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This week on Forgotten Cinema , we’re clocking in with The Intern (2015) , Nancy Meyers’ warm-hearted comedy starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. It’s one of those studio films that wears its sincerity proudly and somehow makes that sincerity work. A Feel-Good Movie That Earns the Feeling Both of us really enjoy this one. Yes, it’s sweet, uplifting, and maybe even a touch too saccharin at times, but it nails exactly the tone it’s going for. De Niro and Hathaway have genuinely fantastic chemistry, balancing each other’s energy in a way that feels effortless. The film’s cozy, steady vibe makes it one of the more pleasant, easygoing studio comedies of the 2010s, something Hollywood doesn’t make all that often anymore. When the Drama Clocked In Early We do talk about the stretch of drama that arrives around the film’s midpoint. It feels out of place, forced, overly Hollywood, and a bit counterproductive to Hathaway’s otherwise strong character arc. The movie doesn’t fully earn that detour, and by the time it wraps up, it slightly undercuts some of the things it was doing so well. But at the same time… it’s Nancy Meyers. It’s an uplifting story about mentorship, connection, and rediscovering purpose at any age. And when a film is this earnest and this charming, it’s easier to forgive the bumps in the script. The Intern: A Comfort Movie Done Right At the end of the day, The Intern  is exactly what it sets out to be: a comforting, pleasant, feel-good film that doesn’t apologize for wanting to make you smile. De Niro and Hathaway shine, the tone is soothing, and the message lands with surprising warmth. Sometimes “feel-good” is exactly what we need. 🎧 Listen to our full discussion on The Intern . Available on all podcast platforms and YouTube. Spotify  | Apple Podcasts  | Amazon Music  | More Links

This week on Forgotten Cinema , we’re heading back to basic training with Stripes (1981), the early-80s comedy starring Bill Murray and Harold Ramis, directed by Ivan Reitman. It’s a film often remembered for its quotable moments, iconic cast, and easygoing charm, but depending on which of us you ask, that charm either carries the movie…or falls flat on its face. Stripes | One Mike’s Gem, Another Mike’s Grimace Butler has always had a soft spot for Stripes . For him, the comedy works, especially in the first half. It’s loose, goofy, full of great bits, and showcases Bill Murray and Harold Ramis figuring out the comedic alchemy they’d perfect just a few years later in Ghostbusters . Sure, the film completely derails in the third act (we’re talking Winnebago tank, secret mission behind Soviet lines level of derailment), but Butler still finds it fun and endlessly rewatchable. Field…does not. While he’s quick to clarify that he doesn’t hate  the movie, he also doesn’t like the characters, the jokes, the story, or much of its comedic DNA. For him, Stripes  feels like a relic, an early sketch of the much better movies this team would go on to make. A Proto- Ghostbusters | For Better or Worse One thing we both agree on: Stripes  feels like a blueprint. The chemistry between Murray, Ramis, and Reitman is unmistakable, even if the script never fully shapes itself into something cohesive. You can see the seeds of future greatness here, deadpan delivery, absurd setups, world-weary sarcasm, but they don’t quite bloom. Still, there’s something undeniably interesting about watching these comedy legends find their rhythm. Even if the movie swerves wildly in tone and structure, it has that unmistakable early-80s charm that keeps it firmly rooted in its era, for better or worse. 🎧 Watch (or listen) to the full breakdown on Forgotten Cinema , available wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. So what is Stripes , really? An early comedy gem that deserves its fans or a rough draft of the brilliance to come? In true Forgotten Cinema fashion, we tackle it one laugh (and one grimace) at a time. Spotify  | Apple Podcasts  | Amazon Music  | More Links

