Reviews: 'Josie & The Pussycats,' 'Joe Dirt'

Here's an overview of two early releases in movie theaters this week:

'Josie And The Pussycats (PG-13)

Meow! "Josie And The Pussycats" is going to need nine lives to sort out the overkill in their latest live-action film.

Based on the popular Hanna-Barbara cartoon, the feline trio of Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook), Melody (Tara Reid) and Valerie (Rosario Dawson) have been updated with rad clothes and an edgy girl-band style, but they are still just a group of small town girls who dream of being rock stars.

When the big boy band of the moment disappear, their record promoter (Allen Cumming) drops into Riverdale and decides to make The Pussycats his latest discovery.

What they don?t know, until it is too late, is that the record industry is one big conspiracy to plant subliminal ads in the music and brainwash an entire nation. The enterprise is sanctioned by the government and run by a loopy prima donna played by Parker Posey.

The singing trio is perfectly cast with fresh and appealing faces who portray a fresh naivete, while being cutting edge cool. Cook takes control in the lead role and Reid is a real delight as Melody, a sweet, dumb klutz.

I would have been content just watching them claw their way to stardom, and I would have loved to have seen more of them singing some of the scenes like a good old-fashioned musical.

Unfortunately the hackneyed, mind-control, spy plot gets way out of control. The fairly realistic relationship of the girls doesn?t mesh well with the cartoonish machinations of Cummings and Posey.

"Josie And The Pussycats" isn?t purr-fect, but it?s an enjoyable romp with a beat you can dance to. --Debra Scott

'The Adventures Of Joe Dirt' (PG-13)

"The Adventures Of Joe Dirt" is basically an Adam Sandler movie with the slightly-less-aggravating fellow "Saturday Night Live" alum David Spade in the title role -- a dull lead character, loads of juvenile potty humour, a lame plot and even lamer romantic sub-plot. Man, "Dirt" just stinks overall.

Not surprisingly, the Sandler team is at work here. Sandler serves as executive producer alongside the folks who brought us such gems as Rob Schneider vehicle "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo."

I admit, part of me wants the Adam Sandlers and Rob Schneiders of the world to go away and stop making horribly bad, exceedingly unfunny films -- and I mean in any capacity, as the star, as the writer, as the executive producer, whatever. "Little Nicky." "Big Daddy," "The Waterboy," the aforementioned "Deuce Bigalow" -- need I go on? Alas, we won't be spared just yet -- Schneider's next film "Animal" is due out later this year.

Mike Myers was slagged by some for putting the kibosh on the 'Dieter' film because the script was bad, I say good for him. As "Joe Dirt" proves, a Billy Ray Cyrus hairdo and reams of fart jokes do not a funny movie make.

Spade stars as Dirt, a sad-sack with a heart of gold whose parents left him at the Grand Canyon when he was eight years old. Dirt, convinced that it was just a horrible mistake, embarks on a life-long search for his family, meeting a host of wacky characters (portrayed by Christopher Walken, Rosanna Arquette, Fred Ward and Kevin Nealon among others) along the way.

Brittany Daniel and Jaime Pressly play the bubbly blonde love interests, and rap-rocker Kid Rock makes a convincing acting debut as Dirt's idiot nemesis.

I suppose I was expecting more from "Dirt" than your average comedy. Co-scripted by the sardonic Spade, I thought the white trash jokes would come fast and furious, and that they'd be dead-on. But beyond the occasional inbred remark and Skynyrd reference, the laughs disappeared like Dirt's folks.

Joe Dirt marks the directorial debut for Dennie Gordon, who jokes in the film's production notes that she "walked on coals to get this movie" because "the jokes were so fresh." Yeah, about as fresh as the greyish stream of septic tank poo-poo that pours over our hygiene-challenged hero part way in. That choice scene received some of the film's heartiest laughs from the audience.

Obviously, not everyone in the theatre shared my disdain for "Dirt" -- some even applauded as the credits rolled. Then again, I remember feeling immense relief myself. I'm reminded of one of Joe Dirt's mottos, 'Negativity's puke, don't eat it.': "The Adventures Of Joe Dirt" is crap, just flush it. --Suzanne Ellis

Also New: (Preview)

'Kingdom Come' (PG)

Tensions rise as a dysfunctional family gathers for a funeral in "Kingdom Come," a comedy from director Doug McHenry ("Jason's Lyric"). The film stars a huge ensemble cast, including LL Cool J, Vivica A. Fox, Jada Pinkett Smith, Whoopi Goldberg and Cedric the Entertainer. The film also marks the acting debut of singer Toni Braxton.