Podcast Like It's ...

Phil and Emily are joined by film critic and author Jason Bailey to revisit Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, George Clooney's 2002 directorial debut based on Chuck Barris' unauthorized autobiography. Jason is the author of Gandolfini: The Real Life of the Man Who Made Tony Soprano, now available in paperback.Chuck Barris created The Dating Game and The Gong Show. He also claimed to have secretly killed 33 people for the CIA. Charlie Kaufman wrote the screenplay, Sam Rockwell stars as Barris, and Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts co-star. Before Clooney made it, the film passed through David Fincher, Darren Aronofsky, Sam Mendes, Bryan Singer, Johnny Depp, Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, and Mike Myers over nearly a decade of development.The three dig into what Clooney kept and what he stripped from Kaufman's original script, whether Sam Rockwell's performance holds the whole thing together, and what Roberts and Barrymore bring to a film that never quite commits to its own tonal chaos. They also get into Clooney's arc as a director, a genuinely promising debut followed by a filmography of diminishing returns, and whether Confessions of a Dangerous Mind holds up as his most interesting work two decades on.Jason says yes, unequivocally. Emily loved it then and is reconsidering. Phil never fully clicked with it. They all agree the ending is something close to perfect.+Follow the show and guests:Podcast Like It's... https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil Iscove: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsJason Bailey: https://www.instagram.com/jasondashbaileyPatreon (bonus episodes and video): http://patreon.com/Podcastlikeits

This week on Podcast Like It’s the 2000s, Phil Iscove is joined by writer David Iserson (Ponies) and author/podcaster Dana Schwartz (Noble Blood, Anatomy: A Love Story) to unpack one of the most inventive films of the decade: Adaptation.Part of our Spike Jonze & Charlie Kaufman mini-series, the group explores Kaufman’s famously meta screenplay, Nicolas Cage’s dual performance as Charlie and Donald Kaufman, and how the film turns writer’s block into one of the most daring Hollywood movies of the early 2000s. They also discuss the film’s wild journey from Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief to the screen, along with unforgettable supporting turns from Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper.A deep dive into creativity, storytelling, and one of the strangest Oscar-winning screenplays ever written.Podcast Like It’s the 2000s is a weekly podcast revisiting the movies, culture, and filmmaking that defined the decade.Follow the show & guests:Podcast Like It's... - https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil Iscove - https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James - https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsDavid Iserson - https://www.instagram.com/davidisersonDana Schwartz - https://www.instagram.com/danaschwartzzz💜 Patreon (bonus episodes & video): http://patreon.com/Podcastlikeits

Phil and Emily are joined by Colby Day to discuss Human Nature (2001), Michel Gondry's feature directorial debut and Charlie Kaufman's second produced screenplay. The trio dives into this offbeat comedy about a woman with hypertrichosis, a scientist obsessed with teaching table manners to mice, and a feral man raised in the wild. They explore how Kaufman and Gondry use this absurd love triangle to interrogate what it means to be "civilized." They also discuss the film's place in the early-2000s Kaufman canon, how it compares to Gondry and Kaufman's later collaboration Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and why this strange, underseen comedy deserves a second look. Plus Tim Robbins as a 35-year-old virgin, Patricia Arquette's full-body hair, and Rhys Ifans eating with his hands at a fancy dinner.Follow the show & guests:Podcast Like It's... -  https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil Iscove -  https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James - https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsColby Day - https://www.instagram.com/thecolbyday💜 Patreon (bonus episodes & video): http://patreon.com/Podcastlikeits

Phil and Emily are joined by Adam B. Vary to discuss For Your Consideration (2006), Christopher Guest’s razor-sharp satire of Hollywood awards campaigns and the strange machinery behind Oscar buzz. As actors, publicists, and studios chase nominations, the film hilariously exposes how quickly hype can spiral into ego, anxiety, and manufactured prestige.This episode also wraps up our brief three-film Christopher Guest 2000s miniseries, looking at how Guest’s mockumentary style evolved from Best in Show and A Mighty Wind into one of the most biting Hollywood satires of the decade.Follow the hosts and guestPhil Iscove - Instagram: @pmiscoveEmily St. James - Instagram: @emilystjamsAdam B. Vary - Instagram: @adambvaryPodcast Like It’s… Instagram: @podcastlikeits

