The Seat Struck Movie Podcast

“Preacher? That motherfucker got God and technology ass/backwards! He’ll kill anybody for money just to keep his body full of implants!” J-Bone

Curtis, John, and Simon team up for 1995's JOHNNY MNEMONIC, the pre-MATRIX cyberpunk adaptation of William Gibson's short story starring Keanu Reeves, Dina Meyer, Henry Rollins, Ice T, Dolph Lundgren, and Takeshi Kitano. The boys discuss what they watched this week before diving into the film discussion. Hot topics include Gibson's source material, the B&W version, CYBERPUNK 2077, THE MATRIX, Keanu Reeves's acting, and the film's cyberpunk elements.

Tune in next time as John and Curtis kickstart a new David Lynch watch series with ERASERHEAD (1977)!

NEWS OF THE WEEK

New releases: Primate; Is This Thing On?; Greenland 2: Migration

WHAT WE WATCHED THIS WEEK

Curtis: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix; Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince; Manchester by the Sea

John: The Sting; The Amusement Park; Ghostly Revenge; Rise of the Animals; PVC-1; All Monsters Attack

Simon: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

TIME STAMPS

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:01:11) News of the Week/What We Watched This Week

(00:24:11) JOHNNY MNEMONIC Discussion

(01:00:57) Our Scores for JOHNNY MNEMONIC

(01:06:18) Coming Up Next!

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: "Memory Johnny" by Black Rain (JOHNNY MNEMONIC OST)

Outro: Excerpt from JOHNNY MNEMONIC

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler

Curtis's forthcoming publication here:

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-dis-trusting-the-digital-world-in-imaginative-literature.html

The Sofia Coppola watch series concludes this week as John and Curtis take on PRISCILLA, Coppola's latest feature-length film starring Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla Presley and Jacob Elordi as the King. The lads discuss what they watched this week before diving into the film discussion. Hot topics include Elvis's secondary role in the film, DODGER, the Presley family's response to the film, and more.

Tune in next time for a special discussion of the often maligned JOHNNY MNEMONIC (1995)!

NEWS OF THE WEEK

Shoutouts:

• New releases: Resurrection

WHAT WE WATCHED THIS WEEK

Curtis: Hamnet; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

John: Marty Supreme; Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (on 35mm); Alien; The Mist; Monsters, Marriage, and Murder in Manchvegas; Motel Hell; Unsane; Too Young to Die!; Carrion (video game)

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:11 News of the Week/What We Watched This Week

00:32:53 PRISCILLA Discussion

00:55:32 Our Scores for PRISCILLA

01:05:49 Coming Up Next!

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: "My Elixir" by Sons of Raphael (PRISCILLA OST)

Outro: "Blue Moon of Kentucky" by Elvis Presley

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler

Curtis's forthcoming publication here:

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-dis-trusting-the-digital-world-in-imaginative-literature.html

(Minus Marty Supreme, which I saw a couple of days after I recorded this lol).

Enjoy this piece of year-end bonus content—the audio minisode of my Best of 2025.

Here's my Letterboxd list for reference: https://letterboxd.com/johnnycakes91/list/best-of-2025/

Happy Holidays! As everyone winds down for end of the year celebrations, we decided to gather a special SUPERGROUP for a discussion on FOUND FOOTAGE MOVIES. Curtis is back from Japan, and joining the boys are our recurring guests MAGILL and TOMMY BRITT, and special guest RICHARD WATERS, a filmmaker from Ireland most known for his found footage horrors (IN A STRANGER'S HOUSE, DISTORT). With the team assembled, we went deep on the subject of found footage. First and foremost, what IS a found footage film? Do found footage films always have to be horror films? Is 'The Ring' a found footage film? What about the 'Trailer Park Boys' or other series? We try to help clarify things. Following this we talked about Richard's experience making found footage, and asked a few questions about making his films and on distributing independent film in the streaming age more broadly. He was also kind enough to share a sneak mention of his upcoming feature (a SEAT STRUCK SCOOP!). We also gave some select recommendations on notable found footage movies (see the Letterboxd list below if you want to check these out).

Before that, we paid tribute to the great Rob Reiner before talking about what we watched recently.

Next week we will return to conclude the Sofia Coppola Watch Series, chatting PRISCILLA.

