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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.

Ep676: The Slowdown: ALL THE LIGHT IN THE SKY

Ep676: The Slowdown: ALL THE LIGHT IN THE SKY

Ian Simmons

Ian and Sujewa kick off summer with a trip to the beach!

Joe Swanberg's 2012 film, All the Light in the Sky, centers on a struggling actress named Marie (Jane Adams) whose weekend visit with her young niece, Faye (Sophia Takal), showcases a life lived on her own terms--for better and worse.

In this multi-faceted conversation, the guys examine Swanberg's filmography (and the critical response to it); issues of race in the independent film scene; why All the Light in the Sky is a perennial winter movie for Sujewa, and what movies would look like if there were fifty Hollywoods instead of just one!

Also, Sujewa gives an update on his forthcoming movie, The Secret Society for Slow Romance!

"The Slowdown" is Kicking the Seat's monthly exploration of the world of Slow Cinema with filmmaker Sujewa Ekanayake. Catch up on previous episodes on our "The Slowdown" Playlist.

Show Links:

  • Watch the All the Light in the Sky trailer.

  • Listen to Ian's interview with Jane Adams and Kate Lyn Sheil for She Dies Tomorrow (referenced in the conversation).

  • Find clips, making-of videos, and other cool info about Sujewa's upcoming film, The Secret Society for Slow Romance.

  • Keep up with all of Sujewa's projects.

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

Ep677: The Slowdown: FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH

Ep677: The Slowdown: FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
Ep675: Face Value: An Interview with CINEMAPHAGY Author Scout Tafoya

Ep675: Face Value: An Interview with CINEMAPHAGY Author Scout Tafoya