Podcast Like It's ...

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kathryn VanArendonk, critic and writer known for cultural criticism, joins to discuss Christopher Guest’s Best in Show. They explore Guest’s improvisational filmmaking, the film’s ensemble cast and standout performers, and how the dog-show world fuels its comedy. Conversation touches on mockumentary history, tonal differences across Guest’s films, and the movie’s enduring cult appeal.

Scott Renshaw, Salt Lake City Weekly film critic and co‑host of Mousterpiece Melodies. Josh Spiegel, film critic and Mousterpiece Melodies co‑host. They revisit Pixar’s Up: the emotional opening montage, Carl’s unusual elderly lead, Giacchino’s Oscar‑winning score, themes of aging and grief, humor and adventure, worldbuilding and pacing, and the film’s legacy and awards.

Laura Khoo, co-host of Cows in the Field, shares family and parenting reactions to WALL·E. Justin Khoo, her co-host and partner, brings film analysis and thematic takes. They discuss the film’s near-silent first act and Ben Burtt’s sound design. They debate the Axiom’s consumerist dystopia, environmental themes, and whether WALL·E is Pixar’s boldest experiment.

David Sims, film critic and co-host of Blank Check, brings sharp cinephile perspective. They dissect Wong Kar-wai’s English-language detour, Norah Jones’ debut screen presence, Jude Law’s mid-2000s rom-com ubiquity, and the film’s American road-movie construction. Conversation also spotlights casting choices, the Cannes premiere, and the film’s dessert-infused visual pleasures.

This week on Podcast Like It’s the 2000s, Phil and Emily continue their Valentine’s miniseries on the films of Wong Kar-wai with a deep dive into his dreamy, decadent, and divisive follow-up to In the Mood for Love: 2046. Joining them is Screen Drafts co-host Clay Keller to unpack memory, desire, sci-fi metaphors, hotel rooms, and the many women orbiting Tony Leung’s endlessly romantic (and endlessly messy) Chow Mo-wan.Early in the episode, Phil provides context for listeners who may not have seen the film, walking through its fractured narrative, a futuristic train that takes passengers to a place where memories can be reclaimed, and a writer blurring fiction and reality as he drifts through the Oriental Hotel and the ghosts of love past.The conversation explores how 2046 expands Wong’s romantic universe into something colder, more reflective, and more haunted. Is it a sequel? A remix? A sci-fi epilogue? A man trying to freeze time so he never has to grow up? The trio discusses the film’s nonlinear structure, its lush visual language, recurring musical motifs, and the way longing becomes both theme and architecture.They also touch on the film’s limited U.S. release, its evolving critical reputation, and how it fits into Wong Kar-wai’s broader body of work. Along the way, the episode offers a brief glimpse behind the scenes of this Valentine’s miniseries and how close to release these conversations sometimes are.🎙️ Guests & HostsClay Keller📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claykellerPhil Iscove📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjams🎧 Follow Podcast Like It’s🎙 Main Feed (The 2000s / The 90s)Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-like-its/id1369075017Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hh2n0eZxJ9V0XHnHh1SxP💜 Patreon (Bonus Episodes + The 1990s feed + Video):https://www.patreon.com/podcastlikeits📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeits🐦 X / Twitter:https://twitter.com/podcastlikeits🧵 Threads:https://www.threads.net/@podcastlikeits🔷 Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/podcastlikeits.bsky.social🎥 YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@podcastlikeits Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Podcast Like It’s the 2000s, Phil and Emily kick off a brand-new Valentine’s miniseries on the films of Wong Kar-wai with one of the most celebrated movies of the century: In the Mood for Love. Joining them are Katie McGrath and Tom Mison, making their first appearance on the main feed after many beloved appearances on Podcast Like It’s the 90s (the Patreon-exclusive show).The conversation explores why In the Mood for Love has become the defining cinematic text of longing, memory, and restraint. The group digs into Wong Kar-wai’s sensual, dialogue-light approach; the role of ambiguity and audience interpretation; the film’s obsession with time, repetition, and missed connection; and how Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung deliver one of the most emotionally charged screen romances ever filmed without ever fully consummating it.They also discuss the film’s slow critical “glow-up,” its influence on filmmakers like Sofia Coppola and Barry Jenkins, the role of Criterion in canon-building, and why this movie works as pure cinema something that couldn’t exist in any other medium. Along the way: conversations about memory, performance without dialogue, and what it means for a film to trust its audience completely.Follow Us:Phil Iscove📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscoveEmily St. James📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjamsShow:Podcast Like It’s the 2000s🎧 Listen & subscribe: https://linktr.ee/podcastlikeits📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastlikeits💜 Patreon (bonus episodes & video): https://www.patreon.com/podcastlikeits Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.