From Conclave to Shrinking Season 2, Should You Add These To Your Watchlist?
From the drama of electing a new Pope to the heartwarming banter between a therapist and his clients, should you watch these new movies and shows?
Conclave
When the Pope unexpectedly dies, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) — who is doubting his faith — is put in charge of the conclave and must orchestrate the election of a new leader. His belief is put to the test when he must objectively run the process while getting fed information that is damaging to many of the new potential leaders.
While the first act of the movie is slow to start, the drama suddenly picks up when the conclave begins. Stanley Tucci’s apprehensive Cardinal Bellini is the leader worth rooting for, although his ambitions don’t align with many in the church. As other potential leaders come out of the woodwork and campaign for their spot as Pope, the information coming from the outside slowly creeps in exposing many of the Cardinals as immoral and destructive. The twist, turns, and drama of this movie is reminiscent of high school girls though the stakes are far higher. A slow burn religious drama worth watching just for the performances alone.
Conclave is in theaters now.
Don’t Move
Contemplating suicide after the death of her son, Iris (Kelsey Asbille) is talked back from the edge by fellow hiker Richard (Finn Wittrock). While the man seems to have good intentions, things take a quick turn when he drugs Iris with a paralytic substance as she tries to fight for the life she almost gave up.
Although there is very little gore in this thriller film, it still falls into the category of body horror with some shiver-inducing scenes. It grips you right from the start and doesn’t let go until the very end. Asbille is able to do so much with such subtle movements and Wittrock plays the charismatic but sinister villain all too well. This is the perfect ninety minute thriller for when you’re looking to get your heart racing.
Don’t Move is streaming on Netflix.
Shrinking Season 2
Reeling from the death of his wife, Jimmy (Jason Segel) plunges himself into his work as a therapist to help others. Shockingly, the man (Brett Goldstein) responsible for the death of his wife makes an appearance that rattles him. Jimmy continues to make poor choices with good intentions that lead to conflict with his family, family, and patients.
Shrinking is like getting a long-anticipated hug from a loved one when you need it most. This show’s ability to tackle hard subjects while keeping things light and funny is what makes it so special. Some moments are a bit silly or out there, but it is always grounded in a reality that any audience can relate to.
Shrinking is streaming on Apple TV+.
The Diplomat Season 2
The Diplomat is back, continuing upon the bombshell ending of season one where multiple staff were injured by an explosive. Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) must take care of her husband (Rufus Sewell) while investigating the cause of the attack that is theorized to have been orchestrated by an inside person. All of this is happening as the Vice President (Allison Janney) pays her potential successor a visit.
The Diplomat is a show that demands your attention in every way. Not a single line or scene is wasted or put in as filler. While the real life political landscape may be rocky, it is a much needed reprieve to dive into a fictional world where you can gauge some kind of understanding of how global affairs are run and the complexity that comes along with that. The leads are captivating, the drama is palpable, yet the season felt abruptly short even given the shocking ending.
The Diplomat is streaming on Netflix.
Time Cut
Living in a home that was wrecked by her older sister’s death, Lucy (Madison Bailey) finds a way to travel back in time to save her sister Summer (Antonia Gentry) during the early 2000s.
While the plot of Time Cut is eerily similar to last year’s Totally Killer, it’s execution and decade aesthetic are very different. The fashion and music is fun, but unfortunately it doesn’t make up for the lackluster storyline. The murderer doesn’t make all that much sense and, once the case is solved, there is no feeling of resolution. It is a fun watch, but not something worth revisiting every October.
Time Cut is streaming on Netflix.
