The Top 100 Project

After more than 12 years of doing this podcast, it was high time for us to review something by French director Jean-Pierre Melville. Le Samourai was his (and his star, Alain Delon's) homage to '40s Hollywood noir. This crime classic is about Delon's passive hitman, who's either too cool for school...or just doesn't care. In this one-Ryan show, the talk gets into  relating to Delon's loner mindset and solo lifestyle, although not so much his sparse apartment, his constant smoking or his work as a contract killer. Or having a chirpie bird for a roommate. The ending is puzzling...but it might be more understandable when you remember the code of an actual samurai. So put on your white gloves, pull out your heater and prepare for episode #668 of Have You Ever Seen. Melville's film didn't predate the French New Wave, but he himself did. He, Godard, Truffaut, all of 'em could no doubt have been even more prolific back in those days if they had Sparkplug Coffee. Use our "HYES" promo code and you will be able to benefit from a onetime 20% discount. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our channel in your app, but also review the podcast and rate it. Find us on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar) and do all those things there too. Contact options: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Social media: ryan-ellis and @moviefiend51 on Bluesky and Twi-X, with Bev's contact info being bevellisellis and @bevellisellis (on Bluesky and Twi-X).

On Mission: Impossible weekend, it seemed right for Have You Ever Seen to feature a flick all about an impossible mission to climb a cliff, get inside a Greek island fortress and blow up some enormous German blasters. Our 667th episode talks about that trek, but also about revenge and wartime honour. Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven lead a fine cast in The Guns Of Navarone, as they and their team try to save the lives of 2000 men. The actors are skillfully guided with tension and even humour by J. Lee Thompson, who was on the roll of his life directing Cape Fear the year after he made this Oscar-winning WWII film. So to celebrate America's Memorial Day, enjoy Ryan's monologue about The Magnificent Six killing a whole whack of Nazis. Well, Actually: at the 38:30 mark, "then became a Russian citizen" should have been "then became a BRITISH citizen". Also, David Niven was one of the Oscar hosts in 1974 when he was onstage during the streaker's appearance (Elizabeth Taylor actually presented Best Picture). When you succeed the way the Navarone guys do, you owe yourself a treat like Sparkplug Coffee. Use our "HYES" promo code and score yourself a onetime 20% discount. The website: sparkplug.coffee/hyes. Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcast app and also on YouTube (@hyesellis in YouTube's search bar). Rate and review us when you scrounge up some time too. Contact options: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis) or Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis).

Wait, Ryan O'Neal again?! Yup! What's Up, Doc is our 3rd O'Neal movie this year. And they all came out in the '70s, which was not just the man's peak. That was director Peter Bogdanovich's most-productive time in Hollywood too. They and the Bugs Bunny-ish Barbra Streisand (who's, of course, still a massive star over 50 years later) came up with a screwball comedy that pays homage to the old masters like Capra, Hawks and Keaton. There are funny misunderstandings, hijinks, 4 people somehow have the exact same bag. And for such a cartoonish movie, the stunts are some of the best ever, especially in the big car chase. The espionage stuff might not work, yet this remains a lot of fun. So dial up episode #666 (insert demonic voice) of Have You Ever Seen on this Victoria Day as we dig into What's Up, Doc. Well, Actually: this film was 3rd at the '72 domestic box office and The Poseidon Adventure was 2nd. Also, Looney Tunes' Casablanca parody, "Carrotblanca", was released in the mid-'90s, not the mid-'40s. Peruse the products offered by Sparkplug Coffee. They give our fans a onetime 20% discount. Just use our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our show in your app, but also on YouTube. It's @hyesellis in the 'Tube's search bar. Rate and review our chats too. Contact options: Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis), Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis) and email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com).

Ida Lupino was an actor in some classic movies for close to 50 years, but she directed a few classic thrillers in the '50s too. The Hitch-Hiker is her crowing achievement, with William Tallman doing a wonderfully sinister job in the titular role. He's one of the underrated great villains in cinema history. Edmond O'Brien & Frank Lovejoy are the men he kidnaps and forces them to drive him to Mexico. Only, they don't get to be nearly as interesting. In this one-man show, Ryan reads perhaps more into the hitch-hiker's psychology and his hostage's PTSD than Lupino intended...but this DOES appear to be a deeper film than many have given it credit for. So jump in the back seat and menace the front-seaters as this 665th dose of Have You Ever Seen movie-reviewing looks into the goings on in The Hitch-Hiker. Check out our sponsor, Sparkplug Coffee. They give our listeners a onetime 20% savings if they use our "HYES" promo code. So the website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our show in your podcast app, but also on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar). Write a review of our channel and rate us too. Share your thoughts about this episode or any other by writing us an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). On Bluesky, Ryan is "ryan-ellis" and on Twi-X is "@moviefiend51". Bev is "bevellisellis" on the 'Sky and "@bevellisellis" on the Twitter machine.

Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin tells a very complete story in only about 70 minutes. The black-and-white, silent flick is based on a real-life mutiny aboard a ship in the waters of the Black Sea near Ukraine. Of course, the incredibly influential Odessa Steps sequence is what people remember best...and it's the extremely violent result of this "war" against your own oppressive rulers. Eisenstein made one of the greatest Russian motion pictures ever here, but the storytelling and modern-feeling technical achievements (especially the editing) make this far more than just a old Communist propaganda film. So don't just hang out in your hammock below-deck and starve on a government boat. No, rise up, comrades, and devour the 664th edition of Have You Ever Seen, the one about Battleship Potemkin. Canadians and Americans (not Russian or Ukrainian residents, unfortunately) can order Sparkplug Coffee and get a onetime 20% discount. Use our "HYES" promo code to achieve that. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen for weekly classic movie reviews. Rate our show and write a review about it in your app too. And look for us on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar). Communication options? One is email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Another is social media: ryan-ellis and @bevellisellis on Bluesky...@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X.

Nearly every Stanley Kubrick film has been featured on Have You Ever Seen now that we're spending about an hour reviewing Barry Lyndon. In this 663rd episode, we analyze the gold-digging, underwhelming dueler played by Ryan O'Neal, an Irish soldier (turned gambler) who also turns out to be a terrible stepfather. Even though he's good as the opportunistic Redmond Barry, he's outshone by Patrick Magee, Steven Berkoff and particularly Leon Vitali as his lordly stepson. Barry Lyndon is one of the best-looking movies of 'em all, so it appropriately won Oscars for the look and the design. The pace is deliberate and the story is a very blow burn in this episodic epic. So enjoy Cinco de Mayo by hearing us throw it back and forth about these ordinary people in extraordinary times as we play some games of chance with Barry Lyndon. Sparkplug Coffee sponsors Have You Ever Seen. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Use that "HYES" promo code and enjoy a onetime 20% discount. Subscribe to our channel in your app, but also on YouTube (@hyesellis in YouTube's search bar). Rate the show and write a review, but also do some commenting, liking and following on the 'Tube. Respond to us with a message on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis). We're always eager to read an email too: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com.

