Confessions of a Closet Romantic

Send us a text(I'm taking a short break in the next couple of weeks for a road trip with my sweetie. I'll be back soon!)My journey from a strict religious upbringing to discovering I'm mildly kinky in the right settings, and with the right partner, was quite the revelation. These fascinating, complex stories explore women also discovering their secret desires, vulnerabilities and sexual thrills through consensual BDSM kink. The movies are sometimes titillating, sometimes romantic but always thought-provoking in a way that you don't often see on the big screen.CW: sexually explicit scenes, and lots of spoilers.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comWhewwww. Hotttt. Even if you weren't interested in kink before, aren't you now?!"This is all I ever dreamed about—to be used by you.""While safe kinky play is an excellent forum for navigating and even healing trauma, it's a harmful stereotype to assume that only “broken” people are drawn to kink." Excellent article by a sex educator about what Babygirl gets right—and wrong—about kink."I think the sadomasochistic relationship is a theatrical platform for exploring power dynamics in a relationship, but also you can explore power dynamics with directors and actors...and the fear of performing and putting on a persona which is not you, and being watched." Fascinating glimpse into the creative mind of The Duke of Burgundy writer/director Peter Strickland."Exploring kink, even if you're unsure if you yourself are kinky, can broaden your horizons, enrich your sexual repertoire, and increase tolerance of others..." If you're interested in joining the Erotic Minority, this Vice round up of kinks is a fun primer."There is no shame in healing in whatever way feels authentic and cathartic. You are the curator of your sexual script, and it gets to play out in whatever way you find most empowering.""...if you're not 100% sure monogamy is right for you...I've found a great deal of happiness and freedom so far in taking a more liberal approach to relationships, and am interested to see where it leads." Lovely BDSM model Ariel Anderson talks about being "Not strictly monogamous."Fascinating discussion with Ariel Anderson and Dr. Kate Lister, who hosts the amazing podcast Betwixt the Sheets: the History of Sex, Scandal & Society.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textThis episode from a few years ago is one of my most popular, and since life has been kicking my behind lately, I thought it was a good time to take a breather and forget it all by getting kinky. It's also the episode that best represents my growth as a partner, person and podcaster, all thanks to producing and hosting this show. I'm working on a new episode about kink and kinky romance inspired by the Nicole Kidman movie Babygirl, so look for that next time. Meanwhile, hope you enjoy this thoroughly non-NSFW throwback episode about "smutty" and kinky romance. (To find the original show notes, visit confessionsofaclosetromantic.com and search for "romance after dark.")Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textOne of my favorite romantic tropes in all the world is chosen or found family. Rock bands, the military, college besties, your work husband and siblings, your little clique in high school, your beloved pets past and present—if they choose you and you choose them, they're family. If you had a less than ideal upbringing, stories like these full of emotional complexity along with acceptance, loyalty and love, are so healing and remind us that relations are always our choice.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comWho wouldn't want to be related to these people?!The amazing cast and crew of The Four Seasons.The intrusive soundtrack drives me bonkers (yes, we know they met in the 80s!) but the camaraderie is just so dang good in Peter's Friends. Friends with Kids owns the chosen family and friends-to-lovers tropes—though you have to suspend disbelief that no one seems to want Ed Burns, who represents the most perfect partner to ever roam the earth.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textAfter losing my sweet senior dog this week, I find myself mired in waves of grief, but in between, also feeling grateful for love: human, animal, loving relationships in all of their forms and however they come into our lives. The love of an animal is a very special experience, and my heart goes out to other pet guardians who may be experiencing anticipatory grief of their own.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textIt's hard to describe how sexy, funny yet heartbreaking this mini series is. Based on real-life best friends Molly and Nikki, who created a podcast about Molly's sexual adventures while in hospice, it's one woman's story of healing, emotional fulfillment and discovering who she is as a romantic and sexual being. It's also a comical, heartfelt, life-affirming look at the deep bonds and love shared between female friends. (CW: explicit descriptions of kink and sex, reference to childhood SA)"I want to feel everything for as long as I can."The full cast and crew of Dying for Sex."The show taught me so much about what sex could be...” Variety interviews Dying for Sex co-showrunners Kim Rosenstock and Elizabeth Meriwether."Molly wanted to fall in love, and she did; she fell in love with herself...so whatever is on your list of things to do before you die—you better get started.”"Love isn't just doing what you think is best for someone, whether or not they want it. It's learning how they want to be loved and loving them that way." Awesome interview with Dying for Sex co-showrunner Kim Rosenstock.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textI'm a true gore-phobe, but I was blown away by these unforgettable movies, and their amazing (and bloody) revenge moments. One is an intense, atmospheric Frankenstein horror story, the other a joyously funny Beauty and the Beast-inspired monster romcom with wit, hot monster sex and plenty of emotion. Different as they are, they're both about women coming into their own and reclaiming their power to scare away the monsters lurking everywhere, just waiting to tell them how imperfectly perfect they are.As absurd and outrageous as all of the absurd and outrageous beauty standards that infect our daily lives."While it may feel like a cautionary tale for our times, the horrors at the heart of “The Substance” have been with us for many years, and the issues the movie uncovers are so much more than skin deep."It got mixed reviews, maybe it wasn't perfect, but I absolutely adored Your Monster. I'm going to agree with the reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes who said it's a "wickedly delightful genre mashup."Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textI'm recovering from a nasty flu that has affected my voice, but hope to be back soon, so let's revisit one of my favorite episodes from the past few years. As you know, one of my favorite topics is finding hot sex, love and romance past the age of 40, 50 or even 60 — my sweetie and I have been living this dream for more than two years now and I can tell you, it's glorious. Never give up on your desires!Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a text(I'll be taking a break in the next few weeks for my sweetie's extended visit!)Seeking hot, healthy sex and love later in life is quite the adventure, as I have discovered. It helps to have a compassionate, wise guide for the journey like sex educator Dr. Donna Jennings PhD. I interviewed Dr. J  a few years ago about healthy sexuality at every age, and how to identify your deepest sexual and romantic desires, and she's the positive role model we all need.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comDr. J wears many hats in the world of healthy sexuality — and hot romance.She created the Purple Passion Reflections for Women, a card deck that aims "to help you create space for your sexual alignment so your true sexual nature can emerge...and become the sexual being you were always meant to be."Joan Price is another smart, compassionate sex educator who advocates for healthy sexuality at every age. Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textThe new Amy Schumer romcom Kinda Pregnant follows how far one woman will go to realize her fantasy of motherhood and a family of her own. After her best friend gets pregnant and tired of waiting for her own moment, she decides to wear a fake baby bump — only part time — and a hilarious, sometimes sad farce ensues. Schumer's trademark earthy humor grounds a mix of funny and emotional insights about romance, relationships, and women's role in the baby industrial complex. (CW: graphic discussions of pregnancy, brief mention of abortion)https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comI ate a cupcake out of the trash! Time to get real about our lived experience, if only to support others who might cave and eat a cupcake out of the trash."This whole story, and working with all these women, it just felt kind of revolutionary and badass to me. This is for us."The smart Slate review of this movie, which I mostly agree with.