Hear us out… What if the greatest anti-capitalist satire of the early 2000s was actually the bubblegum pop-punk cult classic ‘Josie and the Pussycats’?
Join us for our monthly Secret Screen takeover at The Chabot Cinema, where we'll be showcasing films that celebrate the magic of music and art.
In the two decades since its release, the Archie Comics spinoff starring Rachel Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, and Tara Reid has transformed from a dismissed box-office flop into a cult classic and critical darling. Similar to films like ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Legally Blonde’, Josie and the Pussycats is a quirky pop-punk time capsule with an underlying subversive message about consumerism and the agency of women.
”Josie and the Pussycats is cinema’s greatest takedown of capitalism” - Polygon.com
“Many movies have tried, but Josie and the Pussycats remains one of Hollywood’s most entertaining damnations of consumerism. Society is getting to a point where it resembles the aggressive product placements of the movie, but without critiquing it in the way Josie and the Pussycats did.” - FilmObsessive.com
“Undoubtedly the single most ambitious, subversive, and satirical feature-film adaptation of an Archie comic, Josie And The Pussycats gives us a sly, sustained spoof of consumerism and infectious pop songs” - AVClub.com
“What seemed like a tongue-in-cheek gag at the time, has turned out to be prescient. Today, when every celebrity is out there peddling weight loss tea, and brands are leaning into providing experiences and feelings rather than just consumer goods, it’s downright eerie to watch.” - Refinery29.com
If you aren’t convinced, here is a video essay entitled Josie and the Pussycats is the Greatest Film Ever Made (Spoilers!)
Custom pre-show starts at 7pm with the film starting at 7:30. Tickets are $5 plus a membership to Chabot’s Secret Screen ($1 a month or $10 per year). Visit this link to learn more, or grab a membership at the door.