Clarence Brown's family classic National Velvet is what's on tap in the 662nd edition of Have You Ever Seen. A pre-teen, horse-obsessed Elizabeth Taylor sheds tears from time to time, but she's remarkably optimistic all the same, especially about her beloved equine chum, "The Pie".  Anne Revere won an Oscar for playing Taylor's preternaturally calm mom, while top-billed Mickey Rooney was starting to grow out of his annoying "I'm always overdoing it" phase. He's actually pretty good in this, playing a young loner with horse PTSD. They're the main players in this classic sports film, even if the horse-training and the steeplechase sequence at the end represent all the sportiness. So don't be a screechy kid brother. Just walk down an English road to make some friends while you ear up Ryan's one-man-show about the emotionally satisfying National Velvet. Our sponsor: Sparkplug Coffee. Their website: "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Their offer: a onetime 20% discount if you use our "HYES" promo code. Subscribe to our channel, but also rate this podcast in your app and maybe write a review too. Contact us via email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or on social media (Twi-X: @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis or Bluesky: ryan-ellis and bevellisellis).

To put a finishing touch on this year's Revenge Month, our 661st episode has some fun with Colin Higgins' feminist comedy where a mediocre man gets major comeuppance for treating the women in his office so badly. If only Nine To Five was as funny as its reputation says it is. The tonal problems are partly because this started out as a serious look at how hard women have it in the workplace. Flawed or not, we DID enjoy the flick. It helps that Higgins knows how to tell a good story and his 3 stars make a great team. Jane Fonda was at her peak of stardom in this period (although she gave herself the worst role of the 3 main characters), while Lily Tomlin is the ultra-competent heart of the group. It's Dolly Parton's charm and effervescence that steal the movie though. So don't poison your boss' coffee, even if he IS a sexist, lying, egotistical, hypocritical bigot. Just dial up Have You Ever Seen's back-and-forth about Nine To Five. Well, Actually: at the 15:40 mark, the line "Roz imagines" should have been "Vi imagines". Pour yourself a cup of ambition known as Sparkplug Coffee and get yourself a 20% discount by using our "HYES" promo code. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate our podcast and write a review, but also subscribe. Find us on YouTube (@hyesellis in the 'Tube's search bar) and subscribe/comment/like there as well. We'd be happy to get an email from you. It's "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". On social media, Ryan is "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky, while Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky.

As Easter weekend comes to an end, Ryan posts a solo show about another intense blood-feud here in Revenge Month. Leonardo DiCaprio went through hell and finally won his Oscar while auteur Alejandro G. Iñárritu won his 4th in 2 years for their work on The Revenant, a violent, gory, grueling and beautifully-photographed survival story. There's a running theme of racism against Native Americans in here too, who are on their own vengeance quest. Tom Hardy is fantastic as Leo's antagonist, who earns the enmity of a man nearly killed by a bear after he kills that man's son. And the hunt is on. So grab your musket & your knife and eat some raw fish & even some raw liver as this lengthy monologue about The Revenant represents Have You Ever Seen #660. We're sponsored by Sparkplug Coffee. They offer our listeners a 20% discount. Our "HYES" promo code will achieve that. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review our podcast in your favourite app (subscribe too), but also seek us out on YouTube ("@hyesellis" goes in the search bar on YouTube). Drop in a comment about the episode, but also like it and subscribe. Contact us by email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. Or contact us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or on Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis).

Posting a podcast about Munich on Easter Weekend wasn't a deliberately provocative choice. Posting this mostly-effective "you'll pay for that" procedural during Revenge Month WAS intentional. Episode #659 of Have You Ever Seen is a Ryan monologue about Palestinian terrorists kidnapping and then assassinating Jewish athletes at the 1972 Olympics...and then the Israelis siccing a hit squad on those who planned it. Upbeat blockbuster filmmaker Steven Spielberg isn't squeamish about showing viciousness and bloodshed when he makes an Important Movie. Trouble is, he gets so heavy-handed in the last half-hour, as Eric Bana struggles with the moral ramifications (and blowback) after what he & his team have done. A pre-stardom Daniel Craig is part of that team, as are Geoffrey Rush & Ciaran Hinds. There's no quibble with their performances. It's just the 9/11 parallels and the politics of the unending conflict in the Middle East that repeatedly smack you in the face. In any case, there's much to discuss about what Black September did (not so much the PLO by the way, but that specific terrorist group) and then what the Jewish hit squad did as payback. Grab a bag of beans from Sparkplug Coffee. Our listeners can enjoy a onetime 20% discount by using our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Not only should you subscribe to our channel in your app, but we hope you'll rate and review our podcast too. Also, look for us on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar). Like the episode, comment about it, you know. Share your own feelings about the films we discuss. On the media that is toxically social, find us on Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis) and Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com".

We reach the mid-point of Revenge Month with a French crime classic that features one of the greatest heist scenes in cinema history. Which has arguably never been topped, with its use of clever thieving techniques, intricate teamwork between the 4 main characters…and silence. Rififi is violent, many people die, it even has a drug addict and it has that brilliant break-in sequence where our "heroes" steal a lot of diamonds. Jules Dassin had been blacklisted by Hollywood during the Red Scare nonsense in the '50s, so he went over to Europe and directed Jean Servais and many (not well-known) international actors. There's a lot going on here, especially the subtext about Dassin's treatment by Hollywood, but the centerpiece break-in is the highlight. So get your handgun locked & loaded to get revenge on the gangster who made it personal as we post episode #658 of Have You Ever Seen, a back-and-forth about Rififi. Sparkplug Coffee sponsors this podcast. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and then use our "HYES" promo code to save 20%. Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen on your app, but also rate us and write a review. Hit up YouTube as well (@hyesellis in the search bar) and subscribe to our channel, but also comment, stroke the like button, and all that stuff. Let us know your thoughts about our audio stylings with an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). On social media, we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X and ryan-ellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky.

The blood-soaked Blood Simple represents the debuts of not only auteurs Joel & Ethan Coen, but also their star (and Joel's future wife) Frances McDormand. They don't seem to agree though with the widely-shared view that their first film was an expertly-plotted noir. It's one of their best movies, in fact. When the Coen Brothers go down to Texas to shoot a nihilistic movie about death and contract killings, classics like this and No Country For Old Men result. And considering it was an independent production without any stars, it was quite a hit. The brilliant highlight sequence is John Getz covering up what he thinks is the murder of Dan Hedaya, the man he's cuckolded. So enjoy episode #2 in Revenge Month and our 657th episode overall as we, yes ARE having a good time in our yellow suit and hat while we review Blood Simple. Well, Actually: the Sundance film festival (the "Utah/US Film Festival" as it was known at first) got its start in 1978, while the Toronto International Film Festival got its start in 1976. Also, Dessau is a neighbourhood in Austin, Texas, so the "Dessau" in the sign outside the club must refer to that. Also also, the reason Ray stops the car and runs away in shock is because he hears noise coming from the "dead" body in the back seat. Acquire outstanding beans from Sparkplug Coffee. They give our listeners a onetime 20% discount if they use our "HYES" promo code. The website? Why, it's "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our podcast in your app, but also rate and review it. We post on YouTube too (@hyesellis in YouTube's search bar), where you can drop some comments and help us out by liking the show. Contact us on social media. On Twi-X, we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis. On Bluesky, we're ryan-ellis and bevellisellis. And our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com".

Have You Ever Seen's 656th podcast begins our 3rd (Annual, probably?) Revenge Month and Oldboy's plot o' vengeance is particularly sinister. Park Chan-wook's sadistic South Korean thriller has several unforgettable moments, including the one-take hallway hammer fight and the shocking, blood-soaked climax. Choi Min-sik is quite terrific in the lead role, an ordinary man who's forced to live in the solitude of a private prison for 15 years, not even knowing why. He loses his freedom, his family and nearly his mind. Once he's unexpectedly let out, he goes on a vicious rampage as he tries to figure out who locked him up and why...only to finally learn the reason in an "I never saw THAT coming" twist. So get your fried dumplings and live octopus ready to eat while you also try to avoid various forms of mouth trauma as Ryan solos on a podcast about Oldboy. Sparkplug Coffee is our sponsor. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Using that "HYES" discount code will result in a onetime savings of 20%. Rate and review our podcast in your app, but also find us on YouTube (@hyesellis is the link on YouTube). Comment about the episode, like it...and subscribe as much as you possibly can. Contact us by email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. Or find us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or on Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis).

