For their 156th episode, two uninhibited film critics, two ugly pajamas-wearking dads, and two tricker teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, dig into the vault of revisiting formative favorites with a spin through 1994's Jim Carrey vehicle and Cameron Diaz breakout The Mask. It was flat out just a movie the two of them wanted to watch, and it just so happens to be turning 30 year old this year. Hear our guys gush about seeing green and remembering good memories.
Read MoreFor their 155th episode, two 80's kids film critics, two dancing dads, and two time-traveling teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, follow up their recent editorial about the romantic resumes of current actors with the start of a historical research study. Between the two hosts, Don is the experience hand when it comes to rom-coms and romantic dramas. Across from him is semi-retired "Will the Marvel Shill." An idea came to examine the romance movie histories of prominent Marvel Cinematic Universe performers. They started here with 2004's "13 Going on 30" with future Incredible Hulk Mark Ruffalo.
Read MoreFor their 154th episode, two apolitical film critics, two American dads, and two special forces teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, stage their own divide for Civil War from the well-regarded director Alex Garland. To do so, they bring in a pair of critical combatants to double the talk and double the bloodshed. The podcast welcomes back frequent guest Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front and debuts for your listening pleasure Jeff York of The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists. The four draw out their battlelines of agreement and disagreement for a bombastic episode.
Read MoreThe Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel hosted by Ian Simmons reached a huge milestone this week: 1000 episodes! That is rarified air in this creativce community. To celebrate the occasion, Ian brought in a big collection of “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” to discuss the movie he’s seen on the big screen more than any other. The topic was Quentin Tarantino’s seminal indie classic Pulp Fiction, turning 30 this year. It was an honor to join Ian, David Fowlie of Keeping It Reel, Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front, Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions, Jeff York of The Establishing Shot, and Mike Crowley of You’ll Probably Agree discuss how we like our cinematic burgers and massages.
Read MoreWith the summer movie season started, the live roundtables of “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” have continued in earnest on the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel hosted by Ian Simmons. Filling the widest theaters for the second week of the month of May was the new trilogy starter Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Come watch Ian, myself, Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions, and Cati Glidewell of The Blonde In Front discuss what all the monkeying around was all about.
Read MoreWith the summer movie season started, the live roundtable of “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” have continued in earnest on the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel hosted by Ian Simmons. Opening the month of May was David Leitch’s The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Come watch Ian, myself, Jeff York of The Establishing Shot, Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions, and Mike Crowley of You’ll Probably Agree discuss the peaks and valleys of this stuntman springboard.
Read MoreThrough a cavalcade of creatively designed set pieces, Leitch and The Fall Guy put the bang in “the whole shebang” with this kinetic crowd pleaser positioned to open the 2024 summer movie season with that very sound effect. After years of development hell, Universal Pictures found their perfect stewards with David Leitch and Ryan Gosling and indulged their pyrotechnic and brawny dreams to bust every block in sight. The TV show’s awareness and appreciation for these behind-the-scenes champions has now become Leitch’s own.
Read MoreFor their 153rd episode, two star-making film critics, two romantic dads, and two snappy teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, return for the second of two special editorial episodes discussing a topic affecting the state of cinema. This time around, they address the perception of why there aren't true movie stars anymore. Don thinks he knows the missing piece: romance. Our hosts compare the romantic resumes between today's crop of actors and the ones that came before them. The lack of rom-coms and swooning romantic dramas in this blockbuster era has created a generation of one-note stars.
Read MoreThe newest live roundtable for the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel went to war to not talk about war, but to talk about anti-war in a journalistic war film that’s occaisional true to its vision. Ian, myself, and Mark Krawcyzk of Special Mark Productions drew the lines of the cinematic battlefield to discuss Cival War from Alex Garland. We three had plenty of questions to ask and discussion points to expound on trying to found reasons and implications in this dramatic thriller.
Read MoreFor their 152nd episode, two discerning film critics, two try-hard dads, and two directorial teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, step out for the first of two special editorial episodes about topics relating to the state of cinema. On this show, our two guys talk about auteur backlash happening to supposedly maniacal directors and filmmakers who are said to be trying too hard. They look at what that notion means and where such effort is appropriate and where it is, on the other hand, missing in this day and age.
Read MoreFor their 151st episode, two muy thai film critics, two buns-baring dads, and two bouncer teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, have set the table to talk about Doug Liman's 2024 remake of Road House, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. While comparisons are there to be made between this one and Patrick Swayze's from 1989, we've got two guys who know how to compartmentalize their film history. They know full well no remake erases an original. The fun part is we now get multiplied fun.
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 film of famed director Francis Ford Copolla (The Godfather series, Apocalypse Now) from over 100 critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my vote for 1997’s The Rainmaker to be included with some very high professional company.
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