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Betting on everything is common these days, yet somehow Around The World In Eighty Days isn't on everyone's lips in 2026. And...it shouldn't be. You really feel that 3 hours. Michael Anderson's adventure comedy has posh David Niven circumnavigating the globe with his man-of-action valet, Cantinflas, and they have to do it in the title deadline...while being pursued by an man from Scotland Yard, who thinks he robbed a bank to fund this trip. Producer Mike Todd seemed to will this film into being finished...and then turned it into an award-winning blockbuster, helped immensely by a staggering amount of star cameos. Well, "famous" at the time. And there's young Shirley MacLaine too! So plop this 722nd edition of Have You Ever Seen right onto your device as I analyze Around The World In Eighty Days. Well, Actually: I said it all sorts of ways in this episode, but the editor, Gene Ruggiero's name should be pronounced "rouge-ee-air-oh". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your app. Rate and review the show too. And look for my scribblings on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. Get in touch! Try email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Twi-X (@moviefiend51) and Bluesky (ryan-ellis).
The final podcast on Have You Ever Seen in Black History Month talks for the 4th time about a movie with a primarily black cast. Otto Preminger often directed Issues Movies and here he's dealing with the Gershwin opera that's all about murder, rape, drug addiction, fishing and poverty…with some racism thrown in there too. Porgy And Bess is set-bound and melodramatic though. Bad print aside, the story and the execution often feel phony. The actors DO sell the passion better than the script or maybe even the original opera does. Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Brock Peters, Diahann Carroll and Sammy Davis Jr. actually do a terrific job with this not-always-effective material. So tune in for this 721st episode as I tackle yet another musical here in 2026: Porgy And Bess. Well, Actually: George Gershwin DID write the song "Summertime" for the 1935 opera, but DuBose Heyward came up with the lyrics. Also, for those interested in my quest to see absolutely, positively everything AFI-related, there are developments on that front (other nominated films on various lists) that will be discussed in future shows. Subscribe to the channel in your podcasting app. Rate the show with a delightful 5 stars, but also write a little complimentary review. And on the note of reviews, I talk about various flicks on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. Contacting suggestions: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Twi-X (@moviefiend51) and Bluesky (ryan-ellis).
As February winds down, I spend a lot of time in this 'un talking about 2 versions of Camille where a courtesan's life is ending because of tuberculosis. The main thrust of this 720th episode is George Cukor's take with Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor, then I zipped through a review of the 1921 Camille with Alla Nazimova and Rudolph Valentino. They're both weeper love stories where the men won't take "no" for an answer from the "lady of the Camellias". One of these is better than the other, but..which one?! So grip the love of your life hard by the shoulders and continue to be handsomely poor as my latest dose of Have You Ever Seen has plenty to say about Garbo et al in Camille(s). Well, Actually: Luise Rainer won Best Actress for The Great Ziegfeld the year before, while the Oscar win in 1937 was for The Good Earth. Also, Garbo was 5th (not 4th) on the ladies' side of the Top 100 Stars list. Subscribe to this channel in your app, but also look for my written reviews and ratings on Letterboxd (RyanHYES). Speaking of ratings and review-writing, I'd love it if you would do that for me. Contacting me can be done in 3 easy ways...email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Twi-X (@moviefiend51) and Bluesky (ryan-ellis).
Black History Month has inspired me to cover 3 (of what will be 4) race-related movies in February, but Pinky is the most overt about that charged topic. Ethel Waters has a key role as Jeanne Crain's granny in Elia Kazan's complicated movie...while Crain plays a mixed-race woman who passes for white, dealing with mean-spirited racism in the south while her boyfriend just wants her to go back up north and be white. Pinky turns into a courtroom movie after the dying Ethel Barrymore's racist rich neighbour decides to leave her house to her nurse (Crain)...and the will ends up being contested. I also spent some time talking earnestly about the evolution of race and racism...and about my own history with it. So don't let me guilt you into doing something you don't want to do. Except I'll collapse and probably DIE if you don't put your ears to the 719th ep on Have You Ever Seen. (now THAT's guilt!) Well, Actually: the line about "sometimes when you win, you actually lose" is of course not from When Harry Met Sally...it's from White Men Can't Jump. Also, Kazan was nominated 5 times for Best Director, not 6. Become a subscriber to the channel and help the podcast grow. Rate and review the show as well. And hunt me down on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. The email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". The Twitter handle is "@moviefiend51". And the Bluesky nickname is "ryan-ellis".
Presidents' Day? Bah! Let's talk about a movie a certain POTUS would NEVER watch. Stormy Weather is a somewhat biographical musical about the life of dancing legend Bill Robinson...with Lena Horne, Dooley Wilson, Fats Waller & Cab Calloway sharing the screen with Bojangles. Black people dominate director Andrew Stone's canvas, even though race isn't really the point here. Stormy Weather is just about talented people (including The Nicholas Brothers) singing, dancing and being talented. Fun times, good movie. So download the 718th episode of Have You Ever Seen to get the lowdown from this white Canadian. Subscribe to the show in your app. Rate it. Review it too. And look up my written reviews on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. Contact options are "@moviefiend51" and "ryan-ellis" on Twi-X and Bluesky, while my email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com".
There's no better way to celebrate both Valentine's Day AND also my birthday than by talking about Hell Or High Water! David Mackenzie's layered Robin Hood-esque modern western was my #1 movie of 2016, partly because entire cast is fantastic. Jeff Bridges was nominated for his supporting work, but Ben Foster is even better. And Taylor Sheridan's Texas-set story they're all in is complex because we're rooting for guys who rob banks…and yet everyone other than the retiring Texas Ranger throw their chips in with the thieves Foster and Chris Pine. I also spent a lot of time in this rehashing the infamous 2016 Oscars, but for GOOD reasons. So what DON'T you want, little brother, as I foot my hat to present the 717th edition of Have You Ever Seen. Make this podcast a weekly goal by subscribing…and you'll even get 2 shows more often than not in a given week. Rate and review the show in your app as well. And look for me on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. Contact options: "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X, "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky and haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com as an email.