Play your flame guitar as you cue up the 655th edition of Have You Ever Seen to hear us jaw about the loner known as Max Rockatansky, but stay for the Imperator known as Furiosa. George Miller's 6-time Oscar-winner was the 4th in a series that already featured one of the greatest stunt movies ever made (The Road Warrior), but then he and his team managed to easily top it with Fury Road. And just as it was with the earlier pre-CGI films, most of the remarkable and dangerous stuff was done practically! Tom Hardy is solid casting in taking over the role that made Mad Mel Gibson a star, but this movie belongs to Charlize Theron as Furiosa. She, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough and the other fantastic female characters are the standouts in a surprisingly feminist film. So drive out, then drive back home as we head over to Australia (well, Namibia, really) and wrap up another Oscar Month with a detailed chat about Mad Max: Fury Road. Well, Actually: we said that it's unlikely Miller will get to make more films in this series because Furiosa bombed last year, but Mad Max: The Wasteland IS in pre-production. If you enjoy the product that has its own version of guzzoline, check out Sparkplug Coffee's website (sparkplug.coffee/hyes). Our "HYES" discount code will save you 20% off your next order. Rate our podcast in your app and write a review of it, but also subscribe. Hit the trusty like button and comment on YouTube as well...and subscribe (@hyesellis in the search bar on YouTube). Contact us: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis) and Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis).

Note: this episode might be listed as "E" on your app, but there's no bad language in this one. Tomorrow will mark the beginning of our 13th year of podcasting, so we end #12 with another one-Ryan show...this time about a 7-time Oscar-winner. Along with a slew of technical awards, Out Of Africa won Best Picture and Sydney Pollack was rewarded for his direction. His romantic epic, with all those scenic vistas, was also a mega-hit. Yet not everyone loved the story about Karen Blixen, partly because it's really long and arguably too slow. It's also easy to be bothered that Kenyans & their land are just a backdrop for a love triangle between 3 white people. Coffee farmer Meryl Streep and great white hunter Robert Redford DO sell the love in this "based on real events" flick...even if he doesn't feel as authentic as she does. So enjoy the early days of spring listening to the 654th edition of Have You Ever Seen, the one about Out Of Africa. Well, Actually: to be very anal about this, the Ellis' honeymoon was on the island of Mallorca, not Ibiza. Also, the Serengeti is in Tanzania, not Kenya...although those 2 countries ARE neighbours. This movie is about a coffee farm down in Kenya, but we offer you the greatness of our Canadian sponsor, Sparkplug Coffee. use our "HYES" promo code and get a onetime 20% discount. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen. Rate and review our shows in your app too. Look for all our postings on YouTube too (@hyesellis in the search bar). Subscribe there, but also comment and like the show. Contact us. By email we're "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". By social media, try Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis).

Many boxing movies have surpassed what Robert Wise and Paul Newman brought to the screen in Somebody Up There Likes Me, but their biopic DID win 2 technical Oscars. Newman is not at his best playing Rocky Graziano, an angry young delinquent who turned a life spent in various forms of trouble into a championship boxing career. He was still new to movies though and wasn't to be laconic and cool as he get to be in other roles. This was clearly a huge influence on the most-famous fictional boxer, Sly Stallone's Rocky Balboa. Ryan had fun with that comparison in this solo show, which is the 653rd edition of Have You Ever Seen. So step into the ring and take advantage of your hate as we ring in the spring this Oscar Month with a monologue about Somebody Up There Likes Me. Well, Actually: the content in the 3rd trivia question is inaccurate: Newman had 10 Oscar nominations in total, 9 for acting and 1 for producing (plus, Denzel Washington has 10 in total too because he was nominated for producing Fences). Also, to be crystal clear, the next solo show won't be on April 4th. It will be on Monday, March 24th. Bev will miss that day as she continues to recover from her surgery. Invest some bucks in Sparkplug Coffee. They give our listeners a onetime 20% discount. Just use our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcast app. Write a review of our work and give us a 5 star rating. And subscribe to us on YouTube as well (@hyesellis in the search bar). Comment and like as well. To say things to us, compose an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Or use the social media apparatus. Ryan is @moviefiend51 and ryan-ellis on Twi-X and Bluesky while Bev is @bevellisellis and bevellisellis on those 2 apps.

It's St. Patrick's Day, so Have You Ever Seen #652 gets into an IRA frame of mind, puts on some green and talks about John Ford's The Informer. The legendary director and leading man Victor McLaglen won Oscars, but the set-bound film itself lost out to the epic grandeur of Mutiny On The Bounty for Best Picture. McLaglen plays a pathetic liar who betrays and rats out a fellow Irishman to British authorities...and deals with his guilt (badly) by blowing all his blood money as soon as possible. So pour a Guinness, boyos & girlos and prepare for another Ryan monologue here in Oscar Month as the 90-year-old The Informer is on deck. Pour some Irish whiskey into your Sparkplug Coffee. Or don't. Have You Ever Seen listeners can use our "HYES" promo code and get a 20% discount. The website if "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Don't forget to rate this podcast and write a review. And subscribe! Feeding back to us can be achieved in a number of ways. Try email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. Try Bluesky: "ryan-ellis" and "bevellisellis". Or go with Twi-X: "@moviefiend51" and "@bevellisellis".

Oscar Month continues! Bev's couple of weeks off begins! She's not here to talk about The King's Speech, which is a classy movie that ended up being a huge hit, even though it's about a group of people that Ryan has never liked: the royals? A monarchy? In a democracy? Yet, credit where it's due, Tom Hooper does an admirable job of making a non-fan care about the king of England and his enunciation---and also Nazi-related---troubles. Colin Firth won gold for his work as the stuttering Prince Albert/King George VI who gets a job he never wanted while his supportive wife (Helena Bonham Carter) and unorthodox speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) are just about his only support system. The King's Speech is often quite touching and it's even inspirational, showing a privileged man have to deal with confidence issues, loneliness, his uncaring fellow royals and duty to his country. So don't storm off in anger. Just tune into the 651st episode of Have You Ever Seen and listen to one man's speech...about a speech. Well, Actually: while Slumdog Millionaire started the trend of the entire cast & crew in attendance at the Oscars going up on stage when the film wins Best Picture, the entire LOTR: ROTK cast & crew DID go up on stage the year THEY won Best Picture. Also, Helena Bonham Carter plays "Bellatrix Lestrange" in the Harry Potter series, not "Beatrix". We are sponsored by the coffee that's fit for a king or a queen: Sparkplug Coffee. Using our "HYES" promo code will get our fans a onetime 20% discount. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our podcast in your app, but also write a review and rate our show. We're on YouTube as well (@hyesellis in the search bar), so comment all you wish and stroke the like button. Send us an email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. On the social media sites, Ryan is "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky.

