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The New Pope (2020)
A misogynist showrunner's wet dream
I can't understand why Paolo Sorrentino decided to take this series in this direction. The unnecessary dancing nuns, the copious amount of female nudity and the lack of any female character with agency make for a really dated type of HBO series. I read in an article this is a feminist interpretation though clearly the author hadn't seen one episode.
While The Young Pope wasn't perfect, there was an intriguing storyline that covered timely issues within the Vatican. Jude Law, Diane Keaton, Silvio Orlando and Javier Camara worked so well together to craft a story that held my interest from beginning to end. But The New Pope spends so much time trying to bombard us with T & A that it's hard to become interested in Pope John Paul III's character arc. No fault to John Malkovich, because I do enjoy his interpretation of the Pope but we just don't get enough of it to sustain interest.
Finally the Meghan Markle shade is detestable and says more about Sorrentino than it does about her.
Castle Rock: The Mother (2019)
Castle Rock Keeps Bringing It
The emotionally gut wrenching suspenseful interplay between Annie, Joy, and Rita (Sarah Gadon) make this episode a riveting follow-up to the masterful "The Laughing Place". Last week's episode was an origin story within an origin story, but as this episode ended, I was left contemplating more main character theories than when I first started watching this season. A show that makes one think is a good thing.
Of the series I regularly watch, this show is the best in my opinion. The writing, directing, cinematography and most of all the performances make for compelling viewing. Lizzy Caplan and Elsie Fisher are bringing their characters to life and giving Emmy worthy performances at the same time.
Mr. Robot: 406 Not Acceptable (2019)
Not Acceptable is a fitting title
I feel the writers dropped the ball in a specific manner in this episode. The use of Krista as the pawn in a cooked up scheme by Fernando Vera to get to Elliot was an illogical plot twist at face value.
When a sweaty looking Fernando Vera, played by Elliot Villar, recounts a long winded parable of a "a bully and a lil bitch", a bound and gagged Krista squirms and moans in terror. I immediately wonder why Gloria Reuben the actor has been reduced to this BS. The torture in this scene is conveyed mostly through language. Sam Esmail and his writing staff (Amelia Gray) must think they created an "edgy" script with Vera's akward use of the N word for "dramatic" emphasis without any contextual reason provided for its use. Entitled tone deafness on behalf of the writers while crafting these scenes was most likely at a fever pitch.
The whole story line of Vera and Krista was full of double entendre. The image of 3 people of African descent (Krista and Vera's 2 loyal henchmen) in a room being fed the moral of the story, "...that is how you own a (insert racial slur)". So this elaborate return of Vera seems mad suspect. Is this monologue for Krista, continuing the momentum from the last episode or is this some not-so-crafty message to the audience. I saw it as an example of the latter.
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Biopics are overrated
How Eddie Murphy played the character of Rudy Ray Moore and his alter ego, Dolemite, was much like he has played characters on SNL or the Nutty Professor. This film never captured much insight into who Rudy Ray Moore was and Murphy could never pull off Moore's delivery like a more seasoned actor could have. I hate to say it but he was miscast in this role.
This film is not awful, Luenell (tiny part), and Wesley Snipes provide some fine acting and great comic relief. Overall I would expect a movie stacked with stars to bring something better to the table. Maybe that was the problem?
The filmmakers thought that playing loud funk/soul music and having actors put on ill-fitted afro wigs provided enough atmosphere for a Black experience biopic of the 70s. That is laziness on the part of the writers and director. As much care that went into the soundtrack should have been focused on character development.
Again this movie wasn't awful and it's not great either.
The Terror: Into the Afterlife (2019)
A Series with Potential Squandered
I watched season 2 patiently because I thought the premise of the story was interesting.
The first episode started off pretty well. When some of the actors spoke their lines with millennial inflections in their voices I overlooked that, because there were very strong actors that were aware this story took place in the 1940s. When there were dead end plotlines, I eagerly awaited for them to be picked up in later episodes to no avail. I still thought it was a pretty good show.
Then "Taizo" aired and it met all of my expectations. I thought the second half of the series would provide a terrifying portrait of a restless ghost with a relentless will to complete her "paradise". Instead the writers and directors took a bunch of missteps as opposed to using the momentum the show had gained.
This finale was simply a letdown. I've tried not to make comparisons between this season and the first. I will say the first season was unrelenting in its portrayal of the human condition. The Season 2 showrunners/writers did not focus on that aspect enough and alas the result is mediocre.
The Terror: Taizo (2019)
Now It All Makes Sense...Or Does It?
This is the episode I have been waiting for this season. Kudos to the cast and crew for creating such a poignant story that is heartbreaking, visually stunning, revealing, yet enigmatic at the same time. Kiki Sukezane's and Natsuki Kunimto's superb acting made me wish more of their storyline had been focused on in earlier episodes. But the second season is a slow burn and I look forward to where the last few episodes take the viewers.