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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.

Ep304: The GIANT and the FLOWER

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel look at a truly fantastic family fantasy film, I Kill Giants. Based on the Image Comics graphic novel, the movie tells the story of a little girl who creates an elaborate imaginary world that only she can protect--in order to shut out the real-life horrors of home and middle school.

The guys make a strong case for you to seek out this gem in its very limited theatrical release (it's also available On Demand), and compare it to the genre movies of their childhoods.

Also, Ian plugs about ninety different things, including his appearance on the 90 Under 90 Podcast; the Music Box Theatre's exclusive 70MM engagement of Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One; and several Chicago-area screenings of the twisted, must-see coming-of-age drama, Flower (with co-writer/director Max Winkler and star Zoey Deutch participating in Q&A's Friday and Saturday night!).

Speaking of which, Ian shares a brief conversation with Winkler at the end of the show, and directs you to a quick interview with Zoey Deutch in the Info Desk!

Lastly, apologies for the lateness of this jam-packed installment: a savage cold struck the Simmons household this week--which nearly prevented this episode from seeing the light of day!

Episode 304 believes in giants (and, um, flowers)!

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Ep305: Page2Screen: READY PLAYER ONE

Ep303: Late Screening: Lunchtime Poll