Podcast appearances and mentions of don shanahan

Celebrate "Emerald Friday" with Earth's Mightiest Critics and a downright wicked review of Wicked Part 2! Jon M. Chu's sequel is an even bigger box office smash than last year's reimagining of the hit Broadway musical. But now that Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) has defied gravity and struck out on her own against the shady Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), will her struggles prove to be as engaging as the Odd Couple antics with Galinda (Ariana Grande) from the first film? Or is Wicked: For Good's intersecting with The Wizard of Oz the beginning of the end for audience interest?Join us for a gravity-defying good time as we talk spoilers 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 Wicked: For Good (2025) trailer.Catch up with last year's KtS roundtable review of Wicked: Part 1!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".

For their 218th episode, two slashed film critics, two dream-trapped dads, and two meta teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, circle back a little to spooky movie season as Don finally dips his toes into Wes Craven's "Nightmare on Elm Street" franchise. To bring in the first-timer, Will suggested taking a look at Wes Craven's bookends of the 1984 original and his heavily self-aware sequel, 1994's "Wes Craven's New Nightmare." This gave our guys quite the slices of commentary and reaction for a bloody good episode. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

2025 has been the year of Stephen King movie adaptations, and Earth's Mightiest Critics are here to chase down a consensus on Edgar Wright's The Running Man!Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, a desperate, down-on-his luck father and husband living in an urban dystopian hellscape. He signs up to compete in the titular game show, which will pit him against everyone in America bent on keeping him from winning a billion-dollar prize.This version is markedly different from the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. But does it actually show fidelity to King's harrowing tale of loneliness and poverty in a world gone mad--or merely use the premise as window-dressing for an absurd and over-long cartoon? And, if that's the case, does Wright pull it off?Join us as we lace up and take off after a spoilerific evaluation. 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 Running Man (2025) trailer.Enjoy this flashback to Ian and David Fowlie's review of the original Running ManN from 1987! As mentioned in the episode, Mark interviewed actor Patrick Miller, who appeared in another Stephen King movie, Maximum Overdrive!For Ian's takes on the Hammer Frankenstein films (referenced in the episode), check out his reviews with Aaron Christensen of Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC in our "Hammerland" 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.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 come alive with an electrifying roundtable review of Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein!The legendary genre director of Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, and Crimson Peak returns with a sprawling adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic sci-fi/horror novel, which follows a scientist's (Oscar Isaac) obsession with creating life from nothingness. The result is a hulking, animated monstrosity (Jacob Elordi) whose terrifying visage masks a lonely, searching human soul. But Victor Frankenstein's meddling in the natural order sets tragedies in motion that will set creature against creator in a pursuit spanning years and continents!Del Toro has called Shelley his "first love". Is this cinematic ode to her work a bursting, heartfelt opus--or a shambling patchwork of other interpretations?Join us as we piece together the definitive discussion on Del Toro's dream project! 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 Frankenstein (2025) trailer.For Ian's takes on the Hammer Frankenstein films (referenced in the episode), check out his reviews with Aaron Christensen of Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC in our "Hammerland" 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.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".

For their 217th episode, two analytical  film critics, two saber-rattling dads, and two missile-dropping teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, hop into a little bit of the simmering 2025 awards season with a hotly debated contender from Netflix. The gentlemen share a great divide for the political thriller “A House of Dynamite,” the latest white-knuckle film from “The Hurt Locker” and “Zero Dark Thirty” Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow. Podcast bombs are exploding everywhere! Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Earth's Mightiest Critics have scoured the galaxy for a worthy Predator sequel.Will Badlands prove a worthy trophy? Co-writer/director Dan Trachtenberg follows up Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers with a future-set adventure involving the unlikely pairing of a young Yautja warrior-in-training and a damaged Weyland-Yutani synthetic. Together, they must traverse a hostile alien world in search of the ultimate kill--without falling victim to the monster themselves!The new sequel has garnered enough positive buzz to paper over early concerns about dodgy Predator makeup, a gore-restricting PG-13 rating, and an irksome performance by Elle Fanning. But now that Badlands has been unleashed on the world...is it actually one of the series' best entries?Join us as we hunt down an answer to the question, "Is the Predator franchise dead--or just getting started?" 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 Predator: Badlands (2025) trailer.And if you're in Chicago on Wednesday, November 12, swing by the Davis Theatre to see Cati Glidewell's performance in the short film "Script Tease"--as part of the Windie City Film Fest! 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 survived Spooky Season and are charging headlong into one of Awards Season's buzziest films!Bugonia is writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos' third feature in three years, all of which have been collaborations with actress Emma Stone. In this bizarre dark comedy, a no-nonsense CEO (Stone) is kidnapped by two conspiracy-obsessed brothers (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis), who believe she is the harbinger of an extraterrestrial invasion.Also, bees are involved...somehow.Join us for a spoilerific, "hive-and-mighty" roundtable review--where we break through the hype 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 Bugonia (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".