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a text(Some clips in this episode have minor spoilers). Oh I love a tone like this: funny, smart but also emotional, dark and dramatic: let's call it an American-neurotic cozy murder mystery. There is a mystery at the heart of this show, and an amazing house, but it's also about a beautiful neighborhood full of interesting couples grappling with serious issues and a desperate desire to own this classic Hollywood home, complete with mandarin tree, in trendy Los Feliz. Who does this house really belong to? Who deserves it more? Who has the resources to compete with the others for it? And should they? Despite some mildly gruesome moments, the story has a heartwarming, happy ending."Shit is about to get real."It's all such a mind-tangle! Yes it is. I hope there's a season 2.More about this "twisty series."This entire cast! Every single person in the ensemble is equally fantastic.Producer/creator Liz Feldman has such an interesting résumé. And of course she now has a podcast.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a text(I'll be taking a brief break in January – see you next year!)There's a unique flavor to British romcoms and especially British romantic holiday movies: a dash of vinegar mixed in with the sugar and spice, a grounding bite to the proceedings, a bittersweet gentle melancholy, an undercurrent that keeps it real and earns the emotion in every tiny moment and line. These movies hit just the right spot for me this year, reminding me that I'm not alone if I can bravely reach out, where there are valuable and heart-affirming connections everywhere you look.Confessionsofaclosetromantic.com"This movie is in love with that new car feeling of a new relationship." You say that like it's a bad thing. Relationship therapist ranks Love Actually romances."I like you very much, just as you are." Romcoms — and the patriarchy — need more moments like this."You'll go somewhere new and you'll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again." Best scene in the whole movie.Oh and this one. "I've got a life to start living — and you're not going to be in it!" The patriarchy needs a whole bunch more of these moments, too."Last Christmas/I gave you my heart.." Just being a human IS hard, so yes, let's do something nice for someone. You're made of everything you do.It might not be something but it could be everything. Oh this quiet, gorgeous movie.My favorite characters are the twin girls Sam and Charlie, and the turkeys. Oh boy am I kidding: everybody is my favorite character in this amazing animated movie.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textThe world can be harsh place, but the grace of love — familial, chosen family, platonic and especially intimate and romantic love  — always helps you through. It's a gift that keeps on giving and keeps you going, so let's be grateful for wherever and whenever we are graced with it. The best holiday movies and romcoms remind us that cultivating and growing relationships is never easy, but always worth it in the end.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comMy favorite holiday movies and romcoms are the ones with stories so good that you can enjoy them all throughout the year. I love the characters and plot of The Family Stone so much, I gushed over it in my first Christmas episode.The Bishop's Wife is another magical holiday movie that I could happily watch at least once a month. You can watch the full movie here.Please Rewind has a fantastic analysis of one of my favorite Woody Allen movies, which begins and ends at Thanksgiving.The Dan in Real Life trailer is — predictably — terrible. Here's one of my favorite scenes in the movie. Some amazing fan posted the DVD extras and bloopers and we are grateful.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textWho doesn't love a romantic meet cute? Who doesn't love a double meet cute, a story about fate, searching for the one — when the real one is right under your nose? Add a great script, good banter, two lead characters to root for from the first minute, a great supporting cast and some funny shenanigans while chasing a spare ticket to a sold out Pentatonix Christmas Eve concert: this sexy warm-hearted holiday romcom is just the cheer we need this year.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comDang, another trailer that fails to capture the tone of the movie. At least you see how cute everybody is.He's going to melt your heart! And other body parts. I think Lauren Holly's facial expressions sum it up for all of us.This Pentatonix mashup of Pure Imagination and Christmas Time Is Here adds that slight melancholy to the holiday that's needed this year.A round up of some of the best holiday movies streaming on Netflix this year.And start your holidays here.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textIt's the season: bring on the witchy energy. These movies could be called dark romcoms, because they center romantic love in their plots, and they're often funny, but it's a corrupted or disappointing love, with witches as the main characters scrambling to find their power and the right sorcery for success, illegal illicit or otherwise. On the way to making us laugh or cry, these movies explore some fairly serious themes around domestic violence, sexual consent, cultural conditioning, emotional abuse and how the patriarchy often strives to minimize and control women's innate power. You will definitely laugh, too.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comI guess horror comedy works too. Sex magik creates love magic, sex magik creates…Oh geez: another weird retro trailer. Even Variety agrees with me. Fortunately they have another chance to get it right, because Practical Magic 2 is now officially in the works.Bell, Book and Candle, the full movie on YouTube.The only witchy polycule that I know of.The anatomy of a spell.Witch history and self-help.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textIt took me a long time to check out this sport romance, but to say I was knocked over by this inventive, dramatic, erotic story is an understatement. It's about a threesome, a love triangle, sport prodigies, early promise, the pursuit of excellence, the thrill and disappointments of growing up, playing the game of life and love, sex as the game and the game being mostly about sex. How to explain? You just need to experience it.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com"This is a game about winning the points that matter." Does any trailer ever get it right? This is not the movie I saw. Pop some popcorn, snuggle in and watch this movie.The final match took eight months to produce. "He wanted the action to mirror the characters' complicated and sweaty dynamic — for viewers to feel like they were inside the competition, which is as much metaphor as sport." How they served the tennis scenes in Challengers.Interesting brief interview with Challengers screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes.A guide to the films of Luca Guadagnino.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a textMismatched family cultures, personal values and beliefs: most romantic couples can relate. The sexy atheist and the hot rabbi at the center of this funny and often deep and touching fish out of water romcom dodge devastating zingers, doubtful friends, meddling families, sarcastic siblings, and a culture that just doesn't want one of them, but their sparkling chemistry and faith in each other always manages to get them through.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comIs there a world where this works? There better be, because I'm hanging on for season two.Finally. This evenhanded review has a very interesting perspective." I think we need positive Jewish stories right now. I think it's interesting when people focus on, “Oh, this is a stereotype of Jewish people,” when you have a rabbi as the lead. A hot, cool, young rabbi who smokes weed. That's the antithesis of how people view a Jewish rabbi, right?" Erin Foster talks about her own conversion and creating the series.