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Certified Forgotten

@certifiedforgotten.com
876 followers 5 following 362 posts

Certified Forgotten is a writer-owned horror publication focused on the little movies that leave a big impression. We publish essays on the underseen and underappreciated horror films of the 21st Century. www.certifiedforgotten.com/newsletter

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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 24/09/2026
Certified Forgotten is headed back to Brooklyn, baby.
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The Rewind
Certified Forgotten is headed back to the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival in October.
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Josh Bell @signalbleed.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I'm thrilled to be back at @certifiedforgotten.com to spread the word about the lovely sci-fi romance 'Same Boat,' which is like 'Before Sunrise' if Jesse was a time-traveling assassin sent to kill Celine.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Same Boat' Marries 'The Terminator' and 'Before Sunrise'
Chris Roberti's 'Same Boat' is a time-traveling love story that makes the most of its modest budget to craft a timeless meet cute.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 18/09/2026
"Roberti and his collaborators are so ingenious that SAME BOAT rarely looks like a surreptitious guerrilla production, instead making full, apparently unrestricted use of its luxurious location." Great to have @signalbleed.bsky.social back at the site with some indie sci-fi love.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Same Boat' Marries 'The Terminator' and 'Before Sunrise'
Chris Roberti's 'Same Boat' is a time-traveling love story that makes the most of its modest budget to craft a timeless meet cute.
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Sarah J Miles @sarahjomiles.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Taking the opportunity to once again share my @certifiedforgotten.com piece on the film (has spoilers) certifiedforgotten.com/the-horrors-...
certifiedforgotten.com
'Savageland' Offers Real-World Horrors | Certified Forgotten
Sarah Miles explains how 'Savageland' uses the faux documentary subgenre to craft a perfect political horror story for modern America.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 09/09/2026
"THE WAILING artfully embodies the anguish of a generation torn between countless paths, each seemingly incapable of guiding them toward their desired sense of self." Na Hong-Jin is back in theaters this week, so why not look back at an old favorite?
certifiedforgotten.com
‘The Wailing’ Is a Generational Identity Crisis | Certified Forgotten
Justin Kyle explains why Na Hong-jin's 'The Wailing' has as much to say about generational divides as it does about religious horror.
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Xtine-age Sex and Death at Camp Miasma @xtinemakepeace.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I can't stop writing about movie cults! Check out my piece on SOUND OF MY VOICE and indoctrination.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 01/09/2026
"What SOUND OF MY VOICE attempts is fascinating, essentially indoctrinating the viewer alongside Peter and Lorna." New at the site: Christine Makepeace examines the spell that Brit Marling casts on audiences in this 2011 indie film.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Sound of My Voice' Is Worth Listening To
Zal Batmanglij's 'Sound of My Voice' is a standout example of indie sci-fi storytelling and a puzzle worth unraveling.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 27/08/2026
"In the heart-wrenching chaos that unfolds, the haunting loss of self and family becomes an ever-present dread for the 'in-between' generation." Every day is a good day to consider rewatching THE WAILING.
certifiedforgotten.com
‘The Wailing’ Is a Generational Identity Crisis | Certified Forgotten
Justin Kyle explains why Na Hong-jin's 'The Wailing' has as much to say about generational divides as it does about religious horror.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 27/08/2026
"What WHITE: MELODY OF DEATH lacks in scares, it makes up for in insight." Here's a look back at Kim Gok and Kim Sun's horror-fueled tale of K-pop gone wrong.
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'White: Melody of Death' Sings the Horrors of K-Pop | Certified Forgotten
In 'White: Melody of Death,' filmmakers Kim Gok and Sun Kim create an allegory for the behind-the-scenes horrors of the K-Pop industry.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 17/08/2026
In our most recent podcast episode, The Matts discuss why THE END OF OAK STREET is such an earnest exercise in divorce and dinosaurs.
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Podcast: 'The End of Oak Street' Gets Uncertified
'It Follows' director David Robert Mitchell returns to horror with 'The End of Oak Street,' a spirited throwback to '90s blockbusters.
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Xtine-age Sex and Death at Camp Miasma @xtinemakepeace.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I just watched it last night and I thought it was great. Very '90s thriller. I even found her motivation--the onslaught of conflicting female roles and archetypes depicted in media--to be very throwbacky. Good stuff 👍
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 14/08/2026
"Accept the pre-release narrative that SOULM8TE is a mess – a would-be spinoff of the M3GAN franchise that tries to blend campy horror with science fiction – and odds are you’ll find what you’re looking for." Good movie is good, don't know what to tell you.
