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.

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Phil Iscove - https://www.instagram.com/pmiscove

Emily St. James - https://www.instagram.com/emilystjams

David Iserson - https://www.instagram.com/davidiserson

Dana Schwartz - https://www.instagram.com/danaschwartzzz

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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.

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Colby Day - https://www.instagram.com/thecolbyday

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Kathryn VanArendonk — https://instagram.com/kvanaren

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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.

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Phil Iscove

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Josh Spiegel & Scott Renshaw Podcast:

Mousterpiece Melodies

https://mousterpiecemelodies.podbean.com/

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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?

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Justin Khoo

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Laura Khoo

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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?

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Podcast Like It’s

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Phil Iscove

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Emily St. James

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David Sims

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