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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.

Ep1111: Bring Her Back (2025) - Live Roundtable Review

Ep1111: Bring Her Back (2025) - Live Roundtable Review

Horror wunderkinds Danny and Michael Philippou are back with Bring Her Back--a follow-up to their 2023 cult hit, Talk to Me!

While not a sequel, the new film delves into similar realms of demonic possession, busted family dynamics, and body horror-as-adolescence metaphor. Billy Barratt and Sora Wong star as Andy and Piper, siblings who are placed in a new foster home following the sudden death of their father.

Their new guardian, Laura (Sally Hawkins), is doting but odd, and has an odd relationship with a mute child named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) whom she is also looking after. It's not long before weird things begin happening around the house, and Andy and Piper must uncover the dark mysteries surrounding Laura and Oliver before it's too late!

Do the Philippous catch lightning in a bottle twice, or is Bring Her Back destined to be another entry on Hollywood's storied "Sophomore Slump" list?

Join Earth's Mightiest Critics for a spoilerific summoning of cerebral, cinema-celebrating speakers! We also take your questions, comments and SuperChats!

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Ep1112: Target Audience: Karate Kid Legends (2025)

Ep1112: Target Audience: Karate Kid Legends (2025)

Ep1110: IndieSeen: Friendship and Cannes-dor

Ep1110: IndieSeen: Friendship and Cannes-dor