Every week, Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel is looking for something like that, and he sure found one this week, just in time for Christmas. The movie in question is the crowd-pleasing, toe-tapping, and heart-moving Song Sung Blue, the musical biopic—not of Neil Diamond—but of a Wisconsin-based Neil Diamond tribute band starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.
Read MoreFor their 221st episode, two football fan critics, two sobbing dads, and two motivated teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, enjoy a little corner of football while the NFL season is chugging towards the playoffs. The two venture in the realm of a classic TV movie with Brian's Song, starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams. Both of our hosts have personal connections to the college it was filmed at, which the Chicago Bears used to call their training camp home for decades. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!
Read MoreFor their 220th episode, two bare-chested critics, two archeologist dads, and two whip-cracking teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, take an expedition back to the great cinematic and cultural milestone year of 1984 to cover the sequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Everyone involved, from filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to the game cast of Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, and Ke Huy Quan. Come eat all the weird palace foods with us and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!
Read MoreIan Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel was among the Chicago press who got the chance to see James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash multiple weeks early. Since he (and the rest of us for that matter) didn’t want to completely forget a completely forgettable movie, Ian assembled “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” to pre-record a “live” roundtable for the movie’s big release this weekend. Enjoy Ian, myself, Jeff York of The Establishing Shot, Mike Crowley of You’ll Probably Agree, and Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front talking about all things ashy and blue.
Read MoreIan Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel kept finding his movie spins on Netflix this month with the awards season in full swing. Following up Train Dreams, he stepped into the Hollywood-adoring spotlight of Jay Kelly, the comedy on aged stardom from Marriage Story director Noah Baumbach. Thanks to some critic perks, I have been lucky to chase a few of the stars of Jay Kelly at a Netflix press junket last month. I bring those tales and my own fandom to Ian’s channel.
Read MoreFor their 219th episode, two ensign film critics, two battle-tested dads, and two admiral-ranked teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, know damn well that the needs of the many outweigh the need of the few. They put their show through their own Kobayashi Maru because disliking the 1982 classic Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a no-win situation to anyone who tries. That means our hosts passed with flying colors and put forth a great show of celebration that could regrow and podcast-listening ear like a Genesis missle.
Read MoreFor their 218th episode, two slashed film critics, two dream-trapped dads, and two meta teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, circle back a little to spooky movie season as Don finally dips his toes into Wes Craven's Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. To bring in the first-timer, Will suggested taking a look at Wes Craven's bookends of the 1984 original and his heavily self-aware sequel, 1994's Wes Craven's New Nightmare. This gave our guys quite the slices of commentary and reaction for a bloody good episode.
Read MoreIan Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel recently took a spin on Netflix to watch one of its chief awards season contenders. He sat down for Train Dreams, starring Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, and William H. Macy. After seeing the film, he was intrigued by the 2011 source novella of the same name. I’ve veen lucky enough to read the book, so this was a good, comparative talk between myself, Ian, and Mike Crowley of You’ll Probably Agree.
Read MoreFor their 217th episode, two analytical film critics, two saber-rattling dads, and two missile-dropping teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, hop into a little bit of the simmering 2025 awards season with a hotly debated contender from Netflix. The gentlemen share a great divide for the political thriller A House of Dynamite, the latest white-knuckle film from The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow. Podcast bombs are exploding everywhere!
Read MoreFor their 216th episode, two haughty film critics, two non-painting dads, and two gold-digging teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, roar back from a short October haitus with a movie that doesn't try to shout back whatsoever. Stratching off a mutual Stanley Kubrick blind spot, the boys sat through 1975's wannabe opus Barry Lyndon and strive to discuss the thematic pull and shread of a point amid the off-the-charts craftsmanship of the respected cinematic master. There is a clear lover and hater on this one.
Read MoreFor their 215th episode, two principled film critics, two non-veteran dads, and two warrior teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, return from a short October haitus for the first of two episodes celebrating their “Best Member Podcast” nomination from the first annual Astra Awards. The film of choice is Alex Garland's electric 2025 military thriller Warfare.
Read MoreIan Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel has enjoyed this chances to review physical media releases alongside new theatrical releases and classics. He and I are on the press list for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, which nets us some preview copies of many of their physical media offerings. For a new episode of Ian’s “Featured Extras” series, enjoy myself, Ian, and David Fowlie of Keeping It Reel appreciating the craftsmanship and speed of the Brad Pitt vehicle F1: The Movie.
Read More