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'Soulm8te' Review: '90s Smut Gets a High-Tech Reboot
Despite its rocky road to distribution, Kate Dolan's 'Soulm8te' is a fascinating mashup of the high-brow and the low-brow.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 13/08/2026
ICYMI: In this week's episode of the podcast, we're joined by podcaster and physical media expert Noel Bartocci to discuss DEAD HEAT and the glorious cheese that is zombie cops.
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Podcast: Noel Bartocci on 'Dead Heat'
Podcaster and physical media expert Noel Bartocci joins the podcast to discuss 'Dead Heat,' Mark Goldblatt's goofy cult classic.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 12/08/2026
"With any single-location horror film, there’s also the thrill of watching the filmmakers get away with it." Brock Bodell's HELLCAT hits Shudder this week, which means you can finally catch up with this film festival standout.
certifiedforgotten.com
Fantasia Review: 'Hellcat' Sends All the Right Signals
Brock Bodell's 'Hellcat' is a winning exercise in deception, making it an early standout at the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 12/08/2026
"While the fridge does its best to keep Steve at work, it does everything it can to keep Eileen at home." Like all horror worth celebrating, Nicholas Jacobs's THE REFRIGERATOR is a sly mixture of camp and satire.
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'The Refrigerator' Is a Standout Piece of Cult Horror
Nicholas Jacobs's 'The Refrigerator' is a surprisingly smart blend of camp horror and subversive domestic drama.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 05/08/2026
"NAMASLAY has every intention in the world of blending SUSPIRA with South Asian folklore onscreen, but what works as a dark comedy never makes the leap to action-horror." NAMASLAY has a fun name and some great ideas, but falls just short of making it work.
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'Namaslay' Review: Yoga Spin on 'Suspiria' Falls Just Short
Rish and Kanish's 'Namaslay' promises kitchen sink filmmaking, but struggles to deliver on its biggest ideas.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 03/08/2026
We're doing something different with this week's episode: we recorded the podcast in two chunks, so you can hear our thoughts both before and after watching SOULM8TE.
certifiedforgotten.com
Podcast: 'Soulm8te' Gets Uncertified
In this special episode of Certified Forgotten, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle record before and after seeing Kate Dolan's 'Soulm8te.'
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 31/07/2026
Bear with us: we're tinkering with a new (old) format for the podcast this weekend.
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The Rewind
We're mixing things up a little (A LITTLE) with the Certified Forgotten podcast.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 31/07/2026
"Emily St. John Mandel had it right: to the monsters, we’re the monsters." Before STRANGER THINGS, the Duffer Brothers showed off their sci-fi bonafides in HIDDEN, their debut feature.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Hidden' Shows the Power of a Good Twist Ending
Before 'Stranger Things,' the Duffer Brothers reminded us of the power of a good twist ending in 'Hidden,' their debut feature.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 27/07/2026
"The animated young ladies who attended Miss Grimwood’s Finishing School for Girls in 1988’s SCOOBY-DOO AND THE GHOUL SCHOOL hold the honor of introducing the most iconic monsters in horror to a generation of adolescent girls."
certifiedforgotten.com
‘Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School’ Was Universal Monsters 101 | Certified Forgotten
Hanna-Barbera introduced the Universal Monsters to a new generation of female horror fans with 1988's 'Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School.'
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 27/07/2026
This week on Certified Forgotten: @louispeitzman.bsky.social joins The Matts to discuss PHANTOM OF THE MALL, colon, ERIC'S REVENGE.
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Podcast: Louis Peitzman on 'Phantom of the Mall'
Freelance writer and podcast host Louis Peitzman joins Certified Forgotten to discuss Richard Friedman's 'Phantom of the Mall.'
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 22/07/2026
This week, you could go see THE ODYSSEY on the big screen again. OR you could check out DEMONICUS, "one of the most metal movies of all time." Your choice.
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'Demonicus' Is Z-Grade Heavy Metal Horror | Certified Forgotten
What Jay Woelfel's 'Demonicus' lacks in budget or narrative it more than makes up for in heavy metal audacity.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 22/07/2026
"So present are these portraits of Jesus and crucifixes, that they speak to a cynical sentiment reminiscent of THE EXORCIST: God will not save these people." On the iconography of KISAPMATA, Mike De Leon's groundbreaking piece of Filipino cinema.
certifiedforgotten.com
‘Kisapmata’ Is Unapologetically Filipino and Unmistakably Gothic
Vivi Estaris examines the national trauma behind 'Kisapmata,' Mike De Leon's groundbreaking work of Filipino horror.
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Sil Perez @sealperez.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Eu acho muito boa a ideia de podcast do @certifiedforgotten.com: falar de filmes de terror com menos de 10 críticas no Rotten Tomatoes Foi assim que Noroi tem 3 Sim, 03 críticos do Rotten escreveram sobre esse ESPETÁCULO de filme
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Podcast: Paul Gandersman and Peter Hall on 'Noroi: The Curse'
Paul Gandersman and Peter Hall, the duo behind 'Man Finds Tape,' discuss their debut feature and Kōji Shiraishi's 'Noroi: The Curse.'
