Conclave’s Intricate Web of Power and Intrigue—Plus Five Films Whose Mysteries Run Deep

In Conclave—directed by Edward Berger and adapted from Robert Harris’ bestselling novel by Peter Straughan—Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with the formidable responsibility of shepherding the election of a new Pope through the deep conspiracies and dark intrigues of the Catholic Church. “A gradually swelling, deeply intellectual, and unexpectedly fun political thriller,” the AV Club writes, “Berger’s twisty film takes the audience behind the notoriously secretive closed doors of the Catholic Church” capturing the complex interplay of tradition and power, politics and hope. “There’s ambition and some corruption, but it isn’t just about the political machinations,” Fiennes says in the production notes. “It’s about who is going to be the right spiritual leader.”

With Conclave coming to theaters, we are remembering other intense dramas set in the lofty worlds of power, culture, and money.

Conclave is only in theaters October 25, so get tickets now!

The Constant Gardener

In Fernando Meirelles’ adaptation of John le Carré’s The Constant Gardener, Justin Quayle (Fiennes) is a British diplomat stationed in Kenya searching for the truth behind the death of his wife (Rachel Weisz in an Oscar®-winning performance). Driven by his grief and outrage, Quayle travels across Europe and Africa, slowly uncovering an international conspiracy of corporate greed and political corruption. For USA Today, this global thriller “offers passion, betrayal, gorgeous cinematography, social commentary, stellar performances, and clever wit puts it in a special category near perfection.” At the heart of the film, New York Magazine writes, “Fiennes gives one of the year’s subtlest, yet most exciting, screen performances, modulating from callow British diplomat to impassioned lover of both Rachel Weisz and Third World justice.”

Watch The Constant Gardener on Apple TV or Amazon now!

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan, the screenwriters of Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, were nominated for an Academy Award® for their exciting adaption of le Carré’s classic spy novel. The New York Times writes, “The story, skillfully mined from Mr. le Carré’s labyrinthine book…is a pleasurably sly and involving puzzler—a mystery about mysteries within mysteries.” Gary Oldman plays George Smiley, the master spy who must sift through layers of paranoia and intrigue to uncover the mole inside British intelligence. Moving from Istanbul to Budapest to London, the film spotlights the global reach of Cold War espionage, but the story connects, Oldman told Indiewire, “because ultimately it’s a story about friendship, love lost, betrayal, loyalty and all of those things that we as people connect to.”

Watch Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on Apple TV or Amazon now!

Hollywoodland

In Hollywoodland, Allen Coulter goes behind the veneer of glamor and fantasy to explore the true story behind the death of George Reeves (Ben Affleck), the actor who soared to fame playing Superman on TV. With a supporting cast that includes Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, and Bob Hoskins, the film captures the complex web of power, publicity, and politics that pull the strings in Hollywood. Behind this death is also, as Coulter tells Pop Entertainment, “The slow death of the studio system as it had existed in the thirties and forties and the rise of television.” Entertainment Weekly writes, “The elegant biodrama Hollywoodland presents all options in its meditation on the price of the American way of fame.”

Watch Hollywoodland on Apple TV or Amazon now!

Darkest Hour

Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour dramatizes how Winston Churchill (Oldmham in an Academy Award®-winning performance) pushed through politics to instill hope and purpose for a nation on the brink of war. As Germany was preparing to invade Britain, political parties in Britain jockeyed for power. Churchill moved beyond politics to speak to the people, Oldman said in the production notes, “speaking directly to, and made sure that what he said just went right to the heart of the nation.” “Were Darkest Hour just a symphony of World War II nostalgia, it’d probably still be a good watch,” writes The Atlantic. “But because the film makes the effort to go deeper, it becomes something much more memorable.”

Watch Darkest Hour on Apple TV or Amazon now!

TÁR

Nominated for seven Academy Awards®—including Best Picture and Best Actress—Todd Field’s TÁR is a profound exploration of a conductor dealing with the art and politics of classical music. Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) has taken over the Berlin Philharmonic, attempting to wrangle the egos and talents of an internationally renowned orchestra, prepare for a new recording of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, and juggle a marriage, a monumental struggle that comes crashing down when rumors of improper behavior start to bubble up. “The movie is breathtaking—in its drama, its high-crafted innovation, its vision,” Variety writes. “It’s a ruthless but intimate tale of art, lust, obsession, and power.”

Watch TÁR on Apple TV or Amazon now!