Forgotten Cinema

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...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes revisit "Reindeer Games" (2000), a late-90s/early-2000s crime thriller that lands squarely in the “fine, but flawed” category. Both Butler and Field agree the movie is watchable, but just barely. The plot quickly starts to unravel, relying on Ben Affleck's character, Rudy and our villain, played by Gary Sinise, to make a series of frustratingly dumb decisio...

This week on Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes head back to the gritty mid-2000s with "Four Brothers" (2005), John Singleton’s revenge-fueled action drama. Mike Butler has a soft spot for this one; partly out of nostalgia for the early-00s wave of gritty, street-level action movies, and partly because "Four Brothers" still delivers a certain messy charm. The energy, the brother dynamics, and the rough-...

This week on Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes clock in with "The Intern" (2015), Nancy Meyers’ feel-good comedy starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field really enjoy this one. Yes, it’s sweet, uplifting, and maybe a little too saccharin at times, but it delivers exactly the warm, comforting tone it’s aiming for. De Niro and Hathaway have fantastic chemistry, and the f...

This week on Forgotten Cinema , Mike Butler and Mike Field enlist for "Stripes" (1981), the early-80s Bill Murray/Harold Ramis comedy directed by Ivan Reitman. Butler has always had a soft spot for "Stripes"; he finds it fun, funny, and full of great bits, even if the movie goes completely off the rails in the third act with its top-secret Winnebago rescue mission behind Soviet lines. To him, the...

This week on Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes pour one out for "Another Round" (2020), the Danish drama-comedy that deserved far more attention than it got. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field really enjoy this film; the performances are excellent across the board, especially from Mads Mikkelsen, who delivers one of his most emotionally layered roles. The film walks a tricky tonal tightrope, balancing hum...

In a new Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing , the Mikes head out into "Predator: Badlands " , the newest entry in the Yautja franchise. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field had a fun time with this one; the action works, the world is engaging, and making a Yautja the protagonist is a bold swing that mostly pays off. Elle Fanning delivers strong performances as both Thia and Tessa, grounding the story even w...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes dive into "Charlie Wilson’s War" (2007), the sharp, witty, and surprisingly accessible political drama written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Mike Nichols. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field really enjoy this film for its stellar performances across the board; especially from Philip Seymour Hoffman, who steals every scene he’s in. His portrayal of CIA operati...

To kick off Season 23 of Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes fly dangerously close to the sun with Danny Boyle’s "Sunshine" (2007) starring Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, and Mark Strong. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field appreciate the film’s concept and its stellar performances. It’s a visually stunning, often awe-inspiring piece of sci-fi filmmaking. But the deeper they dig into the story, the more the cra...

This Halloween, Forgotten Horror 7 sinks its teeth into one of the most hauntingly beautiful vampire films ever made, "Let the Right One In " (2008). Both Mike Butler and Mike Field are huge fans of this Swedish horror masterpiece. With stunning direction, striking cinematography, and incredible performances, the film redefines what a vampire story can be; blending the supernatural with young love...