At Telluride, ‘Conclave’ pleases, even if other Oscar hopefuls aren’t ready for prime time
In the opening scenes of RaMell Ross’ stunning, abstract film “Nickel Boys,” the camera points towards the sky. This might seem unusual for a filmmaker: After gathering talented actors and constructing elaborate sets, the director decides to focus not on them but on the clouds, the sun’s bursts, the swaying trees, and an almost ready-to-be-picked orange. A director who is a seeker, whether spiritually or otherwise, like Ross, often does this, looking up even when making a film about war, as Terrence Malick did in “The Thin Red Line.”
