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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.

Ep487: It's Christmas Time in the City

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Pat “The Über Critic” McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com raise an egg nog toast to Jerry Vasilatos' 1994 Christmas drama, Solstice! You may recall Ian's interview with Vasilatos a few weeks back; it was Pat, in fact, who put the film on Ian's radar, so the guys have selected Solstice as the subject of their annual holiday review.

The Chicago-set movie centers on a young man's search for meaning during a lonely Windy City Christmas Eve, following a break-up. Vasilatos' scrappy indie not only captures a bygone era and celebrates the spirit of Chicago, it also happens to be the first Lifetime Holiday Original Movie! There's still time to purchase the limited-edition Blu-ray of Solstice, which is packed with extras--including detailed info about Vasilatos' painstaking digital restoration of the feature for its twenty-fifth anniversary release!

Additionally, Ian re-shares his interview with two stars of the just-released Just Mercy, Tim Blake Nelson and Karan Kendrick! He spoke with them a few months back, during the Chicago International Film Festival, and now that the movie is in theatres, he invites you to check out this fun, insightful look at criminal justice and social justice (in case you missed it).

Episode 487 was good this year!

Show Guide:

Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14

Intro: 0:14 - 4:06

Solstice Trailer: 4:06 - 5:48

Solstice Discussion: 5:48 - 31:06

Transition Music: 31:06 - 31:34

Just Mercy Trailer:31:34 - 33:57

Just Mercy Interview with Tim Blake Nelson and Karan Kendrick:33:57 - 48:51

Outro Music: 48:51 - 49:06

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Ep488: Forego and Forget

Ep486: Reelpolitik: Follow the Money