It was with a sense of obligation that I first watched 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front. A German film based on an ancient novel I was force-fed in high school didn’t seem like my idea of a good time. But I always try to see as many Oscar nominated films as I can before the big night. It makes the evening more interesting.
But damn, if it didn’t turn out to be one of the best war films I’ve seen in recent years, perhaps second only to Dunkirk. Though I still think the best movie did win (Everything Everywhere All at Once), a small part of me was a tad disappointed the Academy didn’t throw everyone a curveball and pick this one.
It was with a similar sense of obligation that I sat down to review Conclave on 4K UHD. Recent flicks like Immaculate and The First Omen notwithstanding, Catholic shenanigans didn’t seem like a good time either, especially since the entire story revolves around a bunch of Cardinals gathering to elect a new pope after the old one dies.
But damn, if it didn’t turn out to be a compelling two hours, beautifully shot and unfolding like a thriller, teeming with intrigue. Ralph Fiennes gives one of his best performances as Cardinal Lawrence, reluctantly overseeing the entire conclave and managing the sequestered cardinals. It’s a long, grueling process, exacerbated by opposing philosophies, plenty of scandal and a shocking amount of backstabbing. Outside the Sistine Chapel, a few terrorist bombings occur, stoking political fires inside. In a way, the story feels a little like a microcosm of our current social climate.
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| Another losing Powerball ticket. |
In addition to its complex story and characters, Conclave boasts a loaded cast, including Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini, John Lithgow as conniving, ambitious Cardinal Tremblay, Sergio Castellitto as ultra right-winger Cardinal Tedesco and Isabella Rossellini in small but crucial role as Sister Agnes. But really, the movie belongs to Fiennes, who at least deserves a Best Actor nomination.
The movie also belongs to Edward Berger, who directed this and All Quiet on the Western Front. These films that couldn’t be more different, yet both are narratively and visually fascinating. Maybe the guy’s got a knack for making the mundane memorable. At any rate, Berger’s another director I’m gonna start paying attention to.
EXTRA KIBBLES
FEATURETTE - Sequestered: Inside Conclave is a pretty good making-of doc featuring interviews with director Edward Berger and the primary cast.
AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Edward Berger.
4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES
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