This week on Podcast Like It’s the 2000s, Phil and Emily continue their Christopher Guest 2000s miniseries with A Mighty Wind, joined by writer and author Carrie Courogen.They break down Guest’s uniquely gentle mockumentary style, the film’s satirical take on folk music culture, and why its characters feel both absurd and deeply human. Plus, a closer look at the performances, the emotional undercurrent beneath the comedy, and how A Mighty Wind fits within Guest’s larger body of work.Phil also provides context for listeners on the film’s premise following three folk groups reuniting for a tribute concert highlighting its blend of nostalgia, melancholy, and humor.Follow the show & guests:Podcast Like It’s…: https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil Iscove: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsCarrie Courogen: https://www.instagram.com/carriecourogen

Phil and Emily continue their journey through the 2000s with Christopher Guest’s beloved mockumentary Best in Show. Joined by critic Kathryn VanArendonk, they discuss the film’s improvisational comedy, its incredible ensemble cast—including Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, and Fred Willard—and why the world of competitive dog shows created one of the funniest comedies of the decade. They also unpack Guest’s unique filmmaking style and how Best in Show became a cult favorite that still influences comedy today.Follow the show and guestsPodcast Like It’s — https://instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil Iscove — https://instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James — https://instagram.com/emilystjamsKathryn VanArendonk — https://www.instagram.com/kvanarendonk

On this episode of Podcast Like It’s the 2000s, Phil and Emily are joined by film critics Josh Spiegel and Scott Renshaw to discuss Pixar’s emotional adventure about Carl Fredricksen, a widowed balloon salesman who lifts his house into the sky in search of Paradise Falls only to discover an unexpected stowaway along the way.The group breaks down the film’s famous opening montage, its unusual elderly protagonist, and why Up represents a key moment in Pixar’s late-2000s creative peak. They also explore the movie’s legacy, its Best Picture nomination, and why its blend of grief, humor, and adventure still resonates.Follow the show and guests:Podcast Like It’s…Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeits/Phil IscoveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscove/Emily St. JamesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjams/Josh Spiegel & Scott Renshaw Podcast:Mousterpiece Melodies https://mousterpiecemelodies.podbean.com/

Phil Iscove and Emily St. James continue their Pixar 2000s miniseries with a deep dive into WALL·E, Andrew Stanton’s 2008 animated sci-fi romance about a lonely trash-compacting robot left behind on Earth.Joined by Justin and Laura Khoo, they break down the film’s near-silent first act, Ben Burtt’s groundbreaking sound design, the Axiom’s consumerist dystopia, and why WALL·E may be Pixar’s most political film. They also discuss its environmental themes, visual storytelling, and how it fits alongside Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Cars in Pixar’s golden era.Is WALL·E the studio’s boldest experiment? Its purest love story? Or both?Follow the Hosts & GuestsPodcast Like It’sInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil IscoveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. JamesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsJustin KhooInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/juskhooLaura KhooInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurajeanettekhoo

This week on Podcast Like It’s the 2000s, Phil and Emily wrap up their Valentine’s Day Wong Kar-wai miniseries with a deep dive into My Blueberry Nights (2007), joined by David Sims (Blank Check). They discuss Norah Jones’ debut performance, Jude Law’s rom-com era, the film’s Cannes premiere, its American road movie structure, and why this English-language detour feels so different from In the Mood for Love and 2046.Is it a misunderstood romantic trifle or Wong Kar-wai’s strangest experiment?Follow the show & guests:Podcast Like It’sInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeitsPhil IscoveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. JamesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsDavid SimsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidlsims