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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.

Ep661: In the Belly of the BEAST BEAST: An Interview with Danny Madden and Jim Cummings

Ep661: In the Belly of the BEAST BEAST: An Interview with Danny Madden and Jim Cummings

Ian Simmons

Ian talks with writer/director Danny Madden and executive producer Jim Cummings about their chilling new drama, Beast Beast!

The film follows the budding relationship of high schoolers Krista (Shirley Chen) and Nito (Jose Angeles), and their fateful encounters with an aimless twentysomething named Adam (Will Madden) who's obsessed with internet fame and guns.

In this audio-only interview (Danny was on the road at the time of recording), the filmmakers talk about evolving their hit Sundance short film, Krista, to feature-length; working with co-executive producer Alec Baldwin; and how Will's research into the world of gun enthusiasts helped shape a character with a perspective very different from his own.

Beast Beast is now available On Demand.

Note: In the show artwork, Jim Cummings is listed as “Producer”. He is actually an Executive Producer on the film.

Show Links:

  • Watch the Beast Beast trailer.

  • Watch Danny Madden's short film Krista, which inspired Beast Beast.

  • Read Ian’s Beast Beast review.

  • Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ep662: SIGHTED! An Interview with 15 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BIGFOOT Writer/Director Zach Lamplugh

Ep662: SIGHTED! An Interview with 15 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BIGFOOT Writer/Director Zach Lamplugh
Ep660: My Kind of TOM: An Interview with Filmmaker JER SKLAR

Ep660: My Kind of TOM: An Interview with Filmmaker JER SKLAR