Breaking news! This week on Cinemaholics, Special guest Ema Sasic joins me (Jon Negroni) to dissect September 5, a gripping new thriller from director Tim Fehlbaum (The Colony). The film takes us back to the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, where sports coverage took an unprecedented turn into live, global news reporting during one of the most tragic and pivotal events in history. Together, we break down the film’s high-tension pacing and commentary on media ethics. Plus, we talk awards potential and about the standout performances from John Magaro, Peter Sarsgaard, Leonie Benesch, and more.

You can also read an edited transcript of our conversation right here.

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Holy smokes! This week on Cinemaholics, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton enter the sacred halls of Conclave, the latest thriller from Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front). Set against the backdrop of a Vatican papal election, the film dives into the labyrinth of faith, power, and political intrigue. We discuss Ralph Fiennes’ captivating performance as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, the high-stakes drama of electing a new pope, and the surprising humor that keeps the tension from boiling over. Plus, we unpack the film’s visual grandeur, that audacious ending twist, and where it fits in the awards season race…You can read an edited transcript of our conversation right here.

Conclave was directed by Edward Berger and is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris. The cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini, with cinematography by Stéphane Fontaine (Jackie). Premiering in limited release on October 25, 2024 through Focus Features and has a runtime of 120 minutes.

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Today on Cinemaholics, Will Ashton delivers a short, spoiler-free review of Maria, Angelina Jolie's latest lead performance in a new biographical drama from director Pablo Larraín about legendary opera singer Maria Callas in 1970s Paris.

More information about Maria:

Angelina Jolie stars as Maria Callas, the iconic soprano, in Pablo Larraín’s Maria. This moving drama reimagines the legendary singer’s final days in Paris as she reflects on her dazzling but turbulent life in the spotlight. Directed by the acclaimed Pablo Larraín (Jackie, Spencer), with a screenplay by Steven Knight, the film offers an intimate look at the diva’s identity, struggles, and overall legacy. The film also features Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, and Kodi Smit-McPhee and is the final entry in Larraín's trilogy about iconic 20th-century women, following Jackie and Spencer.

Premiering at the Venice Film Festival, where Jolie's performance earned acclaim, Maria debuted in select U.S. theaters on November 27, 2024, and will stream on Netflix from December 11, with theatrical releases in Italy and Germany to follow in early 2025.

Links:

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This week on Cinemaholics, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton take a real hard look at Jesse Eisenberg's A Real Pain, a film tackling generational trauma, identity crises, and the age-old question: are we in a Kieran Culkin Kierannaissance? We chat about its awards buzz, a Holocaust scene that's somehow pivotal and memorable, and the performances that make all the pain worth it. Plus, we break down the movie's balancing act between humor and heavy themes.

A Real Pain was directed, written, and produced by Jesse Eisenberg. The cast includes Eisenberg himself, alongside Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, and others, with Emma Stone and Dave McCary serving as producers under their Fruit Tree banner. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2024, the film later saw a limited theatrical release in the United States on November 1 through Searchlight Pictures. It has a 90-minute runtime.

Links:

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Synopsis for A Real Pain:

Mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved

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Welcome to Cinemaholics. I'm Jon Negroni, and I've just seen Moana 2. Now, this isn't going to be an instant take review right out of the theater, mainly because I'm recording this the next day. So, this is going to be a little bit different. But I did want to put something out there before the movie comes out. It is Thanksgiving week, so I know a lot of you are maybe having some busier weeks, finding some time with family and everything, and maybe you're considering going to see Moana 2 in the theater. And if that's the case, you might be curious—what is the movie all about? Is it worth checking out and all of that?

Read the full transcript for this episode here.

Links:

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This week on the Cinemaholics podcast, we enter the arena to discuss Gladiator II, the long-awaited sequel that brings back Ridley Scott as director along with some fresh talent. Including Paul Mescal in the lead role alongside Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Connie Nielsen. We kick off the show with some preamble about Wicked and Scott's filmography before clashing swords on the film itself. We discuss the overall themes of the film and how the action pays off the messaging. Plus we dig into the critical reception thus far and what might come next in the Gladiator franchise.

Gladiator II opened in UK theaters on November 15 with a U.S. release through Paramount Pictures a week after on November 22. The film has a 148-minute runtime and the rest of the cast includes Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, and Derek Jacobi.

Links:

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Will Ashton gives his instant take review of Red One, directed by Jake Kasdan and starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel, and J.K. Simmons.

Synopsis:

After Santa Claus – Code Name: RED ONE – is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

• Directed by | Jake Kasdan 
• Story by | Hiram Garcia 
• Screenplay by | Chris Morgan 
• Produced by | Hiram Garcia, p.g.a., Dwayne Johnson, p.g.a., Dany Garcia, Chris Morgan, p.g.a., Jake Kasdan p.g.a, Melvin Mar
• Starring | Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel and J.K. Simmons
• Run Time | 2 hours 2 minutes 
• Rating | PG - 13

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Disney and Lucasfilm have finally confirmed a deal to release a new Star Wars trilogy that continues(?) the saga with Episodes 10-12. Simon Kinberg will apparently develop the trilogy with Kathleen Kennedy, so let's get into everything we know so far about what's next for a galaxy far, far, you get the point.

Articles mentioned in this podcast:

• Deadline – "‘Star Wars’ Trilogy Deal: Lucasfilm Taps Simon Kinberg To Write & Produce"
• The Hollywood Reporter – "‘Star Wars’: Simon Kinberg to Write, Produce New Trilogy for Lucasfilm"

Links:

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Will Ashton gives his instant take review of The Piano Lesson, directed and co-written by Malcolm Washington and starring Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Danielle Deadwyler, and Corey Hawkins.

Synopsis:

A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother (John David Washington) plans to build the family fortune by selling it. On the other, a sister (Danielle Deadwyler) will go to any lengths to hold onto the sole vestige of the family’s heritage.  Their uncle (Samuel L. Jackson) tries to mediate,  but even he can’t hold back the ghosts of the past. 

Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork, THE PIANO LESSON explores the intergenerational dynamics of identity, resilience and transcendence - revealing startling truths about how we perceive the past and who gets to define our legacy.  The film is directed and co-written by Malcolm Washington in his feature directorial debut. From Oscar nominated producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black, and featuring an all-star cast including Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith with Danielle Deadwyler and Corey Hawkins.

Links:

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Will Ashton gives his instant take review of Emilia Pérez, directed and written by Jacques Audiard and starring Karla Sofîa Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez.

Synopsis:

From renegade auteur Jacques Audiard comes Emilia Pérez, an audacious fever dream that defies genres and expectations. Through liberating song and dance and bold visuals, this odyssey follows the journey of four remarkable women in Mexico, each pursuing their own happiness. The fearsome cartel leader Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón) enlists Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an unappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, to help fake her death so that Emiliacan finally live authentically as her true self. Written and directed by Audiard (Rust and Bone, A Prophet), the double Cannes-winning film also stars Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramírez.

Links:

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