Juror #2 was a very earnest movie directed by Clint Eastwood. I’ll say he’s sweet, as far as giving new writers a chance, as Jonathan A. Abrams has only a few movies under his belt. The writing was formulaic, but combined with excellent actors: Toni Collette, JK Simmons and Nicholas Hoult, the well edited movie rises above potential courtroom drama mundanities.
Conclave was a large film, in both scope, majesty and acting. Director Edward Berger shows quite the command wrangling the likes of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rosselini, and John Lithgow. Peter Straughan (nominated for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the story’s originator (author Robert Harris), did yeomens’ work of spinning a provocative tale.
The editing and cinematography (Nick Emerson and Stephane Fontaine respectively) worked together to create an atmosphere that definitely takes one to another place, both cloistered and yet wide open and the number of difficulties that men of the cloth might live through.
I know it’s comparing apples and oranges, yet between these two, there is no doubt that Conclave is a better film. However, neither breaks in to my top 5. 1. Sing Sing 2. The Substance 3. Anora 4. Do Not Expect Much From the End of the World 5. Between the Temples
I still hold out hope for Nickel Boys to knock one of these gems out.
