The Envelope

Writer-director brothers Josh and Benny Safdie talk about their latest film, “Uncut Gems,” and why it took them 10 years to finally get it off the ground. Plus, host Mark Olsen talks with Times reporter Amy Kaufman about the latest on Harvey Weinstein.

Mark Olsen talks with director Melina Matsoukas about her transition from directing music videos to her directorial debut in feature film for “Queen & Slim.” Matsoukas is also known for directing Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” as well as “Formation,” which won her a Grammy Award for Best Music Video. Plus, Olsen sits down with Los Angeles Times entertainment reporters to talk everything about the Golden Globes nominations.

Host Mark Olsen talks with Taron Egerton, who plays Elton John in the film “Rocketman.” They discuss how Egerton prepared to portray the music-icon in the film. Egerton also talks about the close friendship he’s formed with the “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” singer. Plus, Olsen talks with television critic Lorraine Ali about all that’s happening with Gabrielle Union and “America’s Got Talent.”

*** SPOILER ALERT in second half of the show ***

Heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, here's a replay episode from one of our most popular shows. With a title that suggests the opening of a child’s storybook, Quentin Tarantino revisits the Hollywood of 1969 and that summer night 50 years ago when members of the Manson family set out for Benedict Canyon with murder in their hearts.

The grisly slayings on Cielo Drive — including that of a very pregnant Sharon Tate — cast a long shadow over the romance of the ‘60s counterculture. Tarantino has said that Charles Manson’s ability to manipulate and control his followers still seems "unfathomable" to this day.

In "Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood," the writer and director takes the occasion to revel in the details of the era, complete with commercials, TV shows, songs, radio news and famous locations and restaurants around Los Angeles. But Tarantino also offers up a study of actors — their anxieties, insecurities and the pride they take in their performances.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the fictional actor Rick Dalton, and Brad Pitt as his stunt double, along with Margot Robbie as the very real Sharon Tate, the film is more emotional and personal than other Tarantino movies.

In fact, Tarantino — who grew up in Los Angeles — has called "Once Upon a Time" his "Roma."

Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) talks with Times film critics @KennethTuran and @JustinCChang, as well as film reporter @jenyamato and special guest Julia Turner (@JuliaTurner), Deputy Managing Editor of Entertainment and Arts.

Host Mark Olsen talks with “Knives Out” director Rian Johnson about his latest Agatha Christie-style whodunit movie. Johnson describes his film as a mystery with a Hitchcockian thrill set in 2019 America. Plus, Olsen talks with corporate media reporter, Meg James, about the so-called Paramount decrees that are being tossed out by the U.S. Justice Department.

Host Mark Olsen sits down with “Ford v Ferrari” Director James Mangold to talk about his latest action film starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Mangold also responds to the latest comments from Martin Scorsese about Marvel movies. Plus, you’ll hear from entertainment columnist Glenn Whipp, who talks about his experience following around comedian Louis C.K. on his latest world tour.

Host Mark Olsen speaks with director Lauren Greenfield about her latest documentary, “The Kingmaker,” which explores the extravagant lifestyle and rise to power of former First Lady Imelda Marcos in the Philippines. They discuss the origin of the story and what it was like for Greenfield to meet and cover Imelda Marcos. You’ll also hear from Glenn Whipp about the latest awards season buzz. Plus, Olsen talks with Jen Yamato about the Martin Scorsese controversy over Marvel movies.

Host Mark Olsen sits down with “Harriet” director and co-writer Kasi Lemmons to talk about creating a biopic based on the life of abolitionist leader Harriet Tubman. The movie is based on the true-events of Tubman’s life as freedom fighter. Lemmons tells Olsen that she’s not surprised it had taken so long to make a big-screen biopic of Tubman. She also elaborates on using research to accurately tell Tubman’s story. She says she read multiple books and all the research she could find on the subject so that she could get the story right. Lemmons, whose directorial debut was the 1997 film, “Eve’s Bayou,” also discusses how she landed the opportunity to direct “Harriet.” Plus, on today’s episode you’ll hear from entertainment columnist Glenn Whipp and film business reporter Ryan Faughnder.

An empty nest and a midlife sexual awakening do not seem like things that normally go hand in hand. But that is the launching point for “Mrs. Fletcher,” the Tom Perrotta novel that’s now been adapted into a new limited HBO series, starring “Transparent’s” Kathryn Hahn.

Perrotta, who is also the showrunner and executive producer for the series, tells host Mark Olsen that the seed for the story came to him seven years ago, when he dropped his daughter off at college.

“Mrs. Fletcher” also follows the experiences of the title character’s college freshman son. Young, white, straight and self-centered, he finds out the hard way how his sense of entitlement collides with campus culture and sexual identity politics.

Perrotta has had several novels adapted for the screen, including HBO’s “The Leftovers”; the Oscar-nominated “Election” starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon; and the Oscar-nominated “Little Children,” starring Kate Winslet.

Also in this episode, as the heated competition in the video subscription world gets underway, Olsen talks with the Times’ TV editor Matt Brennan about the streaming wars.

And in the “Glenn Whipp Awards Minute,” entertainment columnist Whipp discusses this year’s honorary Oscar winners who will be recognized this Sunday at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Governors Awards.

Taika Waititi is not interested in making movies that please everyone — he says that would be too safe and boring.

The writer and director of “Jojo Rabbit” — who also plays a cartoonish Adolph Hitler in a comic coming-of-age story about a Nazi youth who discovers a Jewish girl hiding in his attic — tells host Mark Olsen that he prefers making films that could end his career.

Balancing satire and the Holocaust was always going to be tricky, and “Jojo Rabbit” has already divided critics. But only in America is ‘divisive’ a bad thing, the New Zealand filmmaker says — everywhere else, it’s considered art.

Comedy, the filmmaker argues, is an effective weapon against bigotry and authoritarian leaders.

The movie is based on the book “Caging Skies” by Christine Leunens. Waititi added comedic elements and an imaginary Führer.

Also in this episode, Olsen speaks with the Times culture columnist and critic Mary McNamara about some of the revelations in Ronan Farrow’s new book “Catch and Kill,” including Farrow’s allegations that NBC News shut down his reporting about disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

And in the “Glenn Whipp Awards Minute,” entertainment columnist Whipp gives an early survey of the best actress race.