Kicking the Seat

Prompted by the recent death of Jean-Luc Godard, Ian and Sujewa review the filmmaking pioneer's first feature-length work, 1960's Breathless!Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) is a hustler living in late-1950s Paris. He schemes, steals, and beds his way through life until a truly desperate situation places him at the center of a city-wide manhunt. Despite all this, he finds time to court Patricia (Jean Seberg), an American journalism student who's attracted to Michel's freewheeling nihilism.In this spoiler-filled discussion, the guys look at Breathless as a breakthrough in cinematic language, and the surprising clunkiness that comes from doing something first. They also talk about Godard's use of film as a vehicle for political and pop critique (he began his career in the movies as a film critic), and how Michel and Patricia influenced unconventional outlaw stories for decades to come.Show Links:Watch the Breathless (1960) trailer.At the time of this posting, Criterion's Breathless Blu-ray is half-off at Amazon!Rent Sujewa's new movie, The Secret Society for Slow Romance.Find clips, making-of videos, and other cool info about Sujewa's upcoming film, The Secret Society for Slow Romance.Follow the production of Sujewa's Slow Romance sequel, Cosmic Disco Rene.Keep up with all of Sujewa's projects.Follow Sujewa on Twitter.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian's Tollywood dreams come true as he talks with RRR writer/director S.S. Rajamouli!During a recent virtual press round table, Ian asked the visionary creator of 2022's best film three questions. Doesn't sound like a lot--but Rajamouli's answers offer insight into the process, spirit, and heart of a moviemaking powerhouse.Special thanks to all the fans of the worldwide fans of Indian cinema who have not only broadened our horizons as appreciators of film, but also inspired Kicking the Seat's newest monthly livestream review series!And if you're in Chicago tomorrow (11/12/22) for the Music Box Theatre's sold-out screening of RRR (after which Mr. Rajamouli will participate in a not-to-miss Q&A), be sure to say "Hi" to whichever of Earth's Mightiest Critics you spot in the crowd!If you haven't seen RRR yet, stream it on Netflix IMMEDIATELY (or whenever you have a spare 3 hours and 7 minutes). No spoilers in this interview, but context is key.Bonus! Check out Don Shanahan’s segment from the round table, in which he asks S.S. Rajamouli about his next project!Enjoy!Show Links:Watch the RRR trailer.Watch the livestream that started it all: Kicking the Seat's Round Table Review of RRR with Earth's Mightiest Critics!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...and 25YL...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room 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.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Earth's Mightiest Critics return with a super-serious look at an utterly farcical film!Weird: The Al Yankovic Story stars Daniel Radcliffe as the songster satirist supreme in Eric Appel's unconventional biopic. Will this be the next Walk Hard, or simply a case of trying too hard?The panel is sharply divided on this movie, with one member taking their disdain to unheard-of extremes (you'll never guess who)!So strap in, tune your accordion, and watch as the saga begins!Weird: The Al Yankovic is now streaming on The Roku Channel.Show Links:Watch the Weird: The Al Yankovic trailer.Watch the 2010 Funny or Die trailer for Weird (the inspiration for the 2022 film).Read the Looper article, "What Weird: The Al Yankovic Actually Got Right About the True Story".Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...and 25YL...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room 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.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Don celebrate 80 years of Casablanca!Michael Curtiz's iconic romance drops audiences right into the middle of World War II, where a brooding loner named Rick (Humphrey Bogart) runs a cafe in the middle of the titular Moroccan city. Policed by the French, and on the verge of domination by German forces, Rick's Cafe Americain becomes a port for European refugees trying to make their way to America.When an old flame named Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) re-enters his life, looking for safe passage with a revolutionary-on-the-run (Paul Henreid), Rick finds himself at the center of a conflict involving stolen papers of transit, vicious political machinery, and the remnants of a broken heart.In this affectionate and spoiler-filled conversation, Don explains why Casablanca is his absolute favorite film; Ian