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 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.

Ep287: A Very Particular Set of Ills

The Kicking the Seat Podcast catches the late train into the New Year with a look at Jaume Collet-Serra's fourth Liam Neeson collaboration, The Commuter! Yes, after an unexpected hiatus, Ian returns to the mic with Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie for a look at not one but two Lionsgate releases--including the limited-run/On-Demand action movie, Acts of Violence (which technically stars Bruce Willis).

Is either film worth leaving the house to see? How do Neeson and Willis fare in these Sunday-afternoon actioners? And does Vera Farmiga cancel out all the tedious nonsense in The Commuter just by showing up for ten minutes?

The country's in a deep freeze, but Episode 287 is just heating up!

Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on TwitterFacebookInstagramiTunes, and Stitcher!

Ep288: MOM AND DAD, Why are You Fighting?

Ep286: Indiana, Not Ohio