★Conclave. 120 min. Focus/Universal. 2024. DVD UPC 191329266250. $24.49; Blu-ray UPC 191329266151. $30.99. Rated: PG. THRILLER

After the death of the pope, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) manages the ritualistic process of choosing his successor. Rivalries among competing candidates representing differing doctrinal views, together with an emerging conspiracy, jeopardize the election. Based on the Robert Harris bestseller, this film from Oscar-winning director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) assembles a top-notch cast, including Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini, for an intriguing exploration of power as wielded by the religious elite. VERDICT A humanistic revelation elevates the proceedings, offering food for thought.

The Critic. 101 min. Greenwich. 2023. DVD UPC 738329268442. $19.95. Rated: R. DRAMA

Veteran 1930s London theater critic Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen), having been put on notice by the new editor of his tabloid newspaper (Mark Strong) for penning vitriolic reviews, finally gets sacked after being arrested for homosexuality. Desperate to get his job back, Erskine enlists a struggling actress (Gemma Arterton) in a blackmail plan that goes tragically wrong. The plot machinations of this character study directed by Anand Tucker may be questionable, but McKellen oozes Erskine’s conceit with aplomb. VERDICT Metacritic shows mostly mixed reviews, but what do critics know?

On the Wandering Paths (Sur les chemins noirs). 95 min. In French w/English subtitles. Distrib/Icarus. 2023. DVD UPC 854565004276. $26.99. DRAMA

Pierre (Jean Dujardin), who was left in a coma after a drunken fall, recovers and embarks on a 1,300-kilometer hike across the French countryside. He crosses paths with other walkers on his trek, but Pierre’s journey is a primarily solitary one of self-discovery. An Oscar winner for his performance in 2011’s The Artist, Dujardin offers a lived-in character at one with the natural world, whose picturesque beauty is presented in a matter-of-fact, un-self-conscious way by director Denis Imbert. VERDICT An uplifting story, best for viewers willing to take time to smell the roses.

★Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges). 118 min. In English & French w/English subtitles. Utopia. 2023. Blu-ray UPC 810161480876. $36.98. THRILLER

Fashion model and online gambler Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariépy) attends the trial of a Montreal man accused of torturing and killing three teen girls and streaming it on the dark web. Befriending a courtroom groupie (Laurie Babin) who’s convinced of the defendant’s innocence, Kelly-Anne keeps her opinions to herself while pursuing a copy of the snuff film that will determine the fate of the man with whom she is so obsessed. Writer-director Pascal Plante mesmerizes with his macabre tale that implies more than it depicts. VERDICT A novel take on the crime thriller genre.

Roseland. 104 min. Cohen. 1977. DVD UPC 738329268336. $19.95; Blu-ray UPC 738329268343. $29.95. Rated: PG. DRAMA

“When you dance…you can live pretty much in your dreams,” observes the wistful narrator of “The Waltz,” the first of this anthology’s three stories situated in the titular NYC ballroom. From a lonely widow (Teresa Wright) honoring the memory of her late husband, to a gigolo (Christopher Walken) juggling the demands of three ladies, to an older woman (Lilia Skala) out to win a dance competition despite her failing health, this sad but sanguine trio cuts the rug. VERDICT Fans of Merchant-Ivory will enjoy this early, less-known work.