#Conclave review

[agentnico]

Conclave (2024) review

This Pope is dope!

Plot: Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with one of the world's most secretive and ancient events - leading the selection of a new pope. Surrounded by powerful religious leaders in the halls of the Vatican, he soon uncovers a trail of deep secrets that could shake the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church.

Since his stellar 2022 adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front that bagged him a Best International Feature Academy Award, Edward Berger showcased himself as a director to keep an eye out for. I did not expect him to be back so quickly, yet here we are with Conclave, and goodness we he may have yet another awards contender on his hands. This movie is all about lies, deception, manipulation and strategy, all encapsulated in this global scale game of chess. From the offset one may question how interesting a movie about a bunch of cardinals picking the next Pope could be. Like it’s just a bunch of men in red caps sitting and talking. But believe me this is far from a boring tale, as Berger manages to turn this intimate and supposedly-holy ritual into a thrilling and tense experience that echoes the scheming, backstabbing nature and intrigue of something like Game of Thrones whilst also feeling strikingly relevant. I’m not saying this thing is full of sex and blood, but truly this movie about priests gossiping is extremely entertaining and engaging. Whenever the ballot result was being announced after every vote, I’m not going to lie, and I hate using this term, I was at the edge of my seat, wondering who the next front runner was.

Part of me wishes this took a Death of Stalin approach with all these cardinals trying to one up each other to get to the top, as there is so much comedy potential in that. However this movie plays it mostly straight, yet it does still manage to find some humour in the interactions, with especially one of the most diabolical vape hits of all time, and I don’t just mean in cinema history. Truly though this is a really well made piece of drama, and also fantastically shot, as Berger and his crew manage to turn the Vatican into a highly cinematic location, with even a small behind-the-scene auditorium darkened in a way that only the red of the cardinals clothing and the turquoise blue seats are highlighted, which I must say was a phenomenal minimalistic approach. Also a bird’s eye sequence of the cardinals holding white umbrellas and walking past a fountain - chef’s kiss! Huge shout out to Volker Bertelmann’s music score, as even though I think his work on All Quiet on the Western Front was overrated and dull, here his style works much better, with his score dominating a specific sound made by a string chamber orchestra, that mirrored the movie’s constant theme of being “stuck”.

With this cast you already expected high class performances, but truly they are great. Elegant, crafty, poised, but never shy of getting emotional when needed, Ralph Fiennes abilities of balance continue to impress me with how he invests in making a good character. It’s a reserved yet powerful performance. Stanley Tucci goes a bit more theatrical, his character the voice of the "liberal" side as his aggressions and passions are artfully delivered in a manner fit for the stage to offset Fiennes' calmer tones. John Lithgow is almost a mix of the two extremes, holding his usual support role that keeps so many of the leading sides held and providing perhaps most of the engaging mystery element in the search for the truth. Isabella Rossellini is unfortunately a tad under-used, though she does get one scene to deliver that powerful note that the Oscars would love to reference should she be nominated. Lucian Msamati, Sergio Castellitto and Carlos Diehz also make notable turns as the other contenders for the Pope role, all of whom get their moments to shine.

In my eyes Conclave is a stunning piece of work. It manages to take what one would assume as such a simple premise, yet manages to entangle it with so many threads of twists and turns, as such turning a political and religious drama into a true mystery thriller, with Fiennes character acting more so as a detective rather than a leader of the conclave. Partner that with the great acting, sublime cinematography and a slow but engaging pace with a script filled with wit and realism, and we have ourselves one hell of a motion picture!

Overall score: 8/10

[spryfilm]

Film review: “Conclave” (2024)

[flustered-art]

Resurrecting this dead account to post pope fanart

[heresylog]

Hello! If you feel so inclined, I would love to hear your review of Conclave. God bless

I saw the movie over the Christmas holiday with my blood sister. I really enjoyed it. The cinematography was great. The actors were all amazing, including Carlos Diehz who was acting in his first major role.

Obviously, there will be spoilers below so please watch the film.

I didn't want the movie to end. Really, when Cardinal Benitez is voted as the newest Pope Innocence, it felt like the start of a new era. It so much reminded me of when Pope Francis was announced.

In reality, when Pope Francis became pope he did something quite provoking--he asked the crowds to bless him instead of the other way around. That type of attitude, respecting lay people and others, was very present in the film's portrayal of Cardinal Benitez. Of course, everything has to be simplified in movies since we don't have the benefit of watching hours long debates and political strife.

