Plot: What’s it about?
The hottest band on the planet is Dujour, who top the charts at every turn and delight fans to no end. But it seems their music includes more than simple lyrics and hype beats, as some subliminal messages have been inserted, without the band’s permission even. These messages soak into the mind of the listener and over time, reduce their freedom of choice and turn them into zombies of sorts, which is bad news. Well bad news for the listener, but good news for record label owner Fiona (Parker Posey) and her assistant Wyatt (Alan Cumming), who happens to manage Dujour and countless smash pop bands before them. When Dujour learns about the scheme and demands answers, their plane crashes under strange circumstances, leaving Wyatt in search of a new band to implement the evil plan through. The obvious choice seems to be Josie and the Pussycats, a small pop band that consists of friends Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook), Melody (Tara Reid), and Valerie (Rosario Dawson). But as Josie and the Pussycats climb the charts toward the top, will they ever discover the truth about the hidden messages, or will fame sweep their minds away?
If you watch movies to think and be challenged, then Josie and the Pussycats isn’t the flick you should watch. But if you like vivid, colorful visuals, a fun atmosphere, three hot chicks, and some pop rock, then this is more than worth a look. I love a good movie that probes deeper issues, but sometimes I just want to cut loose, which is the kind of situation where Josie and the Pussycats would come in handy, to be sure. It doesn’t offer much in terms of complex structure or artistic value, but it is well made and is a lot of fun, if you’re in the right mood. I do think it tries to make a statement about prepackaged musicians, but it is so conflicted, that message never comes across well, to say the least. It never pushes that message too hard however, so it never suffers much as a result, which is good news. Rachael Leigh Cook handles the epic Josie role well enough, while Rosario Dawson and Tara Reid complete the trio, although if you ask me, the last two were unusual choices to tackle the roles. If you want to sit back and have some fun, then give Josie and the Pussycats a rental, as it should fit the bill for a fun ninety or so minutes.
If you want to have Josie and the Pussycats, you need three hot, young performers in the title roles, which is what we have here. I think Rachael Leigh Cook (She’s All That, AntiTrust) was a wise choice to handle the role of Josie, as she looks terrific and has a great screen presence. I admit she looks very awkward during the musical performances, but she does well enough, so I see no reason to complain here. Now the other two band members were surprises to me, as I would have never imagined either Rosario Dawson or Tara Reid in the parts. Dawson (Kids, He Got Game) is a decent performer, but lacks the charisma needed for this role, though she never drags the flick down too much, which is a relief. Reid (American Pie, Body Shots) on the other hand looks and behaves like a skank in most of her performances, this one is no different. The cast also includes Parker Posey (Best in Show, Clockwatchers), Alan Cumming (Spice World, Circle of Friends), and Missi Pyle (Galaxy Quest, As Good As It Gets).
Video: How does it look?
Josie and the Pussycats is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Now this how we like our presentations, as Universal has given Josie the deluxe treatment, to be sure. The film’s dazzling colors stream across the screen in rich form, with no errors to report and of course, flesh tones are natural at times also. I mean, this the kind of movie to showcase your system with, as vivid hues swirl and the visuals bounce right out at you, awesome stuff indeed. The contrast is razor sharp as well, with stark black levels that remain well balanced, even in the darker sequences. No print flaws or edge enhancement to speak of either, this is a spectacular transfer and if you like this movie, you’ve found yourself a new visual reference disc, to be sure.
Audio: How does it sound?
As you should expect, this movie offers some real audio potential, which Universal has ensured sounds terrific on home theaters. As they often do, Universal has included both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround options, so both camps should be quite pleased, as both tracks are wonderful and make good use of the film’s audio potential. Of course, the film is driven by music and that dominates the mix, so don’t expect an overall surround heavy experience, by any means. But the music comes through in excellent form and that’s vital, since the movie focuses on music and all. The surrounds are tame whenever the music dies down, but that seems to be natural and as such, I won’t complain much. The vocals remain clean and never hard to understand, which is always good news, of course. This disc also includes a French 5.1 option, as well as English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release might not measure up to their Collector’s Edition line, but Universal has stacked on the extras here, so fans should be pleased. It starts with an audio commentary track that features directors Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, as well as producer Marc Platt. Elfont and Kaplan have no problems revealing behind the scenes information here, as the two fill the session with data of all sorts, while Platt chimes in at times also. I do wish we could have had a Pussycats commentary track, but I suppose one can’t have his cake and eat it too, eh? You can also view three music videos, one from Josie and the Pussycats and two from Dujour, which are nothing short of hilarious and wildly entertaining. A twenty-four minute Backstage Pass is next and while the running time seems substantial, rest assured that the featurette content is not. This is the usual Universal fluff piece and in the end, it just makes you wonder what happened to the laserdisc days, when Universal knew how to make great behind the scenes documentaries. This disc also includes three deleted scenes, some production notes, talent files, DVD ROM, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
