Forgotten Cinema

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes take on the winner of the latest Audience Choice vote: "Baby Boom", starring Diane Keaton.
Both Mike Butler and Mike Field enjoy the film, especially Keaton’s performance and the first two acts. The movie is funny, earnest, and surprisingly endearing as it follows a career-driven woman suddenly forced to reevaluate the life she thought she wanted.
Where things start to lose them is in the third act. Once the story moves fully into Vermont, Keaton’s baby food business begins to take off and Sam Shepard’s doctor enters the picture, the film starts drifting a little too far into fairytale territory. What had felt grounded and relatable suddenly becomes much more convenient, as if the writers were rushing to tie everything together before the credits rolled.
Butler also questions how much Keaton’s character’s wealth softens the central conflict. Her situation is still difficult, but having the financial resources to absorb major life changes gives her an advantage that most people in a similar position simply would not have.
That leads the Mikes into a broader discussion about work-life balance, how the expectations around careers and parenting looked in the 1980s, how much has actually changed, and how a modern remake might approach the same premise differently.
Overall, "Baby Boom" remains a charming and funny movie anchored by a terrific Diane Keaton performance, even if its ending comes together a little too neatly.
And just when you think the episode is over, the Mikes leave one final warning...
Forgotten Horror 8 begins next week. Mwahahahaha!!!
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0:00 - Introduction
4:18 - Film Facts
12:24 - Film Discussion
27:23 - Reviews
40:04 - Who Would You Recommend This To?
41:43 - Why Is This Forgotten?
42:27 - Plugs
#ForgottenCinema #BabyBoom #DianeKeaton #HaroldRamis #JamesSpader #NancyMeyers #Comedy #ComedyMovie #WorkplaceComedy #80sMovies #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes take a look at "Nurse Betty", a film that somehow manages to be incredibly sweet and deeply mean at the exact same time.
Mike Field is a big Neil LaBute fan and has always appreciated the cruelty that runs through much of his work. Mike Butler enjoys "Nurse Betty" because it almost feels like a response to that reputation, as if LaBute wanted to prove he could make something warm and sentimental too. Of course, this is still a movie filled with violence, obsession, and some remarkably dark humor, so the meanness never disappears completely.
Both Mikes particularly enjoy Morgan Freeman as the hitman pursuing Betty while gradually developing an unhealthy obsession with an idealized version of the woman he has never actually met. His relationship with Chris Rock's character also becomes one of the most entertaining parts of the film, culminating in a reveal that adds another layer to their already strange dynamic.
The biggest question comes from Betty herself and the way the film handles her state of mind. Her belief that she is actually a nurse from her favorite soap opera works when the movie stays inside her fantasy, but certain practical realities make that illusion harder to accept. When the audience is wondering if Betty has to do something as straightforward as buy a nurse's uniform from a costume shop, it becomes difficult not to wonder how her mind is processing what is actually happening around her.
Even with those questions, Butler especially comes away appreciating just how unique "Nurse Betty" feels. The film reaches for the highest peaks of bright, happy, almost saccharine storytelling while simultaneously embracing cruelty, violence, and darkness.
Those flavors sound like they should clash completely, but somehow, "Nurse Betty" makes them work remarkably well together.
🔔 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
4:07 - Film Facts
12:05 - Film Discussion
32:11 - Reviews
37:33 - Who Would You Recommend This To?
42:23 - Why Is This Forgotten?
43:41 - Plugs
#ForgottenCinema #NurseBetty #Renée Zellweger #MorganFreeman #ChrisRock #NeilLaBute #RomanticComedy #ComedyMovie #RomanceMovie #DarkComedy #00sMovies #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes take a look at "Music & Lyrics", the 2007 romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore.
Both Mike Butler and Mike Field really enjoy the film, especially its sharp dialogue, strong supporting characters, and the easy chemistry between its two leads. Hugh Grant’s Alex Fletcher is also a refreshing romantic-comedy protagonist because he is not portrayed as a completely broken man who needs to be fixed. He is largely comfortable with where he is in life, even if that life looks very different from the fame he once had.
That also gives Drew Barrymore’s Sophie a more interesting role than the typical love interest tasked with repairing the male lead. Their relationship develops through conversation, collaboration, and shared humor rather than one character simply rescuing the other.
The film’s biggest weakness comes from Sophie’s backstory involving an author who wrote about their past relationship. The movie never gives that storyline enough time or detail to make it emotionally land, and its eventual resolution is reduced to little more than a fact revealed during the end credits.
Even with that flaw, "Music & Lyrics" remains a charming, funny romantic comedy with genuinely likable leads and plenty of memorable lines.
The Mikes also use the film as a jumping-off point to discuss what actually makes a romantic comedy work, why chemistry and character matter more than formula, and why movies like this seem to have become increasingly rare.
What are some romantic comedies from the last ten years worth watching? 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
3:37 - Film Facts
8:47 - Film Discussion
25:40 - Reviews
31:23 - Who Would You Recommend This To?
38:34 - Why Is This Forgotten?
42:26 - Plugs
#ForgottenCinema #MusicAndLyrics #Music&Lyrics #HughGrant #DrewBarrymore #RomanticComedy #ComedyMovie #RomanceMovie #00sMovies #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes take a look at "Victory", or "Escape to Victory", as the film has somehow come to be known.
Both Mike Butler and Mike Field enjoy the movie, but neither thinks it entirely works. One of the biggest surprises on this revisit is just how central Sylvester Stallone’s character is to the story. Both Mikes remembered him as more of a supporting player, but instead his character becomes the film’s primary focus, despite being one of its least likable figures.
For both Butler and Field, Michael Caine’s character feels like the far more natural protagonist. His role within the team, his relationships with the other prisoners, and his involvement in the match give the film a stronger emotional center than Stallone’s escape-focused storyline.
The film also struggles to generate much real danger. Its POW camp often feels less like a prison and more like a strangely relaxed summer camp for captured soldiers, while the so-called Bureau of Escape is almost comically organized. Many members of the soccer team are played by actual footballers rather than actors, which makes the final match more authentic but also leaves much of the team underdeveloped as characters. Combined with German soldiers who rarely feel especially threatening, the movie never builds the level of tension its premise seems to promise.
Still, "Victory" remains an entertaining watch. The final match delivers some genuinely impressive soccer, including more from Stallone than either Mike expected, while Pelé naturally steals the show once the players take the field.
The Mikes also dig into the strange production history surrounding the film, including the director’s dislike of the finished movie and stories about Stallone being less than popular with the cast while juggling filming with work on "Rocky III" and spending his downtime traveling around Europe.
Messy, oddly low-stakes, and built around the wrong central character, "Victory" is far from perfect. But once the match finally begins, there is enough charm, spectacle, and genuine athleticism to make the whole thing worth the trip.
What are some other forgotten soccer (football) 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
3:14 - Film Facts
10:17 - Film Discussion
34:59 - Reviews
40:10 - Who Would You Recommend This To?
41:41 - Why Is This Forgotten?
45:41 - Plugs
#ForgottenCinema #Victory #EscapeToVictory #SylvesterStallone #MichaelCaine #MaxVonSydow #Pele #Soccer #WW2 #WWII #WorldWarTwo #Sports #SportsMovie #80sMovies #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies

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