Conclave is one of the best movies I've seen, maybe ever!!
On the day after the election, with the results not what I’d hoped for, I sat down to watch Conclave—a film that, unexpectedly, met my mood perfectly in its themes of uncertainty, doubt, and a shaken sense of stability.
In Conclave, cardinals gather to elect a new Pope, each so certain they know what’s best for the church, each convinced of their own understanding of the truth. But as the story unfolds, we see their convictions challenged and their assumptions about the right leader completely upended. Without giving too much away, their ultimate choice confronts them with the unexpected—a figure they hadn’t seen coming, with a story that redefines their entire notion of identity and truth. Their certainty, it turns out, had blinded them.
I thought about my own certainties, about who I was and how I thought my life should unfold. For years, I had a clear image of myself as straight, an athlete, a rule-follower, with a path that seemed so clear. But it was in stepping away from those certainties that I found my truest self, that I realized I am queer, a creator, someone more open and complex than any one path could define. The journey to this discovery was full of doubt and fear, but it was also where I found the real magic—where life’s mystery finally made sense.
What if we applied this same unknowing to the world around us, to the people we think we know, even to those we fear or misunderstand? Conclave left me with a message that hit home, especially in the wake of an election: if we let go of the need for certainty, we open ourselves up to transformation, connection, and even grace. In a world desperate to be right, Conclave reminded me that it’s in the unknowing, the waiting, the mystery, that we can find ourselves—and each other—anew.
I love your podcast! One movie that caught me by surprise recently was the 1993 film “A Perfect World” directed by Clint Eastwood. I did not expect to be so emotionally invested and engaged with a movie going in semi-blind. I usually don’t sit through a movie without pausing and looking at my phone a bit because I often up not connecting with the film enough, but this one didn’t find me doing that. Based on your criticisms and praise of other films, I think there’s a good chance you’d both really like “A Perfect World”. It’s both intense and relaxing, smartly written, evokes a variety of emotions, and even has a bit of a literary quality while being very accessible (smart but accessible is one of my favorite combos in art!). Check it out if you have the time :)
On January 1st, every film released in 1927 will enter the public domain, e.g. Metropolis, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Wings, and The Jazz Singer. It could be fun to do some of these for a Public Domain month.
The Shawshank Redemption - It didn't even make its budget at the box office, initially. Only after it received a stunning 7 Oscar nominations (winning none) and subsequently being re-released to movie theatres, did it start its rise to success
The Big Lebowski - Was solid but not a big hit initially, only slowly gaining cult status
Both films would make for cool episodes in any case, whether in this category or in another one (e.g. "Top Rated on Imdb" or "So-called Cult classics")
Conclave is one of the best movies I've seen, maybe ever!!
On the day after the election, with the results not what I’d hoped for, I sat down to watch Conclave—a film that, unexpectedly, met my mood perfectly in its themes of uncertainty, doubt, and a shaken sense of stability.
In Conclave, cardinals gather to elect a new Pope, each so certain they know what’s best for the church, each convinced of their own understanding of the truth. But as the story unfolds, we see their convictions challenged and their assumptions about the right leader completely upended. Without giving too much away, their ultimate choice confronts them with the unexpected—a figure they hadn’t seen coming, with a story that redefines their entire notion of identity and truth. Their certainty, it turns out, had blinded them.
I thought about my own certainties, about who I was and how I thought my life should unfold. For years, I had a clear image of myself as straight, an athlete, a rule-follower, with a path that seemed so clear. But it was in stepping away from those certainties that I found my truest self, that I realized I am queer, a creator, someone more open and complex than any one path could define. The journey to this discovery was full of doubt and fear, but it was also where I found the real magic—where life’s mystery finally made sense.
What if we applied this same unknowing to the world around us, to the people we think we know, even to those we fear or misunderstand? Conclave left me with a message that hit home, especially in the wake of an election: if we let go of the need for certainty, we open ourselves up to transformation, connection, and even grace. In a world desperate to be right, Conclave reminded me that it’s in the unknowing, the waiting, the mystery, that we can find ourselves—and each other—anew.
Hey Anna and Casey,
I love your podcast! One movie that caught me by surprise recently was the 1993 film “A Perfect World” directed by Clint Eastwood. I did not expect to be so emotionally invested and engaged with a movie going in semi-blind. I usually don’t sit through a movie without pausing and looking at my phone a bit because I often up not connecting with the film enough, but this one didn’t find me doing that. Based on your criticisms and praise of other films, I think there’s a good chance you’d both really like “A Perfect World”. It’s both intense and relaxing, smartly written, evokes a variety of emotions, and even has a bit of a literary quality while being very accessible (smart but accessible is one of my favorite combos in art!). Check it out if you have the time :)
Oldie But Goodie: Cool Hand Luke
Music: Rock Star
Western: Tombstone
??: Snatch, Momento
Psycho Thriller: Pi
Suggestions
Western:
Bone Tomahawk
You are Being Watched:
The Lived of Others
Psychological Thriller:
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Bleak Future:
Clockwork Orange
Trippy Movies:
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Bliss(seconding)
Family Drama:
A Separation
The Farewell
The Meyerowitz Stories
Taking Matters into your Own Hands:
Hard Candy
I’m not sure where to put it, but I’d like to have Hot Fuzz reviewed!
Suggestions for a Cult Classics month:
-Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (this seems to be near-universally considered the best of the pre-Fury Road movies)
-Donnie Darko
-The Big Lebowski
-Trainspotting
And if you want to go in a campier direction:
-The Rocky Horror Picture Show
-Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
-Zardoz
For a romance I'd recommend "Before Sunrise".
For a road movie I'd recommend "Paris, Texas".
My recommendations:
- 3 Idiots (Comedy-Drama)
- The Grand Seduction (Comedy)
- Bon cop bad cop (comedy buddy cop)
Movie based on play: The Producers
One of my favorite movie categories is espionage. I recommend Spy month:
"Spy Game"
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
"No Way Out"
"Three Days of the Condor"
Music (but not musicals) Month: Amadeus, Whiplash, Almost Famous, Tar, Inside Llewyn Davis, This Is Spinal Tap
For new releases I would love to see "The Banshees of Inisherin".
I have a suggestion for a Computer Month:
- The Imitation Game
- War Games
- Office Space
- Her
Suggestion for a future New Releases Month:
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
On January 1st, every film released in 1927 will enter the public domain, e.g. Metropolis, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Wings, and The Jazz Singer. It could be fun to do some of these for a Public Domain month.
Underrated when they were released:
The Shawshank Redemption - It didn't even make its budget at the box office, initially. Only after it received a stunning 7 Oscar nominations (winning none) and subsequently being re-released to movie theatres, did it start its rise to success
The Big Lebowski - Was solid but not a big hit initially, only slowly gaining cult status
Both films would make for cool episodes in any case, whether in this category or in another one (e.g. "Top Rated on Imdb" or "So-called Cult classics")
Not sure where they would fit in, perhaps in art movies, but I'd really like to see episodes for Requiem for a Dream and Upstream Color.