Kicking the Seat

From the ashes of Argylle, Earth's Mightiest Critics emerge to read more last rites to the comics-movie genre! Behold, our Madame Web round table!Dakota Johnson stars as the not-blind, not elderly, not disabled version of the beloved (?) Marvel anti-hero--who can see moments into the future and kick all manner of butt. She also has a gang of Spider-girls, apparently, and they've teamed up to take down a guy pretending to be Spider-man.Or something.Join us as we untangle this web with a sticky, spoilery swing through the latest off-brand-MCU offering!Plus! We take your questions, comments, and Super Chats!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Madame Web trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Get seated with The Blonde in Front! Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot.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.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.Keep up with Annie Banks at Chuck Load of Comics....and MoviewebAnd stir things up with Will Johnson of the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.

Spotlight India shines a little brighter this Valentine's Day by teaming up with IndieRise for this review of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani!Filmmaker and friend of the show, Shashwat Mookherjee, returns to discuss Karan Johar's blockbuster 2023 romantic comedy, which centers on two people from opposite cultural, political, and economic backgrounds who must try and resolve a decades-old affair involving their grandparents. Rocky (Ranveer Singh) is the vapid heir to a sweets empire (think "trust fund Zoolander); Rani (Alia Bhatt) is a crusading news anchor who sees right through Rocky's ego and idiocy. So of course they'll end up together!But this isn't your run-of-the-mill rom-com: Rocky Aur Rani is a lively, brilliant homage to Bollywood, a hilarious comedy, and at times a stirring, sentimental drama. It also has some heavy-handed messaging that Ian didn't quite connect with, and the guys get into all of that (and more) in this spoilerific review!Plus: Shashwat talks about his involvement with IndieRise, the new social platform that helps connect filmmakers and film lovers to make (and appreciate) great new art!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani trailer.Join the awesome virtual community of filmmaking obsessives at IndieRise!Watch Shashwat's documentary, Breaking Barriers, on the IIT Madras BS Film Society YouTube channel!Watch Shashwat's short films on YouTube (and be sure to subscribe!).Follow IIT Madras BS Film Society on Instagram.And catch up with previous "Spotlight India" episodes.

Recently, Accademia Giallo presented a rare interview with genre director extraordinaire, Sergio Martino--filmed during a visit to Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre, where he showed two of his most iconic thrillers, Torso and The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh.While recording the intro to that piece, Ian and Bryan spoke at length about meeting Martino, what his films mean to them, and their surprised reaction to the Maestro's own estimation of his reputation as a filmmaker. I think we can all agree that 20 minutes is way too long for an interview intro, so Ian trimmed the fat to a lean five.Presented here is that full intro, as well as the answer to a fan question from the Strange Vice Q&A--and a little something extra at the very end!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the full hour-long interview with Sergio Martino here.Support Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre, who made this interview possible. From movies to merch to incredible year-round programming that spans all genres, this is The Windy City's premiere indie arthouse cinema!Follow our amazing translator, Alice Pistono!On Instagram Listen to her podcast, (N)ice Breakers on Spotify (Italian-only)Watch her 2022 TEDx Talk, "Il Jazz di Darwin" (Italian-only):Follow the Martino event's tenacious and talented photographer, Gabriele Garofletti on Instagram.Check out Severin Films, who partnered with The Music Box to provide a huge selection of Giallo-themed movies and memorabilia during the event!Support all of our terrifying teachers' axe-tracurricular activities!Stay studious with Aaron Christensen at Horror101 with Dr. AC!If you dare, venture down into Kitley's Krypt with Jon Kitley! And listen to Jon's scary-good podcast, Discover the Horror!Get devious with Bryan Martinez's Film Deviant podcast!And check out his YouTube show, The Giallo Room!Buy J. Blake Fichera's "Scored to Death" Volume I and II on Amazon (mentioned in the show).And catch up with classic episodes of his Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast!Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

Earth's Mightiest Critics whistled right past the January graveyard, and was set to return with a look at February's critically acclaimed, record-breaking new blockbuster from Matthew Vaughn.But because Argylle has proven to be a spectacular critical and box office failure, this is sure to be a very different kind of discussion!Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell star in a spy film so bait-and-switch-y you may actually be able to sue Universal Pictures and Apple Original Films for fraud--no matter what kind of movie you were expecting!Watch as we break down the good, the bad and the CGI cat! We also take your questions and comments in the chat, and try to figure out where the hell Henry Cavill went to!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Argylle trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot.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.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.Keep up with Annie Banks at Chuck Load of Comics....and MoviewebAnd stir things up with Will Johnson of the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.