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a text(I'm taking a little break over the next few weeks because my sweetie is coming to visit! See you in October).This month, I'm celebrating the fourth anniversary of my podcast! After more than 100 episodes, I had sunk into a tiny romance slump — then I discovered these romcom parodies, poking gentle but hilarious fun at romance tropes (do grown women always trip and fall in romcoms?!) Not only are they clever and perfectly written parodies, they're also enjoyable if predictable (heh) romcoms, too. Sometimes celebrating while giggling at beloved romance conventions and clichés is just the thing you need to reinvigorate your love for an entire genre. https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comIt's just like a corny movie! Only it's real life! Wholesome yet subversive. Oh these two.You're quite beguiling — did you know that? When Liam Hemsworth tells you this in your alternate universe romcom life, you must believe.The 10 best romcoms set in New York City (See what I mean about these round ups?! I think I've seen most of these movies, but not all of them.)Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.I've been feeling a bit under the weather, while also preparing for my sweetie's upcoming visit (a much longer visit this time), and my heart's full of romance and  thoughts about when we first fell in love. So it's the perfect time to replay my episode about Cyrano, Joe Wright's lush romantic musical version of the classic Cyrano de Bergerac story. Every gorgeous musical phrase and motif by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, and lyric by The National lead singer Matt Berninger and his partner, Carin Besser, embodies the yearning thrill and desperate longing of falling deeply in love with someone. A couple of years on, I still cry when I hear this score and watch Peter Dinklage's face express the pain and exhilaration of romantic love.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comDirector Joe Wright on why Cyrano is his most personal film since Atonement.I'm incapable of hearing this song and these lyrics without bursting into tears. One of my favorite songs in the entire movie.Support the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.Being single — whether it's a temporary identity or permanent — is valid life choice, but it doesn't often feel that way in our society. Living a romantic life can mean being part of a couple, and also includes being unpartnered, child free, parenting a pet, and falling in love with yourself. Some brave real life artists and fictional characters of the 19th and early 20th century managed to create this type of life, and while you shouldn't need to be a courageous soul to pull it off, these romantic stories and movies about their lives are encouragement to live our lives out loud.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comMovies/ShowsThe pace of this movie is glacial at first and the frames and acting very mannered, but you quickly fall in love with Cynthia Nixon as Emily Dickinson in A Quiet Passion.The Brontë sisters Confidential! Tarnish and all.This is a very corny trailer from way back in the early 90s but it really sums up the Edith Wharton story well.My Cousin Rachel is all sorts of suspenseful and intense and Rachel Weisz is utterly compelling in her role as an independent widow trying to find her way in 19th century England.A Quiet Passion and the real Emily DickinsonWild nights — Wild nights! Emily Dickinson's love lifeOf course if you're lucky you can visit the Brontë parsonage in Haworth.What Edith Wharton taught me about marriageSupport the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.The 4th anniversary of the show is coming up, and I have learned so much about myself and my desires while making this podcast. I appreciate every listener, and also feel so grateful for the journey I've been on, taking a closer look at some of the best romances in books and on screen. So I'm replaying an episode from my 2nd anniversary that celebrates connection and sexual desires, and creating space for them. Even if it's a tiny corner of your heart, finding room for pleasure and passions is some of the most important interior decorating you'll ever do.Support the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.I'm child free but Anne Hathaway, Brooke Shields and Nicole Kidman are the hottest of hot mamas in these romcoms, and make motherhood look like living your best life on steroids. It's a difficult enough job without worrying if you qualify for the MILF label like these ladies do, and sure, they're guilty of mothering while sexy and gorgeous. But these actresses of a certain age playing mothers of a certain age taking a chance on hot lovers and age-gap romance also act out the real challenges of showing up for yourself, your desires and those you love, at any age.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comThere's nothing like a second chance romance — but maybe not sprung on you at your daughter's destination wedding, which she would very much like to live stream."I went a little crazy. I'm allowed, right?" Yes, yes you are."Did I not warn you? People hate happy women." This trailer is a bit all over the place, so just grab a beverage and a snack, snuggle under a blanket and watch this movie. Totally worth it.Yes, why does it take longer to find love when you get older?Support the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.Let's close out Pride Month with a replay of my episode about two amazing LGBTQ screen romances: the romantic drama Supernova, and the gleeful musical about teen love, The Prom. Prepare for snotty crying, then bopping in your chair.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comDon't miss my episode on the fantastic LGBTQ romcom Fire Island.And the fabulously funny, honest and sexy gay romcom Bros.Support the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.Hey romance friends! Let's celebrate Pride Month with a trio of smart, funny, quirky movies about queer girl crushes on high school classmates. Classmates to lovers is one of the most popular romantic tropes ever, and these movies have quite the unique take on those beats. The friendships are deep and full of love, the romantic explorations are hot, sexy, and heartfelt and the kisses are swoon-worthy. High school can be an exciting, and scary time for figuring out your desires and identity, but these young women navigate it all like the survivors they are.CW: lots of swearing, explicit talk of anatomy, sex and religionhttps://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comThe intention of Pride Month is "to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.”Looking at this trailer I laughed hysterically all over again. Bottoms is wild, horny and unhinged, but somehow it manages to become a cohesively hilarious and heartfelt queer coming-of-age romp. It's not for everyone but IYKYK.A fascinating deeper look at the cultural themes and motifs in the original Fight Club movie from 1999.There's so much more to high school life than being Booksmart — it took me a long time to learn that, too. I need to tuck this trailer away in my pocket and pull it out when I need to be cheered up. The slow mo power walk of these besties in their party era is total hysteria."Love is the trying and reaching and failing."  The Half of It would not be half the movie it is without Leah Lewis as Ellie Chu. Support the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.A romcom where a main character is addicted to porn? That's just the beginning of this amazing character study, written, directed by and starring Joseph Gordon Levitt. Jon is a difficult man to admire: he's a dishonest womanizer, marinated in heteronormative culture and toxic masculinity. Then two women cross his path and change it —one to his detriment (Scarlett Johansson as Barbara) and one to his betterment (Julianne Moore as Esther). Esther provides the mirror to Jon's behavior, and despite being at least 20 years older than he is, she's sexy, wise, and grounded and manages to wear down his defenses. This is slowburn romance with a gorgeous pay off.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comThe sexy charm of Joseph Gordon Levitt makes even a toxic Jersey boy seem vaguely attractive."Anybody can join the HITRECORD community. We make videos, stories, songs, visual art, and of course, more! So whether you like writing, acting, filmmaking, music, drawing, photography, or whatever else, there are people here making stuff you might want to collaborate on.Or even if you don't fancy yourself an “artist” per sé, this is me giving you the go-ahead to jump in anyway. Part of the spirit here has always been not to worry too much, and just give it a try."Joseph Gordon Levitt is a smart sexy cookie who left college when he decided to only 'be in good movies'."Support the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.It's been a couple of years, a hot minute since we spent time with the Bridgerton and  Featherington families. If this was real life, every single woman in the Ton would now be a confirmed spinster, but fortunately, in this glittering romantic period costume drama world, we resume the story as the wallflower Penelope Featherington finally gets the romance she has dreamed of. The second part of Season 3 airs on Netflix next month — how in the Regency world will this friends to lovers trope play out? I'm here for it all.