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PODCAST

Love at First Screening

Chelsea Ciccone & Madison Hill

An examination of classic tropes and iconic characters pits connoisseur against cynic—one romantic comedy at a time. The cinematic world of love and laughter had rom-com enthusiast Madison head over heels from the time Harry met Sally. For genre skeptic Chelsea, however, it’s been a grueling enemies-to-lovers plot. In Love at First Screening, Madison introduces Chelsea to all the fan-favorite love stories she’s never wanted to watch. One friend’s passion might be the other’s displeasure, but doesn’t

tv & film film reviews

All Episodes

01:05:29

Rom Com Respawn: My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/07/24

Most comedies age poorly, but our hosts find this season's Rom Com Respawn pick, My Cousin Vinny (1992), not guilty! Madison asks Chelsea who they should call when her antics inevitably land them in jail, and Chelsea questions the correlation between her rising anxiety levels and her proximity to Madison. Starring Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, and the incomparable Marisa Tomei, our hosts agree the only thing that could make this classic better is more Mona Lisa Vito dropping jaws in that Alabama

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01:08:13

RWRB Part Two: Electric Boogaloo

Love at First Screening ·

2024/07/10

Host note: at some points during recording, Chelsea uses the incorrect pronouns when discussing the author. This was unintentional. Casey McQuiston uses they/them pronouns.CW: Queer outing In the most long-awaited second part of season four's bookish two-part bonus extravaganza, Chelsea and Madison discuss Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue (2019). This episode is a longtime coming-- both in how excited Madison and Chelsea were to discuss a book they love so dearly and with how long it

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01:01:59

History, Huh? Bet LAFS Could Make Some (Red, White &...

Love at First Screening ·

2024/06/19

CW: Queer outingIn the first part of season four's bookish two-part bonus extravaganza, Chelsea and Madison discuss the film adaptation of Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue (2023). In this first episode, they discuss the movie as a standalone film and explore both how it fits into the rom-com genre, but also how it fits into queer media as a whole. Listen in as they discuss how the film manages to address more serious topics than your average rom com while still maintaining a

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01:18:46

The Crocodile Dies at the End (Romancing the Stone)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/05/22

In their season four finale, our hosts deliver classicly differing opinions on the 1984 Action/Adventure Rom Com Romancing the Stone. When a romance novelist journeys to Colombia to rescue her kidnapped sister, she finds herself on an adventure she could only imagine writing alongside a cantankerous, exotic bird smuggler who's a far cry from any hero. Madison finds herself melting into the pages of this romantic plot, while Chelsea feels this tale is a first draft at best. (And did they have to kill

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01:24:36

Free Chelsea 2024 (Sabrina)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/05/16

CW: Suicidal ideation/attempt This episode took a whole extra day to render, not because of Madison’s ancient computer wheezing its way through production, but because of how much Chelsea hated this movie. Chelsea’s derision, disdain, and disparagement for the 1954 film, Sabrina, is really what this podcast is all about: Madison trying to defend truly awful movies while Chelsea explains how the only way to redeem them is to let them fade into bleak obscurity. Have our hosts hit a new record

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01:21:23

Abandon All Composure (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/05/08

This week, our hosts welcome a man (gasp!) into the studio to discuss the pod's most-requested film, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003). Starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey (and an exciting Kathryn Hahn cameo), this approach to "the Bet" trope has our hosts and special guest Luke questioning which behaviors constitute poor dating etiquette specifically vs. generally unhinged human conduct. (Talking during a movie is just bad manners, whether or not you're on a date!) A

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01:34:02

Bottoms Up with Senator Green (Bottoms)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/05/01

This week, in a very special guest episode of Love at First Screening, Tori Green joins our hosts to discuss a movie that she never wanted to watch: Bottoms (2023), starring Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri. Chelsea picked both this movie and Tori as its viewer as a special birthday gift to herself and it’s honestly a gift to us all. Listen as we talk root vegetables, epic monologues, Ayo Edebiri’s Irish origins, and so much more. While she knows she said this earlier in the season, Madison has

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01:06:45

Orphans Need Therapy, Women Need Friends (No...

Love at First Screening ·

2024/04/24

This week, our hosts request a table for two to discuss No Reservations (2007), starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, and Abigail Breslin. It's a classic tale of wacky, opera-singing guy tries to worm his way into the heart of frigid chef who has recently suffered the loss of her sister and gained custody of her niece. Madison admits this pick doesn't serve a traditional rom com, and Chelsea wonders if there weren't too many plotlines in this kitchen? The duo both agree, however,

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01:15:41

David Tennant Fan Club (The Decoy Bride)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/04/17

Join our hosts on the wee Scottish Isle of Hegg (or, rather, the Isle of Mann, masquerading as Scotland if we are being honest about our filming locations) as they review Chelsea's pick: The Decoy Bride. Madison is baffled, yet delighted, at Chelsea's appreciation of the movie and both uncover the real reason why this movie works so well: David Tennant. Sure, the dialogue is witty and the accents and scenery are great, but the cast of the movie is really what elevates it to a height like

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01:10:02

Perfectly Palatable Heterosexuals (Must Love Dogs)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/04/10

This week, answering an online dating ad takes our hosts on a walk to the dog park in Must Love Dogs (2005), starring Diane Lane and John Cusack. Much to Madison's surprise, Chelsea seemed to enjoy this flick, and even more shocking, she didn't request a queer rewrite! (Although, it absolutely needed more dogs!) Featuring cameos from Dermot Mulroney, Stockard Channing, and Madison's sexual awakening, Christopher Plummer (who tore apart no fascist icons but was charming nonetheless), this