For their 216th episode, two haughty film critics, two non-painting dads, and two gold-digging teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, roar back from a short October haitus with a movie that doesn't try to shout back whatsoever. Stratching off a mutual Stanley Kubrick blind spot, the boys sat through 1975's wannabe opus "Barry Lyndon" and strive to discuss the thematic pull and shread of a point amid the off-the-charts craftsmanship of the respected cinematic master. There is a clear lover and hater on this one. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

 For their 217th episode, two principled film critics, two non-veteran dads, and two warrior teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, return from a short October haitus for the first of two episodes celebrating their Best Member Podcast nomination from the first annual Astra Awards. The film of choice is Alex Garland's electric 2025 military thriller "Warfare," something Will---a loyal Garland stan---is surprised and maybe even a little ashamed he didn't see on the big screen. He and Don focus their thoughts the same way the movie focuses on the rescue operation at hand. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Earth's Mightiest Critics get "Stuckmannized" with a roundtable review of Shelby Oaks!OG YouTube film critic Chris Stuckmann makes his feature debut with a horror movie about a woman's desperate search for her long-lost sister. The quest becomes an obsession upon realizing that the imaginary demon from their childhood may have been real.The film debuted at 2024's Fantasia International Film Fest and, after some retooling under the guidance of horror producer extraordinaire, Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, The Life of Chuck), Shelby Oaks recently opened in wide release under the Neon banner.How does this found footage-inspired throwback play in the modern horror marketplace? Is there more merit to Shelby Oaks than the novelty of its creator's journey from online critic to studio-backed artiste? Most important of all: is it scary?Join us as we determine if Shelby Oaks is the hottest piece of undiscovered cinema real estate around--or if genre fans should gun it past the exit.We also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!As part of Scare-a-Thon 2025, this episode will benefit the International Rescue Committee, so please share with your fiends and family--and get involved with IRC here!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Shelby Oaks (2025) trailer.Speaking of Horror 101 w/ Dr. AC, this week's profile of horror podcasters features...Ian! Catch it here!Ian also joined Mike Crowley on the YPA Reviews podcast to discuss "Movies That Make us Grateful"!Cati recently stopped by the CinemaJaw Podcast to talk about the "Best Horror Movies of the 2000's". Check it out!And as mentioned in the show, Cati just got back from some INCREDIBLE horror conventions. Learn more about them and mark your calendars for 2026!Nightmares Film Festival Telluride Horror ShowAnd if you're in Chicago on Wednesday, November 12, swing by the Davis Theatre to see Cati's performance in the short film "Script Tease"--as part of the Windy City Film Fest!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".

Bust out the coffee and No-Doz, and get ready to stay up late with Earth's Mightiest Critics!The entire Nightmare on Elm Street series recently made its 4K debut, and we're gearing up for a triple-feature roundtable review of the "Dream Warriors Trilogy". Parts 3, 4, and 5 of the fiendish Freddy franchise centers on the few remaining sleep-deprived Springwood teens whose nocturnal hours are haunted by an undead killer with a wit as sharp as his single metal glove.From the hospital to the high school, from a nunnery to ninety-miles-an-hour nightmares, this intricately connected saga captures the horror juggernaut at its peak popularity--and chronicles its rapid decline. Join us for a sweater-sportin', spoilerific celebration of the unkillable Krueger--and the fierce final girls who loved to beat him!We'll also take your questions, comments, and SuperChats!And because it's Scary Season, Kicking the Seat has teamed once again with Horror 101 with Dr. AC to help out a worthy cause! We'll donate all SuperChat proceeds from our Dream Warriors Trilogy livestream to this year's Scare-a-Thon partner, the International Rescue Committee!You can learn more, get involved, here!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the A Nightmare on Elm Street 4K Collection trailer: https://youtu.be/jshAQETajAo?si=bx94m_PJt_JI9s9_You can pick up the Nightmare on Elm Street 4K Collection now, courtesy of Warner Bros. https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/nightmare-elm-street-7-film-collectionThe Scare-a-Thon continues on Kicking the Seat, with these chilling upcoming livestreams:Accademia Giallo: The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (10/26 at 2pm CST)Shelby Oaks (10/29 at 8pm CST)As mentioned in the show, Ian recently appeared on Mark's Spoiler Room Podcast to discuss A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors! Also, Bryan found this crazy Instagram Reel of rapping Horror icons, called "Straight Outta Springwood"!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.Enter The Giallo Room with Bryan Martinez…if you dare!And save your celluloid soul with Dave Canfield's Substack, "Creature Feature Preacher".

