"Conclave" (movie) is getting very good reviews.

No smooches please!

Is a Movie About Electing a Pope Allowed to Be This Entertaining?

- Vulture

Ralph Fiennes takes charge of tense papal election thriller

- The Guardian

and more

[quote]OP/Della: I like Vatican intrigue, whether in real life or a movie.

Oh?

In your opinion, how do you think JPI died, Della?

I've placed my bet on it for the Vulture Movie League. Good buzz for Ralph Finnes.

I read the book, do you want the spoiler?

Didn't we already do this with HBO's "The Young Pope" and then "The Two Popes" film? I'm all Poped out....

The cast is amazing. Looking forward to this.

Saw Joker 2 and I’m still pondering wtf I saw.

Is it like Watergate?

R5, I’ve read the book too.

Who is playing *that* character?

The book was an inch deep and mile wide. It read like a film pitch.

r3 PoisonedDragon, I'll go with heart attack.

I do see from the Wikipedia entry that there exist conspiracy questions, but just as most times a cigar is just a cigar, most times death by heart attack is death by heart attack.

The short reign of 33 days certainly is unusual.

Now, the truly extraordinary instance of Pope Benedict resigning? What? Why?

According to that excellent PBS Frontline "Secrets of the Vatican" he was ganged-up on and felt overwhelmed by what he was finding out about Vatican finances....

Hmmm...

R5 The cardinals pick a woman?

I'm torn.

I want spoilers posted here and I don't want spoilers posted here. I haven't read the book.

Easily remedied, Della.

Grātiās tibi agō, r14

It's a quick read.

It’s spoiled on goodreads.

[quote]how do you think JPI died, Della?

Am not Della but I think he was bumped off. The college of cardinals wouldn't have elected him if he was known to be in poor health.

It's too bad because he sounded like a good guy. Far better than his successor.

The only way I want to watch a movie about the Vatican is if there’s a demon nun killing all the priests. Except those hot young ones you see - send those ones to men.com.

The Two Popes was a good movie.

What I like about movies about the papacy is that ostensibly you can imagine the process in any way you want. The conduct of the conclaves have been hermetically sealed for centuries. When nothing is know, anything is possible. But, yes, I'll be going to see my first move in a traditional theater for the first time since 2022.

Count me IN.

The subject has been done to death. Basta!

Does it have full frontal shower room hijinks?

Can't wait, I'll watch the shit out of the cam version when it comes out.

How was the book R5? Was it boring or interesting?

[quote] But, yes, I'll be going to see my first move in a traditional theater for the first time since 2022.

Yes, r21. I've been in movie theatres since they opened up again after the pandemic, but I understand why people have their reasons for avoiding them.

"Conclave" will draw a mature audience to the theatre, I hope. It's been a while since I've watched a movie at the theatre that isn't fantastical, but just a melodrama with an intriguing setting, set direction, costumes.

R26 I'm not R5 but I thought the book was interesting and a quick read.

Carlos Diehz is playing Benitez, and was discovered after a long casting search.

I presume then the actor is intersex?

I’m still eager to go the theatre to watch this although I couldn’t resist the temptation ( how lapsed Catholic of me) to, yesterday, watch a YouTube spoiler review.

The story makes it sound like Angels & Demons...Which is not a good thing! And based on the photos they're even using the same palace as a stand in for Vatican.

Della, I read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it!

I am going to a preview this afternoon and I cannot wait to see that dishy Ralph Fiennes, ex-Voldemort, play the lead. So far, it has gotten great reviews (even Oscar buzz) and I am so glad.

USA Today said: "Having a bunch of ambitious religious dudes stuck in one place gives “Conclave” a hostile and explosive energy, which contrasts with the wonder and awe of the papal votes unfolding in the Sistine Chapel. (They didn’t film in the actual place but, holy cow, does Berger immerse you in the splendor anyway.)"

I will let you know what I think later on!

Looking forward to your post, Tallulah.

Smoooches, Doll.

I'm going to a preview screening tonight. I'm a member of our local art cinema house. It offered free tickets to members

Cool, r34.

