Forgotten Cinema

The Mikes are doing something different in this episode...reading! Mike Butler and Mike Field interview author Nicholas Keating Casbarro about his sci-fi epic "Vitalerium: Descent into the Void". The first chapter of a huge new series set in the far future. A novel filled with action, mystery, political intrigue, and more. The Mikes and Casbarro will discuss what goes into creating your first stor...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing, the Mikes take a look at "The Bride", Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ambitious and visually striking monster film. Mike Butler comes away disappointed. While he believes the movie is phenomenally acted, beautifully designed, and impressively directed, the script simply does not work for him. The story feels unfocused, struggling to decide what it wants to be or wha...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes revisit "Arachnophobia", the horror comedy that proves sometimes the scariest monsters are the smallest ones. Mike Butler and Mike Field really enjoy this one; with Butler describing it best as spider "Jaws". The film builds tension around an invasion of deadly spiders while following Jeff Daniels as a small-town doctor who must stop them despite being deep...

Four more movies. Four very different experiences. In Episode 2 of Last Four, Mike Field breaks down the latest four films he watched. What worked, what didn’t, and who each movie might be for. No rankings. No hot takes for the sake of hot takes. Just honest reactions from a lifelong movie lover. This week’s lineup ranges from intimate family drama to mockumentary comedy, surreal conspiracy thrill...

It's all come to this! This week on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing, the Mikes finally arrive at "Scream 7", the final destination after their long Scream Lead Up series. Unlike many critics, Mike Butler and Mike Field had a great time with this entry. Is it the best Scream film? No. Is it the worst? Also no. And as the Mikes point out, even the weakest Scream is still leagues above most other slash...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes sit down at the table with "Rounders", the cult favorite poker drama starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton. Despite its reputation, both Mike Butler and Mike Field come away less than impressed. The biggest issue lies with Damon’s character, Mike, who spends the entire film acting like a degenerate gambler fueled by bluster and misplaced bravado. Time and a...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes wrap up their Scream Lead Up series with "Scream VI", the final stop before diving into "Scream 7". Both Mike Butler and Mike Field still like this entry, but it stands as the weakest of the franchise so far in their rankings. A big part of that comes from the absence of Sidney Prescott and the somewhat awkward shoehorning of Gale into the story. The film a...

Welcome to the very first episode of Last Four! Field's new solo series where he breaks down the last four movies he watched: what worked, what didn’t, and who each film is really for. No rankings. No hot takes for the sake of hot takes. Just honest reactions. This week’s lineup is… all over the place in the best way: 🎬 Movies Covered in This Episode: Anaconda (2025) The Lost Bus The Housemaid Th...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes revisit "The Way of the Gun", Christopher McQuarrie’s sharp, character-driven crime thriller and directorial debut. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field really enjoy this one. The performances are firing on all cylinders, with the legendary James Caan bringing gravitas and menace to every scene he’s in. Benicio Del Toro and Ryan Phillippe anchor the film as two...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Lead Up, the Mikes tackle "Scream" (2022), or as it should be called, "Scream 5". As the first entry in the franchise not directed by Wes Craven, this chapter is in the hands of Radio Silence, and both Mike Butler and Mike Field think they do a strong job carrying the torch. The film delivers solid kills, balances legacy characters with a new generation effectively,...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes revisit "Yesterday", the musical romantic fantasy built around one impossible question: what if The Beatles never existed? Mike Butler absolutely loves this film. Growing up a Beatles fan, he not only enjoys hearing the music reintroduced in a new context, but also seeing the impact those songs would have even if the world had somehow forgotten the band. Hi...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Lead Up, the Mikes continue their road to "Scream 7 " with "Scream 4", Wes Craven’s return to Woodsboro more than a decade after the original trilogy. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field still enjoy this entry, especially for its strong kills and surprisingly ahead-of-its-time themes about streaming culture, internet fame, and the performance of violence for an audience....

