"Deadwood" is back, and as Al Swearengen would say, it’s about bleeping time. The show that died too young is now a film, and the return trip in "Deadwood: The Movie" — set some 10 years later — gets down to unfinished business in the once lawless town in South Dakota. On this week’s show, host Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) talks with Ian McShane, the actor who brought the corrupt, foul-mouthed Al Swearengen to life, as well as the director, Daniel Minahan, who captured the now older and wiser charac...
May 31, 2019•42 min
Game of Thrones, Jane the Virgin, Veep, The Big Bang Theory, Broad City, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: These are only some of the shows signing off this year. The end of so many beloved and long-running series will leave a hole in our hearts and disrupt our viewing patterns — and leave us searching for new and different television companions to fill their place. Why the rush to the exit? And why is it so hard for creators to stick the landing when they wrap their shows? On this episode, The Reel is not a...
May 24, 2019•41 min
Richard Kelly’s SOUTHLAND TALES is infamous both for its immense ambition and its disastrous reception. With a cast that includes Dwayne Johnson, Justin Timberlake, Mandy Moore, Amy Poehler, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Sean William Scott, the film is a sprawling saga of crime, identity, and conspiracy in Los Angeles that touches on government surveillance, armed resistance, corporate intrusion, and celebrity culture — told with equal parts anger, humor, disillusionment and apocalyptic rapture. The...
May 17, 2019•43 min
The summer of Manson is upon us. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the mass murder masterminded by Charles Manson, a wave of content is coming our way. The grisly slayings of eight people — including the very pregnant Sharon Tate — cast a long shadow over the romantic adventure of the 60s counterculture, fascinating and haunting us to this day. Out now in theaters is CHARLIE SAYS, the second of a trio of Manson family films this year. Rather than focus on the violence, CHARLIE SAYS is a sensitive...
May 10, 2019•47 min
Women love true crime, but they’re also fed up with maneuvering the male-dominated workplace, being underestimated and checking their emotions at the door. Enter KILLING EVE, the right show for the right time. Featuring a fearless, high-fashion assassin and the astute MI6 agent pursuing her, the psychosexual thriller — made by women and starring women — unapologetically exudes femininity from head to toe. The series has found its audience and is on a roll by playing into the emotions of the cult...
May 03, 2019•43 min
SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers start at 18:10! Eleven years, 22 films, $18 billion and counting at the global box office: Avengers: Endgame is finally in theaters, bringing to a close a chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s been a big emotional investment for fans, and judging by the reaction of some of its stars, it’s been one for the actors as well. Meanwhile, over the course of the franchise, MCU’s longform storytelling has redefined Hollywood. Fans have had a lengthy relationship with thes...
Apr 26, 2019•39 min
HBO may not have known it had a hit on its hands in 2011, but the premiere of the final season of GAME OF THRONES shattered ratings records for the network. Viewing of the series has reached a fever pitch and blown up Twitter, while fans divine clues over who will live, who will die, and who will win the Iron Throne. LA Times film writer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) is joined by @ marymacTV , @tracycbrown and @MeredithBlake to ponder deep cuts and the series' role in the history of modern televisi...
Apr 19, 2019•33 min
When the movie HEATHERS was shown at the 1989 US Film Festival, now known as Sundance, the Los Angeles Times film critic Sheila Benson wrote: “No amount of production sheen or acting skill seems excuse enough for the film's scabrous morality or its unprincipled viciousness.” In The New Yorker, Pauline Kael wrote the script for the black comedy “promises that the picture will lift off into the junior division of Blue Velvetland. But layers of didacticism weigh it down.” But HEATHERS has survived ...
Apr 12, 2019•48 min
The master himself, Stephen King, has said PET SEMATARY “is a scary movie. Be warned.” It explores grief, emotion, guilt and love. You could say it’s a family film -- in a terrifying, don’t bring your little ones kind of way. LA Times film writer Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) is joined by one of PET SEMATARY’s stars -- actress and filmmaker Amy Seimetz -- who talks about elevating a horror picture to an art film, creating female characters typically not seen on screen, and finding your own people in ...
Apr 05, 2019•48 min
Six years after SPRING BREAKERS, Harmony Korine is back with a new film, THE BEACH BUM, out now in theaters. The wildly creative filmmaker and fine artist is a teller of modern-day tall tales, something of a cross between a burnout Mark Twain and an Andy Warhol of the Florida Keys. Korine talks with LA Times film writer Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) about how he’s skirting autobiography in his work, the casting choices he made for THE BEACH BUM -- like Matthew McConaughey, Martin Lawrence, Snoop Dog ...
Mar 29, 2019•49 min
The much anticipated follow-up to Jordan Peele’s GET OUT is out now in theaters. And Peele delivers the film he set out to make- one that scares people's pants off. In the process, he has reclaimed the art of the horror genre. LA Times film writer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) talks with Justin Chang ( @JustinCChang ) and Jen Yamato ( @jenyamato ) about how US is in some ways a political film about contemporary America. But it's also a horror flick with a black family at its center, instead of the ...
Mar 22, 2019•42 min
The Los Angeles Times is in Austin for South by Southwest, the the annual festival of film, music, technology, art, culture, tacos, barbecue, partying - and something of a laboratory think tank for the future. Times film writer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) talks with @marcmaron , who's expanding his wings as a movie actor, along with director @lynnsheltonfilm , who saw him as a star. Olsen also interviews @alexgibneyfilm , whose documentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, THE INVENTOR: OU...
Mar 15, 2019•44 min
With its first female-led installment in the Marvel Studio franchise, most people are asking what took so long? But in one corner of the Internet, CAPTAIN MARVEL is a bridge too far, especially for those angered by star Brie Larson's progressive calls for diversity and inclusivity. LA Times film writer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) is joined by Kenneth Turan ( @KennethTuran ), Jen Yamato ( @jenyamato ), Justin Chang ( @ JustinCChang ), Tracy Brown ( @tracycbrown ) and Sonaiya Kelley ( @sonaiyak ) t...
Mar 08, 2019•31 min
Despite what's been called a "despicable" Best Picture win, L.A. Times feature writer and reviewer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) talks with Justin Chang ( @ JustinCChang ), Mary McNamara ( @ marymacTV ) and Glenn Whipp ( @GlennWhipp ) about how real change may have arrived at the Academy. Plus, Jen Yamato ( @jenyamato ) and Amy Kaufman ( @AmyKinLA ) get their Gaga fix on, and share the scoop on what was going on off-camera at the Academy Awards....
Mar 01, 2019•43 min
On this week’s episode of The Reel, L.A. Times feature writer and reviewer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) previews the 2019 Academy Awards with Justin Chang ( @ JustinCChang ), Mary McNamara ( @ marymacTV ) and Glenn Whipp ( @GlennWhipp ). They discuss their favorite films of the year and explore some of the possible outcomes in this year's top award categories....
Feb 22, 2019•29 min
On this week’s episode of The Reel, L.A. Times feature writer and reviewer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) is joined by Director Spike Lee and two of his longtime collaborators, composer Terence Blanchard and editor Barry Alexander Brown. They discuss the success of their latest, “BlacKkKlansman” and the lasting impact of the film.
Feb 15, 2019•43 min
On this week’s episode of The Reel, L.A. Times feature writer and reviewer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) was joined by Director Steven Soderbergh, to talk about his new film “High Flying Bird,” which premiered at Slamdance Film Festival last month. The Oscar-winning filmmaker takes us inside his movie-making process, including what it's like shooting a movie entirely on a smartphone.
Feb 08, 2019•47 min
On this week’s episode of The Reel, L.A. Times feature writer and reviewer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) was live in Park City, Utah for the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. After watching many of this year's movies and documentaries, he sat down with Justin Chang ( @JustinCChang ), Amy Kaufman ( @ AmyKinLA ), Kenneth Turan ( @KennethTuran ) and Jen Yamato ( @jenyamato ) to discuss the best films they saw and why....
Feb 07, 2019•43 min
On this week’s episode of The Reel, L.A. Times feature writer and reviewer Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) sits down with Glenn Whipp ( @GlennWhipp ) and Justin Chang ( @JustinCChan g) to take an early look at the 2019 Oscar nominations. They discuss key takeaways from the nominated films, including an increase in internationally focused nominations and the significance behind the “best director” category....
