Kicking the Seat

The lesson of Disclosure Day is that the truth is out there...and no one cares!Steven Spielberg's return to sci-fi with a movie that's less close encounter than close call. Josh O'Connor and Emily Blunt star as two strangers who find themselves at the heart of a corporate conspiracy involving aliens who've been visiting Earth for decades.You've seen this story a thousand times, but never (unfortunately) like this!Join Earth's Mightiest Critics as we crack open some X-Files and solve the mystery of Disclosure Day's utter lack of...mystery! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Disclosure Day (2026) trailer.As mentioned in the show, next Wednesday (6/24) you can catch a bona fide Spielberg classic on the big screen: Chicago's Music Box Theatre will unleash 1975's Jaws on the Windy City! Get tickets here.Speaking of Jaws, Ian mentioned a recent episode of Robert Meyer Burnett's great Robservations podcast, in which Rob pushes back on a harsh Gen Z assessment of the film!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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 read Rob Kojder's legendary reviews at Flickering Myth. Ep1235: Disclosure Day (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

We. Have. THE POWERRRRRR!!!!Or do we?Many of Earth's Mightiest Critics really enjoyed Travis Knight's Masters of the Universe--then again, we were the select few who actually bothered to watch this spectacular box office flop.In this special Sunday night livestream, the gang will plunge headlong into a spoilerific defense of a movie that, while far from perfect, stands as an action-packed, heartfelt throwback that should have absolutely kickstarted a franchise. There may also be...other points of view!Join us as we wield the critical Sword of Power and save fans from ignoring a movie that was tailor-made for them! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Masters of the Universe (2026) trailer.Plus! As mentioned in the show, Ian and Mark immediately followed up this stream with a look at 1990's Lord of the Flies on the Spoiler Room Podcast!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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 read Rob Kojder's legendary reviews at Flickering Myth. Ep1234: Masters of the Universe (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

This week, Earth's Mightiest Critics take on the film that killed Star Wars! Okay, technically, Obsession did that a few days ago, but we're talking about the number one film at the box office: Backrooms!Kane Parsons' eerie exploration of otherworldly liminal spaces began as a series of YouTube videos, and has expanded to feature length. The transition has proved quite the global sensation, with sell-out shows and deafening buzz for the 20-year-old horror wunderkind.But is there too much hype about a down-on-his-luck furniture store manger who discovers another dimension in the basement--or is Parsons' passion project the real deal?Join us as we talk Escher-esque sets, zoomer horror, and much, much more in spoilerific detail! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Backrooms (2026) trailer.Watch the creepy shorts that started the Backrooms phenomenon!Bonus! Mike worked his compositing magic to make Ian's meme dream come true!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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 read Rob Kojder's legendary reviews at Flickering Myth. Ep1233: The Backrooms (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Star Wars is back! Kinda...This week, Earth's Mightiest Critics resurrect their Mandalorian review series, "What if He Doesn't Survive?", for a live roundtable review of Season 4. Officially, this is a "movie", but who're we kidding? This two-plus-hour Fett quest is writer's strike TV at best, and a case for leaving Star Wars the pop culture rearview at worst.But will a lone warrior emerge from the pack, willing to stand up for the serialized adventures of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his wuvvable "Baby Yoda" sidekick? Join us as for a Beskar-bashin', spoiler-sprayin' sound-off--plus your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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". Ep1232: What if He Doesn't Survive: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Everybody's talking about Obsession, but the conversation doesn't truly begin until Earth's Mightiest Critics chime in!This week, the gang looks at Curry Barker's bold new horror film, which some are already hailing as a genre classic. When Bear (Michael Johnston) chickens out of professing his love for lifelong crush, Nikki (Inde Navarrette), he turns to a novelty wish-making toy to make his dream come true. Of course, things go horribly wrong, and Bear soon learns that unearned unconditional love can be literal Hell on Earth. Obsession has crazy word-of-mouth, a stellar opening-take (compared to its miniscule production budget), and enormous buzz around Navarrette. But is Curry Barker really the new face of horror? Or just a slick re-packager of the millennial genre fare he grew up with?If so, with a movie this effective--does it matter?Join us as we obsess over one of the year's wildest moviegoing experiences! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Obsession (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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". Ep1231: Obsession (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Why not round out the school year with a relaxing trip to Venice? Well, none of us can afford that, so we'll just talk about Who Saw Her Die? instead!Aldo Lado's 1972 thriller stars George Lazenby and Anita Strindberg as an estranged couple pursuing a mysterious killer in a black veil. The maniac is obsessed with murdering red-headed girls, and one of the attacks hit very close to home!Join us as we chisel out a spoilerific masterpiece of Italian analysis--while also taking your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Who Saw Her Die? (1972) trailer.As mentioned in the show, we previously covered Lado's Short Night of Glass Dolls. Check it out here.And, Ian talked with Guido and Lucas Henkel of Celluloid Dreams about their Short Night of Glass Dolls home video release.Flash back to Kicking the Seat's review of Nicholas Roeg's 1973 thriller, Don't Look Now, which is a great companion piece to Who Saw Her Die?!If you liked Ian's mini-review of Obsession during the show, join Earth's Mightiest Critics live this Wednesday at 8pm CST for a spoilerific roundtable review!To learn more about the amazing work of Celluloid Dreams, check out Ian's 2025 interview with Guido and Lucas Henkel!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! Ep1230: Accademia Giallo: Who Saw Her Die? (1972) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