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comDearest gentle reader, we have been apart for far too long.I'll never forget the buzz around the first Bridgerton season. Everybody talking about a...romantic period costume drama?! About time. And if you thought the first season was hot and sexy, the second one was incendiary.The completely awesome Season 3 soundtrack.This is how you do body positivity in a modern adaptation of a historical romantic costume drama.Support the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Send us a Text Message.Romance friends! I'm celebrating my 100th episode this week with an indulgent deep dive into the tear-stained emotion, blind love and delicious word play in Taylor Swift songs. My romance friend Mariah, a Swiftie from way back, returns to the show so we can gush together over the passion, the heartbreak, the artistry, the tiny exquisite emotional universe that is every Taylor Swift song (almost 250 released, and counting).https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comMusicA few of Mariah's absolute favorites:10 minute version of All Too WellMy Tears RicochetCornelia Street (Live from Paris)And a few of mine:Anti-HeroExileWillowA fantastic round up of the most iconic Taylor Swift music videos.How to become a Swiftie. "3. Read into her song lyrics. Many of them contain complex metaphors or references to her past works that you may miss on the first listen. Try listening to her music multiple times and reading the lyrics to understand her songs in depth. She usually writes about romance as well as personal struggles." I believe we've got that completely covered.Taylor Swift doesn't just have an economic impact wherever she goes, she has a cultural impact too."This award celebrates my family and my co-writers and my team. My friends and my fiercest fans and my harshest detractors and everyone who entered my life or left it."The best place to find suggestions for the most romantic Taylor Swift song or observe her songs analyzed by musically gifted fans is the Taylor Swift sub Reddit.Support the Show.If you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I'm a J Lo fangirl from way back, and even though the title of her narrative concept film based on the album of the same name seemed ridiculously self-absorbed, I got completely transported by it anyway, because...J Lo. It's not just the story of her second chance romance with the person she never stopped loving, and has reunited with over the age of 50, it's a story about how she learned to love herself in the intervening years. I was also super invested in the making-of documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told. But if I'm being honest, that title gave me the ick too — until I discovered that was what Ben Affleck called the emails and letters written to each other as they were falling in love all over again. And just like that, all was forgiven.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comI freaking love the trailer for This Is Me Now. Irresistible! The steampunk heart factory with J Lo toiling away in a sexy tank top, and her homage to Singing in the Rain, are two of my favorite scenes in this short movie.You don't figure stuff out when everything's hunky-dory — you figure it out when it's hard. Yassss, La Lopez. These trailers are absolutely compelling and were cut by a master editor — J Lo does not play. Bypass the title and get stuck into The Greatest Love Story Never Told.I got this wrong: Variety actually says "J. Lo has earned more than $1 billion in box office receipts, and that's just for her rom-coms." But I'm guessing her portion of that was in the multi millions.Decider film critics can be counted on for the most succinct and mouthwatering reviews.All you needed to know about the album, documentary and movie project."There's something bigger here that I can share about what I've learned in these past 20 years, and when I've been making all these records about love, and trying to figure that out.” Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I have the sweetest hangover that I don't want to get over. My first ever visit with my long-distance sweetie was amazing, he's already gone home, and we're already planning our next visit. I'm exhausted, but in the very best way, so I bring you a replay of my second chance romance episode, which I created a little over a year ago after I got on dating apps for the first time in years, hoping for a love like this. And then Twitter brought us together —once upon a time, it was good for something. Never give up, romance friends!The Long Distance Romance episode that I mentioned.And the Second Chance Part Two episode that I mention at the end.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I'm meeting my LDR sweetie for the first time this week, after more than a year of online dating, and excited doesn't begin to cover it. Humans are spread out all over the globe yet hyper connected, so many of us will experience a long distance romance at some point in our lives. LDRs are thrilling and intensely romantic, but  can also leave you open to frustration and pain. A decent lingerie collection, unlimited Skype, solid communication skills, generous use of emojis and regular video sex really helps. The characters in these movies love while distant in either geography or the heart, and their screen journeys have all of the intimacy, affection —and miscommunication and heartache —that's part of loving someone across the miles.CW: miscarriage, sexhttps://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com"What are you wearing?!" There are many hilarious scenes in Going the Distance thanks to the timing of this fantastic ensemble cast, but there's plenty of genuine emotion too."I have a good life, but I never again met anyone who made me feel the way you do." What Happens Later is a poignant romance about missed connections and bad timing that surprises in quiet ways. David Duchovny and Meg Ryan are a perfect match for this style of overlapping conversational script, infusing it with gentle comedy, midlife weariness and emotional depth. The ending is ambiguous, which makes the story feel light and hopeful, and if you watch to the end, you see Meg Ryan's touching dedication, which brought a lump to this romcom fan's throat.When you look at stills from the shoot, you realize how beautifully lit and art directed What Happens Later is. It looks nothing like this dinky regional airport.How to survive a long distance relationship and make it work.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I'm a classic film nut, and there's no better example of overblown, dramatic and romantic Hollywood storytelling than the movie Black Narcissus, starring Deborah Kerr. Based on the 1930s Rumer Godden novel, it's a story that shows how women throughout history have so often buried themselves in service to others as they sublimate their own feelings and desires — or more likely, find those desires shamed, controlled and punished. So let's celebrate Women's History Month by enjoying stories where women conduct even the tiniest rebellions against the oppression of their true selves. CW: explicit discussion of sex, desire and religious belief.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comMy guest, Violet Grey, blogs about kinky sex and spirituality at Becoming Violet Grey. And she writes erotica for the sex positive site BloomStories: "Intimate audio stories designed for diving deep into your pleasure." The trailer for the 1947 Black Narcissus movie. And a slightly different, thrilling and sizzling angle on the convent of Saint Faith.The enduring allure of erotic masterpiece Black NarcissusThe first edition book jacket of the novel is stunning.And so is the classic 1911 perfume on which the title is based. Rumer Godden was quite a woman.Rumer Godden converted to Catholicism late in life, and a few of her 60 works of fiction and nonfiction, like Black Narcissus, explored the mystical, spiritual and practical aspects of religious life.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

In this episode, I'm joined by my romance friend Mariah to gush, giggle, get deep and then frothy again about the Barbie movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, directed by Greta Gerwig. It was the most mega of mega movie hits last year, now Oscar nominated in many categories, and well deserved. It's been a long time since a movie has made me laugh and think this much, and we just can't stop talking about it.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comThere are more clips and even more delicious gushing in my recent Boss in Pink: Barbie (Part 1) episode.This is one of my favorite scenes in the movie, which I mentioned early on, but just couldn't fit into the episode. Who am I kidding: the whole movie is my favorite scene.The Margaret Atwood poem that Mariah mentions is You Begin.Every single person on the planet: If you haven't seen Barbie yet, please do. And then let us know what you think.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

