Certified Forgotten

Have you really lived until you've seen a Damon Packard film? That's the question this week's guest asks us, Certified Forgotten, and you, our devoted listeners. Filmmaker Mike Mendez brings Reflections of Evil to the table, a two-plus-hour endurance test described as a full-blown mental breakdown put to screen. It's nothing you've ever seen, which is either a blessing or a curse. But that's why w...

Just recently, Certified Forgotten celebrated its 7th anniversary as a podcast. In thinking of ways to celebrate, I convinced my co-host Matthew Monagle to record an episode where we look back on everything we've accomplished, and talk about our favorite movies that we've covered over 100+ guest episodes. Not to say we're playing favorites or anything—we love our guests equally! But we're two film...

It's that mid-point time of year, so we decided to take stock of 2026's horror crop (so far). The Matts discuss their favorite first-half flicks and highlight a few titles still to come that have them most hyped. We've got guest episodes on the horizon, but for at least one more consecutive week, you're stuck with us. Don't worry, we'll make it up to y'all soon enough! You can follow Certified For...

Horror has been killing it at the box office these last few weeks, with A24's Backrooms being the second punch after Obsession. Kane Parsons, who rose to fame for his viral "Backrooms" YouTube videos, brings his uncanny creation to life on the big screen. But does this liminal psychological thriller live up to the hype that comes with being the first feature-length Backrooms adaptation? It's a pon...

Obsession fever is sweeping the nation. Look at what you've done, Curry Barker! On the podcast this week, we had to dive into what's the talk of Horrortown these days—and with good reason. Inde Navarrette is a powerhouse in Obsession, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Hit the episode to hear our thoughts on why Navarrette should be in awards conversations come the end of the year, and more o...

Last weekend, Curry Barker's Obsession was the talk of Horrorwood. But, it wasn't the only twisted relationship tale (nearly) new to audiences. BT Meza's Affection sticks Jessica Rothe in a horrible scenario of either amnesia or entrapment. It's horror by way of interpretation and perception: either a wife and mother has truly forgotten her family, or a woman is being gaslit into believing a life...

Looks like we have a This Ends At Prom takeover! On a rare special episode, Matt Donato is joined by both BJ and Harmony Colangelo, with BJ serving as co-host and Harmony serving as guest. The film? Resident Evil: Damnation. Why? For SEO purposes, of course ... no, jk. Harmony makes bold statements, claiming that the second animated Resident Evil movie features some of the best franchise footage e...

In the Certified Forgotten podcast lore, there are constants. Donato is the horror-comedy gore guy. Mongle is the Irish folklore obsessive. Enter Lee Cronin's The Mummy. A stealth Evil Dead movie under the guise of mummified terrors, from the filmmaker behind The Hole in the Ground. You'd think, given the information above, you know which Matt is here to defend Cronin's latest, and who had a frust...

Is there such a thing as an anti-slasher? If not, then Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei might have justed invented it. In this week's episode of Certified Forgotten, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle team up to talk about Faces of Death, the remake-slash-reimagining (sorta) of the classic 1978 video nasty. Faces of Death draws inspiration from some of our great slashers, but does it get the job done...

Here's the reality. We Matts—Monagle and I—are dorks. Worse, we're corporate day job dorks. We sit at desks sending emails, handling meetings, and going about quarterly business reviews ... which inspired this episode. We decided, since the first quarter of 2026 is behind us, to look back and do a little "review" of the output so far, but, most importantly, give you a recap of horror films you mig...

The film festival life is not for everyone, especially when you cover as press. Luckily, here at Certified Forgotten, we have two individuals who push their bodies and sanity for the sake of screenings, reviews ... maybe a party or seven? This week, Matt Donato is joined by columnist Molly Henery to chat about their favorite horror films from 2026's SXSW slate. There were, my gosh, so many genre f...

One of the best things about horror sequels? They’ll often surprise you if you let them. In this episode of Certified Forgotten, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle sit down to discuss Ready or Not: Here I Come, sequel to 2019’s Ready or Not. With more bloodshed and a lot more bickering, the new movie certainly dials up the formula the second time out. But is it better than the original? About Ready o...

In the canon of Final Destination imitators, Whistle is a gift. Corin Hardy's ode to teen slashers is a nifty blend of "artifact horror" and young-adult perspectives. There are many films based on the inability to cheat Death, but writer Owen Egerton finds a unique twist to keep us hooked. It's a cozy late-night programmer that fits alongside other Shudder titles like Clown in a Cornfield, one tha...

Didn't ever think we'd cover a Criterion Collection release on Certified Forgotten, didja? That's what makes our podcast so special, and why we love these guest episodes. Journalist and Brooklyn Horror's own Tori Potenza returns with a 1960s Czechoslovak "dark comedy" that too succinctly predicted today's alt-right basement-bro uprising. Juraj Herz's "dark comedy" (emphasis on DARK), The Cremator,...

Can a science fiction thriller about exploding, bile-bloated corpses and intergalactic spores be described as delightful? Well, Cold Storage had us grinning like kiddos on Christmas morning. Filmmaker Jonny Campbell helms this whacked-out fungal horror-comedy written by the prolific David Koepp, adapted from his own novel (of the same name). It’s begging for a bigger budget, with some underwhelmin...

"Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die." Is it the mantra we're repeating to get through 2026? Absolutely. Is it also a wickedly entertaining and intensely relevant sci-fi comedy about the horrors of artificial intelligence? Also correct! Gore Verbinski returns to the big screen after almost a decade with his fantastic warning against algorithms, datacenters, and mind-rotting technology. We'll dive into...

You've seen Ghost Ship, but how bout Death Ship? Or maybe you've seen Death Ship, and not Ghost Ship. EITHER WAY, we've got another banger of a guest episode, with our newly crowned queen of repeat guests, one half of the This Ends At Prom podcast—and B-movie aficionado—Harmony Colangelo. Join us for a conversation that starts with a spirited chat about bartenders and drink orders, then dives head...

While the Sundance Film Festival is often synonymous with prestigious releases, it's always been a breeding ground for great horror filmmakers, too. So with Matt Donato wrapping his attendance at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, we sat down to discuss his favorites from this year's horror lineup. From Leviticus to Saccharine, this was a particularly strong year for Sundance's Midnight lineup, and...

It might be underwhelming at the box office, but it's overwhelmed our hearts! That's right, this week on the podcast, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle discuss Nia DaCosta's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, a chamber piece set in the 28 Days Later universe. Learn why both Matts believe DaCosta's feature to be the polar opposite of Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later - and why those changes are the right st...

You know what's worse than vampires? Racist cop vampires. That's the basis of Ryan Prows' new release, Night Patrol. The filmmaker joins us to discuss his first theatrical release and champions a nasty little film that fits with his career's thematic DNA thus far: Los Bastardos (2008). Join us for another guest episode of Certified Forgotten that gets deep into a creator's mind, and brings to ligh...

Johannes Roberts' Primate answers a very important question: "What if Halloween, but instead of Michael Myers, it was a killer chimp?" It's C-oo-oo-ahh-ahh-jo, 100%. All creature, all feature. Suffice it to say, Roberts' relentlessly gory animal-attack flick sounds more like a "Donato Movie," and yet, Certified Forgotten's keeping the new year in agreeable spirits. Tune in to hear Donato and co-ho...

Alex Ullom’s feature debut, It Ends, wants to be a "hangout" horror movie. Certified Forgotten's Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle put that descriptor to the test, hanging out and chatting about Ullom's existential road trip. Like The Battery or Dead End, It Ends relies on conversational, generational horrors that unfold on an empty stretch of road. It's a representation of life, death, and everythi...

Somehow, against all odds, we've made it through 2025. Maybe not unscathed, but we did it. With that in mind, it's time for Certified Forgotten to highlight some of the year's best horror films. Here to help is friend of the show and frequent guest co-host, Bloody Disgusting's Meagan Navarro. With no Matthew Monagle this week, it's up to Meagan and CF's Matt Donato to throw as many worthwhile titl...

'Twas the (almost) fortnight before Christmas at Certified Forgotten, and the boys had a chat to see if the Silent Night, Deadly Night remake is rotten. [Poor attempt at poetic rhythm ends.] Mike P. Nelson's new take on a Christmas horror classic gives Billy Chapman a new purpose, and with it, a fresh take that brings both romanticism and exploitation vibes. Co-hosts Matthew Monagle and Matt Donat...

Hold off on the pizza party, kiddos. Freddy Fazbear might be returning to the big screen, but it's not a cause for celebration. In this Uncertified episode, Certified Forgotten co-host Matt Donato has invited back friend of the show BJ Colangelo to talk about the unfortunate state of Five Nights at Freddy's 2. The first was critically savaged, but not by Donato and Colangelo. The same cannot be sa...