Seventh Row is a nonprofit Canadian film criticism publication and publishing house. We're dedicated to helping you expand your horizons by curating the best socially progressive films from around the world and helping you think deeply about them. This newsletter is run by Seventh Row (http://seventh-row.com) but features exclusive content not found on the website.
Skip Conclave. Watch We Have a Pope!
|
Hello Reader, Just because people are buzzing about the latest pope drama, Conclave, doesn't mean it's worth your time. You don't need to see Conclave. But you may want to go back 10+ years to see a better pope-related drama, We Have a Pope (Nanni Moretti, 2011, Italy). Who doesn't want to watch a movie about a pope who has a panic attack once he's elected, gets seen by a psychiatrist in front of all the cardinals (see image below), and then runs away from the Vatican and joins a troupe of actors (having always wanted to be one!)? This movie has cardinals playing in volleyball tournaments, The Seagull, and an existential crisis. It puts a human face on the man who will be pope while making you laugh. We Have a Pope on the PodcastWhen I left the cinema after seeing Conclave, all I wanted to do was rewatch We Have a Pope, which has everything that's missing from Conclave: rich characters with clear motivations, humour and wit, and backstage movie that isn't hermetically sealed from the audience. Today on the podcast, I discuss why you should check out Nanni Moretti's delightful We Have a Pope and what it gets right that Conclave gets wrong.
Wondering why you should skip Conclave? Listen to my TIFF 24 episode.In this episode, I talk about the new Ralph Fiennes projects this year, Conclave and The Return, both of which were unfortunately disappointments. Listen to the Ralph Fiennes/Conclave episode Happy listening! Alex
|
Seventh Row
Seventh Row is a nonprofit Canadian film criticism publication and publishing house. We're dedicated to helping you expand your horizons by curating the best socially progressive films from around the world and helping you think deeply about them. This newsletter is run by Seventh Row (http://seventh-row.com) but features exclusive content not found on the website.
Hello Reader, Fresh off his Oscar win for Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy stars in and produces Small Things Like These, a subtle, thoughtful Irish independent film that's one of the year's best. Despite Murphy's deep involvement and tremendous lead performance, the film is more than a star vehicle: it's a character actor's film that's peopled with character actors. It's a film that's as much about the world around Cillian Murphy's character as it is about him. Cillian Murphy stars as Bill...
Hello Reader, This week, Steve McQueen's Apple film Blitz hits cinemas. I've yet to see the film so can't comment on it, but I can heartily recommend going back to check out his Small Axe films, which was the last time he made films about Black British history. Steve McQueen's Small Axe 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 Stream on Prime, Rent on AppleTV+ 🇬🇧 Stream on BBC iPlayer; Rent on AppleTV, Sky+, Amazon 🇮🇪 Stream on Netflix 🇳🇿 Stream on Stan Find it in your country Although Steve McQueen became a star for telling...
Hello Reader, You are receiving this as a paying subscriber to The Globetrotting Watchlist (which includes Film Adventurer and Cinephile Members), a monthly newsletter that helps you expand your cinematic horizons through streaming recommendations for the best socially progressive under-the-radar films worldwide. Your support helps us pay our expenses to keep Seventh Row, a non-profit, ad-free and online. What's Inside the Globetrotting Newsletter This month, I'm recommending: Confessions of...