My favorite shows, books or movies feature women over the age of 40 finding sensuality, romance and connections of whatever type they desire. Unfortunately, society likes to pretend that women — especially older women —don't have desires. There aren't many examples of sexy fearless aging in Hollywood once you get beyond the Book Club and Nancy Meyers movies, shows like And Just Like That and Grace and Frankie, all of which feature the movie industry stable of "acceptable older actresses." That doesn't stop me from constantly searching for any romantic story featuring not-young, but wise, experienced, sexy women. Erin Keating, host of the Hotter Than Ever podcast, spent her career in TV development and has thoughts about all of this. We dish, get deep, and have fun chatting about what sexy and authentic women's lives look like after a certain age, on screen and off.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comOn Hotter Than Ever, Erin Keating has fascinating, wide-ranging conversations with women who "broke the rules and reshaped their lives for the better." She also talks about career, ambition, reinvention, relationships, divorce, dating, sex (and more sex), aging, body image and more "in a frank, irreverent way that also manages to be deep as f*ck." So true. I absolutely loved her intimate, vulnerable episode from last fall, "Making Peace with Divorce and Opening Your Heart to Love."I briefly mentioned The Old Lady Project in this episode. It's an initiative to encourage the development of screenplays, scripts and theatrical works with "significant parts for women older than 50, a demographic that is mostly unseen in mainstream media."The "bottle" movie that Erin mentioned is Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, starring Emma Thompson. I did an entire episode on this fantastic movie a couple of years ago, and if you like stories about sexy, gorgeous, complicated women of a certain age, don't miss it.Personally, I've never seen a Nancy Meyers movie that I haven't loved, especially because of how sexy and authentic and messy her middle-aged women characters are.Katee Robert writes the most intelligent, sizzling hot, and kinky romantic erotica. Her Dark Olympus series is not to be missed.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I'm one of the last remaining people on planet earth to see this amazing movie, and it still managed to surprise me, even after all the hype. I love Greta Gerwig, I love her courage in telling a story about feminism and patriarchy using Bazooka pink, candy colors and a beloved, if stereotypical, doll. And I love Barbie even more now after learning about her modern diversity and variations. For a doll that's survived more than 60 years, transformed amid many cultural changes, and is still selling in the millions each year, she remains an inspiration.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comThe Barbie trailer — but you will want to see the whole thing. Maybe many times.How Greta Gerwig and her Oscar-nominated art directors created Barbieland and all those fantastic Dreamhouses.Greta Gerwig may not have gotten an Academy Award nomination as Best Director, but Barbie is nominated for Best Picture, which I forgot to mention, so that's pretty fantastic. In my Barbie Part Two episode, we'll talk about the fantastic America Ferrera performance in this movie, for which she's received an Oscar nomination.The fascinating history and evolution of Barbie.More fun facts on Barbie.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

It's a holiday miracle: I've finally watched one of the most perfect Hallmark holiday movies I've ever seen, with stellar writing, directing, editing, and acting. The story is heartfelt, it has relatable stakes, it's romantic and touching and funny: everything a holiday movie should be. Not surprisingly, it's inspired by one of my favorite romcoms of all time, Groundhog Day, the original time-loop romance. I rooted for all of the characters, and the central romance, from the first moments of this movie, and also got very very hungry for latkes with applesauce and jelly donuts.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com"A romcom where a magic dreidel causes a woman to get stuck in a Hanukkah time loop and I know what you're thinking but it's so good."A little preview to hold you over until it's re-broadcast a bit later in the month.I was invited to a friend's house for Hanukkah one year and their sweet son was so excited to teach me how to play the dreidel game.Mouthwatering recipes for Hanukkah celebrations, including a recipe for homemade jelly doughnuts or sufganiyot. I'll take mine with Nutella, please."Journalist" Vic Michaelis stars in Very Important People, interviewing "the most interesting people in society today" all played by comedians given an elaborate, surprise makeover, complete with latex masks, to help them invent a new character on the spot.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

There's no way to exactly describe the dark and hilarious debut dramedy Shiva Baby except to say: you giggle at what should be sad, feel heartbroken for what should be exciting, become annoyed with the emotional meddling, and end up a ball of stress and tension — until the twists and turns of this darkly comic plot unwind the whole thing, ending with a painfully hysterical moment and heartwarming queer romance in the making. With an emotional roller coaster loaded with relatives and lovers like these, who needs enemies? By the end of the movie, it only proves that laughter is therapy.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comShiva Baby is a little over an hour and well worth seeing, but if you only have a minute, the trailer captures some of its unique flavor.Rachel Sennott would love to "help other young women write or act in comedy" and girl, you're a fresh, generous, delightful soul. Her journey into acting and comedy —and this movie —is such a sweet wholesome story."Women decode sexual messaging from a young age...They have to process what sex means, what it can do for them, what it should do for them, what they're supposed to do for it...and I'm interested in how women figure it out." An interesting interview with director and writer Emma Seligman.A beautiful explanation of the meaning and ritual of the ancient Jewish tradition of sitting shiva.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

How I love a romance set aboard a luxury cruise ship or ocean liner, especially classic movies set on ships in the early to mid 20th-century, a heyday of ocean travel. The coziness, the leather luggage with a separate toiletries case, the cute staterooms and cabins, the service, people dressing for elegant dinner and dancing, the endless ocean views, and falling asleep rocked by waves...of course, in this dream, I'm on the Cunard Line in a massive luxury suite with full balcony, and my sweetie is right by my side as we sail to some exotic location. Shhhhh — don't wake me up.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comAll you ever wanted to know about the history of the ocean liner.Movies in this EpisodeLet Them All TalkLike FatherAn Affair to RememberGentlemen Prefer Blondes Now, VoyagerThe Lady EveOne Way Passage is a 1932 melodrama starring William Powell as an escaped murderer traveling on a ship from Asia to America to face charges. He persuades the detective supervising him to remove his handcuffs so he can flirt with a beautiful woman he's met on board, played by Kay Francis, who's in the final stages of a fatal illness. She doesn't know about him and he doesn't know about her as they fall in love. Sob.Romance on the High Seas is a ridiculously delightful romcom farce of mistaken identity on board an ocean liner, starring Doris Day in her first movie role. Dodsworth is a romantic drama about mid-life and second chances starring Walter Houston as a Midwest auto manufacturer who sells his lucrative company and sails to Europe for the trip he's always wanted. Except he's traveling with his self-centered, shallow wife, brilliantly played by Ruth Chatterton, and his affection for her is fading fast. When she begins having an affair on board right under his nose, he surprises himself by falling in love with a grounded, compassionate, free-spirited American woman also traveling on the ship, played by Mary Astor. Maybe you have to be a certain age, but I absolutely love the satisfying happy ever after in this movie. It was made in 1936 but still feels fresh today.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