Welcome back, students of suspense! The Accademia Giallo faculty is thrilled to share this opportunity to learn from a genre legend: special guest speaker Sergio Martino!Recently, Ian and Bryan sat down with the Maestro (and interpreter Alice Pistono) for an hour-long look at his half-century filmmaking career, which includes influential movies like Torso, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, and All the Colors of the Dark!Martino was in town for a 2-night engagement at Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre, where he met fans, participated in Q&A's, and generally felt the love of a city he hadn't visited in decades. Watch as he talks about what Giallo means to him; the real-life inspirations for some of his darkest films; why J&B Scotch pops up just about everywhere, and much more!Plus: Keep an ear out for some breaking news about bringing new life to his most iconic Giallo movie! On behalf of Accademia Giallo, we'd like to offer huge thanks to the Music Box for making this happen; to Sergio, Alice, Gabriele, Stephanie, Steve, and Ryan for facilitating during the event, and to you, the viewer, for keeping our humble horror school from closing its doors!Note: We are presenting the interview as Ian and Bryan experienced it--meaning there won't be subtitles. Check the Time Stamps below to learn where you can hear the questions and scrub through to the answers in English (or Italian)!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Time Stamps (These aren't perfect, as each answer had some back-and-forth, but they should generally get you where you need to go!)Episode Intro: 00:00Interview Intro: 04:43Question 1 (Martino's Brand of Giallo): 05:34Italian Answer: 05:53 / English Answer: 06:42Question 2 (Lessons from Geology): : 07:30Italian Answer: 8:13 / English Answer: 8:35Question 3 (What is Giallo?): 12:59Italian Answer: 13:29 / English Answer: 14:21Question 4 (Consistency in Casting): 23:56Italian Answer: 24:31 / English Answer: 25:19Question 5 (Inspiration for TORSO--and origins of the red-and-black scarf): 26:04Italian Answer: 27:02 / English Answer: 27:22Question 6 (Dynamic Filmmaking and Favorite Scene to Shoot): 41:30Italian Answer: 42:08 / English Answer: 43:30Question 7 (Why J&B Scotch?): 49:08Italian Answer: 49:26 / English Answer: 49:46Interview Outro: 55:01Show LinksSupport Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre, who made this interview possible. From movies to merch to incredible year-round programming that spans all genres, this is The Windy City's premiere indie arthouse cinema!Follow our amazing translator, Alice Pistono!On Instagram Listen to her podcast, (N)ice Breakers on Spotify (Italian-only)Watch her 2022 TEDx Talk, "Il Jazz di Darwin" (Italian-only):Follow the Martino event's tenacious and talented photographer, Gabriele Garofletti on Instagram.Check out Severin Films, who partnered with The Music Box to provide a huge selection of Giallo-themed movies and memorabilia during the event!Support all of our terrifying teachers' axe-tracurricular activities!Stay studious with Aaron Christensen at Horror101 with Dr. AC!If you dare, venture down into Kitley's Krypt with Jon Kitley! And listen to Jon's scary-good podcast, Discover the Horror!Get devious with Bryan Martinez's Film Deviant podcast!And check out his YouTube show, The Giallo Room!Buy J. Blake Fichera's "Scored to Death" Volume I and II on Amazon (mentioned in the show).And catch up with classic episodes of his Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast!Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

Accademia Giallo kicks off 2024 with a film by one of our most beloved and discussed directors: Sergio Martino's The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail!The 1971 thriller stars George Hilton as an insurance investigator who tries to determine any irregularities in the policy of a heiress' dead husband--but soon finds himself suspected of her murder!Join your fearsome faculty as we dissect this brutal and bizarre slice of 80s giallo--and take your questions and comments in the chat!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Case of the Scorpion’s Tail trailer.Chicagoans! Help the Music Box Theatre close out their 2024 "January Giallo" series with two nights of terror from Sergio Martino!This Monday and Tuesday, you can catch the Maestro's classics, Torso and The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh on the big screen--with an ultra-rare in-person Q&A following both screenings!Click here for times, tickets, and more information!Support all of our terrifying teachers' axe-tracurricular activities!Stay studious with Aaron Christensen at Horror101 with Dr. AC!If you dare, venture down into Kitley's Krypt with Jon Kitley! And listen to Jon's scary-good podcast, Discover the Horror!Get devious with Bryan Martinez's Film Deviant podcast!And check out his YouTube show, The Giallo Room!Buy J. Blake Fichera's "Scored to Death" Volume I and II on Amazon (mentioned in the show).And catch up with classic episodes of his Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast!Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