All livestreams are equal, but some livestreams are more equal than others!Tonight, Earth's Mightiest Critics hog-tie Andy Serkis' "adaptation" of George Orwell's landmark, anti-Communist cautionary tale, Animal Farm!This 3D animated outing from Angel Studios features an all-star voice cast and a significant change in focus that entirely misses the point of Orwell's novel. Animal Farm '26 is flopping in theatres and with critics and audiences--but does this radical reinterpretation deserve all the hate?Join us on a spoilerific trip to the "Laughterhouse"! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Animal Farm (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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". Ep1229: Animal Farm (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Ian and AC face their fears with a look back at William Castle's landmark 1959 thriller, The Tingler!Vincent Price stars as Dr. Warren Chapin, a pathologist obsessed with discovering what scares people to death. Turns out there's a creepy microscopic organism living in all of us that, at peak moments of fear, grows exponentially and grips our spinal columns. The only release...is to SCREAM!Will the good doctor use this newfound knowledge to help humanity? Or will he do something quite different?In this spoilerific examination of the movie that gave us "Percepto" (which, contrary to myth, does not involve jolting moviegoers with electric shocks), the guys dig into what makes the movie cheesy instead of campy--and why its "cheesy" reputation is unfair!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Tingler (1959) trailer."Castle Freaks" is the next leg in our classic horror journey. If you're new to the channel, catch up with our 5-year "Hammerland" series, which wrapped up last year!

Brendan Fraser is back! And he's bringing his whole globe-trotting, evil-fighting crew with him!What? Oh... Sorry...Join Earth's Mightiest Critics for a spoilers-packed unwrapping of Lee Cronin's The Mummy--a film that's been savaged by critics and shrugged at by audiences.But is there more to this than a warmed-over Evil Dead Rise, wrapped in dusty gauze? Find out what we have to say!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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". Ep1227: Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Ben Wheatley's latest action film, Normal, is now in theaters. Ian recently sat down with star Bob Odenkirk (Mr. Show, Better Call Saul, Nobody) and writer Derek Kolstad (creator of John Wick, Nobody) for a quick, fun, and informative interview.The film centers on "substitute sheriff" Ulysses Richardson (Odenkirk), who has landed in the titular Minnesota backwater after its previous lawman died mysteriously. Ulysses soon learns that not everything in Normal is "Minnesota Nice": a botched bank robbery reveals a conspiracy that forces him to fight his way out of a town that's gunning for him.In this brief, spoiler-free conversation, Ian talks with Bob and Derek about their unlikely creative partnership that has spanned three movies in five years; creating innovative kill scenes; and investing more into action/comedies than just gags and gunfights.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Normal (2026) trailer."Castle Freaks" is the next leg in our classic horror journey. If you're new to the channel, catch up with our 5-year "Hammerland" series, which wrapped up last year!

IndieSeen bakes up more arthouse deliciousness with a look at Rick Schmidt's latest film, Bread Machine! Ahead of its debut at this weekend's 3I/ATLAS Film Festival in Brooklyn, Ian and Sujewa dig into this quirky comedy about a struggling family who decides to launch an independent bakery out of a relative's living room.In a 2024 IndieSeen interview, Schmidt actually talked about the premise of the movie, which was still in its infancy--but does Bread Machine rise to its early promise? Find out in this spoilerific review--and, if you're in New York this weekend, be sure to check out the premiere at Rollin Studios.The guys also talk about what movie-lovers can expect from 3I/ATLAS, which will feature wild films, great guests, and greater conversations!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Bread Machine (2026) trailer.Watch the trailer for the 3I/ATLAS Film Festival!As mentioned in the show, Ian and Sujewa interviewed Bread Machine writer/director Rick Schmidt a couple years ago--in which he talked about his initial ideas for the movie!Support Sujewa's new film project, 53 Spaceships, the latest adventure of Cosmic Disco Detective Rene!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! Ep1225: IndieSeen: Bread Machine (2026) - Movie Review Kicking the Seat

The 1990s saw a string of 40s-themed flops--serial-inspired adventure movies that audiences roundly rejected.The nail in the coffin was Simon Wincer's The Phantom, in which Billy Zane plays (no joke) a "descendent of a line of African superheroes" who "travels to New York City to thwart a wealthy criminal genius from obtaining three magic skulls which would give him the secret to ultimate power."Did audiences at the time miss out on a fun and funny, mold-breaking adventure? Or were they right to give a razzberry to Zane's pulpy, purple-clad putz?Join Earth's Mightiest Critics for a spoilers-slamming superhero spectacular! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Phantom (1996) trailer.Pick up The Phantom on 4K, now available from Kino Lorber! Did you know that both Kicking the Seat and friend of the show Jon Kitley's Discover the Horror Podcast have been nominated for "Best Podcast" at the 2026 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards (aka the Rondos)! If you enjoy what we do, please vote via the link below (our category is #20 on the list, which also includes nominees for "Best Magazine", "Best Movie", etc.). Thanks! For a full list of nominees and voting instructions, click here.As mentioned in the show, this weekend sees the debut of Sujewa Ekanayake's 3I/ATLAS Film Festival, taking place at Brooklyn's Rollin Studios! For tickets, showtimes, and more, click here.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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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". Ep1224: The Phantom (1996) - Live 30th Anniversary Review Kicking the Seat

Until last weekend, Project Hail Mary was the number one movie in the world. Alas, it has been dethroned by a blockbuster of truly cosmic proportions: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie!Though the film has made a Bowser-load of cash, not everyone is bowled over by its charms. It's a classic rivalry between reviewers and regular Joes and Janes. And this week, Earth's Mightiest Critics bust out the fireballs and chain-chomps to settle the "Are the Mario movies good?" argument once and for all (or at least, for now...)!Join us for a spoilerific game of 1-UPsmanship! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) trailer. Check out the latest installment of "Target Audience", in which Ian and Luke discuss The Super Mario Galaxy Movie from a young fan's perspective!Did you know that both Kicking the Seat and friend of the show Jon Kitley's Discover the Horror Podcast have been nominated for "Best Podcast" at the 2026 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards (aka the Rondos)! If you enjoy what we do, please vote via the link below (our category is #20 on the list, which also includes nominees for "Best Magazine", "Best Movie", etc.). Thanks! For a full list of nominees and voting instructions, click here.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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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". Ep1223: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Blockbuster season is already under way, and Ian and Luke have returned to discuss the year's biggest film: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie!In this quick, spoiler-free "Target Audience" review, your intrepid youth culture reporters look at Mario, Luigi, and Peach's space-hopping escapades as they seek to rescue a Princess, tame a dinosaur, and keep up with a roguish starfox named...Star Fox!How does Galaxy stack up to 2023's Super Mario Bros Movie Movie? Is it worth leaving the house to see on the big screen, or can you wait for streaming?Let's a-go find out!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) trailer.Catch up with all of Ian and Luke's reviews in our "Target Audience" Playlist! Ep1222: Ep1222: Target Audience: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Kicking the Seat

Kicking the Seat ends its special Holy Week series with one of our favorite traditions: the Good Friday episode of "There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia"!Today, Ian and Pat look back at one of the most unusual films of Steve Martin's career, the 1992 box office disappointment, Leap of Faith! Moviegoers mostly gave this offbeat dramedy the cold shoulder, but are there signs of redemption 34 years later?Martin stars as Jonas Nightingale, a traveling huckster who, with his fleet of tour buses, brings a faith-healing and gospel music show to small towns across America. After breaking down in Rustwater, Kansas, Jonas and his crew set up shop for the week--and rake in cash from a financially and spiritually strapped community that's in the throes of a ruinous drought. But what happens when a suspicious sheriff (Liam Neeson) and Jesus himself push Jonas towards a dark night of the soul?This spoilerific installment features perspectives from a lapsed Catholic who'd never seen the film until show prep, and a recently renewed Catholic who's loved Leap of Faith since seeing it as a teenager.What follows is a wide-ranging look at faith, doubt, the movies, and how even the seemingly sickest of seeds can yield a humbling crop of salvation.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Leap of Faith (1992) trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7. Ep1221: There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia: Leap of Faith (1992) Kicking the Seat

Raiders of the Lost Ark turns 45 this year and, for Earth's Mightiest Critics, Steven Spielberg's globe-spanning archeological adventure is a foundational part of their love of movies! But after nearly half a century and countless viewings, there's still a lot to discover about Harrison Ford's fascist-fighting scoundrel--and his intriguing relationship with faith.Tonight, the EMC will pay tribute to a great film and dig into the character's decades-long struggle with various aspects of belief, non-belief, and everything in between.Join us as we unearth the secrets of Raiders's enduring legacy and the Indy franchise's spiritual thematic resonance! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) trailer.As mentioned in the show, Ian recently saw Raiders of the Lost Ark at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, as part of the "Auditorium Philms" series--in which attendees watch classic movies projected on the big screen, with live orchestral accompaniment! Check out the full 2026 lineup here!Also mentioned in the show was Ian's recent appearance on The Spoiler Room Podcast, discussing Wall-E. Give a listen!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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- kickseat.com: https://kickseat.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/u35249528 X: https://x.com/KICKSEAT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickseat/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kickseat/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Show Links -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Support ALL of Earth's Mightiest Critics at our various outlets: Get educated with Don Shanahan at Every Movie Has a Lesson: http://www.everymoviehasalesson.com/ ...And Film Obsessive: https://filmobsessive.com/ ...AND the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6G0dYEHovZsjHd2ItOuRL2 Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast: https://www.specialmarkproductions.com/spoilerroompdcs.html Get seated with Cati Glidewell, The Blonde in Front! https://www.youtube.com/@theblondeinfront Follow David Fowlie's film criticism at Keeping It Reel: https://keeping-it-reel.com/ Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot! https://theestablishingshot.org/ Keep up with Annie Banks at Comic Book Resources: https://www.cbr.com/author/annie-banks AND We Got This Covered: https://wegotthiscovered.com/ Make Nice with Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree: https://www.ypareviews.com/ And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher"! https://creaturefeaturepreacher.substack.com/ Ep1220: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - Live 45th Anniversary Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Ian and David look at a very different kind of religious comedy--one that may have you praying for the filmmakers!Robert Ingraham's Premarital is like an Unrated Meet the Parents, as filtered through the lens of Protestantism. Jim O'Heir stars as Stu Whitaker, a Michigan pastor whose daughter, Sophie (Kelly Jakle), is about to marry a non-believer named Alan (Mark Hapka). Concerned for the young couple's spiritual salvation, Stu and his large, wacky family devise a plan to bring Alan into the faith during the weekend of their wedding. Premarital is unlike any film the guys have seen.This wide-ranging discussion begins with a spoiler-free assessment before diving into the bold screenplay by Ingraham and co-writer Margaret Bienart, which drops as many f-bombs as truth bombs (and, unfortunately, broad comedy clichés).The question is: Does it work?Premarital opens in theaters this Friday, April 3rd.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Premarital (2026) trailer.Fun Fact: Jim O'Heir was Kicking the Seat's first recurring podcast guest! Flash back to these fun 2017 interviews centered on the indie films Landline and Middleman! As mentioned in the show, Ian and David talked about the 2025 family drama, A Little Prayer, which came to mind while watching Premarital. Take a look! Ep1219: Premarital (2026) - Movie Review Kicking the Seat

Project Hail Mary has enjoyed stratospheric success at the box office, providing Amazon Studios with its biggest hit to date. But does it work as an adaptation of Andy Weir's best-selling novel?Does it even work as a movie?Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a junior high science teacher who is recruited to help develop a spacecraft that will investigate the gradually dimming sun. During his perilous journey, he encounters an unexpected fellow traveler; together they must find a way to save their worlds--and, hopefully, return to them.Critics and audiences have fallen in love with Project Hail Mary, but one crank is willing to go head-to-head against the prevailing wisdom (and you'll never guess who it is...).Join us as for a spoilerific space exploration, which will include your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Project Hail Mary (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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". Ep1218: Ep1218: Project Hail Mary (2026) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Ian and Jeff can't hide their love for Ready or Not 2: Here I Come!This smashing sequel to 2019's splatter comedy finds Grace (Samara Weaving) in custody for the violent murder of the family she'd just married into. Turns out the cops don't believe her story about a cult of demon-worshiping billionaires who challenged her to a deadly game of...you guessed it! Grace finds herself at the mercy of the world's six ruling families, now vying for ultimate control via another round of Hide and Seek.This time, the weapons are deadlier, the stakes are higher, and Grace's younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton) has been roped into the outrageously bloody game of survival.This film is a welcome surprise, and a fine counterpoint to Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride!, which we reviewed on the show a few weeks back. We invite you on a leisurely, spoilerific walk down the aisle as Ready or Not 2 gets its due!From writing strong female characters, to shifting this movie away from the "horror" category, and a trend that slightly hurts this film and others--there's a lot to get into with this one.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2026) trailer.Enjoy this 2019 flashback, in which Ian and Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews look at the original Ready or Not!Did you know that both Kicking the Seat and friend of the show Jon Kitley's Discover the Horror Podcast have been nominated for "Best Podcast" at the 2026 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards (aka the Rondos)! If you enjoy what we do, please vote via the link below (our category is #20 on the list, which also includes nominees for "Best Magazine", "Best Movie", etc.). Thanks! For a full list of nominees and voting instructions, click here.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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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". Ep1217: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2026) - Movie Review Kicking the Seat

Spring is in the air, and so is bone-chilling terror! Accademia Giallo returns with a look at Luigi Bazzoni's 1971 thriller, The Fifth Cord!Franco Nero stars as Andrea Bild, a tough, alcoholic journalist whose latest story puts him right in the middle of several murder investigations!Join us for hard-boiled horror, giallo-style! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats! Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Fifth Cord (1971) trailer.As mentioned in the show, you can check out The King in Giallo podcast's review of The Fifth Cord for even more insights!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! Ep1216: Accademia Giallo: The Fifth Cord (1971) - Live Roundtable Review Kicking the Seat

Ian recently spoke with the director and stars of one of 2026's best films, the indie dramedy, Everything Fun You Could Possibly Do in Aledo, Illinois!The movie centers on Gabby and Brenda (Sara Sevigny and Jennifer Estlin), two former high school besties who are brought back together during the titular town's annual rhubarb festival. Over one tumultuous week, they reopen decades-old wounds and seek reconciliation while completing the offbeat Bucket List created by their younger, idealistic selves!In this spoiler-free conversation, Ian talks with Sevigny, Estlin, and director Bethany Berg about bonding with the real-life residents of Aledo, building characters that feel like people you might actually meet and adore, and why Berg chose this light, life-affirming story to be her feature film debut! They also discuss working with Country singer/2026 Grand Ole Opry inductee/Aledo native Suzy Bogguss, who narrates the film!Everything Fun You Could Possibly Do in Aledo, Illinois is now available for rent/purchase on Amazon Prime.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Everything Fun You Could Possibly Do in Aledo, Illinois trailer!Rent or Buy Everything Fun You Could Possibly Do in Aledo, Illinois on Amazon Prime!And plan your trip to this year's Rhubarb Festival in Aledo, Illinois! Yes! It's a real thing!

The Oscars may be over, but the 2025 film discussion isn't finished until Kicking the Seat has a say!This is Ian's first "Best of" list since before the pandemic, and the first time he's discussed his picks publicly with Earth's Mightiest Critics! In this opinion-packed episode, our robust roundtable will talk about Kicking the Seat's official Top 10--as well as some of the other critics' choices that don't appear on the list!Join us for an award-worthy last look at a year bursting with memorable cinema! We also talk a little bit of Oscars and take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:As mentioned in the show, Ian recently interviewed Oliver Laxe, the director of one his favorite 2025 films, Sirat. Check it out!For a sneak peak at how (or if) the panelists line up with Ian's picks, check out Earth's Mightiest Critics' individual "Best of 2025" lists!Jeff YorkDavid FowlieMike CrowleyDon ShanahanCati GlidewellSupport 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! is one of the worst-reviewed, most financially disastrous films of the year. But is "Bonnie and Clyde Meets The Bride of Frankenstein" really that bad? Or, like the Monster in Mary Shelley's classic horror novel--has the hated beast simply been misunderstood?This week, Earth's Mightiest Critics take a long, spoilerific walk down the aisle to see if there is cause for celebration...or annulment! Join us as we renew our vows to confront escapism--even at its ugliest!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the The Bride! (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 engage in a monstrous battle over the new indie film, His Monster!An Oregonian alcoholic named James (Gabriel Casdorph) struggles to overcome the dissolution of his marriage following a tragedy. Complicating matters is the sudden appearance of an ancient evil monster who begins attacking people in James' orbit.This contentious, spoilerific deep dive is a prime example of how two people can take away two very different experiences of the same film.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the His Monster (2025) trailer.Follow Compassionate Disaster Films for info on all upcoming His Monster festival screenings: Watch Sujewa's recent interview with His Monster writer/director Erich Cannon.Support Sujewa's new film project, 53 Spaceships, the latest adventure of Cosmic Disco Detective Rene!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!