All The King's Men is a political movie, so Ryan decided to get very political in this one-man show. In fact, warning: don't listen to the 650th edition of Have You Ever Seen if you're a Trump supporter...because he gets lambasted. As for the movie in question, it's a good one. A man who saw into the future, Robert Rossen, writes and directs a film that's effective at showing a cruel and corrupt governor does business...and how that's connected to the wanton acts of the cruel and corrupt current president. Broderick Crawford plays Huey Long-esque Willie Stark, who's a performer first and foremost, then proves to be a gigantic phony. Rossen's film is complicated though because the man who takes dirty money uses it to build things the state needs. So strap in tight for an episode all about All The King's Men, but also often about the certain loathsome individual who must have seen this and taken notes. Well, Actually: the Danny DeVito line in Heist is "everybody needs money", not "everybody loves money". Also, it's true that seatbelts weren't made mandatory in cars for another few decades after when this film is set. Sparkplug Coffee can ordered by Bostonians, New Yorkers, anyone from the U.S. and Canada. Sparkplug will give our fans a onetime 20% discount. Use the "HYES" promo code to get that. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our show in your podcast app, but also rate us and write a review. Do some of those same things on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar), but comment all you wish and like the show there. Social media: Ryan is "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis on Bluesky. Email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com.

The Ellises have a next-day chat about the 97th Academy Awards in our 2025 Oscars Post-View. The year 2024 was not a banner 12 months for film, but, in the end, the voters pointed at independent film Anora the most often, giving it 5 trophies…including Best Picture. Sean Baker set a record by winning 4 Oscars (at least, in the types of categories in which he won), with 2of those being for his screenplay and for his direction. The awards were spread around fairly well beyond that (8 out of 10 Best Picture nominees won at least 1 piece of gold), although the show didn't wow or move us too much. It was just an okay---and very long---broadcast. Conan O'Brien was funny, as we expected he would be, while the speeches got serious & political at times…as we expected they would. Some people, though, thought they had all night to ramble on up there. In any case, fire up our 33-ish minutes of post-Oscars analysis here on Have You Ever Seen.  Try Sparkplug Coffee. Our listeners can get a onetime 20% discount by using our “HYES” promo code. The website is “sparkplug.coffee/hyes”.  Subscribe to us, but also rate & write a review our show in your podcast app.  Contact us: @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X. On Bluesky, we're ryan-ellis and bevellisellis. Our email is haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. On YouTube, we're @hyesellis in the search bar. Comment, like, subscribe, etc.

One of the most-legendary filmmakers of all time only directed one movie to a Best Picture Oscar…and Rebecca was it. Alfred Hitchcock slickly portrays the brutal treatment of the victimized newlywed Joan Fontaine. She's a target for everyone in the film, especially a vicious housekeeper played by Judith Anderson and a neglectful and possibly homicidal husband played by Laurence Olivier. But did Hitch enjoy what Fontaine's character goes through...or does he sympathize with her? And just how much of a compromise is the censored version of the unseen title character's fate in this stylish, gothic thriller? So throw the 648th edition of Have You Ever Seen into those holes in the sides of your head as we head to Manderley and whisper about what's going on in Rebecca. Feel free to write as many memos as you want like the control freak David Selznick used to do, but jotting all those notes down would be aided by sipping Sparkplug Coffee. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and get yourself a 20% discount. Review our podcast and give us a rating, but also subscribe. Do the same on YouTube, under our hyesellis location on the 'Tube (comment, like, etc). Respond to us by emailing (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), tweeting (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or Blueskying (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis). 

Our 10th Annual Oscars Preview podcast is the 647th chat on Have You Ever Seen...and it's an in-depth look at the controversial 97th Academy Awards. First-time host Conan O'Brien will probably riff on the dirt, but also how this is one of those “who are you people” Oscars. Yeah, it just wasn't a terrific year for film and the nominations reflect that...particularly in major categories like Best Picture and Best Director. It also seems like people watched 15 or 20 movies all year, then just picked them as nominees in nearly every category. So fire up our show to hear if we think this will be the year of a sex-worker winning all the big prizes. Or will it be the year of a transgender drug lord? Or maybe it'll be the year of a surly, green witch. Or a brutal artist. Gulp down some Sparkplug Coffee on Sunday night. Our listeners get a onetime 20% discount by using our "HYES" promo code. The website? It's "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our channel, but also rate and review our chats in your podcast app. And follow us on social media: @moviefiend51 and ryan-ellis for Ryan on Bluesky and @bevellisellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky. Email us: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. And seek out the show on YouTube. The destination in the search bar is @hyesellis. Comment, like and don't leave before you subscribe.

As you'll hear in this 646th dose of Have You Ever Seen, The Postman Always Rings Twice is thought of by many to be the epitome of film noir. Tay Garnett's sexy thriller based on James M Cain's book gives us passion, lust, deceit, betrayal and death, so it hits those vital marks to be a key part of this genre. Lana Turner is the lady in white who gets her employee John Garfield to kill for her. She's the standout between the two of them, but is she really the baddest of all femme fatales? Tune into this one-Ryan show about The Postman Always Rings Twice to find out! Well, Actually: at the 4:35 mark, it should have been "Cora eventually falls hard for drifter Frank", not "drifter Nick".  Go the “sparkplug.coffee/hyes” website and you'll be on your way to a onetime 20% discount from our friends at Sparkplug.  Subscribe to this podcast. Rate and review it too,  We post our shows on YouTube as well (@hyesellis in the search bar). Comment, like, subscribe, tell your friends. To let us know what you think of our thoughts about the movies we cover, email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). On social media, we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X and we're ryan-ellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky.

Cinderella is on the shortlist for the most famous fairy tales of 'em all. And, after a rough stretch in the '40s, Walt Disney's genius animators beautifully adapted this legendary story to help bring the struggling studio back into the black. Trouble is, the cutesy mice sidekicks aren't nearly as funny as other Disney sidekicks were (or have been since) and some plot elements border on the stupid. We got into the issues of princess culture, abusive family members and the whirlwind romance Cinderella has with the personality-free prince. So enjoy your impractical footwear and avoid waiting until it's almost midnight as the 645th edition of Have You Ever Seen bats it back and forth about the bibbidi bobbidi cartoon. Well, Actually: the horse (Major) is transformed into the coachman by the Fairy Godmother's magic and the dog (Bruno) is transformed into the footman. Cinderellie, Cinderellie lives (spoiler alert) happily ever after, but she might be able to find a way to be even happier if she could order Sparkplug Coffee. They give our listeners a onetime 20% discount. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review this podcast in your app, but also take the time to tap that subscribe button. Hit us with feedback. Reaching us by email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) is one way. Twi-X is another (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). So is Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis). We also post our shows on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar). Comment, like and also subscribe.

No one has to think Love Story is a good movie to acknowledge that it's a beloved romance that made an absolute killing at the box office 55 years ago. The AFI remembers Arthur Hiller's film fondly too. It's just that we Ellises aren't at all sorry to say that we aren't as enamored as millions of other people have been. It feels rushed and story beats aren't allowed to breathe, plus---Oscar nominations or not---the performances certainly weren't award-worthy. The title of the movie is appropriate too because the overly-earnest story is focused on the love between Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw...and absolutely nothing else. In any case, as Valentine's Day approaches, settle in for our 644th episode about the preppy boy and the sassy girl who headline Old Love Month here on Have You Ever Seen. Well, Actually: "after all, tomorrow is another day" from Gone With The Wind is 31st on AFI's Top 100 Quotes. Sparkplug Coffee can ordered by Bostonians, New Yorkers, or anyone from the U.S. and Canada. They'll give our fans a onetime 20% discount. Use "HYES" promo code to get that. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcast app. Also, write a review and rate the podcast. Hunt for us on YouTube as well (@hyesellis in the search bar). Comment on the 'Tube and also like the show there. Don't forget to subscribe too. Contacting us can be via email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or through social media. Ryan is "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis on Bluesky.

