The Top 100 Project

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@

We wrap up 2022 and we also end a long era of calling ourselves the "Top 100 Project" with this thorough gab about one of the most-successful disaster pictures ever made. When the topic of game-changing '70s blockbusters comes up, The Poseidon Adventure often gets lost in the shuffle...partly because it came out before most of them. It has a B-movie story, but its big budget allowed the filmmakers to afford great production values and to cast several award-winning actors. The picture is loud, wet and fiery. And that's just Ernest Borgnine's performance. Okay, none of the actors are marvelous in this (are they, "sis"?), but they ARE focused and the taut story they're in is exciting. The Poseidon Adventure has plenty of religious undertones too---sometimes overtones---as Gene Hackman questions God's actions...or occasional lack of action. So as we get close to New Year's Eve, dial up our chat about a NYE-set disaster flick where a classy old boat goes head to head with a huge wave. And now it's promotion time!

Bonus episode! As the holiday season envelops us all and the end of 2022 draws near, Ryan turns his eye to an 82-year-old (supposed) Christmas movie starring Margaret Sullavan and Jimmy Stewart. The 2 Hungarian shop-workers spend most of the 100 minutes of Ernst Lubitsch's rom-com fussing and feuding, not knowing they're also pen pals who are actually crazy about each other. Yup, this was You've Got Mail before Tom and Meg were even born. The Shop Around The Corner is pleasant and winning, but it's a shame that the com isn't as effective as the rom...which has its failings too. The hook in this episode is commercialization and the love of money more than the love of Christmas or even...well, love. So grab a blanket and curl up by the fireplace this weekend with Ryan's latest oral essay that breaks down a touch of Lubitsch and his movie about "I hate you in person, but I love you on paper".   Tweet either of us (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) and/or send us a Christmas card of sorts via email (top100projec

The dark comedy and intricate heist film that is Jackie Brown got lost in the late-December movie rush when it came out a quarter of a century ago, particularly because of the frenzy over Titanic. Still, Quentin Tarantino made what remains his most-mature movie and he even showed uncharacteristic restraint about some brutal violence. Pam Grier sizzles in the title role and Samuel L. Jackson does what he always does when he works with QT: hit grand-slam home runs. The rest of the cast does good or great work too, but the 2 leads in QT's homage to '70s Blaxploitation are at the very top of their game. So as Christmas draws near and you want to listen to a full hour of movie chat while you wrap presents and prepare to face relatives, then booyah, fire up the 471st Ellises' Analysis to hear our dissection of another QT classic.   Sparkplug Coffee can help you complete your last-minute holiday shopping. Go to sparkplug.coffee and use our promo code ("top100project") to save 20%. Also, hang out with us on Twitter (

Believe it or not, the best-reviewed Christmas movie on Rotten Tomatoes is this Judy Garland musical about love, family and home. As sweet and fun as Meet Me In St. Louis is though, making it wasn't always a joyful experience for the cast and crew. Garland, who met director Vincente Minnelli---one of her future husbands---while making it, was in rough shape while shooting. That started a discussion between us about child stars and how they're treated by show business. For every Garland or Margaret O'Brien who succeeds and even wins the now-defunct Juvenile Oscar, there's a story about putting young people in unfair or even dangerous situations. Sometimes even stars like Garland suffered just to stay on top. But this chat mostly focused on this light and lovely family film that's so similar to Little Women that you could almost call this "Little Smiths". So as your trolley clang, clang, clangs for the 470th Ellises' Analysis, we hope you'll have yourself a merry holiday/Christmas and enjoy our little tongue-wa

