25 Years Ago, Hollywood Released A Misunderstood Cult Comedy That People Still Need To Watch

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"Josie and the Pussycats" is the best movie ever (join the army), and you should watch it right this second if you haven't seen it already — on the 25th anniversary of its ill-fated release.

Directed and written by creative partners Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, "Josie and the Pussycats" is, ostensibly, based on characters from the "Archie" comic series — but it shares as much DNA with those comics as "Riverdale" does (which I mean as a compliment). The fictional girl group, comprised of singer and guitarist Josie McCoy (Rachael Leigh Cook), bassist Valerie Brown (Rosario Dawson), and drummer Melody Valentine (Tara Reid), appears in those comics ... but in that case, their story isn't a searing indictment of overconsumption and capitalism.

Somehow, Elfont and Kaplan devised a story centered around Josie, Val, Melody, and their overnight success as the titular band that skewers American trend-chasing and the entire music industry. Unfortunately, this approach was radically misunderstood after the movie premiered theatrically in New York on April 6, 2001. Not only was the film a complete box office bomb, but reviews weren't flattering, either. Incredibly, here's what the current consensus on Rotten Tomatoes says (with the movie "boasting" a bleak 53% critical rating): "This live-action update of 'Josie and the Pussycats' offers up bubbly, fluffy fun, but the constant appearance of product placements seems rather hypocritical."

That's the whole point. Plus, Elfont and Kaplan weren't paid for any of the movie's near-constant product placement. Instead, they included it to prove a point. Kaplan once confirmed this in an interview with Buzzfeed News, explaining, "A lot of the reviews called us hypocrites: 'They're taking money from these corporations to put them in the movie, and they're doing exactly what they say people shouldn't do.'" So, why should you watch this movie now?

Well, first of all, Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, and Rosario Dawson are perfectly cast as Josie, Melody, and Val, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that this movie's cast is absolutely stacked. Before we even meet our main trio, we encounter record executive Wyatt Frame, played by the Emmy-winning "The Traitors" host Alan Cumming, and a different wildly successful band he's managing. (That band, by the way, includes Seth Green, Donald Faison, and Breckin Meyer.) When said band, Dujour, mentions they think they heard something weird hidden in one of their new singles like some sort of backing track — and Wyatt realizes, while they're all on Dujour's private plane, that they've discovered the subliminal messaging hidden in their music that encourages teens to buy things — Wyatt crashes the plane and parachutes to safety. That's how this film starts, and it's just one of many reasons why it's perfect.

Cumming isn't the only comedy legend in the cast, though; his boss, Fiona, is played by none other than Parker Posey. From her Christopher Guest collaborations like "Best in Show" to her meme-spawning, Emmy-nominated turn as Victoria Ratliff in "The White Lotus" season 3, Posey is truly one of the funniest performers alive, and she is absolutely fantastic as the puffed up and fraudulent Fiona. (She's the "mastermind," so to speak, behind the idea of putting subliminal messages into pop music so teens chase new trends.) Throw in appearances from Missi Pyle (one of the greatest supporting actors in the entire entertainment industry), Gabriel Mann, Paulo Constanzo, and even a twisted turn from Carson Daly as "himself," and "Josie and the Pussycats" features some of the funniest actors you've ever seen having an amazing time on screen.

So, why am I calling you, the readers, to check out "Josie and the Pussycats" as quickly as possible if you haven't already seen it ... or, frankly, even if you already have? I really can't express how snappy, fun, and hilariously funny this movie is, and if that wasn't enough, the music produced by the titular band is actually incredible. (That makes sense when you consider that major musicians like Letters to Cleo's Kay Hanley and Kenneth "Babyface" Edwards, as well as other amazing musicians like the late Adam Schlesinger, crafted tunes like "Three Small Words" and "Pretend To Be Nice.") The wildest thing about this movie's staying power, though, is that it feels very much "of its time" (especially when it comes to the fashion), yet it has serious cultural staying power.

People have been re-appraising "Josie and the Pussycats" throughout the past 25 years, and every time someone discovers or rediscovers this movie, one thing becomes apparent: Its themes are still incredibly relevant today. As I write this, some putty toy called NeeDoh is flying off the shelves, and a few months ago, freaky-deaky Labubu dolls were all the rage. All of this stuff ends up in landfills after a while, but just like in "Josie and the Pussycats," major corporations are finding ways to communicate with teens and trend-chasers; instead of putting subliminal messages into music, they're just paying TikTok influencers to peddle this stuff. Not only is "Josie and the Pussycats" just still really fresh and funny, but its themes are, for better and for worse, still universal and relevant, even after two and a half decades. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video now ... and you should!