Please post a review.

Just saw it. It’s about the politicking and intrigue when Cardinals gather to elect a new Pope.

Slowly building but interesting movie. Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini are standouts.

The ending seems a little gimmicky at first but, upon reflection, it totally makes sense for the story.

R36 here— meant to add- with all the impressive Vatican buildings and fancy outfits, the Catholic Church behaves more like a rich empire than a religion that’s supposed to care about the poor and disenfranchised. I can’t believe, in this modern day, people this follow this utter bullshit

I really enjoyed this movie. I thought about it all night. I read the book before, as sometimes they leave things out of the movie that were important. However, not in this film. They did a wonderful job!

Right off the bat, I think Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini are definite Oscar nominations, especially Isabella for Supporting Actress. She doesn't have much to say, but every time your see her she is mesmerizing.

I found the story fascinating. Not since watching 'Shoes of the Fisherman' have I enjoyed a conclave movie as much as this. The movies carries the suspense well and the photography is amazing. One would never have though they were not in Vatican City.

The ending was a bit different from the book, but only because it was easier to understand and, basically, made no difference in the outcome.

I loved this suspense drama and was grateful to see it in a megaplex theater where the rest of the theaters were full of horror or cartoons.

Dearest Della, I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I did. Much love, Darlin'. Ha!

PS: I hope someone can explain the symbolism in the scene with all the white umbrellas.

I'm going tomorrow, I hope!

[quote]all the impressive Vatican buildings and fancy outfits, the Catholic Church behaves more like a rich empire than a religion

But those are the very Gothic Grand Guignol elements that make for such appealing films and stories! Who wants a movie about bland boring Protestants?

Sylvia, sweetie! I do hope you enjoy it and have a large popcorn, as well! Please tell us your thoughts, after!

I also found the book fascinating and can't wait to see the movie. Thanks for the reviews.

I thought it was a great old fashioned movie. I found the dialog a little too on-the-nose at times, but that dialog was delivered impeccably by a first-rate bunch of actors. The visuals and limited color palette were gorgeous. I did groan a bit at the final big reveal at the end, but all in all I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It reminded me of a 50s or 60s prestige picture. I can easily imagine it shot in Cinemascope, starring James Mason, Richard Burton, and John Gielgud.

Critics expect Isabella Rossellini to get an Oscar nom for her performance.

Does conclave mean the thing is curved toward you, or away from you??? I always mix that up!!!

When I was young, I toyed with the priesthood .

Enough with the critiques.

Do the cardinals wear gorgeous frocks?

[Quote] When I was young, I toyed with the priesthood .

I did too — some of the priests were very large 🤍

[quote]r43 = Critics expect Isabella Rossellini to get an Oscar nom for her performance.

I congratulated her mother for her Orient Express nomination.

The acting was great but the story was stupid.

It’s based on a book.

[quote] Do the cardinals wear gorgeous frocks?

R46 In the movie Conclave, the cardinals are dressed in vivid red robes. The director, Edward Berger, chose this color to create a rich look and contrast with the more muted settings of the film, such as the Sistine Chapel and marble architecture. The red robes in the movie are redder than the actual cardinal costumes, which are more orangey in real life

But the lace! Tell me about the lace!

There is no vivid anything in that movie. I felt like I needed a flashlight to watch it.

where is it streaming?

In the end, it’s a mostly silly story depending on predictable “bombshell” soap opera plot devices. I read in the reviews it is based on an airport paperback type novel and that is exactly what the movie is. It feels weirdly old-fashioned, like something from the 70s or 80s, and is pro-Catholic (the “good” Catholics win via fluke).

R43 I’d be happy to see Rossellini recognized for La Chimera or Conclave. What a year she’s having.

Just watched a (very high quality) cam version and holy shit, I was gripped from start to finish! That ending though... I get now why some book readers were apprehensive about this getting adapted. It's... a lot. Wonder how it'll go down on DL.

