Most film's based on comics or cartoons have left a lot to be desired. It was with great hesitation that I sat down to watch Josie-I mean come on; it is based on characters from Archie Comics and a very poor cartoon show spinoff. However, what I found was a first rate satire on the music industry today. Besides that, I really liked Josie's songs!

When the boy band Dujour's airplane disappears, record executive Alan Cummings is stuck in Riverdale looking for a new band that he must deliver to his tyrant boss, played by Parker Posey. Josie and her band mates are stuck in Riverdale playing gigs at the bowling alley when Alan appears and signs them up to a monster recording deal. While they know better, the girls fly off with him to record their first record. Little do they know that Posey and Cummings are secretly using their music for subliminal messaging to brain wash the youth of America. The story may be a bit contrite but Josie and girls are very charming. Played by Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, and Tara Reid, the girls show innocence and savvy in the midst of this whirlwind success. They each have their own unique personality which is developed well by the script. The writers of the screenplay leave no stone unturned in their product placement, as part of the fun, for every scene has some different corporate sponsor. Target signs and laundry detergent inside private jets, Revlon on the walls of their hotel rooms, and even McDonald's arches as a pattern on the shower, while Tara Reid soaps down with a Mr. French Fries sponge. It is total product overkill and part of the satire. The band Dujour, made up for this film, is another satirical highlight. They look and sound so much like the real "boy bands" of today in this satire. After seeing this film, you'll never think of "NSynch" the same way. The cast had great fun with this film; the band actually learned to play the songs they recorded, after attending band school for a month. Each cast member had an exclusive tutor from a real rock band to help them learn the different elements needed to perform and play their instruments. The music itself is a cross between pop and rock, with a hard edge to it; Cook's voice is perfect for vocals, strong and gritty-and the Pussycats are good backup on bass and drums. Tara Reid's drums reminded me a bit of The Knack's drummer (oh-oh-I'm dating myself!) with tight, hard and fast snare drums and solid bass. The CD was a best seller for a while and I can see why. The tunes will have you singing them for days as they are filled with good hooks.

Picture-A bright, clear, sharp anamorphic transfer to DVD by Universal is everything you want in a DVD. The photography, critical to the product placement, is very well thought out in every scene-the girls can't even use the bathroom without it-Starbucks logos run along the walls in the ladies room in one scene. The set design is also well made as we visit the command center underneath Mega Records complex, where Parker Posey tours visitors from the Pentagon (oh yes, the government is in on the conspiracy!) and Posey's elaborate party for the Pussycats. Sound-The totally rockin' soundtrack in both Dolby digital 5.1 and DTS is included on the DVD. As usual, the DTS has a bit more omph! to it, but both are of very high quality. All channels are used in the surround, as demonstrated in one scene where Tara Reid walks through the girl's house from room to room, and we hear her through the different speakers as she travels.

The DVD provides a director's commentary audio track, and a making of featurette (Backstage Pass), with interviews with the cast and writer /directors, Kaplan and Elfont. We are treated to band rehearsals and films of the cast at band school learning to play. Cook even shows us how she can play the guitar without an amp. There are also two Dujour videos, one Pussycats video (I think it should have been the other way around), deleted or edited scenes, outtakes, a trailer, production notes, and cast and crew filmographies. A very nice package of extras.

This film is very smart and very cute. I don't think it deserved its PG-13 label. With the exception of a few choice swear words uttered by Posey, the script is absent of gutteral language, violence and sexy scenes. Technically, the film is flawless and a good demo disc for a system. Enjoy this satirical romp on the music industry. (Gosh-suddenly, I really need a Big Mac!)