Despite the Catholic Church being the largest organized religion in the world, it's actually quite small once you are in. It's difficult to define what "in" is except when you experience it for yourself. And I don't just mean the world is small for priest, religious sisters and brothers, and the like. It's small for those of us who are deeply involved in the behind the scenes politics of it all. Because of the clear structure of power, everything you do on a parish (individual church) level affects the diocese, which affects the nation's assembly of bishops, which effects Rome. All of these wheels turn and the most ambitious priests become bishops and cardinals. Make waves but not too many. Everyone's watching. No one is watching.

Benitez must know this. But he is literally outside of it all. Despite being a bishop he was never in. He was a secret bishop stationed in a place dealing with war and real religious intolerance. He is able to put things into perspective.

That is why he does not politic with the others, why he acknowledges the sisters who prepare the food and wash their laundry. Benitez is thrust into this role by the former pope because he is the only unbiased, unambitious, hardworking person who is able to handle the job.

When you live in community with other religious individuals, it makes you more accountable. But sometimes it leads to resentments and feelings of inadequacy. It would have been very easy for Benitez to fall into feeling out of his depth but he takes everything in stride. He influences his peers to rise above their disgusting attitudes towards others and one another.

The shocking moment was not the reveal that he was intersex. Although I had been spoiled that there was an intersex character being portrayed, I did not know who it would be. I was shocked that it was shown on screen with such care that in years past may not have been.

Just an excellent movie. I recommend it to anyone religious or secular.

[pricelessreviews]

[apollon-emos]

in my writing essays on letterboxd era

[akitossohma]

just read a letterboxd review that described lawrence’s crisis of faith as “underdeveloped and intrusive”, which is baffling considering the institutional crisis of faith afflicting the Catholic Church is the philosophical conflict that underpins the entire story

[funnypages]

Conclave: The Surprise Movie Recommendation of October

So this is not at all what I would usually share on here, but if you looking for a movie to see with some of you older family, especially with the holidays coming up next few months, I definitely recommend you check out Conclave, a political thriller/mystery set during the election of a new pope, based of a 2016 novel by Robert Harris

Basic plot: Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is a cardinal of the liberal faction in the Roman Catholic Church, who receives news that the current pope (unnamed but heavily modeled after current Pope Francis) has died. As Dean of the College of Cardinals, it is Lawrence's responsibility to organize and manage the papal conclave during which the cardinals of the Church will be sequestered within the Sistine Chapel and elect the new pope.

Going into the conclave the 4 main candidates for pope are:

Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) - An Italian cardinal from the extremely conservative traditionalist faction of the church, who wishes to undue all reforms the Catholic Church has initiated since the 1960s; and is a racist, fundamentalist, homophobe. The closest thing to a villain the movie has

Cardinal Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) - A Nigerian cardinal, who while a liberal on economic issues and not wanting to roll back all reforms, is a hardliner against acceptance of LGBT+ issues.

Cardinal Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow) - A Canadian Conservative (although arguably more of a centrist), who has been machinating for months prior to the old pope's death to be elected, and will do anything to make sure it happens

Cardinal Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci) - An American cardinal who is a friend of Lawrence and the late pope. The candidate for the liberal/reform faction; he wants to improve relations with non-Christian religions, moderate the church on abortion and LGBT+ issues, and open to allowing women in the clergy. Although more sympathetic than the conservative candidates, we come to discover he is just as power hungry as them for the papacy.

As Lawrence tries to manage the election (while also supporting his friend as neutral as possible), he finds himself trying to investigate conspiracies, coverups, blackmail; and the appearance of a mysterious cardinal nobody has met before, but was appointed by the pope in secret prior to his death.

The movie is incredibly well acted and shot; and while quite critical of the Catholic Church at times; quite sympathetic in actual religious belief. I have seen some very pissed of reviews complaining about it being "woke" but while it is definitely on the side of the liberal faction, both Tremblay and Adeyemi get sympathetic moments. Although the "woke" accusations probably come mostly from the final twist. Won't give it away, but the movie says Queer Rights.

If you are still curious, I recommend checking out the trailer. It actually does a really good job of not spoiling anything but mixing around lines and scenes.

[djkerr]

Christine Baranski presenting the National Board of Review's Best Ensemble Award to Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow, and Ralph Fiennes for Conclave.

