Forgotten Cinema

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...

On this episode of Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes are talking with Erin Áine and Kyle Valle, two of the creators of the indie horror/comedy "ZombieCON Vol. 1". We talk with them about the process of indie filmmaking, the decade long journey of "ZombieCON Vol. 1" and what's next for the world of ZombieCON. After the interview, be sure to check out our Now Showing episode where Mike Field and Mike Butl...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing , the Mikes are fighting some really douchey zombies. After recently interviewing the filmmakers behind "ZombieCON Vol. 1", Butler and Field dive into the finished film itself. Both are impressed by the passion and craftsmanship that went into this indie horror-comedy. It’s clearly a labor of love, and the team behind it pulled off something that’s hard e...

This week on Forgotten Horror 7, the Mikes dive headfirst into one of the goriest, goofiest horror comedies ever made; "Dead Alive" (1992), also known as "Braindead". Both Mike Butler and Mike Field absolutely love this film. It’s zany, it’s silly, and it’s drenched in more blood and guts than you could possibly imagine. Like a deranged "Looney Tunes" short turned up to eleven, "Dead Alive" is a s...

This week on Forgotten Horror 7 , the Mikes take a wild trip through 80s sci-fi horror with "Lifeforce" (1985); a movie neither of them had seen before and both are still trying to fully process. Mike Field finds himself swept up in the film’s 80s charm, enjoying the practical effects, the British cast, and the sheer weirdness of it all. Mike Butler… not so much. While he admits some of the effect...

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing, Mike Butler and Mike Field take their seats inside the Grid for the long-awaited "Tron: Ares". As the follow-up to "Tron: Legacy", the film brings dazzling visuals, IMAX-ready spectacle, and a pulsating score by Nine Inch Nails—all things that both hosts enjoyed. But while the aesthetics and sound are electric, the story struggles to keep that spark aliv...

This week on Forgotten Horror 7 , the Mikes head into the woods with "Cabin Fever " (2001), Eli Roth’s debut horror film that aimed to revive the “cabin in the woods” subgenre. Unfortunately…neither Mike Butler nor Mike Field are fans. While they can appreciate the craftsmanship: some strong visuals, solid practical effects, and moments of inspired direction, the rest of the film collapses under i...

This week on Forgotten Horror 7 , the Mikes descend into the abandoned halls of " Session 9" (2001), one of the earliest horror films shot digitally—and one that still manages to feel unsettling decades later. Both Mike Field and Mike Butler admire the filmmaking craft on display. Butler especially praises the cinematography, the striking shot choices, and the eerie use of setting and color that t...

Forgotten Horror 7 kicks off with " Wes Craven’s New Nightmare" (1994), the meta slasher that dared to blur the lines between fiction and reality. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field appreciate some of the ideas here—bringing Freddy Krueger into the “real” world, playing with Heather Langenkamp as herself, and giving Wes Craven and Robert Englund roles in their own nightmare. But as the Mikes discuss,...

This week on Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes ride into Steven Spielberg’s "War Horse"(2011). It’s no surprise that Mike Butler and Mike Field are fans when it comes to Spielberg, his filmmaking skill and ability to tell a story is always front and center. But this rewatch hit especially hard for Field, who now counts "War Horse" among his favorite Spielberg films. The Mikes break down how the film lo...

This week on Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes lace up for "Slap Shot" (1977), the raunchy hockey comedy starring Paul Newman. Mike Field finds the film hilarious, a snapshot of 70’s filmmaking with its gritty, almost indie style. Mike Butler, however, doesn’t find the comedy as effective; not because of the disparaging dialogue (he gets that it’s from a different time), but because the style itself fe...

This week on a special Now Showing episode of Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes take a look at "The Conjuring: Last Rites" (2025), the final chapter for Ed and Lorraine Warren. After just completing their YouTube Lead Up series on the mainline The Conjuring films, Mike Field and Mike Butler appreciated how the film gave the Warrens a proper send-off, bringing closure to their story after more than a de...

This week on Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes roll into WWII with "Fury " (2014), David Ayer’s gritty tank drama starring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña, and Jon Bernthal. Mike Butler came into this rewatch with a new perspective, after not liking the film too much on his first viewing. He found a lot more to appreciate this time around, especially in a tense, uncomfortable dinner...

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes take off with "American Made" (2017), starring Tom Cruise as Barry Seal, a pilot who gets tangled up in smuggling, the CIA, and more money than he can carry. Both Butler and Field agree the movie is a fun ride, but it’s one that relies almost entirely on Cruise’s charm to keep it in the air. The film never really establishes a sense of risk or conflict, eve...

This week on Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes rev up their trucks and get ready to arm wrestle with " Over the Top" (1987), Sylvester Stallone’s unlikely mix of father-son drama and competitive arm wrestling. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field enjoy this one, even as they acknowledge the gaping plot holes and occasionally absurd storytelling. They break down why the father/son dynamic between Stallone’s...

This week on "Forgotten Cinema", the Mikes take on the 1986 cult car-fueled sci-fi action flick "The Wraith". Mike Field insists the film’s goofy charm and nostalgia make it worth revisiting, while Mike Butler flat-out hates it; declaring it the second worst film they've done on the podcast. Butler argues that it’s not campy enough to be a Troma-style guilty pleasure and too stupid to be genuinely...

In this week’s episode of Forgotten Cinema , the Mikes step into the ring for "Gladiator"! No, not the Ridley Scott epic, but the 1992 underground boxing drama starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Marshall. While both Mike Field and Mike Butler agree it’s an enjoyable B-movie with solid performances, they can’t ignore the flaws: high school characters who look well past graduation, a clunky mix of...