Kicking the Seat

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie preview a couple of films debuting at the 56th Chicago International Film Festival, which opens tonight! First up, David provides some thoughts on Spike Lee’s latest movie, a concert film called David Byrne’s American Utopia. Next, the guys both dig into the French documentary Kubrick By Kubrick, which offers a unique glimpse into the life and work of legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick.Also, Ian and David speculate on the future of film festivals, now that so many of them have gone online (or, as with CIFF, converted to a hybrid model of online screeners and panels, mixed with drive-in movie events).Episode 596 was a factory; now it’s just mountains and rivers!!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 3:26Kubrick by Kubrick Trailer: 3:26 - 4:24CIFF 56 Preview: 4:24 - 37:57Outro Music: 37:57 - 38:13Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, The Kicking the Seat Podcast enjoys a lovely celluloid feast as Ian, Sujewa, and Alia discuss Louis Malle’s My Dinner with Andre! The 1981 drama finds New York theatre personalities Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory eating at a high-end restaurant while unraveling the mysteries of the universe in the context of mid-life crises. If this sounds like pretentious high-brow nonsense—it’s not. In fact, some of the actors’ key points (they also wrote the screenplay) are more resonant now than they were nearly forty years ago. Also, Sujewa and Alia give an update on their new film, The Secret Society for Slow Romance, which is now in production, and Ian invites you to check out The Spoiler Room podcast’s epic three-hundredth episode, which livestreamed last week and is now available, in full, on YouTube!Episode 595 is a beehive!Show Guide:Everything Old is New: 0:00 - 3:16Intro Music: 3:16 - 3:31Intro: 3:31 - 7:13My Dinner with Andre Trailer: 7:13 - 10:39My Dinner with Andre / The Secret Society for Slow Romance Discussion: 10:39 - 1:11:06Outro Music: 1:11:06 - 1:11:22————————————————————————————————————————————————————Additional Show Links:The Secret Society for Slow Romance Teaser TrailerThe Secret Society for Slow Romance Image Gallery The Secret Society for Slow Romance Poster GalleryKeep up with Sujewa's projectsSupport Alia's creative endeavors ————————————————————————————————————————————————————-Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Lee Shoquist of ChicagoFilm.com explore one of the weirder entries in the Jason Voorhees saga: Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday! After New Line Cinema acquired the Friday the 13th franchise rights, series creator Sean S. Cunningham tapped fresh-out-of-film-school director Adam Marcus to take Jason Voorhees in a new direction.Did he ever! From complicated soap opera storylines to an out-of-the-blue body-hopping origin for the Crystal Lake Killer, the franchise's ninth entry proves to be one of its weirdest...and most boring. The guys cut through the good, the bad, and the gory to see if this movie deserves redemption or damnation!Also, Ian reviews the new action thriller, The Doorman, and invites you to check out his YouTube-exclusive interview with star Ruby Rose! Also, he reminds you to drop by the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel tonight for a “Scare-a-Thon 2020” livestream review of Dario Argento’s Mother of Tears!Episode 594 will eat your heart out!Show Guide:Word Association: 0:00 - 0:17Intro Music: 0:17 - 0:32Intro: 0:32 - 1:45The Doorman Review: 1:45 - 4:31Intro Ct’d: 4:31 - 6:30Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Trailer: 6:30 - 7:25Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Discussion: 7:25 - 1:03:42Outro Music: 1:03:42 - 1:03:58Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, The Kicking the Seat Podcast and Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree embrace the softer side of David Lynch with a look at The Elephant Man! The creator of Twin Peaks and Eraserhead has dabbled infrequently in linear storytelling, and this 19th Century semi-biopic of deformed freak performer John Merrick (John Hurt) is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking and weird.The guys talk about how this film fits into the greater Lynch filmography; look into the lessons that could come in very handy today; and geek out about the makeup and production design wizardry of Lynch’s ultra-talented team.Also, Ian recommends Criterion’s fantastic new Elephant Man Blu-ray; Cole Rush’s written review of Robert Bloch’s Psycho; and his latest appearance on Mike’s You’ll Probably Agree podcast, where the guys talk about movies that never got made! Episode 593 is a traveling freak show of a different kind!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 5:08The Elephant Man Trailer: 5:08 - 7:30The Elephant Man Discussion: 7:30 - 1:01:08Outro Music: 1:01:08 - 1:01:24Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, The Kicking the Seat Podcast and Cole Rush of The Quill to Live go a little mad with their “Page2Screen” look at Psycho! Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal horror movie turns sixty this year, and the guys examine how it lines up (and differs significantly) with Robert Bloch’s 1959 novel.From depictions of violence that still prove shocking today; to competing depictions of oddball motel manager Norman Bates; and a climactic revelation that turns from horrific to goofy at the flip of a switch (or, more precisely, the knocking of a light bulb), there’s a lot stuffed into this spoilerific conversation!Also, Ian invites you to join him and Mark “The Movie Man” Krawczyk tonight on YouTube for a special 300th episode livestream of The Spoiler Room Podcast! And if you just can’t get enough of Ian talking about movies on YouTube, check out the latest episode of You’ll Probably Agree, in which he talks about “Movies That Never Got Made” with Mike Crowley!Lastly, be sure to subscribe to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel and join us live this Friday night at 7:15pm Central for a “Scare-a-Thon 2020” livestream review of Dario Argento’s The Mother of Tears (benefiting Chicago’s Boxville Marketplace)!Episode 592’s best friend is its mother!