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01:08:11

"It Should've Been Gay" (Runaway Bride)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/04/03

On this episode of Love at First Screening, Chelsea and Mads bring back the classic duo of Julia Roberts and Richard Gere with Runaway Bride (1999). Chelsea promises that while every movie would be made better if only if were gay, this movie would truly make more sense if that were the case. Madison looks at concepts of codependency through the metaphor of how Julia Roberts' character likes her eggs. Ultimately, we are just proud to say that Richard Gere doesn't come across as a stale

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01:01:07

Rage Eating Ice Cream in Greece (My Life in Ruins)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/03/27

This week it's cynic's choice, and Chelsea's pick, My Life in Ruins (2009), has sent Madison straight to the freezer for the only two men who can't disappoint her, Ben and Jerry. Hop on the tour bus alongside some unforgettable characters exploring Greece...amid their day drinking, dad jokes, shoplifting, and syrup monologues. This comedy-fueled rom-com is no gay pirate romp, but it's got plenty of kefi (and one smoking hot werewolf, I mean bus driver)!Connect With Us Instagram:

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01:11:23

Shooting Our Shot (Love & Basketball)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/03/20

Calling all sports fans– since that obviously encompasses our primary demographic. This week, Chelsea and Mads watched Love & Basketball (2000), starring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan. Right out the gate, this sports “rom-dram” is pretty much guaranteed to fail the romantic comedy test– but then why is it always featured on the must-watch rom-com lists? Listen as our hosts explore this and more as they break down the ins and outs of this cult classic. In a not shocking turn of events, Chelsea

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01:09:14

All About That Time Loop (Palm Springs)

Love at First Screening ·

2024/03/13

Interpersonal relationships all have their hurdles...like your run-of-the-mill Groundhog Day-style time foolery, for instance. In this episode of Love at First Screening, our hosts try to wrap their minds around Palm Springs (2020), or perhaps a better title would have been The Hot Girls' Guide to Mathemagics. Have Chelsea and Madison finally cracked the Happily Ever After code to their romantic comedy analysis? It's a film that may not tick all the rom-com boxes, but your dad will probably

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01:09:38

Golly Gosh, What An Underwhelming Start (Your Place...

Love at First Screening ·

2024/03/06

Welcome, one and all, to season 4! Did you think we would make it this far? Our cohosts welcome back you back to the fold with a 2023 rom-com Your Place or Mine featuring Reese Witherspoon, Ashton Kutcher, and Tig Notaro’s ever-present and massive cup of coffee. This film may or may not be a rom-com, but Mads is holding strong either way to offering up a poor start to the season in terms of her movie choices. Can Chelsea persist under these conditions? Find out!Connect With Us Instagram:

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01:46:48

Boyfriend Material/Husband Material: A LAFS Book Review

Love at First Screening ·

2024/02/14

If you have been holding your breath all season in anticipation for our first book club episode, it’s time to exhale (and perhaps seek medical attention since it’s been a long time coming). In a deep conversation of relationship dynamics, marriage practices, and queer dignity expansion, our hosts break down Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material and Husband Material. The conversation gets surprisingly vulnerable, especially for a chat about one of the funniest sets of romantic comedies written in the

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01:46:54

Bangin' and Bucks Ain't Your Business

Love at First Screening ·

2024/01/17

In the final episode of their special “Rom Com Road-Trip” series, Madison invites everyone to join her corn cult while Chelsea spins a sapphic tale fit for the new year: Two suburban households, both alike in WASPy sensibility, and their queer middle children on the precipice of tearing their mothers' New Year's letters to shreds is where we lay our scene. These gays do nothing but gab, and our leading ladies (Dianna Agron and Daisy Ridley) may just kick the infamous rom-com miscommunication

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01:31:24

Halloween On Christmas Eve

Love at First Screening ·

2023/12/20

In this Christmas-spirited episode of their special “Rom Com Road-Trip” series, our hosts have been blessed with a visit from someone at the top of Santa's nice list: Caroline Bourke (@carrottlime on TikTok and @carolinekbourke on Instagram). With a story inspired by Anna Vaus's song, "Halloween on Christmas Eve" the LAFS team takes Caroline on a magical sleigh ride of Christmas magic, dive bars, and accidental love with the star of your 17-year-old dreams. While honesty is always

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01:31:47

Gay Pirates (Enemies to Lovers)

Love at First Screening ·

2023/11/22

In this episode of their special “Rom Com Road-Trip” series, Madison gives the people (Chelsea) what they (she) wants: enemies-to-lovers gay pirates. It’s got everything, from rival pirates-in-training to creepy mermaid things that are inspired by angler fish. We could tell you more, but honestly you’ve just got to check it out. Starring our hottest cast yet with Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Annabelle, Jodie Comer as Dana, and Cate Blanchett as Bonny Betty, what more could you want?Connect With Us -

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01:24:09

Hozier's Hocus Pocus Himbo Heist (Paranormal Romance)

Love at First Screening ·

2023/11/15

In this episode of their special “Rom Com Road-Trip” series, Chelsea loads Madison onto her broomstick for an enchanting ride with a little bit of hocus and a little bit of pocus. One drunken night has unintended consequences for asexual adult-toy-store-manager protagonist (Merritt Wever) when a love spell conjures a work of art (Pedro Pascal). Witches, vampires, and were-panthers? Oh my! Better grab a bloody Capri-Sun and strap in. Connect With Us - Instagram:

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