I'd like to know what's buzzin', cousins, as I bring you the 716th podcast on Have You Ever Seen. Preston Sturges was making a lot of hay in the early '40s, releasing The Lady Eve AND Sullivan's Travels the year before The Palm Beach Story came out. Palm Beach isn't as classic or as funny as THOSE two are, but it's an effectively zany, fast-talkin' rom-com. Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea make for a compelling married NYC couple. She tries to divorce him (you'll never guess where), so she can marry a rich man like Rudy Vallee...and then help her ex out by getting him some money out of the deal. If you think THAT'S whacky, wait until the out-of-deep-left-field ending! But The Palm Beach Story IS a fun time and I've got all kinds of stories to tell about it. Subscribe to this channel and you'll never miss an episode. I'm doing more shows lately...and posting on various days of the week. Rate and review the podcast in your app too. Letterboxd: RyanHYES. Email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. Twi-X: @moviefiend51. And Bluesky: ryan-ellis.
After yesterday's episode about the unchosen 450 actors & actresses who were in fact nominated for the AFI's Top 100 Stars list, now it's time to begin a quest. I will review the films of MANY of the 180-ish folks who this podcast has never discussed. And since Eddie Cantor, Ann Sothern, George Murphy & the Nicholas Brothers are in Kid Millions and the Three Stooges are in Soup To Nuts, I'm knocking 5 names off the "must-cover" list in 1 double episode! This 715th show on Have You Ever Seen digs into the musical-comedy adventure about Cantor inheriting a lot of money (Kid), then it's time for a zany goof about romance & chowderhead firefighters (Nuts). So strap in to hear about these two B&W romps from the '30s as my quest to talk about the previously-unreviewed AFI acting nominees takes flight. Well, Actually: at around the 16-minute mark, the line should have been "these are white actors playing Muslim Africans", not "Muslim Americans". Subscribe! Then you can't miss out when I post shows like this on days other than Monday. Rate and review Have You Ever Seen as well. And I finally posted some new reviews on Letterboxd not long ago! Look for "RyanHYES". Contact me with your OWN thoughts about the films I discuss: "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky, "@moviefiend51" on Twi-x and you can email me at "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com".
Surprise! I didn't say during Monday's episode that I'd be posting 2 podcasts later in the same week, but here's the first one. Here I'm talking about the American Film Institute's Top 100 Stars list, which was really 50 stars (25 men, 25 women). Although their odd numbering method isn't really the point…and neither is their dumb criteria. No, this 714th Have You Ever Seen podcast is REALLY about the 450 people who were nominated, but didn't make the cut. My plan is to review as many of the 180-ish up-until-now-omitted actors & actresses as I possibly can in the months and years ahead. So if you ever wanted to hear a guy rattling off about 500 names, then this monologue about the AFI's Old-Timey Actors is your dream episode! Oh, and tune in again tomorrow when I begin this quest by talking about 2 B&W '30s comedies: Kid Millions and Soup To Nuts. Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your app, but also rate and review the show. To hear more of my rambunctiousness, you can search for me on Letterboxd as well: RyanHYES. Feedback: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Twi-X (@moviefiend51) and Bluesky (ryan-ellis).
It may be Groundhog Day, but I'm talking about Show Boat, the Hammerstein & Kern Broadway musical that was turned into a big-budget movie. Any film with singing that also has subplots about deadbeat husbands, alcoholism and racism (and a scene with blackface) risks failing to pull off such a tricky balance, but Frankenstein director James Whale DOES make it work. He's got Irene Dunne, Allan Jones and Paul Robeson in key roles in the one where performers on a touring boat in the Deep South…eventually end up in Chicago for about half of the often erroneously-titled movie. So let this ol' man podcaster talk to you about "Ol' Man River" (and so much more) in this 713th dash of Have You Ever Seen podcasting. Well, Actually: around the 39:00 mark, the line SHOULD have been that Hammerstein and RODGERS (not Kern) were especially big in the '50s. Subscribe to the podcast in your app. Rate the show and write a review too. Also, hunt down my link on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. To offer your feedback, email me (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), tweet me (@moviefiend51) or try Bluesky (ryan-ellis).
Character actor extraordinaire Edmond O'Brien's insurance investigator is actually the focus in Robert Siodmak's The Killers, but Burt Lancaster is quite powerful in his big-screen debut. And then there's the stunning Ava Gardner as the devious femme fatale. The entire cast is solid, the story is layered in its flashback structure (which is similar to Citizen Kane), plus, the main insurance-claim storyline is similar to what happens in Double Indemnity. And it all works really well. So steal money from your fellow thieves as the 712th podcast on Have You Ever Seen looks at the sinister intrigue and sudden violence in The Killers. Well, Actually: at the 41:00 minute mark, the line should have been "co-starring a WOMAN who doesn't love the main character." Be a bright boy and smart off to me with an email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. Or try social media with Twi-X (@moviefiend51) or Bluesky (ryan-ellis). Review this show and rate it on your app. Subscribe as well. And look me up on Letterboxd: RyanHYES.
In this episode of Lyrically Speaking, we explore “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Through its simple lyrics and timeless imagery, the song reflects on emotional contradictions, quiet struggles, and the experience of facing storms during life's brightest moments. A reflective breakdown of a classic that continues to resonate across generations.
The fabulous Fargo was reviewed on this channel over 10 years ago, but you betcha believe that seeing it again a few weeks ago prompted some note-taking. So while the bright light in Joel & Ethan Coen's very violent comedy, the Oscar-winning France McDormand, is wonderful as the pregnant hero cop--and Macy, Buscemi, Stormare and Presnell are horrible, stupid or both--the point of this fresh Fargo look is to ask Reasonably Good Questions and make some "oh yeah" type points about the plot. So, geez, you're not sellin' me a car here, Jerry! Just lock and load episode #711 of Have You Ever Seen as I dig into Fargo for the second time in about 10 years. Rate the podcast, review it and subscribe. Also, look for my page on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. Contact options: "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com" via email, "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky.
Michael Clayton was released right in the middle of George Clooney's 15-year run of remarkably successful filmmaking. From 1998 to 2013, the charismatic star--who so often played it best when he played it weary--acted in, directed, wrote and/or produced some of the best projects around. He got money, awards...or both. And in Tony Gilroy's directorial debut, Clooney is intense and he's just terrific as a law firm's "fixer". He's assigned to try to talk down mentally-ill super-lawyer Tom Wilkinson, who's tanking a lawsuit because he discovered wrong-doing by the company he represents. Tilda Swinton won an Oscar for her oddball, yet still restrained performance (restrained for her, at least) as a fixer for that evil-doing company. Gilroy's complex throwback to '70s legal thrillers is one of the very best dramas of the Aughts. So admire some horses and scarf a dozen or more loaves of fresh bread while you fire up the 709th episode of Have You Ever Seen. Be a subscriber of this podcast, but also review the show and assign a tidy 5-star rating. Also, look for me to sometimes write reviews on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. Contact options: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Twitter (@moviefiend51) and Bluesky (ryan-ellis).
Ealing Studios has an incredible legacy in England's film history, so they were overdue to get a talking-about on Have You Ever Seen. In The Lavender Hill Mob, Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway and a slew of character actors have plenty of fun being gold thieves trying to pull off the perfect crime. A Fish Called Wanda was another classic comedy directed by Charles Crichton, but he was just as sly at directing all these guys back in the '50s too, not going for big and obvious laughs. Soft smiles, not LOLs. His romp is certainly enjoyable though, travelling from England to France to Brazil. So wield an expensive model of the Eiffel Tower as the 708th edition of this podcast that chatters about The Lavender Hill Mob. Offer up some feedback with an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or a tweet (@moviefiend51) or even a Sky (ryan-ellis on Bluesky). You can also catch up on my written reviews on Letterboxd too: RyanHYES. Rate and review this podcast in your app, but subscribe as well. Then you can't miss non-Monday episodes like this one.
This week on Blamo! I'm joined by one returning guest and one first-timer — Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris.Mac is the current — and ninth ever — National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, a New York Times bestselling author of more than 60 children's books, and a two-time Caldecott Honor recipient. He's also a past Blamo! guest, which made this feel less like an interview and more like picking up a conversation we never really finished.Shawn is an award-winning illustrator and author whose book Have You Ever Seen a Flower? received a Caldecott Honor and is a personal favorite of mine — one of those books that quietly rewires the way you see the world.Mac and Shawn are close friends, serious book people, and — somewhat under-the-radar — real fit gods. We talked about good books, good stories, and good clothes!The First Cat in Space Series*Sponsored by Bezel - the trusted marketplace for buying and selling your next luxury watch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
An uplifting and inspirational dramedy seems like a pretty good way to start 2026 on Have You Ever Seen...although emphasize the drama in that portmanteau because this one isn't big on comedy. Frank Capra made a lot of films about social justice, although this has an unfortunately still-relevant message. Gary Cooper plays the title character, a hair-trigger small-towner who goes to New York and is deemed insane for wanting to give the massive fortune he inherited to those who need it more. Cooper isn't stiff here, for once, and it's actually one of the best things he did, playing a volatile lug-nut who falls hard for liar-liar-pants-on-fire Jean Arthur. So don't go silent when the world turns on you. Just check out my 707th podcast which is, one hopes, anything but silent. Well, Actually: Mayo Methot wasn't married to Humphrey Bogart until 2 years after this movie came out. Also, Hart To Hart DID air in 1979, but the show ran most of its episodes in the early '80s. Subscribe to this show about classic movies and also rate & review it. Also, find my page on Letterboxd (RyanHYES). Contact options: Twi-X (@moviefiend51), Bluesky (ryan-ellis) and email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com).
To wrap up 2025 with the 70th episode of the year (and the 706th show in the history of Have You Ever Seen), it was high time to yap about Tony Scott. Crimson Tide is one of the underrated director's best flicks. His mutiny-on-a-submarine movie stars Gene Hackman as a crass, demanding captain battling his thoughtful, by-the-book executive officer played by Denzel Washington. The often-glaring Denzel and the often-speechifying Hackman are both fantastic...and they're helped by a strong supporting cast that includes a pre-Aragorn Viggo & a pre-Soprano Gandolfini. The tension in this one is as high as it gets, since nuclear war with Russia is at stake. It's just a terrific boat movie. I wish you a hunky dory NYE and I hope you'll spend close to an hour in the last few hours of '25 or in the early days of '26 hearing me rave about Crimson Tide. Subscribe to this show in your podcast app. Review it too. Post a 5-star rating. Also, hunt me down on Letterboxd: RyanHYES. Although act like the characters in the first 20 minutes of this movie and don't rush. We'll get there. Share your own thoughts about my monologues on social media. I'm "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky.
Killer's Kiss was the maestro Stanley Kubrick's second film and it IS amateurish, especially by his incredibly high standards. The technical genius' cast is just okay in this...and they aren't as big and memorable as most of his casts would be in later works. Where's the lowered-brow glare?! Still, Jamie Smith, Irene Kane and Frank Silvera are rock-solid in this thriller about a boxer, a dancer and a gangster. There's ballet and thuggery and mannequins and a few killings in this one too. So with just a few days left in 2025, tune in to check out a fairly brief episode #705 of Have You Ever Seen. If you'd like to drop a line to complain about my continuing audio adventures (although they WILL get better soon!), email me at "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". On social media, I'm "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky and "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X. Oh, and my page on Letterboxd is "RyanHYES". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcasting application, especially now that I'm posting extra content on days OTHER THAN just Mondays. Rate and review the show too.
I can pick 'em because what better way to celebrate Christmas Eve than to talk about an island-bound whodunnit based on an Agatha Christie book?! Director Rene Clair gathered an ensemble cast of acclaimed character actors (including Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston and Judith Anderson) as a stealthy killer exacts sick justice on people accused of murder, using a nursery rhyme as the theme o' death. The book is outstanding and this adaptation is about as good as any of them have been, but there's some misplaced humour and the ending bails on a great premise. Plus, Christie's great story always had some gaps in logic. The film is so good though that it still works. So as you pour some nog and wrap some gifts, tune into my 704th podcast here on Have You Ever Seen to hear about And Then There Were None. Feedback: email is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com", Twi-X is "@moviefiend51" and Bluesky is "ryan-ellis". Rate and review this show, but also subscribe. Then extra episodes on non-Mondays like this one will just appear in your feed. Look up Letterboxd for some written reviews. I'm under "RyanHYES".
