In this episode, Manika is joined by Maya (@bodegavanetta), a pop culture commentator and TikTok creator, for a cozy, spirited deep dive into the films of Nancy Meyers. The two kick things off reflecting on the golden age of tween girl movies and how the genre has all but disappeared. They reminisce about the joy and specificity of early 2000s hits like What a Girl Wants and Cadet Kelly, and mourn the loss of mid-budget coming-of-age stories that felt fun, earnest, and emotionally rich. Maya points out how today’s film landscape leans heavily into aesthetics and “prestige,” often at the expense of heartfelt storytelling. What used to be a shared cultural experience is now fragmented by streaming platforms and driven by algorithms instead of vibes.
The conversation naturally shifts to Nancy Meyers, a director whose work remains comforting, elegant, and emotionally layered. For both Manika and Maya, The Parent Trap was a formative film—one that shaped their ideas about family, womanhood, and storytelling. They discuss the film’s complex emotional core, the fantasy of divorced parents reuniting, and how Lindsay Lohan’s dual performance carries the movie with sincerity and charm. Meyers’ attention to detail, especially in emotional beats and set design, is praised throughout the episode.
From there, they move on to It’s Complicated, a rom-com that embraces the messiness of middle-aged relationships and gives us a rare portrait of post-divorce desire. Manika and Maya appreciate the film’s grounded portrayal of love and longing, noting how Meryl Streep’s character is allowed to be flawed, funny, and desirable—something still too rare for women on screen. They reflect on how the film resists tying things up neatly and instead celebrates the freedom of ambiguity.
Next up is The Holiday, another favorite for both. Maya highlights the significance of Jack Black being cast as a romantic lead and how that broke certain conventions around desirability in Hollywood. They talk about how The Holiday makes space for emotional vulnerability, friendship, and self-discovery, all while being set in two of the coziest cinematic homes of all time. The episode continues to explore how Meyers crafts stories that are aesthetically pleasing but never hollow—where the kitchens are iconic but so are the inner lives of her characters.
Throughout the episode, Manika and Maya keep returning to the importance of joy in storytelling. They talk about how movies like Meyers’ can be emotionally honest without being gritty, and why fun shouldn’t be considered frivolous. The episode closes with a heartfelt appreciation for the way Nancy Meyers writes characters—especially women—who are allowed to be fully themselves: stylish, chaotic, competent, and full of longing.
Maya's socials
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@b0dega.veneta
maya and fola takes over the world https://open.spotify.com/show/3hewyYLxSyrspCZh9gxGk8
Carrd https://b0degaveneta.carrd.co/
Manika's Socials
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1CmokqeLIagz7nYQJfeRIw
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manika3000?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
Podcast Socials
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ivebeenmeaningtowatchthatp2316
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeenMeaning2Pod
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ivebeenmeaning2pod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ive-Been-Meaning-To-Watch-That-113280083760521/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivebeenmeaning2/
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