The Top 100 Project

If we had covered Braveheart about 20 years ago, most people would have said, "that Mel Gibson is an incredible movie star and can he ever direct a battle scene!" But that nutty Aussie is a complex man. The fun-loving reputation he had in his prime is in tatters now that we've all learned about his many, many flaws in the ensuing years. Yet the man is (or was) a terrific actor---even in a movie where he plays a Scotsman---and a talented director of violent action. Bonus: this is a natural lead-in to the "Revenge Month" theme we'll have in our April movies. So settle in for an extensive one-Ryan review in our 501st episode of Have You Ever Seen because while "alba gu brath" is a wonderful rallying cry to fire up the blue-faced troops, it's best to know that you'll never take our freedom to talk about Oscar-winning movies. Sparkplug Coffee sponsors us. We love 'em. Type "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" into your browser and then make sure to use our "hyes" promo code before you finalize your buy. That'll save you 20%. I

And so we've reached 500 episodes! We started this podcast 10 years ago with the goal of analyzing the AFI's Top 100 Lists, so what better way for us to celebrate a landmark episode than to do...a list! And it's with a flourish as we post a king-sized chat about the greatest Best Picture Oscar winners. We each pulled 10 classic Oscar champions out of a box and did a brief review of them, telling you why they're worthy of enshrinement in Awesometown. Then we took exception to a handful of winners throughout the years that were inferior to something else that was nominated against it, but didn't win. This show about The Best Best Pictures is one of the best podcasts we've ever done, so get comfy and listen to us rave about those that won gold. Well, Actually: The Exorcist came out the day AFTER Christmas, not on Christmas Day itself the way The Sting did. Also, it should be noted that Jodie Foster DOES say in The Silence Of The Lambs that transgender people are typically very docile, not psychopathic killers. 

It's a bonus episode, of sorts, but this 499th Have You Ever Seen is definitely timely. We're recapping the Academy Awards. No one got hammered in the face by a miffed man this year, but it WAS a memorable Oscar Night. Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once won 7 awards and was the king of the evening, including taking home 3 acting awards (which hadn't happened in 46 years). That film and All Quiet On The Western Front won nearly half of the total awards just by themselves, so it wasn't one of those "share the wealth" kind of years. Still, the tone in the room was friendly and supportive, especially for Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Yeoh, the Daniels and everyone involved with EEAAO. We break down the whole show in our Oscars Post-View, with all the sweets and even the sours of the 95th Academy Awards. Tweet us your thoughts (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com).

Charles Dickens' hungry orphan was given the musical treatment in this Best Picture Oscar winner that came out more than a half-century ago. Homelessness and songs are a strange mixture, but Carol Reed (mostly) makes Lionel Bart's stage-show work as a movie...even though the director of The Third Man seemed to be out of his element. Oliver is an overlong, yet impressive production that represents the end of an era for these types of mega-films. We talked about what we felt was missing in Oliver and also how the current decline of superhero movies compares to big-budget musicals in the '60s...because there is something missing in recent MCU projects too. So, my dear, get ready to hear more of us talking about the Academy Awards this month in the 498th episode of Have You Ever Seen. If you drink coffee, make Sparkplug Coffee your brand. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and use our "hyes" promo code to get a one-time 20% discount. Getting in touch with us is pretty easy. You can shoot us an email (haveyoueverseenpo

Marty is one of the most-understated winners of the Best Picture Oscar there's ever been. And at just 90 minutes long, it's also the shortest. Director Delbert Mann's film has a heavy layer of sadness, yet also has plenty of uplift and hope. Paddy Chayefsky wrote him a simple story and Mann tells it quite effectively. Sparks fly when Ernest Borgnine meets  Betsy Blair at a dance, but his friends and his mother turn up their nose at her. And that's the film. This is just a quiet, pleasant, day-in-the-life movie about regular people trying to find love and happiness. And beauty is what you make of it. So join Ryan doing the solo thing in this 497th episode as he tries not to *ahem* butcher the story of Marty. Sparkplug Coffee sponsors us. You can score a 20% discount on your next order if you use our "hyes" promo code. "Sparkplug.coffee/hyes" is your link. Getting in touch with us is simple. You can email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or tweet us (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). Look for us on YouTube (

