Forgotten Cinema

Now Showing - The Rip

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 from being all that it can be. Is this the future of cinema? Do we have to hear them say they have to get "the rip" 9000 times to remind second screen audiences what's going on? Seems to us like it's mostly just films you'd find in the DVD bargain bin at your local superstore. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more Forgotten Cinema content! 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. ✨ Support us on Patreon for exclusive content: www.patreon.com/forgottencinema 🛍️ Grab some Forgotten Cinema merch: www.etsy.com/shop/ForgottenCinemaShop Check out our website: https://www.forgottencinemapodcast.com #ForgottenCinema #TheRip #MattDamon #BenAffleck #ActionFilms #FilmDiscussion #Spoilers #Netflix #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion

A Man Apart

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 together. It manages to hit all the usual beats of early-2000s gritty action cinema, but in all the wrong ways. Ironically, that makes for a very fun conversation. The Mikes dig into why "A Man Apart" serves as a perfect example of that era’s style without the substance to support it. A rough watch, but an entertaining breakdown. What's your favorite Vin Diesel role other than Toretto or Riddick? Let us know in the comments! 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more Forgotten Cinema content! 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. ✨ Support us on Patreon for exclusive content: www.patreon.com/forgottencinema 🛍️ Grab some Forgotten Cinema merch: www.etsy.com/shop/ForgottenCinemaShop Check out our website: https://www.forgottencinemapodcast.com 0:00 - Introduction 2:21 - Film Facts 8:16 - Film Discussion 32:30 - Reviews 34:46 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 37:35 - Why Is This Forgotten? 40:28 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #AManApart #VinDiesel #00sFilm #ActionFilms #GrittyFilms #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies #ClassicFilms

Wonder Boys

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 its healthy dose of charm. Butler’s one sticking point comes near the end. It’s not that the film opts for a happy ending, but that everything falls a little too neatly into place for Douglas’ character, leaning into a Hollywood resolution that feels slightly too convenient. Even so, that criticism barely dents what is otherwise a terrific film. "Wonder Boys" is one of those movies that rewards revisiting and is easy to recommend to anyone looking for a movie for grown-ups about grown-ups. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more Forgotten Cinema content! 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. ✨ Support us on Patreon for exclusive content: www.patreon.com/forgottencinema 🛍️ Grab some Forgotten Cinema merch: www.etsy.com/shop/ForgottenCinemaShop Check out our website: https://www.forgottencinemapodcast.com 0:00 - Introduction 2:33 - Film Facts 8:22 - Film Discussion 29:51 - Reviews 36:13 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 38:59 - Why Is This Forgotten? 42:04 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #WonderBoys #MichaelDouglas #TobeyMaguire #Drama #GrownUpMovies #RobertDowneyJr #RDJ #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies #ClassicFilms

The Town

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, and atmosphere in a way that keeps it gripping from start to finish. That said, the Mikes still have a few notes. Field would have liked the movie to lean even harder into its heist elements, while Butler feels Blake Lively’s character, despite being essential to the setup of the climax, needed more to do to fully justify her narrative importance. Even with those small critiques, "The Town" remains a standout modern crime film and one both hosts were happy to revisit. What's your favorite Boston-based film? Let us know in the comments! 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more Forgotten Cinema content! 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. ✨ Support us on Patreon for exclusive content: www.patreon.com/forgottencinema 🛍️ Grab some Forgotten Cinema merch: www.etsy.com/shop/ForgottenCinemaShop Check out our website: https://www.forgottencinemapodcast.com 0:00 - Introduction 2:56 - Film Facts 12:54 - Film Discussion 38:16 - Reviews 42:59 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 44:57 - Why Is This Forgotten? 46:07 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #TheTown #BenAffleck #JeremyRenner #ActionFilms #Thriller #HeistFilms #Boston #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies #ClassicFilms

12 Monkeys

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 first seeing it decades ago. Both Mike Field and Butler find the performances from Bruce Willis and especially Brad Pitt pushed too far into manic territory, making it hard to buy into the story. They also struggle with the central relationships and logic of the film. The idea that the doctor would go along with Willis at all, let alone develop romantic feelings for him, feels completely unbelievable. Tonally, the movie seems stuck between wanting to be a serious science fiction story and an absurdist Gilliam nightmare, and it never settles on what it actually wants to be. While they do appreciate the production design, props, and costumes used for the future sequences, the rest of the film falls flat for them. Still, with "12 Monkeys" being so well regarded by many, the Mikes openly acknowledge that this might be one of those "it's me, not you" moments. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more Forgotten Cinema content! 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. ✨ Support us on Patreon for exclusive content: www.patreon.com/forgottencinema 🛍️ Grab some Forgotten Cinema merch: www.etsy.com/shop/ForgottenCinemaShop Check out our website: https://www.forgottencinemapodcast.com 0:00 - Introduction 2:56 - Film Facts 9:32 - Film Discussion 33:39 - Reviews 39:56 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 42:28 - Why Is This Forgotten? 47:39 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #12 Monkeys #BruceWillis #BradPitt #TerryGilliam #90sFilm #SciFi #TimeTravel #SciFiFilms #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies #ClassicFilms