Kicking the Seat

Yeah, we're talkin' to you! This month's "Late Screening" takes Ian and Cole on a wild ride through the mean streets of Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver.The iconic, gritty drama turns 45 this year, but its relevance as a film and as a hard-hitting societal critique is as striking as ever. Robert DeNiro stars as Travis Bickle, a disturbed Viet Nam vet whose social alienation, political disillusionment, and disgust at societal decay erupts in one of cinema's most unsettling climaxes. This was a first-time watch for Cole, and the first time Ian had watched Taxi Driver through adult eyes. Watch as the guys lament DeNiro's lack of electricity in future roles; marvel at Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader's ability to elicit complicated sympathies for a monster, and plant the seeds for the Clarice Starling Cinematic Universe (it'll all make sense by the end)! Show Links:Watch the Taxi Driver trailer.Read Cole's SURVIVOR essay (referenced in this episode) at The Quill to Live.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Earth's Mightiest Critics take on Zack Snyder’s Justice League! After years of rumors, wishes, and online activism, the longer, edgier, and more coherent version of 2017's Justice League is now streaming on HBO MAX.Watch as Ian, David, Mike (and, eventually, Don) break down the differences between Joss Whedon's theatrical version and the so-called "Snyder Cut". Is this new iteration better? Have the Powers That Be really given fans what they wanted? And is it possible to talk about the Justice League without bringing up The Avengers?The reactions are mixed, the spoilers are heavy, and the battle is definitely royale!Show Links:Watch the Zack Snyder’s Justice League trailer.For more on what each panelist thought of the movie, check out their individual reviews below:David Fowlie of Keeping It ReelDon Shanahan of Every Movie Has a LessonMike Crowley of YPA ReviewsIan Simmons of Kicking the Seat (Be sure to read the comments; they're delicious!)Emmanuel Noisette of EMan's Movie ReviewsEMan couldn't join us for this recording, but you should definitely watch his take...and subscribe to his channel!Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and David use all the cheat codes on Joe Carnahan's Boss Level!The Hulu Original film stars Frank Grillo as Roy, an ex-Special Forces operative who winds up inside a reality-altering machine. He lives the day of his death over and over (and over) again, fighting assassins, protecting loved ones, and trying to find a way out of this loopy lunacy.The guys talk about the filmmakers' effective use of video game language in telling a non-video game story; why the cast (including Naomi Watts and Mel Gibson) make this an absolute must-see, and how Boss Level fits comfortably within the "Repeating Day" genre while also creating exciting new paradigms for future filmmakers to explore.Boss Level is now streaming on Hulu Plus.Show Links:Watch the Boss Level trailer.Follow David's film criticism at Keeping It Reel. Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and David travel to an alternate reality that looks shiny and new, but which feels awfully familiar.Raya and the Last Dragon is Disney Animation Studios' latest visual marvel, centering on a world in which a young warrior must travel a fractured world in search of the magic that will bring back her father--and everyone else who has been turned to stone by malevolent forces.In this spoilerific discussion, the guys go head to head with defenses and detractions. One says RAYA is a beautifully rendered next-step in animation with a hopeful message; the other says the visuals barely paste over a plot that steals from absolutely everywhere in service of an alarming cynicism.They also offer some thoughts on whether or not Raya and the Last Dragon is worth the hefty Disney Plus Premier Access price tag or a trip to the theatre.Show Links:Watch the Raya and the Last Dragon trailer.Follow David's film criticism at Keeping It Reel. Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian talks with writer/director Tiller Russell, whose latest film Silk Road follows the true-life rise and fall of Ross Ulbricht, founder of the eponymous dark web marketplace.Nick Robinson plays Ulbricht, a twentysomething libertarian who discovers that he can use cryptocurrency, the US postal service, and corporate delivery systems to traffic drugs, guns, and other illicit materials on the Internet. Jason Clarke also stars as the out-of-step DEA agent who uses old school methods to take down the first "Millennial Gangster".Ian and Tiller discuss the film's origins; using creative license in the process of adaptation; and the trickiness of spotlighting a libertarian antihero in a mainstream movie. Silk Road is now available On Demand.Show Links:Watch the Silk Road trailer.Watch the trailer for Tiller Russell's Night Stalker docuseries, now streaming on Netflix.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and David interview artist/teacher/filmmaker Heidi Neff about her new animated short film, Watch The Long Goodbye!Comprised of politically themed vignettes created between Election Day 2020 and Inauguration Day 2021, this account of the artist's mindset during that tumultuous two months is packed with commentary, ideas, and shifting visual styles.This wide-ranging conversation explores Heidi's creative journey (which includes her old high school friend, David); the process of creating Watch The Long Goodbye, and how her film might be received by audiences of differing ideological viewpoints.Show Links:Watch The Long Goodbye for free on YouTube.Watch Heidi's in-progress animation, Tear Gas Drones. Keep up with all of Heidi's work at her website.Visit New York's Amos Eno Gallery, where Watch The Long Goodbye was recently featured.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 one of the earliest and most controversial "body swap" movies: 1970's Watermelon Man! Melvin Van Peebles' cutting social satire finds Jeff Gerber, a racist white suburban dad played by Godfrey Cambridge, waking up one morning to discover that he's turned black.The guys examine the film's successes and shortfalls as a comedy; the context in which it was released versus how it holds up today; and the behind-the-scenes tensions that led to very ideologies competing for screen time.Also, Pat hatches a plan to be the first certified film critic to review Watermelon Man for Rotten Tomatoes!Note: This conversation was recorded several days before Coca-Cola's controversial "Be Less White" corporate training became headline news--which is why you won't see it discussed here. However, the questions of identity and culture that have arisen in the aftermath of that story are very relevant to Watermelon Man, and to Ian and Pat's commentary.Show Links:Watch the Watermelon Man trailer.Watch Watermelon Man on Amazon Prime (streaming FREE for members).Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

