Kicking the Seat

Ian talks with writer/director/producer/actor Nicholas Celozzi about two Chicago-centric films that are heading into production.The Class stars Anthony Michael Hall and centers on a group of diverse high school kids forced to spend a Saturday together, in which they learn to break down the social barriers that divide them. No, it's not a Breakfast Club remake, and in the first half of this conversation, Celozzi talks about the real-world influences that compelled him to tell this story; how he channeled the voice of a generation that's different from his own; and what got him back into the director's chair.Celozzi also wrote The Legitimate Wiseguy, an autobiographical drama that previous KtS Podcast guest George Gallo (Vanquish, Bad Boys) will direct this fall. The film will star Harvey Keitel, Emile Hirsch, and Ruby Rose, and will tell the story of Celozzi's relationship with mentor and Mafia heavy Anthony Spilotro (a version of whom was famously portrayed by Joe Pesci in Casino).The filmmaker opens up about the real-life Spilotro; his rowdy days in 1980s Hollywood; and casting Harvey Keitel as his father--a famous Illinois car salesman whose TV commercials were a staple of Ian's youth!Show Links:Read Variety's article about the upcoming production of The Class.Read The Hollywood Reporter's article announcing The Legitimate Wiseguy. Watch Ian’s interview with The Legitimate Wiseguy director George Gallo (for his previous film, Vanquish).Get your tickets to a special evening with The Class star Anthony Michael Hall on July 26th, as mentioned by Ian and Nick in the conversation!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and David go positively ape$#!+ for John Guillermin's 1976 King Kong remake!This underappreciated blockbuster finds a corporate oil expedition running afoul of Skull Island's oversized occupants (and the native culture that worships and fears them). Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, and Charles Grodin star as the unlikely trio whose exploits take the audience on an unpredictable adventure from the depths of uncharted jungles to the heights of the World Trade Center, in an Event Movie with more on its mind than spectacle.The guys talk about why King Kong is such a popular story in remake circles; why Lange's stranded starlet character is so misunderstood; and why high definition is sometimes detrimental to older special effects showcases.Also, David talks about some of the special features on Scream Factory's recent Blu-ray release! Show Links:Watch the King Kong (1976) trailer.Order the King Kong (1976) Blu-ray from Scream Factory.Follow David's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Pat look at a very different kind of war movie, Robert Mulligan's 1971 coming-of-age drama, Summer of ‘42!The film centers on three WWII-era teen boys whose lazy summer is spent roughhousing, pursuing girls, and generally blocking out the world outside their idyllic beach-front community. When Hermie (Gary Grimes) falls in love with an older woman named Dorothy (Jennifer O'Neill), his ideas about the opposite sex are challenged in ways the characters and the audience may find surprising.In this wide-ranging review, the guys explore how Summer of ‘42 compares and contrasts from the teen sex comedies that would flood cinemas a decade later; why the film makes them feel at once cozy and uncomfortable; and its unlikely modern-day successor.Show Links:Watch the Summer of ‘42 trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Watch Pat's interview with Godspell star Robin Lamont (referenced in the episode):Part 1Part 2Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian welcomes back Erik Childress of the Movie Madness Podcast for a look at Career Opportunities, which turns 30 this year.The comedy stars Frank Whaley as Jim Dodge, an aimless small-town liar who lands a third-shift job at Target. When he's locked inside with the girl of his dreams (Josie, played by Jennifer Connelly), heartfelt hijinks ensue. Then murderers show up...This lesser-known and underappreciated John Hughes comedy is definitely a mixed bag, and Ian and Erik tackle it head-on. From a choppy final cut that prompted Hughes to (unsuccessfully) request that his name be removed from the picture; to a marketing strategy that undercut Connelly's character in favor of sex appeal; and a tone that wavered between romantic comedy, abuse drama, and crime caper, the guys take an unflinching look at the good, the bad, and the bizarre.Also, Erik talks about recording his first official audio commentary for Kino Lorber's brand-new Career Opportunities Blu-ray!Show Links:Watch the Career Opportunities trailer.KOrder Kino Lorber's new Career Opportunities Blu-ray.Read Erik's film criticism at eFilmCritic.Listen to Erik's Movie Madness Podcast on the Now Playing Network.Learn more about the Chicago Critics Film Festival, which returns to the historic Music Box Theatre in November.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

