Conclave – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

MOVIE OF THE WEEK January 7, 2025: FAVORITE 2024 OSCAR CONTENDERS

January 5, 2025January 6, 2025 Jennifer Merin betsy bozdech, Cate Marquis, Conclave, Fancy Dance, jennifer merin, leslie combemale, liz whittemore, loren king, motw, movie awards, Movie of the Week, nell minow, oscars, Pam Grady, sandie angulo chen, September 5, sherin nicole, Sing Sing, sugarcane, The Brutalist, The Wild Robot, Wicked (Part One)

In recent years, the presentation of movie awards has grown into an industry unto itself. And, awards season has expanded in duration to include more than the entire year. It starts in January with awards buzz erupting out of Sundance Film Festival — even before the previous year’s awards season has culminated with the Oscars gala presentation that’s staged in early March. It’s a struggle to keep up with the countless award-eligible movies that are are released throughout the year or seen at film festivals, and awards voters list, discuss and advocate for the titles they think are award-worthy. But the biggest rush release of high profile potential awards contenders occurs in the Fall, accompanied by invitations to special screenings, distribution of FYC screeners, scripts, music scores and other collateral — not to mention swag — to give awards voters lead time to see films before they make their nominations. The infusion of new titles can cut consideration of earlier releases as contenders and indie films without award campaign budgets all but disappear from view. At the height of the season, viewing potential nominees becomes a temporary full time job for awards voters, including AWFJ members. At AWFJ, determining our EDA Awards nominees involves the elimination of titles in order to reach consensus. But even after consensus is reached, everyone has personal favorites that may or may not have landed on the list of nominees. This week, Team MOTW members recommend their favorite award contenders for your watch list.

Reviews

CONCLAVE – Review by Susan Granger

October 29, 2024 Susan Granger Carlos Diehz, Conclave, isabella rossellini, John Lithgow, ralph fiennes, Robert Harris, stanley tucci

The psychological thriller Conclave revolves around the selection of a new Pope, a mysteriously secretive process that begins with the death of the Holy Father whose private chambers are immediately sealed as Roman Catholic Cardinals from all over the world descend on the Vatican to be locked in the Sistine Chapel to cast their votes for his successor. “Certainty is the great enemy of unity. Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance. If there was only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery and therefore no need for faith,” intones British Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), the anguished, reform-minded Dean of the College of Cardinals who presides over the proceedings. “Let us pray that God grants us a pope who doubts.”

Reviews

CONCLAVE – Review by T.J. Callahan

October 21, 2024October 20, 2024 T. J. Callahan Carlos Diehz, Conclave, isabella rossellini, John Lithgow, ralph fiennes, Robert Harris, stanley tucci

As the Chalice Turns, Conclave isn’t non-fiction, but it plays like the ‘E! True Vatican Story’ of the search for a new Holy Father. The saintly soap opera is full of secrets, scandals and sacraments. The Robed and the Popeless. Based on the novel of the same name by Robert Harris, Conclave follows Dean Lawrence, played impeccably by Ralph Fiennes, as he’s tasked with organizing and carrying out the selection of a new pope after the current pontiff unexpectedly dies. His fellow cast of Cardinals, including Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow, begin drawing battle lines for succession until the all knowing Sister Agnes, played by a stone faced Isabella Rossellini, and an unknown clergyman from Kabul (Carlos Diehz) arrive and place a pall on everyone’s plans.

Reviews

CONCLAVE – Review by Diane Carson

October 18, 2024 Diane Carson College of Cardinals, Conclave, Edward Berger, John Lithgow, ralph fiennes, stanley tucci, Vatican

In director Edward Berger’s Conclave, Roman Catholic cardinals convene to choose a new Pope, a formidable task given the political intrigue and jockeying for power. With everyone sequestered for the duration of the election, the twists and turns keep revealing depths of deceitful, cunning machinations. Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow hold center stage in dynamic, combative performances. Unfolding like an intricate, masterfully played chess match, Cardinal Lawrence guides the proceedings: seeking the truth, reacting to dangerous revelations, fighting for spirituality, and fearing the outcome of the virulent power plays. A taut thriller and a fascinating dramatization of religious duplicity, Conclave is one of this year’s best films.