Kicking the Seat

What's this? Ian had allegedly vowed not to talk about Superman 2025 after July's round table review; in fact, he'd announced a boycott of all DCU projects until writer/director/co-DCU head James Gunn stepped down.So what gives? Well, the movie recently landed on 4K and after another evaluation, Ian has decided that... It still doesn't work.But...There's a fascinating documentary in the supplementary materials called "Adventures in Making Superman" that is well worth the price of admission. This "Featured Extras" segment looks at the bizarre ways in which the doc tiptoes around the movie it's allegedly about; draws an unexpected connection with Mike Figgis' recent film, Megadoc; and how it helped Ian appreciate the artistry, conflict, and Krypton-sized red flags that went into making what he considers an unforgivable misfire!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksYou can pick up Warner Bros' 4K UHD of Superman (2025) at Amazon (or wherever you snag physical media).Watch Earth's Mightiest Critics' review of Superman (2025), shortly after its July release!And watch Ian's "Public Service Announcement" regarding his future DCU viewing plans!As mentioned in the segment, "Adventures in Making Superman" has a fun connection to Megadoc, which Ian and David Fowlie recently reviewed.

Earth's Mightiest Critics have made their peace with Alien: Earth, and are prepared for an even-tempered, non-confrontational look at the Episode 8 Season Finale ("The Real Monsters").Oh, who're we kidding?We called it from Episode 1: This show is objectively awful, and we're here to break some coffins with the force of our righteous hammering!Watch the latest episode of Alien: Earth now on F/X/Hulu, then join us for a searing send-off--and an answer to The Big Question: "Will we bother coming back for Season 2?"We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Note: Some of this episode touches on points raised in this recent interview with Alien: Earth creator/showrunner Noah Hawley. Sorry, this is some really grueling homework. Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Alien: Earth (2025) trailer.Catch up with all our "Say No More, Xenomorph" roundtables in the Playlist!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Maryue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Earth's Mightiest Critics suit up for a look at the latest Jordan Peele (produced) thriller, Him!It's "Any Given Sunday meets The Devil's Advocate", starring Tyriq Withers as Cam Cade, a promising college football star who gets a chance to train with his pro-football hero, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). But during his grueling week at a state-of-the-art desert compound, Cam begins to suspect that fame and fortune might just come at a higher price than he'd...ahem...bargained for.There's no getting around it: Justin Tipping's film is a mess, and we'll give you the cold, hard play-by-play of a movie whose premise and trailer are genuinely great--but whose execution is one of 2025's greatest disappointments!Join us for a spoilerific scrimmage that also includes your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Him (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Ian and David crank things up to eleven with another---Nevermind. Not gonna finish that hackneyed joke.But it feeds right into today's double-feature review of Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues and Megadoc.What do a legacy sequel about a fake British rock band and a documentary about filming one of cinema's most notorious flops have to do with one another? More than you might expect, as we discover in this spoilerific deep dive.Spinal Tap 2 picks up with Nigel, David, and Derek reuniting for one last (contractually obligated) concert. But do they still have "it", and do cameos by legends like Sirs Paul McCartney and Elton John elevate the absurdist mockumentary humor--or simply drag it out?Mike Figgis' Megadoc finds the director chronicling the making-of chaos behind Francis Ford Coppola's Razzie Award-winning retro-futurist drama, Megalopolis. From difficult actors to incomplete ideas to entire departments being wiped out on a whim, the film drags shadowy Hollywood mystique into the daylight (for better and worse).Join us for an examination of two movies that don't quite work--but whose seeds of greatness were trampled on by ego, age, and cynical nostalgia!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Spinal Tap 2 (2025) trailer.Watch the Megadoc (2025) trailer.Keep up with all of David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Plus! Listen to Ian and David's other recent (and very raucous) reviews of:Being Maria / Last Tango in Paris (2025 / 1972)The Unholy Trinity (2025) Magazine Dreams (2025)A Real Pain (2025)Rebel Ridge (2024)Duchess (2024)What Remains (2024)

Earth's Mightiest Critics are just about done with the Alien franchise--but Alien: Earth is not done with them!This week, we look at Episode 7, "Emergence", which finds many of the deep-space monsters breaking containment on Prodigy Island--leading to chest-bursting, jaw-ripping mayhem, and the World Record for "Most Ambushes in a 40-minute TV Show"!Join us as we hack our way through the rest of this nonsense jungle!We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Alien: Earth (2025) trailer.Catch up with all our "Say No More, Xenomorph" roundtables in the Playlist!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Maryue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Ian and Jeff strap on their skates and venture into the heady neon-glow of Xanadu!Robert Greenwald's 1980 musical fantasy stars Olivia Newton-John as Kira, a muse and daughter of Zeus, who seeks to inspire a struggling L.A. artist named Sonny Malone (Michael Beck). As romance blooms, Sonny meets a former magician-turned-construction-magnate named Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly), who dreams of opening up a nightclub--and who may have crossed paths with Kira during his days as an enlisted entertainer during World War II.This syrupy cult classic was recently brought back to stunning life on 4K, and the guys look back at Xanadu with a reverence that surprised them both. Wade through the cheese and the at times iffy filmmaking, and you'll see a truly moving story about the push-and-pull of independent artists and the end of the Mass Media Artist as Tactile Craftsman era.This episode is part movie review, part continuation of Ian and Jeff's ongoing discussion about the role of Artificial Intelligence in the arts. Whether you love or hate Xanadu (or have no idea it ever existed), there's a veritable buffet of food for thought in this loving look back!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Xanadu (1980) trailer.Order the new 4K UHD of Xanadu from Kino Lorber.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

The Long Walk may be one of Stephen King's finest novels, but how well does it translate to film?Earth's Mightiest Critics look at the dystopian game show thriller, in which 50 teenagers walk for as long as they can while flanked by armed guards who execute anyone who stops. The filmmakers (which include Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence), take bizarre and often unforgivable liberties with the source material, blending elements of Death Race 2000 with tired armchair political messaging--all in the service of (allegedly) adapting a novel that demonstrated far greater economy and subtlety.But will that matter to casual moviegoers who never read the book? And should we demand more from studios who count on such ignorance?Join us for a spoilerific stroll that also includes your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Long Walk (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Ian and Sujewa return with a heated look at a chill movie: Hong Sang-soo's By the Stream!Kim Min-hee stars as Jeo-nim, an instructor at a Seoul women's college. After a scandal leaves her without a director for her class's segment in an upcoming skit competition, she recruits uncle Choo Si-eon (Kwon Hae-hyo)--a disgraced former director--to help. Over several meals, rehearsals, and meaningful walks, truths are revealed and new relationships bloom.In this spoilerfiic and contentious review, Ian and Sujewa debate the wisdom of talking about another Hong Sang-soo film; Ian had previously banned all discussion of the auteur's work on the show, but was convinced that this one was different. How much should an audience have to read into a screenplay--and do writer/directors have a responsibility to meet them more than halfway? Does a movie have to make the most of its many alleged themes--or is it okay to just go on a two-hour ride and not think too much about the weight of the ideas being presented?Also, just who is the main character in By the Stream?(In retrospect, one of Ian's arguments on this point is shaky--see if you can spot it.)The guys hash all of this out, and provide an update on Sujewa's in-progress movie, 53 Spaceships!Note: Due to a week chock full of technical difficulties, this episode was released much later than intended (it was supposed to coincide with a limited theatrical run of By the Stream at Chicago's Gene Siskel Film Center). See the "Show Links" below for info on how you can see this film on the big screen.Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the By the Stream trailer.By the Stream recently finished a limited run at Chicago's Gene Siskel Film Center--but will play several theatres/events in the coming months. Check the Cinema Guild website for dates and venues.Support Sujewa's new film project, 53 Spaceships, the latest adventure of Cosmic Disco Detective Rene!Check out Sujewa's latest podcast venture, This Arthouse Life! Watch Sujewa's latest film, Cosmic Disco Detective Rene for free on YouTube! Rent The Secret Society for Slow Romance (the predecessor to Cosmic Disco Detective Rene).Follow Sujewa on X.Check out all the episodes in our “IndieSeen” Playlist!

Does it count as a "Here We Go Again" episode if we do something new?We're about to find out, as Earth's Mightiest Critics welcome the one and only Lloyd Kaufman to discuss the 1984 superhero splat-fest, The Toxic Avenger--and the recently released re-imagining by writer/director Macon Blair!Mark and Joe join Ian for a free-wheeling look at the "First Superhero from New Jersey", and the wild journey Troma Studios has taken over the decades.Plus: Stay tuned to the very end (why wouldn't you?) for an unexpected guest appearance!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Toxic Avenger (2025) trailer.Watch the Toxic Avenger (1984) trailer.As mentioned in the show, you can sign up for Troma Now to get your monthly fill of unlimited movie mayhem (try it free for 30 days--and listen to the ep for Lloyd's tips on "extending" your subscription)! Lloyd's daughter, Lily-Hayes Kaufman, has a new film on the festival circuit, Occupy Cannes! Watch the trailer here, and stay tuned for more on her exciting documentary! Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.If you're not subscribed to Shudder...do that! So you can watch The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs--the show Joe Randazzo works for!

Earth's Mightiest Critics want to nuke Alien: Earth from orbit (just to be sure), but they soldier on through Episode 5--determined to see this frustrating series to the bitter end.In episode 5, "In Space, No One...", the series' momentum grinds to a halt as we revisit the doomed crew of the Weyland/Yutani science vessel, The Maginot, in an hour-long flashback that serves up a cargo bay's worth of narrative contradictions.Is Noah Hawley messing with us, serving up slop for more than half a season before wowing the (dwindling) audience with a finale packed with sharp characterization, wit, and imagination? Or is this just...it for the next three weeks?Join us as we continue our desecration dissection! We'll also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Be sure to watch new episodes of Alien: Earth every Tuesday at 7pm CST on F/X/Hulu, and join us back here every Thursday night at 8:30pm CST through September for more gooey Alien: Earth goodness!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Alien: Earth (2025) trailer.Catch up with all our "Say No More, Xenomorph" roundtables in the Playlist!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Maryue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Grab a soda pop and join Earth's Mightiest Critics for a look at the anime phenomenon that's sweeping the globe: KPop Demon Hunters!International singing superstars Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) are secretly part of an ancient order of warriors who defend our reality from the forces of darkness. When a rival band appears on the scene to seduce fans away from the power trio, a battle for the songs and souls of billions begins!KPop Demon Hunters has captured the hearts and playlists of people around the world, but is there more to the hype than bright colors and catchy tunes? Does there need to be?Join us for a spoilerific, boomerlicious look at the latest animation sensation! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the KPop Demon Hunters (2025) trailer.Check out Annie's recent CBR articles on all things anime, including opinion pieces on KPop Demon Hunters!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Earth's Mightiest Critics would give a lung to be done with Alien: Earth--but we soldier on in the hopes that it will (someday, in the far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far future) get good!The synopsis for Episode 4 ("Observation") reads: "An unexpected connection is formed while a covert plot puts everyone in danger."Yep, that...sounds like an Alien story alright.But beyond the synopsis, this installment brings us a truly unexpected surprise: an episode worthy of our time and analysis!Join us for a spoilierific deep dive into the halfway point of what has suddenly become a (mildly) promising Alien prequel series!Be sure to watch new episodes of Alien: Earth every Tuesday at 7pm CST on F/X/Hulu, and join us back here every Thursday night at 8:30pm CST through September for more gooey Alien: Earth goodness!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Alien: Earth (2025) trailer.Catch up with all our "Say No More, Xenomorph" roundtables in the Playlist!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

As summer winds down, Earth's Mightiest Critics speed things up with Eenie Meanie!Samara Weaving stars in this direct-to-streaming action movie about a reformed teenage getaway driver who gets dragged back into her unsavory past when a former employer offers her a chance to save the life of her chronically unreliable ex-boyfriend.The film has been savaged by critics, but does it deserve the hate--or is there more to this entry in a well-worn sub-genre than meets the eye?Join us as we take this high-octane actioner for a spin--and your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Warning: This baby's got spoilers!!!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Eenie Meanie (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

