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Predator: Badlands | The planet designed to kill you. This week on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing , the Mikes trek into the deadly world of Genna in Predator: Badlands , the latest entry in the Yautja franchise that dares to flip the script by putting the alien hunter front and center. Both of us had a fun time with this one. The action delivers, the world-building feels fresh, and giving the Predator a protagonist role is a bold swing that, surprisingly, mostly pays off. The film’s dusty, post-apocalyptic aesthetic feels like a natural evolution for the franchise and Elle Fanning’s dual performance as Thia and Tessa gives the story emotional weight, even as things get a little wild. When the Hunt Turns Playable As Butler points out in the episode, Badlands  often feels like a movie that really wants to be a video game—and a very good one at that. The action is engaging, the creature design is solid, and the pacing never lets up. But by the end, you’re left with that odd feeling of having watched something you’d rather be playing . It’s fast, fun, and undeniably entertaining in the moment… but not one that’s going to haunt your thoughts, or your trophy case, once the credits roll. Time to Bring Back the Classic? We both appreciate that Predator: Badlands  takes risks, trying to keep this decades-old franchise fresh. But maybe it’s time to return to what made the original Predator  iconic the primal fear, the jungle setting, and that classic creature design. There’s only so much innovation you can stack before you start missing the simplicity of the hunt. Listen to our full discussion on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing, available wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. Another solid hunt, but not one that’ll stay in your head, or spinefor long. Welcome to Genna! The planet designed to kill you. Spotify  | Apple Podcasts  | Amazon Music  | More Links

Madness in the Halls of the Mind This week on Forgotten Horror 7: The Nightmare is Reel , we descend into the decaying corridors of Session 9 (2001) , Brad Anderson’s unsettling psychological horror film that proves you don’t need jump scares to get under someone’s skin. Shot on early digital cameras inside an actual abandoned asylum, Session 9 was one of the first horror films to fully embrace digital filmmaking and somehow, it still manages to look hauntingly timeless. What We Loved in Session 9 We were both struck by how well the film’s atmosphere holds up. The cinematography, color palette, and use of the Danvers State Hospital setting create a sense of unease that creeps in quietly and never lets go. Butler, in particular, praises the striking shot choices and the way the decaying environment becomes a character of its own. Even after two decades, the film’s visuals still chill. We also found plenty to admire in the performances and direction. The cast, led by Peter Mullan, David Caruso, and Josh Lucas, bring believable tension to the story, and Anderson’s low-key direction grounds the supernatural elements in something deeply human. Where It Falters That said, Butler couldn’t ignore the script’s shortcomings. He found it thin, calling it “a bit too much like a film school thesis project” which is a fair point, given the story’s occasional vagueness and reliance on mood over plot. Still, the atmosphere and character work more than make up for the narrative gaps. Final Thoughts Session 9 remains an easy recommendation for filmmakers and horror fans alike, especially anyone interested in atmospheric storytelling or the early days of digital cinema. It’s slow-burn horror done right: quiet, psychological, and steeped in dread. Listen to our full discussion wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. And remember… sometimes the scariest places are the ones that look like they’ve been waiting for you.

Alien: Earth Episodes 7 & 8 We wrap up our Now Showing TV Edition of Alien: Earth Episodes 7 & 8 — Emergence & The Real Monsters — and this season one ending left us feeling… pretty meh. Finale or Setup? Instead of delivering a big, satisfying conclusion, the final two episodes seemed more interested in laying the groundwork for a potential second season that might never, but probably will, happen. Predictable story beats, a surprisingly high survival rate for the main cast (a bit too tidy for an  Alien  story), and a rushed pace left us wanting more. Highlights in the Chaos It wasn’t all bad news. We loved the striking imagery and cinematography of the episodes, and Wendy’s bond with her pet Xenomorphs gave the show some truly unique world-building moments. These glimmers reminded them why they were excited about  Alien: Earth  in the first place. Looking Back on Season One With the season in the books, we take a step back to look at  Alien: Earth  as a whole — what worked, what stumbled, and whether this bold attempt to expand the  Alien  universe deserves another shot at redemption. Eight episodes just didn’t feel like enough, and both of us agree that a ten-episode season might have given the story the room it needed to build toward something truly memorable. Catch the full finale breakdown and season one reflection on the latest  Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing TV Edition !

