profile pic ian.jpg

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.

EP632: FYC w/ Dr. AC Part 2

EP632: FYC w/ Dr. AC Part 2

Ian Simmons

Ian welcomes back Aaron Christensen for another look at Awards Season films that they've finally caught up with--and which are either now available to watch or are coming soon to a theatre/streaming service near you! This time, they give some real breathing room to analyzing three powerful movies.

First up is the stirring immigrant drama, Minari, starring Steven Yuen. A Korean family moves to Arkansas in the 1980s to find the American dream--but success comes at the cost of the bonds that keep them together.

Then they spend One Night in Miami with Regina King's adaptation of a Kemp Powers play that finds Malcom X, Jim Brown, Muhammad Ali, and Sam Cooke debating issues of race and culture in 1964.

Lastly, the guys end with a debate of their own, centered on the sexual politics of Promising Young Woman. Emerald Fennell's inventive revenge fantasy stars Carey Mulligan as a woman whose quest to foil nightclub predators takes a chilling turn when past trauma manifests in present day.

Time Stamps:

  • Intro: 0:00 - 4:30

  • Minari Discussion: 4:30 - 17:12

  • One Night in Miami Discussion: 17:13 - 35:43

  • Promising Young Woman Discussion: 35:44 - 1:04:48

  • Outro: 1:04:49 - 1:07:25

Show Links:

  • Watch the Minari trailer (In theatres February 12th; coming to VOD on 2/26).

  • Watch the One Night in Miami trailer (Now streaming on Amazon Prime).

  • Watch the Promising Young Woman trailer (Now in theatres and On Demand).

  • Keep up with all of Aaron's reviews at Horror 101 with Dr. AC.

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

Ep633: WISE Words: An Interview with Author J.R. Jordan

Ep633: WISE Words: An Interview with Author J.R. Jordan
Ep631: Late Screening: THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

Ep631: Late Screening: THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL