Do you like your cosmic horror with a dash of folklore? Or perhaps you prefer your folk horror with a dollop of the cosmic? Either way, you're the right audience for Nick Szostakiwskyj's Black Mountain Side, a wintry horror film that is one part aliens and one part elder gods. On this week's episode of Certified Forgotten, we're joined by tabletop designer Colin Le Sueur to talk about his Canadian roots, his love of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, and how the cosmic horrors found in films like Black Mountain Side are a major influence in his game design.
Nov 14, 2025
1 hr 9 min
To quote Donato's Predator: Badlands review: "It's official: Dan Trachtenberg is the Yautja whisperer." Between Monagle's love of the Alien universe and Donato's incessant quoting of Predator, the Matts dedicated this week's Uncertified episode to gushing about Trachtenberg's latest Yautja adventure. Does the heavy use of digital animation hold up? Can the inclusion of Weyland-Yutani stay in the background enough not to dominate a Predator film? All those questions and more are answered by the Matts, who once again find common ground on a new release.
Nov 7, 2025
34 min
What happens when two podcasts that prioritize underseen horror movies collide? You get a crossover episode dedicated to Michael Schroeder's "frighteningly erotic thriller" Out of the Dark (1988). Certified Forgotten welcomes Puppet Masters/Castle Freaks co-host Jarrod Hornbeck, who brought his love for an underseen '80s slasher in full force. We'll talk about sleazy exploitation, killer clowns, and phone sex hotlines because Schroeder's movie has it all. If you haven't seen this one, which chances are you haven't, make it part of your Halloween rotation this year!
Oct 31, 2025
1 hr 15 min
Hot on the heels of their conversation with writer-director Tina Romero at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle are jumping into their own conversation about Queens of the Dead. Romero's debut feature might borrow heavily from the zombie tropes created by her father, George A. Romero, but the queer horror-comedy that the younger Romero has crafted is a story all her own.
Oct 24, 2025
33 min
Is The Pit (1981) one of the crazier films we've covered on the podcast to date? Absolutely. You can thank filmmakers Micheline Pitt-Norman & R.H. Norman, the duo behind the runaway favorite V/H/S/Halloween segment, "Home Haunt." Micheline and R.H. graciously shed light on what it took to create their endlessly entertaining anthology segment, then dive into all the silly and perverted weirdness that is The Pit. Only in the '80s, lol.
Oct 17, 2025
58 min
It isn't often that a guest brings us a no-doubt future classic, but that's certainly the case on this episode of Certified Forgotten. This week, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle are joined by author Jonathan Janz (Veil, The End of the World as We Know It) to talk about Erik Kristopher Myers's Butterfly Kisses. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about writing, letting monsters be monsters, and the unexpected greatness of a found footage film within a found footage film.
Oct 10, 2025
1 hr 17 min
When the first reviews for HIM were posted, Certified Forgotten's Matt Donato found himself on an island. He loved the film, but an overwhelming majority of critics took an opposing stance. Surprisingly, co-host Matthew Monagle is not one of those negative reviewers. In fact, HIM is a rare instance where both Matts can agree. Frankly, this is probably the only podcast episode about HIM where it's nothing but love for Justin Tipping's stylish, in-your-face takedown of the NFL's darker side. Listen in to see if Team Certified Forgotten can change your mind.
Oct 3, 2025
36 min
Somehow, by the might of too many individuals, another Fantastic Fest is in the books. This year marks the festival's 20th anniversary, which both Matts were able to cover. Donato was in Austin, soaking in all the cinematic goodness, while Monagle watched screeners from afar. In this episode, the Matts run down their favorite movies from Fantastic Fest, while also touching on as many other highlights as possible. Listen in to hear about what upcoming genre releases you should prioritize!
Sep 28, 2025
37 min
After a short stint without a standard episode, Certified Forgotten is back for the full hour-long treatment. Matthew Monagle and Matt Donato are joined by Kate Sánchez, the editor-in-chief of pop culture site But Why Tho?, to talk about all things horror. In this episode, Kate reflects on how closely horror is tied to her heritage, and shares her appreciation for Metamorphosis, the 2019 South Korean exorcism movie from director Kim Hong-seon.
Sep 19, 2025
1 hr 12 min
It's finally the season for scare actors, haunted houses, and Halloween-themed adventures! Certified Forgotten's resident Los Angeleno, Matt Donato, attended the opening event of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, along with countless other West Coast horror journalists. Since Matt Monagle did not, past guest Dorina "DJ Bruja" stepped in to run a full recap of the mayhem that went down. From Terrifier to this WWE, Blumhouse to Poltergeist, this year's Halloween Horror Nights went a few extra miles to make it the best iteration of Hollywood's event in some time. Donato and Dorina have all the details, so listen in if you're planning on attending!
Sep 6, 2025
41 min
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