Ian sits down with director Oliver Laxe, whose 2025 film Sirat will compete for Best International Feature at next weekend's Academy Awards!In this harrowing story of grief, desperation, and alternative cultures, a father (Sergi López) attends a rave in the Moroccan desert to find his missing daughter. He has his young son (Bruno Núñez Arjona) in tow, and the pair wind up following a caravan of partiers deeper into the wilderness. There, they encounter tragedies beyond imagination, and face an existential crisis set to a cruel techno beat.In this brief interview, Ian and Oliver talk about the co-writer/director's unconventional approach to screenwriting; shooting dangerous and complicated scenes in the desert; and how movies kill their audiences and bring them back from the dead!Sirat opens in Chicago at the Music Box Theatre on Friday, March 6 (featuring a Q&A with Oliver and co-writer Santiago Fillol!). More info below.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Sirat (2025) trailer.Chicagoans! Sirat director Oliver Laxe and co-writer Santiago Fillol will be at the Music Box Theatre on Friday night! Catch the 7:15pm screening, and then stick around for a Q&A! Tickets and more information here.

Scream 7 dominated its opening weekend's box office, despite an overwhelmingly negative reception from critics and a tepid audience response.Has Ghostface finally become a horror movie cliche--that of the exhausted (and exhausting) killer who doesn't know he's dead? Or is there actually something more to returning screenwriter-turned-director Kevin Williamson's film than people realize?This week, Earth's Mightiest Critics look at the return of Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and the rest of the surviving Scream crew who, after 30 years, are still milking meta-horror for all it's worth.Join us for a sensational, spoilerific slash through the sixth Scream sequel! We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Scream 7 (2026) trailer.Watch Ian's reaction to last year's Scream 7 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 one journey ends, another begins! Join Ian and AC as they continue their tour through the winding hills of classic horror in Kicking the Seat's latest series, "Castle Freaks"!This year, the guys will look at the spine-tingling works of director William Castle, whose wild career intersected with the likes of Cary Grant, Orson Welles, Joan Crawford, Alfred Hitchcock, and Roman Polanski! Castle was known as a "gimmick director", who dreamt up fantastical, in-theatre scare stunts to accompany his most famous movies. But as we hope to show, his filmography is so much more than headline-grabbing tricks!We're kicking things off with 1959's House on Haunted Hill, in which Vincent Price plays an unhappily married millionaire who invites five strangers to spend the night in a haunted house. Those who survive through the next morning will pocket $10,000 each. But are there really spooks in the walls, or just illusions meant to mask something much more sinister?In this wide-ranging first episode, Ian and AC give an overview of William Castle's career and do a spoilerific deep dive into both the '59 House on Haunted Hill and the 1999 remake starring Geoffrey Rush!We hope you join us throughout the year for more thrills, chills, and electrifying surprises!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the House on Haunted Hill (1959) trailer.As mentioned in the show, AC reviewed the Film Masters Blu-ray of House on Haunted Hill (1959) at Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC.He also covered House on Haunted Hill and The Tingler on the Horror 101 YouTube channel. "Castle Freaks" is the next leg in our classic horror journey. If you're new to the channel, catch up with our 5-year "Hammerland" series, which wrapped up last year!

Ian and Jeff recently caught up with the five Oscar nominees Best Animated Short Film, which they were fortunate enough to enjoy on the big screen.In today's short(ish) review, the guys look at the unusually strong crop of 2026 contenders and pick their favorites! Jeff also offers a brief overview of the Live-action Shorts, and talks about why he doesn't think they measure up to their cartoon counterparts!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the trailer for the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Short Films (and scroll down the page to see which theatres near you are showing these on the big screen!).Read Jeff's reviews of the Animated and Live-Action Oscar-nominated Shorts:Animated ShortsLive-Action ShortsRead David Fowlie's reviews of the Animated, Live-Action, AND Documentary Oscar-nominated Shorts (mentioned in the show):Animated ShortsLive-Action ShortsDocumentary Shorts

William Wyler's sweeping historical epic Ben-Hur is one of the OG blockbusters. It took home Best Picture for the 1959 Academy Awards, along with 12 other statues--making it one of the most awarded and beloved dramas of all time.This week, Earth's Mightiest Critics look at the story of Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a Jewish prince who is betrayed and forced into slavery. His winding journey of vengeance and redemption lands him front and center with the most significant event in human history.Join us for a spoilerific look at Charlton, chariots, and the changing nature of blockbusters. We also make a case for this being a perfect film, and take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Ben-Hur (1959) trailer.Pick up the new Ben-Hur 4K UHD from Warner Bros.As mentioned in the show, Warner Bros also released a new 4K of All the President's Men! Check the disc out here.And listen to Ian and Don Shanahan's "Reelpolitik" review of the film from few years ago.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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

In the 1980s horror/comedy homage Blood Barn, a group of camp counselors celebrate the end of summer with a trip to Josie's (Lena Redford) deep woods family home. There, they relax and party in a massive, bizarrely furnished barn and unwittingly awaken demonic forces.Today, Ian talks with Blood Barn director/co-writer Gabriel Bernini, co-writer Alexandra Jade, and star Lena Redford (granddaughter of Robert Redford, who passed away last year). From drawing on classic horror movies; to being the one of the few "straight" actors in a team of improv performers; and making the jump from short films to feature debut, this conversation looks at the grit and giggles of starting out in the movies.Blood Barn is now streaming on Screambox.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow Links:Watch the Blood Barn (2026) trailer.