Witness is a tense thriller as much as it is a sweet love story, but Peter Weir's typically sensitive direction balances those elements very well. He also led Harrison Ford to his only Oscar nomination, which seems hard to believe for a guy who's been such a big movie star for such a long time. Lukas Haas plays a young Amish Pennsylvanian who witnesses a vicious murder in the washroom of a train station, then Philly detective Ford has to protect him and his mother (Kelly McGillis) from retribution by the dirty cops who did the deed. And, throughout, Ford & McGillis slowly fall for each other. So stare meaningfully at your crush for 2 hours as we present the 643rd episode on Have You Ever Seen in a way the Amish wouldn't approve of: electronically. Do what the Lapp family and their friends cannot and go on your computer to order Sparkplug Coffee. Our listeners will get a onetime 20% discount. Just use our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcast app, but also rate and write a review of our shows. Contact us. Email is one way to do that (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Ryan can be found "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and under "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky. And find our efforts on YouTube (@hyesellis in their search bar). Comment, like and subscribe.

1950 was a year in which legendary classics like All About Eve and Sunset Blvd were released, but one of their competitors for the Best Picture Oscar was Vincente Minnelli's light comedy...which is itself a low-key classic. Father Of The Bride is well-written and it has more laughs than most movies that came out in that era, largely because Spencer Tracy knew how to be funny in a dignified way. He's nearly at his best in this as a successful lawyer...and he's also Elizabeth Taylor's dad. He's self-absorbed and unable to accept that his daughter has grown up & ready to get married, but he's lovable all the same. Kudos to Joan Bennett too as the MOTHER Of The Bride. Father Of The Bride may be fluffy, but it packs a bit of a melancholy punch, especially if you happen to be middle-aged like we are. So we begin the shortest month of the year with our first episode in "Old Love Month" on Have You Ever Seen in this 642nd edition. Sparkplug Coffee would be great at a wedding reception. Order some using our "HYES" promo code and nab a onetime 20% discount. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review our podcast on your app. And for dad's sake, subscribe too. Contact us. Our email is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". On social media, we're "ryan-ellis" and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky and "@moviefiend51" and "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X. We also post our episodes on YouTube at some point on the day we post a new podcast. It's @hyesellis in the search bar on the 'Tube. Comment, like and subscribe.

While Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass might be dated now, it was certainly controversial 15 years ago. It's jammed with violence and bad language...and many of those naughty words come out of the mouth of an 11-year-old girl. But it's also a story about a young nobody who becomes a star on social media and goes on to save his city from very bad guy. Take away that he DOES become a superhero and this movie IS our current culture. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays the title character and he's about as average as he always is, but Chloe Grace Moretz is fantastic as the merciless Hit-Girl. And while Kick-Ass' Big Bad, Mark Strong, is just okay and Christopher Mintz-Plasse is nothing special as Kick-Ass' friend/foil, Nicolas Cage has a phenomenal time playing Moretz's vengeful dad. And even though Vaughn's adaption of the comic book is colourful and often fun as it explores the theme of "what if a regular kid tried to be a superhero", it doesn't really deliver on that promise. This is a pretty long 641st edition of Have You Ever Seen, so start up the Mist Mobile and plop our podcast into that rockin' sound system as you patrol the streets. Staying up late fighting villains might require some caffeine. Order Sparkplug Coffee to help you out with that. Have You Ever Seen listeners get a onetime 20% discount. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to this podcast in your app. Also, write a review and rate us. Send us an email: "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". Ryan is "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky. And look for all of our shows on YouTube. Type "@hyesellis" in the search bar). Comment, like and subscribe.

Charlie Chaplin's The Kid represents the 3rd-oldest movie we've ever reviewed, but it continues to be an accessible story 104 years later. Chaplin adopts Jackie Coogan and they live a life of squalor---and also chicanery---but they ARE happy together. There's genuine affection between these two actors. Coogan's performance was a landmark for child actors while Chaplin was, as always, a comic virtuoso. He's responsible for 6 jobs in one movie, which was typical for him. The biggest bugaboo is that Chaplin's film is more touching than it is funny. Just look at that kid plead for his "dad"! In any case, episode #640 of Have You Ever Seen is another Ryan monologue, so devour one man's thoughts about The Kid. Check out our sponsor's website: "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Sparkplug gives our listeners a onetime 20% discount. Just use our "HYES" promo code. Subscribe to our podcast in your app, but also rate and write a review of it. There are a slew of ways to contact us. Email is one option: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. Ryan is "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky. And look for our show on YouTube (@hyesellis in their search bar). Comment, like and subscribe.

Grizzly Man represents Bev's 2nd movie of choice this month, a documentary about another documentarian as Werner Herzog looks into the troubled life of nature-crusader Timothy Treadwell. He would go into the Alaskan wilderness every summer (often with a girlfriend) and befriend bears, but his hubris and narcissism eventually led where it almost had to: him getting eaten by a hungry bear. His girlfriend died too though, which is the real tragedy because she wasn't asking for it. Did he have a death wish or did he just think the experts had no idea what they were talking about? We dig into the psychology of the subject in Grizzly Man, but also of Herzog himself in this 639th edition of Have You Ever Seen, so pack some bags and get ready to play with foxes and some big, hungry bears. Well, Actually: the expression that the act of observing something can change it is simply called the "observer effect". Sparkplug Coffee offers our listeners a 20% discount if they use our "HYES" promo code (onetime only). The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our show in your podcast app, but also rate us and write a review. Do some of those same things on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar), but comment all you wish and like the show there. Social media: Ryan is "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis on Bluesky. Email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com.

This is the 3rd straight January in which Have You Ever Seen has talked about a Buster Keaton comedy classic. Reviews of most of the man's great silent films are now on this channel, including our podcast about The General that went up nearly 12 years ago. And if this incredible stuntman and stonefaced actor isn't a must-see for serious film buffs, then just who is? Although, while Steamboat Bill Jr. has an effective story and it's exciting and fun, it's just not very funny. And that's a common tale with old movies. In this, Buster's disapproving father wants him---but also DOESN'T want him---to be part of the crew of his riverboat steamer. There's heated competition with a rich guy, who has a daughter that Buster is sweet on. And then came a cyclone, complete with a collapsing house and a gutsy actor standing there underneath it. The last 15 or 20 minutes played during that violent storm make Steamboat Bill Jr entirely worth your time. So cozy up for a Ryan monologue in our 638th edition. Sparkplug Coffee sponsors this podcast. They offer a 20% discount for those who use our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate this podcast in your app. Review our shows. And subscribe! We also give you the YouTube option. Look up @hyesellis on the 'Tube, then like, comment and, of course, subscribe. Also, talk to us. Social media is an option. Ryan is "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky. Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com".

