profile pic ian.jpg

Welcome to Kicking the Seat!

Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).

The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar NoéRachel BrosnahanAmy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.

Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.

Democracy Inaction

Hey, kids.  It seems the 2010 electoral malaise has reached far beyond the mid-term races and into movie polls.

After tallying the votes (both of them) in the "What Should I See This Week" contest, I found myself in pretty much the same position as before I opened the decision up to the public.  It came down to a tie between Skyline and Unstoppable (does that mean there'll be zero eyes on my eventual review of the Rachel McAdams morning news movie?).

The one plus of this disheartening situation is that I learned you can have a winner in a tie situation, without having to figure out some kind of a tie-breaker.  I won't divulge this secret, but it's a doozy.

In short, Skyline won and I lost.

Check back in the morning for my full assessment.

I'd like to sign off with a special "thank you" to Aaron and Danielle for casting votes.  And because I don't like to see anyone walk away empty handed, I've decided to see Unstoppable on Thursday (I love a good train wreck).

Too Clever By Laugh

So this is what's called a Lunch-time Poll