funniest opening scenes I have ever seen! From the boy band named "Du Jour" (I guarantee my roommate and I were the only 2 people in the entire theatre filled with 13 year old girls who got that joke) and their hit single "Backdoor Lover" to the rediculous product placements and government conspiracy to put subliminal messages and advertisements in our music, thereby controlling trends and keeping teenagers buying the next best thing. Younger viewers who don't necissarily get the humor will enjoy the music and the unbelieveable plotline and love story while older viewers will enjoy the hilarious and almost plausible hyperbole of the conspiracy.

I avoided this movie for a long time, being that it just looked horrible. Then, one boring night it came on cable, and since I had watched everything else already, I gave it a look...And I laughed my arse off! It totally makes fun of the target audience it was made to entertain. I mean, don't go looking for an award winning movie here (not artsy-fartsy), but it's stupid fun and is worth a damn good laugh or two. I'm not big on dumb humor movies, but this has just enough twist (and clever twists) to keep me laughing. I was VERY surprised to have enjoyed this movie as much as I did. Perhaps there IS something to subliminal messages in movies?

Someone's lost their sense of humour!

Well, I rented this video last night. I was pretty damn pleased with it, not least because of the pretty girls and pretty songs, and the back-door-lovin boy band. Many bits made silly-ol'-me fall of my seat laughing , like the Honk if you love pussy......cats. This sets the tone of the film and introduces us to the completely gorgeous lovable wacko Mel). The plot is laughable, but so what? Very cute Rachel acting as Josie is a little flat but who cares? The film pokes fun at a horribly real cross-mass-marketing culture, in which all forms of media gang up to sell us the same products, and feed us the same drivel about what's going on in our world. But it didn't get bogged down in a lesson in ethics. It's a very watchable film, and that's all you need to know.

For those who go a little deeper:

How can so many viewers/reviewers/critics can miss the very very obvious running joke about the totally OTT product placement, and instead tell us that there's a lot of product placement in the film. That it becomes exactly what it satirises? Isn't satire all about the characters drawing attention to unpleasant reality by living that reality hilariously? Lighten up!

How can anyone think that the ridiculous McDonalds shower-scene and Mel's urge to eat big macs after hearing their music played back through a "processor" will really make all the kids flock to McDonalds to buy Big Macs and Ronald McDonald bath-sponges? (I'd rather buy a shower with Mel in it, but maybe that's inappropriate)

There's nothing subliminal about all this, IT IS JUST A JOKE. Many seem to have lost their sense of irony. If we're assuming that kids won't get the joke, we're being very patronising. And maybe the fact that the distinction between
celebrating/slating the whole consumer culture is occasionally blurred in this film, makes the valid point that, WE MAKE UP OUR OWN MINDS. If you wanna diet coke, get one, otherwise don't!

Recently, Justin Timberlake has teamed up with McDonalds here in the UK for a massive "I'm lovin it" ad campaign. No joke! Stick a Timburger in your CD player.

The fact that MTV avoided showing much about this film suggests that MTV felt targetted, not flattered, by being cast as distributors of the corporate propaganda. Not a celebration but an attack. Surely a good thing?

So..... cute likeable girls (esp Tara Reid), great one-liners and comedy timing by the pussycats as well as the other characters, bright sparkly production, fun fun fun!

Did I like the film? Definitely. Would I buy the DVD? Yes, I think so. Was it better than Rock 'n' Roll High School which I bought last week (silly plot, stupid gags, great laughs and of course the Ramones)(...) well(...) that would be telling!

Some reviewers can't spell PARODY (parity, parroty, perrady). Can we blame them for missing the gags? Watch it again, I say.

The only truly subliminal message in the movie, from the gig scene at the end, managed to work through my mind into the title of the review. Whoops!

I thought this movie would be a mindless piece of fluff, but it was creative and well acted. I didn't know that Parker Posey, who is dazzling in films such as Clockwatchers and the House of Yes, or Alan Cumming, who was great in Titus, were in this film, nor Seth Green as a Dujour member, as well as the guy who plays Turk on Scrubs, Donald Faison.

I didn't expect the first ten minutes to be SO funny. I nearly spit out my gum. Just the idea of someone killing a boy band because they started to get wise to their manager's tricks was hilarious. The Target plane was silly and added so much to the rest of the films anti-consumer theme.

After this, it got a little slower, so I thought, ok, the fun part is over and now it is a MTV music video for three cute girls. But it was more than that. It had a great plotline with the girls becomming rock starlets overnight, wondering about their success, expect the blonde girl who likes singing "If you are happy and you know it clap you hands" in the Mc Donald's shower. I also liked the goth punk kids who were slowly being controlled to like pop music. Oh and Parker Posey's big hooped mess of a dress and the flower thing that made noise when she moved.

Reminded me a lot of Austin Powers or lesser known but good films like Monkeybone or Office Space.

One more thing, I love Josie and the Pussycats. They are my favorite band. I also want a pair of Steve Madden shoes and Diet Coke with Lemon is the new Pepsi One.

While promoted as just another teen rock band comedy, Josie and the Pussycats is smart and sly, as well as being genuinely funny. A satire on the prevalent band-as-marketing-tool phenomenon, the movie lets the audience know what it is in for from the very first scenes, featuring a Backstreet Boys-type boy band surrounded by a veritable plethora of product placement logos. Using real companies' logos helps drive the message home, though it's important to point out--as the filmmakers do on their commentary track--that the companies did not pay to have their logos used, keeping the film from being too hypocritical.

Obviously, the movie isn't any too subtle advocating free will over following what's popular, but it's such a likeable movie, that doesn't really matter. As Josie, Rachel Leigh Cook is perfectly cast, projecting an air of genuine caring towards her friends. Rosario Dawson, as the constantly neglected black Pussycat, makes her character about more than just her race, and thus makes the racist attitudes seem so much more unreasonable. Tara Reid, as dumb blonde Melody, adds so much charm to her performance that the character comes across as more than just an object of ridicule. And Alan Cumming and Parker Posey are delightfully over the top as the evil record company executives, who even manage to make themselves almost sympathetic at the end when their own hidden sides come to light.

The extra features on this DVD are pretty nifty, though not the selling point. I particularly enjoyed the commentary from the filmmakers, proving that if you set your sights higher than a typical teen comedy, it will show in your work. This movie is so much better than it really has any right to be, and I'm glad I got a chance to see it.

This movie is a lot of fun, and much smarter than some people will give it credit for. Great comedic performances by Alan Cumming and Parker Posey, who between them chew enough scenery to create a soundstage. And the Pussycats are genuinely fun, hot babes: it's not Rachel Leigh Cook who steals the show as Josie, but Tara Reid, whose giggly blondeness recalls a "Laugh-In" era Goldie Hawn. Lots of great in-jokes (get the PG-13 version), totally "jerkin'" costumes, a few catchy songs ... and yes, all those product placements. (Hint: spotting them makes a great, if fast-moving, drinking game!) If it's not the "Heathers" of the 00's, it's almost the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".

If you want a good escapist movie, this is it. It's silly and funny, without much complicated issues to think about - except that Josey and the Pussycats must save the world from being brainwashed by advertisers. The parody of boy bands is hilarious, and the Pussycats - Rosario Dawson and Tara Reid are cute and sweet. A fan of quirky Parker Posey, I'm not disappointed by her steady performance as an advertising executive bent on brainwashing the world into thinking that orange is the new black. If you have a sense of humor, the silliness in this film will make you laugh. If you are looking for Oscar winning fare, then look elsewhere.