The Wicker Man

In this episode, Hailey and Javi dive into the romantic comedy classic My Best Friend's Wedding and unpacking all the messiness. What makes Julia Roberts' character so different from the typical rom-com leading lady? We explore feelings of inadequacy when comparing ourselves to people we perceive as more desirable, the movie's original ending, kissing theory, and the advantages and disadvantages of actors becoming typecast. We also give Rupert Everett and Cameron Diaz their flowers while examining Michael's many red flags, as well as the fine line between control and desperation.Beyond the movie, we take a tour through the history of weddings, how modern marriage traditions have evolved, chakra energy leaks, and the symbolism of veiling. Then we venture into the world of non-monogamy, discussing comet partners, closed and open V structures, hinges in a V, mono-poly relationships, and lavender marriages. And, of course, Javi shares his personal impressions and takes on the film.Is My Best Friend's Wedding really a love story, a cautionary tale about wanting what you can't have, or something much more complicated? Let's get into it.https://www.instagram.com/justbepolypodcast/

In this episode, Hailey and Javi dive into the 2011 romantic comedy What's Your Number?, starring Anna Faris and Chris Evans, and unpack the messy, hilarious, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about sex, dating, and relationships hiding beneath the romcom clichés.From body counts, virginity, and society’s double standards for men and women to the ways alcohol can lead to regrettable decisions, we explore how personal values and societal expectations shape our experiences with intimacy. We also discuss fake accents, basketball culture in romantic comedies, lavender marriages, and the ever-evolving world of dating advice, including Canada's dating coach Chantel Heidi.Then things get especially interesting as we venture into polyamory! What does it mean to be polysaturated? How can you be a good wingman for your own partner? And what does it actually mean to be a responsible hinge in kitchen-table polyamory? We get into the complicated dynamics between metamours, who’s responsible for maintaining those relationships, and the importance of knowing when to step back and relinquish control.Whether you're monogamous, polyamorous, somewhere in between, or just here for the questionable romantic decisions, join us for a conversation about sex, love, expectations, and figuring out what healthy relationships look like on your terms.Because apparently, one romcom can lead to A LOT of relationship discourse.https://www.instagram.com/justbepolypodcast/

In this episode, Hailey and Javi discuss the 2008 rom-com Made Of Honor. They explore an array of topics: From the enduring appeal of Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan to the psychology of stalkers, how Robert Pattinson drove away his own stalker, and the surprisingly fascinating real-life history of Casanova (and his constituents). We get into the art and life of Modigliani, examine the role of basketball and what it seems to represent among men in 2000s rom-coms, and take a cosmic detour into astrology and the infamous Saturn Return. There's also plenty of personal chaos along the way with Javi's suave nose-picking, as well as Hailey's crush on ER Fightmaster. Expect polyamorous themes around boundaries, new relationship energy (NRE), as well as social commentary on tradition, societal expectations/norms, marriage, and family to arise as well, of course.https://www.instagram.com/justbepolypodcast

Hailey and Javi revisit the 2005 rom-com John Tucker Must Die and discover that there’s much more to unpack than Y2K fashion and girl boss revenge. They discuss the fantasy vs. reality of high school, wealth and class in the US school system, and how our perspectives on movies change as we grow older. They also dive into Hailey’s real-life “John Tucker,” honesty vs. transparency, self-worth and feeling chosen, the power of saying no, job shopping vs. job hunting, toxic masculinity, bringing new partners into a home with children, how breakups can affect polycules, and was John Tucker cheating on Kate the entire time?Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/justbepolypodcast

Today , Hailey and Javi dive into Ti West's 2022 horror slasher X, starring Mia Goth and Jenna Ortega, using the film as a springboard for a wide-ranging conversation about horror, sexuality, relationships, and aging. Alongside discussing Ti West's direction, the wave of incredible horror films released in 2022, and the film's prequel Pearl, they explore themes of jealousy versus envy, shame surrounding sex, the home-video revolution in the porn industry, and the fear of growing older. The episode also branches into more personal and philosophical territory, touching on Hailey's original poetry books, biblical ideas like Sodom and Gomorrah, the beauty of fireflies and living in the moment, and nuanced conversations around consent, communication, and assumed boundaries. Hailey and Javi discuss relationship dynamics through the lens of non-monogamy, referencing Chantal Heide and the educational polyamorous organization Decolonizing Love while unpacking topics like hinge dynamics in a V relationship, boundaries versus demands, emotional vetos, balancing time between partners and yourself, emotional stress manifesting physically, and even the societal assumptions of cucking. All while tying these ideas back to the provocative themes at the heart of X.https://www.instagram.com/justbepolypodcast/

Hailey and Javi discuss the 1992 dark comedy, Death Becomes Her. Topics discussed include: Meryl Strep, Bruce Willis, Industrial Light And Magic, the symbolic origins of the magic potion, plot holes in the film, self-esteem, vanity, beauty standards, death, immortality, validation from others, Greta Garbo, morticians, diagetic sound, Robert Zemeckis, the symbolism of white in film, Sidney Pollock, celebrities, wealth, Hailey's processing delay, hypocrisies in cheating, scheduling with multiple partners, age gap relationships, putting partners through loyalty tests, eyes fluttering body language, Sabrina Carpenter, and Jenna Ortega.https://www.instagram.com/justbepolypodcast/

Hailey and Javi discuss the original 1973 film The Wicker Man. Topics discussed include jealousy, threesomes, feeling left out, the Epstein files, the book of Daniel, ancient Celtic paganism, why coins are put on the eyes of the dead, Styx, Greek mythology, witches, folk music, religion, varieties of possible ENM boundaries, Christopher Lee, and is this actually a musical?https://www.instragram.com/justbepoly

Hailey and Javi discuss the 2016 horror comedy, The Love Witch. Topics discussed include: sex eyes, Wicca, Silver Ravenwolf, Charmed, scrying, Anna Biller, Gallo music and films, astrology, disassociation, gender role reversals, sexual assault, suicide, kaleidoscope effects, the film's retro aesthetic, sexism, femininity, sexuality, crime DNA analysis, and Lana Del Rey.

Hailey and Javier discuss the 2009 erotic thriller Chloe starring Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried, and Liam Neeson. Topics discussed include Chloe's uncomfortable themes, death of the artist, the original French film Nathalie..., how the film visualizes tension, the hidden metaphor of mirrors, sex work, rejection therapy, communicating feelings, emotional check-ins, family meetings, insecurities caused by aging, negotiating boundaries, meeting people where they're at, unicorns, shame, how affirmations shape the brain, the film's alternate endings, queer criticism of the film, and what's more disturbing: pedophilia or sneezing into a hand?https://www.instagram.com/justbepolypodcast/

Hailey and Javi discuss the 2015 gothic romance Crimson Peak. Topics covered include what defines a period piece, Guillermo Del Toro, the symbolism of rubies in film, how ghosts manifest physically, vampire moths, ghosts' attachments to people and places, Fernando Velazquez, the happy major scale vs the sad minor scale, the importance of kiss chemistry, personal growth through polyamory, why other partners' dates must be respected, the power of journaling, long form media in the modern age, porn, and can polyamory solve incest?https://www.instagram.com/justbepolypodcast/