Rye Smile Films

The Karate Kid (1984)

Today on Rye Smile Films, Matt and Jesse close the "Summer Tentpole Hall of Fame" cask with one final entry from 1984, The Karate Kid. Journey with us as we breakdown everything from the unique training sequence to the film's iconic antagonist. Does this film still hold up or should we just sweep the leg on this one? Our Flight for the week is ranking of the summer box office champs from the 80s. We wrap up this episode with a Nightcap that discusses which films would be best suited for a television show. So pour yourself some Rye, clip your bonsai tree, and get ready to wax on and wax off. Cheers!

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

This week on Rye Smile Films, Matt and Jesse are joined by special guest, Mark, as they review Steven Spielberg's 1981 classic, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Travel with us as we go across the globe to find the Lost Ark of the Covenant and right into some of the greatest action sequences ever committed to film. Does this film hold up to the action films of today or should this have stay buried in the Well of the Souls. The Flight for this week asks, "What are your top 3 John Williams scores?" We wrap up this adventure with a Nightcap discussing which artifact Indy should go after for his next outing. So pour yourself some bourbon and grab your Staff of Ra headpiece because the Man with the Hat is back! Cheers!

Ghostbusters (1984)

This week, we continue on our journey to look at, "The Summer Tentpole Hall of Fame." On the docket for this episode is a detailed look at the comedy classic, Ghostbusters by way of it's amazing screenplay. Does this film check all the boxes for a satisfying story or should it be exterminated along with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. The Flight for the week asks, "What are your top 3 favorite ghost films?" As always, we finish with a Nightcap and discuss our favorite movie vehicles. So pour yourself some Ecto Cooler, grab your PKE meter, and get ready to bust some ghosts! Cheers!

Jaws (1975)

Oh it's such a perfect day to open a new film review cask. This one is titled, "The Summer Tentpole Hall of Fame." We will be looking at some of the films that have shaped the landscape of the summer box office and we're starting with the film that opened the door, Jaws. Does Steven Spielberg's seminal classic still hold weight in the water or has this film sunk just like the Orca. Our Flight for the week asks, "What are your top 3 favorite Steven Spielberg films?" We wrap up this great episode with a Nightcap, and discussing some of the best opening scenes in film history. So pour yourself some Rye, ditch the life jacket, and jump in the shark cage because were heading into the deep end with, Jaws. Cheers!

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

Today on Rye Smile Films, we do something a little different and offer up a Small Batch review of, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Journey with Matt and Jesse as they discuss the history of the legendary monster along with a detailed breakdown of the new film. Is Godzilla really King in this film or has he seen better days battling the Smog Monster and Gigan. Our Flight for the week asks, "What are your top 3 favorite monsters in film?" We wrap up this episode with a Nightcap discussing which cinematic universes we would actually like to see. So pour yourself a drink on the rocks, find Godzooky, and get ready to meet the King of Monsters! Cheers!

High Fidelity (2000)

Today we close yet another cask by diving into yet another protagonist who just can't figure out love with, High Fidelity. Journey with us as we discuss all the top 5s and more brilliant use of the fourth wall mechanism while listening to an absolutely amazing soundtrack. Our Flight this week asks, "What are your top 5 favorite bands of all time?" We wrap this week's episode with our Nightcap, discussing which film sets we would've liked to have been on. So pour yourself some Bib and Tucker, make a compilation tape and get ready to return to a world inhabited with music snobs and bad break-ups. Cheers!

The Graduate (1967)

On tap this week is a seminal classic of film, and one that everyone should see, The Graduate. As everyone celebrates the event of graduation this month, journey back to the film that introduced the world to Mrs. Robinson accompanied with some incredible tunes by way of Simon and Garfunkel. The Flight for the week engages Matt and Jesse into a little contest, by making their predictions for the Top 5 Highest Grossing films of the summer. We wrap up this episode with a Nightcap, discussing the best soundtracks in film. So pour yourself a bourbon or a scotch, or whatever Mr. Robinson gives you, drive down the highway in your little red convertible, and enter the era where films changed forever. Cheers!

