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.

Ep379: Mads World

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie embark on a movie expedition unlike any other, with a look at two new Mads Mikkelsen films, Arctic and Polar! The former opens in Chicago this weekend, and centers on a pilot stranded in a frozen wasteland, who must help a wounded stranger get to safety. It's a beautiful journey of physical and spiritual perseverance from first-time feature director Joe Penna.

Then there's Polar, an ugly, bloody, live-action hitman cartoon from Netflix that will make you doubt the existence of God, reason, and decency.

For the record, that's not an endorsement.

Also, Ian tells you about Shout! Factory's new Special Edition Blu-ray of Cobra, and invites you to read his revelatory review!

Episode 379 is frost-bitten, twice shy!

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

Ep380: Everything is Okay

Ep378: Détente