Forgotten Cinema

Michael Butler & Michael Field
  • 4.7 (28)
  • TV & Film
  • Weekly Series

Welcome to Forgotten Cinema! Each episode, Mike Field and Mike Butler highlight a film that for a variety of reasons was forgotten by audiences. Whether it be because a more popular movie was released at the same time or the movie simply didn’t catch on with an audience in the its initial run. We’ll discuss what we love about the movie or perhaps don’t love about it and decide whether the movie is worth a revisit.

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  1. Episode 1

    Payback

    Season 26 begins on Forgotten Cinema as the Mikes take a look at "Payback", the 1999 crime thriller starring Mel Gibson. The plan was to watch "Payback: Straight Up," director Brian Helgeland’s restored cut of the film. Instead, both Mike Butler and Mike Field ended up watching the Director’s Cut and the theatrical version. Field accidentally started with the theatrical cut, while Butler found the alternate version so dramatically different that discussing one without seeing the other would have been nearly impossible. For perhaps the first time the Mikes can remember, both cuts have genuine merit. The theatrical version suffers from an aggressive blue tint and heavy desaturation that appear intended to evoke a gritty 1970s crime film, but instead leave much of the movie looking flat and artificial. The Director’s Cut, however, captures that throwback atmosphere far more effectively. The differences extend well beyond the visuals. Entire scenes, characters, and story elements are altered, while the ending is changed so completely that the two versions almost feel like separate films. Butler prefers the more elaborate theatrical finale, while Field finds it somewhat tacked on, even though he enjoys several moments within it. The Mikes also discuss Gibson’s Porter, an unapologetically selfish and irredeemable criminal who never needs to reveal a secret heart of gold. That commitment to making the protagonist a genuinely bad person is rare, and it gives both versions of the film a distinctive personality. Even rarer is the final recommendation. Should you watch the Director’s Cut and enjoy it, Butler and Field believe the theatrical version is also worth seeking out. Neither cut completely replaces the other, making "Payback" a fascinating example of how editing, tone, and a radically different ending can transform the same production into two worthwhile movies. Are there any other adaptation of the Porter series that we don't know about? Let us know in the comments below! 🔔 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 3:45 - Film Facts 16:00 - Film Discussion 27:28 - Reviews 33:44 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 38:18 - Why Is This Forgotten? 40:56 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #Payback #MelGibson #BrianHelgeland #BasedOnABook #DirectorsCut #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies #ClassicFilms #Crime #Thriller #90sMovies

  2. Episode 2

    Confess, Fletch

    This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes take a look at "Confess, Fletch", the 2022 comedy mystery starring Jon Hamm as investigative reporter and perpetual troublemaker Irwin M. Fletcher. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field find plenty to like here. Jon Hamm makes Fletch his own, bringing an easygoing charm and dry comedic delivery to the character, while the supporting cast gives him plenty of strange personalities to bounce off of. The mystery moves along nicely, the jokes land, and the entire film has an effortlessly pleasant quality that makes it an easy watch. "Confess, Fletch" certainly isn't reinventing either the comedy or mystery genre, but it doesn't really need to. It's funny, charming, inoffensive entertainment that knows exactly what kind of movie it wants to be and delivers a solid version of it. The Mikes also discuss why a film like this struggled to find an audience in 2022. Between a theatrical marketplace still recovering from the pandemic, its simultaneous availability at home, and a cast that may not have pulled in younger moviegoers, "Confess, Fletch" never got much of a chance to build momentum. That's especially unfortunate because Hamm proves to be a great fit for Fletch, and both Butler and Field would have happily watched him solve a few more mysteries. "Confess, Fletch" may not be groundbreaking, but sometimes a charming, funny little movie is more than enough. Would you like to see more Jon Hamm starring "Fletch" films? Let us know in the comments below! 🔔 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 2:17 - Film Facts 10:48 - Film Discussion 25:12 - Reviews 28:23 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 31:47 - Why Is This Forgotten? 36:40 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #ConfessFletch #Fletch #JonHamm #Comedy #mystery #BasedOnABook #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies #Crime

  3. Episode 3

    Backdraft

    This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes turn up the heat with "Backdraft", Ron Howard's 1991 firefighter thriller starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Robert De Niro, and Donald Sutherland. Both Mike Butler and Mike Field are big fans of the film, particularly its performances and incredible practical fire effects. Butler singles out Kurt Russell and Donald Sutherland, while Field goes even further and unapologetically LOVES the movie. There are still a few story beats and character decisions that keep Butler from loving "Backdraft" quite as much as Field does. Field agrees that those problems are there, but for him they do little to diminish everything the movie gets right. The biggest standout for both Mikes is the filmmaking itself. The fire feels genuinely dangerous because so much of what appears on screen was accomplished practically, with enormous sets, real flames, and performers doing much of their own stunt work. The result gives "Backdraft" a physicality and sense of danger that is incredibly difficult to fake. That leads to a larger discussion about whether a movie like this could even look as convincing if it were made today. Thirty-five years later, a remake would almost certainly rely far more heavily on green screen and CGI, but would that actually make the fire look better? For Butler and Field, "Backdraft" is a great example of why practical filmmaking can still produce images that modern technology struggles to replicate. Flawed in places but spectacular where it counts, "Backdraft" remains a thrilling piece of early '90s filmmaking and a reminder that sometimes the best special effect is simply putting the camera in front of the real thing. What are some other great fire fighter films? Let us know in the comments below! 🔔 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 2:57 - Film Facts 12:04 - Film Discussion 31:39 - Reviews 34:47 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 35:36 - Why Is This Forgotten? 40:07 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #Backdraft #KurtRussell #WilliamBaldwin #RobertDeNiro #RonHoward #FireFighters #90sMovies #Action #Thriller #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies

