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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 Noé, Rachel Brosnahan, Amy 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.

Ep619: THE SOUTH NEVER PLAYS ITSELF - Ben Beard Interview

Ep619: THE SOUTH NEVER PLAYS ITSELF - Ben Beard Interview

Ian Simmons

Ian welcomes back author Ben Beard to talk about his latest book, The South Never Plays Itself!

This narrative collection of film criticism is part engrossing history lesson; part encapsulation of great overlooked cinema; and part personal exploration of one man's lifelong journey to understand his evolving attitudes via the language of film.

Ian and Ben explore the book's origins and themes, traversing some wild and woolly back roads that touch on the life of a film critic; the integration of political discourse into movie journalism; and Southern cinema's roots in classic literature.

Show Links:

Ep620: Page2Screen: THE SHINING Review

Ep620: Page2Screen: THE SHINING Review
Ep618: Friday the 40th: Shuffle Mode (Series Finale!)

Ep618: Friday the 40th: Shuffle Mode (Series Finale!)