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Matt Donato @donatobomb.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
You’ve got a 50/50 shot at guessing and I bet you’re wrong (or maybe that’s what I want you think). Talkin’ EVIL DEAD BURN with my guy @monagle.bsky.social.
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Caleb Masters @cmasterstalk.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
How did horror become the movie story of summer 2026? @dailydead.bsky.social & @certifiedforgotten.com's @donatobomb.bsky.social talks with us about how next-gen filmmakers like Curry Barker, Kane Parsons & Sébastien Vaniček are changing the game. Listen🎧: www.thecinematropolis.com/evil-dead-bu...
thecinematropolis.com
'Evil Dead Burn' Joins Triumphantly Traumatizing 2026 Summer Horror Lineup – The Cinematropolis
The Cinematropolis reviews the biggest 2026 summer horror movies, including Obsession, Backrooms, Leviticus, and Evil Dead Burn.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 17/07/2026
Who put EVIL DEAD BURN higher in their franchise rankings, @donatobomb.bsky.social or @monagle.bsky.social? Listen to the latest episode of the podcast and find out for yourself!
certifiedforgotten.com
Podcast: 'Evil Dead Burn' Gets Uncertified
On this episode of the podcast, Matthew Monagle and Matt Donato sit down to discuss Sebastien Vanicek's 'Evil Dead Burn.'
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 17/07/2026
Is EVIL DEAD BURN a mean movie or a cruel movie? And does the difference matter? We discuss in this week's Certified Forgotten newsletter.
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The Rewind
In this week's edition of the Certified Forgotten newsletter, we talk about the difference between mean and cruel horror.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 15/07/2026
Here are the five movies we're most excited about at this year's Fantasia International Film Festival.
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Our Five Most Anticipated Fantasia Features - Certified Forgotten
Matthew Monagle lists his five most anticipated features at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 14/07/2026
"The true connective tissue between the films of Vaniček and Cronin is their overt enthusiasm for what they’re allowed to get away with onscreen." ICYMI: Here's our kinda glowing review of EVIL DEAD BURN.
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'Evil Dead Burn' Review: A Masterclass in Kinetic Horror
With 'Evil Dead Burn,' filmmaker Sebastien Vanicek proves that the winning formula of 'Evil Dead Rise' was no fluke.
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Colin Le Sueur | By Odin’s Beard RPG @byodinsbeardrpg.com · 14/07/2026
Package just arrived, forgot I ordered this (along with a T-shirt)! Thanks Matts, happy to rep the brand! @certifiedforgotten.com @monagle.bsky.social @donatobomb.bsky.social
Me (Colin), a white man with a beard and glasses, sporting a new Certified Forgotten trucker hat with the CF logo on it, a sliced tomato with a scary face and a knife through it
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 14/07/2026
In the most recent episode of the podcast, writer-director Mike Mendez (SATANIC HISPANICS) shares his love for Damon Packard's unhinged (and possibly brilliant) cult classic REFLECTIONS OF EVIL.
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Podcast: Mike Mendez on 'Reflections of Evil' - Certified Forgotten
Filmmaker Mike Mendez ('Satanic Hispanics') joins Certified Forgotten to discuss Damon Packard's cult classic 'Reflections of Evil.'
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 13/07/2026
New guest episode of the podcast went up this weekend for you enjoyment!
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 13/07/2026
"Vaniček’s movie is not a horror-comedy, but it still finds some undeniable humor in watching the worst family ever become possessed." We caught up with EVIL DEAD BURN over the weekend and only had nice things to say.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Evil Dead Burn' Review: A Masterclass in Kinetic Horror
With 'Evil Dead Burn,' filmmaker Sebastien Vanicek proves that the winning formula of 'Evil Dead Rise' was no fluke.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 09/07/2026
"So present are these portraits of Jesus and crucifixes that they speak to a cynical sentiment reminiscent of THE EXORCIST: God will not save these people." Here's Vivi Estaris on Mike De Leon's KISAPMATA.
certifiedforgotten.com
‘Kisapmata’ Is Unapologetically Filipino and Unmistakably Gothic
Vivi Estaris examines the national trauma behind 'Kisapmata,' Mike De Leon's groundbreaking work of Filipino horror.
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Matt Donato @donatobomb.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
It's been too long since we've recorded a proper guest episode of @certifiedforgotten.com, and I love how @madmanmendez.bsky.social threw us right back in the deep end with Damon Packard's REFLECTIONS OF EVIL hahahaha. Holy shit, this movie.