�� John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images | Jamie McCarthy, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for National Board of Review

The National Board of Review Awards Gala | Cipriani 42nd Street, NYC | January 07, 2025

Christine Baranski and Lily Cowles

📷 Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for National Board of Review

📷 @lilycowles via IG

[prophetofjudas]

hem hem~ I watched conclave recently... yes because it was catholic centered~~ it was rather good I recommend it \(^.^) in many ways it felt much like an agatha christie type of story which was very fun for me. only slight tinges of yaoi but i believe a fujoshi of strong faith can find it ..! believe it!

if i were to parallel any characters to bible ones maybe lawrence a little similar to john the baptist .. with benitez perhaps being the most christlike. is it a stretch? hm~~

[reya4k]

[agentnico]

Top 10 Best Movies of 2024

Happy New Year everyone! Thank you to the two or three of my blog readers or the random Tumblr users who come across one of my reviews - always appreciate you spending your time reading my gibberish. 2024 - what a disappointing year for cinema. Naturally a primary cause for this was the SAG-AFTRA artist strike in 2023 that has had a ripple effect, however another reason would be that Hollywood is more-than-ever running out of ideas. It’s not that there were particularly bad movies, but more so okay films that left one underwhelmed. From big budget fare such as Gladiator 2, Moana 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Argylle, The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim offering limited but forgettable entertainment, and even the indie market struggling, as I found myself hardly captivated by the likes of Longlegs, Drive-Away Dolls, The Vourdalak, MaXXXine and The Return, to name a few. It’s been a very so-so year. Nevertheless there’s always some movies that manage to offer that element of escapism we all seek from the theatrical journey, so here are my picks for my favourite films of 2024 (in my humblest of opinions of course)…

[DISCLAIMER: I have not yet seen A Complete Unknown and The Brutalist, so those will not be considered on this list, though I am very much looking forward to seeing both, especially The Brutalist]

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Juror #2; The Last Stop in Yuma County; Challengers; The Beast; A Quiet Place: Day One; Late Night with the Devil

10 - WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL - “He’s back! Again!” So I have been absolutely sleeping on these Wallace & Gromit joints. Me and my wife were in stitches after watching this new Aardman stop motion with its irreverent humour and wacky hijinks. Wallace is a self-absorbed prick, Feathers McGraw is one of the best silent villains in cinematic history and Gromit is bae. After seeing it we have since been on an endless binge of all the Wallace & Gromit shorts and films on BBC and have fallen in love with this cheese-loving mongrel of an inventor and his loyal friendly doggo. Yet Vengeance Most Fowl I still believe is maybe their best outing yet, as it takes everything that is great about this franchise and delivers it in one entertaining hilarious package. Also I can only imagine how much time it takes up for Aardman to do all the stop motion animation, with it taking weeks to make maybe only 30 seconds of footage. It’s impressive, and the result is one of the most heartwarming comedic gold features of 2024. Oh, and those Peter Kay one-liners are on point!

9 - FLOW - The Robot Dreams of 2024. A wonderful, beautiful and immersive experience- a true vibe of a movie. Still questioning how these animals know how to drive a boat, but I’m happy to suspend my sense of disbelief and assume these creatures went to boat school in favour of admitting that this is my favourite animated feature of this year. Great for cat lovers too!

8 - WICKED - Look, I’m as stumped as anyone about the fact that Wicked is on my Top 10 list. I’m trying to let that sink in…. Wicked in my Top 10… Wicked in my Top 10… Ugghh it grinds my gears it does!! Nevertheless, it’s a perfect adaptation of the musical stage production with catchy songs and superstar turns from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. My wife has also been non-stop singing “woooooo” from Defying Gravity ever since, so she evidently approves too. Now leave me be, I simply must be loathing… unadulterated loathing… For your face, your voice, your clothing… Let's just say, I loathe it all!!

7 - HERETIC - I shall never listen to “All the Air That I Breathe” by The Hollies the same again. Hugh Grant delivers the most entertaining and uneasy religious studies lecture in history, by comparing the Bible and Quran to Monopoly - baller ass move, and a most entertaining little thriller.

6 - CONCLAVE - In my eyes Conclave is a stunning piece of work. It manages to take what one would assume as such a simple premise, yet manages to entangle it with so many threads of twists and turns, as such turning a political and religious drama into a true mystery thriller, with Fiennes character acting as a detective, unravelling the dirty secrets of all the Pope candidates. Partner that with the great acting, sublime cinematography and a slow but engaging pace with a script filled with wit and realism, and we have ourselves one hell of a motion picture! Oh, and less one forget about the most diabolical vape hit ever!

5 - THE SUBSTANCE - Conclave may feature the most diabolical vape hit of the year, however The Substance takes the win for the most obnoxious chewing of shrimp ever put to screen! The Substance is the type of movie that is made to shock and unsettle an audience. There’s a lot of disturbing imagery, with blood and gore and body horror, very reminiscent of horror films of David Cronenberg like The Fly and Naked Lunch. The final 30 minutes especially are so fun to watch with a crowd of people in a packed theatre, as it’s the kind of visceral and grotesque experience that is at the same time disgusting, horrible yet funny. Let’s not even sugarcoat it - the final 30 minutes are so f-ed up and it was a thrill to experience that with an audience, hearing the gasps and squirms from fellow moviegoers. Definitely up there as one of my favourite cinema trips.