  4. Episode 4

    Restoration

    This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes take a look at "Restoration", the 1995 period drama starring Robert Downey Jr. and Sam Neill. Neither Mike Butler nor Mike Field had seen the film before, and both come away impressed. The performances are excellent across the board, with Downey Jr. carrying the film beautifully and Sam Neill standing out as King Charles II, played as both a philandering monarch and a surprisingly wise, compassionate ruler. The costumes and production design are equally impressive, more than earning the recognition they received during awards season. Where the film loses some momentum is in the way its story is structured. "Restoration" unfolds almost like a series of vignettes, and while many of those individual sections work, the transitions between them can leave the movie feeling disjointed. Field particularly struggles with the Meg Ryan and Quaker hospital portion of the story, while Butler believes those scenes are important but also suspects the film may be missing connective material that would have helped everything flow together more naturally. At the same time, both Mikes appreciate that "Restoration" avoids one of the most common traps of the historical drama. It never becomes a bloated period epic. The film moves quickly, keeps its focus relatively tight, and trusts its actors and production design to do much of the heavy lifting. While neither Butler nor Field quite loves the movie, both find plenty to admire and would easily recommend "Restoration" to anyone interested in history, great performances, or the craft of filmmaking itself. What are some other forgotten period piece films we might like? Let us know in the comments below! 🔔 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 4:57 - Film Facts 15:05 - Film Discussion 30:58 - Reviews 37:24 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 41:00 - Why Is This Forgotten? 44:00 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #Restoration #SamNeill #RobertDowneyJr #RDJ #MegRyan #HughGrant #PeriodFilm #PeriodPiece #90sMovies #Drama #Comedy #Historical #History #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies

  5. Episode 5

    Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

    This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes take a look at "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow", the ambitious 2004 sci-fi adventure starring Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie. Butler remembered enjoying the visual style of the film more than the movie itself. On this revisit, even that appreciation has faded. The film seems caught between two aesthetics. It never fully embraces the bold color of a pulp comic brought to life, but it also cannot commit to the stark, high-contrast black-and-white look that might have better suited the material. Instead, much of the movie is intentionally washed out and soft; leaving its once-groundbreaking visual approach feeling surprisingly muted. The bigger problem for both Mikes is the story. "Sky Captain" drops the audience into an alternate world without giving us much opportunity to understand it, follows a hero we barely get to know, and introduces a collection of characters who rarely receive enough screen time to become emotionally involving. For an adventure movie, there are also surprisingly long stretches where the adventure itself feels missing. At roughly an hour and forty-five minutes, the film feels considerably longer than it is. Field even fell asleep during his first viewing and had to go back and finish it. He ultimately feels the material might have worked better as interactive media or even as a short film, which is fitting considering the feature grew out of a short inspired by the old serials that once played before movies. There are still things to appreciate. The performances are solid, the effects remain impressive in places, and the amount of post-production accomplished with tools similar to the Adobe software available to home users in the early 2000s is genuinely fascinating. Most importantly, the studio took a real creative swing on something visually unusual, and both Mikes would rather see Hollywood continue taking those kinds of risks than avoid them entirely. Unfortunately, ambition alone does not make the finished film work. "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" is an interesting experiment, a technically impressive production, and ultimately a bit of a miss. What are some other pulp serial homage films? Let us know in the comments below! 🔔 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 3:21 - Film Facts 12:23 - Film Discussion 31:41 - Reviews 39:49 - Who Would You Recommend This To? 43:17 - Why Is This Forgotten? 45:38 - Plugs #ForgottenCinema #SkyCaptainAndTheWorldofTomorrow #SkyCaptain #JudeLaw #GwynethPaltrow #AngelinaJolie #GiovanniRibisi #SciFi #Adventure #ActionMovie #00sMovies #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies

See All Season 26 (5)

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4.7
out of 5
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About

Welcome to Forgotten Cinema! Each episode, Mike Field and Mike Butler highlight a film that for a variety of reasons was forgotten by audiences. Whether it be because a more popular movie was released at the same time or the movie simply didn’t catch on with an audience in the its initial run. We’ll discuss what we love about the movie or perhaps don’t love about it and decide whether the movie is worth a revisit.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Butler & Michael Field
  • Episodes
    411
  • Seasons
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ℗ & © 2024 Forgotten Cinema
  • Show Website
    Forgotten Cinema

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