I did enjoy the cinematography, although some of the shots looked documentary-ish (staring straight into the camera) and there were one too many long scenes of Fiennes praying. Also, Fiennes looked permanently on the verge of crying, which made me roll my eyes towards the end.

R10 I felt that way about the Da Vinci Code

This is a lot more grounded than Dan Brown's bullshit, even though there wasn't much depth to it. I mean, everything you see in this movie could actually exist in our reality, for starters.

I was listening to Isabella in an interview discussing how Italians like Jews are more culturally religious than devout. It was an interesting conversation. I think it was for Canadian radio this week.

About the umbrellas.

Any orgies? You know these happen whenever two or more clergy are gathered in his name.

[quote]Critics expect Isabella Rossellini to get an Oscar nom for her performance.

She just did alot of standing, staring and grimacing

^^^^ But, she did it well!

I too, loved and was mesmerized by the color palette. Beautiful reds and purples. You could almost feel the fabrics thru the screen, wonderfully rich and thick and textured.

I enjoyed the movie very much. Especially because it was an “adult” film. No explosions, or vulgarities or any kind of action.

That surprise was surprising as well. I thought he would have been an addict of some kind when they mentioned a clinic. This was an interesting twist.

I was also under the impression that once a conclave was established, they literally couldn’t leave the Sistine Chapel where they were voting until a new Santo Padre was chosen.

Good stuff.

Me and my son just watched it a few hours ago. It's a very good thought provoking movie.

I saw this film last night. Outstanding cast all around. Rossellini captivated in every scene. She was all the more striking because there was no attempt to make her beautiful. It may have been a small role, but she proved she is no small actor. I could see several acting noms for this -really no weak performances. I haven't read the novel, but film was thoroughly engaging.

Visually stunning. A tad contrived.

As almost everyone has said, Finnes and Rosellini are Oscar worthy standouts. Lithgow, like much of the cast, is good, but only just so; and Tucci, while fun to watch, doesn’t have the “gravitas” one would expect for the role he’s been assigned.

I saw Tucci on Colbert last week and he looked so, so different.

Obviously he had had a nip and tuck recently. I was disappointed about that.

Maybe the problem is that he looks too young to be a Cardinal 😛

The Atlantic's reviewer is not impressed:

Who were the worst popes of the last 100 years please?

[Quote] an Oscar nom

John Paul II. Nazi collaborator, one of Gehlen's people after the war. Possibly involved with Wolf Szmuness and the spread of HIV. Probably had John Paul I murdered. Created so many saints it appears he was selling beatification. Picked right-wing nutjob pedophile as his successor.

Also pretended to speak like a hundred languages. Big fraud.

Double agent for Soviets and the West.

R73 R74 thanks

[Quote] Having now lost his mother, brother, and father all before the age of 21, Wojtyla now began to consider joining the priesthood. With the war still raging, in October 1942 he approached the Arch Bishop of Krakow and soon began clandestine study in the underground seminary. He survived numerous physical accidents during the war, and in August 1944 narrowly missed being rounded up in a Gestapo sweep by hiding in his uncle’s basement while the house was searched. Wojtyla had grown up in Wadowice amidst a large Jewish population, and there are multiple accounts where he attempted to help and protect Jews during the war years. However, presumably due to the extraordinary threat and circumstances of the Nazi occupation, he consistently refused to baptize Jewish children into the Catholic faith at this time, believing that they should be raised in the Jewish faith they were born into. Later there would be proposals that Wojtyla be given recognition as one of the Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem, and below is a photograph of an exhibit dedicated to Karol Wojtyla in the Oskar Schindler museum in Krakow.

Didn't Pius XII essentially carte blanche Hitler saying he was fine as long as the church could continue to operate in Germany?

Saw it. Loved it although the ending, as most have said, is a tad contrived but is making a point. Definitely deserves Oscars.

And if you believe that I have some slightly wet land in Florida to sell you R77

Wojtyla was allowed to travel under communism, spending a whole year in Chicago in the fifties. 'Splain' that, apologists.

In the book, I didn’t necessarily think the person elected as pope had particular skills or virtues above anyone else.

Was this more apparent in the film?