It's back-to-school time and "Accademia Giallo" has your front-row seat to an Autopsy!Armando Crispino's 1975 thriller centers on an outbreak of suicides in Rome, leading to a morgue attendant's hallucinations of the dead returning to life. And things only get stranger from there!Join us for one last summer shriek as we dissect this bizarre half-century scare-fest!We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Autopsy (1975) trailer.Support all of our terrifying teachers' axe-tracurricular activities!Stay studious with Aaron Christensen at Horror101 with Dr. AC!And subscribe to his YouTube channel!If you dare, venture down into Kitley's Krypt with Jon Kitley! And listen to Jon's scary-good podcast, Discover the Horror!Stalk Bryan Martinez in The Giallo Room!Buy J. Blake Fichera's "Scored to Death" Volume I and II on Amazon (mentioned in the show).Catch up with classic episodes of his Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast!Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

Earth's Mightiest Critics might be tempted to nuke Alien: Earth from orbit, but they'll wait to pass judgment on Noah Hawley's prequel series until after the finale...just to be sure.But that won't stop us from reviewing Episode 3, "Metamorphosis":"The team returns home with unexpected cargo. An unsettling experiment occurs, and a new talent is discovered."Vaguely chilling, or chillingly vague! You decide--we'll analyze!You're one click away from more spoilerific space spore savagery! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!And be sure to join us back here every Thursday night through September for more gooey Alien: Earth goodness!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Alien: Earth (2025) trailer.Catch up with all our "Say No More, Xenomorph" roundtables in the Playlist!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Ian and Jeff travel back to the vibrant art scene of early-80s New York City with a look at two related but very different films, Make Me Famous and Basquiat!The former is Brian Vincent's 2021 documentary about obscure expressionist portraitist Edward Brezinski, who lived in a crumbling 3rd Street slum; he spent his days painting and his nights hitting up gallery openings trying to drum up interest in his work (as well as scrounging for food and drink). He orbited the likes of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, but never caught on to the "It" factor that carried many of his contemporaries to super-stardom and wealth.Julian Schnabel's 1996 drama, Basquiat, stars Jeffrey Wright as the titular, troubled painter of graffiti and challenging art pieces. The disjointed film chronicles his ascent to fame as a protege of Andy Warhol (David Bowie), and his descent into a drug-fueled early demise at the age of 27.As alums of Chicago's American Academy of Art, your enthusiastic hosts dive right into what makes both films essential viewing--despite flaws both minor and nigh insurmountable. Ian and Jeff talk about their affinity for films about artists; the thematic threads that weave through two works that differ in form but unite in defining a vivid time, place, and people; and lament the commoditization of creativity presaged in both Basquiat and Brezinski's stories.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Make Me Famous (2021) trailer.Watch the Basquiat (1996) trailer.Follow all things Make Me Famous at the film's official website.Order the new 4K UHD of Basquiat from The Criterion Collection.And read Roger Durling's essay about the controversial restoration here.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

Earth's Mightiest Critics may fight a lot, but at least we fight fair--thanks in part to the punky, earnest admonitions of 1985's The Legend of Billie Jean!Helen Slater stars as the titular teen outlaw who goes on the lam with her younger brother and a couple of close friends, following a violent run-in with a skeevy local businessman. The story gains national attention, and Billie Jean becomes a symbol for rebellion and extra-judicial justice.Four decades on, can The Legend of Billie Jean still inspire faith in youthful activism in the face of corrupted authority? Or is it yet another dated cringe-fest propped up by iconic imagery and a Top 40 single?Join us for a spoilerific retrospective of this 80s cable staple and see if it remains...invincible!We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Legend of Billie Jean (1985) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Ian welcomes back author Ben Beard to discuss his latest, best, and most personal book, Four Horses, Seven Seals!Continuing his tradition of mixing autobiography with the pop culture that helped shape his life, Ben's latest work examines three bizarre totems from the year 1990: DC Comics' The Sandman, Depeche Mode's "Violator" album, and Adrian Lyne's film, Jacob's Ladder (which the guys review in moderate depth).While investigating the odd connections between these three works, Ben delves further into his own troubled journey to adulthood and falling out with religion. He also discovers cosmic coincidences involving the rise and fall of Elvis Presley's stepbrother, the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, and the twisted celestial visions of William Blake--all with the author's trademark blend of humor, horror, and relatability.In this wide-ranging interview, Ian and Ben talk about book's three main pillars; getting creative with chapter notes; the controversy surrounding Sandman author Neil Gaiman; and how 1990 presaged the next millennium's splintering of our collective consciousness!Four Horses, Seven Seals is now available on Amazon. This is your not-at-all-subtle prompt to buy it now! Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksKeep up with all things Ben at his website.Read Ben's blog, "Simone and the Silver Surfer".Watch Ian's previous interviews about Ben's books:The Bad Class (2023)The South Never Plays Itself (2020)

