20/47
This is a flawed assumption
Plot
When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.. Based on Robert Harris' 2016 novel "Conclave".. Cardinal Benitez delivers his climactic speech in Spanish. It's a bit of a stretch to believe that all the other cardinals can easily understand him. All of the Cardinals speak fluent Latin by default, and many speak Italian in other conversations in the movie. All of these languages belong to the Romance language family, so it's not a stretch to assume that the majority of the Cardinals would have a basic comprehension of Spanish..
Referenced in The Saad Truth: My Review of Conclave (Film) – Wokeism Destroys Everything (2024)
Sister Agnes: Although we sisters are supposed to be invisible, God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears.. Allegri: MisererePerformed by Capella Musicale Pontificia Sistina, Massimo PalombellaCourtesy of Deutsche Grammophon GMBHUnder licence from Universal Music Operations Ltd. Lies. Deception. Manipulation. Strategy.
Every move calculated, every alliance scrutinized
A game of chess on a global scale. A complex and riveting contest of strategy and influence. Edward Berger takes a process as intimate and holy as the conclave and turns it into something thrilling that echoes the scheming, backstabbing nature and intrigue of Game of Thrones and Succession while also feeling strikingly relevant. Conclave is a meticulously constructed behind-closed-doors thriller where religion and politics clash and the souls of petty men are tested for a chance at supreme power.Conclave is a film about choosing the least objectionable candidate to prevent undoing decades of progress. Hmm… sounds familiar.
It's meant to be a reminder to avoid unnecessary or mundane sequences
Not to get too political, but there is a reason this film was released when it was, and the overall challenging messages presented in the film could not be more relevant to the current political climate in not only the US but many other countries in the world.I'm seeing a lot of enjoyably quippy Letterboxd/social media reviews saying that this is a funny movie about priests gossiping ("What if an episode of Gossip Girl took place entirely at the Vatican????"), and that isn't untrue-but it also neglects to mention that it's a very earnest and profoundly soul-stirring picture about the tension of faith, the desperate search for certainty, and the true purpose of the church in the world. This is the kind of well-staged "men in rooms" drama that feels like it could've been made in the 1940s, or the 90s. Imagine an Aaron Sorkin film (The Social Network, Moneyball, A Few Good Men) in the Catholic Church. That is Conclave.The ensemble is outstanding with Ralph Fiennes delivering a performance that is as nuanced as it is commandingly powerful. The taut atmosphere is amplified by a pulse-pounding score, and immersive sound design, though moments of over-the-top levity occasionally breaks the tension, adding an unexpected layer of entertainment to this riveting high-stakes election. It's one of the most riveting, immaculately crafted films of the year – a masterclass in classic Hollywood filmmaking brilliantly directed by Edward Berger who most recently made All Quiet on the Western Front.There's this "rule" in film editing: don't show the door closing; just cut to the other side.
Conclave ignores that entirely
Characters pause, and shuffle around between lines, as their sneakers squeak on Italian marble. They actually eat and swallow food without cuts, and stop in the middle of important dialogue just to make a Nespresso in real time. People are calling this a thriller (and I agree), but it's also a Vatican hangout movie.