Russ Simmons

Film Critic

Russ Simmons is an award-winning film critic who's work has been featured on television, in print and on the internet for nearly two decades.

Russ joined Shawn Edwards in Fox 4's Screening Room in 2005. Since that time, he and Shawn have won the National Entertainment Journalism Award twice as Best Television Film Critics, awarded by the Los Angeles Press Club.

Simmons' reviews can be seen on the "Screening Room" which airs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday on Fox 4 News or at fox4kc.com. He also has a film review segment on KKFI-FM called "Freeze Frame" that airs several times per week, and appears regularly on The Walt Bodine Show on KCUR-FM.

Simmons' work has been featured in "The View," " The New Times," "The Pitch," "eKC" and www.kcactive.com. Simmons also worked for three years at the Sundance Institute's Summer Theatre program. Along with Shawn Edwards, Simmons appeared on the Reelz Channel's "Critics' Choice" special.

He is on the governing board of the Kansas City Film Critics' Circle, one of the oldest associations of its kind in the country. Simmons is also an active member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, responsible for the yearly "Critics' Choice Awards" that airs on VH1.

Recent Articles

  • New cinema-restaurant opens Friday in Prairie Village

    Posted on: 5:38 pm, May 21, 2013, by , updated on: 05:45pm, May 21, 2013

    KANSAS CITY, Mo – The demise last weekend of the Screenland Crossroads Theatre brought a collective feeling of malaise for Kansas...
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    Standees, The Entertaining Eatery, opens in Prairie Village
  • Screening Room Home Video Edition: “The Last Stand,” “Beautiful Creatures”

    Posted on: 7:00 am, May 18, 2013, by , updated on: 10:50am, May 18, 2013

    KANSAS CITY, Mo — **1) THE LAST STAND (R)** Lionsgate RUSS Well, he said, “I’ll be back,” and Arnold Schwarzenegger...
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  • Screening Room: “Star Trek Into Darkness”

    Posted on: 11:07 am, May 16, 2013, by

    STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (PG-13) RUSS After resurrecting the “Star Trek” franchise in 2009 by taking it back to its...
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  • Screening Room Home Video: “Cloud Atlas”

    Posted on: 7:00 am, May 11, 2013, by , updated on: 09:17am, May 16, 2013

    CLOUD ATLAS (R) Warner Brothers RUSS You may NEED an atlas to navigate your way through the labyrinth called “Cloud...
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  • Screening Room: “The Great Gatsby,” “Peeples”

    Posted on: 8:53 am, May 10, 2013, by

    KANSAS CITY, Mo — **THE GREAT GATSBY (PG-13)** SHAWN Oh my, oh my some movies are just more fun and...
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  • KC Rep Production of “A Christmas Story: The Musical” Receives “Best Musical” Tony Award Nomination

    Posted on: 4:02 pm, April 30, 2013, by

    KANSAS CITY, Mo — Christmas arrived early this year for Kansas City Repertory Theatre. A Christmas Story, The Musical!, which...
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    John Bolton in KC Rep’s 2009 world premiere production of "A Christmas Story, The Musical!."    Photo by Don Ipock
  • The Music of the Movies Underscores “Screenland at the Symphony”

    Posted on: 3:34 pm, April 30, 2013, by , updated on: 11:47am, May 1, 2013

    KANSAS CITY, Mo — On May 4th and 5th, Screenland will be partnering with the Kansas City Symphony to present...
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    The scores from Alfred Hitchcock films will be featured in the program, "Screenland at the Symphony"
  • Middle of the Map Film Fest Debuts in KC

    Posted on: 3:10 pm, April 30, 2013, by , updated on: 11:46am, May 1, 2013

    KANSAS CITY, Mo — The Middle of the Map Film Fest is a 5-night moviegoing extravaganza showcasing over 25 feature...
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    The first annual Middle of the Map Film Fest takes place at the Alamo Drafthouse.
  • Screening Room Home Video Edition: “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Guilt Trip,”Not Fade Away”

    Posted on: 7:00 am, April 27, 2013, by , updated on: 09:05am, April 26, 2013

    1. SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (R) The Weinstein Company RUSS “Silver Linings Playbook” is a smart and smartly acted R-rated romantic...
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  • Screening Room: “Pain and Gain,” “Oblivion”

    Posted on: 6:00 am, April 26, 2013, by , updated on: 11:11pm, April 25, 2013

    1. PAIN & GAIN (R) Paramount SHAWN “Pain and Gain” is like “Transformers” without the robots. “Goodfellas” without Scorsese’s sauce....
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  • Screening Room Home Video Edition: “Django Unchained”

    Posted on: 7:00 am, April 13, 2013, by , updated on: 09:39am, April 12, 2013

      KANSAS CITY, Mo —     **DJANGO UNCHAINED (R)** SHAWN “Django Unchained” is cinematic genius. It’s that simple. No...
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  • Screening Room: “42,” “Trance,” “The Place Beyond the Pines”

    Posted on: 6:00 am, April 12, 2013, by , updated on: 09:47am, April 12, 2013

    KANSAS CITY, Mo — **42 (PG-13)** RUSS As the old Count Basie song went, “Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit...
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