It's a double feature dipped in blood as Ian and Aaron review Horror of Dracula and The Revenge of Frankenstein!In the latest stop on their "Hammerland" tour, the guys examine Terence Fisher's 1958 follow-up to Hammer Films' crazy-successful The Curse of Frankenstein. First up, Christopher Lee makes his debut as the debonair Dracula, squaring off against a version of Van Helsing (played by Peter Cushing) that's quite different from the character in Bram Stoker's novel.Next, Cushing switches sides to play one of Ian's favorite movie villains. It turns out that reports of Victor Frankenstein's death have been wildly exaggerated, and the bad doctor sets up shop in another unsuspecting town--this time with better designs for the creature that bears his name!Kick back, relax, and enjoy this spoilerific discussion, which covers deja vu, the evolution of Hammer Horror, and much, much more!Show Links:Watch the Horror of Dracula trailer.Watch the Revenge of Frankenstein trailer.Keep up with all of Aaron's reviews at Horror 101 with Dr. AC.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian talks with director Susan Stern about her wonderful new documentary, Bad Attitude: The Art of Spain Rodriguez.The wife of the late underground comics artist has created a staggering tribute to a controversial creator whose views on feminism, race, and creeping authoritarianism were as challenging as his drawings were detailed.Stern talks about the impetus for the film; working with her daughter to create a touching animated sequence about the artist's passing, and how Spain's lifelong rebelliousness affected his work and relationships. She also shares her unconventional dream for expanding the film's reach.Now through February 25th, 2021 you can buy a virtual ticket and stream Bad Attitude as part of the Slamdance Film Festival.Show Links:Watch Bad Attitude trailer.Watch Bad Attitude virtually at the Slamdance website through 2/25.Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!

Ian and Sujewa welcome RogerEbert.com's Editor at Large, Matt Zoller Seitz, for a look at two dystopian-future epics: Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville and Matt's very own, in-progress puppet film, Space Rabbit (produced by Sujewa)!In Godard's 1965 neo-noir masterpiece, a government agent's search for a missing scientist leads him to a planet ruled by order and governed by an omniscient supercomputer. Seitz's movie centers on a hard-boiled lion detective's plot to liberate a world run by a fascist squirrel.In this far-reaching and...ahem...animated conversation, the guys talk about the origins of both films; the influences that inspired each; and the ways in which Alphaville's sensibilities and style have echoed through generations of film and pop culture. There's also a fun detour into the movies of Terrence Malick, and Matt's ambitious plans for finishing and releasing Space Rabbit!Time Stamps:Intro: 0:00 - 0:40Space Rabbit Discussion: 0:40 - 25:18Alphaville Discussion: 25:18 - 45:57Sojourn in Malick Land: 45:57 - 55:42Return to Alphaville: 55:42 - 1:15:21Outro: 1:15:21 - 1:17:24Show Links:Watch the Alphaville Trailer: https://bit.ly/3pvz62KWatch a 7-minute interrogation scene from Space Rabbit: https://vimeo.com/206130317Check out the original Space Rabbit video pitch for Indiegogo: https://vimeo.com/206127149Read Matt's criticism and pop culture commentary at RogerEbert.com, Vulture, and Matt’s online bookstore.Watch the teaser trailer for Sujewa’s upcoming film, The Secret Society for Slow Romance.Keep up with all of Sujewa's projects. Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!