We've Got a PR Package! (Middle Life)

In this week's episode, our guests truly fall in love... with the idea of having enough money to buy a dilapidated Tuscan villa on a whim. The 2003 film, Under the Tuscan Sun, is a heartfelt story about reclaiming your own story, finding your own family, and reshaping your plans. Is this a rom-com? You'll have to listen to find out.Digressions include the unattainable dream of owning real estate, the joys of all-gay Italian tours, and our unending love of Sandra Oh.Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out.

This week, our hosts observe the real joys of fake dating as they dissect The Love Hypothesis (2026). Chelsea has some hot takes on movie snacks, but Madison’s hotter take may be declaring this film the best rom com of the year. Starring adorable bi-con Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman, this feel-good tale of shenanigans in academia will have you believing in love and thankful that STEM-inisim isn’t dead, despite the many mad experiments the patriarchy throws our way. Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn examination of classic tropes and iconic characters pitsconnoisseur 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 timeHarry 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 love conquer all? Tune inevery other Wednesday to find out.

This episode has arrived to your feed as Elizabeth Olsen and Miles Teller arrive to the afterlife in the 2025 romantic comedy, Eternity. If you found yourself in afterlife, forced to choose between the love cut short or the love that had more time than most, which would you choose? Chelsea and Madison have more questions than answers when it comes to the design of choosing one's ever after, why is needs to center around a man at all, and why they just don't like Miles Teller (hint: it was the Top Gun stache for Mads). Tune in to this week's episode to hear about opinions on heaven, hell, and whatever is in between. Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out.

In the season 8 premiere, LAFS has got mail! And our hosts play host to a Canadian rom com that wandered into their inbox as they discuss Middle Life (2025). Although they agree that the film’s romantic pairing gave stronger friend than lover vibes, they determine its depiction of a disengaged marriage serves as a reminder to put more effort into your relationships (romantic or otherwise). In between ruminating on why rom coms continue to perpetuate the idea that men and women cannot be friends, Chelsea strongly objects to a certain lead’s recurring vocal stim, and Madison just hopes the LAFSters will forgive her “sub-optimal” audio quality. Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out. 

Welcome to this season's LAFS book club meeting! Didn't read it? We will tell you the whole plot to entice you to do so. We have Pete's Coffee (not to be confused with Peet's Coffee), we have Biscoff bread. and most importantly, we have the delicious Emily Henry novel, Beach Read. Our hosts discuss how rich a romantic comedy (is this a rom com?) can be when allowed to unfold more completely on the page, rather than the silver screen. Mads waxes on about loss-- not just of a person, but the person you thought they had been, the perils of falling out of love with both love and writing, and ultimately making amends with it all. Chelsea reminds Mads that she is the coolest person in the world for interviewing Emily Henry during her 2020 Beach Read press tour. P.S. Chelsea-- drop the title of the dinosaur erotica. Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out.

This week, our hosts unwrap a new (or perhaps centuries-old) love story as they transform The Mummy (1999). Chelsea proposes dialing up the bisexual energy of this beloved film. Madison requests cutting the bugs by half—or, better yet, exterminating them entirely! Together, they conjure a (rom-com?) story with a suggested cast that will make LAFSters weep. (And don't worry, we're keeping Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.)Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out.

This week, our hosts tackle concepts of infidelity. communicating in relationships (especially if they may have run their course), and meander down tangents about rom com book covers. Daniel Radcliffe really should be a rom com lead more often and we should all consider how we allow ourselves to love and be loved. Also, Madison totally lied about her Letterboxd top 4 and Marissa has the proof. Check out the Insta to see the truth uncovered!Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out.

CONTENT WARNING: Sad animals. Really sad animals. Casual transphobia.This week, our hosts choke back tears as they try not to think about why a widower would keep kibble loose in his kitchen drawer while discussing Return to Me (2000). Madison threatens extreme punitive measures for local garden thieves, and Chelsea can't believe her co-host found a second heart-transplant romance film...and then made her watch them both in the same season! Starring David Duchovny (who Mads just really likes to look at) and Minnie Driver (who is stunning), this Bonnie Hunt-written/directed film asks if we believe in love after loss (or whatever Cher was singing about in the 90s).Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out.

At this point, Madison should have to issue Chelsea a formal apology for making her watch such terrible movies. This week, Chelsea was subjected to the 2013 film Not Another Happy Ending, featuring the lovely Karen Gillan. This film is less a cohesive story and more of a cocktail of rom com tropes that leaves a sour taste and an unsatisfactory finish. The long intro really seals the deal on how badly our hosts tried to avoid discussing the movie, but discuss it they must. Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out.

This week, our hosts are breaking LAFS' cardinal rule—they've both seen the movie before...and there's no guest!! To be fair, it was difficult to locate someone who hadn't seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). Starring and written by Nia Vardalos, and featuring Michael Constantine, John Corbett, and Andrea Martin, this crowd-pleasing flick has so much to offer: attainable character professions, dermatological life hacks, and a romantic male lead who truly feels like he was written by a woman (well, he was). Madison and Chelsea have long argued whether or not this film is a rom com; this time they'll have to definitively (if not reluctantly) decide its status.Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatfirstscreening/Email: [email protected] Hosts: Chelsea Ciccone and Madison HillMusic: Good StephArtwork: Chelsea CicconeSocial Media: Marissa CicconeAbout the ShowAn 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 love conquer all? Tune in every other Wednesday to find out.