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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 Noé, Rachel Brosnahan, Amy 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.

WILDERPEOPLE Wows at CCFF!

WILDERPEOPLE Wows at CCFF!

Ian Simmons

THE CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION announces Winner of Audience Award of THE 4th ANNUAL CHICAGO CRITICS FILM FESTIVAL

Taika Waititi-directed comedy, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” is the top choice of attendees of the just-completed film festival.

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” the uproarious and engaging comedy from writer-director Taika Waititi (“What We Do In the Shadows”) about a rebellious boy (Julian Dennison) and his foster uncle (Sam Neill) whose disappearance into the New Zealand bush following a tragedy inspires a national manhunt, was the favorite of audiences at the 4th Chicago Critics Film Festival. The film, which was among the most popular of the recently completed weeklong program of titles from around the globe curated entirely by members of the Chicago Film Critics Association, was named the winner of the Audience Choice award.

Created by the Chicago Film Critics Association in 2013 and held once again at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre, the festival offered a selection of films comprised of recent festival favorites and as-yet-undistributed works covering a wide variety of genres from a wide variety of filmmakers ranging from award winners to talented newcomers chosen exclusively by members of the organization, the only current example of a major film critics group hosting its own festival. Audiences were given ballots before each screening in order to present their opinions of the programming choices afterwards and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” which is scheduled to be released commercially on June 24, 2016, proved to be the favorite amidst heavy competition.

About The Music Box Theatre

For 30 years, the Music Box Theatre has been the premier venue in Chicago for independent and foreign films, festivals and some of the greatest cinematic events in Chicago. It currently has the largest cinema space operated full-time in the city. The Music Box Theatre is independently owned & operated by the Southport Music Box Corporation. SMBC, through its Music Box Films division, also distributes foreign and independent films in the theatrical, DVD and television markets throughout the United States. For additional information, please visit www.musicboxtheatre.com

30 Years of Ferris Bueller with WDCB's Brian O'Keefe!
Herman Yau to Receive Asian Pop-Up Cinema Pinnacle Award!

Herman Yau to Receive Asian Pop-Up Cinema Pinnacle Award!