This week, Earth's Mightiest critics bust out the fainting couches for a robust, rivalrous review of Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights!Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie star in the latest big-screen interpretation of Emily Brontë's 1847 novel, which unleashed relentless humiliation, misery, and revenge upon the literary world. Or, as the film's marketing calls it, "The Greatest Love Story of All Time"!The film topped its opening weekend's box office, despite mixed critics' reviews and scathing commentary by fans of the novel. But are audiences really past the point of caring if movies are faithful to their source material? And is this a more troubling sign of a lack of media literacy--and actual literacy?Both sides square off in a dynamic duel of defenders and detractors!Join us for a hot and bothered (mostly bothered) look at the latest IP smash-and-grab masquerading as an adaptation! We'll also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats! Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Wuthering Heights (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

This Valentine's Day, Ian and Jeff explore the darker side of a comedy classic, His Girl Friday!Howard Hawks' uproarious and influential rom-com centers on Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), a former newspaper reporter who clashes with her ex-publisher/ex-husband, Walter Burns (Cary Grant) over a breaking story. She's supposed to marry an insurance salesman (Ralph Bellamy), but gets tempted into covering a political conflict involving the pending execution of a cop killer (John Qualen).His Girl Friday takes place over a rapid-talking, action-packed 12 hours, during which Hildy and Walter re-evaluate their rocky relationship. The question is: should they be together?In this unusual look at a beloved, iconic film, the guys dig beneath the laughs to get at the heart of two characters who may not have one--caught in a business and a system too corrupt for anyone's good.They also compare His Girl Friday to Lewis Milestone's The Front Page, which came out in 1931 and was the inspiration for Hawks' gender-swapped comedy!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the His Girl Friday (1940) trailer.Pick up Criterion's recent 4K release of His Girl Friday (which includes a newly restored version of 1931's The Front Page!).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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

Amanda Kramer's By Design is far more than "the movie where Juliette Lewis turns into a chair".It's a surreal slice of cultural critique that looks at frivolous spending, shallow friendships, and the dark side of female friendships. In this brief interview, Ian talks with Kramer about casting 90s rebel icons as people their characters would have despised; finding a new angle on "wish" movies; and working with the great Udo Kier in one of his final roles!By Design opens in theaters this Friday, courtesy of Music Box Films.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the By Design (2026) trailer.Read Ian's By Design review at Kicking the Seat!In Chicago? Catch By Design at the historic Music Box Theatre, starting this weekend!

Count Dracula has survived such formidable filmmaking foes as Francis Ford Coppola, Dario Argento, and David Eggers. But will he shrink in fear at the might of...Luc Besson?Jacob Landry-Jones is the latest to don the cape and fangs in this umpteenth retelling of the debonair undead Drac. Could this be the definitive version--or a slightly different rehash with goofier looking makeup effects?Join us as we hang garlic and debate whether or not it's time to stake all future adaptations of Bram Stoker's classic novel!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Dracula (2026) trailer.As mentioned in the show, you can enjoy a half-decade of Hammer Films discussions, starting with our "Hammerland" 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 are sending up smoke signals for Sam Raimi's latest horror/comedy, Send Help! Rachel McAdams stars as Linda, a corporate executive-in-waiting who finds herself trapped on a desert island with a wounded Brad (Dylan O'Brien), who was recently appointed to the position she'd been promised. During the next several weeks, the duo alternates between teaming up and terrorizing each other, as diminishing hopes for escape reduce them to a savage, primal state.Is this the second coming of Misery, or just gore-coated misandry?Join us as we look at the good, the bad, and the truly ugly from the director of The Evil Dead and Drag Me to Hell!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Send Help (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 use their natural intelligence to review a movie about artificial intelligence--which is lacking in basic intelligence!In Mercy, Chris Pratt stars as Chris Raven (not making that up), a detective accused of killing his wife. He is put on trial by an AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson), and has 90 minutes to clear his name.Join us as we draft a minority report and prepare to prosecute this bizarre cinematic thought-crime!Also, Ian addresses an issue with the comments section.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Mercy (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

Accademia Giallo rings in the New Year with diamonds in their eyes and murder on their minds!This month's lesson centers on Cesare Canevari's 1968 black-hearted crime thriller, A Hyena in the Safe!When six thieves meet to divvy up their cut of a heist after months in hiding, they find themselves getting picked off one by one by a mysterious assailant!Join us for a look at this eccentric entry into the giallo pantheon (or IS it?)! We'll also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the A Hyena in the Safe (1968) trailer. Pick up Celluloid Dreams' recently released Hyena in the Safe Blu-ray!To learn more about the amazing work of Celluloid Dreams, check out Ian's 2025 interview with Guido and Lucas Henkel!As mentioned in the show, Ian recently began freelancing as a "Movies & TV" writer for CBR.com. Check out his article on Paramount+'s not-very-good Starfleet Academy series! Also, Ian recently appeared on the Spoiler Room, talking about 1981's Clash of the Titans!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!

Believe it or not, Earth's Mightiest Critics aren't ready to rage at 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple!In contrast to Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later (which came out a mere six months ago) series newcomer Nia DaCosta provides the world's-end mania and weirdness promised by the previous film's trailer! It's hard to believe both movies were written by the same person (Alex Garland).We won't give anything away, story-wise, ahead of the roundtable--except to say that the track suit-wearing "Jimmy" gang is nowhere near as lame as they appeared to be at the end of the last film.Also, Ralph Fiennes deserves an Oscar nomination.Join us for a positively infectious look at one of 2026's best films so far (no joke). We'll also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) trailer.Catch up with our 28 Years Later roundtable from last June.Read David's review of The Bone Temple at Keeping it Reel.Check out Keeping It Reel's "Top Ten Films of 2025" list.And read Ian's debut as a Movies & TV freelance writer for CBR (talking about a possible path for Tales from the Crypt to return to TV)!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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 walk into a bar...and raise it!This week we look at Bradley Cooper's latest dramedy, Is This Thing On?, in which a New Yorker named Alex (Will Arnette) stumbles into a new stand-up comedy career while navigating a complicated divorce.In addition to reviewing this critically acclaimed new film from Cooper (who's proving just as capable a writer/director as an actor), we'll also talk about some of our favorite stand-up comics and the serious effects their jokes had on our lives.Join us as we laugh 'til we cry and perfect our crowd work with your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Is This Thing On? (2025) trailer.As mentioned in the show, one of the panel's favorite modern standup comics is Jim Gaffigan. Here are a couple of flashbacks to Ian's interviews with the masterful observational comic:Being Frank InterviewAmerican DreamerSupport 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

