Nate and Ryan invite long-time friend Andrew Johnson in to discuss 2001’s Josie and the Pussycats, a flop when it was released 21 years ago, but now a film that many are rethinking as its lasting impact is more apparent. Andrew has championed Josie ever since he first saw it in college, and has now brought his campaign to us. From the music, to the fashion, to the razor sharp criticism of corporate tastemakers, people are beginning to realize that Josie and the Pussycats was operating on a level that went over most people’s heads in 2001.
Listen to Josie and the Podcats by Maria Lewis and Blake Howard
Read Roger Ebert’s half star review
20 years ago, Josie And The Pussycats flopped, but its soundtrack deserves another listen by Phil Freeman (Stereogum)
Josie & The Pussycats Was Way Too Jerkin’ For Its Time by Anne Cohen (Refinery29)
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For this episode, Nate and Ryan watch the most recent Best Picture winner, CODA. Its story of a deaf family portrayed by deaf actors is an important step in diverse representation and storytelling. Even before its historic Oscar win for Troy Kotsur – the first deaf man to win an acting Oscar, CODA was making waves at Sundance when Apple TV+ paid 25 million dollars for distribution rights. A quiet momentum built as Oscar time neared, and the Best Picture win that seemed like a long shot in December 2021 became the sure bet in the weeks before the ceremony. CODA won all three Oscars it was nominated for (the third going to writer/director Sian Heder for her adapted screenplay) and is the rare Best Picture winner that clicked both with audiences and critics. But what do Ryan and Nate think?
