The Envelope

Latest Episodes:

The Reel: A Star is Born Oct 11, 2018

Show notes

Film critic Kenneth Turan (@KennethTuran) and reporters Amy Kaufman (@AmyKinLA) and Jen Yamato (@JenYamato) join host Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) to discuss the new hit movie, A Star is Born. They talk all about Bradley Cooper's directing debut, how the movie compares to previous iterations, and Lady Gaga's performance.

The Reel: The Suge Knight Trial Oct 04, 2018

Show notes

On the heels of producer Suge Knight's murder trial, LA Times reporters James Queally (@JamesQueallyLAT), Marisa Gerber (@marisagerber), and Gerrick Kennedy (@GerrickKennedy) join Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) for a deep dive discussion about his life, the trial proceedings, and particularly how the proceedings reflect his impact on the music industry.

The Reel: The Cinematic Now Sep 27, 2018

Show notes

Numerous recent movies have been charged by an immediacy of anxiety, as many of the same feelings from the world-at-large have made their way onto our movie screens with an alarming speed and connection. Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) is joined by Times film reporters Jen Yamato (@JenYamato) and Tre'vell Anderson (@TrevellAnderson) and film critic Justin Chang (@JustinCChang) to talk about his current phenomenon and what we expect from our movies, what they can do to inform, explain or even distract us, taking in a broad range of titles from "Monsters and Men," "Fahrenheit 11/9," "Assassination Nation," "The Lie," "Suspiria" and others to get some sense of our Cinematic Now.

The Reel: Emmys Recap Sep 20, 2018

Show notes

This week, we're recapping everything that happened at the Emmys. Reporter Yvonne Villarreal (@villarrealy) and TV critics Lorraine Ali (@LorraineAli) and Glenn Whipp (@GlennWhipp) join host Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) to break down the surprises and disappointments, the performances of this year's hosts, and the unexpected visit from Teddy Perkins.

The Reel: Toronto International Film Festival Sep 13, 2018

Show notes

The Reel is at Toronto International Film Festival!

Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) breaks down the last few days at the film festival with reporters Tre'vell Anderson (@TrevellAnderson) and Jen Yamato (@Jen Yamato) and film critic Justin Chang (@JustinCChang). Hear about the festival's new diversity initiatives and this year's biggest films.

The Reel: Fall Movies Preview Sep 06, 2018

Show notes

Our team breaks down what they think will be the best fall movies this year. Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus), Tre'vell Anderson (@TrevellAnderson) and Amy Kaufman (@AmyKinLA) pick their favorites and talk about memorable interviews they've had with the stars--including Lady Gaga.

The Reel: Emmy Contenders & The Crown's Matt Smith Aug 30, 2018

Show notes

In this week's episode, Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) starts off leading a discussion about this year's Emmys contenders with Lorraine Ali (@LorraineAli) and Glenn Whipp (@GlennWhipp). Then, hear Yvonne Villarreal (@villarrealy) interview The Crown's Matt Smith on the show's last two seasons and how he feels about the United States' fascination with the royal family.

The Reel: Interviews with "The Americans" Aug 23, 2018

Show notes

TV reporter Yvonne Villarreal (@villarrealy) interviews both Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell, who play Russian spies Philip and Elizabeth Jennings in the FX show The Americans. The pair separately discusses the shows many Emmy nominations and the many emotions felt while filming the final season.

They also touch on how the 1980's show about the Cold War went from period piece to contemporary flashpoint.

The Reel: Best "Popular" Film and GLOW Aug 17, 2018

Show notes

Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) is joined by film critic Justin Chang (@JustinCChang) and writers Jen Yamato (@JenYamato) and Amy Kaufman (@AmyKinLA) to discuss the new and controversial Popular Film category announced by The Academy. They also break down their favorite summer movies.

Then, writer Yvonne Villarreal (@villarrealy) interviews the co-creators of Netflix's GLOW to talk all about the show.

The Reel: Crazy Rich Asians, BlacKkKlansman, The Handmaid's Tale Aug 14, 2018

Show notes

After some time off, The Reel is back!

This week film critic Justin Chang (@JustinCChang) and reporters Jen Yamato (@JenYamato) and Amy Kaufman (@AmyKinLA) discuss the movies Crazy Rich Asians and BlacKkKlansman with host Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus). They discuss the importance of the films in their respective communities and the film world at large, as well as the genre-bending techniques each uses to stand out from the crowd.

Then, reporter Lorraine Ali (@LorraineAli) interviews The Handmaid's Tale show runner, Bruce Miller.