4 - THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO - Some stories a worth retelling. The sets are great and really invoke the post-Napoleon era of France; the costumes are gorgeous; the music score is grandiose and epic, really engrossing you in this decade spanning saga of revenge; the classic Alexandre Dumas story is reinterpreted so well with the themes and the emotion, and the acting across the board is superb.  Truly grandiose in scale, and Pierre Niney is effortlessly cool as the titular count, playing him off as a, dare I say, French Batman. So cool, so awesome, so very French.

3 - HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS - Hundreds of Beavers is one of the most creative, inventive and entertaining comedies of the last decade, and I had a smile on my face from start to finish. From the punchy editing, funny music cues, well-timed cutaway gags, goofy costumes or the endlessly creative deaths, this thing has so much unhinged energy it’s unreal. This slapstick comedy offers the perfect rebuttal to “they don’t make them like they used to.” 

2 - FURIOSA - It was upon my second viewing, with an avid pairing of a glass or two of gin mind you, that I really accepted how spectacular this movie is. It’s a fricking sin that Chris Hemsworth is not getting any awards recognition for his turn as the diabolical Dementus - he bloody OWNS this role! Anya Taylor-Joy comes late in the game but does rule as a revenge stricken Furiosa, but I’d actually say that Alyla Browne deserves more praise as the young Furiosa, giving one of the most raw and bare bones child-actor performances of the last decade! The scene where her mother gets crucified…. this kid felt it and WE felt it! CGI is tacky at times; but to counteract that there are some ace action scenes…. dudes parachuting off motorbikes whilst blazing in fire is so METAL! I usually hate prequels as I don’t see the point in them, but this is that one rare exception where it truly allows one to unravel more of The Wasteland through the lense of a fantastical and engaging narrative. Sad to think this may be the last Mad Max flick due to the box office failure. Shame -I’d happily dig another! 

1 - DUNE: PART TWO - To use The Lord of the Rings terminology, and boy am I happy to refer to the dear-to-my-heart Middle Earth whenever I have the chance, then Dune: Part Two holds the scale of The Two Towers. I may not agree with all of it, and there are still some moments I believe drag, though The Two Towers is also guilty of that - I’m looking at you Treebeard! But overall this is one hell of a cinematic experience and achievement. I heavily disliked the first movie, so going into this one I was prepped on hating it too. However Dune: Part Two is a masterclass of science fiction storytelling. No other movie in 2024 has provided me with such a visceral and invigorating feeling of cinematic experience. I was completely lost in the deserts of Arrakis, enamoured in the rise of the Lisan al Gaib. Oh, and that Hans Zimmer’s music score - electrifying!!

In conclusion, 2024 excelled in the horror genre, while the two best films are both set in the desert. Take that as you will. Anyway, onwards with 2025! If you liked this, please follow me on Letterboxd for my immediate reactions: https://boxd.it/9wQGT

[pricelessreviews]

[panosatthemovies]

Conclave is a surprisingly current film, and although it's based on a novel published in 2016, it's as if it's speaking about the recent US presidential election or, in general, about the turmoil around world politics, the rise of the right-wing due to the immigrant crisis, the so-called "woke agenda" and more. It goes to show you how perceptive its author, Robert Harris, was a decade ago, but also how long this conflict has been brewing in our society. At the same time, the film is a welcome return to classic storytelling in a mainstream movie, with intrigue, a mystery you can follow and try to solve, and interesting characters played by Oscar-winning actors, delivering insightful and moving dialogue. The always-amazing Ralph Fiennes leads the all-star cast in one of his best performances and most fitting roles. The sets look authentic and impressive (partly shot in a reconstructed Cappella Sistina in Cinecittà Studios), the costumes are immaculate, and the music by the freshly Oscar-winning Volker Bertelmann provides tension and mystery. Edward Berger, directing this after All Quiet on the Western Front, seems on a roll, changing genres and delivering another costume drama that reflects current affairs. I've left the surprising ending for the end since it has divided audiences and critics, with some saying it wasn't needed or that it ruined their experience. Well, they might have been watching a different film since, no matter how surprising, this was the most inevitable finale for a film about the need for transformation and acceptance.

B+

Trailer: https://youtu.be/t915aZmyEBg

[granitefilmreviews]

[funnypages]

Film Rankings for 2024

So finally put together my film rankings for 2024, did two different lists one for horror, one for non horror, as i such a big fan of genre

General

Kneecap

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

Conclave

Deadpool & Wolverine

Wicked

Dune: Part Two

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Inside Out 2

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Love Lies Bleeding

Horror 

The Substance

Lisa Frankenstein

Immaculate

Abigail 

I Saw The TV Glow

Alien: Romulus

The First Omen

Exhuma

Oddity

In a Violent Nature