It's Halloween week, and time to confess that I'm strangely attracted to Gothic horror stories and creepy "romance," especially the many interpretations of the fascinating classic 19th century novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Each filmmaker and writer present different themes in their Jekyll and Hyde adaptations, from gender and sexual politics, personal ethics and morality, to abusive patriarchal structures and class and power inequities. The original story featured only men, but that hasn't stopped many modern adaptations of the story from featuring women as a romantic plot point and catalyst for Mr. Hyde's deeply disturbing and scary nuances.CW: brief scenes and mentions of physical, sexual and psychological abusehttps://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comChat with me on Threads: poppy_confessesRecognizing domestic violence and abuse is the first step.Do you recognize the signs of dating violence and abuse?Spark Notes has the full text of the novella and explorations of its themes and motifs."A strange story of mystery and adventure, love and laughter" says the trailer for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941).  I haven't laughed once in all the times I've watched this movie, but there's plenty of mystery, suspense and spookiness.Here's the "cheap little dreams" scene from the 1941 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde movie. Spencer Tracy is seriously creepy-evil and poor Ingrid had tried to get away from his abuse for weeks and months."...[Stevenson] did not wish to have the allegory rigidly defined. 'Everything is true,' he told Sidney Colvin, 'only the opposite is true too; you must believe both equally or be damned." Fascinating look at the many interpretations and adaptations of the Jekyll and Hyde story.This scene from Mary Reilly represents the undercurrent of class, intimacy, sexuality, passion and veiled threat that this version brings to the story. Honestly Malkovich is terrifying but Julia Roberts is unflappable as Mary.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Selecting potential mates based strictly on physical attributes is definitely a vibe —as seen on the UK dating show Naked Attraction, which has recently started streaming in the US. As expected with a TV show that features full frontal nudity, it's inspiring quite a lot of discussion :)So I invited my UK-based sweetie (a.k.a. Mr. Bingley, a perfect nickname, because he's ridiculously kind, like the Jane Austen character) to discuss the nuances with me, because he has seen every episode of every season of this show. By day, he's an educator and gives presentations to college students on safe sex, consent, diversity and acceptance, among many other topics. He really likes the show, I really kind of didn't, and we come to some interesting conclusions about it. CW: explicit discussions of genitalia and sexual activityhttps://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comMy episode on the drama and romance of dating shows with Jennifer of the Every Romcom podcast.The Naked Attraction trailer for the US audience, with naughty bits covered.The full Monty,  Naked Attraction S11 ep05 episode that I featured in my episode. You know what? I couldn't stop watching this one.Season 5 episode 2 of Naked Attraction features Judith, a 57-year-old sexually open Christian chorister who is looking for a partner. To say her appearance was polarizing is an understatement (you go, Judith). The show has been fairly diverse with queer, polyamorous, disabled, trans and older contestants. The Decider "stream it or skip it" review of Naked Attraction.Apparently, plenty of Americans have now said: stream it! "The people have spoken and they want to see the peen."This review from a few years back decides that the show is cringeworthy in parts, but also "curiously heartening" and "a force for good." I think I would agree.Small exposures to body positive content can improve body image, according to research by the University of New South Wales. "They found women aged 18–25 who viewed body positive posts daily over a 14-day period reported a decrease in body dissatisfaction and less tendency to compare their appearance with others. Their improvements in body image were also maintained four weeks after viewing the content."Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I just saw Book Club: The Next Chapter,  a frothy, fun and flirty sequel to Book Club, a movie I talked about in this episode, and I'll feature the sequel in an upcoming episode. This time, the besties end up in Italy and it's a sweet and sexy exploration of long-term friendship, shared adventures, and finding your romantic bliss by taking a chance with the help of friends who almost know you better than you know yourself. They sip Prosecco in a Roman café, travel by water taxi to a Venetian palazzo, have a multi-course dinner lit by lanterns in a stunning Tuscan setting, and basically get horny for the Italian countryside.  These ladies know how to live, and they look fantastic doing it. Ciao bella.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I'm not a snob when to comes to romantic tropes. I don't discriminate: the more outlandish the better, and I love them all. Every beat might be as familiar as the back of my hand, but my attitude is: bring it on again. It's even better when there are little refreshing updates to beloved romcom plots, like in the new Netflix movie Love at First Sight. This unimaginative title promises the most smarmy movie experience ever, but it turns out to be a tender, warmhearted, romantic story about different kinds of love, fate, and the bravery it takes to embrace it all. (I tried to make this episode spoiler-free, but if you're good at picking up clues, you might want to watch the movie first).https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comFor once a really good trailer that communicates the fun and irresistible romance of this movie but doesn't hint at the emotional plot points at the center of the story. Gold stars all around.And for those who appreciate a really good spoiler synopsis (whoops, Oliver didn't miss his flight, Hadley joined him on his —insert googly heart eyes here in place of my brain).The script is co-written by Jennifer E. Smith, based on her YA romance The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. The entire cast is delightful.I certainly don't agree with all opinions in this movie review, but one thing I do agree with: Haley Lu Richardson needs to star in more romcoms."Do people really meet and in moments simply know they're meant to be? New evidence suggests: Yes, they do." Psychology Today on the phenomenon of love at first sight.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Is it Halloween yet? If it's getting cooler where you live, too, let's brew some tea or pour some hot chocolate or hot cider and snuggle on the sofa with two of the most atmospheric, painterly, creepy yet oddly feminist and romantic movies I've ever seen. CW: brief references to marital physical abuse and graphic 19th century medical techniques.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comA ghostly figure, an escapee from the local asylum, a forced marriage to a violent lunatic, and an intrepid woman who insists on wearing trousers while she's solving the mysteries: this creepy limited series, based on the classic 19th century novel by Wilkie Collins, has  it all. If you're into romantic suspense, don't miss The Woman in White. The 1948 version is a  delicious, edge of your seat creepfest as well.Oh this trailer for The Essex Serpent makes me want to start watching it all over again. Look at those mysterious, gorgeous, painterly shots! The music is so eerie and evocative, too. It's based on the award winning, best-selling novel by Sarah Perry.Watching the trailer for The Beguiled made me realize that Colonel McBurney comes into the house carried by the women, and leaves the house the same way. The Beguiled is full of luscious symbolism and gorgeous fairytale shots that lull you into a false sense of security, which only ratchets up the suspense.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I'm a huge fan of the films of Nicole Holofcener, and her latest is another lo-fi, funny, thoughtful story for anybody who's ever tried to make a romantic, platonic, sibling or parental relationship thrive. Is it ever okay to tell a little white lie to the people we love to spare their feelings? When is it okay to fib a little? Do blunt honesty, the unvarnished truth, or our brilliant but unsolicited opinions make people feel appreciated and loved, or is the truth a little more complicated?confessionsofaclosetromantic.comThe intense intimacy, affectionate humor and heartache of You Hurt My Feelings is a gorgeous emotional smorgasbord.An interview with writer/director Nicole Holofcener (not "holofcenter,"  as I said in the episode :(."The problems at the center of “You Hurt My Feelings” may seem insignificant from the outside, but when they happen to you, they're seismic." A fantastic review of the film by Christy Lemire.So exactly how should we give constructive criticism to someone we love? Some actionable tips here. Julia Louis Dreyfus does a beautiful job of acting out emotional flooding in this movie.In case you have an artistic friend or lover: Pixar's 7 essential steps to giving creative feedback.