This Film Hits Different If You Have Visited The Sistine Chapel | My Thoughts On Conclave
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One of my favorite genres of film is dramas centered around religion. Watching characters deal with problems within the church while also staying true to themselves and their faith is something that I can personally relate to. I also love seeing how the set designers work to create elaborate sets because most churches do not allow for the filming of movies.
I enjoyed Conclave more than I thought I would, in all honesty. That is partly due to my unexpected trip to Rome in 2023. I visited the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, and it was a life-changing experience. Seeing it recreated so accurately was uncanny but fascinating.
About Conclave
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Summary from IMDB.com - Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church's most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope's wake--secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church.
The faux sistine chapel
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When I first saw the trailer for Conclave, I freaked out when I saw the Sistine Chapel and how accurately it was depicted on screen. Everything is precisely where it is in real life. I don’t remember them showing a shot of the ceiling to show the iconic God and Adam Fresco, but they did focus on the vast The Last Judgement painting on the wall.
The only thing that did shock me about the design was the other door on the left. At the end of the film, Lawerence goes through that door to confront the new Pope, but when I visited the Vatican Museums, I do not remember that door being there.
I guess I was preoccupied with giving myself vertigo by staring at the incredible frescos Michelangelo painted and didn’t notice it. I also don’t remember seeing the vast doors where they entered and exited because when I visited, it was noon and very crowded, so we were ushered though a door on the right, and we were then led into the various Gift Shops
The Last Judgement
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Our protagonist, Cardinal Lawerence, would stare at the Last Judgement painting multiple times in the movie, and I believe there is a deeper meaning behind this.
When I visited the Sistine Chapel, I found myself more entranced by The Last Judgment Fresco than the ceiling, which is not what I expected to happen.
This large Fresco depicts the second coming of Christ and the final and eternal judgment by God of all humanity. The dead rise and descend to their deaths as judged by Christ, who prominent saints surround. - Wikipedia The Last Judgment (Michelangelo)
Whenever Cardinal Lawerence would feel an ounce of conflict and wonder if they were selecting the right person to be Pope, he would stare at the painting. I believe he wonders how God would judge his and the other Cardinals’ decisions on the Papalicy. I also wonder if this was him doubting his faith or the church for a moment due to the secrets he is uncovering from the other Cardinals.
The Ending was high-key emotional
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The twist at the end is kind of emotional. Spoiler Alert: the new Pope that was chosen found out during a procedure that he was also born with a uterus and scheduled to get a hysterectomy but, after a conversation with the late Pope, decided against it. He is as God made him, which is very touching and gives hope to the future of the Church.
I enjoyed this film and loved the acting, cinematography, set design, and score. Ralph Fennis is an incredible actor. I have only seen one other film with him in it, The Menu (2022), and I swear this man got absolutely fleeced during the 2023 award season. He deserved more recognition.
Right now I am watching all of the Harry Potter films for the first time, so imagine my shock when I found out he is Voldemort. This man has RANGE.
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Hi! I’m Andrea, the creator of Cinematic Excursions.
I am a video editor, photographer, travel and events vlogger, and blogger who likes to write movie analyses and yap about fandom. I also have a useless film degree.
I have been creating videos since 2018. In 2023, I started Cinematic Excursions to share my unfiltered experiences traveling, cruising, going on excursions, and using city cards that are supposed to save money.
I also use my platform to document my experience attending events like New York Comic-Con, MCM Comic-Con London, and the Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival, advising others and covering news from these events.