The New York Times’s film critic Alissa Wilkinson has a theory about movies: They’re all about relationships. No matter how big the action, the suspense and tension we experience when watching a film is often really about the feelings between the characters.
But romantic relationships often fall back on old tropes, like the long-suffering wife of an ex-cop ... Show More
Sep 2
In 24 Hours, My Whole Life Changed
Blake Martin was in his car waiting to pick up pizza when a notification from his doctor hit his phone. As he read it, his stomach dropped and his mind started racing. It was the second life-changing piece of news he’d received within 24 hours, and it threw his entire idea of the ... Show More
37m 57s
Aug 26
Hosting an Orgy Is About More Than Just Sex
Jess Zakira Wise knew she wanted to experiment with group sex, but as she got into the scene she struggled to find a sex party where she felt comfortable. She kept finding spaces that were male-dominated and heteronormative, things she was trying to escape from. So, Jess started ... Show More
37m 58s
Jul 2025
“Materialists,” “Too Much,” and the Modern Rom-Com
Audiences have been bemoaning the death of the romantic comedy for years, but the genre persists—albeit often in a different form from the screwballs of the nineteen-forties or the “chick flicks” of the eighties and nineties. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham ... Show More
54m 37s
Jul 2025
What the movies get right (and wrong) about relationships, with Paul Eastwick, PhD, and Eli Finkel, PhD
For many of us, movies offer our earliest lessons in love and help shape our expectations about what romance and relationships might look like. Relationship researchers Paul Eastwick, PhD, and Eli Finkel, PhD, are cohosts of the podcast “Love Factually,” where they use psychology ... Show More
38m 47s
Jun 2023
'Past Lives,' the Start of Oscar Season, and the Top Five Most Romantic Movies of All Time
Sean and Amanda dive deep into 'Past Lives,' one of the year's finest films and an extraordinary example of writing, directing, and acting in romantic storytelling (1:00). Then, they share their five favorite romantic films (58:00). Finally, Sean is joined by writer-director Celi ... Show More
2 h
Nov 2021
Upper-intermediate | Romantic Movies And Real Life
<p>We all love a romantic chick-flick every now and then, but for some women it becomes a problem: they expect every man to live up to their Ryan Gosling/ Zhou Yumin/Seth Rogen-sized expectations, and it sometimes grates on their partners. In today's upper-intermediate lesson, le ... Show More
20m 59s
Feb 2021
You Might Actually Be In Love With Your Best Friend
Desire, commitment, passion — these are all words that often make up a romantic relationship. But what if you feel a strong, deep love for your best friend? This week, Cut producer Allison Behringer on what happens when your soul mate moves away. Learn more about your ad choices. ... Show More
25m 50s