In this very special jaunt through Hammerland, Ian and Aaron celebrate a couple of birthdays while admiring the scenery of Dracula Has Risen from the Grave!Freddie Francis' 1968 sequel to Dracula: Prince of Darkness is a different kind of Hammer film than the guys have seen so far. Focusing less on horror atmosphere and traditional ghouls-versus-good-guys action, Risen is more like a really compelling soap opera that happens to have vampires in it.Our intrepid hosts explore this new direction for the Dracula films, and raise a lot of questions about lore, continuity, and how the material might evolve if...ahem...resurrected today!"Hammerland" is our monthly look at the 1950s-1970s Hammer Studios horror films featuring Dracula and Frankenstein.Show Links:Watch the Dracula Has Risen from the Grave trailer.Keep up with all of Aaron's reviews at Horror 101 with Dr. AC.Dying for more? Check out our other monthly horror series, "Accademia Giallo"!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Armond White returns to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence!It's been exactly two decades since Ian saw the film on opening day, and re-watching it for the show was quite an eye-opening experience. Armond hadn't seen it in years, either, and in the next hour, you'll see two critics giving an under-appreciated sci-fi masterpiece its due.From the ahead-of-its-time technological and political allegories; to its multi-layered examination of the Pinnochio story; and unapologetically spiritual exploration of what it means to be human, A.I. offers a lot for Ian and Armond to chew on.They also speculate on the late Stanley Kubrick's influence in his collaboration with Spielberg, and talk through Armond's one major story critique.Show Links:Watch A.I. Artificial Intelligence trailer.Follow Armond at The National Review.Order the book that inspired this discussion, Armond's Make Spielberg Great Again.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

In a first for the Kicking the Seat Podcast, Ian talks about a newly published screenplay in search of a movie!Ian first met Mario Anthony during the release of Nick Alonzo's harrowing 2019 drama, Decaf Don, in which he starred. Today, the actor/filmmaker/author sits down to talk about writing Shell of a Man, a moving and unique "screenplay novel" about Vincent, a young Navy recruit on leave who struggles with family, love, and deep-seated inner turmoil.In this personal and revealing conversation, Anthony talks about the impetus for bringing Vincent's story to life; finding and maintaining honest voices for a wide range of characters, and his plans for bringing Shell of a Man off the page and onto the screen!Show Links:Order Shell of a Man: A Screenplay Novel on Amazon.Listen to Ian's 2019 interview with Mario Anthony and other members of the Decaf Don cast and crew.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian talks with filmmaker Paul Starkman about his stunning feature debut, Wheels!The black-and-white drama centers on DJ Maximilian (Arnstar), an aspiring Brooklyn DJ whose life is upended when his older brother returns home from prison. As Max struggles to keep his dreams alive, discover new love, and save up for a killer turntable, Starkman chronicles every moment with gorgeous cinematography, grounded performances, and story beats that steer clear of convention.In this candid and inspiring conversation, Starkman talks about making the move from a day job directing reality competition shows, like Ink Master and Nailed It!, to helming a feature immersed in the world of hip hop. He also gets into the nitty-gritty of making an independent film, and shares his thoughts on writing characters from different racial backgrounds to his own.Show Links:Watch the Wheels trailer.Rent or own Wheels on Amazon.Learn more about Wheels at the film's official website.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and David interview writer/director Julio Quintana, whose latest film, Blue Miracle, recently debuted on Netflix!The movie is based on the inspiring true story of Omar Venegas (Jimmy Gonzalez), the manager of a Mexican boys' home who reluctantly enters an international fishing competition to save his kids from returning to the streets. "Papa" Omar teams up with a surly boat captain (Dennis Quaid) to help him and his young crew navigate choppy waters--both natural and ethical.In this surprisingly candid conversation, Quintana opens up about rebounding from the financial disappointment of his debut feature, The Vessel; the balancing act of rewriting a script that was adapted from true events; and the delights and challenges of working with new actors and veterans, such as Dennis Quaid. He also talks about cutting his teeth on The Tree of Life under the guidance of Terrence Malick, and what lessons he brought into his own career as a visual storyteller.Oh, yeah, he also talks about why everything in his movie is blue!Show Links:Watch the Blue Miracle trailer.Watch the trailer for Quintana's previous film, The Vessel.Follow David's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

In this very special "Late Screening", Ian and Cole catch up with a film neither of them had seen before!That's right, despite having kicked off their podcasting collaboration in 2017 with a review of The Fate of the Furious, they'd never actually watched Rob Cohen's 2001 underground street racing opus!Watch as the guys try to untangle the later globe-trotting, sky-diving, terrorist-thwarting antics of Dominic Toretto and company from the straightforward Point Break knock-off in which Paul Walker was supposed to be the breakout star. Also, Ian reveals whether or not he'll watch the upcoming eighth sequel in the series, F9! "Late Screening" is Kicking the Seat's monthly series in which 'Millennial Correspondent' Cole Rush watches a film he's never seen before and talks with Ian about the experience.Show Links:Watch the The Fast and the Furious trailer.Listen to the podcast that started it all! Ian and Cole talk The Fate of the Furious: Keep up with all of Cole's literary criticism at The Quill to Live.Check out Cole's TikTok channel, BookRush.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!