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.

Turn On Your ArcLight!

Turn On Your ArcLight!

Hey, Everyone! I'm very excited to announce that Kicking the Seat has partnered with ArcLight Cinemas to bring you exclusive cast interviews for several current and upcoming films!

First up are Jennifer Westfeldt and Jon Hamm, who sat down with ArcLight's Jonathan Josell to discuss their new dramedy, Friends with Kids.

Look for many more interviews in the near future, each accessible via buttons located conspicuously (sorry, I meant "conveniently") on our homepage. Thanks again for reading, and please feel free to drop us a line with your thoughts on these terrific ArcLight conversations!

The KtS Interview: Adam Bartlett and John Pata

No Contest!