In space, everyone can see you stream--and Earth's Mightiest Critics do just that with the latest sci-fi/horror TV show, Alien: Earth!This series, set two years before the events of Ridley Scott's landmark 1979 film, Alien, follows an investigation into a deep space vessel that crashed into Earth, carrying weird and ultra-deadly creatures--including everyone's favorite long-domed, double-mouthed drool machine!Will showrunner Noah Hawley bring the same shot-in-the-arm to Alien that he did to Fargo and Legion? Or is this doomed to be another synthetic rehash of a once-great premise?Join us as we burst open the first two episodes of the F/X prequel series. We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!And be sure to join us back here every Thursday night through September for more spoilerific livestreams!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Alien: Earth (2025) trailer.As mentioned in the show, Culture Crave provided a helpful in-universe timeline of all the main Alien films (including the new TV series).Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Earth's Mightiest Critics don't condone violence, but we will review Weapons!The latest thriller from writer/director Zach Cregger centers on a small town in mourning after 17 grade school children from the same class mysteriously vanish in the middle of the night. Tensions run high as parents suspect the kids' teacher (Julia Garner) of being a witch; as Cregger's Roshomon-style narrative unfolds, the unsettling truth of who orchestrated the mass disappearance comes to light.In this wild EMC roundtable, we discuss the highs, lows, and WTF's of this artsy, bloody pastiche. The film has garnered much praise as a standout in the genre. But does Weapons live up to the hype--or is it another sad signifier of audiences' diminishing standards for big-studio horror?Join us for a disarmingly spoilerific look at the latest spooky sensation.We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, watch us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookBlueSkyShow LinksWatch the Weapons (2025) trailer.Read Ian's controversial written review of Weapons (discussed in the show)!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Summer's not over yet, and neither is Hollywood's addiction to remakes and requels! Case in point: The Naked Gun!Akiva Schaffer's legacy sequel picks up decades after 1988's The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, and centers on Frank Drebin, Jr. (Liam Neeson), who wants nothing more than to live up to the legacy of his bumbling-hero father (Leslie Nielsen). When a bank heist connects to a murder, Frank Jr. finds himself in the midst of a wild techno conspiracy--and a whole lot of cartoon nonsense in the background! There's been a lot of controversy surrounding original Naked Gun co-writer/director David Zucker's lack of involvement in the new movie, but Earth's Mightiest Critics feel the new creative team has done their best to uphold the franchise's zany spirit.Does this mean that comedy is "back"? If so, where did it go? Join us for a spoilerific and oh-so-silly look at one of cinema's perfect sequels (including just what we mean by "perfect sequel") and the movie that inspired it! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Naked Gun (2025) trailer. Watch the Naked Gun (1988) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Our Escape from Hammerland continues with one of the twistiest (and most twisted) psychological thrillers you'll ever see!Freddie Francis' 1963 film, Paranoiac, follows the wealthy and extremely dysfunctional Ashby siblings, Eleanor (Janette Scott) and Simon (Oliver Reed). They are weeks away from inheriting the family fortune, left to them after their parents' untimely death (and that of middle child, Antony, who took his own life out of grief). Eleanor begins seeing visions of Antony, back from the dead--which jeopardizes Simon's plans for claiming the all the Ashby money for himself. This premise is the springboard for a movie so packed with surprises that to summarize any further would risk bumbling through a minefield of spoilers.Suffice it to say, Ian and AC had a lot of fun diving into Paranoiac, which also boasts the talents of Hammer powerhouse screenwriter Jimmy Sangster and producer Anthony Hinds.In this spoiler-filled discussion, the guys examine all the goings-on of this short, tight masterwork--including a minor head-scratcher that keep it from being a note-perfect classic!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Paranoiac (1963) trailer.Order AC's books on essential and obscure horror movies, Horror 101 and Hidden Horror!Subscribe to AC's YouTube channel, Horror 101 with Dr. AC.Grab only what you can carry as we "Escape from Hammerland"! Hitch a ride with our entire 2024 series in the "Return to Hammerland" Playlist!It's not too late to catch up with our 2023 trip “Beyond Hammerland”!Check out 2022's year-long journey, "Son of Hammerland"!And watch the series that started it all: "Hammerland"As mentioned in the show, Hammer made a lot of black-and-white thrillers. Here are more films to catch up on, courtesy of AC!The Snorkel (1958)Stop Me Before I Kill (1960)Scream of Fear (1961)Maniac (1963)Paranoiac (1963)Nightmare (1964)The Nanny (1965)Hysteria (1965)Fanatic aka Die! Die! My Darling! (1965) (color)Crescendo (1970) (color)

IndieSeen returns with a BANG! BOOM! POW! of an episode as we look at the new documentary, The Last Days of Joseph Koch Comics Warehouse!The movie follows the closing weeks of a massive Brooklyn pop culture warehouse/store run by Joseph Koch since 1988. Now, facing retirement, Koch must liquidate everything and plan for a future in which he plans to catch up on the myriad four-color adventures he's spent decades selling but not reading.Sujewa put the film together in the midst of his 53 Spaceships project, and the results frustrated his co-host to no end. In this candid conversation, they dig into the how's, why's, and WTF's of a movie that Ian can't quite recommend to fellow comics enthusiasts.The guys also welcome documentary participant Amanda Haynes for the first few minutes, as she extolls the virtues of biographical comics and explains her very personal connection to Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics.Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch The Last Days of Joseph Koch Comics Warehouse for free on YouTube!There's still a bit of time to get some great deals from the man himself! Check out Joe's website (or visit the warehouse if you're in Brooklyn!) through the end of July 2025.Support Sujewa's new film project, 53 Spaceships, the latest adventure of Cosmic Disco Detective Rene!Check out Sujewa's latest podcast venture, This Arthouse Life! Watch Sujewa's latest film, Cosmic Disco Detective Rene for free on YouTube! Rent The Secret Society for Slow Romance (the predecessor to Cosmic Disco Detective Rene).Follow Sujewa on X.Check out all the episodes in our “IndieSeen” Playlist!

According to Hollywood, the best bait is nostalgia-bait. In this week's live panel, Earth's Mightiest Critics bite down hard on I Know What You Did Last Summer and don't let go!In this requel of Jim Gillespie's 1997 thriller (written by Scream's Kevin Williamson) a group of twenty-somethings reunite in the storied town of South Port. Their excessive drinking leads to an accidental death on a winding road and...you know the rest. One year later. Killer with a hook. Return of legacy characters. "Surprise" twist in the climax.Despite its lack of originality, there are some things to recommend in I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025. The question is--is there enough to recommend buying a ticket, or even bothering to stream it later?Join us for a cutting and oh-so-spoilerific look at the latest horror retread! We also answer your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) trailer.Watch the I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Ian and Jeff visit the not-so-sleepy little town of Eddington for a spoilerific look back at 2020, through the cracked lens of indie genre giant Ari Aster!Joaquin Phoenix stars as sheriff Joe Cross, whose crumbling marriage and personal beef with Eddington's mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) is already enough to put him off kilter. In sweeps the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by BLM protests, and Antifa saboteurs--all of which push him and the town to the brink of absolute insanity.In this no holds barred review, the guys tackle Eddington's lows, highs, and in-betweens--and ask if Aster is all he's cracked up to be as a storyteller.They also draw strange but apt parallels to James Gunn's Superman and recommend some of the sources Aster knowingly or unknowingly cribbed from as alternatives to sitting through two-and-a-half-hours of "juvenhilism" (a word that Ian mistakenly believed he'd coined--but which is actually the title of a book. Womp, womp).Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Eddington (2025) trailer.For reference, check out Earth's Mightiest Critics' roundtable review of Superman 2025.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.