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:03:27 RIP Rob Reiner

00:06:27 New Releases (Elle McCay; Sentimental Value; Nouvelle Vague; Wake Up Dead Man)

What We Watched This Week

00:08:53 "The Twelve Days of Christina Ricci-mas" (Magill)

00:18:03 The Secrets We Bury (Tommy)

00:19:27 A Curious Man (Tommy)

00:19:45 Man Finds Tape (Tommy)

00:20:13 Horror in the High Desert 4: Majesty (Richard)

00:21:42 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Curtis)

00:24:25 Enigma (Curtis)

00:25:23 Die My Love (Curtis)

00:26:21 Hogwarts Legacy [video game] (Curtis)

00:26:36 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets [and a mention of 'Wizard People, Dear Reader] (Curtis)

00:31:03 Man Finds Tape (John)

00:32:34 .ask (John)

00:33:45 Tomorrow Never Dies (John)

00:39:02 Mr. Holland's Opus (John)

00:41:34 Predators [2025] (John)

00:50:01 Found Footage Discussion (and interview with Richard)

01:59:17 Recommendations

02:08:22 Richard speaks about his new film!

02:11:04 Plugs, wrap up, and what's coming p next?

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: 'You Just Can't Beat a Good Film' 70s Bumper - The Prince Charles Cinema

Outro: Auld Lang Syne - Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians.

Richard's production company: https://www.weirdprettypictures.com/

Richard's socials

https://www.instagram.com/richmwaters

https://x.com/RichMWaters

Richard's films can be streamed on platforms like TUBI, PLEX, and FOUNDTV. Availability determined by region!

https://www.magillfoote.com/

Magill's produced podcast: https://www.trailwentcold.com/

Magill and Grant's new games store: https://taigainteractive.itch.io/

Check out Magill's contributions on Rue Morgue magazine!https://rue-morgue.com/

Check out Magill's wife's new book (The Widow's Charm): https://caitlynpaxson.com/

For a list of noteworthy found footage films, including ones mentioned in this episode: https://boxd.it/R8VY2

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler

Tommy and Curtis's forthcoming publications here:

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-dis-trusting-the-digital-world-in-imaginative-literature.html

New Tommy Britt publication here:

https://discovery.researcher.life/article/sleeping-through-the-big-lebowski-sleep-dreams-and-rest-in-the-coen-brothers-films-and-jeff-bridges-music/491e641b97c735e585ac3d652e42704e

This week on the pod, special guest John Bruni returns to discuss a Robert Redford vehicle—the political satire film THE CANDIDATE. We had a long discussion on Redford's performance, how the film's satire has aged, whether McKay is a sympathetic character, and also consider this film in comparison to D.A. Pennebaker's Election and The War Room, and through Andrew Sarris' pointed, yet somewhat blinked critique. Before that, we went over the usual news and what we watched this week.

(Note, my audio feed was coming in low so it has been amplified for consistent volume. Expect some drops during overlapping discussion).

Next week, we welcome back Curtis for a roundtable discussion on 'found footage' films (with a special guest filmmaker).

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:05:11 Shout outs: Netflix's plans to acquire Warner Bros.

00:12:05 New Releases (Five Nights at Freddy's 2; Jay Kelly; Hamnet; Train Dreams)

What We Watched This Week

00:13:12 One Battle After Another (Bruni)

00:17:35 Season of the Witch (Bruni)

00:19:33 The Mastermind (Bruni)

00:21:09 The Last Waltz (Bruni)

00:24:26 The Ice Storm (Bruni)

00:26:59 Nouvelle Vague (Bruni)

00:28:20 Sentimental Value (Bruni)

00:26:00 Tangerine (Bruni)

00:31:30 28 Years Later (John)

00:36:09 Tangerine (John)

00:42:44 Bone (John)

00:44:54 Carnival of Souls (John)

00:47:11 Long Weekend (John)

00:48:40 Shivers (John)

00:49:48 Fast Company (John)

00:53:51 Wendy and Lucy (John)

00:53:51 THE CANDIDATE discussion

01:59:07 Our Scores for THE CANDIDATE

02:12:50 Coming Up Next!

