Have You Ever Seen

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

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

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

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