The 637th edition of Have You Ever Seen kicks off the 10th Annual Month O' Bev. Joel & Ethan Coen's True Grit was unusual for them, in that it was a blockbuster. It was also nominated for all kinds of awards, including 10 Oscars...something the brothers WERE used to. The cinematography, the production design and the florid language are standouts in this remake of the 1969 western. Jeff Bridges plays it very broad, but he's still pretty good in the role that won John Wayne an Oscar, while Matt Damon...well, we were split on his work. But their teenaged costar, Hailee Steinfeld, made a huge splash in a remarkable debut. This movie belongs to "Sis", who's more than a little determined to get retribution for her pa's death. So mount up as you ride horsies with contemptible allies and we piece our way through the Coen Brothers' True Grit. Invest some of your Christmas money in Sparkplug Coffee. And then SAVE some money by using our "HYES" promo code to take advantage of our discount code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Did you admire our sand? Well, if you did, rate, review and subscribe to our podcast in your app. Or find us on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar). Hit us with some of your own thoughts about this movie...or others we've reviewed. Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". Our social media stuff is: Ryan "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky while Bev is "@bevellisellis" on Twi-X and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky.

To wrap up the year, Have You Ever Seen episode #636 reviews our first Peter Sellers movie in over 10 years. He was flawlessly funny in Dr. Strangelove (which is the other film we reviewed) and he's note-perfect in Being There too. Hal Ashby had a very-underrated run of greatness in the '70s, directing powerful dramas like Coming Home, but also making truly funny-yet-cynical yuck-fests like Shampoo and this. In Being There, Sellers plays an illiterate gardener who supposedly-intelligent people believe is the wisest man they know. Melvyn Douglas won an Oscar playing a dupe who projects so much onto this blank slate, partly because he's a well-dressed, pleasant, older man. The film is also prescient about presidential politics, with Sellers spouting inoffensive platitudes...and then there's that infamous Jesus imagery at the end. It's quite a ride. So we hope you like to listen as much as Chance/Chauncey likes to watch as the Ellises bid you Happy New Year and present a gab about Being There. There might be growth in the spring, but don't wait until then to order Sparkplug Coffee. They provide a onetime 20% discount to listeners who use the "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review this podcast in your app, but also subscribe to us. And subscribe to, like and comment on the show on YouTube (@hyesellis on the 'Tube). You can also fire off an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). And try us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis).

"Dread" and "frantic" are key words when describing Prisoners, Denis Villeneuve's bleak (but excellent) thriller about how evil people can push others to the darkest of dark sides. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal headline a strong cast. In fact, there are marvelous performances throughout this intense and disturbing drama. Aaron Guzikowski's intricate screenplay is a real highlight here, but Prisoners' complex story comes together because of Villeneuve's excellent direction. So counter-program the lightness of the holiday season by joining Ryan in a solo show as we all become demons during this 635th edition of Have You Ever Seen. Sparkplug Coffee offers outstanding beans and they also offer our listeners a onetime 20% discount. Use our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our podcast, but also give us a rating and write a review. We post all our shows on YouTube as well (@hyesellis in your browser). Comment, like and subscribe. Fire off an email to us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). And follow us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis), Threads (@bevellisellis) and Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis).

Surprise...it's a bonus episode! Have You Ever Seen #634 is another Ryan solo show. And in it, the monologue is about baseball players, journalists and a lot of liars. Meet John Doe's climax also takes place on Christmas Eve, so Frank Capra's rabble-rouser is timely in that way. It's unfortunate his speech-filled dramedy isn't funnier though, even if it's certainly inspirational. Gary Cooper plays a homeless man who isn't actually suicidal or an idealist, but Barbara Stanwyck had written a newspaper column saying he is...so they run with that lie. Meet John Doe ends up being populist v tycoon (a tycoon who highjacks the movement for his own ends) with a country galvanized by a forgotten man saying all the right things...even if he started out as a fraud. Fire this thing up. Get your java ready for the present-opening tomorrow...and if you haven't already, start making your coffee of choice Sparkplug Coffee. They offer our listeners a onetime 20% discount by using our "HYES" discount code. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review Have You Ever Seen on your podcast app and subscribe to us. Find us on social media. Ryan is @moviefiend51 on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is @bevellisellis on Twi-X & Threads while she's just "bevellisellis" on Bluesky. Email us with your own extensive thoughts about the films we discuss (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). And seek our shows out on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). Comment there, like the show and subscribe to it.

With Christmas just a few days away, the 633rd episode on this Have You Ever Seen channel is the right time to talk about one of the funniest holiday movies. The Santa Clause is not just a consistent laugh-getter. It's also touching...and those are 2 good reasons the flick has been so rewatchable. Tim Allen made his film debut in John Pasquin's blockbuster and it's like we said about Galaxy Quest: cast him in the right role and it's hard to think of anyone better. He's the bad dad who's forced into being the jolly man in red...but was it all a set-up? We talk a lot about that. We also talked a lot about The Santa Clause 2, since we watched that a few days later. So bring your broken family together at the holidays, call off your amber alert (not "orange" alert) and use a snow globe to get your dad to come home from work as we have a good old time yapping about The Santa Clause. Order some Sparkplug Coffee for your New Year's party...or just because it's good and the holidays don't need to determine your drinking options. Our "HYES" promo code will save you 20%. So it's "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review our podcast and subscribe to it in your app. Look for us on YouTube. It's "@hyesellis" in your browser. Email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Fire off some bon mots on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Bev uses that @ on Threads too, plus no @, but "bevellisellis" on Bluesky. And Ryan is "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were at the height of their careers when they jumped at the chance to work with the great Stanley Kubrick. He hadn't directed a movie in 12 years, then he died before Eyes Wide Shut was even released...so it turned out to be his final film. And it's a long, complex film, which Kubrick took over a year to shoot. It's a sex movie that isn't very sexy...but was that intentional? And even though the centrepiece scene is a ritualistic orgy that leads to threats and possibly murder, was Kubrick actually making a comedy? Whether others find Eyes Wide Shut to be a hoot or not, there are undeniably serious themes like jealousy, infidelity and death. We analyze Kidman & Cruise and their real-life marriage in this 632nd episode too, also addressing the hype and gossip that came out of the legend of Eyes Wide Shut. So strap on a mask on and do a lot of watching during a not-very-erotic orgy as Have You Ever Seen pieces through the infamous Eyes Wide Shut. If you men only knew you could get a 20% discount off the premium coffee offered by Sparkplug Coffee, well, then you'd take advantage of our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Kindly rate, review and subscribe to our podcast on your app. Find us on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser), where we hope you'll like, comment on the show and subscribe. Email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). And on social media, we're: @moviefiend51 and ryan-ellis for Ryan on Twi-X and Bluesky while Bev is @bevellisellis on Twi-X & Threads, bevellisellis on Bluesky.

Billy Crystal was on a big hot streak in the late '80s and early '90s, topped by this comedy-western blockbuster. Ron Underwood directed City Slickers and did a terrific job balancing the laughs with all the mid-life crises of the 3 main characters. It's a comedy with some sting. What this film does best is connect with middle-aged men who are going through the things that Crystal, Bruno Kirby and Daniel Stern are. Jack Palance though plays a man who knows about that "one thing"...and he was the one who won an Oscar. So ride horses, rope cows and connect with your best buddies on a cattle drive as the 631st edition of Have You Ever Seen yahoos it up for City Slickers. Sparkplug Coffee sells a sensational bean, which doesn't even require a cattle-spooking portable grinder. Just grind them some other way! And our listeners can acquire a 20% discount by using our "HYES" discount code. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review this podcast, but also subscribe to us. Say helloooo! Ryan is @moviefiend51 on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Bev is "@bevellisellis" Twi-X and Threads and "bevellisellis" on Bluesky. Our email is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". And we post all our shows on YouTube. It's "@hyesellis" in your browser. Comment, like and subscribe.

