Ep1252: Buddy (2026) - Live Movie Review
This week's livestream is brought to you by the letter "D", for "Derivative"!
Yes, there's another indie horror movie in theaters with audience buzz, killer marketing, and very little else to recommend it beyond some truly remarkable aesthetics.
Casper Kelly's Buddy centers on a titular late-90s children's program modeled off of Barney the Dinosaur. In this case, our chuckling, anthropomorphic host is an orange unicorn who may also be a demon. In the real world, an overworked mom named Grace (Cristin Milioti) begins hallucinating about a child who's "missing" from her family.
How do these things tie together? Does it matter?
Join Ian and Jeff as we talk Hollywood's newfound love of Child Endangerment Horror (Is it really that new?); elevator-pitch screenwriting; and why Buddy would've been better in the hands of another indie creator who blew up this summer ! We'll also take your questions and comments in the chat!
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Show Links
Watch the Buddy (2026) trailer.
Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.
Note: The opinions and views expressed in this podcast are those of the individual hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Kicking the Seat or any organization, employer, or company.
