Kicking the Seat

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Lee Shoquist of ChicagoFilm.com resurrect everyone's favorite hockey-masked maniac with a "Friday the 40th" look at Tom McLoughlin's Jason Lives! In a first for this year-long series, Ian and Lee (mildly) disagree on the effectiveness of an approach that some call too goofy, but which others call a cheeky Gothic spin on a waning formula.The guys get into casting, atmosphere, that ever-shifting Friday timeline, and a robust defense of horror as a legitimate movie genre.Episode 546 is dead meat!Show Guide:Greetings from Deputy Colone: 0:00 - 0:02Intro Music: 0:02 - 0:17Intro: 0:17 - 2:31Friday the 13th: Jason Lives Trailer: 2:31 - 3:01Friday the 13th: Jason Lives Discussion: 3:01 - 1:19:03Outro Music: 1:19:03 - 1:19:32Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast looks at Spike Lee's roiling and relevant 1989 breakout hit, Do The Right Thing! Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews and David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel join Ian for a spoilerific look at the film's surprising themes and Lee's playful use of stereotypes in holding up a mirror to a society that's often afraid to look past them.Also, Ian shares some more of his personal history with Do The Right Thing that didn't come up in the round table, and reviews the new indie thriller, The Dinner Party!Episode 545 has been peeing straight for years!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 5:23The Dinner Party Review: 5:23 - 8:12Intro (Ct'd): 8:12 - 9:40Do the Right Thing Trailer: 9:40 - 11:45Do the Right Thing Discussion: 11:45 - 1:19:31Outro Music: 1:19:31 - 1:19:46Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie take a tour through the world of historical fiction with a look at Josephine Decker's macabre drama, Shirley!Elizabeth Moss stars as Shirley Jackson, the mid-century author who created such classics as The Lottery and The Haunting of Hill House. In this alternate-universe tale, Shirley and her lecherous professor husband (played by Michael Stuhlbarg) invite a young married couple to stay in their home. As the reclusive writer becomes more and more obsessed with her latest story idea, her bond with new bride Rose (Odessa Young) takes a dark and manipulative turn.Ian and David dig into what makes Shirley such a unique (and, at times, uniquely frustrating) film. Also, Ian reminds you to join him and the Spoiler Room crew this Sunday night during Wisconsin's first-ever "Podcastathon"--benefiting families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic!Episode 544 is upon you!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 3:07Shirley Trailer: 3:07 - 4:53Shirley Discussion: 4:53 - 46:11Outro Music: 46:11 - 46:27Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast welcomes back Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie for a look at Gavin O'Connor's recovery drama, The Way Back. Ben Affleck stars as a construction worker who agrees to coach his old high school's basketball team--even though he's fighting through a personal tragedy, a divorce, and severe alcoholism.The film's theatrical release coincided with the start of the pandemic lockdowns, and the guys finally had a chance to catch up with it on home video. Listen in to find out why The Way Back is a moving (if slightly flawed) antidote for our contentious times.Also, Ian invites you to join him and the Spoiler Room crew this Sunday night during Wisconsin's first-ever "Podcastathon"--benefiting families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic!Episode 543 is a one-take action-scene of podcasts!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 3:13The Way Back Trailer: 3:13 - 5:24The Way Back Discussion: 5:24 - 59:40Outro Music: 59:40 - 59:55Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, The Kicking the Seat Podcast re-teams with Aaron Christensen of Horror 101 with Dr. A.C. and Bryan Martinez of the Facebook video series The Giallo Room to look at an underappreciated yet highly influential sub-genre of world cinema, "Giallo"!In this course primer for our new "Accademia Giallo" miniseries, the guys define what "Giallo" is and where it came from, and dig into one of the best starting points for new initiates: Mario Bava's stylistic 1964 thriller, Blood and Black Lace!When models at a top Italian fashion house begin dying one by one, a determined detective questions everyone while struggling to stay ahead of the grisly and inventive murders.Also, Ian invites you to join him and the Spoiler Room crew this Sunday night during Wisconsin's first-ever "Podcastathon"--benefiting families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic!Episode 542 always makes room for Giallo!