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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.

Ep842: M3GAN (2023) - Round Table Review

Ep842: M3GAN (2023) - Round Table Review

Earth's Mightiest Critics get dolled-up for their first livestream of 2023!

Now that Awards Season is over (viewing-wise, at least), it's time to enjoy the comfort food of January Horror--and M3GAN is the perfect place to start! Gerard Johnstone's thriller centers on a toy company robotics engineer who builds a life-like doll that begins to take on a life of its own. Mayhem, of course, ensues.

In this spoilerific round table, Ian, Mark, and Jeff talk about the hit movie's staying power; its uniqueness among other "killer doll movies"; and how the filmmakers' punch-pulling may have kneecapped a very (very) dark horror-classic-in-the-making!

Watch the M3GAN trailer.

Ep843: IndieSeen: CONTEMPT (1963) and A Discussion on Race in Film Criticism

Ep843: IndieSeen: CONTEMPT (1963) and A Discussion on Race in Film Criticism

Ep841: THE BAD GUYS (2022) - Mini-review and Blu-ray GIVEAWAY!

Ep841: THE BAD GUYS (2022) - Mini-review and Blu-ray GIVEAWAY!