marvels at a movie he hasn't watched in nearly three decades; and both guys talk about why the film could not--and should never, ever, under any circumstances--be remade today!Casablanca will be available on 4K UHD Blu-ray from Warner Bros on November 8, 2022.Show Links:Watch the Casablanca trailer.Order Casablanca on 4K UHD Blu-ray.Continue your education with Don Shanahan at:Every Movie Has a LessonCinephile Hissy Fit Podcast25 Years LaterSubscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and David hop in the booth, pump up the volume, and turn into a coupla real cranks with their review of Romuauld Boulanger's new radio-themed thriller, On the Line!Mel Gibson stars as Elvis Cooney, a late-night L.A. shock jock who receives a threatening call on the air. Over the next several hours, he embarks on a cat-and-mouse game as a crazed listener kidnaps his family, murders his co-workers, and forces the boisterous host to reveal his darkest secrets to the world.In this spoiler-packed autopsy, the guys switch stations on On the Line, lambasting what it is while imagining what it could have been. From missed opportunities, to performances ranging from ham-handed to uninspired, and a double-whammy twist that will have you throwing stereos from moving cars--this takedown is almost as painful to deliver as the movie is to watch.Not to worry, though: the show winds down with a casual and totally non-controversial defense of Mel Gibson.Show Links:Watch the On the Line trailer.Read David's On the Line written review at Keeping it Reel.Watch Ian and David's interview with the Nelms brothers, co-creators of Fatman (starring Mel Gibson, mentioned in the show).Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Get some "Scare-a-Thon" extra credit by enrolling in Accademia Giallo's Sunday School lesson on Watch Me When I Kill!In Antonio Bido's 1977 thriller, a pharmacist is murdered, and a woman happens to see the culprit leave the scene. She soon finds herself being stalked by the killer. When her boyfriend tries to discover who the murderer is and stop him, he begins to find out that there is much more to the murder than the ordinary killing it first appeared to be!In this ripping round table review, the panel breaks down the fascinating ways in which Watch Me When I Kill plays into almost every element of the Giallo genre--while delivering very little of the engagement, excitement, or, frankly, interest as many of the films we've discussed previously. Plus: We look ahead to our year-end curriculum; tease a visiting guest lecturer; and stomp on Halloween Ends one last time!All this month, we're raising money and awareness for the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, which you can support via Plumfund (link below)."Accademia Giallo" is Kicking the Seat's monthly deep dive into Italian Horror's "giallo" sub-genre. Join us live in the chat for laughs, lessons, and lots of bad accents! Class begins promptly at 2pm CST!Show LinksWatch the Watch Me When I Kill trailer.As mentioned in the show, author and former guest Troy Howarth has just published a new book on Giallo filmmaker Umberto Lenzi! You can order Make Them Die Slowly here!Support WRRAP via our Scare-a-Thon donation link on Plumfund.Keep up with our rotating panel of pontificators from "Accademia Giallo" AND this week's special guest:!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!Also: Blake is making a documentary! Yes, the author of Scored to Death Volume I & II is making a feature film with interviews from top horror composers. You can help make it happen by contributing to his Kickstarter campaign.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian welcomes back Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree for a revelatory review of The Devil’s Advocate!Taylor Hackford's supernatural legal thriller turns 25 this year, and the guys look at how it holds up as an example of the kind of star-fueled, big-budget studio product that made the late-90s special--as opposed to the IP-driven franchise freakshow that has all but killed this kind of picture in the modern era.Keanu Reeves stars as Kevin Lomax, a hotshot Florida attorney with a flawless record, who gets called up to the big leagues when a Manhattan mega-firm takes notice. Al Pacino plays lead partner John Milton, who sets Kevin to work right away on cases that test not only his skills but also his willingness to compromise his already dubious morals. Soon, Kevin is consumed by work; struggling to save his marriage (to Mary, played by Charlize Theron); and asking questions whose answers have (literally) apocalyptic consequences.In this spoilerific review, Ian and Mike rediscover a film that neither had taken too seriously until just this week--overlooking some questionable accents and scenery-chewing, and zeroing in on some rather meaty themes (both inherent and meta) that elevate The Devil’s Advocate to more than just disposable popcorn entertainment!Show Links:Watch the Devil’s Advocate trailer.Keep up with Mike Crowley's film criticism at You'll Probably Agree.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