The 95th Academy Awards are coming up on Sunday, so it's time for us to break down what was nominated, what we think should win and what we think WILL win gold on March 12th. There might be quite a few newbies going up on stage because most of the actors and directors have never been nominated before. 2022 was a year of underdogs and comebacks, from Brendan Fraser to Ke Huy Quan, but also one in which luminaries like Angela Bassett and Jamie Lee Curtis finally got a real chance to win an Oscar. So download our 496th podcast as we analyze the Year In Puking and the glories that might be ahead for some very-deserving people at this year's Academy Awards. Get yourself some Sparkplug Coffee to caffeine it up for a long night on the 12th. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and use that "hyes" promo code to save 20% off what you buy. We would love to hear what you think of this podcast...or any of them. Tweet us (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) or email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). This episode and all our 2

It took us nearly a decade to talk about a Terrence Malick film, but our first of his is his first-ever motion picture. Malick was an artist right from the start, although Badlands is unlike just about everything he's directed since because it's mostly a two-hander with a brief running time. Sissy Spacek and the Jimmy Dean-esque Martin Sheen have probably never been so monotone, but their deliberately detached performances stand out compared to other histrionic "serial killer on the road" characters. Malick has the entire cast playing it low-key, in fact, and he doesn't glamourize his main characters or make them into fun anti-heroes. Also, because this episode ends the Month Of Crazy Stupid Love, we briefly discussed the Steve Carell/Ryan Gosling rom-com Crazy Stupid Love. So episode #495 of Have You Ever Seen awaits your attention as we wrap up this month of passion projects with one of the more unusual ones we've ever covered. Don't forget to go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and use our "hyes" promo code to s

Our Month Of Crazy Stupid Love wouldn't have been complete without an episode about one of the most-beloved love stories Hollywood has ever made. Of course, William Wyler's Roman Holiday is reprising a lot of Frank Capra's superior It Happened One Night. Roman Holiday isn't as funny as its inspiration, but it's amusing and very enjoyable. Gregory Peck is looser than he normally was and Oscar-winner Audrey Hepburn is just as likable & charming as she always was. And they sell true love (or at least infatuation) during their one day together, tooling around Italy and not being honest about who each of them really is. So dial up Ryan's monologue in this 494th episode of Have You Ever Seen to get the skinny on a classic romance with 2 great movie stars being exactly that. If you could imagine saving 20% off some great coffee, then go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Our "hyes" promo code will save you dollars on your next order. Contacting us can be done via email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or Twitter (Rya

The whole point of Dangerous Liaisons is to give us terrible people doing horrible things just because they can, so it's not beyond our control to make such delicious savagery our 493rd episode. Stephen Frears' cast ranges from phenomenal to, well, a bit mediocre. However, Christopher Hampton's extraordinary adaptation of his own play that started life as a French play about French characters gives us some of the best dialogue we've heard in a while...even if most of it is delivered by Americans. Deceitful Glenn Close makes the very most of her limited screen time and Michelle Pfeiffer vibrates with vulnerability, but this movie is John Malkovich's. He's very effective as a great seducer, even if he's a little miscast. So look sadly in a mirror and remove your makeup as Have You Ever Seen sifts through the many strengths and the occasional weaknesses of Dangerous Liaisons. Our sponsor is Sparkplug Coffee. Go to "sparkplug.coffee.hyes" and then you can save 20% off your next order by using our "hyes" promo cod

Peter and Bobby Farrelly's most-successful comedy was 27th on the AFI's Top 100 Laughs 23 years ago. It's a movie that stands out on that list because very few of those other grinners go for broke like this does. There's Something About Mary often toes the line (sometimes even crosses it) with wildly politically incorrect material, but it was—and still is---truly funny. Guts were busted in our house for a full 2 hours, even at a lot of the cringe comedy. Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz are a good match, but Lee Evans and especially Matt Dillon steal the movie from those two lovebirds. We weren't as loony about the infamous gross-out gags as others are and Ryan doesn't think the film entirely works. The rampant stalking is a problem, sure, but maybe Stiller & Diaz aren't quite right for these roles? Well, however YOU feel about There's Something About Mary, don't comically struggle to pick up your keys while pretending you have a severe back injury and be careful when you're zipping up your fly as we continue

