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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.

Ep226: My Kinda Film Festival

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast looks back at the fifth annual Chicago Critics Film Festival! Ian and Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie talk about the movies, the guests, the Q&As,* and the programming that make the Chicago Film Critics Association's seven-day, hand-picked, best-of-the-fests extravaganza one of the coolest events a cinephile can attend all year.

Also, the guys take a quick detour into choppy waters with David's thoughts on Disney's latest cash grab rousing summer adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales!

Episode 226 is a true Chicagoan, and would never put ketchup on its movies!

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

*Many Q&As from CCFF's past and present can be found, in their entirety, on YouTube!

Ep227: Females are Strong as Hell!

Ep225: Say No More, Xenomorph