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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.

Ep899: There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia: ENTER THE DRAGON (1973)

Ep899: There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia: ENTER THE DRAGON (1973)

As hard as it is to believe, Ian and Pat have never seen Enter the Dragon...until now!

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Robert Clouse's landmark martial arts film, the guys watched and discussed this surprising action-spy adventure starring the inimitable Bruce Lee. He plays Mr. Lee, an MA instructor at a Shaolin temple who is recruited by British intelligence to infiltrate the lair of a former-student-turned-criminal-mastermind.

In this spoilerific love fest, these newly minted Bruce Lee fans talk about their expectations going in; the myriad pleasant surprises they discovered; and the legion of imitators that have tried their hands at the formula--only to be slammed to the mat!

Show Links:

  • Watch the Enter the Dragon trailer.

  • Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.

  • Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

  • Note: Shortly after Ian and Pat recorded their review, Warner Bros announced an upcoming 4K Blu-ray release of Enter the Dragon, and Fathom Events will be hosting two big-screen showings of the film in August (the guys talked about these as "What If's" during the show.).

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

Ep900: Late Screening: WARGAMES (1983)

Ep900: Late Screening: WARGAMES (1983)

Ep898: MAD HEIDI: The Kicking the Seat Interview w/ ALICE LUCY and CASPER VAN DIEN

Ep898: MAD HEIDI: The Kicking the Seat Interview w/ ALICE LUCY and CASPER VAN DIEN