Kicking the Seat

Kicking the Seat closes out 2021 with a truly epic "Page2Screen"!Ian and Cole look at J.R.R. Tolkein's seminal fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings, beginning with the first novel, The Fellowship of the Ring--and Peter Jackson's adaptation of it, which just turned 20!In this fun (and by no means comprehensive) look, the guys talk about their history with the books and films, their thoughts on Tolkein's legacy in fantasy writing, and the deftness with which Jackson and company translated the author's vision to the silver screen--while not being slavish to it.This marks the first of a 3-part annual series, which will see reviews of The Two Towers next year, and The Return of the King in December 2023!Show Links:Watch the Fellowship of the Ring movie trailer.Keep up with all of Cole's literary criticism at The Quill to Live.And read his Tor.com article, "5 Unlikely SFF Friendships That Bring Me Joy"!Check out Cole's TikTok channel, BookRush.Buy the books that started it all!Buy the Middle Earth 6-Film Ultimate Collector's Edition set (recently released by Warner Bros).Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian didn't want to talk about The Power of the Dog, but David enticed him with some yummy treats--so here we are!Jane Campion's awards season darling centers on a Montana rancher's tumultuous relationship with his brother's new wife and stepson, and the secret that's torn at him his entire life.Sounds thrilling, right?Not even close. From Benedict Cumberbatch's utterly alien performance; to borderline-offensive gay stereotypes; to an ending so obvious it would've been right at home on Blue's Clues, the guys dig into this underwhelming, overhyped Oscar bait, which often feels about thirty years past due.Also, Ian and David question Netflix's overzealousness in promoting the film to critics!Show Links:Watch the Power of the Dog trailer.Follow David's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Aaron bid adieu to 2022--and Hammerland!Yes, their 12-month journey exploring the Dracula and Frankenstein movies of Hammer Studios concludes with a look at 1974's The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.When Count Dracula (sadly, NOT played by Christopher Lee) possesses the High Priest of an ancient order of Chinese vampires, only Professor Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) and a cadre of kung fu combatants stand in the way of a mighty Mandarin massacre!In this spoilerific review, the guys dig into the film's bizarre history and talk through their mixed feelings about the end result. Ian confesses to a big movie sin, and Aaron does his best to convince his disillusioned friend that 7 Golden Vampires might be worth another look!Plus: Learn what lies in store for the guys heading into next year!Show Links:Watch the Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires trailer.Read AC's written review of The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.Buy the Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires Blu-ray from Shout! Factory (mentioned in the show).Get a jump start on our first show of 2022 with Shout! Factory's newly released Blu-ray of The Vampire Lovers!Dying for more? Check out our “Hammerland” playlist!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Nothing says "Christmas Eve" like two long-time friends having their first movie fight!Discussing holiday films has been a favorite tradition for Ian and Pat, but Arnaud Desplechin's 2008 French-language drama, A Christmas Tale, is unlike anything they've reviewed before.When the dreary, dysfunctional Vuillard family reunites for Christmas dinner, secrets are revealed, age-old animosities flare, and a life hangs in the balance. There've been a million movies with the same premise, but few have served up such unrelenting, brutal "honesty" (Ian calls it "The Family Stone, without the jokes."). Watch as the guys stake their positions and, in the spirit of the season, try (and try and try) to find some common ground!Show Links:Watch the A Christmas Tale trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Instead of crafting thoughtful written responses to the flood of comments he's received this week, Ian decides to "wing it"!Watch as he replies to critiques ranging from polite disagreements to name-calling insults--as well as some bona fide compliments!Show Links:Watch and listen to the shows that inspired all the comments that Ian addresses here! Avengers: EndgameNightmare Alley (1947)West Side Story (2021)Taste the Blood of DraculaRent-a-PalKing Kong (1976)And be sure to support the man who inspired this new series, Mark Krawczyk of The Spoiler Room!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Your mentors of the macabre close out 2021 with a LIVE "Sunday School" edition of Accademia Giallo!Join us for a 50th-anniversary look at Duccio Tessari's The Bloodstained Butterfly, in which a popular TV host is accused of killing a teenage girl in a park--a girl who happens to be his daughter's best friend!Plus: Ian and Aaron look back on a year of giallo lessons and lay some exciting groundwork for 2022!"Accademia Giallo" is Kicking the Seat's monthly deep dive into Italian Horror's "giallo" sub-genre. And this ain't no private school, either: the chat is open to everyone who wants to chime in about the movie and all things giallo!Show LinksWatch the Bloodstained Butterfly trailer.Further your fearful education at Horror 101 with Dr. AC!Follow Jon down into Kitley's Krypt!And listen to Jon's great new podcast, Discover the Horror!Check out Bryan Martinez's YouTube show, The Giallo Room!And follow The Giallo Room on Instagram for your daily gialli fix!Catch up on past lessons with our "Accademia Giallo" YouTube Playlist!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and David take another stroll through the moonlit midway with their review of Guillermo Del Toro's Nightmare Alley!Bradley Cooper stars as a mysterious carnival worker who charms his way to the big time with a bogus mind-reading act. As he ascends the ladder to wealth and fame, he must contend with his dark past and a trio of women who may or may not be as under his sway as he assumes.Following up their discussion of Edmund Goulding's 1947 adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham's novel, the guys look at how Del Toro handles (or mishandles) similar material. In this exhaustive and very spoiler-heavy examination, the guys dig into how characters, themes, and the overall point of Gresham's story have changed in each telling--and question whether or not Del Toro and co-writer Kim Morgan were the right fit for this project. Show Links:Watch the Nightmare Alley (2021) trailer.Watch the Nightmare Alley (1947) trailer.Watch Ian and David's review of the 1947 Nightmare Alley.Buy Nightmare Alley (1947) on DVD or Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.Order the novel on which Nightmare Alley was based (also discussed in the show).Follow David's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

