Oscars prep: ‘Conclave,’ ‘A Real Pain’ sail; ‘Emilia Perez’ sinks

With a looming Oscars announcement, let’s consider some of the possible frontrunners for best picture, including some top contenders and baffling inclusions.

“Conclave”

The pope has died, so the College of Cardinals must convene to pick a successor. Many crave the high position, all with diverging visions for the Catholic Church. To ensure a smooth and ethical transition, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) oversees the papal conclave. He doesn’t want the job. In fact, he recently tried to resign, but the former pope prevented that. He had his reasons, but we might never know what they were. That also goes for the unexpected arrival of Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz), secretly named and serving communities in Kabul.

Four primary main contenders garner votes, including liberal Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) and moderate Tremblay (John Lithgow). With all the pieces on the board, it’s anyone’s guess who will earn enough votes or survive last-minute discoveries of scandals, thanks to the efforts of Cardinal Lawrence and Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini)

“Conclave” knows how to tell a story with focus. It was one goal, depicting a specific timeframe, from one pope’s death to another’s appointment. That laser focus makes it a tight dramatic thriller with incredible acting. Few films with a PG rating are this enthralling. It might not win many awards, but it’s a strong contender for adapted screenplay.

“A Real Pain”

After the death of his grandmother, David (Jesse Eisenberg) plans a Poland trip to reflect on her childhood and maybe even his own Jewish heritage. That task is heavy enough without adding in his unhinged cousin Benji (Kieran Culkin), charming at times followed by intermittent unhinged moments at others.

“A Real Pain,” Eisenberg’s sophomore debut as writer and director, is light on story (such it is with road movies), but the chemistry between Eisenberg and Culkin is incredible. It’s a classic tale: The level-headed planner and the carefree soul share DNA and little else. But there’s love and care.

Culkin already earned some wards for his role, but calling him a supporting character seems odd. He shares the screen almost as much as his co-star. No matter, he seems a shoo-in regardless of the category.

“Emelia Perez”

“Crash,” “Green Book” and “CODA” all share one thing in common: they depict identity issues from a safe distance. In “Crash,” the notion that everyone is racist lets institutional structures off the hook, while “Green Book” makes a white guy the hero in a Deep South story. Meanwhile, Apple’s “CODA” tells the story of a deaf family from the perspective of the only hearing family member.

“Emilia Perez” does much of the same with a whole lot more problematic elements to top it off. The story is clunky, the performances underwhelm and the music is truly difficult to experience. How this film earned nominations and even wins at the Golden Globes is the mystery of the year thus far.

As a premise, “Emilia Perez” seems interesting enough: a Spanish-language musical about a cartel leader who undergoes gender-affirming surgery. To help Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascon) reach this goal, she seeks the help of a lawyer, Rita (Zoe Saldana). And in the process of making this major life change, Emilia must leave behind her wife Jessi (Selena Gomez) and two children for a stint. Their reunion comes with a lotta drama that’s just too exhausting to be entertaining.

Give it a try if you wish, but it’s hard to enjoy. To start, shouldn’t a musical include songs that are enjoyable? This ain’t it. Early on, the lyrics’ simplicity undermines the story. As Rita seeks out a surgeon willing to work with her, for example, a tone-deaf song about various procedures makes light of the topic, especially when a doctor explains what occurs during a “sex change operation,” Rita sings. “Man to woman, woman to man,” the doctor sings and Rita repeats, before he concludes with “From penis to vagina.” Watch the whole song. It ain’t funny, ironic or even campy. It’s just full-blown cringe.

Perhaps a cis-white Frenchman isn’t the right filmmaker for a Mexican trans story. Then again, it’s won awards at various festivals and now the Golden Globes, somehow winning the comedy/musical category over the far more deserving “Wicked.” Not bad for a film GLAAD deems “not good trans representation.”