Kicking the Seat

There's a reason 1972 is considered giallo's golden year: When a movie called Death Walks at Midnight has a synopsis like this...

"During a drug-fuelled photoshoot, a model witnesses a brutal murder in the apartment opposite hers, and is forced to become an amateur sleuth to unravel the mystery..."*

...it's inevitable that good times are on the way!

Join Ian and Steve as we pair black gloves with killer pumps for a spoilerific summer school extravaganza! We'll also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!

*Synopsis courtesy of IMDb.

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Show Links

• Watch the Death Walks at Midnight (1972) trailer.

• Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

Note: The opinions and views expressed in this podcast are those of the individual hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Kicking the Seat or any organization, employer, or company.

Kicking the Seat navigates the choppy waters of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey!

The writer/director's latest destroyed box office records on its opening weekend, and is selling out round-the-clock 70MM IMAX screenings nationwide. Hailed as the cinematic event of 2026, this modern take on Odysseus' (Matt Damon) post-Trojan War tribulations is the rare film that unites critics and audiences in celebration of a must-see epic event.

But according to one critic's opinion (you'll never guess whose), Nolan's film is merely evidence of the global decline in reading, reading comprehension, and layered analysis.

Does that matter when evaluating a blockbuster movie? If not, why not?

Join Ian and Mark as they engage with the spectacle, stakes, and stark page-to-screen differences that comprise the movie everyone is talking about! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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Show Links:

• Watch the Odyssey (2026) trailer.

• Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.

Ian and Jeff take to the streets in search of cinematic justice! Their first target: Uwe Boll's controversial, anti-immigration polemic, Citizen Vigilante!

Armie Hammer stars as Sanders, a former American soldier living in Europe who manages his deceased father's real estate empire. When he's not on the clock, Sanders stalks various neighborhoods, taking out criminals and recording anti-immigrant social media videos.

Boll's "ripped from the headlines" thriller gained a lot of controversy on release last month, landing square in the middle of the culture wars.

But is it worth all the fuss? And exactly who's "side" is this morally conflicted bit of exploitation meant to propagandize?

In this highly detailed (i.e. spoilerific) discussion, the guys place Citizen Vigilante in context with fed-up-everyman flicks from eras past, such as Death Wish, Dirty Harry, and Falling Down--to see if the latest from the director of Postal and Bloodrayne is hearty food for thought, or a clump of reactionary pink slime!

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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Show Links

• Watch the Citizen Vigilante (2026) trailer.

• Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

Earth's Mightiest Critics have put out an APB for Bruce Campbell! While we wait, let's talk Evil Dead Burn!

Sébastien Vanicek's follow up to Lee Cronin's re-imagining of Sam Raimi's 1981 landmark indie horror flick is perhaps the purest manifestation of the series' premise: demented spirits from Hell possess and destroy the living for sheer grisly enjoyment.

The question is: what does that mean for audiences looking for a good time at the movies?

Join us as we summon a fearsome roundtable review of the latest in this bizarre franchise! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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Show Links:

• Watch the Evil Dead Burn (2026) trailer.

• As mentioned in the show, you can support Mark's "Streaming to End Alzheimer's" event this Thursday and Friday! More info here.

• Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:

  • Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

  • Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.

  • Get seated with The Blonde in Front!

  • Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.

  • Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…

    • ...And Film Obsessive

    • ...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.

  • Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue.

    • ...and We Got This Covered.

  • Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

  • And read Rob Kojder's legendary reviews at Flickering Myth.

Earth's Mightiest Critics have caught Minion fever! Illumination's nonsense-talking, squishy, yellow henchmen creatures aren't for everyone, but the studio's latest offering, Minions & Monsters, hits the sweet spot for some cinephiles.

James and Henry, two oddball Minions with big imaginations, finally find an outlet for their zany dreams: pre-Depression Tinseltown!

But can they actually make a film while also fending off otherworldly beasts and an alien invasion?

Join us for spoilerific celebration of mischief, mayhem, and movie magic! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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• Letterboxd

• Instagram

• Facebook

Show Links:

• Watch the Minions & Monsters (2026) trailer.

• Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:

  • Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

  • Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.

  • Get seated with The Blonde in Front!

  • Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.

  • Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…

    • ...And Film Obsessive

    • ...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.

  • Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue.

    • ...and We Got This Covered.

  • Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

  • And read Rob Kojder's legendary reviews at Flickering Myth.

Ian and Jeff have both seen Olivia Wilde's new A24 comedy, The Invite--but they don't accept it!

Wilde stars with Seth Rogen in a remake of Cesc Gay's 2020 film, The People Upstairs, playing one half of a miserable married couple who invites a pair of hip neighbors (played by Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton) to join them for dinner. The evening goes awry as manners fly out the window, inhibitions are dropped, and a proposed foursome gets more traction than half the group had bargained for.

In this spoilerific review, the guys dig into why this look at modern marriage feels not just pointlessly cartoonish, but also downright dishonest, irresponsible, and, worst yet, unfunny!

They also pepper in sixteen movies and TV shows that you're better off giving your time, attention, and cash.

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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Show Links

• Watch The Invite (2026) trailer.

• Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

• As mentioned in the show, the guys came up with a plethora of films and TV shows that run circles around The Invite (not all our recommendations are obvious, but trust us)! Find out where you can see them via the JustWatch links below, and enjoy!