Bev is off for this 630th edition of Have You Ever Seen, so Ryan is in monologue mode talking about The Polar Express. The turn of the century saw Robert Zemeckis direct 3 consecutive motion-capture animated films (2 of which are Christmas movies), which were expensive and, to many viewers, very off-putting with that "uncanny valley" quality of the character's faces. Tom Hanks wore the tight suit to portray a half-dozen characters and he does just as many voices, although he mostly mostly sounds like Tom Hanks playing the conductor and Santa Claus. This (horror?) film is pretty exciting though, with the kids often put in terrifying danger on that train. Zemeckis' long career is also thoroughly analyzed because it's been a "tale of 2 Bobs", comparing the first 20+ years of his career to the last 20. So, Hero Boys and Hero Girls, believe in the artistry while you wonder, as many did, why The Polar Express couldn't be as fun as it is odd. Well, Actually: Cast Away was overlooked as one of Zemeckis' Top 10 hits, so 5 of his Top 10 films did in fact get released this century. Save some hot chocolate for a kid and also some Sparkplug Coffee for an adult. Sparkplug offers our listeners a 20% discount (onetime only) just by using our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate, review and subscribe to our podcast in your favourite app. Do the same on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser), where you can comment, like and subscribe to our channel. Contact us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Bev is reachable on Threads using that same @. Ryan is "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky and Bev is "bevellisellis". And we're always up for an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com).

Danny DeVito has done all manner of laughter, seriousness and biopics for going on 50 years. When he directs movies though, they tend to be dark comedies. Pitch black. Case in point, the often-meanspirited War Of The Roses, which is his best and funniest film. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are just about at their career best as the (title) hateful married couple. They're rich yuppies, who have everything, until they commit to destroying it all because neither will let the other get to keep their big house. He's oblivious and patronizing while she's resentful and, eventually, murderous. But since DeVito's tongue is always in his cheek, it's a lot of fun. So don't let your empty nest get wrecked by spite. Take a breath, cherish those tchotchkes and, for the love of the kids, listen to the 629th edition of Have You Ever Seen as we talk about the Roses going to War. Make sure to get Sparkplug Coffee in the divorce. Our listeners can score a onetime 20% discount if they use our "HYES" promo code. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our podcast on your app! And also rate and review the show. Plus, there are many ways to feed us back. Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". We're on Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis) and also Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Bev also goes by that @ on Threads. And we always post the 'cast on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). Comment, like and subscribe to our channel.

The 628th edition of Have You Ever Seen has Ryan doing a monologue about The Hunchback Of Notre Dame. William Dieterle directs this adaptation of Victor Hugo's tragic novel as a strange love triangle, with both Cedric Hardwicke's Frollo and Charles Laughton's Quasimodo falling hard for Maureen O'Hara's Esmeralda. Perc Westmore's makeup and many other technical aspects of this production are quite impressive, but the huge Notre Dame set and Laughton's performance as the title character are A+. A theme of persecution by both the fickle masses and by the bloodthirsty powers-that-be was timely when Hunchback was made in the late '30s, but it unfortunately remains relevant today. And while the Hunchback Of Notre Dame is not a fun film, it's a pretty terrific one. Try Sparkplug Coffee. They give our listeners a 20% discount just by using our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review our podcast on your app. Subscribe to us. And give us feedback. We like emails (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) and buzzes on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Bev uses that same @ on Threads/ We're both on Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis). Also, find our shows on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). Comment, like and subscribe.

Bob Fosse's autobiographical musical about how he makes art until he dies is all about a guy who's doing too much and can't cope, yet he's compelled to never stop working. Name an addiction and he's got it. Yet his 8 1/2-esque story---with Roy Scheider playing a heightened version of his director---is a potent one, with all its flashy editing, production design and terrific choreography. We weren't huge fans of the songs in All That Jazz, but these actors sure can dance, especially Ann Reinking (whose name is pronounced "Rine-king"). So...5, 6, 7, 8...put on some black clothes and do your heart-killing morning routine every day as the 627th edition of Have You Ever Seen pieces through All That Jazz. Start your day with Sparkplug Coffee, rather than Dexedrine and a cigarette in the shower. Listeners of this podcast can take advatange of our "HYES" promo code and save 20%. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Let us know your feelings about All That Jazz. Emails are good (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) and so are hellos on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Bev goes by that on Threads too while Ryan just recently got on Bluesky (ryan-ellis). Rate and review all our podcasts on your app (also subscribe to our show), but also look for us on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). We would love it if you'd comment, like and subscribe.

Sometimes we turn into a fanboy and a fangirl for an entire episode...and this is one of those times. Have You Ever Seen #626 has us absolutely loving Galaxy Quest, which is director Dean Parisot's best film and it's also probably the best-ever Star Trek movie. All the characters get terrific arcs, but particularly Tim Allen as the arrogant commander. As great as he is in the leading role, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Enrico Colantoni and especially Sam Rockwell are hilarious throughout too. They play bad actors from a cancelled sci-fi TV show who get to become heroes, as Colantoni and the alien Thermians enlist the humans to battle a great villain (Robin Sachs as Sarris). And the obsessive nerds who worship the stars of their favourite show get to be heroes too. So discover that intense fandom can be what saves your life as we rave and then rave some more about Galaxy Quest. Before you take a galactic risk and activate the Omega 13, order some Sparkplug Coffee. Our "HYES" discount code will save you 20% off your next order. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Send us a historical document via email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or a buzz on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Hit Bev up on Threads using that @. Express your fandom by giving us a good rating and a nice review on your podcast app. And subscribe there, but also do that AND comment & like our show on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser).

Our 625th episode is another Ryan solo show, with the topic of the day being George Cukor's 1954 take on A Star Is Born. Judy Garland plays a movie star on the way up while James Mason plays a movie star on the way down. While Garland was the one who was struggling with addiction in reality, Mason's character is the one who's a raging alcoholic bringing much pain to his wife, who also happens to be his discovery. She sure can sing though in this "musical"...and she sings a lot. The film is WAY too long and, while Cukor's version is a favourite of many, Bradley Cooper's 2018 ASIB is just plain better. In any case, imma let you finish your speech at an awards show, but first let's talk about tough times in Hollywood as Have You Ever Seen analyzes a beloved classic. Get you some Sparkplug Coffee. Our listeners can nab a 20% discount by using our "HYES" promo code. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Let us know your thoughts by hitting us up on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or Threads (@bevellisellis) or by emailing (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), . Rate and review our show in your podcast app. And take a gander at our growing library of titles on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). Comment, like and subscribe to the channel.

A sci-fi movie about nuclear war sounds like a depressing way to honour veterans on their day, but not when the podcast is about one of the greatest (horror) movies ever made. James Cameron didn't have much of a budget to make The Terminator, but it started a franchise. And it stars the unlikeliest of movie stars, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Michael Biehn and Linda Hamilton are terrific too, but Ah-nuld playing a murderous machine is his signature role, even if he's all wrong for an infiltration unit. He's a futuristic, murderous cyborg who's sent back in time to kill the woman who will become the mother of leader of the resistance. The chase is on. The Terminator is thrilling and it never lets up and it's all built on the back of a great screenplay. Yeah, Cameron introduces a lot of paradoxes and they don't all track, but the actors are so good in these roles that their intense performances make up for a lot of the "but how?" angles. So upgrade your pet from a lizard to a dog and prepare for a horrific future while this 624th edition of Have You Ever Seen has Ryan monologuing about The Terminator. Try Sparkplug Coffee. You can take advantage of a 20% discount if you use our "HYES" promo code. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Feedback options: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) and Threads (@bevellisellis). Look for our shows on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser), then drop some comments, a like and a be a subscriber. And, finally, do us a solid by rating and reviewing our podcast in your app.

