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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.

Ep512: Reelpolitik: Deplorable Conditions

Today, The Kicking the Seat Podcast and Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com engage in some "Reelpolitik" with a look at Universal/Blumhouse's controversial thriller, The Hunt!

Following a pair of mass shootings last summer, and a conservative backlash against the initial trailer, Craig Zobel's film was shelved indefinitely. Half a year later, the bloody political satire about "liberal elites" hunting and killing "deplorables" is making its way to theatres this Thursday. Ian and Nick pop some bubbles with their spoilerific analysis of co-wriers Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuse's surprisingly balanced takedown of modern discourse.

Wherever you land on the political spectrum, this episode (like The Hunt itself) hopes to offer eye-opening perspectives and invite challenging conversations that will continue long after it's over.

Episode 512 had a super Tuesday!

Show Guide:

Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14

Intro: 0:14 - 3:10

The Hunt Trailer: 3:10 - 4:41

The Hunt Discussion: 4:41 - 41:26

Outro Music: 41:26 - 41:42

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Ep513: BLOOD Thinner

Ep511: Gazed and Confused