Rye Smile Films

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.

Serenity (2019)

WTF! The only way to describe this week's film. Journey with us as we unveil the next cask in our series titled "The Gun and the Girl." This is going to be a dark, strange trip into the genre known as Film Noir. The first stop down the dark alley is a look at the film, Serenity, starring two Academy Award winning actors. Serenity follows the tropes of a traditional Film Noir that houses a deep, dark secret. The flight for the week asks, "What's the best on-screen chemistry we've seen in film history?" We wrap up this fever dream with an interesting nightcap that asks, "What setting would you like to see a Neo-Noir set in, that we haven't seen?" So just drink straight from the bottle for this episode and get ready to go fishing for the big tuna!

Glass (2019)

Today, we disembark on the final stop of Eastrail 177 with the highly anticipated release of Glass. A sequel, 19 years in the making, is something fans have been clamoring for since the that fateful twist ending at the end of Unbreakable. Is this the satisfying conclusion to the remarkable trilogy, or does Shyamalan revert back to those dark days of the later 2000s. Journey with us as we breakdown the film for all its brilliance and shortcomings. The flight for this week asks, "What is the best 3rd entry in a film series?" We conclude this podcast with the nightcap which ponders, "What is the worst 3rd entry in a film series?" So pour yourself a stiff one, or a double and get ready to hear all about the tales of the Overseer, Mr. Glass, and The Horde. Cheers!

Split (2017)

Welcome back to Rye Smile Films! This week we continue our trek on Eastrail 177 with a trip to the world of Split starring James McAvoy. This film serves as the delicious appetizer to this week's release of Glass. Is Split a return to form for M. Night Shyamalan or is this another serious misstep for the once promising director? The flight for this week plays "what if" and what sequel we could erase from human existence. Our night cap for the week asks, "What is one sequel we never got, that we so desperately needed. Sit back, pour yourself one on the rocks, and get ready for the second stop on Eastrail 177. Cheers!

Unbreakable (2000)

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Rye Smile Films, the new film review podcast that highlights new/old and strange films. In anticipation of the release of the film, Glass, we look at the film that started it all, Unbreakable. Does the first part of the Eastrail 177 Trilogy suffer the same fate of some of Shyamalan’s other films, or is it a criminally underated classic. Our flight for the week will also include a review of the most surprising and disappoint films of 2018. We conclude with a nightcap and a look forward with our picks for most anticipated film of 2019. So pour yourself a stiff one and dive right in with a trip to the early days of M. Night Shyamalan. Cheers!