Ian and David aren't too old for this review of Richard Donner's seminal buddy-cop action opus, Lethal Weapon!Mel Gibson and Danny Glover star as Riggs and Murtaugh, two police officers thrown together on a case involving a dead adult film star and her apparent connection to a drug smuggling empire. Riggs has a death wish; Murtaugh wishes his impending retirement would hurry up already. Together, they must survive colorful street thugs, a maniacal henchman played by Gary Busey, and, of course, each other!In this lovingly spoilerific review, the guys compare the theatrical and so-called director's cut of the film (recently released on 4K); look at some of the weird themes running through 80's action movies; and play a fun game of "Six Degrees", tying this film into several other iconic movies from 1987!Show LinksWatch the Lethal Weapon (1987) trailer.You can pick up the recently released 4K version of Lethal Weapon, courtesy of Warner Bros! Keep up with all of David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Plus! Listen to Ian and David's other recent (and very raucous) reviews of:The Unholy Trinity (2025) Magazine Dreams (2025)A Real Pain (2025)Rebel Ridge (2024)Duchess (2024)The Old Oak (2024)

The James Gunn Era of the new DCU kicks off with Superman, and Earth's Mightiest Critics have a lot to say about it!David Corenswet stars as the latest big-screen incarnation of the Man of Steel in this wacky, rebooted-but-already-established universe. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is out to destroy Superman's public image so that he can hatch a nefarious plan involving geopolitical war. Throw in the misfit Justice Gang, Metropolis-munching Kaiju, pocket universes, Internet trolls, and a bizarre twist on Supes' origin story, and you have one of the boldest relaunches in cinema history.But "bold" doesn't necessarily mean "good". And in this week's pugnacious panel, the EMC will duke it out over whether or not Gunn has laid a promising path for future DCU films--or if Superman signals the death knell of not only a franchise, but an entire genre!Join us for a super-scrappy and spoilerific roundtable review of one of summer's most highly anticipated (and divisive) blockbusters!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Superman (2025) trailer.ICYMI: Watch Ian's Superman 2025 Public Service Announcement, including his thoughts on the DCU moving forward!As teased in the show, Ian interviewed Rachel Brosnahan a few years ago, during her Marvelous Mrs. Maisel days. Check it out here! Looking for a real punch in the feels? Check out this montage of the 1978 Donner film, set to John Williams' Superman theme.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Join us for a Jurassic Park 7 roundtable review, and place bets on which panelist will fall asleep first.Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Ian recommends skipping the new Superman. But there's another recent release that demands your attention--and offers everything James Gunn's empty, ill-fitting tights cannot!Also, he makes a bold commitment that will change the direction of this channel...forever! Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Superman (2025) trailer.Not all of Earth's Mightiest Critics agree with Ian's take on the film! Prepare for the Internet battle of the century as the gang goes at it live next Wednesday (7/16) at 8pm CST!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Summer 2025 has been the IP killer, with once-mighty franchises bombing harder than the climax of Dr. Strangelove.But, wait! What's that coming around the track? Why, it's Brad Pitt behind the wheel of the ultimate racing flick, F1: The Movie!This week, Earth's Mightiest Critics are revved and ready to make the case that Joseph Kosinski's latest IMAX spectacle is one of the best films of the year--and a danger to commuters everywhere! While Ehren Kruger's screenplay won't set the world on fire, F1 is packed with classic performances, hard-driving race photography, and enough Dude Energy to fuel ten Top Gun: Maverick's!Join us as we drive circles around other movie review podcasts with fair, spoilerific, and high-octane analysis! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Public Service Announcement: If you're planning to see this summer sleeper hit, we implore you to see it in IMAX, or whichever premium-format experience is nearest to you. This is the reason such experiences exist!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the F1: The Movie (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Earth's Mightiest Critics return to the dystopian hellscape of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland's stop-and-start franchise with a look at 28 Years Later!Nearly three decades after a "rage virus" wrecked Great Britain, a small island commune attempts to restore normalcy while staying ever vigilant against the mainland's ongoing horrors. The latest film centers on a family's struggle to shape a timid preteen into a zombie killer and to find a cure for mom's mysterious illness--and also to uncover more unsettling mysteries stalking the woods!Is this third chapter as "highly anticipated" as the media claims? Have the filmmakers bungled their own continuity by (rightfully) ignoring the second film ever existed?And what about that ending?We'll get into it all during this positively infectious (and oh-so-spoilerific) roundtable review--in which we also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the 28 Years Later (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Our "Bond & Determined" series emerges from deep cover for a 60th anniversary review of Thunderball! Sean Connery's fourth big-screen outing as the MI6 super-spy finds James Bond tracking down stolen nuclear warheads while dodging SPECTRE's second-in-command! Packed with gutsy gals, groovy gadgets, and gorgeous underwater cinematography, this decades-old adventure outshines just about anything at the multiplex today.In this spoilerific episode, Ian and Jeff look at how Thunderball fits into the Bond legacy; the ways in which the character comes into his own four movies in; and whether or not the franchise should have a future--and what that might entail!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Thunderball (1965) trailer.You can pick up Thunderball, and 5 other Connery Bond titles, recently remastered in 4K from Warner Bros!Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at: The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists!Spy on our other "Bond & Determined" episodes in our series playlist!

This month, "Accademia Giallo" cranks it up to "11" with a roundtable review of Murder-Rock: Dancing Death!In Lucio Fulci's mid-80s thriller, the owner of a prestigious New York ballet school teams up with a male model to solve a series of bizarre student murders. Does this gonzo 80's experiment stack up to Fulci's earlier, more buttoned-up work?Join us for a bloody-good, spoilerific jam session and find out! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats, and pay tribute to a very special long-time fan of the show!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Murder-Rock (1984) trailer.As mentioned in the show, you can catch up with our recent "Credito Extra" episode, in which Ian interviews Guido and Lucas Henkel--the father/son powerhouse behind the Celluloid Dreams home video label! Support all of our terrifying teachers' axe-tracurricular activities!Stay studious with Aaron Christensen at Horror101 with Dr. AC!And subscribe to his YouTube channel!If you dare, venture down into Kitley's Krypt with Jon Kitley! And listen to Jon's scary-good podcast, Discover the Horror!Stalk Bryan Martinez in The Giallo Room!Buy J. Blake Fichera's "Scored to Death" Volume I and II on Amazon (mentioned in the show).Catch up with classic episodes of his Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast!Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

