This week Every Rom Com is ending our Time Travel series and kicking off our Horror Rom Com series with the 2019 sequel to one of last year’s picks - “Happy Death Day 2U”! We’ll discuss our favorite sequels, talk about whether the science in the movie holds up, and delve into the multiverse! We’ll also pitch our story ideas for a much-hoped-for 3rd installment in a movie series we both enjoy! 0:00-9:38 Introduction, Favorite Sequels, What Makes A Good Sequel? 9:38-21:00 TRAILER, Basic Info, Inte...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 47
This week on Every Rom Com, we travel back in time to Paris in the 1920’s as we discuss the 2011 film “Midnight In Paris.” We talk about nostalgia and golden age thinking, learn about some of the greatest writers and artists of the 20’s, and decide whether we’d take a leap back in time. We also cover Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, and give our opinions on Woody Allen and how to approach art by artists who are accused of crimes or wrongdoing. Whether it’s midnight or not, I hope you’ll get in the...
Oct 15, 2022•2 hr 15 min
This week on Every Rom Com, we’re joined by Jason Kleeberg of the Force Five Podcast, as we talk about one of his favorite romantic comedies - “About Time.” We’ll contemplate the beauty of ordinary days; explore the careers of Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy, and Rachel McAdams; and we’ll answer the question: what would you do if you could rewind and redo your own life? All this and much more as we continue our Time Travel and Time Loop series! 0:00-11:56 Introducing Jason Kleeberg from the Force F...
Sep 29, 2022•2 hr 8 min•Ep. 45
This week on Every Rom Com we’re covering the foundational movie of the time loop genre - “Groundhog Day”! You’ll definitely learn something new, as we discuss everything from its filming location, to the story behind the script, to the history of Groundhog Day itself. We also delve into time loop ethics, pitch perhaps our wildest sequel idea yet, and proffer intriguing theories about Ned Ryerson. And of course we cover the romance of it all, though the most romantic part of this episode might b...
Sep 17, 2022•2 hr 30 min•Ep. 44
This week on Every Rom Com we’re continuing our Time Travel and Time Loop series with a look at the 2004 favorite “13 Going On 30.” We’ll discuss the careers of Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo, highlight the film’s iconic moments - from the “Thriller” dance to sharing Razzles, and compare the film to other time travel and body swap movies, with a focus on the 1988 movie, “Big.” But most of all we’ll go back in time in our own lives and reflect on the trials and joys of being 13 - and 30! 0:00-1...
Aug 29, 2022•2 hr 6 min•Ep. 43
This week on Every Rom Com, we’re beginning our Time Travel and Time Loop series with the 1980 romantic classic “Somewhere in Time” - featuring two co-hosts who tell time travel tales of their own! We’ll explore the careers of Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, and film composer John Barry; give you the lowdown on the movie’s luxurious Grand Hotel setting; and then Cybil and Ishtar will astound you with time travel theories informed by their own experiences! Join us for our appreciation and medita...
Aug 15, 2022•2 hr 11 min•Ep. 42
This week on Every Rom Com we’re discussing the music and the misery of “High Fidelity” with Courtney E. Smith, author of the 2011 book Record Collecting For Girls and host of the podcast “Songs in The Key Of Death.” We discuss John Cusack and Nick Hornby, memorable breakups on and off screen, and a whole lot of music! Courtney gives her picks for the top 5 rom com soundtracks, lays out some mixtape-making wisdom, and reviews your picks for best breakup songs! It’s an intersection of music nerds...
Aug 06, 2022•2 hr 16 min•Ep. 41
This week on Every Rom Com we’re joined by Asa Espanto of the Bawdy Literati podcast as we discuss our first movie by rom com regular, Jennifer Lopez, the 2001 hit “The Wedding Planner.” We’ll take a look at wedding planning as a career; look back on the truly impressive careers of Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, and Judy Greer; and look more closely at the technically impressive filmmaking driving this genre film. Don’t miss the end of the episode where we workshop at least 3 viable plotlines for “...
Jul 24, 2022•2 hr 30 min•Ep. 40
This week on Every Rom Com, we’re bringing “something old” to the wedding series, with a look at the 1940 classic, “The Philadelphia Story”, starring Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart. We’ll delve into Hollywood history, discuss the fascination with celebrity weddings, and apply a heavy dose of feminist analysis to the film’s plot. Also find out who’s into Jimmy Stewart and who’s *really* into Cary Grant. And stick around to the end for a great batch of double feature recommendati...
Jul 08, 2022•2 hr 7 min•Ep. 39
This week on Every Rom Com, Jen and Cybil take on the 2005 lesbian love story, “Imagine Me & You”, which begins at a wedding with a fateful glance between the bride and the wedding florist. Though Jen and Cybil find the film lacking in both chemistry and research on florists, the episode features hilarious commentary, a discussion on love at first sight including a strange never-before-told story from Jen, and research on flower meanings that writer/director Ol Parker seems to have neglected...