When you cast two movie stars to play people who are 180 degrees apart philosophically, but who fall in love anyway, sometimes you make a mint. Okay, you OFTEN do. Hollywood loves the "opposites attract" formula. The Way We Were is a stellar example of this. It was an award-winning blockbuster 50 years ago, largely because of Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, but also because of the beloved theme song. Never underestimate popular music. Streisand does undeniably strong work in this film as the social-justice underdog. Robert Redford basically gets to play himself---the perfect man for whom everything comes easily---but he plays off Babs' relentless tenacity quite well. Of course, the flick isn't flawless. It works for almost the entire running time...until the frustrating final 10 minutes. Still, this is a love story worth seeing...and worth hearing about in a podcast. So download this 491st edition of Have You Ever Seen to take in Ryan's monologue about Sydney Pollack's romantic classic, but first... ...i

We begin the Month of Crazy Stupid Love with a film that the Sight And Sound absolutely worships. The BBC Culture people do too. But we don't. We do RESPECT In The Mood For Love immensely. The actors are good and it's one of the best-looking motion pictures ever made. The cinematography, the sets and especially the costumes should have won Oscars, even though the film wasn't nominated in any of those categories. But, yes, there's certainly plenty to admire in this movie about self-imposed forbidden love as Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung deal with the pain of their partners' infidelity by falling for each other. Are these feelings real though or are the two of them just wallowing in that pain? We try to sort all of that out in Have You Ever Seen #490 as we also try our hardest to see what others see in In The Mood For Love. For stupendous coffee, go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and you can even save 20% off your very next order by using our "hyes" promo code. Find this podcast on YouTube and follow us on Twitter.

This one is for all you surly folk singers who wallow in failure and unhappiness. Fun! Actually, Inside Llewyn Davis is more enjoyable than the plot outline makes it sound and it's often hilarious...mostly because of Carey Mulligan. Of course, this is a 21st Century Joel & Ethan Coen picture, which guarantees it's going to have gorgeous cinematography and a certain level of opaqueness. Then again, it isn't actually an insult to say this is one of their more-puzzling films with its Mobius Strip story and maddening main character. Of course, when you've got a supremely talented actor like Oscar Isaac singing most of these great songs and carrying the film from start to finish, your pseudo-musical experience just has to be fulfilling. So tune into the 489th episode of Have You Ever Seen as we warble about Inside Llewyn Davis 10 years after we reviewed it in brief the first time...and we might find time to save a cat or two in that time. If all you can afford on the road to Chicago is a cup of coffee, then ma

Reviewing She Done Him Wrong was simply a ploy to finally talk about Mae West. She was a major star nearly 100 years ago and is considered an icon. This was her story idea and the film came out just before the Hays Code would prevent so many sexy outfits and double entendres to fill a movie. Ryan's monologue here focuses on how the film doesn't work because director Lowell Sherman couldn't balance the tone, plus the movie just isn't funny. There's also way too much going on in a 64-minute film and there's certainly not enough Cary Grant. And here's an unpopular opinion: Mae West is a legend who doesn't deserve to be. Sure, she's sassy and eye-catching in this, but her character is one-note and the actress apparently had no range at all. So slide into the 487th episode of Have You Ever Seen as She Done Him Wrong gets ripped into a time or twelve. This podcast is sponsored by Sparkplug Coffee, which will give you a 20% discount if you use our "hyes" promo code. Go to sparkplug.coffee/hyes. Also, find us on Twit

Danny Boyle insists this isn't a zombie movie, but his intense 28 Days Later influenced that popular genre and was at the forefront of digital filmmaking. The director settled for a look that was ugly as dirt to get incredible shots they never could have had with classic film cameras, which allowed for that nightmarish opening of Cillian Murphy walking alone through a deserted London. The first half of the picture is brilliant and Brendan Gleeson brings tons of heart to the middle part, but the last section with the military is disjointed. We had issues with the climax and the coda. Still, a huge plus is that Naomie Harris is tremendous as a Michonne-like leader...for a while, at least. So stay alert for any infected in your area as the 487th Have You Ever Seen yaps about an unfortunately timely subject...namely, a crippling virus that ravages society. Sparkplug Coffee is the way to start your day. Go to sparkplug.coffee/hyes to snag a 20% discount by using our "hyes" promo code. Contact us on Twitter (@movie