This week on Forgotten Cinema , we lace up our skates and hit the ice with Slap Shot (1977) , George Roy Hill’s raunchy, rough-around-the-edges hockey comedy starring Paul Newman. Field finds Slap Shot  hilarious. A gritty snapshot of 1970s filmmaking with its almost indie-style presentation, loose structure, and unapologetically bawdy humor. Butler, on the other hand, isn’t quite as charmed. It’s not the dated language that puts him off (he gets that it’s a product of its time), but the style itself feels lazy and wears thin as the film goes on. The Hanson Brothers Show Up (Eventually) Where we agree is that once the Hanson Brothers finally take the ice — nearly 48 minutes into the film — the movie comes alive. The chaos they bring is absurd, violent, and wildly entertaining, injecting energy into a film that spends a lot of its first half meandering. Paul Newman Holds It Together Through it all, Paul Newman is the glue that keeps Slap Shot  from completely falling apart. His performance as player-coach Reggie Dunlop is slimy, charming, and effortlessly watchable, giving the movie just enough heart to balance its outrageous antics. Final Thoughts on Slap Shot Slap Shot  may not be on for everyone, and its humor can definitely feel like it overstays its welcome, but it remains a cult classic for a reason. Between Newman’s performance, the memorable supporting cast, and the sheer absurdity of the Hanson Brothers’ antics, there’s enough here to make it a fascinating time capsule of sports comedies from the late ’70s. Listen to our full breakdown wherever you get your podcasts or watch it on YouTube.

Alien: Earth Episodes 5 & 6 This week on our special Now Showing TV Edition  series we continue our deep dive, this time into Alien: Earth Episodes 5 & 6, and it’s a mixed bag. Episode 5 – The Flashback We Didn’t Know We Needed If you’ve been following along, you know we weren’t exactly clamoring for a flashback to the USCSS Maginot episode. But Episode 5 surprised us in the best possible way. The tension was sharp, the atmosphere chilling, and the unsettling presence of that eyeball, squid creature — now lovingly nicknamed by Butler as “Squiddly”  — added a playful yet eerie edge. What could have been a filler episode instead became one of the most memorable hours of the season, if not oddly reminiscent of countless other times in the IP when a Xenomorph terrorizes a crew in space. Episode 6 – When Characters Start Acting Dumb Unfortunately, Episode 6 didn’t fare as well. We found ourselves frustrated with the writing choices. Characters suddenly started making head-scratching decisions, Kirsch and Boy Kavalier slid into tired clichés, and the episode’s big twists felt less like earned developments and more like narrative shortcuts designed to get us quickly to the finale. Can Alien: Earth  Stick the Landing? With only a couple of episodes left, the Mikes debate whether Alien: Earth  can recover from its missteps and deliver a satisfying conclusion. Will the finale redeem these choices or will it confirm their worst fears about the direction of the story? Catch the full conversation, laughs, and speculation on the latest episode of Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing about Alien: Earth Episodes 5 and 6 on YouTube  and wherever you get your podcasts.

Saying Goodbye to the Warrens? We're taking a final trip into the world of Ed and Lorraine Warren with The Conjuring: Last Rites in this brand new episode of our Now Showing series. Check out our Lead Up series  on YouTube covering The Conjuring , The Conjuring 2 , and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It , as we led up (you get it, right?) to this movie discussion and just like The Conjuring: Last Rites , our mainline Conjuring Universe watch wraps up. The Warrens’ Farewell The emotional core of Last Rites  lands exactly where it needs to. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga have been the on-screen heart of this franchise for over a decade, and this installment gives them the earned conclusion they deserve. The film leans hard into their relationship, framing this as the Warrens’ last case, and in that respect, it delivers a satisfying close to their story. The Missing Haunt in The Conjuring: Last Rites Where Last Rites  stumbles is everywhere outside the Warrens’ orbit. The family at the center of the haunting, The Smurls, feels thinly drawn. The scares lack the inventive punch of The Conjuring  and The Conjuring 2 , and the demon itself fades into the background rather than looming as a true presence. The focus on the Warrens works emotionally but comes at the expense of the horror, making the film feel smaller than its premise. The Future of The Conjuring Universe Of course, this isn’t just the end of the Warrens, it’s potentially a turning point for the entire Conjuring   Universe . We speculate about where things might go from here: Will daughter, Judy, and future son-in-law, Tony, step into the spotlight? Are we due for more spinoffs ( The Nun 3 ? The Crooked Man  revived?) We could see a movie about Young Ed and Lorraine in the 60s? Or will Warner Bros. craft a standalone case that feels fresh without relying on the Warrens’ presence? Whatever comes next, Last Rites  serves as a fascinating bookend to the Warrens’ story, one that longtime fans will appreciate, even if the scares don’t match the series’ earlier highs. Listen to our full breakdown of The Conjuring: Last Rites  wherever you get your podcasts, or watch it on YouTube.

