Review: "The Two Popes" Gives an Entertaining Perspective on History

Scene from The Two Popes

While popes throughout history have been seen as holier than thou figures, there's one thing in director Fernando Meirelles' that feels groundbreaking. For a figure like Pope Benedict XVI, every day is a chance to solve the world's problems. It seems like it would be full of contemplation, wondering how to perform God's will to a public who holds you in higher esteem. However, the moment that seems most striking is not him performing a miracle or presenting a sermon in Latin, but in what he does at the Vatican when doors are closed and the public has gone home for the night. Like most of us, Benedict turns to TV for pleasure with a crime-solving dog show called Kommander Rex. It's a brief moment, but Benedict's joy in the silliness reflects what The Two Popes does so phenomenally well. These are moments that make us human, and sometimes communion is simply gathering together to watch TV. By humanizing Pope Benedict XVI and his successor Pope Francis, the film demystifies two of the stuffier figures in modern culture and gives them a rich, sympathetic, and dimensional personality. 

"The Two Popes" Introduce Themselves with a Delightful Trailer

The Two Popes

A few years ago, Spotlight won Best Picture for depicting a scandal within the Catholic Church. While many have been critical of the group in recent decades, there have been few events as puzzling as when Pope Benedict retired. In history, popes often died with that title still intact, thus making Pope Francis' rise all the more peculiar. For years, many have wondered what inspired this decision, and for the director, Fernando Meirelles that involved exploring the story in a new drama called The Two Popes. With Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce in the titular roles, one has to wonder if this will be upset that the Oscars need to stay interesting. If the first trailer is anything to go off of, the answer looks like a pretty confident yes. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: City of God (2002)

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.