Kicking the Seat

Physical media isn't dead, but some studios are doing more than others to preserve the tradition of robust, features-heavy discs. I've got a stack of DVD's, Blu-rays, and 4K's to review, and some fiery opinions on recent releases from Criterion, Kino Lorber, and Warner Bros!Subscribe, like, and comment to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, and check out kickseat.com for multiple movie podcasts each week!Show LinksBuy Only in Theaters on DVD from Kino Lorber.Watch Ian and Sujewa's interview with Only in Theaters director Raphael Sbarge and documentary subjects Greg and Tish Laemmle.Buy No Bears on Blu-ray from Criterion.Watch Ian and Sujewa review No Bears.Buy National Lampoon’s Vacation on 4K UHD Blu-ray from Warner Bros.Buy Enter the Dragon on 4K UHD Blu-ray from Warner Bros.Watch Ian and Pat review Enter the Dragon.Buy The Flash on 4K UHD Blu-ray.Watch Earth's Mightiest Critics review The Flash. Buy Barbie on 4K UHD Blu-ray from Warner Bros.Watch Earth's Mightiest Critics review Barbie.

A.I. is all the rage, and Earth's Mightiest Critics are back with a look at two movies that dare to look into the bleak future of a technology-obsessed world!In the second installment of "If You Like...You'll Love...", Ian, Jeff, and Don compare Gareth Edwards' latest, The Creator, with Alex Garland's 2014 sci-fi drama, Ex Machina.The former centers on one man's quest to destroy a sentient robot army's greatest weapon against the people who created it--which turns out to be a cyborg who looks like a young girl. The latter is about a wide-eyed tech billionaire who invites his top engineer to assist in perfecting his life's greatest achievement: a cyborg who looks like Alicia Vikander!What can we learn from these distinct visions of a common modern dilemma? And what makes one film a 2010's classic, and the other a critical and box office misfire?Watch and find out!Show LinksWatch the Creator trailer.Watch the Ex Machina trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 MoviewebKeep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot.And stir things up with Will Johnson of the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Accademia Giallo is dressing up as a vampire this Halloween season, with a 10th anniversary review of Argento’s Dracula 3D!Rutger Hauer stars as Van Helsing to Thomas Kretschmann's Count Dracula in this wild re-imagining of the blood-sucking mythos.Is the film as ridiculous as Ian remembers from his experience seeing it in 3D at the Chicago International Film Festival (yes, really) ten years ago? Or has his half-decade-plus education in all things Argento, Hammer, and giallo (thanks to a knowledgeable and very patient faculty) helped him appreciate the Maestro's take on the Transylvanian Terror?Take your seat and follow along as we talk CGI abominations; the rise and stumble of Dario Argento; and whether or not this film could have actually worked with an American production company at the fore.Plus: AC talks about how you can participate in Scare-a-Thon 2023 (supporting the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project), and recounts his experience seeing the film's premiere at the Brussels International Film Festival--with Argento in attendance!Show LinksWatch the Argento’s Dracula 3D trailer.Learn more about "Scare-a-Thon 2023" at Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC.And donate directly to the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project via AC's "Scare-a-Thon" link!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! Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Sometimes it's "ruff" being a kid--but not when there's a new Paw Patrol movie out!Ian and Luke return with a spoiler-free mini-review of Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, which recently dominated the weekend box office! In their latest adventures, the fuzzy guardians of Adventure City are granted special powers by a meteor that was brought to Earth by nefarious scientist Victoria Vance (voiced by Taraji P. Henson). In addition to mastering their new abilities, training a new generation of pup heroes, and taking down a giant-sized Mayour Humdinger--one of the Paw Patrolers must learn that true power doesn't come from space rocks...but from within!In this episode, you'll get one kid's perspective on the film; find out if its tear-jerking climax worked on the grown-ups; and learn a money-saving concessions tip if you're planning to see the movie at an AMC!What did you think about Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie? Let us know in the comments!Show LinksWatch the Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie trailer.Catch up with our other "Target Audience" episodes to get Luke's take on recent family-friendly blockbusters!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and AC strap in for a spoilerific review of Saw X!After a couple of noble-but-not-very-good brand-adjacent installments, the franchise returns to form with director Kevin Greutert. John Kramer returns--not from the dead, but in a semi-prequel that takes place between movies 1 and 2. After attending a support group for cancer patients, the engineer-turned-vigilante is offered an experimental treatment in Mexico. Turns out the whole thing is a scam, meaning the network of con artists is in for a world of hurt!In this "Scare-a-Thon" Special, the guys talk about the highly regarded sequel and scratch their head at all the praise. From tired traps to repetitive themes to a key player who has, frankly, aged out of believability, the guys slice through the hype and re-discover their will to live!And since this is a "Scare-a-Thon" show, AC shares info on this year's month-long series of horror panels (both at his site, Horror 101 with Dr. AC and here on Kicking the Seat), and talks about how you can get involved in supporting the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP)!Show Links:Watch the Saw X trailer.Watch Ian and AC's mega-review of the Saw franchise (movies 1-8).Watch Ian and David Fowlie's review of Spiral: From the Book of Saw (movie #9).Check out AC's trailer for the 2023 "Scare-a-Thon".Learn more about "Scare-a-Thon 2023" at Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC.And donate directly to the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project via AC's "Scare-a-Thon" link!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and AC have had enough of controversial topics in film criticism, which is why this month's journey Beyond Hammerland centers on Roman Polanski's 1965 thriller, Repulsion!Catherine Deneuve stars as Carol, a young Belgian woman living in London with her older sister, Helen (Yvonne Furneaux). Carol's days are filled with leering men, awkward exchanges with women, and a general sense that her world is literally splitting apart. This masterful voyage into obsession, perception, and madness is sure to be a Rorschach test for viewers, and the ensuing conversation may prove equally divisive.In this spoilerific installment, the guys discuss their anxiety (or lack thereof) over reconciling Polanski's influential and Oscar-nominated prowess as a mood-setter and visual storyteller--versus the heinous 1977 criminal conviction that compelled him to flee the United States to avoid sentencing. Ian and AC also talk about the film's point of view regarding the battle of the sexes, and how it resonates as an odd companion piece to Greta Gerwig's Barbie nearly 60 years later!Plus AC teases "Scare-a-Thon 2023", which kicks off today (October 1st)!(This episode was supposed to come out earlier, but Ian's iffy Internet necessitated a lot more editing than usual.)Show Links:Watch the Repulsion trailer.Listen to Ian and AC discuss Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman (referenced in the show).Check out AC's trailer for the 2023 "Scare-a-Thon".Learn more about "Scare-a-Thon 2023" at Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC.And donate directly to the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project via AC's "Scare-a-Thon" link!Subscribe to AC's YouTube channel, which is positively dripping with fiendishly fresh content!