Featured Extras returns with a look at Warner Bros' recently released 4K UHD of F1: THE MOVIE!Joseph Kosinski's blockbuster racing film was a much bigger hit overseas than domestically, but one of the year's best movies is now on home video--bringing with it a handful of fascinating special features.Ian has assembled a crack pit crew to talk about the various making-of segments, centering on the exciting practical-effects innovations that helped bring the film to life!Note: There was an issue with Ian's microphone while recording the segment, so there's a "talking into the room" quality to his audio.Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:kickseat.comXLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the F1: The Movie (2025) trailer.You can pick up F1: The Movie on 4K UHD, courtesy of Warner Bros! Watch Earth's Mightiest Critics' full roundtable review of F1: The Movie! 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".

It may be "end of line" for Earth's Mightiest Critics as we sift through the corrupted-file wasteland of Tron: Ares!Jared Leto stars as the titular security program caught in the middle of a corporate struggle to bring digital avatars into the real world. Cue the light cycles, data discs, sky-beam portals, and a fistful of other jangling keys meant to distract from a story that literally sets the franchise back by more than a decade.The gang also looks at other franchises crushed under Disney's IP onslaught, and assesses DC's prospects for doing something different with its own blockbuster properties (spoiler alert: it's grim).Join us for a code-bashing (and head-bashing) roundtable review--where 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 Tron: Ares (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".

Today, Earth's Mightiest Critics look back on the life of a comedy legend with an unconventional panel review of John Candy: I Like Me!Colin Hanks' presents a sprawling and thoroughly moving documentary about the star of SCTV, Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, and dozens more comedy classics.Featuring interviews with co-stars, family, and friends, I Like Me paints a portrait of a man haunted by childhood tragedy who spent the rest of his life taking care of others (be it direct altruism or simply by making them laugh)--possibly to the detriment of his own well being. Far from a downer, this film is a celebration of life in the truest sense.Executive Producer Ryan Reynolds and friends recently screened the film at the Chicago Theatre, and several members of the EMC were there. Unfortunately, they couldn't all get together for roundtable, so Ian talked with Don, Cati, and David individually about several aspects of the doc, including its status as one of the best films this decade; the bizarrely performative nature of the Chicago Theatre Q&A; and the rise of the Celebrity Documentary genre.John Candy: I Like Me is now streaming on Amazon Prime.Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the John Candy: I Like Me (2025) trailer.All proceeds from the I Like Me screening tour support St. Jude Children's Children's Research Hospital. If you are moved to do so, please learn more about this wonderful organization 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".

Earth's Mightiest Critics tag team Dwayne Johnson's bid for Acting Oscar gold with a roundtable review of The Smashing Machine!Benny Safdie's biopic of UFC fighter Mark Kerr's rise and fall is definitely an A24 film: heavy on the drama, light on the sports movie cliches. Audiences, it seems, aren't too interested in "The Rock's" career outside the IP ring--but are they missing out?Join us for a spoilerific critics' cage-match! 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 Smashing Machine (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".

For their 214th episode, two bumbling film critics, two clueless dads, and two coffee-passing teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, had very few movies circled on their calendar for the summer of 2025. Beyond the comic blockbusters, and even in front of them in some cases, "The Naked Gun" was one of them. Both hosts took to a film series rewatch this summer before indulging in the work of Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson to convince us this style of comedy wasn't lost or dead. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Critics are ecstatic over Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another. On this week's livestream you'll hear the Mightiest of them discuss why it may be 2025's best film.You'll also get Ian's take.Join us for a spoilerific system smasher--along with your questions, comments, and SuperChats!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the One Battle After Another (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".

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".

 For their 213th episode, two AI-fearing film critics, two hominid dads, and two bored teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, venture into the prophetic and distant science fiction of 24 years ago by way of 57 years ago. Those that can do the math can deduce they're talking about Stanley Kubrick's cornerstone epic “2001: A Space Odyssey.” This was an egregious blindspot for Will and a contrarian hate spot for Don, who's tried many times to embrace it. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

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".

For their 212th episode, two mangled film critics, two serial killer dads, and two sautéed teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, venture to another Ridley Scott blind spot for one of our hosts. Until this summer, Will had never seen Scott's gaudy Hannibal Lecter thriller “Hannibal,” while the slightly older Don was first in line for the intestines-spilling feats in 2001 and has the shocked and appalled reactions seared into memory. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

For their 211th episode, two mask-pulling film critics, two special agent dads, and two stuntman teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, finish their four-episode retrospective covering the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. With exhaustion and indifference to AI, our guys put a bow on “Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One,” “Mission: Impossible- Final Reckoning,” and the dominant Ethan Hunt chapter of Tom Cruise's career. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

For their 210th episode, two non-mustached film critics, two un-soldierly dads, and two bell-ringing teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, hitch another wave from the Ridley Scott blind spot beach.  Once again, Will brings us to something he missed with the Demi Moore vehicle "G.I. Jane." Don was there in 1997 to enjoy the Demi Moore hype of this one and brings it back to the present day, especially post-"Substance." Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

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".