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 4:43Psycho Trailer: 4:43 - 11:11 (Yes, it’s really that long!)Psycho Discussion: 11:11 - 1:05:31Outro Music: 1:05:31 - 1:05:47Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie are awash in gore and great ideas as they look at Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor (now available On Demand and playing at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre)! Andrea Riseborough stars as an unconventional breed of assassin whose employer allows her to get closer to her targets than anyone else. That’s all we can say, really, without giving away a whole lot of the story—but Ian and David can say that Possessor ranks as one of their favorite films of the year so far.The guys dive head-first into a spoilerific discussion about body horror, old-school practical effects, and the odd links between this bleak bit of speculative sci-fi and our present-day reality.Also, Ian reviews the new World War II thriller, A Call to Spy; provides an troubling update on last episode’s Jiro Dreams of Sushi discussion; and invites you to join him live on YouTube tonight for the “Scare-a-Thon” round table celebrating 40 years of Fulci’s The Gates of Hell (benefiting Boxville Marketplace)!Episode 591 doesn’t know what’s come over it!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 1:47Jiro Dreams of Sushi Update: 1:47 - 6:52A Call to Spy Review: 6:52 - 9:23Intro Ct’d: 9:23 - 11:26Possessor Trailer: 11:26 - 13:29Possessor Discussion: 13:29- 50:06Outro Music: 50:06 - 50:22Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and HollywoodChicago.com’s Pat “The Uber Critic” McDonald feast on David Gelb’s 2011 documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi! The film centers on renowned sushi master Jiro Ono and the Michelin-rated restaurant he runs inside a Japanese subway station.Chronicling a life of unwavering dedication to serving simple yet utterly perfect food to customers from all over the world, Jiro Dreams of Sushi is an aspirational guide to anyone striving to master a craft. Ian and Pat talk about how Gelb’s film mirrors his focused and emotionally distant subject, and recount their own experiences of the daily grind to greatness.Also, Ian invites you to listen to his YouTube-exclusive interview with Frally Hynes about her stirring cover of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, which is featured in Alexandra Dean’s documentary, This Is Paris! And be sure to subscribe to the channel so you’ll be notified when we go live this Friday for the first of five “Scare-a-Thon” livestreams!Episode 590 strives for perfection in all things!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 2:59Jiro Dreams of Sushi Trailer: 2:59 - 5:18Jiro Dreams of Sushi  Discussion: 5:18 - 57:58Outro Music: 57:58 - 58:14Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, The Kicking the Seat Podcast and Cole Rush of The Quill to Live have it “made” with their “Late Screening” look at Goodfellas! Though Martin Scorsese’s mob epic turned thirty last week, Cole had never seen this crazy-good romantic ode to killers and con men. In today’s spoilerific and wide-ranging conversation, the guys explore the ways in which the director and co-writer Nick Pileggi reveal the complexities and charisma of underworld scumbags.Also, Ian teases his latest appearance on the You’ll Probably Agree podcast, in which he talks about another Scorsese masterpiece with Mike Crowley. Lastly, he invites you to subscribe to the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel and tune in this Friday night at 7:15pm CST for the first of five “Scare-a-Thon” livestreams, benefiting Boxville (check out Aaron Christensen’s “Scare-a-Thon” write-up for more details)!Episode 589 always wanted to be a gangster!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 5:10Goodfellas Trailer: 5:10 - 8:05Goodfellas Discussion: 8:05 - 1:17:23Outro Music: 1:17:23 - 1:17:39Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie enjoy a leisurely tour of Europe’s finest fine-dining establishments and quaint hotels (virtually, anyway) with a look at Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip and The Trip to Italy. The first of a two-part review of all four Trip films, this heartfelt and spoilerific conversation delves into why a series about two British actors bonding and bickering over week-long excursions resonates so deeply with a couple of middle-aged film critics.Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are positively electric, playing fictitious versions of themselves as they confront family drama, career crossroads, and the kind of existential dread that can only be properly addressed through one-upmanship of Michael Caine impressions.Also, David talks about his journey to the 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, which has gone virtual this year, and lets you know how you can help him raise money and awareness for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.Lastly, Ian invites you to check out his YouTube-exclusive interview with director Laura Gabbert, whose new delectable new documentary, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles, is now available On Demand, courtesy of IFC Films!Episode 588 was only fifteen years old!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 4:25The Trip Trailer: 4:25 - 6:34The Trip / The Trip to Italy Discussion: 6:34- 1:02:52David’s Journey to the 2020 Virtual Chicago Marathon: 1:02:52 - 1:16:06Outro Music: 1:16:06 - 1::16:22Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie pay tribute to Tinseltown’s unheralded daredevils with a look at Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story (now available On Demand from Shout! Studios)!April Wright’s documentary traces the troubled history of female stunt performers from the Silent Era through the age of comic-book blockbusters, profiling industry veterans and newcomers alike. Between broken bones, sexism, and the persistent specter of death, these talented women have lots of stories to tell about their triumphs and setbacks in a trade whose norms are ever-evolving.Also, Ian wishes a very happy birthday to Emmanuel Noisette of EMan’s Movie Reviews (and invites you to check out his recent interview with Tenet star John David Washington), and recommends Kicking the Seat’s YouTube-exclusive interview with Stuntwomen director April Wright!Episode 587 isn’t insured for this!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 3:27Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story Trailer: 3:27- 5:48Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story Discussion: 5:48 - 38:19Outro Music: 38:19 - 38:35Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!