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 3:02Blood and Black Lace Trailer: 3:02 - 4:23Blood and Black LaceDiscussion: 4:23 - 1:01:33Outro Music: 1:01:33 - 1:01:48Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast speaks with filmmaker Jorgy Cruz, whose documentary Funny Pains is now available On Demand! This movie is an all-access look at the personal and professional struggles of New York stand-up Wendi Starling, and also features a pair of comic round tables in which performers like Nikki Glazer, Jim Norton, and Yamaneika Saunders get personal with anecdotes about the biz.Ian and Jorgy keep things spoiler-lite while exploring how the film came together; the odd trailer used to promote the film to wide audiences; and Jorgy's hard-hitting advice for making it in the arts.Also, Ian talks about Criterion's new release of the 2018 Paul Dano drama, Wildlife, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carrie Mulligan!Episode 541 is working on its tight five!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 5:46Funny Pains Trailer: 5:46 - 8:04Funny Pains Discussion: 8:04 - 32:07Outro Music: 32:07 - 32:23Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Don Shanahan of Every Movie Has a Lesson indulge in a "Reelpolitik" look at Alexander Payne's dark high school comedy, Election! Matthew Broderick plays a high school teacher who runs afoul of Reese Witherspoon's ambitious student-body presidential candidate in an inventive look at campaigning and dirty tricks.Real-life educator Don also shares his insights into dealing with student and faculty politics, and talks about what Payne and company get eerily right in their film.Also, Ian recommends the latest episode of The Spoiler Room Podcast (in which he talks about The Client with Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk), as well as Sujewa Ekanayake's interview with Werewolf Ninja Philosopher star Art Shrian Tiwari!Episode 540 is feeling scrappy!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 3:46Election Trailer: 3:46 - 6:09Election Discussion: 6:09 - 1:05:01Outro Music: 1:05:01 - 1:05:15Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, The Kicking the Seat Podcast and Cole Rush of The Quill to Live ski the K-12 while conducting a "Late Screening" of Better Off Dead! In honor of Ian's sixteenth wedding anniversary, which was themed after Savage Steve Holland's 1985 farce, the guys dig into the reasons why this oddball John Cusack vehicle may have changed Cole's mind about an entire decade of film!Also, Ian recommends Sujewa Ekanayake's YouTube channel (which contains his full-length interview with Ian from earlier this week, as well as Sujewa's new daily film vlogs), and plugs his YouTube-exclusive review of Netflix's new action/rom-com, The Lovebirds with Don Shanahan of Every Movie Has a Lesson!Episode 539 is pure snow!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 4:04Better Off Dead Trailer: 4:05 - 5:27Better Off Dead Discussion: 5:27 - 44:22Outro Music: 44:22 - 44:48Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast and Don Shanahan review the latest incarnation of the Mystery, Inc. gang, Scoob! The film recently landed on VOD (bypassing a theatrical release, thanks to that pesky bug), and Ian and Don dig into the numerous and supremely odd reasons this calamitous cartoon simply doesn't work.From genre confusion to unrecognizable main characters, voice-acting missteps to logic problems that could be seen as developmentally hazardous to any child who watches the film, this wide-ranging and very spoilerific discussion is far more fun than the movie at hand!Also, Ian helps Don celebrate ten years of his site Every Movie Has a Lesson, and recommends a brief YouTube segment in which Sujewa Ekanayake interviews Ian about becoming a film critic (there's also a fun little story about what happened to the rest of the discussion!).Episode 538 is feeling scrappy!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 3:09Scoob! Trailer: 3:09 - 5:31Scoob! Discussion: 5:31 - 47:41Outro Music: 47:41 - 47:57Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!

Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast celebrates six decades of Pat “The Über Critic” McDonald of HollywoodChicago.comand Michael Powell's exquisitely creepy thriller, Peeping Tom! The film centers on a young movie-studio cameraman obsessed with photographing people at the moment of their deaths--which, incidentally, he's responsible for!The guys dig into this criminally underseen film, talking about its juicy themes, incredible production quality, and ahead-of-its-time ideas on everyday voyeurism.Also, Ian teases his recent appearance on the Spoiler Room podcast (in which he attempts to shower off the shame of 1995's The Babysitter); invites listeners to join tomorrow night's Rendezvous in Chicago virtual Watch Party; and recommends you check out his YouTube-exclusive interview with Proximity co-writer/director Eric Demeusy!Episode 537 likes to watch!Show Guide:Intro Music: 0:00 - 0:14Intro: 0:14 - 3:58Peeping Tom Trailer: 3:58 - 6:16Peeping Tom Discussion: 6:16 - 54:52Outro Music: 54:52 - 55:07Keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Stitcher!Click to Listen!