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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.

Ep310: 50 Million Reasons

This week, the Kicking the Seat Podcast re-teams with Earth's Mightiest Critics to discuss Marvel's summer-movie megalith, Avengers: Infinity War! Ian caught an early screening this week with David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel, Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews, and Don Shanahan of Every Movie Has a Lesson, and the guys pulled up seats at the AMC River East bar immediately afterwards to discuss the good, the bad, and the "meh".

Presented here is an evenly divided round table of opinions and, yes, we move into spoiler territory after giving some high-level recommendations. So be warned: If you plan to see Avengers 3 fresh, check back here after your screening!

Also, Ian reminds listeners that Jason Coffman's Housesitters premieres tomorrow at the Davis Theatre as part of Windy City Horrorama, going on right now. He also talks with Erik Childress of EFilmCritic (and host of the indispensable Movie Madness with Erik Childress podcast) about the sixth annual Chicago Critics Film Festival, which takes over the Music Box Theatre May 4-10!

Episode 310 has a Hulk!

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Ep311: Late Screening: Son of Borat (Part 1)

Ep309: Hell Wanted