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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 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.

Ep290: Plated and Floored

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast talks with filmmaker Jack C. Newell about his marvelous documentary, 42 Grams--which opens tomorrow at the Gene Siskel Film Center! The film centers on chef Jake Bickelhaupt and his wife, Alexa Welsh, who run a fine dining restaurant out of their apartment--and eventually open a popular brick-and-mortar location. The struggle puts their sanity and marriage to the test, and 42 Grams takes an unflinching look at the fallout of creative obsession!

Ian sat down with Jack last week to talk about the film's origins, production, and its impact on his life. Also on the table are Jack's in-progress documentary series, How to Build a School in Haiti; Stephen King; and the art of juggling multiple projects (Jack also stars in Michael Glover Smith's Mercury in Retrograde, which debuts at Siskel next month).

Lastly, Ian talks about Shannon Alexander's The Misguided (opening at L.A.'s Arena Cinelounge today), and reminds listeners to get their tickets for that Mercury run!

Episode 290 gives its compliments to the chef!

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Ep291: OPERAtunity Knocks

Ep289: The Shape of Whatever