The outer boundaries of Hammerland are in sight, but no daring escape would be complete without a blown tire at the worst possible moment; that blown tire is the 1956 Quatermass knock-off X The Unknown! Co-directors Leslie Norman and Joseph Losey bring us a tale of slow-moving space slime that terrorizes a Scottish military base. Only an American scientist and his Atomic Energy Agency liaison stand in the way of face-melting global dominance.While not a homerun like some of the other films discussed in this series, there's a good deal to like in X The Unknown--a fact that Ian gradually learns in real time, thanks to a handful of post-viewing insights and trivia provided by the ever-patient AC! Join us for a look at "The Blob before The Blob"!Note: As mentioned in the video, this review was recorded in late May--almost exactly a month ago. After several weeks of nail-biting computer drama, I realized the video footage had not, in fact, been eaten. I recovered the conversation and am ecstatic to share it with you. Enjoy!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the X The Unknown (1956) trailer.Read AC's written review of The Phantom of the Opera at Horror 101 with Dr. AC!Order AC's books on essential and obscure horror movies, Horror 101 and Hidden Horror!Subscribe to AC's YouTube channel, Horror 101 with Dr. AC.Grab only what you can carry as we "Escape from Hammerland"! Hitch a ride with our entire 2024 series in the "Return to Hammerland" Playlist!It's not too late to catch up with our 2023 trip “Beyond Hammerland”!Check out 2022's year-long journey, "Son of Hammerland"!And watch the series that started it all: "Hammerland"

In 1972, Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris pierced the cinema landscape with its gritty and unrelenting portrayal of animalistic sex, grief, and urban malaise.Marlon Brando stars as Paul, a recent middle-aged widower who meets 20-year-old Jeanne (Maria Schneider) while looking for an apartment. The two decide to shack up for three hedonistic days, blocking out the sad concerns of the world outside. The result is a portrait of mutual and self-destruction, helmed by a director so bent on "authenticity" that he permitted an actual assault to take place on his set.This year, co-writer/director Jessica Palud brought us Being Maria, a biopic about Schneider and the aftermath of Last Tango's scandalous shoot/release, with Matt Dillon and Anamaria Vartolomei turning in commendable interpretations of the film's iconic actors.In today's episode, Ian and David examine both films and walk through the various reasons neither come close to being as memorable (or, frankly, as good) as they ought to be--outside the sensationalism inherent in the infamous "butter" scene. They also look at critic Pauline Kael's 1972 New Yorker review and how it brushes right up against contemporary social mores.Show LinksWatch the Being Maria (2025) trailer.Being Maria is now available On Demand and on Blu-ray, courtesy of Kino Lorber.Keep up with all of David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.As mentioned in the show, you can read critic Pauline Kael's 1972 review of Last Tango in Paris.Plus! Listen to Ian and David's other recent (and very raucous) reviews of:The Unholy Trinity (2025) A Real Pain (2025)Rebel Ridge (2024)Duchess (2024)The Old Oak (2024)What Remains (2024)

Dreamworks has entered the "live action remake" arena with How to Train Your Dragon, and Earth's Mightiest Critics have a take or two on the déjà vu!Dean DeBlois returns with an update of the 2010 animated hit, which he co-directed with Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, The Wild Robot). He's riding solo this time and, depending on who you ask, the "new" version is either so faithful that it puts Disney's recent live-action efforts in their place--or renders the whole experience "toothless"!This week's EMC panel promises fire-breathing spectacle nonpareil, as our animated animation fans present both POV's with gusto!Join us for a look at the good, the bad and the repetitive. We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the How to Train Your Dragon (2010) trailer.Watch the How to Train Your Dragon (2025) trailer.Bonus! Catch the "Target Audience's" take on the new How to Train Your Dragon film, with Ian and Luke's latest review!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Forget comic book movies and video game adaptations: low-budget Westerns are charging over the pop culture horizon!Today, Ian and David look at Richard Gray's The Unholy Trinity, starring Pierce Brosnan, Samuel L. Jackson, and Brandon Lessard. Unlike many of the Saban Films the guys have reviewed in the past, this one is actually out in theatres--and one of your two intrepid hosts heartily recommends it!Yes, this twisty tale of multi-pronged revenge, found family, and buried gold is either a standard-issue I-guess-we-can-shoot-here cash grab, or it's an above-average adventure with witty dialogue, unexpectedly fun developments, and a main cast that does far more than sleepwalk across the plains!Notice, we said "main cast".In this spoiler-lite episode, Ian and David talk about the perils of casting modern young actors in period parts--along with how The Unholy Trinity stumbles as much as it strides, and whether you should rush out to the theater or wait 'til it hits home (on the range)!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the The Unholy Trinity (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.And make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

Ian and Luke return with a high-flying review of Dreamworks' live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake!The Simmons family caught a sneak peak of the new film earlier this week (in IMAX, no less!) and are here to share their thoughts on how it stacks up to the 2010 animated movie--and how someone who's never seen the original, or its sequels, is affected by this action-packed period fantasy (one of your two hosts is brand new to the series)!So cozy up by the (dragon-lit) fire and enjoy this spoiler-free review!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the How to Train Your Dragon (2025) trailer.Catch up with all of Ian and Luke's reviews in our "Target Audience" Playlist!

2025 is shaping up to be the Year of Stephen King, with three films and one TV series adaptations of his work on offer for rabid fans. This week, Earth's Mightiest Critics look at Mike Flanagan's The Life of Chuck, a very different kind of King movie--inspired by a very different kind of King short story!Chuck Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) is an accountant whose imminent retirement is advertised on billboards all over town. Most residents are too busy worrying about rampant Internet outages, colossal natural disasters, and mysterious sinkholes to notice. But soon, Chuck's likeness becomes impossible to escape. How does this relate to dancing? And why are people calling this bizarre, end-of-the-world scenario an uplifting film?The answers are as tricky as The Life of Chuck's asynchronous structure. Join us for a spoilerific look at one of 2025's best films--and one of the most faithful book-to-screen adaptations you'll ever see!We also take your questions, comments and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the The Life of Chuck (2025) trailer: https://youtu.be/jlN1Mmj6YNo?si=ptNf5atSYVjxMs-Q Read Ian's The Life of Chuck written review: https://kickseat.com/written-review/the-life-of-chuck-2025 Flashback to our February livestream about The Monkey (which we'll definitely talk about in this show!): https://youtube.com/live/T-oD7FMNJ00 As mentioned in the show, reframe your movie brain with the Mindframes podcast, hosted by Dave Canfield and Mike Cockerill: https://mindframesfilm.com/ And subscribe to Dave's new Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher": https://open.substack.com/pub/creaturefeaturepreacher/p/come-hear-the-confessions-of-a-creature?r=5q7lkx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false Oddly enough, this week's Spoiler Room Podcast centered on The Giant Spider Invasion--which is also the subject of Dave's latest Substack piece! Coincidence? Or part of a grand plan?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHe9onCjVjYSupport all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.And make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

