For their 233rd episode, two non-television critics, two emergency room dads, and two surgically precise school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, take a two-week/two-episode pause from the film scene to celebrate a little television. While they may be movie guys, popular water-cooler chatter can get them to binge a show now and again. Recently, Will discovered The Pitt on HBO Max and was hooked instantly, binging the first season in a day and a half.
Read MoreFor their 232nd episode, two well-molded film critics, two non-Aussie dads, and two special effects school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, have secretly found a little sub-niche over the years for their show, where they find an obscure, forgotten film and get the chance to move its Rotten Tomatoes score with their podcast's submitted review. This week, 1986's "F/X" gets the treatment.
Read MoreIn collaborating so long with Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel I’ve been lucky enough to meet more great minds and creative souls. Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions is one of them. Recently, I was able to join his Spoiler Room podcast and YouTube live show for an episode talking about 1938’s Errol Flynn classic, The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Read MoreFor their 231st episode, two decadent film critics, two old sport dads, and partying school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, finally have, for what seems like the first time in a while, found a movie they truly feel opposite on to a nearly hate vs. love level, and it might not be from a place you typically expect. The loaded argument in question surrounds Baz Luhrmann's sparkly and loud blockbuster adaptation of The Great Gatsby
Read MoreFor their 230th episode, two golden critics, two statuesque dads, and centrist school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, continue their return from a short sabbatical with a special editorial episode. The recent 98th Academy Awards came and went recently. While the two-horse battle between One Battle After Another and Sinners, made for decent Oscar drama, our podcast hosts didn't watch the show and found themselves over what they used to love
Read MoreFor their 229th episode, two returning critics, two better-rested dads, and two science-loving teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, return from a two-month sabbatical for a love-fest on the leader in the clubhouse for the movie of the year. They're talking about the instant sci-fi classic of Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, who's quietly becoming one of our hosts' most dependable and favorite performers. For this big return, the haters stayed home
Read MoreFor their 228th episode back in February, two underground revolution critics, two stoner dads, and two small beers teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, drive their podcast over the West Texas hills of the Oscar race to offer their praise and criticism of Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another. The movie is the current front-runner for Best Picture and PTA is more than due after 28 years of previous nominations in several categories.
Read MoreAs recently seen with his episode talking about the 45th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ian Simmons’s Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel can fill the YouTube dais space for an anniversary of a definitive classic. That said, Ian doesn’t shy away from anniversaries for lost classics either. They just draw a smaller crowd. I got to join him on such a movie with the 30th anniversary of The Phantom, in honor of its brand-spanking-new 4K-UHD treatment from Kino Lorber
Read MoreIn collaborating so long with Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel I’ve been lucky enough to meet more great minds and creative souls. Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions is one of them. Recently, I was able to join his Spoiler Room podcast and YouTube live show for an episode talking about 1993’s Richard Gere/Jodie Foster romance Sommersby, as part of Mark’s “Reconstruction Junction” monthly theme.
Read MoreIn collaborating so long with Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel I’ve been lucky enough to meet more great minds and creative souls. Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions is one of them. Recently, I was able to join his Spoiler Room podcast and YouTube live show for an episode talking about Disney/Pixar’s Wall-E for his “Drawing Spaces” animation theme for the month.
Read MoreMike Osborn and Curtis Menke of the irreverent and laugh-filled podcast “Let’s Talk About Flix are weekly appointment laughs for me, and pod I support on Patreon. Mike and Curtis have become two full members of the Chicago Indie Critics group that I co-direct. For the third year in a row, I was honored to be asked on as the return guest during their “Patreon Picks” month. For that guest’s choice theme, I brought them 1999’s Deterrence.
Read MoreEvery now and then, on Ian Simmons’s Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel, an anniversary comes around of a definitive classic. This year is the 45th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Ian recently got to enjoy the film in a very special way, as it played with a live orchestra at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre. After that experience, he invited his “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” rotation to talk about the iconic movie.
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