Jan 28, 2019•30 min
On this week’s episode of The Reel, LA Times feature writer and reviewer Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) sits down with Meredith Blake (@MeredithBlake), Robert Lloyd (@LATimesTVLloyd), and Yvonne Villarreal (@villarrealy) to discuss HBO’s latest season of 'True Detective' starring Mahershala Ali. They also reflect back on David Chase's HBO series ‘The Sopranos’ 20 years after its premiere.
Jan 18, 2019•29 min
This week Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) leads a discussion about the importance of last week's Golden Globes and how they might shine a light on what we can expect from the Oscars as we start to wrap up awards season.
Jan 14, 2019•37 min
This week Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) talks to reporter Carolina Miranda ( @cmonstah ) after she and director Alfonso Cuarón walked through the streets of the Mexico City neighborhood where he shot his film Roma .
Jan 05, 2019•30 min
Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) and TV writers Yvonne Villarreal ( @villarrealy ), Lorraine Ali ( @LorraineAli ) and Robert Lloyd ( @LATimesTVLLoyd ) break down whether 2018 was a good year for TV. They talk about Barry , Killing Eve , and more as they make their assessment about whether we've gone beyond the "peak TV" era....
Dec 21, 2018•21 min
Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) and film critics Kenneth Turan ( @KennethTuran ) and Justin Chang ( @JustinCChang ) break down their favorite movies of 2018, including Vox Lux , Can You Ever Forgive Me? , and Black Panther . Sifting through the big studio blockbusters, independent films, foreign-language films, and documentaries their recommendations will add to your list of the "must watch" movies of the year....
Dec 20, 2018•31 min
This week LA Times music reporters Gerrick Kennedy ( @GerrickKennedy ), Mikael Wood ( @mikaelwood ), and Randy Lewis ( @RandyLewis2 ) join Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) to discuss the intermingling of music and film. First, the group focuses on capturing live performance on film, as seen in the new Springsteen on Broadway special on Netflix and the archival the Aretha Franklin documentary, Amazing Grace. Then, the group discusses the act of music creation and recording on film, with A Star Is Born,...
Dec 13, 2018•22 min
This week Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) leads a conversation breaking down the Golden Globe nominations and what they mean for the awards season landscape. We discuss the controversial nominee Green Book , how Black Panther earned Marvel Studios it's first nomination, the crowd-pleasing results from the Globe's distinct drama and comedy categories, and what we might expect from the unusual host pairing of Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh. Mark is joined by Glenn Whipp ( @GlennWhipp ), Amy Kaufman ( @AmyK...
Dec 07, 2018•25 min
This week, host Mark Olsen ( @indiefocus ) hands the mic to reporter Yvonne Villarreal ( @villarrealy ) as she interviews Alex Cunningham, the show-runner of Bravo's new TV series Dirty John . Based on the L.A. Times podcast by the same name, the show further explores the complicated and manipulative relationship between Debra Newell and John Meehan. Cunningham breaks down the show's casting choices, how the the series gives Debra a stronger voice and what fans of the podcast might expect to see...
Nov 29, 2018•32 min
Focusing this week on the music business, Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) sits down with music reporter Randy Lewis ( @RandyLewis2 ), pop music critic Mikael Wood ( @mikaelwood ) and Times television critic and former music editor Lorraine Ali ( @LorraineAli ) to discuss the recent releases of Bob Dylan's "More Blood, More Tracks," which features unreleased takes from the session for his 1975 album "Blood on the Tracks," and the 50th anniversary remastered release The Beatles' "The White Album" with ...
Nov 22, 2018•45 min
This week our team breaks down what to expect next year at the Academy Awards and which movies have already started to make a splash. Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) is joined by Glenn Whipp ( @GlennWhipp ) and Amy Kaufman ( @AmyKinLA ) to break down Marvel's history at the Oscars and Black Panther 's potential for success, Netflix's drama Roma , and which movies have passed Amy's "cry test" this year....
Nov 16, 2018•22 min
This week, Mark Olsen ( @IndieFocus ) sits down with critics Justin Chang ( @JustinCChang ) and Kenneth Turan ( @KennethTuran ) to discuss the demise of FilmStruck, how streaming services like Netflix have impacted the types of classical films that were once available on FilmStruck, and, specifically, a brand new Orson Welles film now on Netflix that is one of Hollywood's most famous unfinished projects. There are mixed feelings about all of the topics, and the conversation foreshadows what may ...
Nov 08, 2018•20 min
