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The New Pope

Started by Poobum, February 02, 2020, 09:50:41 PM

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Poobum

Enjoying this. Liked The Young Pope and was worried it would lose something without Jude Law's Lenny. Brilliant representation of the ol' Holy See I reckon. Characters are corrupt, pompous and ridiculous. I think it's a good realization of how the ruthless and schizophrenic an ancient institution like the Catholic Church would need to be to survive. It's an impossible situation when you think about it, the church means nothing if it doesn't survive, but the compromises it makes to survive means it means nothing, or worse. Voiello encapsulates that brilliantly for me. Also I think the show also has a nice thread of appreciating the naivety and need for grace that motivates people to try and find meaning in something like god and church. It has little glimpses of what the church should, but can never be.

Have found Malkovich's weird annunciations, and what initially looked like loads of mascara a bit off. Don't get his character yet, but I'm only five episodes in.

Also it's full of really charming moments like so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqR2YnmXSAY

Mister Six

Just catching up on The Young Pope and fucking loving it. Very excited to start on this one.

buttgammon

I'm really enjoying this and it actually feels like I know a bit more what's happening than in the first series. Voiello is one of my favourite characters on recent TV - the scheming genius, the weird, slow voice, the mole - he's great.

The programme is just so beautiful too, even the fact that a lot of shots are deliberately ever so slightly asymmetrical.

phantom_power

The Young Pope was one of my favourite shows of the decade but seemed to slip under the radar with everyone else. A beautiful show with a great soundtrack and powerhouse central performance from Law. Great acting all round really with some fascinating faces, and yes Voiello is a wonderful character played by a brilliant actor

The New Pope hasn't quite hit me the same way yet but I am only 2 in so that could change

Poobum

Beautiful definitely sums it up. I would describe myself as quite a religious atheist, and so should we all. This show just hits right in my sweet spot. It's all about the mystery and beauty of seeking that beyond truth, choked by a human institution. On the penultimate episode and it's just grown and grown. It's built on the last series so brilliantly. Malkovich has definitely grown on me. Voiello, Giralomo, just heartbreaking and deep.

Noodle Lizard

I actually prefer this to the first one so far (four eps in). The first one started great, but ended up with too many subplots that didn't interweave very well and some very inconsistent characterization - almost as if the series had been re-ordered in editing. I also grew quite tired of Lenny's backstory.

This one feels a lot more confident and driven towards something specific, whilst not neglecting to take its time delving into the characters and their philosophies and relishing in the (incredible) scenery and set pieces. I admire the way they're dealing with Lenny - I was worried we'd either have a ton of flashbacks to give Executive Producer Jude Law his due screen time, or that he'd wake up at the end of the first episode or something like that - but I think he's been incorporated very tastefully and just enough. Loving Malkovich (though I could do without the fourth wall and Meghan Markle gags) and Voiello is fantastic as ever. The only bit I don't care for is Ester's subplot, which is often just silly more than anything, and I'm not sure how/if it will connect to the wider story.

Overall, one of the more interesting shows to come about or late. It feels like nobody's watching though!

Poobum

I think this series wraps everything up quite well, with the gradual revelation of the characters really well paced and hitting the emotional notes. Jean-Paul III grew on me, and actually caught me off guard with where it was going (I'm childish so I was imagining all kinds of convoluted twists). I won't spoil any of it, beyond that its just an incredibly human show, with all the vulnerability, the fragility, and the hope in spite of it all.

Jude Law did have a Daniel Craig impression thrown in, obviously wants to show off his manly bosom to the world. Some how it works. Is a show that embraces its outlandish side though, and does it really well.

Noodle Lizard

I just started rewatching The Young Pope (i.e. the first one) and I think it's better overall. I was wrong before, sorry.

Surprised this didn't get more attention, though. I've met few people who even knew it existed, let alone watched it. It's easily the best-looking show on TV, if nothing else; each episode has some of the most perfectly-crafted shots this side of Kubrick, and there are some great dialogue scenes an' all. It doesn't all work, and there are entire episodes or subplots which fall flat, but it's impressive nevertheless. It deals with its subject matter carefully and tastefully (to the point where I think Catholics could enjoy it without being too offended), with some genuinely intriguing discourse on faith and loss thereof. Voiello is one of the best-realised characters in TV history, I reckon - at once a villain and the most sympathetic character in the entire show.

It's a far cry from the "House of Cards in the Vatican" that it was marketed as, in any event.

buttgammon

Quote from: Noodle Lizard on October 13, 2020, 08:01:16 PM
I just started rewatching The Young Pope (i.e. the first one) and I think it's better overall. I was wrong before, sorry.

Surprised this didn't get more attention, though. I've met few people who even knew it existed, let alone watched it. It's easily the best-looking show on TV, if nothing else; each episode has some of the most perfectly-crafted shots this side of Kubrick, and there are some great dialogue scenes an' all. It doesn't all work, and there are entire episodes or subplots which fall flat, but it's impressive nevertheless. It deals with its subject matter carefully and tastefully (to the point where I think Catholics could enjoy it without being too offended), with some genuinely intriguing discourse on faith and loss thereof. Voiello is one of the best-realised characters in TV history, I reckon - at once a villain and the most sympathetic character in the entire show.

It's a far cry from the "House of Cards in the Vatican" that it was marketed as, in any event.

Nothing to add but that I agree with all of this (and have been meaning to rewatch both series).

Sorrentino's film The Great Beauty is visually stunning and highly entertaining - definitely worth a watch for anyone who enjoyed this.

phantom_power

I haven't seen The Great Beauty yet but Consequences of Love is as beautiful and enchanting as The Young/New Pope. Has anyone seen the bizarre sounding film he made with Sean Penn, This Must Be The Place?

Noodle Lizard

Quote from: phantom_power on October 13, 2020, 08:54:59 PMHas anyone seen the bizarre sounding film he made with Sean Penn, This Must Be The Place?

Yeah. Sadly, it's not very good from what I remember. When I started watching The Young Pope, I was amazed to discover it was the same fellow. Maybe it's one of those films that requires a bit of familiarity with what it's up to, but it didn't resonate with me at all when I saw it in the cinema.

I've had The Great Beauty on my Criterion watchlist for about a year.