inkwolf

This is the sort of movie I usually have to be dragged to, kicking and screaming. I am not into teen or girly comedy, and loathe most live-action remakes of old cartoons. I didn't expect to like Josie and the Pussycats at all, but couldn't help it.

The tone is silly, silly, silly. If you enjoy silliness, you'll be in silly heaven. Under the silly is a wacky sense of humor that pokes fun at trends, pop music and culture, conspiracy theories, the original comic book, the movie itself, and everything else within reach. The casting seems good, overall, though I seem to remember the original Alexandria as being a lot more full of herself than just the pathetic, whiny sniper she was in the film. Melody is as ditsy as ever, but not as annoying about it as in previous incarnations. The Pussycats are all likable, Alan seems sweet, and Cumming is wonderfully amusing as the ruthless and super-efficient record executive.

Don't look for relevance. Don't look for meaning. Don't look for insight, drama, suspense, or plot originality. The messages are all ones you've heard before. The story is just an overused framework to hang the humor and characters on. Kick back, switch off the brain...and just wallow in silliness.

A good movie, that should probably have been rated PG-13, in my opinion. There are some genuinely terrifying parts, bad language, and some violent and realistic fighting. It keeps you pretty close to the edge of your seat, for most of the film.

The family-relationship subplot was not very convincing, but otherwise an excellent film. I also found it confusing that the Grandfather made some comment about moving to England from Chicago, and as a child attended what appeared to be an English boarding school...but took the train out west to look for bears. Maybe I misunderstood something.

(One note: the bear is not Bart, but Ali Oop. I have submitted a correction to IMDb.)

I agree with the former reviewer about the cabin. I mean, they are trapped in the wilderness because this guy, who can build a log cabin in one day, CAN'T FIX A WAGON AXLE BEFORE WINTER! Sheesh, believable. I'm sure wagon axles were a lot tougher to make than houses.

You also may not want to show it to impressionable young Indian kids, since some characters use derogatory language and racial slurs, and the one Indian character is something of a stereotype.

The movie won't make you laugh or cry, but it won't kill you with boredom either, and if you have the hour and a half to kill, there are worse things to watch out there. Bart the Bear is always good, and there are a few charming moments.