IndieSeen kicks off 2026 on a high note with special guest Alain Martin, the first-time feature director of The Forgotten Occupation: Jim Crow Goes to Haiti!This engrossing and thought-provoking documentary looks at the patterns of civil and colonial strife that have rocked the country since its inception. Framed as a letter to Martin's deceased grandfather, who held America in an esteem that directly countered that of his grandson, the film explores the complicated social movements, occupational resistance, corporate takeovers, and cultural strife that form the dueling identities at the heart of Haitian-American culture.In this wide-ranging conversation, Ian and Sujewa dig into Martin's decade-plus struggle to make, refine, and release the film; the editorial choices that invite audiences to dig deeper into modern day issues afflicting the nation; and his hopes for turning his beloved homeland around.The Forgotten Occupation will debut on various VOD platforms beginning in February, and kicks off a handful of limited runs in select cities, beginning with the L.A. premiere this weekend (more information below).Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Forgotten Occupation (2026) trailer.In L.A.? Catch The Forgotten Occupation at the Lumiere Theatre during its exclusive one-week engagement (including the 1/10 premiere with Alain and special guests in attendance)! Learn more about The Forgotten Occupation, including when/where you can see it!Support Sujewa's new film project, 53 Spaceships, the latest adventure of Cosmic Disco Detective Rene!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!

Earth's Mightiest Critics ring in the New Year with the escapism of economic uncertainty!Park Chan-wook's latest film, No Other Choice centers on Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) who has been out of work for several years. In a desperate attempt to eliminate job market competition, he concocts a darkly brilliant plan. It's no secret that Ian is not the biggest Park fan (who else on planet Earth thinks the remake of Oldboy is better than the original?!).The question, then, is can this critically acclaimed new slice of dramatic social commentary--and the rest of the EMC's very best arguments--turn things around?Join us as we seek truth, gainful employment, and airtight alibis. We'll also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the No Other Choice (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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

Lights! Camera! Diggler!Earth's Mightiest Critics close out 2025 with a look at Paul Thomas Anderson's classic 1997 drama, Boogie Nights! Mark Wahlberg stars as Eddie Adams, a young California dishwasher who gets lured into the glamorous, sinister world of 1970s adult entertainment. His found family includes legendary mogul Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), Jack's matronly muse, Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), and fellow performer Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly).Together, they build a new hard-core franchise while struggling against the unrelenting winds of drugs, video tape, and societal backlash.It's also a (really messed up) New Year's movie! AND a reminder of PTA's roots, as we prepare for the likely Awards sweep of his latest film, One Battle After Another.Join us for a free-wheeling Pre-NYE party, where we'll also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Boogie Nights (1997) trailer.As mentioned in the show, Ian had a couple of run-ins with Boogie Nights star Thomas Jane at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con. Presented here is the two-part "The Thomas Jane Affair":Part OnePart TwoPick up Warner Bros' recently released 4K UHD of Boogie Nights.In case you missed it: check out EMC's roundtable review of One Battle After Another from earlier this year.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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

All ghoulish things must come to an end! After five years of monsters, Martians, murderers, and mayhem, Ian and AC close out their look at Hammer Studios' classic run with a review of 1976's To the Devil A Daughter!Directed by Peter Sykes, this bonkers Exorcist-esque thriller stars Christopher Lee as Father Michael Raynor, a former Catholic priest who was excommunicated for trying to bring forth the Antichrist. Years later, he's amassed quite a...cult following, and is on the verge of implanting Satan's spawn in the womb of an innocent young nun named Catherine (Nastassja Kinski). Catherine's dad (Denholm Elliott) recruits a popular occult expert (Richard Widmark) to protect his daughter from the forces of darkness.This is truly one of the most bizarre and morally messed-up movies the guys have reviewed in their half-decade exploration of Hammer horror. So strap in for a bombastically bumpy ride as Kicking the Seat draws the curtain on one of its longest-running series!A huge thanks to everyone who has participated in this journey, be it as panelist, casual viewer, or OG Hammerland fanatic. You are the (ahem) heart and soul of this show!Oh, and Ian isn't making weird faces on purpose during this video: his Internet has been less than stellar the last couple of weeks, leading to smooth(ish) audio and downright clownish intermittent picture quality.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the To the Devil A Daughter (1976) trailer.As mentioned in the show, you can pick up AC's go-to reference books for all things Hammer:NightwalkersThe Hammer StoryOrder 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"!

Kicking the Seat and Pat McDonald wish you the Merriest of Christmases with one of our favorite traditions: a "There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia" look at an offbeat holiday movie!Today we're talking the 2003 anime from co-directors Satoshi Kon and Keiko Nobumoto, Tokyo Godfathers! This fast-paced dramedy centers on three homeless people who discover an infant child who's been discarded in the trash on Christmas Eve. Through a series of crazy adventures, they spend a week traversing the Tokyo underworld in an effort to reunite the child with its birth parents--navigating violent teen hooligans, mob vengeance, and the ghosts of the three "godfathers'" respective pasts.In this celebratory episode, Ian and Pat share their joy at this first-time viewing and dig into what makes this street-level holiday adventure worth seeking out--while also unpacking its surprising roots in a John Wayne Western!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the full Tokyo Godfathers (2003) trailer.Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.Listen to Pat's movie reviews on the radio at STAR 96.7.