This week on  Forgotten Cinema , we’re cracking open  Another Round  (2020), the Danish drama-comedy from director Thomas Vinterberg that deserved far more attention than it ever got. Both of us really enjoy this film. The performances are fantastic across the board, and Mads Mikkelsen delivers one of the most layered, vulnerable, quietly powerful performances of his career. The movie walks an incredibly tricky tonal line, blending humor, melancholy, and the messiness of middle age into something that feels honest without ever being heavy-handed. A Buzz That Cuts Deep We dig into how the film tackles alcohol, not as a punchline or a cautionary tale, but as a nuanced look at coping mechanisms, stalled lives, and the search for meaning when adulthood doesn’t turn out the way you expected. Its blend of comedy and introspection feels natural rather than manufactured, and its honesty carries more weight because the film never tries to preach. That Ending And yes, we absolutely love  that  ending. The dance scene that’s equal parts triumphant, heartbreaking, cathartic, and strangely uplifting. It’s the kind of cinematic moment that sticks with you long after the credits roll, and one of the reasons this film resonates with us. Another Round: The One That Got Away We also touch on why  Another Round  slipped past so many viewers. Despite awards recognition (including a well-earned Oscar), it arrived in the U.S. as a foreign-language film right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, an unfortunate combination that kept it out of theaters and off many people’s radars. Listen to our full discussion on Another Round, now available wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. A smart, moving, beautifully acted film that more people should see and one we’re thrilled to bring back into the conversation.

Did you miss our latest edition to the Forgotten Horror franchise? Don't worry! We've got you covered. Check out the six films we covered for Forgotten Horror 7: The Nightmare is Reel, and keep in touch, for Forgotten Horror 8 will be here before you know it. Wes Craven's New Nightmare In 1994, Wes Craven returned to a franchise he birthed ten years prior, as we returned to it over 30 years later. Confused? So are we. We loved the meta of it all, especially at a time, when meta wasn't even in the zeitgeist. At least we got Freddy back, doing what he does best, quipping and killing. Session 9 We have a certain affinity to Session 9 , as it's a movie we could envision any one of us making on our own. Shot on digital, on location at a real abandoned asylum, and using what's available to tell the story. Sign us up! Butler is all over the acting in this movie, and while it may stumble in the end, this film movie delivers. Cabin Fever Field avoided this movie when it first came out in 2003, and Butler was all about it, as any young, teenage boy who loves horror movie should be. And while they came at this film from different places, they arrived at the same conclusion . "What happened here?" Despite our negative takes, there's no denying Cabin Fever's impact as it spawned two sequels, a remake/reboot, and countless burgeoning horror filmmakers. Lifeforce Neither of us had seen Lifeforce before. This 1985 sci-fi, horror film was before Butler's time, and Field simply never got around to checking it out...until now. And oh boy...naked space vampires living in Halley's Comet?! Let's go! This film, like many, isn't perfect, but it's worthy of a watch, especially if you're into Jean-Luc Picard trying to make out with dudes. Dead Alive (Braindead) This may be the bloodiest film we've ever covered on Forgotten Cinema. And we talked about the 2013 Evil Dead remake during Forgotten Horror II: The Bloody Return , which had buckets of blood being poured out in the last scene. But Dead Alive is ahead of the game with body parts flailing, heads in blenders, talking entrails, and...ugh...we've lost our appetite. If you loved Lord of the Rings ...have we got some news for you. Let the Right One In We ended our latest Forgotten Horror season on a high note, and a foreign film note, with the Swedish vampire prepubescent love story Let the Right One In . We know, we know, you don't like reading subtitles, but you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't try to catch this film, because it is solid. Forgotten Horror 7 Isn't the End You might be thinking, "Hey, you guys do this forgotten horror thing every year?" Heck yeah, we do. We've got 6 other seasons of horror films that we covered, and including a few short films for those interested. While we didn't get to some of our short films for this current season, they have been written, so once we get the time...expect Butler and Field acting it up like they know how to do. As always you can find Forgotten Cinema on YouTube , and all your favorite podcast platforms. Spotify  | Apple Podcasts  | Amazon Music  | More Links

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.