Mark Olsen writes about all kinds of movies for the Los Angeles Times as both a feature writer and reviewer. He creates a regular series on independent, documentary and foreign language films under the banner of Indie Focus, also curating and hosting the Indie Focus Screening Series. His work has also appeared in Film Comment, the New York Times, LA Weekly, Sight & Sound and other publications. He is from Kansas.
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Also this week: Directors David Cronenberg and Mike Leigh in person, a free screening of ‘Conclave’ starring Ralph Fiennes and ‘Pennies From Heaven’ in 35mm.
We asked Times staffers for the films they were most stoked for, sight unseen. Brace for a “Freakier Friday,” a new “Superman,” the return of Malick and more.
Also this week: In addition to year-end releases ‘Babygirl,’ ‘The Fire Inside,’ ‘A Complete Unknown’ and ‘Nosferatu,’ Kathryn Bigelow’s ‘Strange Days’ plays in 35mm.
Edward Berger, Brady Corbet, Coralie Fargeat, James Mangold, Denis Villeneuve and Malcolm Washington on adapting as you go, feminism in film — and vaping in the Sistine Chapel.
Inside Blake Lively’s legal complaint against her ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star and director Justin Baldoni: Who’s who and what you need to know.
Also this week: The premiere of a documentary tribute to former Times critic Kevin Thomas, ‘Wages of Fear’ in 4K, plus new releases ‘Nickel Boys’ and ‘The Brutalist.’
The veteran actor, known for “Memento,” “L.A. Confidential” and HBO’s “Mildred Pierce,” has been earning praise for his complex portrayal of an enigmatic industrialist.
This week, Malcolm and John David Washington talk about collaborating on a new August Wilson adaptation and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes discusses his breakout year.
Also this week: A Jacques Audiard retrospective, Diahann Carroll in ‘Claudine’ in 4K, Clea DuVall’s ‘Happiest Season’ and the 60th anniversary of ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.’