Bonus episode! This time, Ryan tries to figure out what the real love story is in An Officer And A Gentleman. Sure, Richard Gere and Debra Winger are hot for each other in this famously passionate boot camp movie, but what about the wild card in this love-fest...namely, Louis Gossett Jr? Okay, yes, the drill instructor is also a much-needed father figure to dreamboat Gere, even if the D.I. is one who will train, torture and karate-kick the future jet-flier, whether the tough guy is unforgettable or not. This remains a much-loved drama that's full of effective love-vs-war contrasts that director Taylor Hackford balances beautifully. And---40 years later---that finale still carries a lot of water...and also 1 factory worker. So let love lift you up as this one-man oral essay breaks down the many goods and the occasional bads in AAAAG.   Also, why not tweet us (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis) and/or email us (top100projectpodcast@gmail.com)

The 469th Ellises' Analysis and our first episode in December has us asking you to appreciate the irony of an atheist and an agnostic discussing a Christmas movie about a religious man and an angel. Cary Grant plays that divine being in The Bishop's Wife and he's given the job of trying to fix Loretta Young and David Niven's struggling marriage. It's a tricky story to tell because Young has to have romantic chemistry with Grant, but not too much. Bev doesn't think they walked that tightrope very well, nor was Grant given a role where he could truly excel. We both acknowledge Henry Koster's movie is fun though, even if the laughs didn't tickle us the way they probably made audiences guffaw 75 years ago. Actually, The Bishop's Wife has a layer of sadness to it, as many Christmas classics do. But you have no reason to be sad if you drink coffee. Maybe you can get some Sparkplug Coffee as a stocking stuffer. You'll enjoy get a one-time 20% discount if you use our promo code ("top100project"). Want to contact us?

Doug Liman wasn't the obvious person to direct The Bourne Identity and Matt Damon was an even less-obvious choice to play an assassin with a brutal case of amnesia, but their underdog thriller kicked off what became a beloved franchise. The incredible action scenes got even more kinetic in the sequels and the post-9/11 political subtext was more a factor in those ones too, so this first Bourne stands out for being a fairly-quiet action film for people don't usually like that sort of thing. It's also funny to think that during this same year, there was yet another in a series where a handsome, government-trained killer goes by the initials "JB". 007 had been making a mint on the big screen for decades, but along came Jason Bourne to one-up James Bond. However, none of that would mean very much if not for the soulful work of Franka Potente, who's one of the best co-stars Damon has ever had. So buckle up as the 468th Ellises' Analysis zips you expertly around the streets of Paris and tries hard not to forget wha

Bonus episode! It's become a habit to release a "one Ryan show" on or around holidays, so how about some incendiary thoughts about what people put on their plates during Epic Eating Season? It took some re-releases to get there, but Bambi has become one of Disney's biggest hits ever and is beloved by many fans, but this review doesn't join all those people in the gush parade. Not that the movie doesn't look great and there certainly are interesting themes in this nature-loving subject matter. There are also many favourable comparisons to The Lion King. Still, this episode is a rip-fest. So as America enjoys/dreads spending several days with family during the Thanksgiving weekend, settle in with a brief solo gab that has a thorn in its hoof about Bambi.   If you want to shoot us some tweets or just follow what we type out on Twitter, we're @moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis. Emails are also cool (top100projectpodcast@gmail.com).

There was a time when Michael Douglas and sex thrillers went together like ice and picks, but Paul Verhoeven's steamy whodunnit belongs to Sharon Stone. She's an ultra-wealthy, often-naked, mystery novelist in Basic Instinct, a dangerous combination of beauty and brains. She also just might have a thirst for committing bloody murder. Still, we had sympathy for what might be the devil because when a character is this much better than all the dupes around her, sometimes you just have to put all your chips on evil. So don't be a detective who doesn't think to take DNA samples or fingerprints...or even see what's right in front of him. Just insert the 467th Ellises' Analysis into the appropriate holes in your body (that's your ears, weirdo) as we try to piece together Basic Instinct. But what goes better with difficult police investigations than great coffee? We're sponsored by Sparkplug Coffee, who continue to offer a 20% discount if you use our promo code ("top100project"). We're also open to being chatted up o