For their 209th episode, two mask-pulling film critics, two special agent dads, and two stuntman teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, continue their retrospective race through the "Mission: Impossible" series. For this show, the gents cover the Christopher McQuarrie takeover of "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" and "Mission: Impossible - Fallout." These two movies have equal shares of quality and presposterousness fitting this franchise. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

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".

 For their 208th episode, two "Council of Elrond" film critics, two space cadet dads, and two non-botany teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, take a trip to the next planet in the solar system to cover a Ridley Scott blindspot. Don has long loved and celebrated "The Martian" in its ten years of existence, but Will had never seen it until prepping for this show. Enjoy getting space-y with these guys. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

For their 207th episode, two long-driving film critics, two short-putting dads, and two gold jacket-wearing teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan have kept returning guest, Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front and Film Obsessive, to talk about one more summer entertainment target. They bit the nostalgia bug to experience Netflix's "Happy Gilmore 2," celebrating the return of comedy legend Adam Sandler to one of his most hallowed characters. The trouble was the 10 pounds of cameo-rich, checkbox-filling sugar that was stuffed in a 5-pound bag. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

For their 206th episode, two invisible film critics, two rocky dads, and two stretchy teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, visit Marvel's next summer blockbuster, the hotly anticipated "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." They are not alone, either. The hosts welcome back frequent guest, Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front and Film Obsessive, to weigh in on all of the family dynamics and kitschy period-era style. They were ready for a no-homework Marvel movie.  Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

For their 204th episode, two  two mask-pulling film critics, two special agent dads, and two stuntman teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, return for their second of four retrospective episodes discussing the "Mission: Impossible" franchise. Covering the next two, this episode breaks down the J.J. Abrams entry, "Mission: Impossible III" from 2006 and the Brad Bird live action graduation of "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" from 2011. The fellas take note of the films that would begin the inflation point and serialization catalyst for the rest of the series with very different thoughts and rankings for these two Tom Cruise specials. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast! Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

For their 204th episode, two heroic film critics, two hopeful dads, and two cape-wearing teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, vault their podcast up in the sky to address the hotly anticipated and hot button summer blockbuster, "Superman," directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet in the tights and spectacles. Our hosts are unafraid to celebrate the movie and address the so-called controversies. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

For their 203rd episode, two list-making film critics, two highly ranked dads, and two Top 100 teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, take this new episode as an editorial chance to talk about the hubbub created in the cinephile world recently when The New York Times asked for public input to create a master list of the Top 100 films of the 21st Century so far (never mind that there's still six months of 2025 left, but I digress). The hosts highlight their official Top 10 submissions, comparing similarities and differences, and seeing which of their picks made the final list. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

For their 202nd episode, two sneak-attacking film critics, two camoflauged dads, and two warrior teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, draw their swords and pistols on a frequently-mentioned franchise on the podcast: the "Predator" series. In June, Hulu released the stunningly animated "Predator: Killer of Killers," which continues the new stewardship of writer-director Dan Trachtenberg, who put "Predator" back in the intimating and scary side of cinema with "Prey" a few years ago. The new anthology-structured film pulls off action that would burst fake arteries and budgets in live-action, but look like a million bucks animated. And, look at "Predator" start to paint with a little L.O.R.E. with its portending connections! Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!Speakpipe - send us a voicemailhttps://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/www.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".

For their 201st episode, two mask-pulling film critics, two special agent dads, and two stuntman teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, begin a group of retrospective episodes reflecting on the recently finalized "Mission: Impossible" franchise. Taking them a pair at a time, this first episode covers Brian De Palma's "Mission: Impossible" from 1996 and its wild 2000 sequel "M:I-2" from director John Woo. Will and Don are united in praising these two standalone adventures that flaunted what made Tom Cruise and this series interesting and cool before the larger and increasingly overinflated arc would take over later. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!https://discord.gg/N6MKWXU2https://www.teepublic.com/user/ruminationsradionetworkhttps://www.instagram.com/cinephilehissyfit/https://www.instagram.com/casablancadon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CinephileFitwww.RuminationsRadioNetwork.comwww.instagram.com/RuminationsRadioNetworkTwitter: RuminationsRadioNetwork@RuminationsNProduction by Mitch Proctor for Area 42 Studios and SoundEpisode Artwork by Charles Langley for Area 42 Studios and Soundhttps://www.patreon.com/RuminationsRadiohttps://everymoviehasalesson.com/https://ruminationsradio.transistor.fm/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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".