This week's livestream is brought to you by the letter "D", for "Derivative"!Yes, there's another indie horror movie in theaters with audience buzz, killer marketing, and very little else to recommend it beyond some truly remarkable aesthetics.Casper Kelly's Buddy centers on a titular late-90s children's program modeled off of Barney the Dinosaur. In this case, our chuckling, anthropomorphic host is an orange unicorn who may also be a demon. In the real world, an overworked mom named Grace (Cristin Milioti) begins hallucinating about a child who's "missing" from her family.How do these things tie together? Does it matter?Join Ian and Jeff as we talk Hollywood's newfound love of Child Endangerment Horror (Is it really that new?); elevator-pitch screenwriting; and why Buddy would've been better in the hands of another indie creator who blew up this summer ! We'll also take your questions and comments in the chat!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Buddy (2026) trailer.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Note: The opinions and views expressed in this podcast are those of the individual hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Kicking the Seat or any organization, employer, or company. Ep1252: Buddy (2026) - Live Movie Review Kicking the Seat
3 Sept 2026
Ep1251: Coyote vs. Acme (2026) - Live Movie Review
It doesn't get more meta than Coyote vs. Acme!The live-action/animation hybrid was shelved by Warner Bros in 2023, before being picked up by Ketchup Entertainment and released in theaters.Fittingly, the film centers on a scrappy, small-time attorney (Will Forte) and his aggrieved client, Wile E. Coyote, taking on a mega corporation engaged in shady deeds. Now that it's out, several questions come to mind: Will the target audience show up for it in numbers significant enough to prove that the old WB cartoons are still viable? Who is the target audience for Coyote vs. Acme?And is the film any good?This week, Jeff will make a robust case for this being one of the year's best films. Ian, in his official capacity as Conveyor of Wet Blankets, will poke more holes in the defense than a cartoon cactus!Ultimately, you will deliver the verdict! Join us as we take on this calamitous courtroom cartoon--and take your questions and comments in the chat!Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Coyote vs. Acme (2026) trailer.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.Note: The opinions and views expressed in this podcast are those of the individual hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Kicking the Seat or any organization, employer, or company. Ep1251: Coyote vs. Acme (2026) - Live Movie Review Kicking the Seat
1 Sept 2026
Ep1250: Castle Freaks: Homicidal (1961) - Movie Review
Ian and Jeff go positively psycho for William Castle's 1961 fast-follow thriller, Homicidal!It's easy to write this movie off as a copy/paste cash-in of Alfred Hitchcock's horror classic, Psycho (troubled blonde with a bagful of cash; mysterious references to shocking family events; terrible things happening on a very prominent staircase, etc.). But Castle and screenwriter Robb White present a twisty, twisted thriller that makes up in plot what it lacks in aesthetic originality.In today's spoilerific episode, the guys cut through the "Castle-as-Gimmick-Guy" narrative to look at an unsung B-Movie masterpiece that stands proudly on its own high heels. Despite some hiccups, nothing should discourage viewers from giving the film a chance.Plus: Ian and Jeff talk about their phenomenal trip to Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre, where they experienced William Castle's 13 Ghosts--in full Illusion-O! It was part of the theater's recent weeklong series, "The Greatest Showman: 5 By William Castle".Support Kicking the Seat on Patreon, subscribe to us on YouTube, and follow us at:XLetterboxdInstagramFacebookShow LinksWatch the Homicidal (1961) trailer.Keep up with Jeff York's criticism and caricatures at The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists.If you're in Chicago (or plan to be), bookmark the Music Box Theatre's website for info on weekly screenings, special events, and immersive movie tributes you won't find anywhere else!"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! If you want to learn more about William Castle's larger-than-life life and times, check out his indispensable autobiography, Step Right Up!And check out the wonderful Castle documentary, Spine-Tingler: The William Castle Story, now streaming on Tubi!Note: The opinions and views expressed in this podcast are those of the individual hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Kicking the Seat or any organization, employer, or company. Ep1250: Castle Freaks: Homicidal (1961) - Movie Review Kicking the Seat
Who has been a guest on Kicking the Seat
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Mark Krawczyk
Jeff York
Don Shanahan
Annie Banks
Mike Crowley
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
629,987
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 73 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
81
Social presence
91
YouTube
86
Engagement
32
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Questions about Kicking the Seat
Who hosts Kicking the Seat?
Ian and Ian Simmons and David Fowlie and Jeff and Luke Mullen host the show. Published by Ian Simmons.
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The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
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