500 Days of Summer (2009)

On today's episode of Rye Smile Films, Matt and Jesse open up a new film cask titled, "Love is Spelled with an Ex!" The first film on the docket is 500 Days of Summer, directed by the same guy who almost ruined Spider-Man. We dive right into this one by discussing everything from the structure of the screenplay to the intricate breaking of the fourth wall. Our Flight asks, "What is the best use of a song in a film?" We wrap up with a Nightcap discussing the best break-up songs in music. So pour yourself a drink, get ready ready to flash mob dance to Hall and Oates, and take this fateful journey with Tom and Summer. Cheers!

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Welcome back to Rye Smile Films as we close yet another themed cask with our review/breakdown of the monumental release, Avengers: Endgame. We dive head first into the Quantum Realm as we travel with our heroes for one last adventure to reverse the effects of the mad titan himself, Thanos. Does this film offer up a satisfying conclusion to this era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or is the plot too ridiculous for its own good. We start up with a Flight, ranking our top 3 films in the MCU. We finish up our longest episode with a Nightcap where we breakdown our picks for the new Avenger's roster. So pour yourself a stiff one, put on your infinity gauntlet, and get ready to take one final trip with Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Oh yeah, obviously there will be spoilers!! Cheers!

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

This week we stay in the spider-verse with the fan picked film, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, directed by Marc Webb. We continue this superhero cask with this failed attempt to turn Spider-Man into a cohesive cinematic universe. Watch as Spider-Man gets as bad as his emo walking days as the cast tries to juggle a script that has one too many plot lines. Our Flight for the week asks, "Which Spider-Man villain would you like to see on the big screen?" We wrap with a Nightcap discussing the worst superhero movie villains. So sit back, grab your copper-wire laced web shooters, and pour yourself the whole bottle because it's about to get rough. Cheers!

Spider-Man (2002)

Take the ultimate spin with the second entry in our "With Great Power....Part One" cask as we review, Spider-Man. Journey back to 2002 and experience the first big screen iteration of the web-head as he takes on the Green Goblin. Is this film a causality of old age or does it hold a special place in the pantheon of superhero movies? Our Flight ponders, "What are the best casting choices in superhero films?" We conclude with a Nightcap by discussing our favorite animated superhero shows. So pour yourself a drink, grab your spider suit, and take a trip to the early days of Marvel, to film that changed the game. Cheers!

Shazam! (2019)

Rye Smile Films is back with a new cask titled, "With Great Power....Part One." This cask will be all about superhero films in lead up to the April 26th release of Avengers: Endgame. This week we take a look at the newest DC effort, Shazam! Does this film suffer the same fate as some of DC's other adaptations or is this a step in the right direction for the cinematic universe. Journey with us as we delve into the story and the troubled legal history of the character. Our Flight for the week asks, "What are your top 3 favorite scenes in superhero films?" We wrap with a Nightcap discussing the best live action superhero television shows. So grab your cape, your cola, and your viral video and take a trip to Philadelphia to meet Shazam. Cheers!

Pet Sematary (2019)

Today we cover the final film in our "King's Landing Part One" cask, the remake of Pet Sematary. We discuss everything from the reasoning to having two burial plots to the drastic plot twist this film makes compared to the book. Is this a worthy remake of Stephen King's classic novel or is does it fail in comparison to its 1989 counterpart. Our Flight for the week ponders, "What is a remake you would actually like to see?" We wrap up this episode with a Nightcap where we pick which director we'd like to see tackle a Stephen King adaptation. So grab your scalpel, and kiss Church goodbye because we're making a journey to the Pet Sematary. Cheers!

The Mist (2007)

Today on Rye Smile Films, we unveil the second film in our "King's Landing Part One" cask with a journey to 2007 and Frank Darabont's, The Mist. This little underrated film is based on a novella by Stephen King and features one of the most shocking twist endings in film history. Listeners beware as this one will feature quite the spoiler. Is this just another generic monster movie or does Darabont rise to the ranks of his Shawshank and Green Mile days. Our Flight for the week ponders, "What is the best performance in a Stephen King adaptation?" We wrap up with the Nightcap and discuss our favorite twist endings in film. So gather your shopping list and get ready to enter, The Mist. Cheers!

