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.

Ep207: The RAW, Sunken Place

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Aaron Christensen of Horror 101 with Dr. AC dig in to Raw, the French-Belgian body-horror sensation from writer/director Julia Ducournau. Following a screening at Chicago's Music Box Theatre, the guys sat down to discuss Raw's effect on audiences (did people really throw up during this thng?), it's place in the body-horror/cannibal canon, and whether or not it's really a horror movie.

And in a truly chilling twist, Ian brings up Get Out again, leading to a somewhat contentious second half and a real man-in-the-mirror moment for your humbled host.

Vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike will find a lot to chew on in Episode 207!

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

Ep208: A Movie Guy XSW

Ep206: Fu Tien-Yu's Fertile Imagination