Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).
The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar Noé, Rachel Brosnahan, Amy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.
Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.
: Only one in four films features a female character over 50 who is essential to the plot and portrayed without ageist stereotypes. Breaking the Mold: A New Era of Visibility
: In blockbuster movies, characters over 50 make up less than a quarter of all roles. wet milf free mature
Historically, Hollywood has fixated on female youth, with studies showing women's careers often peaked at 30, while men's continued for decades. This disparity was reflected on screen: older women were four times more likely to be portrayed as "senile" or "feeble" than their male counterparts. Characters over 50 often faced a binary choice: be the "passive problem" (frail and burdensome) or seek "romantic rejuvenation" by reclaiming youthful attributes. The stats from the last decade underscore this gap: : Only one in four films features a
: Male characters outnumber females in the 50+ bracket nearly 4 to 1 in films. This disparity was reflected on screen: older women
Ageism in the Media: An Insider’s Perspective - ASA Generations
The New Golden Age: Mature Women in Modern Cinema For decades, a silent expiration date loomed over women in the entertainment industry. Once an actress reached her 40s, the "narrative of decline" often saw her transition from lead protagonist to the invisible matriarch—relegated to the background as the "wife" or "grandmother". However, recent years have signaled a transformative shift. Mature women are no longer just supporting the plot; they are the plot, redefining what it means to age in the public eye. The Historical "Invisible" Ceiling