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: Marquee Our Feature Presentation Snipe - 1975

Outro: Hail to the Chief

Read more from John Bruni at: https://www.mediamagpies.com/

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler

With Curtis still away, John was joined by Magill to partake in what might be the most self-indulgent episode yet: a discussion on Turner Clay's THE BLACKWELL GHOST series of films (which as of this release is up to eight films, with a ninth on the way). While this discussion was about the filmmaker, the verisimilitude of its presentation, and the ever expanding lore, we did spend a lot of time talking about found footage filmmaking more broadly—with some specific discussion on the recent wave of no-budget 'paranormal haunt' found footage horrors by single auteurs; among them this series, Leaving D.C., Bad Ben, and others.

Before that, we run through our news and what we watched this week.

Next week we return with John Bruni to discuss THE CANDIDATE.

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:54 New Releases (Zootopia 2; Wicked; For Good; The Running Man)

00:06:30 Magill's Zootopia story

What We Watched This Week

00:11:21 Stranger Things Season Five [Vol. 1] (Magill)

00:16:12 Inherent Vice (Magill)

00:19:40 An American Tail + An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (Magill)

00:25:30 When We Went MAD! (John)

00:36:07 Joe's Apartment (John)

00:42:12 The Mummy Returns (John)

00:44:04 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (John)

00:46:20 Thrilling Bloody Sword (John)

01:50:18 BLACKWELL GHOST Discussion

01:41:33 Coming Up Next!

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: Marquee Our Feature Presentation Snipe - 1975

Outro: Turner Clay - Original Blackwell Ghost Score (from Blackwell Ghost Soundtrack)

https://www.magillfoote.com/

Magill's produced podcast: https://www.trailwentcold.com/

Magill and Grant's new games store: https://taigainteractive.itch.io/

Check out Magill's contributions on Rue Morgue magazine!https://rue-morgue.com/

Check out Magill's wife's new book (The Widow's Charm): https://caitlynpaxson.com/

For a list of noteworthy found footage films, including ones mentioned in this episode: https://boxd.it/DsaW8

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler

"Clara was one in a million. One in a billion. One in a googolplex!"

With Curtis away in Japan, John is once again joined by his brother Billy for a 100% sibling pod, going over the final entry in the Back to the Future trilogy. They run down the events of the movie, talk about the production, how this holds up as a Western, and whether this is a better movie (or worse) than Part II. Before that, they run through news and what they watched this week.

Next episode John will return with a special guest to discuss a found footage series.

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:06:30 Shout Outs (RIP Drew Struzan; Crispin Hellion Glover in Ottawa)

00:11:20 New Releases (A House of Dynamite; Predator Badlands; Christy; Die My Love; The Mastermind; Black Phone 2)

What We Watched This Week

00:13:50 Gumby The Movie (Billy)

00:18:10 A House of Dynamite (John)

00:21:20 The Blue Trail (John)

00:24:55 Deathstalker [2025] (John)

00:20:47 No, YOU'RE WRONG! Or: Spooky Action at a Distance (John)

00:30:25 Punch Drunk Love (John)

00:30:44 Faces (John)

00:32:00 Mondo Trasho (John)

00:33:00 BTTF III Discussion

01:09:06 Our Scores for BTTF III

01:13:02 Coming Up Next!

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: Main Title- Alan Silvestri (from BTTF III)

Outro: Doubleback (acoustic instrumental version) - ZZ Top

Credits:

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler

Frights, camera, action! For the final outing of spooky season, Curtis and John take on Zach Cregger's WEAPONS (2025), starring Julia Garner, Amy Madigan, and Josh Brolin, alongside special guests Magill and Dr Thomas Britt. The boys discussed what they watched this week before diving into the film discussion. Hot topics include the "comedic" aspects of the film, parasitism, the multiple narratives and perspectives, consumption, police corruption and complacency, Gladys, the meaning of "weapons," and so much more.

Have a spooktacular season!

Tune in next time for the final Sofia Coppola canon entry: PRISCILLA (2023)!

NEWS OF THE WEEK

Shoutouts:

• The kind folks I met in Toronto at various stores, cinemas, etc. 

• Charlottetown Film Festival

WHAT WE WATCHED THIS WEEK

Curtis: Brute 1976; Frankenstein (2025)John: Twin Peaks: The Return (Ep 7-9); Versus (2000); Ogroff; Kidnapped (2010); The American Scream (2010); The Long Walk

Magill: Microbudget movies Pater Noster and the Mission of Light and They Call Her Death, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Tommy: Tron: Ares; Roofman

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:10 News of the Week/What We Watched This Week

00:49:49 WEAPONS Discussion

01:37:12 Our Scores for WEAPONS

01:41:44 Coming Up Next!