Jun 24, 2022•2 hr 19 min•Ep. 38
This week on Every Rom Com we go to the dark-ish side of the rom com genre and join Julia Roberts on her mission to break up a wedding in “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” On the way we explore the gay best friend trope via perhaps the most-beloved gay best friend in rom com history; we mostly succeed at a wedding music trivia challenge; and we talk about an epic karaoke scene with Ed Cunard from the karaoke podcast, The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly). Stay to the end for the lowdown on the film’s t...
Jun 14, 2022•2 hr 19 min•Ep. 37
This week on Every Rom Com, we’re flashing back to the 80’s via the 90’s, for the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore hit, “The Wedding Singer.” We’ll lean into 80’s nostalgia with our choices for the movie’s best music and fashion. We’ll look into the real life work of a wedding singer. And we’ll celebrate the late Alexis Arquette, whose portrayal of George added so much to the film. All this, some bad singing from Jen, and much much more as we continue our wedding series! 0:00-8:04 Introduction, Seren...
Jun 02, 2022•2 hr 15 min•Ep. 36
This week Every Rom Com would like to cordially request the pleasure of your company as Jennifer Howell and Cybil Solyn celebrate the beginning of our wedding series! We’re starting off with 2009’s “The Proposal”, a Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds fake-dating classic, which is also one of the highest-grossing romantic comedies of all time! Along the way we discuss a rom com dog, proposal stories, a problematic scene that was somehow never widely critiqued, and whether Sandra Bullock is in fact the ...
May 17, 2022•2 hr 5 min•Ep. 35
This week on Every Rom Com we’re wrapping up the Gen-X Rom Com Series with what might be director Kevin Smith’s greatest film - “Chasing Amy.” Serena and Jen are joined by Ed Cunard, co-host of the must-listen karaoke podcast, The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), who shares his knowledge of comic book culture and even breaks out into a bit of (not-poor) singing. And as usual we dive into the making of the film, discuss the cast and crew, and give our opinions on the movie’s portrayal of sexuali...
May 06, 2022•2 hr 24 min•Ep. 34
On this episode of Now Streaming, Jen gives her recommendations for some great Gen-X gay and lesbian movies, and Cybil gives you the lowdown on some of the best new TV and movies on HBO! Not sure what to watch this week? Our quick and fun reviews are bound to uncover something for every taste! Where to Find Movies in Our Gen-X Rom Com Series: She’s Gotta Have it - Netflix Heathers - Prime, Plex, The Roku Channel Singles, True Romance, Reality Bites - available to rent on various platforms, or ch...
Apr 18, 2022•20 min
This week on Every Rom Com, Sophia and Jen take on the definitive Gen-X rom com as we discuss 1994’s “Reality Bites.” We’ll talk about Helen Childress, the 20-year old writer tasked with defining her generation; Ben Stiller, directing his first feature; and a cast of Gen-X icons led by Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke. We’ll discuss the advent of reality TV and how this movie satirized the genre before it took over our screens. We’ll also cover the hit soundtrack, the influential fashion, the histor...
Apr 04, 2022•2 hr 43 min•Ep. 33
This week on Every Rom Com, we’re once again traveling beyond the borders of the rom com genre to discuss the first movie written by Quentin Tarantino, “True Romance.” We’ll talk about Tarantino’s influence on Gen-X filmmaking and culture, and discuss some of the controversy that surrounds him today. We’ll talk about love at first sight, and ponder whether main characters Clarence and Alabama have found true love or something else. And we’ll discuss some of the action-packed scenes and memorable...
Mar 12, 2022•2 hr 8 min•Ep. 32
This week on Every Rom Com we enter the grunge era, as we revisit Seattle with Cameron Crowe’s “Singles.” It was a much different time for dating, and Sophia and Jen wax nostalgic on the old tech they did use (landlines and answering machines) and marvel at the wacky tech they never got a chance to use (video dating!!!) We contemplate whether one lead character would have been better off dating their plastic surgeon, and disagree on whether Campbell Scott seems creepy. Finally, we give you a sle...
Feb 25, 2022•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 31
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Every Rom Com brings you some tainted love, in the form of “Heathers”, our second installment in the Gen-X Rom Com series. We’ll talk about the movie’s biting satire around difficult issues including teenage suicide, homophobia, and school violence. We’ll discuss the memorable dialogue and fashion that influenced future teen movies from “Mean Girls” to “Clueless.” And we’ll discuss a talented cast and crew, including two of Gen-X’s most recognizable icons - Wino...
Feb 12, 2022•2 hr 46 min•Ep. 30
This week on Every Rom Com, we’re kicking off our Gen-X Rom Com Series with a look at an 80’s indie film that served as an inspiration for the 90’s indie film movement. We’ll talk about changing attitudes towards non-monogamous relationships, LGBTQ representation, and consent. And we’ll explore the career of one of America’s best-known filmmakers as we discuss Spike Lee’s feature film debut, “She’s Gotta Have It.” 0:00-8:26 Introduction, Generational Identities 8:26-20:49 Trailer, Basic Info, In...