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Ever since I first saw 1959's Gidget rerun on TV, I thought surfing and beach culture looked like the most fun you could have all summer. I might be an outsider still but my surf crush continues with every surfing movie or documentary that comes along, and the crazy-sexy fictional or real-life characters who make riding multi-story ocean waves look like a beach picnic. How could you not fall in love?https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comMoviesThe one and only Gidget, the story of the "beach generation." Moondoggie's right: there is no next best thing to love!For many, Point Break (1991) with Keanu Reeves is the ultimate rush — and surfing movie.  I prefer the technically impressive 2015 remake: it's an irresistible band of brothers story with romance and a bunch of gorgeous, knuckleheaded, uber-talented adrenaline junkies who have you rooting for them from word go. The trailer alone gives me a stomachache!"This is more than about surfing — it's about the choices you make in life." Chasing Mavericks is a feel-good story about found family, the roles we're sometimes given, and the passions that make all of us tick.Supposedly, it's a "teen drama" set in a surfing town in Australia, which is why I even started watching Surviving Summer, but I got sucked right into the clever script, acting, editing and gorgeous production values.Blue Crush is the ultimate summer surf-and-sand romantic drama.DocumentariesThe Endless Summer (1966) is the granddaddy of surfing documentaries, and it's totally groovy.The "girl gang" in the new 4-part documentary Surf Girls: Hawaii are barely into their 20s and yet so impressive, wildly talented and completely awesome.The sound design, pacing and incredible surfing skills and photography on display in the multi-part documentary 100 Foot Wave keep you on the edge of your seat.One version of the Ozaki Eight based on the Point Break remake. It's definitely one way to "honor the power of the ocean." But I'll need to celebrate the ocean from the shore, on a beach blanket.Find surfing oral histories, podcasts, virtual tours and more at the Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center online.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Summer is kicking my butt, and I desperately need to chill. Let's celebrate Christmas in July and enjoy a replay of one of my favorite episodes, about one of my favorite classic holiday movies: the romantic and spiritual The Bishop's Wife, starring my movie boyfriend, the dashing and debonair Cary Grant. This story is the gift that keeps on giving: what if a gorgeous angel came down to earth to answer a bishop's prayers for guidance, giving him not what he wants, but what he needs, while falling in love with his earthly wife, making her feel appreciated, and charming the whole community as well? I can watch this movie at any time of year--it's always comforting, bringing back the coziest feelings of the chilly winter holiday season.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

It's almost reunion season — translated into stories, that theme seems to always include unrequited love and crushes, frustrated ambition, embarrassing attempts to impress, reliving lost youth, and shattered dreams. Some are dramedy, some straight-up drama, but reunion movies have one thing in common: characters whose pasts collide with the present in endlessly fascinating ways. And the plots nearly always involve a search for connection, romantic or otherwise. CW: explicit descriptions of sex acts, references to suicide, adult themeshttps://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comTV Show How to describe the first season of the anthology show The AfterParty?! Take one part Colombo, a dash of Magnum PI, a jigger of the most charming and cynical  British whodunit, more than a smidge of Knives Out,  the hilarious, streetwise, no-BS attitude of Tiffany Haddish set against an afterparty hosted by a celebrity for their high-school reunion, and you've got it.MoviesThe dancing in the kitchen! The deep affection! The musical beds! Reminisces and lost hope! The Big Chill captured a mood and a time, and the soundtrack and ensemble of gorgeous, talented actors was a big part of that."We can go to the reunion and just pretend to be successful!" Their simple plan goes gloriously haywire in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion. Personally, I think this movie has become a modern classic thanks to the deliciously sarcastic Janine Garofalo, the daffy performances of Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow as Romy and Michele, and this interpretive dance scene. The soundtrack is a perfect time capsule as well.The Royal Tenenbaums isn't nearly as precocious and precious as Wes Anderson's later films (which I happen to love) and maybe he's an acquired taste. But the quirky intellectual Tenenbaum children are supposedly influenced by characters in JD Salinger novels, and that makes them fascinating to me. I wouldn't want a reunion with this family, but they sure are interesting to watch.This Is Where I Leave You starts with infidelity and siblings reuniting to mourn the death of their father, but that that doesn't prevent them from thrashing and fighting their way through some absurd, emotional situations. The script is subtle and quietly funny, leaning on the excellent ensemble cast to bring it home, and do they ever. It reminds me of another excellent reunion film, The Family Stone, which takes place at Christmas, with siblings trading partners —unexpectedly of course, for maximum dramady. I'm so not the demographic for raunchy comedy like Zack and Miri Make a Porno but I laughed out loud throughout this movie. Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen do such a beautiful job of anchoring the amusingly outrageous friends to lovers plot in their affection, and eventual love, for each other.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

This minor Woody Allen film asks a really pertinent question for a romance podcast: do we fool ourselves by looking to the stars, horoscopes, psychics or fortune tellers to comfort and convince us that love is out there waiting for us? Or does this harmless belief in destiny help us survive a harsh and often cruel world?  While possibly making us very annoying to friends and family? Gemma Jones is the sparkling center of this quietly humorous and often emotional movie about holding onto your own brand of spirituality and belief in unseen forces that just might influence your romantic future — as everyone else's romances crumble around you.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comAs usual the trailer for You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger doesn't quite capture the playful, bright, sharp yet affectionate mood of this movie, and so much of that is due to its amazing actors."Experts say when accountability looks like individuals deciding whether they want to watch a movie or not, that isn't much justice at all." Excellent opinion piece on the complicated life of Woody Allen set against the cultural #metoo movement. "I'm blue collar — I finish a movie, sit around for a couple of days, and think: what the hell am I doing? It's boring. And I start working on something else."  Woody Allen answers reader questions for Time magazine.A nice interview with Lucy Punch on developing the sex worker character Charmaine in the movie.And finally, an interview with the amazing Gemma Jones on how she landed and developed her starring role — she was the emotional center in Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility, and she is very much the emotional center of this movie, too.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