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes revisit "Return to Me", the heartfelt romantic comedy starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver. Mike Field has long had a soft spot for this one, while Mike Butler watched it for the first time. Both thoroughly enjoy the film. Even though it opens with the sudden death of Duchovny’s wife and the emotional setup of a heart transplant, the movie manages to s...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Lead Up, the Mikes continue their road toward "Scream 7" with "Scream 3", the most divisive entry in the franchise. Coming off "Scream 2", the highest-reviewed film in the series, "Scream 3" holds the unfortunate distinction of being the worst reviewed. Mike Field still enjoys the movie, but it is his least favorite of the franchise so far. His biggest issue comes do...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Lead Up, the Mikes continue their journey toward Scream 7 by revisiting "Scream 2", the rare horror sequel that arguably improves on the original. Mike Butler absolutely loved this rewatch. From its themes and character arcs to the kills and the eventual villain reveals, he feels "Scream 2" sharpens nearly every idea introduced in the first film. The movie leans hard...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes trek through "Cold Mountain", Anthony Minghella’s sweeping Civil War drama starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger, that both of them ultimately enjoyed, even while acknowledging its many hurdles. The film has a lot working against it. The dialogue often feels pulled straight from the novel, the tone is relentlessly dreary, and at 154 minutes...

The Mikes are starting their "Scream" Lead Up series with the original film. Mike Field loves this film and the Scream series as a whole; there's not much if anything he can find wrong with Wes Craven's original film. Mike Butler didn't quite "get it" when he was younger. It was a bit too meta for him and he wasn't as knowledgeable at the time about horror films. Now that he get's it, he still has...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes revisit "In Good Company", '00s workplace dramedy starring Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, and Scarlett Johansson. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field like this film quite a bit. It has a warmth to it that still works, anchored by strong performances and a story that taps into the fear and uncertainty of a changing corporate landscape. That said, the movie struggle...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing, the Mikes are talking about Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's new movie, "The Rip". And just like almost every single Netflix film...it's fine. Mid. Meh. Mike Butler and Mike Field discuss how the great performances by Damon and Affleck push this film slightly above the Netflix norm. But poor writing, dark and empty sets with a skeleton cast keep this film fr...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes discuss "A Man Apart", a gritty early-2000s action thriller that Butler remembered liking as a teenager, but this time...not so much. Mike Butler and Mike Field are not fans. While Vin Diesel does a good job, the movie falls apart on nearly every level. The plot is a mess, the writing is weak, the action lacks impact, and the overall execution never comes t...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes revisit Curtis Hanson’s "Wonder Boys". A funny character drama about authors. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field really enjoy this film, especially its performances and lived-in storytelling. Michael Douglas delivers one of his most relaxed and likable roles, supported by an excellent ensemble, including Tobey Maguire and Robert Downey Jr, that gives the movie...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes head into Charlestown with "The Town" , Ben Affleck’s tense and character-driven crime drama. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field are big fans of the film. They praise the performances across the board, the tightly constructed story, and the way Boston itself feels like a living, breathing character woven into every scene. The film balances crime, character, an...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes tackle "12 Monkeys", this season's Audience Choice episode and a film that, despite its reputation, just doesn’t click for either of them. Mike Butler went in hoping his opinion might change this time around. As a big fan of "Brazil", he wanted to connect with Terry Gilliam’s mix of sci-fi and absurdism. Unfortunately, his feelings haven’t shifted since fir...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes ring in the holidays with "Why Him?", the chaotic Christmas comedy starring Bryan Cranston and James Franco. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field enjoy the film for what it is. It’s loud, crass, and occasionally very funny. That said, the movie never quite reaches its full comedic potential. The Mikes agree it could have used more fully realized comedy set piece...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing, the Mikes close out their Benoit Blanc journey with "Wake Up Dead Man", joined by a special guest: writer, director, and cinematographer Steven Bernstein. All three agree that this is the strongest entry in the Knives Out trilogy. While Mike Butler still prefers "Knives Out" overall, he feels "Wake Up Dead Man" is far more confident in its mystery, avoid...