Have You Ever Seen

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.

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.

Reviews about black movies on Martin Luther King Day haven't been a tradition on this channel, but episode #710 is all about Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil and a cast that (mostly) looks just like them. In A Raisin In The Sun, they're a tumultuous family who come into a windfall of insurance money…and how to spend it is the thrust of the drama. Put it all into…a house? An education? A bar? Through all that, director Daniel Petrie's finest film gets into issues of alcoholism, financial difficulty, family squabbles, family love and racism. So come hear about the Youngers go through it all in this monologue about A Raisin In The Sun. Subscribe to the 'cast in your app while also giving some thought to rating the show (*****) and also jotting down a review. Find me on Letterboxd (RyanHYES) and also find me on social media. It's "@moviefiend51" on Twi-X and "ryan-ellis" on Bluesky. Another option is email: haveyoueverseendpodcast@gmail.com

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.

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 own 3 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 just might be 700 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.

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.