With just a few days to go until Christmas, it's time for another movie set on the big day. Not-so-jolly ol' (not a saint) Nic Cage plays an ordinary and restrained regular guy in The Family Man while Tea Leoni is at her most likable and charming as his wife. After splitting up in college, Mister Successful gets a glimpse of what their life COULD have been. The controversial frat-boy Brett Ratner directed a dramedy that's going for a vibe similar to It's A Wonderful Life, including the main character's distaste for his lot in life (in the "Glimpse-verse", at least)…but also giving us a touching ending. So choose us by choosing to listen to the 703rd episode of Have You Ever Seen. And Merry Holidays-mas, one and all! Extra episodes will show up on this channel a few more times this month, so subscribe and you won't miss a thing. Rate the show and review it too. Contact me with an email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. If you're a socialite, I'm ryan-ellis on Bluesky and @moviefiend51 on Twi-X. Letterboxd features my written reviews. I'm RyanHYES on there.
Animated dogs share a plate of spaghetti, furry love is in the air and a classic romance was born 70 years ago in Disney's Lady And The Tramp. The Cocker Spaniel with the great floppy ears charmed her rascally Tramp so much that he even settled down with his "pidge". And while this isn't at the level of Snow White or Pinocchio, it's a lighthearted, enjoyable dog romp that became a blockbuster. On a personal note, all the pooch talk in this 702nd episode had me often reminiscing about my 3 own dear departed four-leggers. So kiss over your pasta as some Italians sing Bella Notte and I spend a half-hour talking about the somewhat-Christmas movie, Lady And The Tramp. Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your glorious podcasting application. Rate the show as well and spend a few minutes writing a review. Contact points are: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Twi-X (@moviefiend51) and Bluesky (ryan-ellis). Oh, and check out Letterboxd (RyanHYES).
We're halfway through the month and only 10 days away from Christmas, so it was time to start featuring red, white and green movies on Have You Ever Seen. And for the 701st episode, I'm prattling on about Jim Carrey playing The Grinch. And does he! The rubber-faced Canadian was about as perfect as anybody could have been playing Dr. Seuss' iconic mean one...and he also brought dozens of over-the-top ad libs and wisecracks to the dance. His schtick doesn't always land though and more than a few things in this film just don't make sense in a kids' picture. Also, Chuck Jones' 1966 animated TV special is classic partly for how sweet it is, including the Whos...who are such jerks here. Ron Howard's impersonal (and inferior) take on the big, green grump & his neighbours is just garish, loud and only occasionally funny. Yet this is one of the great change-of-heart stories ever, so there ARE things to like. So load up with a heaping helping of Who Hash and some roast beast as I talk about How The Grinch Stole Christmas. To let me know that you didn't love the audio distortion in this episode, write me an email to complain: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. I'm working on improving that. Stay tuned. You can also tweet me (@moviefiend51 on Twi-X) or Sky me (ryan-ellis on Bluesky). Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen, especially since extra content is soon coming your way on days other than just Mondays. The show will just pop up in your feed. Rate the show, write a review, tell your friends. I also jot down thoughts about movies old AND new on Letterboxd. I'm "RyanHYES" on that venture.
Episode #700! Such an occasion calls for a special episode as I give you reviews of not 1, not 2 but 3 old comedies all in 1 show. We're talking about Sons Of The Desert, Monkey Business and, the headliner, Topper. This is the first time on Have You Ever Seen for Laurel & Hardy, although the Marx Brothers and Cary Grant have been gabbed about a lot in the past. Grins can be had...even though many of these talented people went back to the same comedy well over and over again. I also addressed some emails from you listeners. Thanks for helping this podcast get to 700, so settle in. There jut might be 700 (or 7) more to come! Be a subscriber of Have You Ever Seen in your app. Review the show and let others know what you think. Leave a rating (5 stars!) and also feed back at me via email: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. Social media options are "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky and "@moviefiend51" on the Twit. Also, if you're a Letterboxd person, I am too. I go by "RyanHYES". The library of reviews has been growing lately.
Five Easy Pieces turned out to be an incredibly relatable movie for me to discuss these days. In fact, this 699th episode might get a little TOO personal as I shared plenty of things about my own life. Jack Nicholson gives one of his deepest performances as he continued to build his legend following Easy Rider the year before. Here we have universal themes of alienation, rebellion, family strife, running away from life's problems. Director Bob Rafelson's cast is good across the board, especially Jack, of course, and his all-wrong-for-him girlfriend Karen Black. His film though is mostly famous for the "piano on the truck" scene and especially the diner scene. Oh, and the ending. So hold the chicken (somewhere) and just get the man some toast as I fill you in on the happenings in Five Easy Pieces. Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your app. Rate and review the podcast too. Also, go ahead and pick a fight with me on social media that I, like Nicholson in this movie, am bound to lose. I'm @moviefiend51 on Twi-X and ryan-ellis on Bluesky. The trusty email is haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. The reviews on Letterboxd have finally picked up. Check out "RyanHYES" there to find my sometimes-offbeat thoughts about movies old and new.
Hal Ashby was right in the middle of an incredible run when Shampoo came out in the mid-'70s. He made a few bonafide classics amongst his 7 films that were released that decade. This isn't his funniest work though. In fact, typical for this director, the laughs are sometimes explosive, but they're spaced out. This is in fact generally a sad film...especially considering how much casual carnality is going on. It's a film about sex and politics during the 3 days leading into and then following Nixon's win in the 1968 presidential election. Co-writer and star Warren Beatty (somewhat…mostly?) lives his real life on screen as a hairdresser who sleeps with many of his clients...as he juggles Julie Christie, Oscar-winner Lee Grant and girlfriend Goldie Hawn. So tune into the 698th edition of Have You Ever Seen as I talk about a film that improves with age while also giving you a cute bob and maybe a lusty back rub …Shampoo. Go to the subscribe button right now and do exactly that for this podcast. Rate and review it too. Contact me. The email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". The Twi-X handle is @moviefiend51 and the Blueskyification is "ryan-ellis". Find my page on Letterboxd too. It's "RyanHYES". The roster of flicks WILL grow, I swear.
Wait, my 697th podcast about a 90-year-old, B&W musical is just destined to set download records, isn't it?! Well, maybe there's no chance of that, but an Astaire/Rogers love story with an idiot plot IS fodder for a sarcastic monologue. You're bound to have at least 1/4 of as much fun with this episode as I had preparing it. Top Hat is similar to Fred & Ginger's reviled Swing Time (reviled around HERE anyway), yet it's certainly better…and it's probably F&G's most-famous film though. Mark Sandrich directs his stars through several terrific dance numbers, including the classic "Cheek To Cheek". There are some great things here. So put on your fancy clothes and prepare to fall in love at first sight with a woman who thinks you're a small, skinny liar as I guide you through the doin's in Top Hat. Note: Astaire dancing in sync with silhouettes of himself (and, unfortunately, while also in blackface) was done in Swing Time. Subscribe to the show, but also take some time to offer up some feedback. Write an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or fire off something on social media ("ryan-ellis" on Bluesky and "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X). Rate and review Have You Ever Seen in your app as well. Letterboxd. The Ryan lib'ary is slowing building up. Very slowly.
Connery & Caine were powerful names to put on the poster for The Man Who Would Be King. And while their adventure movie wasn't a huge hit, it has a huge legacy. John Huston directs Kipling's story with Sean and Michael playing scheming British ex-soldiers Danny & Peachy. And, God's Holy Trousers, are Caine & Connery ever a tremendous team! The fellas make an almost impossible journey to North Afghanistan in their hunt for fortune & glory. Then when Danny gets all he could want (and Peachy becomes his not-so-willing sidekick), they find out what the hubris of a false God-King gets them. So grab your masonic amulet and head for the middle of nowhere as the 696th dose of Have You Ever Seen podcasting action offers up a yap about men and kings. Subscribe to the podcast in your app, but also rate the show and write a review. That can be done on Spotify from episode to episode, never mind writing something for the podcast as a whole in your app. The email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com", the Bluesky handle is "ryan-ellis" and the Twi-X contact is "@moviefiend51." Letterboxd is a destination too. There's a slowly-growing library of my reviews on there.
ReferencesOnco Targets Ther. 2020 Jun 11;13:5429–544Int Immunopharmacol . 2023 Sep:122:110629Fogerty, J. 1971.Have You Ever Seen the Rain? CCRhttps://music.youtube.com/watch?v=u1V8YRJnr4Q&si=9RaKlYclVcAs1XBpBrowne, J 1972. Something Finehttps://music.youtube.com/watch?v=7QYxF2Scjpo&si=SchjtLteEp2-WjKgMozart, WA. 1785. Piano Concerto 21 C major, K. 467 https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=zXHc5sxUMBQ&si=pfIr0LKlQJmJqIs3
November is finally the time to get to this year's Best Picture Oscar winner and here in episode #695, the talk/rant is indeed about "Ani". Somehow, auteur Sean Baker tied Walt Disney's record by winning 4 Oscars in one night while foul-mouthed fireplug Mikey Madison won Best Actress as well. She and Yura Borisov are two of a half-dozen people giving strong performances in Anora, the Russian-centric dramedy that gets funnier in what is also a repetitive, way-too-long second half. You'll probably find this monologue to be controversial, but answer this: what is this movie about? Is it just a crass Pretty Woman? Well, in any case, don't get married to the stupid idiot son of an oligarch. Just keep on strippin' for a livin' and swearing when you're really mad because feathers will be ruffled in this show that's all about Anora. If there's been an episode in recent memory that should elicit more feedback than this one, name it. Try an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). On the media that is social, I'm @moviefiend51 on Twi-X and ryan-ellis on Bluesky. Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your app. Rate the show and do a little write-up as well. This will likely bulk up in the coming months, but I occasionally write up things on Letterboxd too. Look for "RyanHYES".
Just like last year with the Dawn Of The Dead remake being posted on Halloween itself, the 694th episode on Have You Ever Seen is a redo of a horror classic that hits the airwaves on Scary Day. Tom Savini came up with a solid take on Romero's signature film, which basically invented the zombie movie back in 1968. There's a lot of bickering and boarding in the 1990 Night Of The Living Dead, but there's also better acting than in the original. The newer one is arguably more intense as well. The recently-departed Tony Todd and stuntwoman Patricia Tallman make for a strong team out in that country house that's both besieged by zombies and filled with human in-fighting. Don't worry that they're coming to get you. Because they're already here...and they're right behind you! Rate this 'cast and write a review. Subscribe too, ya ghouls! And look for my scribblings on Letterboxd. I go by "RyanHYES". The review totals are slowly growing. And feed back at me with your own Night Of The Living Dead thoughts by typing up an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Do that and/or look for me kicking around on Twi-X and Bluesky ("@moviefiend51" and "ryan-ellis").
The penultimate horror film in Have You Ever Seen's 10th Annual Scary Movie Month was a blockbuster and an Oscar-winner. And that's unusual for the relentless and unsubtle director Darren Aronofsky. He isn't often rewarded so much for the chances he takes. This 693rd episode talks about how the intense Black Swan is women-centric, even as the women in it go through hell. Natalie Portman won Best Actress for playing a lonely ballet dancer who was deluded even before the movie started. Then after she gets the lead role in Swan Lake, she shows us levels of masochism, obsession and deep mental illness. Real versus imagined. Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Vincent Cassell hit some home runs too, with Hersey eating it up as Portman's possessive and abusive mother. So put on your feathers and get ready for an episode all about the sordid and dangerous world of ballet. Well, Actually: Mother! wasn't a complete failure at the box office and Noah didn't do THAT badly worldwide. Be a sweet girl (or a sweet boy) and write a review of this or any other HYES episode. Rate it too (5 stars!). And subscribe to the show. The email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". The socials are “@moviefiend51” on the T and “ryan-ellis” on the B. If you spend time on Letterboxd, look for me as "RyanHYES". I tend to focus on modern movies (contrasting the M-O of this podcast) and will probably do a lot more reviewing there in mid-November and beyond.
It's taken 692 podcasts before The Man Of 1000 Faces has come up on Have You Ever Seen, but here Lon Chaney finally is as the title character in Rupert Julian's Phantom Of The Opera. Despite the high kill count, this isn't particularly scary...although it IS eerily effective. The colour tinting in this otherwise black & white movie helps set a baleful mood. And the red-letter moment is when Mary Philbin takes off the Phantom's mask and shows us the makeup Chaney designed to give himself such a horrible face. He wants her affections, while she just wants to perform. So come for the Opera, but stay to hear about how the obsessive Phantom wouldn't take no for an answer 100 years ago. Subscribe to this channel in your app, but help grow the show by rating and reviewing it. The Phantom writes notes all the time. You can too! Don't be silent like this movie is. Speak up by sending me a lotta notes on Twi-X (@moviefiend51) or Bluesky (ryan-ellis) or via email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Also, I write short reviews on Letterboxd. I'm "RyanHYES". The goal is to find a fun angle, not to do a proper review.
