Certified Forgotten

Certified Forgotten

Certified Forgotten is a weekly podcast with a focus on underseen horror films. Hosts Matthew Monagle (@mattmonagle) and Matt Donato (@DoNatoBomb) speak with creators, filmmakers, and critics about their lifelong relationships to the horror genre. Each episode also highlights another unique genre title with ten or fewer reviews on the aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Previous guests include April Wolfe (screenwriter, Black Christmas); Tyler MacIntyre (writer-director, Tragedy Girls); Brad Henderson (Acquisitions, Vinegar Syndrome); and David Dastmalchian (actor-creator). Special episodes of Certified Forgotten have been included as part of the programming of the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, 2021 Reel Love Film Festival and the 2021 North Bend Film Festival.

Episodes

November 28, 2025 69 mins

This (day after) Thanksgiving, we're thankful for a returning guest who is the best of all of us. Fangoria's Senior Editor Meredith Borders notches her second guest spot on Certified Forgotten to chat about an oddball Canadian gateway horror film. The Peanut Butter Solution has become a cult favorite, but only in smaller circles. Meredith joins the Matts to chat about Fangoria's upcoming initiatives and shed light on exciting new c...

Mark as Played

Welcome to another episode of "The Great Oz Perkins Debate" here on Certified Forgotten. Your hosts, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle, couldn't agree on Perkins' catalog until Longlegs, and then again with The Monkey. It looked like there might finally be peace between the Matts, but then Perkins went back to "basics" for his latest film, Keeper. Once again, your Matts are at odds over a new Perkins release—like it was always meant ...

Mark as Played
November 14, 2025 69 mins

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 ...

Mark as Played
November 7, 2025 34 mins

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 ...

Mark as Played
October 31, 2025 75 mins

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 Schro...

Mark as Played
October 24, 2025 33 mins

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. 

Mark as Played

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...

Mark as Played
October 10, 2025 77 mins

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 foun...

Mark as Played
October 3, 2025 36 mins

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...

Mark as Played
September 28, 2025 37 mins

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 ...

Mark as Played
September 19, 2025 72 mins

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 Ki...

Mark as Played

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 Po...

Mark as Played

Fantastic Fest celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, with no signs of slowing down. In this 30-minute episode, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle break down the dos and don'ts of Fantastic Fest for both movie lovers and press. We also sneak a peek at the lineup and share a few titles we're most excited to see in 2025.

Mark as Played
August 22, 2025 37 mins

As a regular listener of Certified Forgotten, you know we always want to focus on the underseen stuff. But when life gives you a brand new Alien series from showrunner Noah Hawley? Well, you talk about that, too. In this Uncertified episode of the podcast, Matthew Monagle and Matt Donato sit down to discuss Alien: Earth: its place within the Alien universe, its commitment to standalone storytelling, and its A+ special effects.

Mark as Played
August 15, 2025 63 mins

Did you know that Han from the Fast & Furious movies directed a cutesy indie horror comedy? Believe it! Sung Kang's Shaky Shivers is a sugary-sweet, hokey-as-all-heck gateway horror comedy about zombies, werewolves, cults, cryptids, ice cream, and friendship. Here to defend its honor to the Matts is three-time returning guest Amelia Emberwing, who's been high on the film since the Overlook Film Festival back in 2022. Hope this ...

Mark as Played
August 1, 2025 36 mins

Don't worry, we're still the podcast about horror movies with 10-or-less critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. That said, your Matts have had a helluva summer so far, and have needed these Uncertified episodes to regroup. Plus, why not get an early review of Weapons out there? Our own Matt Donato has seen the film, and he's joined by yet another very special guest: Collider's Perri Nemiroff! Listen in to hear about Zach Cregger's hotl...

Mark as Played
July 25, 2025 28 mins

After several weeks of moving hell, Matthew Monagle is back on the podcast! In this bite-sized episode of Certified Forgotten, Monagle and Matt Donato catch up quickly on a month's worth of horror, including the highs (and mostly lows) of public domain slashers and the soon-to-be horror blockbuster that is Zach Cregger's Weapons. Special thank you to B.J. Colangelo and Meagan Navarro, who pinch-hit in the last two episodes of the s...

Mark as Played

In this week's episode, we're headed back to Southport for a discussion about the new I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025). Certified Forgotten's Matt Donato is joined by another guest host, the perfect person to chat about sharp hooks and silly slasher vibes. B.J. Colangelo (This Ends At Prom) brings her love of I Know What You Did Last Summer to the table, counterbalancing Donato's less enthusiastic reaction. How does the legac...

Mark as Played

It's that time of year again! We've hit the mid-year point, and everyone wants to know what the best horror movies of the year are so far. Certified Forgotten's Matt Donato is in charge of this special episode, and has enlisted the help of Bloody Digsuting's Meagan Navarro because, when you can, why not bring in the best? Listen in to their 30-minute discussion, and maybe you'll leave with a few titles to put on your radar.

Mark as Played
June 20, 2025 34 mins

In the words of, I unno, the youths? Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and the 28 [Insert Unit Of Time Measurement] franchise are so back. 28 Years Later marks the return of multiple 28 Days Later talents behind the camera, as Boyle embraces risks like there's no tomorrow. The Matts have a lot to talk about, from infecteds hanging dong and tracksuit mafias; 28 Years Later feels like multiple movies crammed into one. Is that a good thing, ...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Are You A Charlotte?

    In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.