If you scroll back to January 2016 in our channel, you'll see that the 2nd episode of what we then called "The Next 100 Project" was Before Sunrise. Now for the 486th "Have You Ever Seen" (we've had a weird numbering system...it's complicated), we're finding out what Jesse and Celine are up to in Before Midnight while they're on vacation in Greece. They've been together for nearly a decade and have twin daughters now. They also get into some ugly disputes about how their relationship is going. The first 2 Before films were off-the-page romantic. While one has some of the trademark walking & talking lovey dovey, it's also a near-feature-length argument. It's such a rich, beautiful film despite all that though. We talked a lot about our own marriage, so be prepared for us to get personal as we watch the sun go down and get ready for a rumble in Before Midnight, y'know. Sparkplug Coffee won't cure marital problems, but it CAN be had for a 20% discount if you go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and use that promo

For the 2nd time this week, Have You Ever Seen talks about escaped convicts. And just 3 days before Martin Luther King Day, Ryan offers up an oral essay about 2 on the run while dealing with '50s-era racism in America's south. The Defiant Ones---unlike Out Of Sight---is deadly serious. One legendary actor in Sidney Poitier and one underrated one in Tony Curtis work well together as two people who are forced to work together to survive with a posse in hot pursuit. The last 30 minutes of the film and the ending itself are puzzling, but Stanley Kramer's dynamic Oscar winner is still good enough to rise above those problems. So don't drag on the chain, man (especially since that's a bad line) as our 485th episode breaks down the hard-fought battles and gradual acceptances in The Defiant Ones. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" to order terrific java and even get yourself a 20% discount by using our promo code ("hyes"). To communicate with us, email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or tweet us (Ryan is @moviefiend

What happens when a federal marshal---who just happens to love the bad boy---is kidnapped by an immensely likable thief when he's breaking out of prison? Well, in Out Of Sight, it's a blend of comedy, romance and chemistry all set against a backdrop of sometimes brutally awfully crime. The prolific Steven Soderbergh was perhaps at his absolute best here directing Scott Frank's cool, funny, sexy script that helped George Clooney & Jennifer Lopez hit their acting peak. We debated which scene is greater (the trunk scene or the restaurant/hotel scene), even though those are just two in 2 hours worth of great ones. In any case, Have You Ever Seen sifts through the fish tank for the 484th time about the one that made J Lo and G Cloo true movie stars. We have bonus content (plus the entire podcast itself) on YouTube. Go to @hyesellis for the growing Have You Ever Seen library on the 'Tube. Also, if you're diamond-rich, you don't need to save money, but everyone else might appreciate Sparkplug Coffee's arrangemen

A Buster Keaton film hasn't been reviewed on this channel in going on 10 years, so Sherlock Jr. seemed like the perfect way to end that drought. It's an acclaimed pratfall comedy done by the stone-faced silent stuntman who also knew how to tickle the bones that are funny. But is this movie actually funny? It's rightly famous for the gimmick where Keaton's projectionist character has a dream and literally walks into the movie he's screening. Before the superior second half and also during the first half set in the real world, he does some crazy brave things. The print is great. It's a fun watch. But...is it funny? Ryan has a lengthy oral essay trying to answer that very question in this 483rd episode of Have You Ever Seen, so mouth along to the silent antics as one man digs into the 99-year-old Sherlock Jr. To save 205 off your next order of Sparkplug Coffee, go to "Sparkplug.coffee/hyes" and use that promo code. We also wouldn't mind a bit if you tweeted to Ryan (@moviefiend51) and/or Bev (@bevellisellis) and

It's a new era for this podcast, although the only things that really change are our name, our logo and our theme music. The first episode of "Have You Ever Seen" and our first show in 2023 looks at Bradley Cooper's musical love story, A Star Is Born. Cooper gives his directorial debut an intimate documentary-like feel and the whole film comes off as more real than almost any traditional musical ever has. He's the actor playing a singer and Lady Gaga is the singer who's asked to carry a movie. She has tremendous chemistry with the Coops. This film is often emotionally devastating, which makes sense considering the themes of addiction, tragic love and suicide. So for the love of Sam (Elliott), stop stealing your big brother's voice and find your own as our 482nd episode takes you into the world of A Star Is Born.   Sparkplug Coffee's 20% discount continues to be available. Now go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" to nab your savings. Also, tweet us (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis), email us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@