The wait is over! Earth's Mightiest Critics swing into action with a spoiler-filled review of the year's biggest movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home!Seriously, if you don't want to know everything that happens in this top-tier blockbuster, please turn back now.We get into heavy details right off the bat...er, spider! However, if you were one of the untold numbers of Spidey stans who flooded cineplexes for the Thursday night previews, please enjoy our knowledgeable analysis of what makes Jon Watts' new film not only the best of the Tom Holland trilogy but also one of the best Spider-Man films ever made!Okay, now's your last chance! You've been warned! In fact, the only thing we'll say about No Way Home's plot is that Spider-Man and Dr. Strange are in it! Show Links:Watch the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer.Support Earth's Mightiest Critics! Keep up with our rotating panel of guests 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.Get to know Mike Crowley at You'll Probably Agree.Keep up with Annie Banks at Chuck Load of Comics.And give some big love to our latest teammate, Will Johnson--ALSO of the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian welcomes back National Review film critic Armond White for a look at Steven Spielberg's West Side Story!This remake of Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins' 1961 Oscar winner remains a period musical, but Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner have updated the Jets and Sharks' New York turf war with decidedly new-millennium politics.While it's too early to tell whether or not the abysmal $10 million opening bodes ill for the film's long-term prospects, chances are this movie will wind up a footnote in the press surrounding this weekend's Spider-Man: Far From Home opening.But it didn't have to be this way.From bizarre dialogue to checkbox casting to a puzzling refusal to subtitle the film's numerous Spanish-language scenes, Armond and Ian look at the ways in which West Side Story's agenda undercuts genuinely dazzling artistry presented by a fully engaged yet deeply conflicted Spielberg.Show Links:Watch the West Side Story (2021) trailer.Read Armond's review of West Side Story in The National Review.Order the book that inspired this discussion, Armond's Make Spielberg Great Again.Listen to Ian's (sorta) podcast about the 1961 West Side Story from 2013!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

IndieSeen closes out the year with one of its most entertaining and contentious discussions yet as Ian and Sujewa wade through the moral muck of Norte: The End of History!Lav Diaz's 2013 Philippines-set retelling of “Crime and Punishment” finds a struggling restaurateur wrongly imprisoned for the brutal murder of a local moneylender and her teenage daughter. The true perpetrator, a disaffected law student with an eye to burning down a corrupt capitalist system, goes on the lam--only to return home with an amplified guilty conscience that compels him to demolish everything he touches.In this wide-ranging spoiler-lite episode, the guys not only examine their disagreements over Norte, but also dig into recent news about box office projections; the shifting indie-distribution landscape; and whether or not theatres will be able to weather the great unknown that is 2022.Also, Sujewa shares some exciting news about his latest film, The Secret Society for Slow Romance!Timestamps:Intro: 0:00 - 0:51The Year of Slow Romance: 0:52 - 8:03The End of Movie Theatres?: 8:04 - 25:38Norte Discussion: 25:39 - 1:08:47Outro: 1:08:48 - 1:10:53Show Links:Watch the Norte trailer.Find clips, making-of videos, and other cool info about Sujewa's upcoming film, The Secret Society for Slow Romance.Keep up with all of Sujewa's projects.Follow Sujewa on Twitter.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!