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/podcastlikeits
Phil Iscove: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscove
Emily St. James: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjams
Jason Bailey: https://www.instagram.com/jasondashbailey
Patreon (bonus episodes and video): http://patreon.com/Podcastlikeits
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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/podcastlikeits
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
💜 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/podcastlikeits
Phil Iscove - https://www.instagram.com/pmiscove
Emily St. James - https://www.instagram.com/emilystjams
Colby 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 guest
Phil Iscove - Instagram: @pmiscove
Emily St. James - Instagram: @emilystjams
Adam B. Vary - Instagram: @adambvary
Podcast 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/podcastlikeits
Phil Iscove: https://www.instagram.com/pmiscove
Emily St. James: https://www.instagram.com/emilystjams
Carrie Courogen: https://www.instagram.com/carriecourogen
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.