Christmas came early for Earth's Mightiest Critics, and we're here to share the love a roundtable preview review of Song Sung Blue!Craig Brewer's latest music-infused drama stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as a Milwaukee-based Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder. Based on a 2008 documentary of the same name, this narrative biopic centers on the married couple's rise and fall--and examines lives lived in a spotlight that is also, oddly, a shadow.Join us as we get in tune and establish a rhythm for discussing this Awards Season (ahem) diamond in the rough!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Song Sung Blue (2025) trailer.And catch up with our previous review of 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water.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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 re-ignite the age-old debate: Do people actually care about Avatar?Following the death of their eldest son, Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) find themselves caring for Spider (Jake Champion), the human son of evil-military-leader-turned-evil-Na'vi-warrior Myles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). Meanwhile, Quaritch discovers the volcano-dwelling Ash tribe, headed by Varang (Oona Chaplin), whose obsession with war and the dark arts gives a chilling edge to the invading military's deadly artillery.And there's a bunch of other semi-interesting stuff that's hastily abandoned for the hour-plus Act Three death-and-destruction montage...In this spoilerific roundtable review of the third film in James Cameron's bafflingly successful trilogy, Fire and Ash, the gang digs into why the (arguably) best and (arguably) final entry may be the strongest, and why that may not be enough to save it from a legacy of, "Hey, remember those big blue alien movies?"Also, the EMC talks about Cameron's bizarre Anti-AI public service announcement they saw ahead of the early-December press screening.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) trailer.And catch up with our previous review of 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water.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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

There's a mystery afoot: Why can't Earth's Mightiest Critics stop reviewing Netflix movies?(Maybe because there are just too many of them to ignore!)This week, we're back talking about Rian Johnson's latest installment in his Benoit Blanc franchise, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery! Daniel Craig returns as the sly Southern sleuth, as he's roped into investigating a strange death inside a church. The number of suspects and twists are about as ungodly as the crime, and the clock is ticking!This third chapter in the Knives Out saga has been praised as perhaps the best one yet. But can someone (Ian) who didn't care for the first film and didn't bother with the second (2022's Glass Onion) finally appreciate this outrageous ensemble Whodunnit series--or will Wake Up Dead Man lull him to sleep?Join us as we sleuth our way through the mystery of this saga's popularity--and take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Wake Up Dead Man is now streaming on Netflix!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Wake Up Dead Man (2025) trailer. As mentioned in the show, Ian watched the latest episode of Fr. Edward Looney's podcast, featuring an interview with Wake Up Dead Man Catholic consultant Fr. Scott Bailey.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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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 hot chocolate, fire places, and hugs--Accademia Giallo is heading into holiday break with a Knife of Ice!Umberto Lenzi's 1972 thriller stars Carroll Baker as Martha, a mute woman who finds herself embroiled in a series of murders in Spain--which the police believe are being committed by a drug-addled Satanist!To celebrate our spoilerific year-end panel, we're welcoming back author Troy Howarth, who literally wrote the book on Lenzi! Join us as we bid a chilly (and chilling) farewell to 2025.We'll also take your questions, comments, and suggestions for next year's show!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Knife of Ice (1972) trailer.Order Troy's book on Umberto Lenzi, Make Them Die Slowly! AND check out his commentary track on Arrow Video's 4K release of Don't Torture a Duckling!As mentioned in the show, next month sees the return of "January Giallo" to Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre (where they'll be showing a Lenzi film!). Get showtimes, tickets, and more info here.Speaking of "January Giallo", flash back to Ian and Brian's 2024 interview with Gialli maestro Sergio Martino!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!

Ian admits defeat...and talks about the recently released Supergirl trailer.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Supergirl (2026) 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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

Yep, we're back with another look at a sappy Netflix Awards Season movie--and it's a vanity project about movie stars, no less! Or is there far more to Jay Kelly than one might think?George Clooney stars as the titular alliterative doppelganger, a mega-successful Hollywood actor facing an identity crisis on the eve of a career tribute in Tuscany. His harried manager (Adam Sandler) and publicist (Laura Dern) can't keep up with Jay's erratic behavior and ramblings about memories that have somehow bled into his waking hours. Add to that two estranged daughters and a life lived as other people, and you have the perfect Noah Baumbach (While We're Young, Marriage Story) film.Join us for a look at a spoilerific look at a surprisingly introspective film, and take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Oh, and because the studio that's distributing Jay Kelly happens to be Netflix, we may devote some time catching up on the flurry of recent news!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Jay Kelly (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.Check out Mark "The Movie Man" Krawczyk's The Spoiler Room Podcast.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".

Much like the interstellar phenomenon that inspired it, the 3I/ATLAS Film Festival is coming your way!Sujewa recently launched a mixed streaming/in-person showcase of independent films--some new, some vintage, all waiting to be discovered (or re-discovered)! There's also a brand-new compilation of Ian and Sujewa's ongoing debate about the merits of Hong Sang-soo's filmography! In this preview episode, the guys talk about what movie lovers can expect from the festival, whose "At Home" offerings are available now, and whose theatrical events kick off this Friday (12/12) at Film Noir Cinema in Brooklyn.Filmmaker and past IndieSeen guest Steve Martini will be on hand to present his semi-autobiographical farce, Bittersweet, and participate in a Q&A.Next spring will see screenings or Amir Motlagh's Young Ali, Sujewa's upcoming 53 Spaceships, and others. For complete festival details as they drop, including lineup and venue info, click here.And for tickets to Friday night's Bittersweet event, you can order directly from EventBrite here.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksAs mentioned in the show, Sujewa recently interviewed Steve Martini and Casey Makes a Mixtape writer/director Blake Calhoun. Check out that conversation here.Support Sujewa's new film project, 53 Spaceships, the latest adventure of Cosmic Disco Detective Rene!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!