It's time for another "Credito Extra" edition of Accademia Giallo, as Ian welcomes Guido and Lucas Henkel, the father/son powerhouse behind the phenomenal new indie genre label, Celluloid Dreams!In this episode, the Henkels talk about the origins of their boutique home video company, and offer insights into just what it takes when you're determined to do it all, to exacting standards. From securing rights to 4K restoration; from choosing which films are "Dreams-worthy" to figuring out physical extras and bonus features--you'll learn a little bit of everything in an episode centered around the guys' latest release, Aldo Lado's 1971 head trip, Short Night of Glass Dolls!Celluloid Dreams' new 4-disc 4K UHD Short Night of Glass Dolls set is now available!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971) trailer.Take a refresher course on our Short Night of Glass Dolls roundtable from 2023!Support all of our terrifying teachers' axe-tracurricular activities!Stay studious with Aaron Christensen at Horror101 with Dr. AC!And subscribe to his YouTube channel!If you dare, venture down into Kitley's Krypt with Jon Kitley! And listen to Jon's scary-good podcast, Discover the Horror!Stalk Bryan Martinez in The Giallo Room!Buy J. Blake Fichera's "Scored to Death" Volume I and II on Amazon (mentioned in the show).Catch up with classic episodes of his Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast!Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

The Class of '95 graduates this week with a look at one of that year's most memorable cult hits--and biggest flops: Empire Records!Allan Moyle's bewildering follow-up to his generational anthem, Pump up the Volume, tracks a day in the life of several record store employees whose love lives and futures are as questionable as their tastes in music. Featuring a cast packed with soon-to-be-famous young actors, the offbeat comedy is known more for its memes (yes, this is where "Rex Manning Day" comes from) than its overall quality.Is it still a flannel-draped cringe-fest, three decades on? Or does Empire Records (whose soundtrack famously sold more than the film it promoted) deserve some respect?Join us as we damn the Man, save the Empire, and take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Empire Records (1995) trailer.Here are the Empire Records deleted scenes mentioned in the show.And here's the full video for Rex Manning's "Say No More Mon Amour"!Check out our other "Class of '95" episodes!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.And make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

IndieSeen welcomes Steve Martini and Gabriela Kulaif from the indie comedy, BitterSweet!In February, Ian and Sujewa reviewed the film, which centers on an autistic man named Sam (writer/director/star Martini), whose life spins out of control following a domestic misunderstanding involving the cops. Gabriela produced the film and stars as Sam's wife, Gigi.Join us for a special live edition of IndieSeen, as Steve and Gabriel talk about the genesis and filming of Bittersweet; just how closely this screwball, city-spanning comedy is "based on true events", and next week's limited theatrical engagement at LA's Laemmle Theaters--where you can participate in live Q&A events!We'll also take your questions, comments and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Bittersweet trailer.Info on theaters, tickets, and times for the upcoming Laemmle Theaters BitterSweet events can be found here.Follow BitterSweet on Instagram to keep up with the latest updates!Watch Ian and Sujewa's review of BitterSweet.Catch up with last month's episode, which featured a review of Woody Allen's Stardust Memories and some initial thoughts on Cannes!Subscribe to Raphael's smash hit podcast Inside the Arthouse with Greg Laemmle!As mentioned in the show, Raphael will next appear in the HBO Max series, Task! Watch the trailer here!Support Sujewa's new film project, 53 Spaceships, the latest adventure of Cosmic Disco Detective Rene!Check out Sujewa's latest podcast venture, This Arthouse Life! Watch Sujewa's latest film, Cosmic Disco Detective Rene for free on YouTube! Rent The Secret Society for Slow Romance (the predecessor to Cosmic Disco Detective Rene).Follow Sujewa on X.Check out all the episodes in our “IndieSeen” Playlist!

Just when you thought it was safe to write off another killer-shark movie--here comes Sean Byrne's Dangerous Animals to mangle your expectations!Friendly Australian tourist boat operator Bruce Tucker (Jai Courtney) loves taking young couples on shark-feeding tours in the heart of the ocean--only trouble is, he feeds his customers to the sharks! Enter Zephyr, a free-spirited surfer played by Hassie Harrison. After being kidnapped by Tucker, she must fight her way out of the bowels of his vessel before he can turn her into chum.In this spoilerific (you've been warned) panel discussion, Ian, Cati, and David heap praise on Byrne's thriller--while also talking about some of the off-putting character dynamics that almost (ahem) sunk the story for one of them.They also talk about Jai Courtney's stunning transformation into a real actor and lament the state of movie trailers--with Dangerous Animals being Exhibit A!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Dangerous Animals (2025) trailer: (don't watch it until after you've seen the movie--trust us!).As mentioned in the show, the EMC also reviewed another new horror movie, Bring Her Back! Watch that discussion here.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.And make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

Ian and Luke are back with a look at one of the summer's most surprising movies--in more ways than one! If you've seen the trailers and marketing materials for Karate Kid Legends, you probably think you know what this legacy sequel is about. You'd be mostly wrong.In this spoiler-lite mini-review, the guys talk about the film's strengths, its (mildly) scary part, and why it gets a "corner thumb" recommendation from Luke! Plus: Learn about the latest step in Luke's own martial arts journey!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Karate Kid Legends (2025) trailer.Catch up with all of Ian and Luke's reviews in our "Target Audience" Playlist!

