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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.

Ep504: The Genesis Probe

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie evolve at conversation that began three years ago, with a look at the finished version of We Believe in Dinosaurs! The documentary, which premieres tonight on PBS's "Independent Lens", follows the controversial launch of the "Ark Encounter" attraction in Williamstown, KY, and the young-Earth-creationist organization that spawned it.

Ian and David dig deep into the movie's themes and talk about their own personal reactions to the material in a discussion that has as much to do with societal attitudes and spirituality as it does with documentary filmmaking (spoilers ahead).

Episode 504 has two of everything!

Show Guide:

Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14

Intro: 0:14 - 2:48

We Believe in Dinosaurs Trailer: 2:48 - 5:20

We Believe in Dinosaurs Discussion: 5:20 - 1:25:08

Outro Music: 1:25:08 - 1:25:55

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Ep505: Late Screening: BULL Meets World

Ep503: Lovesick