#raisarambling

i somehow watched this thing for the fourth time recently so let's get to it. i don't know jackshit about films so this is just me rambling.

the visuals might be my favourite aspect of this whole ordeal. we're currently dealing with an epidemic of washed out beige and fuckass gradients in the colour schemes of hollywood movies so a balanced high contrast palette is such a welcome change. it reminds me of technicolor if it had been put through a few washing cycles, which is surprisingly nice because combined with the static camera work i feel like i'm watching a two hour long fresco (or a caravaggio painting at times with all the chiaroscuro). the overall moodiness and darkness is not excessive and fits in with the intimate, backstage-ish vibes of the movie. the aesthetics of catholicism are utilised to their maximum potential especially with the group scenes making use of the uniform red mass of cardinals. one thing that i'm SO GLAD exists in conclave is the attempts at double-meaning and symbolism through visuals, light, even still shots of artwork, which is something i love but don't really see much in modern mainstream cinema. worth a watch if only because of how beautiful it looks.

i'm still undecided if conclave was /supposed/ to be commentary on a more general political situation (and i certainly hope it was not!) or just the vatican. for me it works better with a more intimate reading, especially if we assume the direct pov of dean lawrence. the characters are not necessarily explored in depth but their humanity shines through and saves them from being flanderised archetypes. well, mostly - the polish bishop being a rambling alcoholic is still not forgiven :p. the movie, despite being a (lukewarm) critique of the church, approaches faith with a degree of nuance and grace but dances around it making it appear vague and ungraspable. i wish they'd gone more vulnerable and personal. the acting is good and the casting is great - all of these men could believably be priests. it never touches on the deeper problems with the whole institution of the church and in my opinion would benefit from focusing less on the big picture and teaching some moral lesson and more on the intricate web of connections within the vatican walls, the story itself presented in a more naturalistic light. the ending could only be heart-warming and hopeful but still paints the catholic church as easily redeemable with systematic solutions. which is not the case.

coffee with any amount of milk: frivolous white girl drink. prop for sharing gossip with a friend.