Phil and Emily wrap up their Oscar-winning Best Director follow-ups mini series with Joel and Ethan Coen’s Burn After Reading. They’re joined by Brooke Solomon and Jordan Gustafson, from the podcast The Queer Quadrant, to dig into this razor-sharp dark comedy that skewers espionage, bureaucracy, and human foolishness in equal measure.

From the Coens’ tonal whiplash to the film’s biting satire of post-9/11 paranoia, the conversation unpacks the brilliance of a story where no one really knows what they’re doing but the chaos still matters. Along the way, they revisit the stacked ensemble of Clooney, Pitt, McDormand, and Malkovich, while situating the film within the Coens’ endlessly inventive career.

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Phil and Emily continue their Oscar-Winning Best Director Follow-Ups miniseries with Ang Lee’s provocative espionage drama Lust, Caution. Joined by Danette Chavez (Editor-in-Chief of The A.V. Club), they dig into the film’s bold mix of eroticism, politics, and moral ambiguity, exploring how Lee followed Brokeback Mountain with a risky and divisive project that tested both audiences and censors. From the performances of Tony Leung and Tang Wei to the film’s place in Lee’s eclectic career, this conversation examines the ways Lust, Caution both fulfills and defies the expectations of a “prestige” follow-up.

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Phil and Emily continue their mini series on Oscar-winning Best Director follow-ups from the 2000s with Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers. Joined by Mitchell Beaupre, editor and podcast host at Letterboxd, they dig into Eastwood’s haunting take on the Battle of Iwo Jima and the myth making around Joe Rosenthal’s famous photograph of soldiers raising the flag.

The conversation unpacks Eastwood’s bold decision to explore both the battlefield and the uneasy homefront tours, the fractured narrative structure, and the film’s relationship to its companion piece, Letters from Iwo Jima. Along the way, they discuss Eastwood’s casting instincts, his recurring themes of masculinity, guilt, and heroism, and how the movie reflects broader questions about American war films and cultural memory.

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Phil and Emily continue our Patreon mini series on Oscar-winning Best Director follow-ups from the 2000s with Peter Jackson’s ambitious epic King Kong. Joined by critic, screenwriter, and podcaster Drew McWeeny, they revisit Jackson’s sprawling remake of the 1933 classic and unpack how the film reflects both his greatest strengths and his boldest excesses in the wake of The Lord of the Rings.

From Naomi Watts’s luminous performance to the groundbreaking visual effects that brought Kong to life, they discuss how Jackson poured his lifelong obsession into a film that feels both deeply personal and unwieldy in scope. The conversation explores Kong’s emotional depth, the film’s place in mid-2000s blockbuster culture, and why its mix of grandeur and messiness makes it one of the most fascinating entries in Jackson’s career.

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Phil and Emily continue their mini series on Oscar-winning Best Director follow-ups from the 2000s with Oliver Twist (2005), Roman Polanski’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic. They’re joined by writer and producer Bryan Cogman, who may be one of the few people to have actually seen the film in theaters.

The conversation dives into Polanski’s unexpected choice to follow The Pianist with this family-oriented Dickens adaptation, why it feels strangely muted compared to both the director’s darker films and other Dickens adaptations, and how Ben Kingsley’s nuanced turn as Fagin stands out amidst an otherwise flat production. Together, they unpack Dickens’ enduring influence, the many Oliver Twist adaptations across history, and how this version fits into Polanski’s complicated legacy and the cinematic landscape of 2005.

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Phil and Emily continue their miniseries on Oscar winning Best Director follow ups from the 2000s with Ron Howard’s The Missing. With guest Patrick Cotnoir (The George Lucas Talk Show), they revisit this overlooked Western thriller starring Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones.

The discussion explores Blanchett’s powerful performance, Jones’ turn as an estranged father, Daniel Craig’s early role, and why the film faded from memory despite prestige ambitions after A Beautiful Mind. They also look at Ron Howard’s career pivots and the awards landscape of the early 2000s.

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Phil and Emily continue their miniseries on Oscar winning Best Director follow ups from the 2000s with Road to Perdition, Sam Mendes’ ambitious second feature after American Beauty. Joining them is film journalist and podcaster Blake Howard (One Heat Minute Productions), who helps unpack the film’s technical brilliance, subdued emotional core, and unique place in early 2000s cinema.

Together, they dive into Mendes’ leap from stage to screen, the film’s striking cinematography from Conrad Hall, and how Tom Hanks’ against type performance reshaped audience expectations. The conversation explores Paul Newman’s final live action role, Jude Law’s scene stealing menace, and Daniel Craig’s early career turn as one of cinema’s most dangerous nepo babies. They also debate Thomas Newman’s Oscar nominated score, the film’s release strategy, and how it stands among Mendes’ eclectic career from Jarhead to Skyfall and beyond.

With insights ranging from Jude Law’s underrated presence to the legacy of Paul Newman and Tom Hanks’ evolving star persona, this episode is both a reconsideration of a Depression era gangster story and a reflection on the pressures of following up an Oscar winning debut.

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Phil and Emily continue their miniseries on Oscar-winning Best Director follow-ups from the 2000s with Steven Soderbergh’s effortlessly cool Ocean’s 11. Joined by screenwriter Liz Hannah and producer Brian Millikin, they unpack how this slick, stylish remake redefined the modern heist film. From its razor-sharp script and effortless ensemble chemistry to Soderbergh’s precision, tonal balance, and inventive production choices, the discussion explores how Ocean’s 11 rose above formula to become a timeless crowd-pleaser. Along the way, they dive into character dynamics, behind-the-scenes decisions, and the film’s lasting place in early 2000s cinema—all while celebrating the undeniable charm of Clooney, Pitt, and company.

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