Religion – Matthew Liedke on Film

Come for the papal politics, stay for the drama.

“Conclave” was directed by Edward Berger who helmed the Oscar-nominated film “All Quiet on the Western Front” in 2022. Set in present days, the film centers on the death of a fictional Pope and the subsequent voting process to choose a successor.

Leading the process is Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who oversees the rules and schedule. Over the course of several days, Lawrence is roped into several ongoing political situations as Cardinals Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Tremblay (John Lithgow) and Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) vie for power.

Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘Conclave’ is an engrossing look into Vatican governance”

“The Two Popes” combines two things that are supposed to be left off the table at family get-togethers: religion and politics. The two subjects are ripe for good acting performances, though, which is what this movie provides.

The movie mostly takes place in early 2013, just before Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) resigned and Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) was elected to the position. The film explores how Benedict came to his decision to resign, the first pope to do so since 1415, and his conversations with Jorge, now Pope Francis.

The drama mostly comes from Francis and Benedict being on opposite sides of what direction the church should go. Francis leans more toward a liberal viewpoint, and therefore wants to reform the Catholic Church. Benedict, meanwhile, was pushing a more conservative view, with an agenda to keep church traditions. The two, though, eventually find common ground.

Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘The Two Popes’ has a pair of great performances, and not much else”