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: "Beware of Darkness" by George Harrison

Outro: "Locked" by Ryan Holladay, Hays Holladay, and Zach Cregger (WEAPONS OST)

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

For a list of films covered at Genre Gems: https://letterboxd.com/johnnycakes91/list/genre-gems-2025-festival-lineup/

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler

Check out Magill's games here:

https://taigainteractive.itch.io

Tommy and Curtis's forthcoming publications here:

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-dis-trusting-the-digital-world-in-imaginative-literature.html

New Tommy Britt publication here:

https://discovery.researcher.life/article/sleeping-through-the-big-lebowski-sleep-dreams-and-rest-in-the-coen-brothers-films-and-jeff-bridges-music/491e641b97c735e585ac3d652e42704e

And now, a little something to make your skin crawl! For the third entry of spooky season, Simon and Curtis discuss the period piece body horror THE UGLY STEPSISTER (2025) with special guest Dr Sean Travers. They chat about its connections to THE SUBSTANCE (2024) and GRAFTED (2024), literal and metaphorical parasites, the monstrosity of the transformed body, the pressures of patriarchal expectation, the horrors of indifference, and academic publishing. After the discussion, they also talk about what they watched recently (and what they want to watch for spooky season).

Stay tuned next week for a supergroup discussion of WEAPONS (2025)!

WHAT WE WATCHED THIS WEEK

Curtis: The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre (Philip Fracassi Novel)

Simon: Black Phone 2

Sean: Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Netflix Miniseries); Good Boy (2025 Leonberg Film); It Chapter One; It Chapter Two

WHAT WE WANT TO WATCH

Curtis: Black Phone 2; Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein

Sean: Black Phone 2; Welcome to Derry (TV Series); The Long Walk

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:56 THE UGLY STEPSISTER Discussion

00:27:15 What We Watched This Week/What We Want to Watch

00:36:21 Our Scores for THE UGLY STEPSISTER

00:37:45 Coming Up Next!

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: "Blomserdansen" by Vilde Tuv (THE UGLY STEPSISTER OST)

Outro: "Dunkelheit" by Burzum

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

For a list of films covered at Genre Gems: https://letterboxd.com/johnnycakes91/list/genre-gems-2025-festival-lineup/

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler

Check out Dr Sean Travers's monograph (Trauma in American Popular Culture and Cult Texts, 1980-2020) here:

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-13287-2

Pleasant screams, boils and ghouls! John and Curtis return to the spooky canon this week for its second screamy offering: 1972's DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING, directed by Lucio Fulci and starring Barbara Bouchet (and one of Curtis's giallo favourites). The boys are also joined by their favourite librarian, the very hot and cool Katie! They discuss the film as giallo, libraries, the rural setting, misogyny and patriarchal oppression, Donald Duck, the film's taboo topics, and much more.

Next week, Simon is taking the helm with THE UGLY STEPSISTER (2025)!

WHAT WE WATCHED THIS WEEK

Curtis: One Battle After Another; Good Boy (2025 Leonberg film)

John: Grand Ciel; The Ice Tower; Dracula (2025); The Hyperboreans; #MissingCouple; Black Caesar; Megadoc

Katie: Chimp Crazy (HBO Miniseries)

TIME STAMPS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:05:28 What We Watched This Week/New Releases/Shoutouts

00:39:22 DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING Discussion

01:15:41 Our Scores for DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING

01:19:36 Coming Up Next!

CREDITS AND PLUGS

Intro: "Quei giorni insieme a te (Theme)" by Riz Ortolani (DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING OST)

Outro: "The Adulteress' Punishment" by Riz Ortolani (CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST OST)

Follow John on Letterboxd—@johnnycakes91

For a list of films covered at Genre Gems: https://letterboxd.com/johnnycakes91/list/genre-gems-2025-festival-lineup/

Curtis: https://www.the-back-row.com/ - check out 'Runstedler's DVD Pick of the Month'

https://curtisrunstedler.ca/

Dr Curtis Reads: https://www.youtube.com/@curtisrunstedler