Jewel once asked "who will save your soul" and when Morfydd Clark made Saint Maud with Rose Glass, she answered enthusiastically "I will!" We've got one of those "reality vs. fantasy" storylines again as a feverishly devout Catholic deals with her delusions (if they ARE that) while battling with her dying patient (Jennifer Ehle). Glass was making her directorial debut and, while her movie isn't bone-chilling, it's a quality slow burn. She saves the horrible violence for the end. Glass knows how to do body horror and she finishes with a phenomenal last shot. Scary Movie Month still has 2 more shows to go, but this surprise 691st episode does a little praying about the weird world of a nurse and her blind faith. Don't be a one-track Maud when you contact me with an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or a tweet (@moviefiend51) or a Bluesky (ryan-ellis). Oh, and subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your app. Spread the word with your movie chums, but also rate and review the show. And one last thing: Letterboxd. I have a channel on there (RyanHYES) where I do brief reviews of recent movies, often ones I saw in the theatre. The goal is to find a fun angle on the story or the characters.
As Canadians eat bird on Thanksgiving and Americans eat Italians on Columbus Day (correct?), Have You Ever Seen just goes all listicle on ya again. I've got a Top 20 countdown for you to, well, chew on. Here are the 5 greatest debuts by an actor in a horror movie and the 15 greatest directorial debuts in horror. Okay, it's lot more than just those 20. These things are fluid. In any event, this list is filled with outstanding scary movies, several of which are lesser-known cult films...and many of them deal in "what's real and what's not". So commit to this 690th episode the way these directors and actors committed to their often-bizarre stories that are filled with dread and fright. The e-mailbag will be opened towards the end of this podcast. To get YOUR question or comment on the air, you have to send one. Do that via email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com), Twi-X (@moviefiend51) or Bluesky (ryan-ellis). Subscribe to the podcast in your app. Spend a minute or two writing a review. Rate the show. Follow, share, the drill. Look up my reviews on Letterboxd (RyanHYES). I post snappy little wisenheimer type write-ups of films of all sorts, leaning towards recent releases.
Inclement weather is heading your way! We discover in this 689th edition of Have You Ever Seen that there are angry, dead mariners on a boat surrounded by fog...and they're out for revenge on the residents of a small coastal town 100 years later. Well-made though this film is, it's definitely lesser John Carpenter, coming out right in the middle of his brilliant Halloween/Escape/Thing run. His horror flick has its moments though and his cast is just fine, headlined by 3 Scream Queens: Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh and Adrienne Barbeau. So let's get the 10th Annual Scary Movie Month going with this sometimes tongue-in-cheek wagging of the tongue about The Fog. Subscribe to this podcast in your app. Write a review. Hit me with 5 stars and let other movie fans know about this show. If you want to contact me, try email. It's "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com". The socials are @moviefiend51 on Twi-X and ryan-ellis on Bluesky. Also, if you're on Letterboxd, hunt me down. My handle is "RyanHYES". I do brief reviews with the aim of finding a fun angle on the story or the characters.
In Jezebel, Bette Davis plays a sassy Southern belle who pushes prudish fiancé Henry Fonda away. And it's all over a red dress. Jezebel is a movie about manners, propriety and stubbornness in the Antebellum South (courteous though they are, they DO have plenty of slaves) with the looming threat of Yellow Fever. William Wyler's romance in and around New Orleans isn't an all-time classic, but Bette and Fay Bainter both won Oscars for their good, if not quite fantastic work. So coyly pull the back of your extra-long dress up with a riding crop and then spend a year or two being a semi-villain before you make a hard about-face into the land of self-sacrifice. The 688th episode of Have You Ever Seen politely awaits. Before you engage in a stupid duel, make a point of subscribing. Rate and review the show in your app. Let others know about this podcast too. Contact options: email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) and the socials: ryan-ellis on Bluesky and @moviefiend51 on Twi-X. Also, look for me on Letterboxd (RyanHYES). I just started posting reviews on September 28th, although don't be fooled. I didn't actually watch any of those movies on the 28th. My angle with Letterboxd write-ups is to try to come up with something out of left field to make you giggle or go “oh yeah, I never thought of that!”
Repeat after me and say it with the coolest lisp in cinema: here beginneth the 687th Have You Ever Seen podcast. The Untouchables is one Brian De Palma's most-successful films is also the first one of his to be discussed around here in 9 years...and, after Carrie, only the 2nd in total. And he was great at violent gangster flicks. It's still the days of Prohibition in America and Al Capone runs the underground liquor trade. Sean Connery won his only Oscar playing an "Irish" beat cop who has all the answers about how to take down the filthy rich mob boss, who's played by Robert De Niro. Connery, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith are the title heroes, who dirty their hands more than they ever intended. So spend this first day of autumn hearing about booze, bribes and slo-mo shootouts in The Untouchables. It's probably the Chicago Way, but it's definitely the Toronto way to subscribe to this podcast...and to not take your baby carriage to a train station at midnight. Rate it in your app (***** perhaps?). Write a review. Follow, spread the word, do all that. Want to offer your own thoughts? Use Twi-X (@moviefiend51) or Bluesky (ryan-ellis) You can also just as easily type up an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com).
A new era begins in this 686th edition of Have You Ever Seen as Ryan talks about David Lynch's mainstream breakout after Eraserhead got him noticed by this film's executive producer, Mel Brooks. The Elephant Man stars Oscar nominee John Hurt in the title role and Anthony Hopkins as his sympathetic doctor. Unusual for Lynch, his B&W biographical character piece doesn't have sex, gory violence or bad language. It's just a sensitive, affecting, sometimes sad tale about compassion, acceptance and goodness. And also John/Joseph Merrick's life-changing deformities. Hurt's makeup really was incredible. So lay down for a nap, but make sure to put your earbuds in before you doze off as this show digs into The Terrible Elephant Man. Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your favourite podcast app. Give the show a 5-star rating, write a review, comment, follow, tell your movie-loving friends. Feedback options: social media...ryan-ellis on Bluesky and @moviefiend51 on Twi-X. Email...haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com.