  • Backrooms (2026)

  • Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)

  • Date Night (2010)

  • Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2010)

  • Carnage (2011)

  • Margo's Got Money Troubles (2026)

  • Micki & Maude (1984)

  • Modern Family (2009 - 2020)

  • My Dinner with Andre (1981)

  • No Other Choice (2025)

  • The Odd Couple (1968)

  • The People Upstairs (2020)

  • Sentimental Value (2025)

  • Swingtown (2008)

  • Ten (1979)

  • Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

Note: The opinions and views expressed in this podcast are those of the individual hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Kicking the Seat or any organization, employer, or company.

Ian and Dr. AC return to provide more haunting analyses of a William Castle Classic and its slipshod 21st Century remake!

In 1960's 13 Ghosts, a destitute family inherits an old mansion from a distant, wealthy relative. Shortly after moving in they discover the place is already occupied by...you guessed it! The only way to see and deal with these pesky poltergeists is to don a pair of goofy experimental glasses--a version of which allowed moviegoers to see the spirits in "Illusion-O"!

Decades later, Dark Castle Pictures gave us director Steve Beck's (very loose) re-imagining, in which the house is no longer just a mansion, but a marvel of mechanisms, glass, and mayhem that would make the Umbrella Corporation blush. There's also a higher body count, buckets of blood, and a Satanic subplot that clears the shark and collides with the sun.

In this spoilerific look at both films, Ian and AC continue to make the case for William Castle as a great horror filmmaker whose reputation as a cheesy gimmick-monger is unfair.

They also discuss the key differences between the sly classic and the sloppy remake--and the unexpected benefits of watching the films in reverse order!

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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Show Links:

• Watch the 13 Ghosts (1960) trailer.

• Watch the Thir13en Ghosts (2001) trailer.

• "Castle Freaks" is the next leg in our classic horror journey. If you're new to the channel, catch up with our 5-year "Hammerland" series, which wrapped up last year!

• Stay learned with the Good Doctor at Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC!

• And keep screaming and screaming (and subbing) to Dr. AC's YouTube channel!

• If you want to learn more about William Castle's larger-than-life life and times, check out his indispensable autobiography, Step Right Up!

• AND check out the wonderful Castle documentary, Spine-Tingler: The William Castle Story, now streaming on Tubi!

When Superman hit theaters last summer, Ian vowed to sit out the rest of James Gunn's run as head of DC Studios. Months later, he had a change of heart and decided to give Supergirl a chance.

Director Craig Gillespie and writer Ana Nogueira's "adaptation" of Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic is now upon us and failing spectacularly at the box office.

But is this a case of bad press scaring potential audiences away from a good time at the multiplex? Or is Gunn's dour, sardonic vision of the DC superhero pantheon to blame?

Earth's Mightiest Critics duke it out in a spoilerific bar brawl worthy of Lobo. Join us as we hurl this disaster into the nearest green sun! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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Show Links:

• Watch the Supergirl (2026) trailer.

• As mentioned in the show, you can watch Ian and Mark review 2006's Lord of War (starring Nicolas Cage)—recorded right after this episode!

• Check out Mike's review of the new Supergirl KFC Ultimate Meal!

• Watch Ian's official retraction regarding the Gunn-iverse (combined with a Supergirl trailer reaction).

• Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:

  • Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

  • Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.

  • Get seated with The Blonde in Front!

  • Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.

  • Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…

    • ...And Film Obsessive

    • ...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.

  • Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue.

    • ...and We Got This Covered.

  • Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

  • And read Rob Kojder's legendary reviews at Flickering Myth.

Earth's Mightiest Critics had thought they were done with the Toy Story franchise after 2019's abysmal fourth entry. But Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris's have installed a fresh set of batteries known as Toy Story 5! Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the gang find themselves plunged into a world of tech, in which children have no need for rough-and-tumble toys.

When 8-year-old Bonnie is gifted a "Lilypad" smart device, the eclectic assembly of action figures, dolls, and toddler trinkets must fight for their owner's affections--while also helping her to make real life friends instead of just digital ones.

Join us as we get down on the floor and smash together a spoilerific assessment of this wild new entry, which updates the 1995 original for today (for better and, in some cases, for worse) ! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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• Letterboxd

• Instagram

• Facebook

Show Links:

• Watch the Toy Story 5 (2026) trailer.

• Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:

  • Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

  • Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.

  • Get seated with The Blonde in Front!

  • Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.

  • Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…

    • ...And Film Obsessive

    • ...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.

  • Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue.

    • ...and We Got This Covered.

  • Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

  • And read Rob Kojder's legendary reviews at Flickering Myth.

The lesson of Disclosure Day is that the truth is out there...and no one cares!

Steven Spielberg's return to sci-fi with a movie that's less close encounter than close call. Josh O'Connor and Emily Blunt star as two strangers who find themselves at the heart of a corporate conspiracy involving aliens who've been visiting Earth for decades.

You've seen this story a thousand times, but never (unfortunately) like this!

Join Earth's Mightiest Critics as we crack open some X-Files and solve the mystery of Disclosure Day's utter lack of...mystery! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!

Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:

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Show Links:

• Watch the Disclosure Day (2026) trailer.

• As mentioned in the show, next Wednesday (6/24) you can catch a bona fide Spielberg classic on the big screen: Chicago's Music Box Theatre will unleash 1975's Jaws on the Windy City! Get tickets here.

• Speaking of Jaws, Ian mentioned a recent episode of Robert Meyer Burnett's great Robservations podcast, in which Rob pushes back on a harsh Gen Z assessment of the film!

• Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:

  • Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

  • Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.

  • Get seated with The Blonde in Front!

  • Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.

  • Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…

    • ...And Film Obsessive

    • ...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.

  • Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue.

    • ...and We Got This Covered.

  • Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

  • And read Rob Kojder's legendary reviews at Flickering Myth.