Synthetics, Callbacks, and Controversy We're back with another Now Showing TV Edition . This week we're digging into Alien: Earth Episodes 3 & 4 and Noah Hawley’s ambitious FX series set in the iconic Alien  universe. Where the Show is Working Butler is fully on board with what Alien: Earth  has been building so far. The show is fleshing out its ensemble cast while giving the spotlight to the synthetics, adding layers of complexity and raising questions about identity, loyalty, and what it means to be “real.” Butler’s enjoying the steady pacing and character-driven focus, which he argues makes the inevitable bursts of horror more effective. Field, on the other hand, likes what he sees but with a bit more caution. Field contends that The Alien  franchise, recently, has a history of leaning too heavily on callbacks, and while Alien: Earth   hasn’t stumbled into that trap yet, he worries the temptation is there. "A show this strong doesn’t need to constantly remind us of past films. It needs to carve out its own identity." Looking Beyond Alien: Earth Episodes 3 & 4 With half of Season One down, Alien: Earth   is shaping up to be a fascinating addition to the franchise. The atmosphere, performances, and thematic weight are all strong, and the series still has plenty of directions it could take. Will it stay grounded in its human conflicts, or veer toward the cosmic horror we know is lurking in the shadows? Either way, we’ll be here, two episodes at a time, breaking it down.

The Xenomorphs are back! Kinda... We're doing something new this time around, as we're entering the small screen. Welcome to our ongoing Now Showing: TV Edition — A YouTube Exclusive — as we board the Maginot, making sure we're locked in the computer room and letting the rest of the crew die, as we crash land to Earth in the first episode of Alien: Earth . Alien: Earth Episodes 1&2 This episode we're covering Alien: Earth Episodes 1 & 2 , the brand-new FX television series from creator Noah Hawley ( Fargo , Legion ). Having already covered the entire Alien film franchise (Yes, even the AvP ones), there was no way we were going to let this one chest burst past us. (Oof, that was painful to write) A New Chapter in the Alien Saga Alien: Earth  brings the horror closer to home, shifting the franchise from the distant reaches of space to a setting much closer. With Hawley at the helm, the series already shows signs of blending his signature slow-burn storytelling with the oppressive dread that made Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic unforgettable. The first two episodes set the stage with a mix of corporate intrigue, unsettling science, and the kind of creeping paranoia that fans of the franchise know all too well. But how does this series connect to the themes and style of the films we’ve been revisiting for years? We break down what’s working, what isn’t (yet), and where we think the series could go from here. Does Hawley’s approach feel true to the spirit of Alien ? Can a serialized format sustain the same level of tension and terror as the films? And, the big question: where might Alien: Earth  ultimately rank among the rest of the franchise? This is only the beginning! We're covering the series two episodes at a time, unpacking the story, visuals, and themes as it unfolds. Whether you’re a die-hard Alien  fan, curious about how the Xenomorphs translate to TV, wondering what all those other monsters are, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

The Conjuring: Fear, Faith, and the Start of a Horror Legacy We’re back with a brand-new Lead Up Series and this time, we’re diving into one of horror’s most successful modern franchises: The Conjuring . With The Conjuring: Last Rites  set to release this September (Incoming Now Showing episode coming), we’re revisiting the mainline films that built the Warrens’ chilling cinematic universe. First up: The Conjuring (2013) Directed by James Wan, this film redefined supernatural horror for a new generation. By focusing on atmosphere, dread, and practical scares over cheap jump tactics, Wan created a story that feels as timeless as the classics that inspired it. Anchored by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as real-life paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren, the movie blends character drama with unforgettable horror moments. Over a decade later, it still delivers chills. In this episode, we discuss: James Wan’s skillful direction and mastery of tension Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson’s strong performances as the Warrens The real-life paranormal cases that inspired the story Why The Conjuring  remains one of the most effective horror films of the last 20 years How Field lives in the same town the Warrens lived. (Monroe, baby!) Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the franchise or discovering it for the first time, this episode is the perfect way to prepare for the next haunting chapter. Watch the full YouTube-exclusive episode below:

This week we step into the underground boxing world with Gladiator (1992) —no, not the Ridley Scott Roman epic, but the gritty early-’90s boxing drama starring James Marshall ( Twin Peaks ) and Cuba Gooding Jr. ( Boyz n the Hood ). The story follows two friends who get pulled into Chicago’s illegal boxing circuit, where the punches are heavy and the stakes are deadly. While it has plenty of B-movie Rocky  charm, it also struggles with its uneven script, teenage characters who look a little too old for high school, and melodramatic flourishes that push it into soap opera territory. Still, there are things to admire here. Marshall and Gooding Jr. deliver earnest performances, and there’s a certain scrappy, VHS-era energy that makes it a time capsule of early ’90s cinema. Denis Leary pops up in the supporting cast, adding some grit before he was known for his stand-up rants, and the boxing sequences, though over-the-top, scratch that sports-movie itch. So why did this Gladiator  fade into obscurity? That’s the question we wrestle with. For us, it lands somewhere between a guilty pleasure and a curious relic. It's fun to revisit, but not quite championship material.