This was supposed to be the slot for Bev & Ryan to talk about David Lynch's The Elephant Man, but that episode has been pre-empted. Instead, this 685th edition of Have You Ever Seen has Ryan talking alone about a major life change that greatly affects this podcast. Check this one out for those details, but also note that all my talk about "maybe" covering The Elephant Man next Monday was unfounded. That episode is already finished, so it will definitely go up on September 15th. Subscribe to the channel in your podcast app. Rate it, write a 5-star review and such. Contact options: @moviefiend51 on Twi-X and ryan-ellis on Bluesky. The email address is haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com.
Ryan's got a Friday solo show today with this 684th edition of Have You Ever Seen. Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House is a zany rom-com with Cary Grant and Myrna Loy playing a likable husband & wife who move themselves & their daughters from NYC out to the country. And their house turns out to be a disaster. This film has been acclaimed over the decades, even though it's more congenial than it is funny…and an ineffective love triangle subplot involving the snarky Melvyn Douglas is completely unnecessary. But it's undeniable that H.C. Potter directed a successful (supposed) laugh-fest in Mr. Blandings, where you can't measure what you love by what it costs. Well, Actually: there already was a "Diane Hall" in the guild, so Diane Keaton took her mother's maiden name when she got to Hollywood. Purchase some Sparkplug Coffee to put into your brand-new kitchen. And since you're a listener of this podcast, use our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". You can subscribe to this channel in your app, but also do that on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar). Write a review of our show, give us a 5-star rating and also comment and like and such on the 'Tube. Letting us know what you think about the movies we review is possible by emailing us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Social media? Yes, we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X and ryan-ellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky.
It's Labour Day, sure, but we're working the podcast anyway as we talk about critically-disliked films made by 14 outstanding actors. We put the names of 50 living thespians in a hat, then pulled out 7 names apiece and talked up 1 movie of each of theirs that Rotten Tomatoes gave a bad review. A splat, if you will. Some of the names in this 683rd edition of Have You Ever Seen include Ford, Foxx, Streep, Cruise, Freeman and Weaver. While we intentionally left out a few guys for reasons that will be explained, fear not. They might come up anyway. So like what you like no matter what the reviewers think as we praise a pile of flicks that a lot of critical types did not. Sparkplug Coffee gets a ringing endorsement of freshness from anyone who drinks it. Get yours and enjoy a onetime 20% discount by using our "HYES" promo code. Their website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to us! Do that in your app, but also on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search space on YouTube). Write a review, rate us, etc. Offer up what you think about our 'casts with an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or on social media. On Bluesky, we're ryan-ellis and bevellisellis while on the Twi-X thing we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis.
Our summer of podcasting comes to an end with this 682nd episode about The Martian, where we talk about Matt Damon having a years-long space adventure alone on the red planet. He's left behind by his crew and has to use his wits & botany talent to survive until they can come back for him...with plenty of help from the geniuses at NASA back on Earth. The optimism in Andy Weir's novel translates to the rare cheery entry in Ridley Scott's filmography. Damon's charm and sense of humour are a huge part of what made that possible in a science fiction film that's actually pretty close to science fact. So DO NOT fire up that disco music on the 4th planet, but DO like them potatoes as you devour our ep about The Martian. Residents of Mars can't order Sparkplug Coffee, but Canadians and Americans can...and our listeners will enjoy a onetime 20% discount if they use our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your app and/or on YouTube (@hyesellis in the YouTube search bar). Rate our 'casts, write a review and comment on YouTube. Let us know your own thoughts about The Martian by firing off an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Or contact us on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or Bluesky (ryan-ellis and bevellisellis).
Reuniting the Titanic team of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet (not to mention Kathy Bates) was something audiences had wanted for more than a decade. Maybe they didn't expect another doomed romance that was also bleak and sad. Revolutionary Road is about middle-class ennui, quiet desperation and the cruelty of hope. And the stars are terrific playing unextraordinary people yearning for something else, even if everybody keeps poo-pooing their plan to move to Paris. Director Sam Mendes' movie was a disappointment at the box office and it didn't get a wealth of Oscar nominations either. The film ages well though...maybe more if you're a certain age. Ryan's solo show talks about how a 50+-year-old can relate better to the themes than his 34-year-old self could. The flick isn't fun, but it's very well done...and Winslet has rarely been better. So before your wife screams at you to leave her alone during a vicious argument, pour yet another glass of alcohol as you drink in the 681st episode here on Have You Ever Seen. Sparkplug Coffee would have been a fantastic addition to the cupboards of well-to-do folks such as these back in the '50s. It didn't exist yet...but it does now. And you can get a onetime 20% discount by using our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcast app. Soon we'll be back to Friday shows, so you'll get even more listening content. Subscribe on YouTube too (@hyesellis in the search bar on that site). Rate us, review us, comment on the 'Tube, share, you know the routine. And offer us your own thoughts about the films we review. On social media we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Elon's echo chamber and ryan-ellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky. Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com".
Holidays often mean we post a listicle...and so the Civic Holiday brings about our breakdown of the American Film Institute's greatest movies that DIDN'T make their 1998 or 2007 Top 100 lists. So there's no Citizen Kane, Godfather, Jaws action here. These are nominees that were shunned both times, such as Dog Day Afternoon, Ghostbusters, L.A. Confidential...and so many more. Bev listed her #100 down to #11 alphabetically while Ryan came up with categories in groups of 10. Then we each did a more thorough analysis of our Top 10 lists. So get cozy on this first Monday of August as the 679th edition of Have You Ever Seen highlights 100+ choices of outstanding American movies on this AFI's Not Quite 100 listicle. Well, Actually: Brad Pitt IS in 3 movies between our 2 lists, but one of them was just a tiny cameo in Being John Malkovich. Also, it appears that Martin Scorsese should not have been listed with the directors who have 3 movies on one or both of our lists (it's just 2). Also also, Sigourney Weaver WAS in an AFI movie, but her 3 seconds in Annie Hall was a cameo at the very end where you can barely tell it's her. Sparkplug Coffee? Why, they sponsor us. Use our "HYES" promo code and enjoy a onetime 20% discount. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". You should subscribe to Have You Ever Seen and then you'll never miss an episode again. Subscribe on YouTube too (@hyesellis in your browser). Rate the show, write a review, follow, you know the drill. And offer up your own thoughts on social media (we're ryan-ellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky and @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X) or with an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com).
