Ian 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 MoreIt took receiving a Google Alert on my name to see that my 2022 review of the time travel romance Press Play was recently quoted and cited on the media site ComicBook.com. Staff Writer Allison Schonter wrote a piece about Press Play giving love to its at-the-time budding star (and now gilded Marvel Cinematic Universe hero) Lewis Pullman and the movie’s excellent soundtrack.
Read MoreIt took receiving a Google Alert on my name to see that my 2012 review of Clint Eastwood’s simple and mild baseball film Trouble With the Curve was recently quoted and cited on the media site FandomWire. Senior Writer Diya Majumdar wrote a piece about Trouble With the Curve standing as clapback answer to Bennett Miller’s 2011 revered Moneyball and the style of statistically-centered baseball scouting it champions.
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 MoreThe event featured fellow Canadian Ryan Reynolds holding court with a dais that included moderator Kevin McCarthy, Candy’s Chris, and special Chicago guest Jim Belushi. Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel also attended and invited me, David Fowlie of Kicking the Seat, and Cati Glidewell on The Blonde in Front to talk about the excellent film.
Read MoreAfter a two-month siesta thanks to the rigors of the teacher day job, I found myself back on the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel hosted by Ian Simmons. The cinephile world was set ablaze at the end of September with much-ballyhooed release of Paul Thomas Anderson’s new multi-genre opus One Battle After Another. The film has been enjoying all the recency bias and proclamations that it’s the best film of the year and the titan to beat at the Oscars.
Read MoreAs I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best films of Steven Soderbergh from over 100 critics and other industry folk.
Read MoreAt 7 pm last Thursday, the Davis family settled around their living‑room TV, not to scroll Instagram, but to co‑build a virtual zoo in Minecraft. While 9-year-old George crafted pixel-perfect flamingos, his parents monitored the chat and cheered every tiger enclosure, an immersive ritual that, until recently, felt unthinkable for a family once wary of “screen time.”
Read MoreAs I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best films of the Coen Brothers from over 120 critics and other industry folk
Read MoreTwo weeks after a combative Superman discussion on the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel hosted by Ian Simmons, cooler heads prevailed with an extended retrospective on the history of “The Fantastic Four” comic book property on the big screen. The assemblage of “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” went back to 1994, 2005, 2007, and 2015 before finishing with the brand spanking new The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Enjoy Ian, myself, Jeff York of The Establishing Shot, Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions, and Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front sharing our experience and critiques.
Read MoreSomething I’ve learned in the past few weeks basking in the success of James Gunn’s universal starter Superman is that something the “S” on that costume can stand for more things than the name of the hero or some Kryptonian translation of hope. On a recent livesteam joining “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” led by Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel, the “S” stands for SPICY. With supporters and contrarians clashing, this roundtable got heated.
Read MoreI’ll go right ahead and admit. Summer has been busy. I’m a school teacher on summer vacation where every day is a Saturday and the memories blend together. I forgot about one of the opportunities I had this past month to joing Ian Simmons on his Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel. A few weeks back, Ian, myself, and Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions talked about the thrills and spills of Jurassic World: Rebirth. Enjoy this recorded live chat!
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