Ian and Jeff board the grief gondola for a look at Nicolas Roeg's 1973 thriller, Don’t Look Now!Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie star as a couple who move to Venice, following the accidental drowning of their young daughter. The bereaved couple is soon visited by a pair of sisters, one of whom claims to have psychic visions of the child--and shares a warning of impending doom.Oh, did we mention there's also a killer on the loose?Through haunting imagery, innovative editing, and a truly eerie conception of time and space, Roeg's landmark film has inspired the likes of Steven Soderbergh and Danny Boyle. In this spoilerific review, Ian and Jeff talk life, death, superstition--and wonder why this movie didn't quite make the cut for "Accademia Giallo"!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Don’t Look Now trailer.Order Criterion's recently released 4K UHD Blu-ray of Don’t Look Now.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot!Bonus! See what happened when Ian confronted the Accademia Giallo faculty about Don’t Look Now’s “non-Giallo” status!Chicagoans! Help the Music Box Theatre close out their 2024 "January Giallo" series with two nights of terror from Sergio Martino!This Monday and Tuesday (1/22 - 1/23), you can catch the Maestro's classics, Torso and The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh on the big screen--with an ultra-rare in-person Q&A following both screenings!Click here for times, tickets, and more information!Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

Chicago has a vibrant indie film community, and in their annual magazine, The Call Sheet, Co-Publishers Rebecca Martin Fagerholm and Erica Duffy feature stories of unique and under-represented talents--both in front of and behind the camera!The recently released second volume focuses on "Unconventional Superheroes", looking at real-life heroes in the film industry, and spotlighting creatives whose indie film work helped propel them to the blockbuster leagues--such as cover subject Samantha Bailey (Ironheart) and The Marvels director Nia DaCosta. In this interview, Ian talks with Rebecca and Erica about how they combined their passion for film and entrepreneurship (Rebecca founded Cinema Femme magazine and Erica founded Camera Ambassador) to create a new film magazine that you can actually hold in your hands!They also talk Hollywood hypocrisy; movie coverage between the coasts; opportunities for varied storytelling at the cineplex in the wake of DC/Marvel's historically rotten 2023, and...the Barbie movie! Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksRead The Call Sheet Volume 2.Catch up with all issues of The Call Sheet.Catch up with Cinema Femme's just-published Sundance 2024 preview, featuring an interview with Thelma star June Squibb and producer Zoë Worth!Learn more about Camera Ambassador.See what The Call Sheet's subjects get up to between issues at The Call Sheet Blog.

As teased at the end of their Color Purple remake review, Ian and Armond White also talked about Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon Part 1 - A Child of Fire!In this brief review (more to come later this year, once Part 2 comes out), Armond explains why the Watchmen director's take on the Star Wars mythos is one of his favorite films of 2023--and why he's never held George Lucas' pop-defining franchise in high esteem!The guys also touch on DC, Marvel, and the lack of true "cinema" in the blockbuster marketplace. Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Rebel Moon (2023) trailer.Watch Ian and Armond's review of the recent Color Purple remake (which directly preceded this conversation)!Read Armond's latest pieces for The National Review (discussed in the show):The Color Purple (2023)Rebel Moon (2023)The 2023 "Better Than" ListPlus: Read John Demetry's thorough defense of Rebel Moon Part 1 on Letterboxd.Also read Armond's review of Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon (mentioned in the show).Order the book that inspired these regular movie chats: Armond's Make Spielberg Great Again.As mentioned in the show, you should skip the new Color Purple and pick up Spielberg's 1985 classic instead--now available on 4K UHD Blu-ray from WB Home Video!

We're closing out 2023 in style with a LIVE "Spotlight India" review of Rajkumar Hirani's latest blockbuster dramedy, Dunki!In his third film of 2023, Shah Rukh Khan stars as Hardy, a former soldier who tracks down the family of the man who saved his life--and winds up helping smuggle his sister and her friends from India to London. This decades-spanning love story is also a harrowing look at the many faces and attitudes of global immigration.Join Ian and Shashwat as they break it all down in KtS's last livestream of 2023!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksWatch the Dunki trailer.Watch Ian and Shashwat's review of Hirani's 3 Idiots. Watch Shashwat's documentary, Breaking Barriers, on the IIT Madras BS Film Society YouTube channel!Watch Shashwat's short films on YouTube (and be sure to subscribe!).Follow IIT Madras BS Film Society on Instagram.And catch up with previous "Spotlight India" episodes.