Posts in Media Appearance
MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the Kicking the Seat's 1000th Episode Talking "Pulp Fiction"

The Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel hosted by Ian Simmons reached a huge milestone this week: 1000 episodes! That is rarified air in this creativce community. To celebrate the occasion, Ian brought in a big collection of “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” to discuss the movie he’s seen on the big screen more than any other. The topic was Quentin Tarantino’s seminal indie classic Pulp Fiction, turning 30 this year. It was an honor to join Ian, David Fowlie of Keeping It Reel, Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front, Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions, Jeff York of The Establishing Shot, and Mike Crowley of You’ll Probably Agree discuss how we like our cinematic burgers and massages.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the Kicking the Seat YouTube Channel Talking "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"

With the summer movie season started, the live roundtables of “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” have continued in earnest on the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel hosted by Ian Simmons. Filling the widest theaters for the second week of the month of May was the new trilogy starter Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Come watch Ian, myself, Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions, and Cati Glidewell of The Blonde In Front discuss what all the monkeying around was all about.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel talking "The Fall Guy"

With the summer movie season started, the live roundtable of “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” have continued in earnest on the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel hosted by Ian Simmons. Opening the month of May was David Leitch’s The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Come watch Ian, myself, Jeff York of The Establishing Shot, Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions, and Mike Crowley of You’ll Probably Agree discuss the peaks and valleys of this stuntman springboard.

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Fall Guy

Through a cavalcade of creatively designed set pieces, Leitch and The Fall Guy put the bang in “the whole shebang” with this kinetic crowd pleaser positioned to open the 2024 summer movie season with that very sound effect. After years of development hell, Universal Pictures found their perfect stewards with David Leitch and Ryan Gosling and indulged their pyrotechnic and brawny dreams to bust every block in sight. The TV show’s awareness and appreciation for these behind-the-scenes champions has now become Leitch’s own. 

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PODCAST: Episode 153 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For their 153rd episode, two star-making film critics, two romantic dads, and two snappy teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, return for the second of two special editorial episodes discussing a topic affecting the state of cinema. This time around, they address the perception of why there aren't true movie stars anymore. Don thinks he knows the missing piece: romance. Our hosts compare the romantic resumes between today's crop of actors and the ones that came before them. The lack of rom-coms and swooning romantic dramas in this blockbuster era has created a generation of one-note stars.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel talking "Civil War"

The newest live roundtable for the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel went to war to not talk about war, but to talk about anti-war in a journalistic war film that’s occaisional true to its vision. Ian, myself, and Mark Krawcyzk of Special Mark Productions drew the lines of the cinematic battlefield to discuss Cival War from Alex Garland. We three had plenty of questions to ask and discussion points to expound on trying to found reasons and implications in this dramatic thriller.

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PODCAST: Episode 152 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For their 152nd episode, two discerning film critics, two try-hard dads, and two directorial teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, step out for the first of two special editorial episodes about topics relating to the state of cinema. On this show, our two guys talk about auteur backlash happening to supposedly maniacal directors and filmmakers who are said to be trying too hard. They look at what that notion means and where such effort is appropriate and where it is, on the other hand, missing in this day and age.

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PODCAST: Episode 151 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For their 151st episode, two muy thai film critics, two buns-baring dads, and two bouncer teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, have set the table to talk about Doug Liman's 2024 remake of Road House, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. While comparisons are there to be made between this one and Patrick Swayze's from 1989, we've got two guys who know how to compartmentalize their film history. They know full well no remake erases an original. The fun part is we now get multiplied fun.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for Best Modern Film of Francis Ford Coppola

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best film of famed director Francis Ford Copolla (The Godfather series, Apocalypse Now) from over 100 critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my vote for 1997’s The Rainmaker to be included with some very high professional company.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for Best Films of the 1950s

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best films of the 1950s from over 120 critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my top five selections to be included with some very high professional company.

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PODCAST: Episode 150 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For their 149th episode, two space pirate film critics, two mutated dads, and two earthbound teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, continue piloting through the sequel star system of their Alien series rewatch with an episode on 1997's Alien: Resurrection, bringing a cloned Sigourney Weaver two centuries into the future. Is the movie subversive, kinky, weird, fun, all of the above, or none of the above. This one is high on Will's ranks while Don is pondering.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Let's Talk About Flix" podcast chatting about "The Way Way Back"

Through small world happenstance, I’ve come to know hosts Mike Osborn and Curtis Menke of the irreverent and laugh-filled podcast “Let’s Talk About Flix.” They are appointment weekly laughs for me and pod I support on Patreon. Mike and Curtis have become two full members of the Chicago Indie Critics group that I co-direct. I was honored to be asked on as the return guest during their “Patreon Picks” month. For that guest’s choice theme, I brought them 2013’s The Way Way Back. Enjoy our chat! Follow their show on podcast platforms and YouTube!

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