In honor of The Exorcist's 50th anniversary, Ian and Cole are compelled to see how William Friedkin's genre-defining horror film stacks up to William Peter Blatty's blockbuster novel!In 1973, Friedkin unleashed a waking nightmare about a Hollywood actress (Ellen Burstyn) whose young daughter (Linda Blair) becomes possessed by a demon. Their only hope is a local priest (Jason Miller) whose crisis of faith happens to coincide with a murderous, telekinetic monster living in his neighborhood--plus an aged exorcist (Max Von Sydow), who is called away from an archaeological dig in Iraq to confront the darkest of horrors.This spoilerific Page2Screen finds Ian and Cole examining the conflicts between faith and science, literature and film, and director's cuts versus original theatrical releases! PLUS: They decide, once and for all, if The Exorcist is really a horror movie...or something else assuming the form of a horror movie!The Exorcist is now available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment!Show LinksWatch the Exorcist (1973) trailer.Purchase the new Exorcist 4K UHD Blu-ray from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, featuring the Original Theatrical Cut and "The Version You've Never Seen" (Director's Cut)!Watch "Weighing the Value of Director's Cuts", a video essay by hbomberguy, referenced in the show!Watch "Subliminal Messages Hidden in The Exorcist" by Heavy Spoilers Clips, also referenced in the show!Keep up with all of Cole's literary goings-on at his website.For more literary wizardry, crack open our "Page2Screen" Playlist!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat go undercover to expose corruption in the justice system! Well, they would if they were cops instead of film critics--so instead, they review Sidney Lumet's Serpico!The iconic 1973 cop drama stars Al Pacino as a version of the real-life New York cop who fought to expose crooked officers, leaders, and politicians--in a crusade that saw him bounced from precinct to precinct with ever increasing threats to his life.In this spoilerific conversation, the guys examine Pacino's let-it-all-hang-out performance (which was bookended between his buttoned-up Michael Corleone role in the first two Godfather films); they also talk symbolism; supporting cast surprises; and the odds of this film ever being made today!Show Links:Watch the Serpico trailer.Watch the Seth Meyers parody trailer for Boston Accent (mentioned in the show)! Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

This month, "Spotlight India" centers on a movie that's actually playing at a theater near you! To date, Atlee's Jawan has taken in more than $120 million worldwide in just under two weeks--and it's easy to see why!Superstar Shah Rukh Khan stars as a special ops agent who is brought back from the brink of death to seek justice for the downtrodden in India. That's about as high level a summary as we can give without delving into all the twists, turns, genre-shifts, and fist-pumping awesomeness of this movie--and we're saving that for the episode!Show LinksWatch the Jawan trailer.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.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and David welcome co-writer director Linh Tran and Executive Producer James Choi for a discussion about the making of Tran's feature-length film debut, Waiting for the Light to Change!The movie takes place in the early spring of 2021 at a Michigan lake house, where several friends have gathered for a weeklong getaway. Amy (Jin Park) and Kim (Joyce Ha) are lifelong best friends whose relationship has taken a downward turn since Kim began dating Jay (Sam Straley), a guy that Amy has a significant crush on–and who is also staying at the house. Rounding out the group are Lin (Qun Chi), Kim’s cousin who’s visiting from China, and Alex (Erik Barrientos), who’s got a thing for Amy.In this wide-ranging interview, Linh talks about gearing up to make an entirely different film for DePaul University's School of Dramatic Arts indie program--and then pivoting to make a very personal story when the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world's plans.She also talks about the meaning of directorial style, and the whirlwind of finishing her first movie, showing it in festivals, and eventually winning Slamdance's 2023 Narrative Feature Award.Plus: James talks about redefining the meaning of independent film and the greatest hurdle aspiring filmmakers face in an ever-shifting landscape of bloated budgets, striking Hollywood creatives, and the specter of Artificial Intelligence!Waiting for the Light to Change will be available on DVD in North America and On Demand starting October 20th. But if you're in Chicago this weekend, you can catch special screenings at the Gene Siskel Film Center--with Linh Tran in person! Tickets and more info linked below.Show LinksWatch the Waiting for the Light to Change trailer.Starting tonight: Catch Waiting for the Light to Change at Chicago's Gene Siskel Film Center, with Linh Tran in person for select post-screening Q&A's!And make plans to catch Linh's new short film, "Video Funeral", at this year's Chicago International Film Festival!Follow Linh's filmmaking journey on her website and on Instagram: Keep up with James on Instagram.And read David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping it Reel.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!