I'm taking a closer look at two emotional and exhilarating romantic LGBTQ love stories to celebrate Pride Month. These movies are very different in tone, but are equally heartwarming and visually exciting, with incredible performances. I laughed, I cried, I danced and sang along, and you can't ask for a better celebration than that.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comSupernova has a quiet confidence that lulls you to its poignant, inevitable conclusion, but its melancholy sadness doesn't detract from the grace and beauty of its love story."We're from Broadway!" Enough said. An inclusive DIY prom hosted by Meryl Streep and an incredible cast with buckets of twinkle lights, rainbow tablecloths, and fabulous music and dancing? Who could resist? Here's your invitation to The Prom.The Prom movie is top-notch frothy yet meaningful entertainment, from the direction and production to the music, lyrics, choreography and incredible performances. Here's more information on the writers, producers, full cast and crew of this impressive collaboration.I can't get enough of this song.Ariana DeBose has been making quite a name for herself on Broadway, too. She kicked off this year's Tony Awards with the most amazing, jaw-dropping opening performance.Background on The Prom (the Broadway musical) with the story about the real student the movie and show are based on.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

It's difficult to describe the tone of this bawdy, outrageously gigglesome medieval romcom: it's played straight, for laughs, while deeply subversive, satirical and quietly hilarious, just like its 14th century source material, The Decameron. The brilliant comic acting and directing maximize the satire, connecting ancient social norms with current religious, sexual and gender politics. The result is quietly magnificent. CW: kink and sex, religious satirehttps://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comY'all! I cannot tell you how many times I've reread the Elizabeth Lowell medieval romance trilogy series. "Simon the Loyal has vowed never to love, for love makes a warrior weak..."The Decameron, Vols. I & II (English translation) are available free as downloadable ebooks on Project Gutenberg.Decameron Web, a project maintained by Brown University, is chock-full of interesting facts about the book and its text: its inspiration, the Italian culture surrounding author Giovanni Boccaccio, the motifs and themes of the allegory, and a fascinating look at sex and the clergy during medieval history.This corny Virgin Territory trailer emphasizes the bawdy farce and clergy gone wild of this 2007 romcom, also based on The Decameron. It looks like a soft porno about the Black Death, but seems equally randy if that's your mood.As usual The Little Hours trailer really doesn't capture the complex tone of this movie, so let's take a look at a few scenes.John C Reilly's face throughout this scene makes the whole thing. Well that, and Dave Franco's innocent yet hilarious way of describing 69 and jizz kink to a priest.Parts of this movie could be described as Sisters Behaving Badly and no one behaves worse than Aubrey Plaza in a habit. She's a reluctant, eye-rolling bride of Christ in the most hilariously inappropriate way in this scene, poking fun at cloistered clergy's isolation, sexual repression and fear of the secular world in medieval culture.A fun interview with Seth Meyers and Dave Franco where he describes his wife Alison Brie's reaction to his threesome scene in the movie. Oh yes ladies and gentlemen, it's a hot one. Very little consent, sadly, but very hot.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

Bros was a bit of a box office disappointment, but it's a fabulously funny, honest and sexy gay romcom. Fire Island may have gotten there first by also showcasing an entirely LGBTQ cast, but when it's about romcoms this good, everybody's a winner. We're finally hearing different voices in Hollywood (not enough), and seeing a diversity of people (not enough, but going in the right direction) experiencing on-screen romance and love, and it's about damn time.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comFire Island is another funny, sexy and pioneering gay romcom. I covered it last year. At last! A really fantastic trailer that captures the vibe of the movie! Billy Eichner talking about how he came to write this movie.The anatomy of that hilarious picnic in the park scene.How Sleepless in Seattle influenced the Bros movie score.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

What more could be said about witty, gorgeous George Clooney? For a long time now, George has been a worthy modern day Cary Grant, with all of the bantering sexy suave of that classic film icon. But I've noticed in more recent roles that George is moving into his rumpled cargo shorts phase (with just the slightest potbelly, still ridiculously attractive) as he adds more and more father figure roles to his hot little filmography.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.comMoviesThis vintage trailer makes Room for One More sound like a sexually charged romp with the parents of a family of young kids, which it really isn't (thankfully). Though a desperate Cary Grant craving alone time with his wife for some private adult fun is quite the subtle and sexy subplot.There's some icky sexist late 1950s patriarchal stuff in Houseboat but it doesn't take away from the chemistry between luminous Sophia Loren and gorgeous Cary Grant, who fall for each other as they team up to care for his motherless children.Penny Serenade is a romantic melodrama that punches all of the right buttons, a story about a couple (Irene Dunne and Cary Grant) who can't get pregnant and decide to adopt a baby, with all of the struggle and heartbreak — and joy — that follows. The child who plays their daughter is insanely adorable.Out of Sight is one of those amusing action-packed sexy capers that succeeds because of the fantastic ensemble acting and lively direction. As the two unlikely romantic leads, Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney —and director Steven Soderbergh —knock it out of the park. This movie is still memorable more than 25 years later.Much like the Rat Pack original, the Ocean's Eleven remake is packed to the rafters with stylish, sexy, attractive actors projecting that super-fun-when-it's-fictional alpha male energy. George Clooney, as the insanely handsome, smooth, cocky and confident con man ringleader, is at his peak here.The sad yet funny tone and deep themes of The Descendants coupled with the low-key, authentic performances and Hawaiian music underscoring the emotion, turn this movie into a quiet masterpiece. A young Shailene Woodley won awards and industry recognition for her portrayal of George Clooney's daughter Alex.Ticket to Paradise is completely predictable but also surprising in some ways, with amazing chemistry between the romantic leads and the excellent ensemble cast, which is how all good romcoms should be.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!

The only romantic breakups I "enjoy" are fictional ones, especially if the couple makes up after learning something valuable about themselves and their partner. Nothing better than romantic reconciliation, but sometimes the healthiest outcome is going our separate ways, and we often discover that our best romance is with ourselves. Romcom realizations like these are much easier and neater to achieve on film, and that's probably why I love screen stories like these.https://www.confessionsofaclosetromantic.com/Movies Begin Again is a quiet little film about artistic integrity and one woman's awakening to the romance she has cultivated with herself--- and who doesn't love Adam Levine in one of his first film roles as Keira Knightley's rockstar boyfriend?It's hard to believe that the writer of Thor: Love and Thunder (Jennifer Kaytin Robinson) wrote and directed the sweet, warm Someone Great. I fell in love with Gina Rodriguez in this movie, and the trio of leads turn this into a charming story about the importance of friends in any life transition, especially romantic endings.I loved every single second of I Want You Back and I shipped the pairing of Jenny Slate and Charlie Day from word go — as friends, as lovers, no matter what, I just wanted them to be in each others' lives. Even if they did act out pretty outrageously.Is there anything sexier and cuter than John Cusack in his prime? Is there anything more hilarious than Jack Black as a supporting actor in pretty much any movie?! As far as I'm concerned, High Fidelity remains a romcom classic. And it was shot in my hometown, too.Yes we've seen a similar romcom before (Before Sunrise) but the inventive way that Rye Lane is constructed — from the story structure to the editing and sound design —plus the setting and absolute charm of the leads, make this a refreshing, unexpected take on the trope.I think two of the most emotional,  philosophical and authentic movies ever made about lost romantic love are La La Land and 500 Days of Summer.Cosmopolitan magazine has rounded up 39 of the best movies to help you get over even the nastiest break up.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please click share in your podcast app and tell your friends! Thanks for listening!