Carrie (1976)

This week we unveil a new cask and this one is all about Stephen King. "King's Landing Part One" will look at some of the horror adaptations of his work in lead up to the April 5th release of Pet Sematary. First on the docket is the film and book that started it all, the 1976 release, Carrie. We venture into a film that launched the career of both the director and its stars but also one that is a staple of the horror genre. The Flight for the week is a countdown of our favorite scenes in Stephen King adaptations. Our Nightcap asks, "What is the worst Stephen King Adaptation?" So pick out your prom dress or tuxedo and journey with as we take a journey to the beginning of King's career. Cheers!

RoboCop (1987)

This week, we wrap up our final film in "The Corporation from Hell!" cask which is another film directed by Paul Verhoeven, RoboCop. This insane sci-fi/action film is not only one of those most violent films of the 80s but also a smartly thought out satire that plays on many themes. Journey with us as we go back to witness the death and resurrection of Alex Murphy along with the dealings of the evil Omni Consumer Products. Our Flight is the perfect appetizer as we decide the worst film remake. We wrap up with a Nightcap by trying to figure out the best musical cue for a film character. So pour yourself a double Rye, pull out your NUKE EM board games, and get ready for a trip to Detroit, by way of Paul Verhoeven.

The Terminator (1984)

Get ready for the 2nd film in "The Corporation from Hell!" cask as we go back to 1984 for a battle with The Terminator. Travel with us as we look at all the elements of this film from the casting to the introduction of Cyberdyne and Skynet. Does this film still hold up today or should it have been terminated in the hydraulic press. Our Flight for the week looks back at the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger as we pick our favorite films from his filmography. We wrap up the episode with a Nightcap that asks, "What movie would make for the best modern video game." So pour yourself a drink from the bar at Tech Noir, get in your time travel pod, and journey back to a time when Arnold's biggest line was, "I'll Be Back." Cheers!

Alien (1979)

Rye Smile Films is back with a new cask, this one titled "The Corporation from Hell!" This week we take a detailed look at Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece, Alien. This film is loaded with themes and memorable set pieces but it's easy to forget the evil corporation pulling the strings from behind the scenes. We tackle the production history of the film along with an analysis of the unique story that gave birth to one of the greatest cinematic monsters. The Flight for the week asks, "What is the best movie tagline?" The Nightcap for the week asks, "What is the best film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards?" So sit back, pour yourself a glass of Rye and get ready to board the spaceship Nostromo, on a trip to the ultimate nightmare. Cheers!

Double Indemnity (1944)

Today we close yet another cask but conclude with a truly great entry in the Film Noir genre, Double Indemnity. Billy Wilder's classic film is the benchmark to which all other film noirs look up to featuring great performances by Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck. Journey with us as we tackle everything from the casting of the film to its dark themes of betrayal, murder, and romance. Our Flight for the week asks, "What is the most un-orthodox film couple" to go along with the Valentine's Day holiday. Our Nightcap for the week harkens back to noir and the release of the The Batman coming in 2021, "Which villain would you like to see in a noir-driven Batman story." So settle in, relax and take a trip back to 1944 where houses cost $30,000 and you could get a beer at a drive-in. Cheers!

Basic Instinct (1992)

Welcome back as we unveil the next film in our "Gun and the Girl" cask which is Basic Instinct. This taut thriller, directed by Paul Verhoeven, spawned a slew of imitators but none could ever match the relentlessness of the seductive Catherine Tramell. Journey with us as we look at the themes and the production history and lets prepare to cleanse the pallet with a trip to the early 90s. Our Flight for the week asks, "What is the most misleading movie trailer you've ever seen?" We wrap up our discussion with a Nightcap that asks, "What is your favorite Neo Noir?" So sit back and pour yourself a double blackjack and journey into the seductive underbelly of Basic Instinct.