Marilyn Monroe was a gorgeous blonde, the kind who made men's tongues hit the floor. She also played innocent, cute and dumb as well as anyone. Case in point, The Seven Year Itch is where that famous image of her skirt being blown up while she's standing over a subway grate comes from. And the cinematic icon aced all of those angles in Billy Wilder's comedy. Yes, the director had to compromise and cut out much of the risque material that was in the play, yet he's still got the gift of Monroe...and Tom Ewell too, who won a Tony for playing a man who has an overactive imagination and can't stop thinking about cheating while his family is away for the summer. But are we supposed to ROOT for him to be unfaithful? And is "The Girl" even real? This flawed movie HAS remained funny, at least, especially in the over-the-top fantasy sequences. So try to keep cool in the scorching summer heat as Have You Ever Seen #678 digs into the elegant and/or delicate shenanigans in The Seven Year Itch. Maybe it would be wise to go with a cold brew this time of year, but whatever temperature you prefer, invest some of your bucks in Sparkplug Coffee. Our listeners get a onetime 20% discount just by using our "HYES" promo code. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and get shopping. Subscribe to our channel in your podcast app and also on YouTube (@hyesellis in the search bar), but also help us grow the show by rating, reviewing, following, liking, commenting and so on. Tell us your own thoughts about the movies we review. Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com" and/or try us on the socials. Ryan is @moviefiend51 on Twi-X and ryan-ellis on Bluesky while Bev is @bevellisellis on the first and bevellisellis on the second.
The least-well-known title we'll be covering in this month of mirth-filled movies is Tom Di Cillo's sharp satire about the stresses of independent filmmaking. But those who aren't aware of it should know that Living In Oblivion will bust some guts. Steve Buscemi and Catherine Keener are terrific in the lead roles as the director and his temperamental star, but James Le Gros hilariously steals the show, essentially playing Brad Pitt. As we analyzed this story filled with compromises and dream sequences, we were able to talk about our own backgrounds in the media. So slip your screenplay to the star who's slumming on your set while others fantasize about slinging crappy burgers at a dive diner (and eating them) as the 677th edition of Have You Ever Seen spends time Living In Oblivion. Even if you're just a mediocre talent--as all these characters seem to be--you can order Sparkplug Coffee the same way they can. Use our "HYES" promo code and you'll even get a onetime 20% discount. It's "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our podcast in your app or even on YouTube (@hyesellis in the 'Tube's search bar). Rate our show, review the podcast, comment on YouTube, tell your friends about us. And contact us. Prefer social media? We're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X and ryan-ellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky. Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com".
This second week in Have You Ever Seen's month of funny films has Ryan covering the more sweet than hilarious WWII war comedy Mister Roberts. The legendary director John Ford and his co-director Mervyn LeRoy had a strong cast to work with, although Ford's mean-spirited temper comes up often in this episode. Henry Fonda is not at his very best in the title role, but he's still awfully good. James Cagney plays the ship captain, William Powell is likably charming as the doctor and Jack Lemmon won his 1st Oscar for playing Ensign Pulver with plenty of panache. So dive into our 676th episode as it pieces through the goofy hijinks and the occasionally powerful emotion of Mister Roberts. Have faith that an enemy pilot doesn't fly his plane into you while you drink Sparkplug Coffee...but order plenty of it whether he might do that or not! Sparkplug gives our listeners a onetime 20% discount. Those who use our "HYES" promo code get that. The website: sparkplug.coffee/hyes. We'd love if you would subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcast app...and on YouTube, for that matter (@hyesellis in your browser). Rate, review, comment, you know the deal. Email us: haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com. Socials? We're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X and ryan-ellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky.
Put out a bowl of memberberries because episode #675 of Have You Ever Seen is a fond reminiscence of the greatest parody of disaster thrillers ever made. Airplane is still the crowning achievement of the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker team who made many other funny farce flicks like Top Secret and The Naked Gun. What Team ZAZ perfected their first time out as directors was to make an uproarious comedy out of a deadly serious situation by casting likable newcomers like Robert Hays and Julie Haggerty, then team them up with old pros who weren't known for comedy...Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves and Leslie Nielsen. They're all phenomenal at playing it straight while delivering the silly dialogue. There's too much of Otto and the zany guy in the tower, but, still, Airplane is 90 minutes of pure gut-bustery. So, Joey, get away from those weird pilots. Instead, get in the Slap Line, commit suicide during boring stories and land that airplane because we're all counting on you, Shirley. He might never ask for a second cup of MY coffee, but he would if I served Sparkplug Coffee. They offer our listeners a onetime 20% discount. Just our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcast app, but also do that on YouTube. Our link is "@hyesellis" in the search bar when you're on the 'Tube. Comment there, hit the like button, but do that and rate/review us on your app too. Feedback: we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis on Twi-X and ryan-ellis and bevellisellis on Bluesky. Our email address is "haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com".
While Sofia Coppola's second film, Lost In Translation, remains her finest, the '70s-set The Virgin Suicides was a good start to her writing and directing career. Her debut is far from perfect, although it's lyrical, haunting and it looks fantastic. Now, we had issues with Coppola's loyalty to Jeffrey Eugenides' book, especially the narration and the inconsistent use of 5 boys across the street. Still, the movie is a good one. James Woods and Kathleen Turner as the parents and Kirsten Dunst as the most-rebellious of 5 daughters are the key members of a family of cloistered Catholics who live in the Michigan suburbs. The title of the movie gives away what happens...but why did they do it? We speak at length about the unknowable. So as June ends, take in Have You Ever Seen's 674th podcast as we throw it back and forth about The Virgin Suicides. Well, Actually: Bev is correct that Lux is 14 and is the second-youngest Lisbon...and because Ryan spent this episode thinking she was older than that, we didn't get as much into how she's a minor having sex with grown men as we probably should have. Also, this movie was playing at festivals before Freaks And Geeks hit TV screens in the fall of '99, so the movie used "Come Sail Away" in their homecoming dance before the TV show did. Sparkplug Coffee! They sponsor us and they offer our loyal listeners a onetime 20% discount. Just use our "HYES" promo code. The website in question is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to Have You Ever Seen in your podcast app, but also find us on YouTube (@hyesllis in the searchie dealie). Rate, write a review, comment, follow, all that. We use social media. Ryan is @moviefiend51 on Twi-X and ryan-ellis on Bluesky. Bev is @bevellisellis on the first and bevellisellis on the second. And we read all your emails, even if we're slow to respond (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com).