Jan 28, 2022•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 29
This week on Every Rom Com, it’s a special 1- year anniversary episode with Jen, Cybil, and Sophia! We’ll talk about our favorite episodes and movies of 2021, give our picks for the Most Underrated Rom Coms, and talk about some of our other favorite movies and TV shows outside of the rom com world! 0:00-5:45 - Introduction, What’s Your Goal for 2022? 5:45- 21:16 - Favorite (And Least Favorite) Episodes, Movies, and Memories From Our First Year of Podcasting, Has The Podcast Changed Your View of ...
Jan 19, 2022•50 min
This week on Every Rom Com join us for some holiday cheer as we wrap up the Christmas Rom Com series with Netflix’s new gay Christmas rom com “Single All the Way.” We’ll do an overview of other gay Christmas rom coms, discuss Christmas rom com tropes, and Jen gives a fast and furious ranking of the many Netflix Christmas rom coms she’s seen. Mostly, however, we’ll discuss what melted our hearts, and what failed to light our holiday fires, in this newest addition to the Christmas rom com canon. 0...
Dec 21, 2021•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 28
This week on Every Rom Com we’re continuing our Christmas Rom Com series with the 2006 Queen Latifah movie “Last Holiday.” We’ll talk about the hotel and spa town that served as the film’s location; explore the careers of director Wayne Wang, Queen Latifah, and L.L. Cool J; and talk about how confronting death can help us discard our fears and realize our dreams. We’re joined this episode by Jen’s brother and Luna’s husband, Ishtar, who brings the perspective of his own spiritual practices and r...
Dec 09, 2021•2 hr 29 min•Ep. 27
This week on Every Rom Com we’re kicking off our Christmas Rom Com series with one of our funniest episodes yet, as we rank the storylines in “Love Actually” from worst to best. We’ll also talk about writer-director Richard Curtis, the making of the film, and our favorite holiday movies! 0:00-9:12 Introduction, What are your Christmas go-to movies? What Christmas movies do you dislike? Mainlining Christmas site, mentioned by Cybil: https://www.mainliningchristmas.com/ 9:12-24:42 TRAILER, Basic I...
Nov 24, 2021•2 hr 16 min•Ep. 26
This week on Every Rom Com we’ll have you at hello as we break down the 1996 Cameron Crowe film, “Jerry Maguire.” We’ll show you the money the film made, share behind the scenes tidbits, and perhaps make you rethink whether one of the film’s most famous romantic scenes really completes you. We’ll also welcome our first ever man on the podcast - artist, author and adventurer Ryan Estrada - who’s on a quest to figure out why he loves this movie, despite not really caring for Tom Cruise, Cameron Cr...
Nov 16, 2021•2 hr 21 min•Ep. 25
This week on Every Rom Com we’re finishing our Horror Rom Com series with the zombie rom com “Warm Bodies”, starring Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer. We’ll discuss what we found unbelievable, what we found relatable, the scenes that made us laugh, and the scenes that warmed our hearts. Then later in the episode we decide whether we’d date a zombie and play a few hysterical rounds of “F Marry Kill: Monster Edition.” Join us for a final round of Halloween fun as we “exhume” this 2013 horror rom c...
Oct 29, 2021•2 hr 27 min•Ep. 24
This week on Every Rom Com, join Jen and horror superfan Apollonia as we take on the 2019 Lupita Nyong’o zombie rom com “Little Monsters.” We’ll talk about the zombie rom com genre, decide if we have what it takes to survive the zombie apocalypse, and use our previous experience as teachers to discuss the special challenges of dealing with zombies on a kindergarten field trip. And as usual we’ll suggest a great assortment of double feature recommendations for your Halloween viewing pleasure! 0:0...
Oct 25, 2021•2 hr 27 min•Ep. 23
On this first ever Halloween edition of Now Streaming, Sophia and Jen recommend some spooky and seasonal movies and TV shows featuring romance, comedy or both. Jen goes heavy on Victorian gothic romances, while Sophia helps out listeners who can’t handle big scares. Whether you want to laugh, scream, cry, or just get in the Halloween spirit, we’ve got you covered. We also let you know where to find some great double feature choices for the movie featured in our last episode, “Happy Death Day.” W...
Oct 18, 2021•27 min
This week Every Rom Com kicks off our Horror Rom Com series as Cybil and Jen discuss “Happy Death Day” - a time loop slasher film with a side of romantic comedy. We’ll discuss Blumhouse Productions, director Christopher Landon, and a cast of up and coming actors that made this movie great. We’ll talk about our favorite horror movies, our favorite time loop movies, and how this movie intersects with both genres. And we’ll talk about what it means to make a feminist horror film, and how “Happy Dea...
Oct 08, 2021•2 hr 6 min•Ep. 22
This week, join Every Rom Com for the first in a recurring series of Marvel Cinematic Universe Rom-Com Crossovers, as we watch Paul Rudd’s Ant Man and Michelle Pfeiffer’s original Wasp in the 2007 romantic comedy “I Could Never Be Your Woman.” We’ll revisit age gap romances (yes, Rudd & Pfeiffer are a couple in this film!), talk favorite teen TV shows, and discuss Saoirse Ronan, who made her feature debut in this movie. Cybil, our podcast’s resident esthetician, is back with some professiona...
Sep 22, 2021•2 hr 11 min•Ep. 21
