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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.

Ep303: Late Screening: Lunchtime Poll

The Kicking the Seat Podcast and ColeTries.com return with another "very" installment of "Late Screening"! On its release in 1989, Heathers was a controversial antidote to that decade's saccharine and/or goofy teen movies. Michael Lehmann's black-hearted comedy explores issues of bullying, suicide, and media manipulation in ways that Ian and Cole, sadly, find to be even more relevant today.

Also, Ian shares details on some just-announced Chicago-area screenings of Flower this weekend, featuring appearances by co-writer/director Max Winkler and star Zoey Deutch! This twisted high school dramedy (which shares some spiritual DNA with Heathers) is an early contender for the year's "Best of" list. You won't want to miss it.

Episode 303 just looked right at you!

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Ep304: The GIANT and the FLOWER

Ep302: The Bronson Age