The last Friday night livestream of Scare-a-Thon 2022 is heeeeeere!The rock-ribbed round table review Tobe Hooper's landmark ghost story, which centers on a suburban family's struggle against angry spirits. Poltergeist made TV static terrifying and created an entire generation of vegetarians. It also stirred up a decades-long controversy in genre fandom and sparked a legend about cursed productions (for both the original and its sequels).Join us as we get into all that, plus some hearty discussion about how our appreciation of Poltergeist has changed with age!All proceeds from this year's Scare-a-Thon will benefit the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP), a non-partisan, nonprofit organization assisting women who are financially unable to pay for safe, legal abortions or emergency contraceptives. Show LinksWatch the Poltergeist trailer.Support WRRAP via our Scare-a-Thon donation link on Plumfund.Pick up Warner Bros' release of POLTERGEIST (1982) on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.Keep up with our rotating panel of pontificators from "Accademia Giallo" AND this week's special guest:!Follow Jeff York's illustrative film criticism at The Establishing Shot.Stay studious with Aaron Christensen at Horror101 with Dr. AC!If you dare, venture down into Kitley's Krypt with Jon Kitley! http://www.kitleyskrypt.com/ 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!Also: Blake is making a documentary! Yes, the author of Scored to Death Volume I & II is making a feature film with interviews from top horror composers. You can help make it happen by contributing to his Kickstarter campaign.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Cole bust out the Novril for one of the most head-scratching film adaptations they've seen yet!Rob Reiner's Misery put Kathy Bates on the map and made "hobbling" a household word--but as the guys recently discovered, its relationship to Stephen King's novel is tenuous at best. When famed author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) crashes his car during a blizzard, his number one fan, Annie Wilkes (Bates) nurses him back to health--while also demanding that he write another installment in a series that ended with the main character's death. Mind games and mayhem ensue in one of King's most personal and insightful stories.In this spoiler-packed discussion, Ian and Cole examine the puzzling choices Reiner and screenwriter William Goldman made in translating the book into a screenplay, and struggle with the question of whether Bates' stellar career was worth such a disappointingly mediocre movie.Show Links:Watch the Misery trailer.Read Cole's review of the novel at The Quill to Live.And follow his writing at:TorForbesPlus: Watch Ian's round table interview with the cast of Home (including Kathy Bates!): Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

A little while ago, Ian and Chad talked about Neil Marshall's incredible debut feature, Dog Soldiers. Now they're back with Aaron Christensen to talk about the writer/director's follow-up, The Descent!Following a horrific tragedy, a group of thrill-seekers meets in the Appalachian mountains to explore an underground cave system--only to encounter an ancient race of mindless, bloodthirsty creatures!In this spoilerific analysis, Ian re-evaluates a movie he didn't care for in 2006 (the year The Descent came to the States); Chad and AC talk about why they were on-board from the get-go; and everyone agrees that there's far more to this claustrophobic nightmare than jump scares and monster fights!All proceeds from this year's Scare-a-Thon will benefit the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP), a non-partisan, nonprofit organization assisting women who are financially unable to pay for safe, legal abortions or emergency contraceptives. Please donate via the link below, if you are so moved.Show Links:Watch the Descent trailer.Read AC's review of The Descent at Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC!For Neil Marshall fans, order Janine Pipe's essential book, Sausages: The Making of Dog Soldiers.Watch Ian and Chad discuss Dog Soldiers.Support WRRAP via our Scare-a-Thon donation link on Plumfund.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!