Horror wunderkinds Danny and Michael Philippou are back with Bring Her Back--a follow-up to their 2023 cult hit, Talk to Me!While not a sequel, the new film delves into similar realms of demonic possession, busted family dynamics, and body horror-as-adolescence metaphor. Billy Barratt and Sora Wong star as Andy and Piper, siblings who are placed in a new foster home following the sudden death of their father.Their new guardian, Laura (Sally Hawkins), is doting but odd, and has an odd relationship with a mute child named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) whom she is also looking after. It's not long before weird things begin happening around the house, and Andy and Piper must uncover the dark mysteries surrounding Laura and Oliver before it's too late!Do the Philippous catch lightning in a bottle twice, or is Bring Her Back destined to be another entry on Hollywood's storied "Sophomore Slump" list?Join Earth's Mightiest Critics for a spoilerific summoning of cerebral, cinema-celebrating speakers! We also take your questions, comments and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Bring Her Back (2025) trailer.Flashback! Watch Ian and Cati review 2023's Talk to Me! Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.And make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

Ian, Sujewa, and Jeff welcome back actor/filmmaker Raphael Sbarge for a look at two huge recent showbiz events: the release of A24's hit comedy, Friendship (starring Raphael, Paul Rudd, and Tim Robinson), and the recently wrapped Cannes Film Festival!First up, Raphael talks about how he got involved with Andrew DeYoung's insightful, disturbing, and laugh-out-loud debut film--and what it was like making the movie. The guys also talk about the history of A24 as a genre powerhouse, and the potential turning point Friendship represents.Next, our esteemed guest gives viewers an inside look at what it's like to attend the Cannes Film Festival for the first (and hopefully not last) time. From the rigorous, whirlwind schedule to red carpets and multi-million-dollar accessories to the secret coin of the cocktail party realm--this gossip-free-yet-delicious inside scoop will put you right in the thick of the glamorous hustle and bustle!Plus: Sujewa talks about the launch of his 53 Spaceships GoFundMe (back it via the link below!) and we get a sneak peek at two of Raphael's upcoming projects--a short film called Loving Day, and the Palme d'Or-nominated History of Sound, directed by Oliver Hermanus and co-starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Friendship (2025) trailer.Watch Earth's Mightiest Critics' live roundtable review of Friendship: Catch up with last month's episode, which featured a review of Woody Allen's Stardust Memories and some initial thoughts on Cannes!Subscribe to Raphael's smash hit podcast Inside the Arthouse with Greg Laemmle!As mentioned in the show, Raphael will next appear in the HBO Max series, Task! Watch the trailer here!Support Sujewa's new film project, 53 Spaceships, the latest adventure of Cosmic Disco Detective Rene!Check out Sujewa's latest podcast venture, This Arthouse Life! Watch Sujewa's latest film, Cosmic Disco Detective Rene for free on YouTube! Rent The Secret Society for Slow Romance (the predecessor to Cosmic Disco Detective Rene).Follow Sujewa on X.Check out all the episodes in our “IndieSeen” Playlist!

We continue our look back on the "Class of '95" with a roundtable review of Kevin Smith's sophomore effort, Mallrats!This "day in the life" (of a mall) comedy centers on recently dumped romantic, TS (Jeremy London) and his annoying best friend, Brodie (Jason Lee). While navigating choppy relationship waters, they must also contend with a cast of weirdos and malcontents; TS's ex's overbearing dad (Michael Rooker); and the filming of New Jersey's lamest gameshow.Mallrats was a big flop for Smith and Universal, who had banked on the writer/director's indie sensation, Clerks. Despite bad press and empty theaters (and Smith's public apology for the movie on a late-night talk show), Mallrats has developed a cult following over the last three decades, and is worthy of reappraisal. Join us for a stink-palmin', opinion-slingin' good time! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Mallrats (1995) trailer.Check out our other "Class of '95" episodes!Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.And make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

Ian welcomes back writer/actor/filmmaker Jeremy Eden to Kicking the Seat for a look at his latest work-in-progress, Hello Apocalypse!This sci-fi/horror/rockumentary follows Talon St. Lee, the wild front-man for the once marginally popular rock group Marilyn's Dress. He decides to reunite his band after a 10-year hiatus, whether they want to or not! But even Talon's out-of-control antics, drinking, and womanizing are nothing once the global threat of an alien invasion interrupts the tour and hits them head-on.Jeremy recently launched an Indiegogo campaign to help complete the movie, and in today's episode the guys talk candidly (and hilariously) about the ins and outs of making indie films and Jeremy's journey in bringing this maniacal mash-up to life!We also take your questions and comments! Normally, I'd shill for SuperChats here, but if you feel moved to donate, please contribute to the Hello Apocalypse campaign here!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXBlueSkyInstagramFacebook

You've never seen Earth's Mightiest Critics really upset--but that all changes with our Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning roundtable review!In fairness, some of our super savvy cineastes enjoyed Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise's curtain call for globe-trotting do-gooder Ethan Hunt. But for others, this over-long, overstuffed race against the AI clock was a little too self-serious (and dare we say, "messianic") to serve as a worthy capstone to one of the great action-adventure series.Join us for a spoilerific, self-destructing deconstruction of the mega franchise's alleged last gasp! We also take your questions, comments and SuperChats!Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.And make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

Schools around the country are letting out for the year, and in our new miniseries, "Class of '95", Earth's Mightiest Critics look back on seminal teen flicks from the year Ian graduated high school--and, yes, they had movies back then!We kick things off with the Queen Bee, Amy Heckerling's "mall-sterpiece", Clueless! Alicia Silverstone stars as Cher, a bubbly, fashion-obsessed student whose days are as aimless as her notebooks are empty. But complications with friends and strange feelings for her bookish older stepbrother, Josh (Paul Rudd), force Cher to grow up and stop being so, well, y'know...Join us for a totally bitchin' look back at one of the biggest and most influential comedies of the 1990s!We also reminisce about the good ol' days while answering your questions, comments, and SuperChats! Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Clueless (2025) trailer.Support all of Earth's Mightiest Critics at their various outlets:Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Get seated with The Blonde in Front!Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel.Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson…...And Film Obsessive...and the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast.Keep up with Annie Banks at The Mary Sue....and We Got This Covered.And make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree.

Ian talks with writer/director Richard Bakewell and producer/star Anthony Michael Hall about their new sci-fi drama, Roswell Delirium!Set in an alternate 1988, the film stars Ashton Solecki as Firefly, a troubled woman who was left physically and psychologically scarred by an alien abuction in the aftermath of a nuclear attack. Her therapist, Dr. Baskin (Hall) guides her through a web of dreams and memories in search of clues as to what happened to her--and to her mother (Arielle Bodenhausen), who disappeared following a similar otherworldly experience.In this brief interview, Bakewell and Hall talk about crafting parallels between 1980s Cold War paranoia and the pandemic mania that would grip the world decades later; how therapy helped Hall prepare for his role; and the twist of fate that led Bakewell to film Jeff Bezos's recent Blue Origin mission!Roswell Delirium is now available On Demand and on DVD.Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdBlueSkyInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Roswell Delirium trailer.