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Joe Agnew @jontler.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Merch has been rigorously tested
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Greg Cypress @gregcypress.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Occult is easily one of my favorite horror movies, and probably my favorite Shiraishi movie.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 03/07/2026
We've got merch! And other updates in this week's newsletter.
certified-forgotten.beehiiv.com
The Rewind
In
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 03/07/2026
"While OCCULT might lack the degree and visceral nature of NOROI's terrors, it succeeds at tying together some very real societal concerns." Rob Hunter rounds out our week with a love letter to director Koji Shiraishi.
certifiedforgotten.com
‘Occult’ Draws a Creepy Line From Spielberg to Kurosawa
Koji Shiraishi may be best known for 'Noroi: The Curse,' but his 2009 faux documentary 'Occult' is just as compelling.
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Xtine-age Sex and Death at Camp Miasma @xtinemakepeace.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Reminder! I wrote about Land of the Dead over at @certifiedforgotten.com 😎 certifiedforgotten.com/land-of-the-...
certifiedforgotten.com
We're Already Living in the 'Land of the Dead'
Christine Makepeace revisits George Romero's 'Land of the Dead' and explains why the end of the world is no reason to play dead.
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Josh Bell @signalbleed.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
It's great to be back at @certifiedforgotten.com to put a spotlight on underrated 2008 DTV sci-fi horror movie 'Alien Raiders.'
certifiedforgotten.com
'Alien Raiders' Deserves Better Than the Bargain Bin
Josh Bell explains why Ben Rock's 'Alien Raiders' deserves far better than the bargain bin treatment it received on release.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 29/06/2026
"There isn’t a single wasted moment in ALIEN RAIDERS's 85-minute running time, and the actors establish their characters’ personalities on the run." @signalbleed.bsky.social explains how Ben Rock's sci-fi cult classic turns a simple concept into a wild fuckin' ride.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Alien Raiders' Deserves Better Than the Bargain Bin
Josh Bell explains why Ben Rock's 'Alien Raiders' deserves far better than the bargain bin treatment it received on release.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 25/06/2026
"Danvers State, in all its decay, feels dreamlike and familiar, but also a little wrong. A little too big. A little uncanny." Our own Christine Makepeace makes the case for SESSION 9 as an early example of liminal horror.
certifiedforgotten.com
Come Get Lost in 'Session 9'
Brad Anderson's cult classic 'Session 9' gave us an early peek at the power of liminal spaces in the horror genre.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 25/06/2026
In this week's edition of the Certified Forgotten newsletter, we're waxing poetic about the importance of independent film festivals.
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The Rewind
In this week's edition of the Certified Forgotten newsletter, we celebrate independent film festivals.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 22/06/2026
"28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE bides its time (for better or worse) before having its subplots finally collide in raucous fashion, yielding some of the most rousing moments you’re likely to see in a cinema this year." Just a friendly reminder that THE BONE TEMPLE absolutely rips.
certifiedforgotten.com
‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ Review: Beauty & Misery Collide
Siddhant Adlakha explains how '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' follows up 2025's sequel in ways both gloomy and surprisingly intimate.
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Matt Monagle @monagle.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
"There are few things the horror genre loves more than hurt people hurting people – especially at a summer camp." I could talk for hours about Avalan Fast's CAMP and why it's a much-needed evolution beyond traumatic horror. @chattfilmfest.org is crushing it this year; what a beautiful film.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Camp' Review: Avalon Fast Explores the Other Side of Trauma
Writer-director Avalon Fast explores what happens when a broken soul heals wrong in their fantastical summer horror film 'Camp.'
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 22/06/2026
"With a runtime of nearly two hours, there’s no denying that PITFALL wildly overstays its welcome. But there are little flourishes throughout the film that will endear it to anyone raised on 2000s direct-to-video slashers." Here's our latest review out of the Chattanooga Film Festival.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Pitfall' Review: Even a Bad Outdoors Slasher Still Has Its Moments
James Kondelik's 'Pitfall' is a bit too rough around the edges to hit the mark, but it still knows how to play the redneck hits.
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Certified Forgotten @certifiedforgotten.com · 21/06/2026
"If Sherriff’s story does not exist within the genre, it does exist outside it, enveloping horror’s tropes with a universal story of loss." Harry Sherriff's MISPER is one of the standout features at this year's @chattfilmfest.org.
certifiedforgotten.com
'Misper' Review: A Beautiful Ghost Story for the Living
Harry Sherriff's 'Misper' may only be horror-adjacent, but it deserves to be celebrated as a tender examination of what follows trauma.
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Xtine-age Sex and Death at Camp Miasma @xtinemakepeace.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
It's time again to share my most popular letterboxd review. And the essay that accompanies it: certifiedforgotten.com/solstice
Letterboxd review that reads: I Know What You Did Last Solstice
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