Nice and uplifting movies like The Straight Story are a welcome sight in a world that's evermore cynical and meanspirited. David Lynch, a man known for sex and violence, was an usual choice to direct a real-life story about an elderly man riding his lawnmower across state lines just so he could visit his ailing brother. Still, despite some wonky acting from some of the non-professional actors, this is one of the director's finest film. Sissy Spacek is pretty great in her limited screen time as Richard Farnsworth's daughter, while Farnsworth's last performance is probably his BEST performance. He's just remarkable, playing a thoughtful man who's near the end of his life. His often-watery eyes have often inspired one of us to have watery eyes watching this film. So spend some quiet time looking up at the stars as you slowly motor across the heartland while our 623rd podcast glides through the G-rated loveliness of The Straight Story. Well, Actually: to clarify what the Salon reviewer Charles Taylor wrote about this movie, he said "it's as wonderfully strange as anything Lynch has done". Preparing for a long road trip across the midwest? Buy some Sparkplug Coffee! They give our listeners a onetime 20% discount. Just our "HYES" promo code. So it's "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review our podcast on your app. Look for our shows on YouTube. The address in your browser should be "@hyesellis". Comment, like and subscribe to our channel. We're also on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Bev is on Threads with that same handle. And hit us with an email or two (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com).

Happy Halloween! Scary Movie Month comes to an end with this 622nd edition of Have You Ever Seen. No, this episode isn't about George Romero's 1978 zombie classic where humans hole up in a mall. Ryan's 3rd solo show in 3 days is about Zack Snyder's intense 2004 remake. The original had plenty of blood, guts and thrills, but also a lot of satire. This has even more gore, better acting and action scenes that are even cooler. Sarah Polley and Ving Rhames lead a not-remarkably-famous cast, most of whom DO hold their own and give us a few more emotional moments than you might expect in an action/horror movie. Jake Weber and the scene-stealing Michael Kelly are the standouts. So be one of the last of the Mall-hicans as this monologue grabs the car keys, hits the gas and races away from the undead in an apocalyptic Milwaukee. Before you go out with the kids trick-or-treating, gulp down some coffee to give you a boost. Sparkplug Coffee is the ticket! They offer our listeners a 20% discount just by using our "HYES" promo code (onetime only though). The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Rate and review our podcast on your app. Subscribe to us too! Email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Follow us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis...or find Bev under that same @ on Threads). Discover us on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). Comment, like the show, subscribe to us as well.

Even though The Blair Witch Project didn't invent the genre, it's probably the best-known and the biggest hit of all the found footage movies. The online marketing campaign was especially revolutionary. It's a shame that Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez never hit these heights again as writers or directors, but they got so much mileage out of their made-up story, considering it was mostly improvised by the then-unknown Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams. The unresolved mystery takes a lot of heat for its ambiguity, yet Ryan's one-man show talks about how haunting the whole thing still feels 25 years later. This 621st edition of Have You Ever Seen also talks a lot about who or what might have caused these 3 to disappear. So face the wall on this penultimate day of both October and of Scary Movie Month as this episode tries to figure out the horrific deal in The Blair Witch Project. Additional note: both the fake documentary "The Curse Of The Blair Witch" and the 2016 "Blair Witch" have been rewatched since recording this podcast. The "doc" is indeed very effective and even quite eerie. And while the 2016 sequel has its moments, Adam Wingard is WAY too reliant on jump scares and loud shock moments to bother building the dread the original Blair Witch did. Sparkplug Coffee sponsors Have You Ever Seen. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and use that "HYES" promo code to save 20% off your next order. Say some things to us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Bev goes by that handle on Threads as well. Or email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Rate and review us in your podcast app. And look for these things on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). You can comment all you like, subscribe to the show and hit the thumbs up.

Halloween Week = extra episodes! Ryan talks by himself here about the 1979 Amityville Horror...and a little about the other Amityville flicks too...all of which are based on a horrific real-life tragedy that led to a (possibly made-up) haunting in that same house. James Brolin and Margot Kidder play newlyweds who move into a place on Long Island with her 3 kids, then it starts messing with all of them...especially Brolin's mind. Chairs rock on their own, furious flies fill a room, fathers get mad and walls bleed...but will the Lutzes listen to what Rod Steiger heard early on and "GET OUT"? In any case, for God's sake, download the 620th edition of Have You Ever Seen as Stuart Rosenberg's fairly-effective horror show is discussed in fairly humorous detail. If you can't sleep in your new house, you might as well start pounding coffee and get some wood-splittin' done. We are sponsored by Sparkplug Coffee and they offer fractured families (and everyone else) a 20% discount just by putting our "HYES" promo code into the right place. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Share your own thoughts about the Amityville franchise. We will see what you say on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) and Bev can be reached on Threads under that same @. Or email us at "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". Also, look for our episodes on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). Comment in the space provided, hit the "like" button and subscribe, so you'll see all that we post on the 'Tube. Also, write up a pleasant review and give us a rating on your podcast app.

We kick off a big week on Have You Ever Seen with our 619th episode, a gab about Tim Burton's (probably) best film. One of the quirkiest directors of all time was actually fairly grounded making this lighthearted biopic. Johnny Depp is troublesome these days, but you can't question his work in Ed Wood as the optimistic, yet stunningly self-unaware title filmmaker. And while the entire cast is right there with him, it's the Oscar-winning Martin Landau who stands out the most as horror icon Bela Lugosi. Ed Wood is also quite sympathetic to Ed's lifestyle, whether it's that he's transgender and hasn't pulled the string on that just yet...or it's simply that he likes to wear women's clothes. In any case, Burton and the team accept the weirdness of this entire crew...and also their lack of talent. So be-vare and take carrrrre as we present a talk about the exploits of the "worst director of all time". Sparkplug Coffee is our sponsor. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and get a onetime 20% discount by using our "HYES" promo code. Contact us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or with an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Bev uses that same @ on Threads, incidentally. Rate, review and subscribe to our podcast in your app, but also look for our episodes on YouTube. It's @hyesellis in your browser. Comment all you like, hit the like button and, hey, subscribe.

Most of our choices so far in this year's Scary Movie Month haven't been all that goosebump-inducing. Creature From The Black Lagoon isn't very frightening either, but Jack Arnold's film WAS influential, especially on Guillermo Del Toro and his Oscar-winning The Shape Of Water. The Gill Man in this 1954 Universal Monster flick might look corny now in his creature suit, but the underwater shots the crew got and the stunts they all did down there remain impressive. The most-famous scene is, of course, when the creature yearns for Julie/a Adams as she swims on the surface. Ah, the loneliness of the outcast. But while the title character is violent, you could also say that he's provoked. There's a lot of "bad guy" blame to go around...to Gill AND to the Richards, Carlson & Denning. So set sail on the Rita with our 618th podcast in your ears as we discuss the soggy doings in Creature From The Black Lagoon. Well, Actually: the pronunciation of Ricou Browning DOES seem to be "Rico". Also, the 1975 and 2005 King Kong films should have been called "remakes", not "sequels". Also also, Arthur Ross wrote "The Creature WALKS Among Us", not "The Creature Among Us". Check out Sparkplug Coffee and use our "HYES" promo code to get a onetime 20% discount. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Contact us! Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". On Twi-X, we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis. Bev can be found on Threads with that same handle. Rate and review us on your podcast app. And look for our shows on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser). Comment, like and subscribe.